Page 31

FIVE DAYS EARLIER . . .

I sighed and ran a hand through my ponytail, my fingers snagging partway through. Days had passed since I found Meera’s crushed cellphone and her dagger lying on the floor of her apartment. I’d searched up and down the Arcane District. I even went so far as to cross over into Faerie and try to enter the palace. It was useless. The palace had been locked down after the disappearance of the crown prince.

My chest squeezed because I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. Meera went to Faerie the same night he was taken. She was more apprehensive about that job than any other she’d ever taken from that fucking leprechaun. If I could have, I would have stopped her, but the contract she’d willingly agreed to stayed my hand.

I should have put a stop to these jobs years ago.

Now she was gone, and I was no closer to finding her than when I started my search.

Which is why I stood in front of The Witching Hour. The most notorious supernatural hub on this side of the coast. If I couldn’t find Meera, maybe, just maybe, I could find her broker who sent her on the hunt that got her kidnapped to begin with.

Music thumped to a bass, breaking the quiet of night when I opened the door. Inside the dark lit club, blue and purple lights flashed over a crowd. Sweat and sex filled the air, something that might have called to me under different circumstances.

I pushed through the crowd, shoulder checking any asshole that wouldn’t move. The bar was packed, but I squeezed between two girls who were giggling into hot pink drinks that glowed faintly with magic.

“Hey—” one of them started.

“Amelia!” I called, raising my voice to be heard over the crowd. The dark-haired witch whipped around, a Cheshire smile crossing her lips.

“Sadie! I was just telling Meera the other day that she needed to bring you by. It’s been forever?—”

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I need to find Lou. I know he does business here.”

Amelia slowed to a stop in front of me. “Everything all right?”

I shook my head. She was a load of fun, and a great lay, but I didn’t have time for twenty questions. “I just need to find him. Is he here?”

Her crimson eyes flashed, wariness edging into her expression. Her cheek was indented as she bit the inside and pointed toward the back of the club. “He hangs out at the corner table.”

I nodded. “Thank you,” I called over my shoulder before the crowd swallowed me whole. If she responded, I didn’t hear it.

My blood hummed with violence as I crossed the threshold quickly. It was late, but the shadiest things were often done in the dark of night. I’d come here several times already and missed him, but as luck would have it—not tonight.

“I’ve gotcha now,” I muttered under my breath, stepping up to his table, and planting my hands on my hips. The leprechaun glanced up from the cards in his hand, entirely too good-looking for what kind of asshole he was. Despite the cigar hanging from his lips, he smirked.

“Well, well. What do we have here? Sadie Wylde in the flesh. You coming to be dealt in or?—”

“Where the fuck is my sister?”

If he was afraid, he didn’t show it. “I’m afraid I’m not available for business at the moment. Do me a solid favor and fuck off.”

I gave him a deadpanned expression while crossing my arms. “You really want to play it this way?” I scrunched my nose, grabbing a metal rod hooked onto the side of my belt. Knocking my wrist bracers together, the items glowed as I swirled the rod in my hand. I slashed forward, pausing at Lou’s neck just as the head of an axe materialized.

“Where is Meera?” I didn’t enjoy wasting time on trivial matters. “You really don’t want me to ask again.”

The four other men sitting around the table froze. Technically, weapons were banned from being used in The Witching Hour.

But magic? Well, that was fair game.

One of the assholes to his left, lifted a hand. I moved before his fingers could, throwing the axe. The blade grazed the edge of his palm before planting in the wall behind him.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you.” I lifted both brows, holding up my empty hand. The blade unstuck itself and flew back to my waiting grip. “The next one I throw will take your hand clean off. Good luck growing that back. ”

My eyes flicked back to Lou. He watched me with a sour expression. “Why in the nine realms does everyone want Meera? Do I look like your sister? Do I have pretty, red hair that flows down my damn back? No. I’m Lou, the businessman. I don’t know where she is. With the damn king is my guess.”

“The fae king?”

“Is there another king you know of?” Lou chided, lowering his cigar to flick ash into a tray.

I’d suspected as much, but his confirmation helped. While I hadn’t found a trace of my sister, I didn’t come looking for her with a half-cocked plan. If the king took her, I needed leverage to get her back.

“Where’s the prince?”

Lou leaned back in his chair, flipping a coin in the air with his thumb and catching it. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Damon Einar,” I snapped. “Where is he? I know you had her take him. She may not be able to give you away, but I sure as fuck will if you don’t answer. I bet the king would just love to get his hands on the sleazy fuck who hired my sister to kidnap the heir to fucking Faerie.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You think you can find the prince, and what? Barter with the king for her?” Lou tossed his head back and laughed, despite the weapon being held inches from his throat. “She and the king looked awfully cozy last I saw. You sure she didn’t just run off to—” I cracked my neck to the side, grabbing for the gun holstered to my back as I pointed it toward the man on his other side who was discreetly reaching for something in his pocket.

