Page 26 of Cathmoir’s Sons (Bad Boys of Bevington #5)

Chapter 26

Of Moose and Men

RHODES

“ T hen Dittman got it with a shrinking spell I’d never even heard of,” Evan tells me. “Shrunk the moose down to the size of a cocker spaniel. Otherwise, we’d never have caught it.”

I chuckle at Evan’s tale of a rogue moose that terrorized Bevington during his first year as a crow. “I’d have thought moose-shrinking curses were part of the crow arsenal.”

He shakes his head. “Honestly not a spell I ever thought I’d need, but I made sure he taught it to me after that. Never know when you might need to shrink a moose.”

I laugh, earning a collective glare from a small group of green-cloaked men and women sitting on the far side of the huge Orrey that commands the center of the room, its metal rings tracking the slow progression of the planets around the golden sun. Unabashed, I lift an eyebrow at them. They mutter and go back to the collection of maps they’re pouring over.

Capricorns. So stuffy.

Evan, the least stuffy Capricorn I’ve met, doesn’t look embarrassed by the noise we’re making in his Guild’s extensive library. He tips his head at the disapproving group. “They’re going after Ulune’s Daughter, too.”

Are they? I make a note to use some of the methods Dittman taught me to reconstruct evidence to steal whatever maps they’ve found. Am I above spying on them to give my girl a leg up in her search? Hells no.

“Good luck to them,” I say.

“You’re confident in Kellan’s team, then,” Evan says, paging through the police file on O’s death he managed to get.

“Very.” I pick up the copy he’s made me and start reading. “They brought in dogs. I didn’t realize.”

“To see if they could pick up any scents. They must have questioned where O entered the river.”

“The human police were suspicious, too,” I conclude.

Evan nods. “It’s not an area where there have been a lot of drownings. Although the river was high enough that he couldn’t have walked across it, it wasn’t very deep. No rapids. No hidden currents. They had a diver go in to see if there was anything on the bottom he might have gotten caught on but didn’t find any debris.”

I flip to a page of pictures. My throat thickens at the sight of O’s pale face, his eyes open and clouded in death, his lips blue. “Evan, look at this.”

I push the pictures across the polished wooden table between us, tapping the one that shows the underside of O’s jaw.

Evan tips his head to the side. “That’s not a ligature mark. Not a puncture wound. What is it?”

“It’s a rune,” I say. I unbutton my shirt and show him the matching mark on my upper chest. “Licyssa, Queen of Bile.”

“The demon? Fuck,” Evan says softly. He takes out his phone and snaps a picture, then taps away for a moment. “Not sure who is going to be less happy about that, Teddy or Jou.”

“Did you just text a lord of Hell?”

Evan groans. “Group chat. You’ll probably be a part of it, too, in a few minutes.”

Sure enough, as Evan finishes speaking, my phone pings. When I check it, I find [email protected] has invited me to join a group chat.

I accept warily.

BaronAsh changed the theme to Pizza.

BaronAsh set the quick reaction to .

BaronAsh: Makes sense that they’d invoke Licyssa if they wanted it to look like he drowned. Question is, why would someone risk a soul-debt to that poisonous bitch? What did your cousin know?

“That is the million-dollar question,” I say to Evan.

He nods and types into his phone.

Capricorn: Assuming it was the answer to who framed me, why would Hell be involved?

“Up until now,” Evan says to me, “I assumed that the motive for framing me and killing your cousin to cover it up was purely human. Venal, perhaps, but human.”

“Were you investigating anything other than Jade Kalveri’s death when you were arrested?”

Evan shakes his head. “Some petty thefts in town. Drunken destruction of school property. Nothing else approaching the importance of Jade’s murder.”

My phone pings in rapid succession. I thumb off the chat notifications before the green-cloaked group abandons their maps and tries to strangle me.

Princess Teddy changed her name to Eat Me, Jou.

Eat Me, Jou: We thought it was just Klotho. But what if Licyssa was pulling Klotho’s strings? Why would she want the fae courts severed from the mortal world?

Luca and Law pop up in the chat.

Spare Cat: Would Licyssa have any interest in fae souls?

BaronAsh: Licyssa and Ahzatzu feed on fear and madness. Fae fear and madness are just as tasty as human fear and madness.

Heir Cat: Let’s ask Nimanes’ opinion since we’re in the middle of a nice group hang with her.

My face stiffens in surprise, and I look up at Evan. He just shakes his head.

“This is why we shouldn’t be involved with demons,” he says. “Investigate one little drowning and the next thing you know, you’re in the crosshairs of multiple lords of Hell.”

BaronAsh: Let’s keep this to ourselves until we figure out Licyssa’s play.

