Page 11

Chapter Eleven

T he swordsmith was proving particularly stubborn and uncooperative.

Val gritted her teeth. “One vial of basilisk venom and the tooth of a hydra. That’s my final offer.”

A movement at the corner of her eye was her only warning before the shadow of a figure stepped far too close into her space.

She whirled, hand already dropping to her knife. Then she stilled. “Diego?”

Her Wild Hunt Leader halted at the swordsmith’s booth next to her. Hints of gray threaded through the hair at his temples while his black beard and mustache were trimmed thin. Multiple daggers filled the bandoleers crossing his chest.

“I see the ease of this mission hasn’t dulled your edge.” Diego’s smile glistened in the depths of his dark brown eyes. “Though I became concerned when you didn’t return as quickly as expected.”

“There were complications.” Val tried to put a note of frustration into her tone. She placed her back more firmly to Harm. As if he was nothing but her package. Just a puppy she planned to kick. “His bargain was traded away. It’s currently held by Golbet of Flight Talonstorm.”

“Unfortunate.” Diego clapped her on the shoulder. “At least one of my best is on this task. I know you’ll keep the package alive. Deliver it and return when you can.”

“I will.” Val hesitated. But she should warn him since she had the chance. “There’s something strange about this mission. The package was set up. Someone sickened his brother with a faerie poison. There’s a fae involved in this, and that fae specifically asked for a mercenary to transport the package.”

“I know. It’s a situation that I’m handling, never fear.” Diego shrugged with all the grace of a prowling jaguar.

Listening to rumors and handling the politics of working with fae monarchs on behalf of his mercenaries was, in part, Diego’s job as the leader of their Wild Hunt band. So why did her chest tighten, her instincts prickle? As if he wasn’t telling her the whole truth?

What was he even doing here? How had he managed to find her in the faerie market when he couldn’t have known she would even be here?

“But I see I’m impeding your bargaining. Acquiring a new sword?” Diego gestured from her to the sword lying on the table in front of them.

“Yes.” Val wasn’t about to explain further. Hopefully Diego wouldn’t notice that the length and heft were more suited to Harm’s longer reach and taller height. To keep him from studying the sword too closely, she gestured at the swordsmith. He had his burly arms crossed over his otherwise tiny frame, a scowl thrusting his lower jowl farther forward. “Except he’s being stubborn.”

Diego made a noise in the back of his throat as he shook his head. “After all the business my Wild Hunt has given you over the years? I insist you take whatever bargain my mercenary has offered you. No, better yet, consider it a part of our other deal.”

What other deal? Val hurriedly shook her head. “No, I’ll stick with my original offered bargain.”

The swordsmith eyed Val for another moment, grunted, and held out a meaty palm. “Fine. The bargain is accepted.”

Val dug the promised vial and tooth out of her pocket, handing them over before she claimed the sword. She immediately stowed the sword in the pocket, getting it out of Diego’s sight. She tried to appear casual as she turned back to her Wild Hunt leader. “What other deal? What are you doing here? I didn’t think you had any upcoming missions in the Fae Realm.”

Would he think her questions too prying?

Why was she even worried? This was Diego. Her Wild Hunt leader. She had nothing to fear from him.

“I was just fetching a weapons order of my own.” Diego waved at the swordsmith in a silent order.

The swordsmith scowled, but he ducked through the curtains that divided the front booth from the back where he must have kept his tools and additional inventory.

As soon as the swordsmith was gone, Diego lowered his voice. “I’m planning a raid for the full Wild Hunt, and I’m calling in everyone who isn’t on a mission. As soon as you and the others return, we’ll ride.”

A Wild Hunt ride. A pounding thrill of monstrous steeds, swinging blades, and rampant destruction to any in their path. The Wild Hunt bands existed for such ravaging.

Once Val might have longed for such a thing, calling it freedom. Maybe even vengeance.

Now she could only imagine what Harm would think of her, if he saw her participating in such scourging.

Not that he’d ever see it. He’d be left far behind with his new master when it came time to ride.

Val worked up a blank expression and a precise nod. “I will be ready to ride once I return.”

“I knew I could count on you.” Diego flashed his glittering smile again before turning as the swordsmith stepped past the curtain, lugging a bundle of swords, spears, halberds, and other weapons.

