Illusions

Or better yet, find out that there was nothing to know.

This, unfortunately, seemed unlikely. It was just too big a coincidence for Yuki to show up at Laurel’s school, especially when the woman who put her there belonged to an organization that hunted non-humans. Except for picking up Yuki after the troll attack, Klea had not shown her face since delivering the wild faerie to Laurel’s doorstep. She could be off hunting, as she claimed, but both times sentries sent to follow her had come back empty-handed, having lost her trail within two or three miles of Laurel’s house. Just like with the trolls — another “coincidence” that put Tamani’s teeth on edge. What was their connection? Klea always wore sunglasses, as though she were sensitive to light, or hiding mismatched eyes, but otherwise she didn’t look like a troll. Still, troll clans had been known to squabble over territory, which would explain her killing Barnes. But Tamani was at a loss to explain how Yuki ended up with a group of human troll hunters, never mind a clan of trolls posing as troll hunters. Laurel’s suggestion that Yuki might not be the only wild faerie definitely had merit, but what could possibly motivate such creatures to ally with the likes of Klea or Barnes?

There were still too many questions, but whatever the answers, Tamani didn’t see any way for Klea to be anything but a threat. She was hiding. Tamani didn’t know if she was hiding from him or from Laurel, but she was definitely hiding.

Animals hide when they are guilty — or afraid. Klea didn’t seem the type to cower in fear — so she was guilty. Tamani just needed to figure out what she was guilty of.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like Yuki — over the last few months, as he wormed in close, he’d found her company more than tolerable. She was smarter than she generally let on, and had a quiet confidence he admired. Which made his subterfuge all the more challenging. He was increasingly certain she actually liked him and it made him feel like a villain to be using that against her. If it did turn out that she knew nothing, he was never going to get over the guilt of this moment. But if she was a danger to Laurel in any way, it would be worth it.

“I thought maybe I could walk you to school this morning. Car’s in the shop,” he tacked on, scrambling for an excuse. In truth the car was parked at the head of the trail he and Shar had taken last night.

“I thought you ‘knew a guy,’” Yuki said coyly.

Tamani grinned. “I do, that’s why it will be done by this afternoon.”

“Sounds good,” Yuki said, snapping her lock shut and dropping the keys into her skirt pocket. “Oh,” she said, stopping, then taking another step forward, then stopping again.

“What is it?” Tamani asked, bemused. She could be so awkward sometimes.

“It’s stupid, I… I forgot my lunch,” she admitted.

As a fellow faerie Tamani knew how important midday nourishment could be to making it through school hours. He nearly laughed thinking of the mental war she must have waged between not embarrassing herself and trying to make it through a whole day with no food.

“Go ahead,” Tamani said brightly, gesturing toward the house. “I’ll wait.”

“You can come in for a sec,” Yuki said, not meeting his eyes. “I’ll just be a minute.”

He hesitated. There was something about entering this unknown faerie’s lair that felt like walking into a trap, but the tiny house was practically a training exercise in harmlessness. Not to mention the fact that they were surrounded by sentries. Still.

Yuki had swung the door wide open and the crisp autumn air wafted pleasantly through the front room. A small television set rested on a coffee table next to a pile of books, and a plush purple couch adorned one wall, but the rest of the room was wall-to-wall greenery. Potted plants lined the floors and windowsills. At least one variety of creeper had found purchase in the drywall and was crawling up around the window, framing it like curtains.

“Nice… plants,” Tamani said lamely, every cell in his body springing to attention. With a good-sized mortar, it could be a Mixer’s armory — or simply the natural inclination of a wild faerie who longed for a flowering homeland she’d never heard of, and seen only in her dreams.

“I use them for ikebana,” she said, before disappearing into the back of the house.

She’d mentioned the Japanese art of flower arrangement to him before, though he couldn’t remember the context. He had thought ikebana was more understated, however. This place was practically a jungle. He yanked his phone out of his pocket and hurried to snap a few pictures of the green-laden walls, hoping Laurel could tell him a bit more about the kinds of plants Yuki was growing here. He barely managed to get the phone back in his pocket when she emerged from her room, her backpack in place.

“Sorry; I’m ready now.”

He smiled, forcing himself out of thinking mode and into friendly spy mode. “Great!”

But Yuki didn’t turn to go. He watched her take a few nervous breaths before blurting out, “You’re welcome here anytime.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tamani said, offering her a crooked grin.

Yuki looked like she might say something else, but lost her nerve and walked past him onto the porch, waiting for him to pass through the doorway before pulling it shut.

“I hope it’s okay that I just stopped by,” Tamani said as they set off at a leisurely pace toward school.

“I’m glad you did,” Yuki said, lowering her eyes.

The silence was building uncomfortably and Tamani was scrambling for something not-too-stupid to say when Yuki’s phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket and rolled her eyes, pressing the button that would send the call to voice mail.

“Do you need to take that?” Tamani asked. “I don’t mind.”

“It’s just Klea; no biggie.”

“She doesn’t care if you don’t pick up?”

“I’ll just say I was in the shower. Or riding my bike — it’s actually tough to ride and talk at the same time. As long as I call her back pretty quickly, she doesn’t care.”

“And you really don’t mind being alone so often?”

Yuki flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder. “Not at all.” She smiled. “I’m not afraid of the dark.” Tamani cringed inwardly at how obvious it was that she was trying to impress him.

“And your parents don’t mind?”

He saw something cross her face. It was wary, then decisive. He leaned closer, trying to look interested instead of eager. “My parents aren’t around anymore,” she said in a rush. “It’s just me and Klea. And mostly, just me. The whole ‘foreign exchange’ thing just… eases the transition.” Her eyes kept darting to him, clearly nervous. “I’m sort of here for a fresh start.”

“A fresh start is good. My… parents aren’t around either. Sometimes I wish everyone didn’t know. They look at you, all pitying, and it just—”

“I know what you’re saying. Hey, listen,” she said, touching his arm. “Don’t tell anyone? Please?”

He didn’t push for more. Not today — not on this subject. “Of course I won’t,” he said with a smile. Then he leaned over and laid his hand over hers. “You can trust me.”

She beamed at him, but there was something wary around her eyes. “So, how was your suspension?”

Eye of Hecate, now who’s awkward? Tamani shrugged, looking embarrassed. “It was stupid. I’m glad it’s over.”

“Everyone’s still talking about your fight with David,” Yuki said, her tight laugh completely unconvincing. She hesitated for a moment. “Jun said that he heard you guys were fighting over Laurel or something.”

“Laurel?” Tamani said, hoping he sounded confused. “Laurel Sewell? Why would it be about her?”

“I heard she broke you guys up and said something about choosing.”

“Oh, wow,” he said, leaning forward conspiratorially. “That’s crazy. Laurel is cool; she helps me out in Government. Because I’m totally clueless, right? I think she and David both got the wrong idea. If you know what I mean,” he said in a callous, almost mocking tone.

“So, you’re not into Laurel?”

“Not like that,” he said, hating the words coming out of his mouth. It felt like blasphemy. “She’s really nice. But, I don’t know. Not my type. Too… blond.”

“What is your type?” Yuki asked, her eyes shy now.

Tamani shrugged and smiled a little. “I’ll know it when I see it,” he said, holding her gaze until she looked away, embarrassed but pleased.