Eat Me, Jou: Agreed.

Spare Cat: Agreed.

Heir Cat: What do you propose doing with the Skin Shredder until Kellan finishes her meeting?

BaronAsh: Let’s get her drunk.

Evan groans.

Eat Me, Jou: Bee wine on the way.

Evan groans louder. “I hate to say this, but I think we should join them. I can only see incendiary possibilities adding bee wine to this mix.”

“Okay.” I begin packing up the files we have spread on the table between us. “Do you find yourself mediating a lot?”

Evan nods. “I feel like it’s all I’ve done since I got out of Karkarus.” A secretive smile twitches across his lips. “Well, maybe not all I’ve done. But mostly the Capricorn gig seems to be meeting with people ... or things that look like people ... who have a terrifying amount of power over the direction of our world and less than altruistic intentions.”

“So, just like being a crow,” I say.

Evan chuckles. “When Teddy and her husbands were at Bevington, absolutely. I can’t believe that your foursome has given Charon Carver a quarter of the trouble Teddy and her husbands gave me.”

“I’ll tell Law we need to up our game.”

“Dean Quinn wants me to mentor Carver. Did Kellan tell you that? It’s part of the deal they struck.”

I nod. We talked ‘round and ‘round the terms of Dean Quinn’s offer with Luca’s parents and decided Evan’s part needed to come from Quinn herself to avoid having his recent altercation with Kellan taint Evan’s response. Quinn wasted no time approaching Evan, apparently.

“What do you think?” I ask.

Evan huffs as he taps papers together and stows them in his case. “I think I’ll need therapy—more therapy than I already need after Jedburgh Abbey—if I have to spend time with the man who put together the Aedis Astrum’s case against me. But.” He sighs. “I see the necessity of it. We need Bevington’s administration on side.”

“ We need Bevington’s administration on side,” I say. “This really isn’t your problem, Evan. I appreciate your willingness to help, particularly after Caileán nearly killed you.”

Evan rolls his eyes. “I’d like to say it’s the first time fae royalty nearly killed me but it’s almost the cost of doing business with them. Something to remember before hitching your wagon to that horse.”

I shrug on the Blue Mantle of Learning that arrived at Cait House after I notified the White Cloaks that I’d take up their offer to join them early. It’s velvet-soft and always the perfect temperature. I sling my backpack over my shoulder.

“Too late,” I say to Evan. “I’m committed. So is Kellan. Maybe I didn’t understand how committed Kellan was until she stood up to Bevington’s administration and refused to hide our relationship. But now I do. We’re all in.”

“Good,” Evan responds. “Because this is usually the point that everything goes to shit. You’ll need to be confident of each other when you’re fighting everyone around you.”

“Yeah, fair.”

“How do you plan to get to Ceòfuar?” Evan asks.

“The Water portal we came through? I should be able to redirect us to Ceòfuar through the All-Water.”

Evan grunts. “Neat trick. I might claim that as my price for mentoring that asshole, Carver. Teach me how to Walk the All-Water.”

That’s a small price.

“Deal,” I say.

After Evan glad-hands around the room, causing a hilarious flurry of consternation among the green-cloaks going after Ulune’s Daughter as they try to hide what they’re working on, Evan leads me back down through the Guild to his suite where he has a private Water portal.

In his rooms, we’re greeted by Notch, Evan’s assistant-cum-valet, who I would give anything not to think of as Mr. Tumnus, but it’s hopeless after Kellan admitted she thinks of him the same way. Notch follows Evan through the rooms, somehow deftly changing Evan out of his sweater and into a waistcoat, suit jacket, and his green cloak, while covering a dozen important pieces of business ranging from Evan’s next meeting with the Nine Rivers to a proposal before the human Heritage Trust for repairs to Jedburgh Abbey. As we reach the huge, shimmering porthole that looks out into the murky waters of the Thames River, Notch steps back and says his goodbyes.

“Justiciar-in-Training Hale, it is always a pleasure to see you,” Notch says, bowing his horned head.

I offer him my hand, which he shakes. “Good to see you, too, Notch.”

“Please give my best to your queen and the Cait.”

“I will,” I promise.

He bows again and retreats, folding Evan’s sweater over his arm.

I hold my hand out to Evan. When he takes it, I fold him into my magic. Although we have our Element in common, sharing power with another magi requires trust. I’ve tried to Work with other Water mages who made it about as easy as walking upstream against a flash flood. Not Evan. His magic flows into mine with barely a ripple.

I reach out with my other hand and slip it into the portal. The cool caress of my Element envelops my hand. I feed the connection to Evan, who hums with the pleasure every mage feels when in contact with their Element.