The swordsmith handed them over without any hesitation or bargaining, so whatever price Diego was paying must have been arranged in advance.

Diego stuffed the whole bundle of weapons into his magical pocket. With one last parting nod to Val, he spun on his heel and slunk down the alley, disappearing from sight among the disreputable market stalls and even more disreputable fae browsing through them.

Still fighting her itching instincts, Val stalked to Harm’s side. “Let’s go.”

Harm peeled away from the post, something in his stance stiff and wary. “Who was that?”

“Diego. My Wild Hunt leader.” Val spun on her heel, marching down the alley in the opposite direction from Diego. The companionable warmth had fled, replaced with the reminder that she was supposed to be a cold mercenary. Not befriending Harm. Or helping him to survive the Fae Realm.

Then why did that uncomfortable twisting return to her stomach at the thought of going back to kicking human puppies and merely delivering packages?

She kept up her furious pace until they left the darker part of the faerie market behind. By the time she located several booths containing basic food items, some of her dark mood had dissipated. She didn’t see Diego again, and he was likely already on his way back to the Realm of Monsters, taking advantage of the chaos in the Court of Revels to hop through a rift.

Harm, too, eased from whatever stiff wariness had gripped him, and gawked once again.

In a cleared space in the market, a wooden platform had been set up with logs for benches placed before it. Currently, a troupe of actors pranced about the stage. Though, actor was a loose term. Val was no experienced critic, but they didn’t seem to be very good.

Harm cocked his head. “Is this…normal for performances in the Fae Realm? ”

“No.” Val scowled as the donkey-eared man on the stage seemed to forget his line. Half the other actors hissed words at him, speaking over each other in a way that seemed to just confuse the man all the more.

“They’re awful.” Harm took a step closer. “But it’s strangely fascinating to watch.”

The audience was hooting: some with laughter and some with jeers. But the actors doggedly kept on with their performance, even as one of them—dressed as a tree with a plethora of branches strapped to his body—tripped over his fake trunk and fell in front of one of the actresses, and she took a tumble, her wide skirt flying up and over her head.

Val sighed and indicated a bench in the back row. “Then have a seat. We might as well watch in comfort.”

They had plenty of time to waste while the mouse goblin woman made Harm’s new clothes.

Harm slid onto the bench, and Val sat beside him, close enough to keep the cord tucked out of sight. Daisy wiggled her way between their legs, and Harm scratched her ears.

After the theatrical performance— farce would be the more accurate word—two librarians from the Great Library—a man and a woman wearing the green coats designating them as assistant librarians—took the stage. Both of them had golden hair and pale skin, and while Val couldn’t get a good look, she suspected the female librarian might have been a human.

The two librarians did a dramatic reading of a passage from a book, made all the more dramatic because the two librarians seemed to hold some kind of animosity for each other. Or perhaps romantic tension. It was hard to tell which it was.

After them, a smirking male fae led a string of cringing humans carrying musical instruments onto the stage.

Harm paled, clutching the edge of the bench with a white-knuckled grip.

Val stood. “We should go.”

Harm just nodded, rose to his feet, and followed her as they eased through the crowd that had gathered.

Once they popped out on the other side into the relative quiet near the booths that faced the performance stage, Harm glanced over his shoulder, a pucker between his brows. “I thought you said the Court of Knowledge is against the captivity of humans?”

“They are. But faerie markets are considered neutral. The Court of Knowledge doesn’t have jurisdiction here, even though the faerie market is on the court’s land.” Val looked back the way they’d come, though she could barely see the cluster of humans over the heads of the crowd. The raucous jeers nearly drowned out the almost painful dirge the humans had struck up. “It still was bold of that fae to bring his captives here. He’s bound to lose a few by the time he returns to his own court.”

“Good.” Harm spoke the word under his breath, his fists clenched at his sides.

Val swallowed, turning away and forcing herself into a brisk pace. She agreed with Harm. She shouldn’t, but she did.

And yet here she was with a captive human at her side with every intention of delivering him and no plans to aid him more than she already had.

