Chapter Fourteen

Of course, the first words out of Arachs mouth after I explained the situation were, “You dont have to go back.”

“But Im worried about Viper!”

“I understand, A Thaisce,” Arach said, his hands sliding up and down my arms before one found its way past the torn fabric on my back. Skin-to-skin, he rubbed up and down my spine as if I were that monster book from Harry Potter.

It did actually soothe me.

“This person, whoever they are, doesnt know about the way you travel back in time. If theyve brought Viper to Faerie, theyve made a terrible mistake. Because now we know theyll be bringing him here, and we can watch for them.”

“Thats true. But Im not sure how long it will be. I didnt go home to check the schedule.”

“It cant be that long.” He tucked me in against his chest. “Ill alert the High King. Im sure hell want to double his sentries at the Great Tree, and I will send guards to help.”

“I dont know, Arach. This person is probably a faerie. If they are, theyll know about my ring. And theyve been a step ahead of us this whole time.”

“Why would a faerie suddenly start playing tricks on gods?” Arach asked.

“I dont know. Why would a god do it?” I pulled away and put my hands on my hips.

Winter had come to Faerie and the window I wanted to stare out of was boarded up. The high, conical ceiling of our bedroom also had some boards over it, creating a drop ceiling that helped keep the room warmer. Blossom was in her pot near the window and Dexter, in his white winter form, was asleep on his bed. His daughter, Deirdre was curled up on her bed next to his, another bundle of white fur and six long legs. Id gone from the cold of Hell to the cold of Faerie. I didnt like the cold. It slowed everything down, even my thoughts.

“I told them Id come right back and meet them at Pride Palace.”

“You can still do that.” Arach wrapped himself around me from behind. “Vervain, you dont want to lose any time with Samara, do you?”

“Ugh, youre not helping.” I spun to face him. “Of course, I dont want to lose any time with her. Especially not while shes still so young. It feels as if I just gave birth to her, but shes already walking and talking and in a bed instead of a crib. I lose so much time as it is with her being a Dragon-Sidhe.”

“All right, Im sorry.” He went back to stroking my arms. “And you wouldnt lose a lot of time. I just think we should watch for this person from here.”

“But you can do that without me,” I said. “You watch from here, and Ill come from the future.”

“Which will be their present. Which will be too late.”

“Not . . . necessarily.” I frowned.

“What is it?” Arach asked.

“Re said that Faeries ward would be strong enough to block my bond to Viper, but it isnt. It doesnt block my bonds or the magic of our wedding bands. Its only when I take off my ring that I lose that connection.”

“So maybe they didnt bring Viper here.”

“No. I think they did, but they must be using something else to block him from me.”

“Fey manacles would do it,” Arach said. “And you said Cerberus was bound in fey chains.”

“That must be it,” I whispered. “They got him chained. But how did they take him right from under our noses?”

“Now that is the question,” Arach said. “It sounds as if you were all distracted. Even Viper. This person must have rendered him unconscious before he could react. But why are you certain they brought Viper here?”

“Theyve been leaving us clues.”

“Are you sure theyre clues? That would take a lot of planning. Maybe this person is just playing with you and they happen to have used things that relate. Or maybe youre seeing connections where there arent any.”

“Possible, but unlikely. This is a game to them.”

“Well, if it is a faerie, the game will get dangerous. We always play rough.” He nipped at my neck.

“No kidding.” My mind turned back to the first time Id met Arach and how he set the Wild Hunt loose on me and chased me through the Forgetful Forest. But that was part of my destiny. If he hadnt done that, I would never have reached for the magic I didnt know I had, and my fey nature would have stayed hidden.

Arach might have even killed me. Thats how dragons play. Kind of like cats. They bash you around and then are surprised when you stop moving.

And if a faerie was playing with Viper, I had to find him fast.

“We have one other advantage here, A Thaisce,” Arach said.

“Whats that?”

Me, Faerie spoke into my mind.