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Chapter 13

Lucian

Smoke curled around my lips as I sighed, leaning back into the plush cushions. The Witching Hour sure knew how to make a fae feel comfortable. On a regular day, The Black Lounge was my preferred place to operate—dark corners, whispered deals, and enough shadows to swallow a man whole. The underbelly of the human world was where a leprechaun like me flourished.

Creatures weren’t ruled by royalty or class barriers here. No, necessity ran this world, and wouldn’t you know it—I was the lead supplier. All hail the King. Ancient artifacts, cursed scrolls, copious amounts of illegal glamour—you name it, I could get it. My connections stretched out like a spiderweb, intricate and inescapable, weaving everyone together in owed favors and good fortune.

My fortune.

And I seemed to have it in spades.

Today was not a day for The Black Lounge, but tucked away at a corner table in the main club was just as important. Blend into the background for a while and you eventually go unnoticed. Just another patron, sipping whiskey with a friend. A man like me learned a lot by people-watching. Listening. Knowledge was power, and with a little luck, it paid me well.

I flicked open the pocket watch in my hand, huffing on my pipe before setting it down on the table. The ornate gold piece was hooked inside my jacket, one side enchanted to show the current weather and any reminders for the day. A small trinket I’d lifted from Meera’s collection. She’d been quite cross with me last time, but I had expected it. My friend wasn’t motivated by money, only her desperate need for it. As long as I kept her luck in check, I had nothing to fear. She’d always come back.

“It’s about that time. Finish your drink.” I turned to my bodyguard, tapping the ash from my pipe into the tray. Sliding a small box from my pocket, I flicked it open to reveal dried lavender and tobacco leaves. I shook my head as I packed the bowl. “I got places to be, Frank. Items to sell. Money to make.” Tapping the pipe on the table, I offered it up to him. The orc just shook his head, draining the rest of his scotch on the rocks. I shrugged, searching for my lighter when an unfamiliar voice made its way to my ears, making me pause.

A woman—high fae by looks of her—was at the bar, talking to Amelia. An angel if I ever saw one. Tall and lovely, with beautiful black hair tied in intricate braids and flawless umber skin. With weapons strapped to her back, her armor marked her as military, but the golden royal seal above her breast and the bold stripes upon her shoulders marked her as more. She was a personal guard to the king, and she was the commander.

A deadly angel, it would seem .

“Now what do you suppose she’s doing here?” I whispered to Frank while I patted down my pockets. When I came up empty, I snapped my fingers a few times until a spark flared to life. The lavender caught, curling inward as it burned.

Frank grunted, rubbing at one of his tusks. A man of few words.

The lady guard, however, wasn’t. She and Amelia’s conversation spanned several minutes, their voices lowered until Amelia laughed, nodding her head and holding out her hand. The guard tossed a pouch of coins on the counter and Amelia turned, then pointed at me with a wicked grin.

When the woman turned, deep purple eyes found me. There was a delicate softness there, in contrast to the hardness of her demeanor. And that uniform—aye, I had a type. I thought surely I was in love. She approached, staring at me with a hefty amount of skepticism, but something caught her tongue. She appraised me head to toe, as much as she could see, but when I lifted my head, the shadows moved away, giving her a peak at my face. Her luscious lips parted, and she cleared her throat, adjusting her posture.

“You’re the leprechaun who can get me anything I need?” she asked, standing across from where I sat at my table.

“That’s an interesting way to introduce yourself,” I said, puffing on my pipe. I gestured to the empty chair.

Her jaw tightened. “Are you, or aren’t you?”

“Depends on who’s asking. You see, lass, I don’t do business with strangers. It’s gotten me in trouble a few times before.” I angled my head toward her shoulder. “And those stripes there? They sure seem like something that could cause me a bit of trouble. So I say again, my answer depends on who’s asking. Is it you, High Commander of the Royal Guard, King Vareck himself, or someone else?”

She raised her brows. “You know I’m High Commander?”

“I can read a military uniform, love.”

It looked as if she wanted to smile, but she remained stoic. “Yet you aren’t afraid of me.”

