Chapter 8

8

S unlight poked at my closed eyelids. Groaning, I threw an arm over my face and snuggled deeper into the covers, my back brushing up against…skin. Alarm jolted me awake. I threw off the covers, eyes flying open. Lugh lay beside me in the bed, a peaceful expression on his face.

My heart thumped hard, and my mouth went dry, even as an unrelenting need curled deep within me. The covers barely touched his bellybutton, and his whole fantastic well-muscled chest was on display. He looked damn good.

Images flashed through my mind. His hot mouth on my stomach. His tongue teasing the curves between my thighs. An ache built inside of me, and I reached out for him, despite everything within me that told me to stop.

Dammit, Moira!

Sucking in a deep breath, I shook my head and tried to remember the night before. The Sapphire still dulled my wits, but it did little to muddy my memories. Lugh and I had set off the Sapphire while the guards waited for the inevitable attack. As the magical drug had rushed through our bloodstream, we'd lost our senses.

And we'd ended up wrapped in each other's arms for the rest of the night.

Lugh cracked open his eyes, his face expressionless. "I see the Sapphire has worn off, so you are making your escape."

Pain lanced through my heart. "I'm not making my escape. I'm just trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

"You know exactly what is going on," he said in a low growl, narrowing his eyes. "You lost your inhibitions and finally gave in to what we both want. And now that your inhibitions are firmly back in place, you want to run from me. Again."

"Lugh." I let out an aggravated sigh. "The prophecy—"

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't want to hear anything more about the bloody prophecy."

"Fine." I threw my legs over the side of the bed and padded over to the window so I could peer out at the morning streets. Everything looked normal. There were a few fae wandering through the courtyard, and the front gates in the distance looked intact. No blood painted the cobblestones.

I frowned. "Nothing's happened. Quentin and his army didn't attack. "

"No." Lugh sat up, the sheets falling to his hips. "Uisnech came to me with a report last night after you'd fallen asleep. The enemy never showed. We kept the extra guards stationed until sunrise, just in case, and we will be extra vigilant today. But it appears they got cold feet."

My stomach twisted, and I frowned. "Something isn't right. That doesn't make any sense."

Lugh let out a heavy sigh. "Perhaps they saw the extra guards and decided it wasn't worth the effort. They wouldn't have gotten inside, even if they had attacked."

He had a point. But still, I couldn't help but wonder. Quentin had never said they were going to attack. Had this all been some sort of test, meant to see if I would actually set off the bomb? If so, what came next? Regardless of the attack—or the lack thereof—I knew deep down that this couldn't be over. Nothing in the supernatural world was ever that simple, especially not when it came to power-hungry fae intent on revenge.

B oudica and Warin wore matching hollow eyes. Fae don't need sleep the way humans do, but we still get tired, particularly if we spend the entire night manning defences, on high-alert for any potential attackers.

"I didn't see a damn thing at the southern defences," Warin said. "I don't think they showed at all."

I glanced from Warin to Boudica, who shook her head. "None at my station either. They were a no-show."

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my brow at Lugh. "I don't think we should assume they've given up. If he's gone to this much trouble to get his hands on your spear, he'll find another way."

Saoirse cleared her throat. "I agree. No visions have come to me, but I have an uneasy feeling about this."

Lugh nodded. "Fine. But what would you propose we do? Keep the extra guards on the castle defences at all times? We don't have the numbers for that. We can handle that on little sleep but not zero. At this rate, we could manage two more days before the guards start dropping from exhaustion."

"Maybe Quentin was counting on that," I pondered. "He could be waiting until everyone is too tired to fight, and then rush the gates."

"So we need to beat him to the punch," Uisnech said, twisting his little green hands together. "I spy a mission!"

I looked down at the goblin. "What are you suggesting, Uisnech?"

"The Sapphire did not come from nowhere, yes?" He arched his bushy brows. "A sorcerer made it. Who did the sorcerer sell it to?"

Lugh gave a slow nod. "Find the sorcerer who made the drug, and he can lead us to the fae planning the attack. It makes sense."

"We could get the names of all the local dealers from Axel," I said. "And then pay each of them a visit. They might not be willing to tell us anything, though."

Warin curled his hand into a fist. "So we will make them willing."

W e waited for dark. Sorcerers were not like the vampires or werewolves of the city. They didn't keep to midnight hours, unless they dealt in illegal potions or spells. Anyone who was hocking Sapphire was doing just that—breaking the law. As intoxicating as the magic was, it was strictly prohibited by both the human and supernatural communities. And it could land the guilty party in jail—human or fae, it didn't matter.

After getting the list of names from Axel, we split into three teams. Turned out there were about six or seven different sorcerers who could be dealing in the dark magic. Boudica and Warin teamed up to take on two names. Uisnech and Saoirse teamed up to take on two more, while Nero stayed at the castle to oversee the protection of the defences. That left me and Lugh as a team. And I was pretty sure everyone had purposefully crafted it that way.

Especially Uisnech, who let out a giggle when he pranced down the street with Saoirse by his side, her long dark hair swinging at her waist. I scowled after the both of them. Traitors.

Lugh dipped his hands beneath his cloak, a smile playing at his lips. "I suppose we're partners, whether we like it or not. The others have seen to that."

Sighing, I glanced up at the towering buildings that scraped against heavy clouds that obscured the moon. "Think they know what happened last night?"

"Uisnech knows." Lugh motioned for me to join him as he took to the cobblestone streets. We passed between two spires of matching cathedrals, their stained-glass windows lit up from inside. "He saw you in my bed when he came by last night to deliver the news. I suspect he gleefully told everyone else."

