Page 16 of Beyond the Veil (Endangered Fae #4)

Chapter Seven

Djinn – Classification: Elemental fae

Born of wind and fire, djinn are powerful manipulators of magic. While naturally social, unfortunate contacts with humans over the centuries have resulted in suspicion and even open hostility.

B y the second day, Diego understood how the prison worked, more or less. No guards ever entered the prison itself. Apparently, even collared in lead, magical prisoners were considered too dangerous.

Facilities were in one of the cavernous rooms along the hallway nearest the intake chamber.

Gavin explained that the group of women left a headscarf hanging on a peg at the entrance when they occupied it, and heaven have mercy on any male who wandered in.

Long troughs carved into the floor along two walls with constantly flowing water served as the toilets, relatively sanitary in theory if no one missed, but woefully lacking in privacy.

Showers were without soap, though the nozzles flowed with a combination of water and some sharp-smelling disinfectant. For clean clothes, one simply showered with them on, since there were no changes of clothing. Diego wondered what happened when the prison pajamas wore out.

In between any necessary activities, most of the prisoners vanished into the dark rooms to huddle in some anonymous corner.

The women made up the only organized group, ten of them currently, who snatched up any female incarcerated before the males could harass her or worse.

For mutual assistance and protection, it seemed to work well, though their presence in any area only heightened the anxiety and antisocial behavior of the male prisoners.

“It’s almost feeding time,” Josh whispered as they hurried through the corridor.

Furtive shuffling and muffled curses came from close by, the prisoners on the move, but Diego hadn’t heard any warning or announcement. “How do you know?”

“You kinda get to know by feel,” Ethan said. “But the sun shines directly through those murder hole slits when it’s time.”

They were barely in position when the klaxon sounded and Diego rushed in with the rest, snatching up a food packet that had bounced and fallen at the periphery of the melee.

He backed up to the wall, waiting for his Canadian friends to emerge.

Just like the previous day, the frenzied scramble was over in moments.

The large man had made off with more than his share, again.

The squad of women had taken every packet they could.

Ethan was elated that they had managed three packets between them—a good day apparently—and once again, more than one inmate was left sprawled on the floor with nothing.

One of them, a man with graying hair, knelt on the stones with his head in his hands and wept. While Diego wasn’t certain, he thought it might have been the same man who had been left lying on the floor the previous day. A hand caught his sleeve when he took a step forward.

“Don’t.” Gavin shook his head frantically. “He’ll just take your food and the others will think you’re an easy target.”

Diego patted his hand. “I’ll probably be desperately hungry in a few days, but right now, I think he’s gone without longer than I have.”

His young friends still looked at him as if he’d lost his mind, but Diego approached slowly, kneeling on the floor just out of reach when the man flinched away.

English probably wasn’t a common language between them, but Diego still spoke as he held out the packet, understanding the universality of a gentle voice.

“Here. For you. I saw you didn’t get any. ”

The man stared at him, his expression hostile and wary.

His hand, scarred and gaunt, shook as he reached across the intervening space, bit by bit, as if certain the food would be yanked back.

Finally, he snatched it and scuttled away to put his back to the wall while Diego stayed where he was, making certain no one interrupted him while he wolfed down the meager portion.

The man stared at him with more speculation than fear once he had finished. He tore off little bits of the leaf wrapping, chewing thoughtfully as he got up and scurried away.

The boys waited for Diego just in the shadows. “That was crazy,” Josh said. “You’re certifiable.”

Diego shrugged. “People who are hungry and without hope act like animals. Treat them like people and they act like people.”

“Or they turn on you and kill you,” Gavin muttered.

“I thought it was decent.” Ethan’s tone said there wouldn’t be any more argument. “Everybody give Diego some of theirs so he doesn’t starve.”

Despite their horror at him sharing with a stranger, all three gave him a portion without hesitation.

Ah, it’s safe to share with friends. Good to have friends in a scary spot.

The contents of the leaf packet turned out to be some sort of bulgur wheat mash.

Bland but filling. The leaves themselves, Diego decided, were a variety of grape leaf.

