Two Hours Ago
It was a quiet morning, the day after Boxing Day. Kate kept to herself, editing her novel at the table in the corner while Lily mindlessly puttered around in her police uniform to get things cleaned up before she had to leave. They’d spent Christmas night together with the fae baristas drinking apple cider and sharing childhood stories—which turned out to be far more of a sinister event than Kate or Lily expected. Kate hadn’t spoken a word all day. Neither had Mor or Dranian, so it was really just Shayne who told everyone’s stories, and Lily who told hers and Kate’s.
“I don’t understand why you have to go in, Human,” Mor said as Lily packed the garland and pinecones from the bistro tables into boxes. “You said officers don’t have to work after they’ve been held hostage and such.”
“I have to do two months of therapy and get the department’s therapist to sign off before they’ll let me go back on patrol.” Lily rolled her eyes. “Trust me, it’s not like I want to go.”
“And you still have to wear your uniform?” Kate made a face from the corner. Her voice had cracked when she spoke up. She went quiet again.
At least everyone was talking.
Her fingers traced over the keys of her laptop, imagining a fae prince pecking at them. She’d read the entire novel twice in the last twenty-four hours. She’d just started back at the beginning.
Greyson pushed through the café door with an uneasy expression. He held up a box of takeout from the street meat truck. “Hotdogs?” he said to Mor.
Shayne appeared from the kitchen. “Hotdogs?” His grin appeared, and with the combination of his handsome smile and Greyson’s food surprise, it brought a little warmth to Fae Café for the first time in three days. “I’ll get the ketchup!” Shayne disappeared back into the kitchen.
Greyson set the box on the counter and took a wary look at Mor. It seemed like he wanted to ask if the fae was all right, but he dragged a hand through his shaggy hair and turned to Kate instead.
“You ever going to let me read that?” he asked.
“When it’s published,” Kate told him.
“What’s the title?”
Kate thought about it. “I’m going to call it High Court of the Coffee Bean.”
Mor grunted. “That’s ridiculous.” But the corner of his mouth turned up. “And just because we’ve established a new High Court here among the humans doesn’t mean I’m acknowledging Shayne as my High King,” he added.
“You’ll submit to my rulership unless you want your pretty, luminous hair to end up in fairy locks,” Shayne said as he appeared and plunked the ketchup bottle on the counter. His grip tightened around it when a presence appeared at the door even though the door hadn’t opened.
Kate fell out of her chair when she saw the dark-haired fae with glossy silver eyes standing past the tables.
Shayne ripped a short blade from his pocket and sent it spiralling across the café, but Bonswick stepped aside, and Shayne’s blade speared the window, releasing a web of cracks. Lily tore her gun out, her hands shaking on the grip, and Greyson took Kate’s arm.
“You can’t be here, Bonswick,” Mor said in a low, dark voice. His sword came to life from its handle. “You made a faeborn bargain.”
Bonswick’s lashes fluttered like he was stifling an eye roll. “I did make a bargain with that illegitimate Prince. But the nobles are playing fairy games again.”
“Keep us out of your games,” Shayne said, drawing out another short blade. He held it up and eyed where it seemed he wanted to throw it—at Bonswick’s head.
“Ah, you’ll want to be a part of this one, fool. And please, tell your growling pet over there to lower his bow.” Bonswick nodded toward the hall. A second later, Dranian emerged holding Shayne’s loaded crossbow. He placed the arrow tip against Bonswick’s temple.
“I think,” Dranian said, his deep voice rumbling over the café, “I’d like your death to be slow.”
“Then you and your humans will meet Levress soon. It seems Cress’s leech-ally failed to erase his memories before he went back.” Bonswick’s glassy gaze cut to Mor.
Mor lowered his sword. “He begged me, but I couldn’t,” he admitted to the others. “I wanted him to die with his best memories. But Cress would have fallen on his fairsaber before he let Levress see inside his head.”
“Well, he’s still alive. For now.” Bonswick reached up and pushed the arrow’s tip away with a finger. “And it seems my future wife would like to show Cressica Albastian some mercy, even though it makes me ill. But I’ll forget all about him soon, and he’ll be a mere pin sized stain on my long legacy as King of the North.”
“What…?” Mor’s blade retracted. It looked like he was about to drop the handle to the floor. “Cress is still alive?”
“He’s about to try and make the greatest faeborn escape in North Corner history. I’m only here to ensure the Dark believe you’re all dead before I go back and viciously rule over the North Corner of Ever for the next century.” Bonswick tilted his head in a catlike way. “So, let’s get to it. The Shadow Fairies aren’t going to believe in your deaths unless I give you true cuts so they can smell your fairy blood.” His smile turned diabolical when he looked at Mor again.
The fae assassins exchanged looks. A silent conversation passed through the room as they studied Bonswick, sniffed the air, and deliberated. Kate looked at Greyson, who tightened his grip on her wrist.
“Not the humans,” Shayne decided. “Give us true lashes, but don’t touch the humans. They won’t heal like us.”
Greyson dropped Kate’s arm and grabbed the ketchup from the counter where Shayne had put it.
“Shadow Fairies aren’t daft, fool. They must see blood—”
“We’ll use this!” Greyson held up the bottle, and Bonswick’s silver stare settled on him and the ketchup. “What is that, precisely?”
“It’s human fruit syrup,” Shayne said. “It’s delicious.”
“Wait. I have one more idea.” Kate stepped in to take the fae’s stare off her brother. “I have a fairy godmother who I owe a favour to. Her biggest fear happens to be the North Corner finding out she’s here.” Kate glanced over to Mor. “Let’s make peace with the Sisterhood.”
“I won’t help abandoners,” Bonswick stated dully.
“I can make this really difficult for you if you don’t,” Kate warned him. “I can mess up this plan and make your future wife really mad. What’ll happen to you if she gets mad?”
“Kate,” Lily whispered, casting her a “What are you thinking?” look.
Bonswick’s lip curled into a snarl. It seemed like he was about to object again, but he tapped his pale fingers against his thigh and said nothing. A second later, he released a repulsed grunt and muttered, “Humans.”
From across the room, Shayne smiled and winked at Kate.