I shrugged, knowing damn well Meera and Amelia wouldn’t have ratted me out. The guard didn’t know about my involvement with the prince. She wouldn’t be alone if she did, and I’d have already been captured and dragged back to Faerie in chains. “What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve done nothing wrong.” I tapped some of the ash from my pipe. “If I had, you wouldn’t be trying to chat me up. Isn’t that right, Frank?”

He snorted in confirmation.

“Are you going to sit or not?” I asked, glancing at the chair in front of me.

The guard’s gaze flitted between me and the orc at my side. “I’ll stand, thank you.”

“Suit yourself.” I laughed, rubbing a finger under my nose. A smirk curled at my lips. “Something tells me you’re not at home here, lass.”

“I go where duty leads me,” she replied.

“How noble. Well then, let’s try again. I’m Lucian.” I leaned across the table, holding out my hand.

She hesitated before taking it. “Kaia.”

I pulled her in, pressing my lips to the back of her glove, inhaling her scent. “Leather finger tab on your dominant hand. We have an archer in our presence, Frank.”

Her breath caught, and she yanked her hand away, glaring at me before regaining her composure. I suppressed the desire to laugh at her indignation .

“Well, Lady Kaia, what can I do for you?”

“For starters, I’m not a Lady. It’s just Kaia. And the barkeep said your name was Lou.”

“Lucian to my friends,” I said with a wink. My eyes trailed down her form, admiring the nice curve to her hips, especially in that tight-fitting black leather armor. She stared at me flatly. My angel did not find me charming. Nothing like a challenge.

Kaia tilted her head, then took a deep breath, finally taking a seat in the chair across from me. “Amelia said you were the man I’ve been looking for. She said you could help me.”

I poured her a small drink into my empty glass, nudging it across the table. “The witch has a pure heart for all the darkness that surrounds her. My biggest weakness, that. A beautiful woman. Never could say no to a pretty face.”

“Mine or hers?” she asked, taking the whiskey in one gulp and slamming the glass down.

“Yes,” I answered vaguely, and a smirk tugged at my lips. “What exactly are you looking for?”

“I’m on a bit of a dual mission to find a what and a who,” she said, placing her hand on the table and drumming her fingers.

“I’m listening.” She watched as I tapped out the tobacco ashes into the tray, setting the pipe down to cool off. I laced my fingers together, setting my hands in front of me.

“I need to find Prince Damon,” she said softly, meeting my gaze.

I chuckled. “I doubt you need me for that. I’d reckon the prince is in a brothel in Faerie.”

“Normally, I would agree with you.” Kaia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “But we know he was taken. Brought back to earth through the public portal. ”

“That’s a unique situation.” I kept my heartbeat steady. A leprechaun was skilled with a great many tricks and could read through them just the same. She wasn’t fishing for what I knew. I wasn’t even a suspect. She genuinely wanted my help. It could pose a problem, but nothing I couldn’t handle. “If it’s a prince I’m after, I hope your pockets are as deep as your status.”

“They are.”

“Well that answers the who. Now the ‘what.’”

Kaia looked to her side, checking behind her. Amelia was cleaning and working behind the bar, and still no other patrons were in our vicinity.. Returning her attention to me, she lowered her voice further, stretching forward as if to tell me a juicy secret. “I need a potion, or an artifact.”

“I know a great deal about both. What kind do you seek?”

The guard rubbed her fingers together in what looked like a nervous gesture before placing her hands in her lap. “Something that can cancel a high fae’s powers—specifically persuasion. Not permanent, just long-term.”

The right dark witch could make a potion—still hard to find—but an artifact that could cancel another’s powers? Lucky for her, I already had what she desired. She needed more than something as simple as a ring of nullification. With a single prick from the gem’s barbed prongs, it would cancel out another’s power for about an hour. Perfect for shaking hands or a close encounter. But something like this? That was trickier. And thanks to a fiery ginger, it was in my possession, ready to be sold . . . For the right price.

I let out a low whistle, sitting back. “Do you hear that, Frank? A rare request indeed…” My bodyguard nodded silently while I watched Kaia intensely, having measured her every movement. The way she’d lowered her voice further. The motion of her hands and moving them under the table. When she spoke of the prince, her posture was professional. Rigid. All business. But this? This was important to her in a different way. The secretive request. The curve of her spine as she leaned in closer. A smile curled up my lips. This was the ticket I’d been waiting for.