Not the most complete diet, but it could keep a body going for some time.

When they turned to make their own way back into the relative safety of the shadows, a man on the other side of the feeding area caught his eye.

The man met his stare, without reaction or apparent hostility.

Tall, with a regal hooked nose, he simply watched every movement Diego made.

A trick of the light made his eyes flash gold, then he was gone.

“Did you see…?”

“What?”

Diego shook his head, wondering if the man had been there at all. “Never mind.”

At the first traffic signal, Theo let out a slow, irritated breath. “You may as well come out. I know you’re back there.”

The expected blue-gray-green head of hair popped up from the tarp-covered bed of the truck. “Oh. Hello!”

“Hello yourself. You need to get your annoying butt out of that truck bed and back to the embassy where you’re safe.”

Limpet frowned as he climbed over the divider to plunk into the passenger seat.

“I can’t let you do whatever you’re doing.

It can’t be anything good, since you’re slinking around in the middle of the night and you hurt those guards.

Though you didn’t kill them. I checked. But then you drank from one of them.

And I thought you said you didn’t drink from humans.

Wasn’t my blood terribly filling? What are you about, anyway?

Are you going to find more humans to drink from?

” Limpet stopped and blinked at him. “You think my rump is annoying?”

Theo banged his head on the steering wheel.

It didn’t help and Limpet was still there when he stopped.

“I don’t usually drink from humans because it’s too uncomfortable.

Too tangled up with sex, not that it’s your business.

And I have to find out where they took Finn and Mr. Sandoval.

We can’t just leave them there and hope someone else will help. ”

“Oh.” Limpet nodded as if arriving at some conclusion. “Good. You’re so right. We should find them. But you drank from that human. And you didn’t answer the last question.”

“You can’t come with me,” Theo infused his voice with the iron-cold compulsion that he’d found worked on humans. It was an odd, uncomfortable magic that left the taste of old onions in his mouth, but it was effective.

“Of course I can,” Limpet said cheerfully, putting his boots up on the dash. “I know how to ride in human vehicles now.”

Mierda, mierda, mierda… “Go away! You’ll slow me down.

I can’t feed you. I can’t keep you safe.

You’re a water creature and we’re probably going out into the fucking desert!

” Theo drove on when the signal changed, taking deep, careful breaths.

He hadn’t shouted at anyone like that in years.

He couldn’t lose control. Before the change, it had made him feel wretched and guilty.

Now, it couldn’t be a choice. He lost control and people died.

Instead of edging away or, more sensible still, jumping out at the next traffic signal and running, Limpet did an odd thing.

He put his head on Theo’s shoulder with a little sigh.

“You’re worried. I knew you couldn’t be bad.

You worry about Diego and Finn. You worry about the people you feed from.

You worry about me. I suppose that’s nice of you, but it’s a bit irritating—”

Theo choked on a breath, trying not to sputter. Limpet paused only to pat his chest.

“Everyone’s always worried about me. As if they could wrap me up in a kelp bed and keep me safe forever.

But nothing’s safe forever, is it? And if you don’t let things not be safe, they suffocate.

I won’t slow you down since we’re in a conveyance.

I can go without food for weeks and I’ve been doing well without swimming.

If you”—Limpet poked a finger at Theo’s sternum—“can travel into the sun-parched land when the sun makes you ill, which you shouldn’t do alone, it’s just not smart, I certainly can.

And you never answered the last question. ”

Theo took a left turn, chewing carefully on his bottom lip.

One thing at a time. He had to get to the prince’s palace first. There was no guarantee he could even pick up a trail.

He couldn’t take a chance on heading back now, though, since the guards had most likely woken.

What last question? Oh. “Fine. You can come as far as the palace, at least. Stay quiet. Don’t be a nuisance.

If I tell you to do something, you do it.

And no, your butt’s not annoying. You are. ”

Limpet snuggled close on the bench seat, which wasn’t nearly as irritating as it should have been. As they drove out of the city toward the prince’s estate, Theo tried to make plans. He hadn’t really expected to get this far.