In the darkness of evening, the last light of the fading sunset lingering behind the trees, Val tossed the rope for Daisy. After the day spent in the market, Daisy had an excess of overstimulated energy, and she raced after the rope. As she reached it, she tried to stop and ended up tumbling for a moment before she rolled back to her feet and scooped up the rope. As she whipped the rope back and forth to kill it, she gave a low growl.

With Daisy occupied, Val risked a glance over her shoulder at the tent only a few feet behind her. The crackling fire cast a pool of light onto the side of the tent and the surrounding grass.

Not that Val was anxious to see Harm emerge in his new clothes. It was just that they’d lost a whole day in that faerie market trying to obtain the items, and Val needed to make sure it was worth it.

If that goblin woman had tried to trick them by creating less than optimal clothing, Val would march back there and wring a better bargain out of her. Nevermind the lateness of the hour or how wild the faerie market would be by then. She was in the mood to crack a few heads.

Once they’d retrieved the clothing from the mouse woman, Val hadn’t wanted to linger any longer. She’d hurried Harm out of the faerie market, and the two of them—three of them counting Daisy—had hiked as far away from the faerie market as they could before darkness fell.

Daisy finished killing the rope and raced back toward Val. With only a few feet of room to maneuver, Val held her ground until the last moment, sidestepping Daisy.

Daisy nearly barreled right into the tent before she caught herself, pivoted, and jumped at Val.

Val lifted the second rope out of the way. “Sit.”

Daisy landed, then plopped her butt on the ground.

Val tossed the second rope and searched the gloom for where Daisy had dropped the first one.

There. The darker length of the rope lay against the grass several yards away. Well out of Val’s reach, unless she dragged Harm out of the tent by the cord.

Daisy, at least, seemed happy enough whipping the other rope back and forth.

At a whisper of canvas, Val turned. Harm stood there, wearing a light blue shirt that brought out the blue of his eyes even in the evening shadows. Given the warmth of the weather, he’d rolled the sleeves to his elbows. The leather jerkin over top was well-fitted, and he’d left the ties loose at his neck. His new breeches were sturdy tan fabric while the sword belted at his waist completed the look.

His blond hair was long around his ears while the scruff of a beard covered his chin and cheeks. Dressed in fae clothes, tall, and broad shouldered as he was, he could have been a mercenary in the Wild Hunt.

At least, until he smiled. Then he didn’t look at all like a fellow mercenary. Instead, he was the cheerful puppy she was coming to appreciate.

Not appreciate. Seeing her Wild Hunt leader had reminded her of all the reasons why she should never harbor appreciation for one of her packages.

Val shook herself, shoving thoughts of Diego and the Wild Hunt away.

Harm spread his hands wide. “What do you think?”

“Either that goblin seamstress has a soft spot for you or that cheese was exceptional.” Val gestured from Harm’s head to his feet. “Because that is among her best work.”

“Tulpenland is known for its cheese.” Harm shrugged and smoothed a hand almost self-consciously over the front of the jerkin.

“That could be it. Goblins aren’t animals, despite the discrimination against them here in the Fae Realm.” Val checked on Daisy again. The dog had dropped the rope and was now sniffing around their clearing, uninterested in more play. “But they do sometimes have characteristics of those animals. It’s part of their magic.”

“Huh.” Harm rocked back on his heels for a moment. Then he dug into his pocket, where he must have stashed everything from his pack, and pulled out a wedge of cheese wrapped in a cloth. “Would you like to try some Tulpenland cheese? I still have several wedges.”

“I thought you were saving the food from the Human Realm for your escape?” Val took a seat on a log next to the fire.

Harm slid onto a seat on a log across from her. The cord between them partially fell into the fire, but it didn’t burn. He dug into his pocket again. “I can spare some to share. Besides, I’m tired of carrying around so much.”

“You have a magical pocket now. It won’t be heavy.” Val poked at the fire with a stick to give her hands something to do. She wasn’t sure why this conversation felt strangely charged. They were merely discussing food.

“Yes, but I can still afford to share.” Harm withdrew one of the blue-and-white pottery plates, a fork, and a small knife.

Val waved the stick at him, its end smoldering. “It isn’t a good sign when you start to become attached to your captor and do friendly things like share your food.”

Harm paused in cutting the wedge into chunks and raised his head to eye her. “And it isn’t a good sign when you start to become attached to your captive and do friendly things like get him new clothes and arm him with a sword.”