“Does something like that exist?” she pressed.

I nodded, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring myself another three fingers before taking a long sip. The heat of it traveled down my throat, and I exhaled harshly, breathing out the spicy burn. “It does.”

“Can you acquire it?”

“Already have it, love.”

“What is it?”

I smiled at her, admiring the shape of her mouth and the way her eyes focused on me. “A necklace.”

She frowned. “Can I see it?”

I laughed, shaking my head, tracing my finger over the rim of the glass. “You’re truly lovely, Lady Kaia, but you’re out of your element, aren’t you?”

She stiffened in response, her jaw clenching as she gritted her teeth, but she didn’t deny it. “You said you hoped my pockets are deep, leprechaun?—”

“Lucian,” I interjected, smiling even though she was clearly irritated with me.

She hummed in annoyance. “I understand everything comes at a high price but explain to me how I’m just supposed to trust you. Better yet, just tell me why I should.”

I shrugged. “Do or don’t. There’s a reason I’m in business and I’m still alive, Kaia, High Commander of the Royal Guard. Going around and making enemies by taking money and not completing my side of the bargain is bad for the brand, you see? I have what you need. The rest is up to you. ”

“That’s . . . fair enough.” Kaia twisted her lips. “What’s the cost?”

“Simple. I want to return to Faerie.”

She sighed, sitting back and crossing her arms. “I had a feeling you’d want your exile lifted.”

This time, it was me who’d been caught off guard. “You knew?”

Kaia nodded. “It’s my job to know. It’s been about, what, twelve years since you were exiled?”

“Thirteen,” I corrected, grazing my hands down the side of my short beard. I chuckled. “Such an ominous number, people seem to think. Not me. No, I find it rather lucky.”

Kaia considered my request for a moment. “I’ll look into having your exile lifted.”

“Just look into it?” I frowned, tutting while I shook my head. “I guess I misunderstood your level of authority. C’mon, Frank. The city calls us.” I proceeded to put my hands on the table, indicating I was going to get up and leave.

“Stop,” she said firmly, her eyes narrowing before she inclined her chin once in agreement. “The price will be paid.”

“That’s a lass.” I smirked, keeping my seat and holding my glass. “Midday tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

“There’s still the matter of finding Prince Damon,” she said, reaching over the table and taking the whiskey from my hand. I let her, slowly releasing my grip as she took it over. Her warm skin touched mine, and I swore at that moment I’d do anything for that to happen again. She took a long drink, exhaling through her nose.

A strong woman with soft eyes who could also drink whiskey? I was smitten .

“Which one do you want first? The necklace or the man?”

Kaia opened her mouth to speak, but stopped, taking a pause before she sighed. With some reluctance, she mumbled, “The necklace.”

I rapped my knuckles on the table twice. “The necklace it is. We’ll deal with the matter of the prince tomorrow.” I got up in preparation to leave, but her voice stopped me.

“Tell me one thing.” I raised my brows in question and nodded once for her to continue. “Why were you exiled?”

My bodyguard grumbled, and I chuckled, rubbing my chin. “Ah, love, that’s the question, isn’t it? I thought for sure you’d know that, seeing as you already knew I’d been kicked out of Faerie.”

“That part was redacted,” she said simply, though I could tell by the way her left eye twitched that it bothered her.

“Redacted?” That was interesting. I considered why it had been erased, and more importantly, by whom. Shaking my head to clear the thoughts, I answered. “Accused of stealing. Falsely, of course. They had nothing on me but speculation and the word of a thief.”

A dead thief, now.

Kaia tilted her head, watching me carefully. “The king doesn’t exile people for stealing, and he certainly doesn’t exile them without proof. What exactly were you accused of stealing?”

I picked up the pipe and tucked it into my trench coat pocket before pulling out my calling card; a golden coin. Precariously balanced on my thumb, I flicked it into the air, the metal singing as it flew up in rapid twists before descending. Kaia caught it in her fist, never taking her eyes off me. I met her steely gaze when I answered. “An amulet.”

It took a few seconds for the gravity of the stolen item to register for the High Commander. Kaia’s brows rose, and she stared at me in shock, her lips parting. “ Amoret’s amulet? The Faerie Queen’s amulet?”

“That’s the one.”