Page 8 of Beyond the Veil (Endangered Fae #4)

It was something Diego had suspected but hadn’t investigated, since he’d had other things on his mind. “The Otherworld is larger than we thought.”

“Just a little,” Zack said with a rueful smile. “And none of the fae ever told us how big. They thought we knew. But, yeah, we rescued a tengu from Mauritania and a simurgh from Iran. No losses, no casualties.”

While Diego couldn’t say he approved of putting the youngsters at risk or any of the consulate staff and allies, he breathed a sigh of relief. No bloodshed. He nodded, studying the map, trying to absorb this new world. “The US, Australia, Brazil—why are so many countries still blue?”

“Well, it was tough, you know.” Zack spoke gently but a bit of reproof still seeped in. “Three years ago. So many people screaming to have everything magical rounded up and contained. There were militias cropping up that wanted to hunt us down. It was hard to get things calmed down.”

Diego waited patiently. He could see there was more.

Lugh went on when Zack only stared at the floor. “Registration acts did go into effect, Diego. In many of these countries shaded in blue. There are still, in most cases, efforts to develop education and support programs. But magical beings, human or otherwise, must be registered.”

“And how, pray tell, is that accomplished any better than catching water in a spider’s web?” Finn asked. “I can see spotting one of us, perhaps, if not under glamour. But one can hardly tell magic-touched humans from non-magic on sight.”

“Ah. Fionnachd, humans are ever resourceful. They test the children in their first year of school. They have dogs, trained by the magically sensitive, who can tell the difference. I’m sure they miss some. But the fact of registration by law remains.”

“We did what we could,” Zack added softly. “I’m sorry.”

He looked so ashamed, so completely mortified by failing to do the impossible, Diego wanted to sink into the floor, preferably thirty feet down.

No one else should have been accepting blame for any of this.

“You’ve been here, trying to do what’s right.

I’m the one who started it. The one who spread detailed plans for these laws at their feet. ”

Lugh waved a dismissive hand. “The grass was tinder dry. All that lacked was a spark. There are plenty of others, we know now, who were contemplating such things before you spoke a word of it.”

“Still—”

“You cannot call back breath, Diego. The places in the world where differences are not tolerated are the same, before and now. This is nothing new.” Lugh gestured at the map. “The shape of the world would be much the same today had you never been soul-shattered.”

Diego nodded, though he didn’t agree, since arguing with Lugh would only waste time. Better to catch up, to bury himself in research, so he could begin to help straighten out the mess. Behind the scenes. Quietly. They obviously don’t need me, but maybe there’s something I can do.

A few more maps showed where countries had established schools for the magically sensitive and magic support systems, including werewolf transformation safe houses and vampire feeding rooms, both government-funded and self-supporting.

“I’ve reactivated your consulate email and accesses, Mr. S.,” Carol said as Zack finished his prepared statements. “All the maps and stats are in the shared files if you need them. Anything you need, you just ask. We’re glad to have you back.”

“Thank you, Carol.” They were ready for him. Wanted him to dive in. Maybe they needed him after all.

When everyone had left the room, returning to work, or in Theo’s case going to feed, Diego stood staring at the color-coded map.

Finn slid up behind him, wrapped long arms around him in a tight hug and rested his sharp chin on Diego’s shoulder. “What it is you see, my hero? What will it show you if you stare long enough?”

“Nothing useful, probably.” Diego shivered and leaned back against Finn’s solid warmth. “I just wish it didn’t look like the world was screaming at us.”

The moon scattered pearls across the waves that evening.

Sometimes Theo allowed himself a moment or two to enjoy the beautiful solitude of the island.

A few years ago, this had been a bird sanctuary, the dock used only by marine biologists and ornithologists coming to do counts and studies.

Even now, with the consulate built at the far western tip and the fae tunnels carved out of the rock beneath, Tearmann Island was mostly wild.

Fae left the consulate sometimes to gaze at the stars of the human world, but they respected the quiet desolation of the island.

Whenever Prince Lugh went out into the human world, Theo went with him as part of his personal bodyguard.

But the prince didn’t need him while in residence and Theo took more patrol shifts than required while he was on the island.

He needed this peace, this cocoon of isolation away from humans and their scents, away from things that sparked unwanted memories and pain.

Other security staff paced the island perimeter in the opposite direction, usually a pair of them while Theo was allowed to work alone, but he saw them only once every two hours.