“Focus on the surface of the Water,” I tell Evan, starting to walk him into the deep magic. It’s much easier than when Kellan showed me, since my Element doesn’t share much sympathy with hers. “Reach past the surface with your mind. Let yourself sink to the bottom. What do you feel?”

“Thick,” Evan says, his voice dropping. “Slow.”

“Mmm-hmm,” I agree. “Go deeper. Feel the beat under the mud. The flow of the Mother’s blood.”

Evan’s breathing deepens. His magic swirls and eddies around mine. I pull him gently into the Mother’s Great Aquifer. The waters that feed the Earth’s heart. The All-Water.

Evan gasps. “I feel it.”

“Step forward,” I encourage him, drawing him alongside me as I walk into the portal.

The All-Water closes around us like Luca’s arms, warm and welcoming but with steely strength. Once we’re in, the hard part begins: navigating the water that touches every shore.

I feed my impressions to Evan. I’ve always navigated by taste. Faery’s waters have a mineral edge, an effervescence like sparkling water. Thistlemist is softer, flavored with heather and nettle. Ivywhile carries the perfume of good tea.

Ceòfuar is pure hot copper.

I draw Evan with me as I follow the trail of blood on the water. My magical body grows sleek and finned, drawing that enticing taste across flexing gills. I swish into the strongest current and arrow toward the source.

We step out on the banks of the river that runs through Caileán’s lands, with the tower of Ceòfuar gleaming in the distance against a storm-dark sky.

Evan draws his hand out of mine. His skin is slick. I glance down and see red smears across my palm. Evan flexes his hand, his torn skin knitting as I watch.

“Were you aware you transformed into a shark?” he asks me.

I shake my head.

“Your magic doesn’t feel quite the same as mine, but I think I could find my way to the All-Water again. I’m not sure how you figured out where to go, though.”

“Taste,” I explain. “The different waters have their own, unique flavors.”

“Mmm, interesting,” Evan says. “I’m not sure my sense of taste is that strong. But I know what certain rivers feel like to me. I might be able to get to them from the All-Water.”

Everyone has their own way of communing with their Element. “If you want me to go with you a few times until you get the feel of it, I’d be happy to.”

Evan nods. “Thank you, I’ll take you up on that.”

A soft chime ripples through the air. A shifting of the current. It wraps around me, caresses my chin, brushes across my lips. Caileán .

Evan shifts, clears his throat. “Well, no question that the lady of the castle is home.”

Three crows wing their way toward us, flapping low over the rolling green landscape. Two black, one white. My heart leaps, answers, when the lead crow caws.

My Blue Mantle flutters around my legs as I stride toward my queen.

In a powerful downbeat of her wings, Caileán steps out of the Air. Her blue-black hair streams down over pale shoulders, flowing into the cloak of feathers that falls to her bare feet. Her face is all sharp angles and burning blue eyes, as fae as I’ve ever seen her. A crow settles on either shoulder, darkness and light.

I bow to her. “My queen.”

Her claws tickle under my chin. “My love.”

I straighten and lean in for a kiss. The touch of her skin on mine sparks fireworks through my blood. A flick of her tongue between my lips spreads the taste of pennies over my palate. She takes my hand, her claws digging lightly into my wrist, and steps toward Evan.

“Welcome to Ceòfuar,” she says.

“Thank you for the hospitality of your lands,” Evan says formally. “I claim guest-right.”

“I grant you guest-right.” Caileán chuckles. “I have no intention of harming you again, paladin. My apologies for striking at you the last time we met.”

Evan nods but his eyes remain wary.

Caileán beckons and leads us toward the distant tower.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t introduce my sisters.” She gestures to the crows on her shoulders with her free hand. “Didrane the White and Hraena the Black.”

The albino crow croaks while the black one shuffles a little closer to Caileán’s neck.

Evan breaks stride to bow to the Crow Queens.

I squeeze Caileán’s hand. “You found Hraena.”

“She found me. She made quite an impression on my treasure-hunting team when she burst into our meeting, particularly Arch, who turns out to be allergic to birds.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. “We’re leaving for Scilla tomorrow. Please say you’ll come.”

“I’ll come,” I say with a grin. “I wouldn’t miss it. I know you have more than enough help, between your team and Luca, but I’d love to be involved as much as I can be.”

She shifts Didrane onto her forearm so she can tip her head onto my shoulder. “Never too much help. I want to swim the Straits with you.”

“You’re on. I haven’t been open-water swimming in years.”

Caileán laughs. “I haven’t been open-water swimming in centuries. You may have to teach me again. I don’t have many memories of swimming. I’m not sure what this body knows.”

