Chapter Fifteen

“Faerie!” I exclaimed. “Youll know how long it is before my timelines match up, right?”

Yes, of course. Youve got two days,she said.

“Oh, thats not too long,” I said.

“Good, because tomorrow we have to meet with the human leaders,” Arach said.

“What?” I frowned. Then I remembered. “Oh, thats right. That was the day before yesterday. I asked Az how it went, and he told me Id find out soon enough. And here I am, about to find out. Well, I mean, he told me it went smoothly after he teased me, but you know.”

“Yes, Vervain. I understand,” Arach said in his bemused tone.

“Thats why you want me to stay. If I dont, youll have to do it alone.”

“That and it will be hard to explain to Azrael and the many heads of state who are expecting to find the Faerie Gods wife here, waiting to welcome them.”

“Oh . . . right. I forgot about that plan.”

“There are hundreds of humans entering Faerie tomorrow, A Thaisce. It will be a historical event. Dont you want to be a part of it?”

“Of course, I do. But Viper is more important than any historic event.”

“I know,” Arach said gently.

Dont be a fool!Faerie hissed. This is your chance to think calmly and rationally about whats happened in the God Realm. You are under no pressure here. At this time, Viper is safe and sound.

“I could warn him,” I said urgently as I headed toward the mirror.

Stop!Faerie shouted in my head, making me wince.

“Unnecessary,” I growled. “Youre in my mind.”

“And mine,” Arach grumbled. “But shes right, A Thaisce. We both know what messing with time can do.”

“Yes. It can save lives.” I waved my hand down at myself. “Im here because I messed with time. And so is our son.”

Arach pressed his lips together.

That was an extreme situation,Faerie said. Viper isnt dead. If he dies—

“If he dies?!” I shrieked.

If he dies,Faerie calmly started again, you may go back and warn him with my blessing. But I dont think this person wants to hurt your sort-of-husband.

“Hes my husband, no sort of about it. We made vows to each other,” I said furiously.

Fine. Whatever. No one witnessed those vows, but you do you.

“Ugh, you are so much more annoying when you use modern vernacular.”

Im also right,she said. She paused, then added, About not warning him, not necessarily about your marriage.

“Well, thanks for that, at least,” I muttered.

Now, shall we think about this? Faerie suggested.

Dexter stirred and lifted his head. It was late in Faerie.

“Sorry, honey,” I cooed. “Go back to sleep.”

Dex wagged his tail even as he lowered his long, fox-like snout back to his pillow.

I waved Arach out of the room. We went down the hallway and into his office. After the door was shut, I plopped down on the couch across from Arachs desk. He joined me. That alone told me how worried he was about me. Maybe even about Viper. Arach was bonded to Viper too, after all. Theyd slept in the same bed as me to lock in the lion magic.

“Any ideas, Faerie?” I asked.

First, we can determine the day the trickster will arrive,Faerie said.

“How?”

You said Azrael brought the heads of state here two days ago.

Arach concluded, “That means the trickster will take Viper in three days, our time.”

Yes, and Vervains timelines will align in two days. Its perfect.

“All right, thats a good start,” I said. “We wont have to post guards at the Great Tree until then. We could even wait for them ourselves.”

“Well have a picnic,” Arach said with a smirk.

“You are adorable.”

He took my hand and kissed it. “Some wine, maybe some meat pies, and then we can slay a fresh trickster for dessert.”

I snorted a laugh. “Who said romance is dead?”

“There is nothing more romantic than the blood of our enemies.”

You say the trickster chained a god in fey manacles, Faerie mused, ignoring our antics. And this is the clue that led you here?

“Yes,” I said.

You also say that theyve been two steps ahead of you.

“Yes.”

So we need to think ahead of them. Why bring Viper here?

“I dont know. It doesnt make any sense.”

“They also have Lucifers pitchfork,” Arach reminded us. “So theyre bringing Viper and the pitchfork to Faerie. What could they do with those two things?”

“Well, the obvious answer is not one I want to speak aloud,” I muttered.

“Theyve already had the chance to spear a god with it, and they threatened a dog instead.” He paused and cocked his head to ask, “Have you ever noticed that god is dog spelled backward?”

“Yes, Arach, Ive noticed that.” I rolled my eyes. “And technically, they threatened the dog with Aarons rod, glamoured to look like the pitchfork.”

Those two items are very similar,Faerie said. Both are made to channel god power. Of course, the pitchfork was actually used by a god and is therefore stronger. But if this is a faerie trickster, that doesnt matter. They cant use god tools.

I sat back. “Youre partially right. I dont even know if another god could use the Devils pitchfork. Luke has got some serious juju. I wouldnt be surprised if his pitchfork only responds to him. But Aarons rod was made for a human, so a faerie might have been able to use it. And the trickster did use it. They disguised the rod and rooted it to the ground. Even the Devil couldnt move it.”

But they left the rod and took the pitchfork. So this probably isnt about the power.She paused, then asked, What is it about?

“Fun?” I shrugged.

“Fun with people associated with you.” Arach gave me a heavy look. “There are still many gods upset with you for nearly taking over the world.”

I waved that aside. “Thats nothing compared to what Az did. He took all the heat . . . off . . . me,” I trailed off into a whisper. Then I growled, “This is about Azrael!”