“Move another inch. I dare you,” I said in a low voice before turning back to Lou. “The prince. I want a location.”

“Put the damn gun down, Sadie. ”

This man must have a death wish. Few people could be on the other end of a redcap’s weapon and appear unaffected, if annoyed.

“Not a fat chance.” I flicked off the safety of the pistol. The leprechaun closed his hand around the coin, shaking his head.

“You’re a smart lass. I’m sure Meera told you how the contracts work. I can’t tell you where the prince is—even if I knew.” His head tilted, eyes glancing behind me before flicking back to my face.

Magic wrapped around me and my hands both lowered against my will. I knew without looking that it was Amelia’s. She might be the bartender, but she also acted as an enforcer when people got out of hand.

“Sadie, what the hell are you thinking?” the witch asked, grabbing my bicep. “You know the rules?—”

Before she could pull me away, I dropped my parting words. “You better sleep with one eye open, leprechaun.” Amelia tugged me, but I only moved an inch. “Meera’s a Wylde. You should have known not to fuck with us. When Cadoc gets ahold of you . . .” I smiled cruelly. My second eldest brother had a reputation, one Lou seemed to know of given the thinning of his lips.

Threat made, I let Amelia drag me away.

“I ought to kick you out,” she said. While beautiful, her red eyes were also unnerving. People moved around, but not a single person touched us. Either Amelia’s magic was repelling them, or the axe still gripped tight in my hand had.

I shrugged, unapologetic. “Meera’s my sister and best friend. I know that arrogant prick had a hand in her being taken.”

Amelia tsked, her mauve lips twisting to hide the grin I saw in her eyes. “So you thought you’d hold an axe to his neck and a gun to his bodyguard’s head?” She shook her head. “Fucking redcaps.”

“Lou knew who he was dealing with when he screwed Meera over. If he didn’t want to deal with a family of bloodthirsty fae—he should have fucked off after my brothers warned him last time. Not give her an even more dangerous job.”

Amelia sighed. “Put the weapons away, Sadie. I get where you’re coming from. I do.” She had a thousand-yard stare on her face despite facing me. “But sometimes you have to follow the rules and play the long game.” She blinked, eyes sharpening once more. “Draw another weapon and I’ll have to ban you from here.”

I slipped the gun back in its holster. “Technically the rules say I can’t use it on another person, doesn’t say anything about threatening someone.”

She couldn’t hide her smile this time, as she tossed her head back and laughed. “This is why I like you. Not often you find a girl with a temper like yours but the level headedness and brains to not be ruled by it.” We came to a stop at the edge of her bar counter where the panel flipped up.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re coming on to me.”

“Maybe I am.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re such a flirt.”

“Only with the pretty ones.” She winked. I laughed despite the emotions wreaking havoc on me. I’d been searching for days. Raging for days. Hopeless and desperate and above all, worried.

The slight reprieve was nice, even if it didn’t last. My smile faded, reality edging back in. Amelia must have sensed it because her expression softened. “You heading out? ”

I nodded. “I’m running on fumes right now. I need to sleep if I’m going to stand a chance of finding my sister.”

She rubbed a hand up and down my arm in sympathy. “You’ll find her.” I wish I could be as sure as she sounded.

Instead of trying to answer around the lump forming in my throat, I started to back away with a sad smile.

“Wait.” She glanced between me and the rowdy counter where people were growing impatient. “I know you need to go but would you mind grabbing me a bottle of Grey Goose from the back? I’m almost out up here.”

“Sure thing.”

She released a sigh of relief, turning to the counter as I switched direction for the back door right behind the counter where it was still flipped up.

The metal handle was cold to the touch, and the door was heavier than I expected. I stepped inside, squinting in the darkness as I felt around for a light switch. The door slammed behind me. I flinched but sighed in relief when my fingers brushed over the switch. I flipped it on. Bright fluorescent light filled the space. Shelves lined the walls, curving to the left. I walked forward, eyes scanning the inventory.

I almost didn’t notice it.

Not six inches in front of me, the cement floor gave way to a swirling black vortex.

The door opened, and I turned my head without taking my eyes off the floor. “Amelia . . .” I started. High heels clicked behind me. “Why is there a portal in your?—”

“It’s a shame. I really do like you, but sometimes we have to make sacrifices when playing the long game.”

I tried to spin around, but it was too late. Hands shoved me from behind and I lost my footing. The floor gave out beneath me.

Then I was falling.

And falling.

And— thud . I winced, touching my head where it hurt. Dust drifted above me; sunlight illuminated it in the air. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the red clay ceiling above me.

“The witch send you here too?” a figure asked. I pushed upward, flinching when my muscles protested. I don’t think anything was broken, but it sure as fuck wasn’t for the lack of trying.

“Where is here?” I croaked, rubbing my shoulder.

The most beautiful man I’d ever seen stepped into the trickling light. My heart stuttered in my chest as he bent down, offering his hand.

“Hell.”

To be continued . . .

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