“I can do that.” I pull Caileán slightly off the path to pick a wild rose from a hedgerow and tuck it behind her ear. It gleams, a blushing pearl, against the darkness of her hair. She kisses my cheek, and we continue on with our arms around each other, Evan trailing silently behind us.

In Ceòfuar’s courtyard, Luca and Darwin Dùbhghlas wait for us. Luca greets me with a hard hug and Caileán with Cait cheek-brushes. Darwin bows to Caileán and me before giving Evan a friendly slap on the shoulder.

“Couldn’t stay away from all the excitement, huh?” Darwin says to Evan.

Evan rolls his eyes. “Who’s here?”

“It’s a party. Demons, magi, and Cait sidhe, oh my.”

“Crow Queens, too,” Evan says, nodding at the two crows watching with their bright eyes.

“I’m remiss. Your majesties.” Darwin bows again. “I’m Darwin Dùbhghlas-Nowak, proud husband of Teddy, Gabe, and Charlie, prouder father to Galant, Honour, and Carrie Prince, and lastly, prince of Thistlemist.”

The crows caw in chorus. The white crow gibbers on for a moment.

Darwin chuckles. “Yes, she did train me to introduce myself that way. I’ll convey your regards.”

“You understand crow-speak,” Evan says flatly.

Darwin winks. “Doesn’t everyone?”

Evan huffs.

Luca offers his hand to Didrane, who jumps to his shoulder. He wraps himself around Caileán on her other side and together we walk into her court.

It’s busier since the last time I was here. Hundreds of crows cluck and caw in the rafters. Tall, cloaked fae with deer skulls peeking out of their cowls bow and shift away into the shadows. Nymphs fade into the walls with a flash of bare limbs and the flick of mossy hair. Flights of will-o-wisps dance overhead. Tiny fae scamper around my knees, their caps white and blue and red. A blue-capped fae, wearing a white apron over a bosom so oversized for her small frame I’m amazed she can walk upright, stops in front of Caileán and bows. Caileán tips her head to the side as though she’s listening, even though I can’t hear anything over the noise of the birds overhead and the shuffling of the wild fae around us.

“Petalwanny wants to serve us a meal in an hour,” Caileán says. “Can everyone wait until then or would you like something to eat and drink now?”

“You’re going to want to wait until after Kimberly Cavalo-Darling’s dealt with,” Luca says quietly. “She’s not a sight conducive to eating or keeping your food down.”

There’s a murmured consensus that we’ll wait.

The blue-capped fae bows and scuttles off with a flash of bare buttocks and miniature Wellington boots.

Caileán leads us forward into her hall. Two ranks of shadowy Cait in their massive panther forms stand at attention, creating an aisle through the hall to a dais, topped by four ornate chairs. The chairs are empty, but there’s a cluster of people standing around them.

On the floor in front of the chairs there’s a blackened lump of ... something. It’s barely recognizable as a person: skin charred and flaking, hairless, curled on itself like a shrimp. A thin, high noise escapes the lump, like steam from a boiling kettle.

“What the fuck?” I ask everyone and no one in particular.

“She was like this when we found her in Hell,” Luca says. “But she immediately began healing. When we brought her through into Faery, the healing stopped. I wasn’t sure what you’d want done with her, Caileán.”

Caileán steps up onto the dais and stands over the burned remains of my cousin. Her cloak fans out around her like wings. The screaming peters off into silence.

“I would have given you a quick death,” Caileán whispers. “You killed my consort, but I wouldn’t have made you suffer in return. Not like this.”

“Caileán,” I say.

She lifts her head and looks at me, eyes burning an inhuman blue. “Will you ask for mercy, my love? For this woman who would have taken you from me? Who tore out your magic and seared your heart? She has chosen her fate.”

“Yes,” I agree. “She has. And I pity her. Pull the knowledge we need out of her and then let her die. Show her the mercy she wouldn’t have shown me.”

Caileán’s claws brush up my arm to trace my cheek. “You are a good man, my Rhodrhi. Fair and just.”

“Queen Caileán.” A demon with horns that look dipped in blood, draped in a strange cloak of long strips, speaks up. “I have a question for the magi, if you would allow it.”

Caileán nods. She waves her hand and a circle of eleven chairs appears around my cousin’s body. I escort her to a chair and sit to her left, knowing Law will demand to sit on her right. I’m not wrong. He captures Caileán’s free hand as soon as he sits, raises it to his mouth, and kisses her knuckles.

Luca sits next to me. He takes my hand so the four of us are linked. Magic ripples between us in a golden tide. The albino crow flutters down to perch on our entwined fingers.

“Kimberly Cavalo-Darling,” Caileán says, her voice low and commanding. “I command you stand and answer the questions put to you honestly. Do this and I will grant you a swift and painless death.”