Now that makes sense.

“They hit Azraels pantheon.” Arach nodded. “His brother and his father.”

“And then Viper, whos another type of brother to him,” I said.

“And a day before all of that happens, Azrael is coming here,” Arach said. “That is an interesting coincidence.”

Especially if a faerie is behind this,Faerie agreed. But the target makes me less convinced that it is a faerie.

“Azrael has caused some serious changes for the Fey,” I said. “He outed us to the humans.”

“But thats all turned out well for us.” Arach leaned back into the corner of the couch to ponder. He flung back a length of crimson hair and stretched an arm along the couch back behind me. “Faeries get to travel freely to the Human Realm now. Theyre not myths anymore. That gives us power. Many humans adore faeries. Either that or they fear us. Which isnt a bad thing either. Faeries are moving to Earth in droves.”

“Maybe thats upset someone,” I said.

It would have to be someone important, Faerie noted. A common faerie wouldnt care. But if this person was in a position of power, they might see this as a lessening of their power.

“So, royalty?” I asked in horror. “No. None of the royals would do this. Guirmean is a good friend of ours. He would risk his own life for us. The High King would have simply refused to allow faeries to leave the realm if he was that upset. The Dark Royals are like family. They wouldnt come against fellow dragons. Nor would they care about faeries leaving their kingdom. And I saved the life of the Princess of Air. Theres no way her parents would hurt my husband.”

“That leaves Earth,” Arach said grimly.

“Not again,” I whined. “But the Earth Royals like us. Dont they?”

“I thought so.” Arach shrugged. “Perhaps they are wiser than their predecessors and have simply hidden their dislike.”

There are other positions of power,Faerie said. It doesnt have to be a royal. Perhaps a general or even someone as low as a village leader.

“No,” I said. “Theyve broken into Heaven, stolen a great artifact from a room that only a few could enter, and set the thing in the middle of the desert without being noticed. This person is not a village leader.”

Arach nodded. “They have significant power. Power they dont want lessened.”

Then it must be the Earth Royals.

“Damn it, Arach!” I huffed. “You stopped me from going back and saving Rory and Rivella. If I had, Ruari and Bronagh wouldnt be ruling.”

“And you could have altered many more lives for the worse,” Arach reminded me. “Things are as they should be.”

I grimaced. “I have all this power that I dont use.”

That is why you were given it, Vervain. Power like yours should not be used carelessly.

“Yeah, all right,” I muttered. “But Viper is in danger. I should be able to use it to save him.” Then I sat up straight. “I havent tried the star.”

And you wont now,Faerie said. Because Viper is safe at the moment.

“Oh, right.” I blinked. “Then I should go back and try it in the future.”

Arach drawled, “Or you could stay because you need to be here tomorrow and we need to figure out who is behind this before you fix it, or they may just find another way to hurt Azrael.”

I sat back. “Azrael. The chains make more sense now.”

“Are you sure there werent any other clues?” Arach asked.

What else was there in that cavern? Faerie asked.

“Just the net that held Princess, Aarons rod, and then Cerberus and Princess,” I said.

Nothing else?

“Not unless you want to count the evil blood flowing around them.”

Evil blood, Faerie repeated. Bad blood. That could be a clue. There is bad blood between Azrael and whoever is behind this.

“I think thats a stretch,” I said. “And we already know this person doesnt like Azrael.”

Bad blood makes it more personal, Faerie insisted. Has Azrael wronged anyone recently? Anyone in particular?

“Not that I can think of. And certainly not a faerie. Our last big battle was with gods. We did have a suspect in Heaven. But even he, an ex-Jerry supporter, was happy with the way things turned out.”

“Well, if Viper does end up here, we can be certain its a faerie,” Arach said. “Non-faeries cant get through our wards without permission from the High King.”

Not necessarily, Faerie said ominously.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

The trickster got into Heaven and Hell, as you said. If they can do that, perhaps theyve found a way around wards.

“Either that, or they knew the entry chant,” Arach said.

“That would take us back to Angels,” I said. “Or Demons. And then they wouldnt be able to enter Faerie. And how would an Angel or Demon get fey chains?”

“Dont Azraels people visit the Golden Citadel?” Arach asked.

“Yes. Sometimes.”

“And dont you have several sets of manacles there?”

“Yes. We need them in case faeries are arrested for crimes committed on Earth.”

Arach stared at me.

“So anyone who has access to the citadel could have taken a set,” I concluded. “Yeah, that makes sense. Im not even sure where we keep them. I assume its with the citadel guards.”

Who are Fey, Faerie said.

“Ugh, were getting nowhere,” I muttered. “Just running around in circles.”

“No, this is good,” Arach said. “Weve learned that we shouldnt rule anyone out. But the Earth Royals are—how do you put it?—our prime suspects.”

You can question them tomorrow,Faerie said. Theyll be at the Castle of Eight to welcome the humans along with the other royals.

“Perfect,” I said.

“Lets get some rest, A Thaisce.” Arach stood up.

“You mean sex.” I got up as well.

“Yes, of course.”

I guess Ill just spy on the Earth Royals while you two enjoy yourselves, Faerie grumbled.

“I didnt think of that!” I said. “Thank you, Faerie. That would help a lot.”

Faerie chuckled. Youre welcome, Vervain.