He needed the quiet more than ever that evening, his brain churning and crashing louder than the waves on the rocks.

At least he had seen Mr. Sandoval, had even spoken to him briefly.

That wasn’t hanging over his head anymore.

But he was so strange, quiet to the point of nearly being shy.

He seemed uncertain and muted. Theo let out a long breath and turned away from the shore to continue his patrol.

The Diego Sandoval he had first met…that man had blazed with magic, fierce and bright.

Yes, he had been sharp and often impatient, impulsive sometimes to the point of being reckless, but he had been so confident, so sure he was right.

This man, the one everyone said was the real Mr. Sandoval, seemed broken.

It was difficult to see the great man everyone else talked about.

Incessantly. Theo wasn’t sure if he resented the fact that his version, his jefe , was gone, or if he was just uncomfortable with the jarring reminder of the things he had done.

They excused him here, said he had been misled, but little worms of doubt crawled into his brain still.

He’d been given a position of command, of trust, had felt himself part of something important.

Yes, it’d scared him. Part of him had enjoyed the power, the inside knowledge. Superior. I liked feeling superior. In control. I’m a monster waiting to happen.

Theo blinked at the waves, realizing he’d stopped again.

People counted on him to do a job, not a very complicated one, and here he was drifting off again.

What if some crazy militia group decided to row up and attack the island from a boat offshore?

What if something dangerous lurked out there under the surf, just waiting?

He’d heard about the wendigo. It could happen.

A pebble rattled on his right. Theo tensed and shoved his hand inside his jacket, fingers closing around the grip of his Magnum. A shadow detached from a rock twenty yards away, partially hidden in the striated bright and dark patches of full moon and racing clouds.

“Stop where you are and identify yourself!” Theo yelled as he pulled his gun in the recommended two-handed grip.

Humans didn’t come out on the island at night and the fae knew better than to sneak around.

Sometimes Consul Morrison walked the beach at night, but he always announced himself and this time the scent of werewolf was conspicuously absent.

The figure froze, half crouched as if preparing to flee. Then it stood, hipshot, arms crossed, and asked, “Are you always so unpleasant?”

Theo lowered the gun with a snort. “You.” He holstered the weapon as the selkie, Limpet, walked cautiously toward him. “You can’t sneak around out here at night.”

“I wasn’t sneaking. I was watching the waves, these strange, dim-gray waves that mutter ancient secrets. This is a strange ocean.”

“There’s security patrolling. Someone might shoot you.”

“It’s hardly secure if someone shoots at you. You’re not making sense.”

Theo ran a hand over the side of his face. “I’m security. I help guard the island.”

“Why would you shoot me? Do you dislike me that much? You don’t even have a bow.”

“No. I don’t.” Theo walked around the selkie, an ache starting at his right temple. “I’ll tell the other patrol you’re out here.”

“Oh, that’s kind of you. Patrol? Other guards?”

To Theo’s dismay, Limpet turned and scrambled after him, skipping along the rock-strewn beach. “I have work to do.”

“But you’re all alone. That can’t be much fun. I’ll go with you. Is this what you do? Walk about the island? Is it very large? I haven’t swum all the way ’round yet, so I’ve no sense of it. The water’s quite cold. Bracing, isn’t it? Do you swim around it sometimes? You do swim, don’t you?”

“You don’t need to come with me.” Theo fought clenched teeth. The selkie was a friend of Mr. Sandoval’s and Finn’s, too—Finn who had been so kind to him after accidentally squashing him in dragon form. No need to be rude.

“Quite all right. I’ve nothing better to do.”

“You can’t come with me,” Theo said in the chilliest, sternest tone he could muster.

“Oh, of course I can. I see quite well at night.”

Theo squeezed his eyes shut against the headache. It shouldn’t have been there. He’d fed that morning and napped the rest of the day in lethargic, sated bliss. Fine. He’ll get bored and leave soon. “All right. But you have to be quiet.”

“Yes, yes, of course. In case something bad is here. A pack of nixes maybe. Oh, they’re bad. Or a kraken tries to swim close and ambush you, yes? You’re a real warrior, then? Have you seen many battles? Do you have scars? I have scars, but only because I was very young—”

“Limpet.” Theo stopped and took the selkie’s chin in his hand, holding his head still. “Whispering is not being quiet.”

“Right you are. Sorry. You have beautiful eyes.”

Theo dropped his hand and walked away, shaking his head. It was going to be a long night.