Val snapped her mouth shut. He had a good point.

“Besides, you aren’t precisely my captor. That’s whoever is waiting at the end of this journey because of the bargain.” Harm lifted his right arm. “You’re just as bound by this cord as I am.”

“Don’t mistake my own binding for innocence.” Val wasn’t sure why her voice held such a snap. As if this topic made her uncomfortable. She’d delivered many packages and had always successfully pushed off the discomfort before.

“Delivering a captive to his captor isn’t what I’d call virtuous.” Harm dropped his gaze back to the cheese, concentrating almost too hard on his task. “Just pointing out that you aren’t my captor.”

She shouldn’t encourage his line of thinking. She might not be his captor by a strict definition of the word here in the Fae Realm, but that didn’t make her good .

That had never bothered her before. Like the other mercenaries in her Wild Hunt, she’d scorned those from the Court of Knowledge and others who were taking a stand against the practice of keeping humans as captives. There just didn’t seem to be any point in fighting something that had been the norm in the Fae Realm for generations. It wasn’t like the fae treated each other much better than they treated humans.

No, she hadn’t kept human captives herself, but she’d aided in the practice no matter how much she might want to think her conscience was clear.

Prior to this trip, she would have said she hadn’t had a conscience.

After stowing the rest of the wedge in his pocket again, Harm stood, walked closer, and held out the blue-and-white pottery plate. “Anyway, here’s the cheese.”

Val took the plate, glad to let the momentary discomfort slip away again. “Sharing your cheese and getting one of your precious plates dirty? You must be feeling pleased with the new clothes.”

Harm shrugged as he retook his seat. “I can always wash the plate.” He’d kept a handful of the cheese for himself, and he popped a bite in his mouth.

Still, he was trusting her with one of the plates. She could so easily sabotage him by breaking it rather than returning it.

Perhaps he was right to trust her, at least in this case. She wasn’t about to destroy it.

As she picked up one of the pieces of cheese, Daisy appeared at her side, placing her front paws on the log next to Val and wiggling her head beneath Val’s arm as she tried to reach the plate.

Val held the plate out of Daisy’s reach and gave the dog a firm but gentle shove to force her back to the ground. “No, down.”

Daisy dropped her paws back to the ground before she sat, regarding Val with such big, amber eyes.

“Maybe I’ll share the last bite.” If she shared before then, Daisy’s three heads would all appear, and there would be no keeping the plate away from her.

Val picked up one of the pieces of cheese, trying not to look at Daisy, and popped it into her mouth.

A tangy and yet savory taste filled her mouth with a rich depth she couldn’t quite describe. It wasn’t at all like the cheese found here in the Fae Realm.

She couldn’t help her hum of appreciation at the taste. “This is really good.”

No wonder the goblin woman had felt the need to go above and beyond when fulfilling the bargain. She would have to give her best work to match the worth of the cheese she’d gained.

Harm grinned, then fished in his pocket again, pulling out a flask. He stood and crossed the space around the fire again. “Here. Wash it down with this.”

Juggling her plate while still fending off Daisy, Val took the flask and popped the cap off with her thumb. She tipped the flask back and took a swig.

A taste that was both sweet and tart coated her tongue from the juice, a refreshing sensation that paired well with the cheese.

Val lowered the flask. “What is that? It’s really good as well.”

“Cassis. A drink made from black currants.” Harm’s grin now sparkled in his blue eyes as he stuck another bite of cheese in his mouth, as if he was enjoying sharing these bits of his home with her.

“I like it.” Val resisted the urge to down another swig and instead nibbled a bite of cheese, trying to savor it.

Food in the Fae Realm didn’t usually have such complexity of flavor. It was all sweet or all tart or all sour, and usually to the extreme, like everything here in the Fae Realm.

Try as she might to make the cheese last, Val was soon down to her last two bites. She ate one piece, then held out the last piece to the now drooling Daisy. Daisy nearly took Val’s fingers off as she snapped it up, gulping down the cheese so fast the dog probably hadn’t even tasted it.

With one more sip of cassis, Val capped the flask. Enough companionable sharing around the fire. They should turn in for the evening and remember that once morning came, they would be back to being a package and delivery mercenary, nothing more.