"Hobgoblins are terrible gossips," I muttered, though I couldn't be mad at the little guy. My fondness for the hobgoblin meant he could pretty much get away with anything, and he probably knew it.

"So," Lugh said, slicing his dark gaze my way. The street lamps swept across his face, highlighting his sharply cut jaw. I reached out, without even realising what I was doing, and brushed my fingers against his skin. He shuddered, but his footsteps never faltered. Instead, he continued with, "What are the two names we have on our list?"

I knew what he was doing. He wouldn't push me away, but he wouldn't welcome me in, either. He'd made his position clear enough. Fuck the prophecy. If I wanted the two of us to come together, then I had to be the one to say it out loud, not him. The words were on the tip of my tongue. All I had to do was open my mouth, and it would all come spilling out.

Instead, I gripped the paper tight in my hands and turned my gaze on the words. "Two women. Jezebel and Rebekah. One lives—"

"Jezebel hides out in Craigmillar Castle," Lugh said with a nod. "We've had to deal with her before. She has a fondness for illegal magic, particularly of the Sapphire kind."

The paper crumpled in my hand as I gripped it tighter. "So we should start with her."

"Hmm." Lugh frowned. "Trouble is, she doesn't deal with fae."

My heart sank. "So she's a dead end."

"Most likely," Lugh said. "Still, we should do our due diligence and check her out."

This was why Lugh was a better king than I would ever be. Due diligence or not, this felt like a massive waste of time. If I were to pick our next steps, I'd send us hurtling straight on to the next name on our list and write off the trip to Jezebel. But despite how alike Lugh and I were, there were a few key differences between us. For one, he was meticulous. He ticked off his tasks with precision and efficiency. I just liked to barge right on in.

Craigmillar Castle was about an hour's walk through Holyrood Park from Old Town. Instead of taking a car, we depended on our own two feet to get us there. Even at night, it was a lovely walk, taking us through scuffling fields of green, past a glittering pond, and by towering cliffs that cast ominous shadows on the streets below them. We didn't speak as we made the trek, falling into companionable silence. My body felt still for the first time in a very long time, as if I were finally exactly where I needed to be. With a sigh, I edged a little closer to Lugh and tucked my hand into his elbow. With his profile backlit by the nighttime sky, he smiled.

Soon, we spotted Craigmillar Castle looming in the distance. It sat on a large expanse of green with thick trees dotting the landscape around it. It was an old ruin, not in use like Castle Wraith, but the stone structure had been well-preserved over the years. A fortifying courtyard wall formed a square with a tower rising high in the center, roof missing. Once, Mary Queen of Scots had fled to this castle when her lover was killed, only then to plot the murder of her husband.

Now the castle stood silent and still, pregnant with tension. Lugh and I came to a stop in the shadows of a tree on the lawn, staring up at the structure. It was not as large or as well-built as Castle Wraith, but it was still imbued with the same kind of intimidating aura.

"Who the hell comes here to buy magic drugs?" I whispered, shuddering at the sudden chill that swept across my body. I hadn't been cold on our walk—the exercise had kept my blood warm—but now that we were hiding in the dark, I suddenly felt very, very cold.

"People who don't want to get seen," Lugh replied. " No one would suspect that a witch lurked inside, dispensing supernatural concoctions."

I arched a brow. "Witch?"

"That's what she calls herself," he said. "Rumour has it she likes the way the word rolls off the tongue, and it has a greater effect on her human buyers."

"Well, come on then. Time to see the witch." I squared my shoulders. "Let's get this over with so that we can move on to the next name on the list."

With a nod, Lugh set off across the lawn. I strode by his side, enhancing my fae vision to better see in the dark. When we approached the castle, a figure whispered out of the darkness. A woman, clad in a pale white dress, her face painted with red lines. She looked like something straight out of a horror film, and even though I knew what she was, a flicker of unease went through me at the ghoulish sight.

"King Lugh of the Court of Wraiths." She sniffed and levelled her gleaming red eyes on me. "Random, no-name fae. Why are you trespassing on my territory?"

Lugh narrowed his eyes, prickling at her words. "This is not your territory. Last time I checked, this castle belonged to the city of Edinburgh. Not a lone sorcerer with an ego twice the size of her brain."

Her eyes narrowed. "Human designations do not concern me. Supernatural ones do. And as far as the supernatural world is concerned, this castle is mine."

Lugh took a step closer to her, anger rippling off his body in waves. "As the ruler of this supernatural community, I—"

"Ha!" She held up a hand, cutting him off. "You are no true ruler. You lead your Court in secret, hidden from the Morrigan's eyes."

"All right, we get it. You want to work this castle. Whatever." I placed a warning hand on Lugh's arm before he blabbed that the Morrigan knew about his Court and that she was totally fine with it. "We're not here about that."

She arched a drawn brow. "Then why are you here?"

"We need to ask you about your Sapphire."

She coughed, then laughed, and then laughed even harder. The creepy sound echoed off the looming stone walls. "If you think you are going to break down the inhibitions of this fae…" She jerked a thumb at Lugh. "You're going to be sorely disappointed. He has a stick up his arse. Surely a pretty fae like you could find someone more interesting." She arched that brow of hers again. "I would be happy to hook you up with one."

Lugh growled, and every hair on my arm stood on end. The sorcerer's eyes widened, though not in fear. Almost, as though, in understanding. She choked out another laugh. "Oh my. You two are mates. I don't know how I missed it at first, but now that I've seen it…"

"You can tell?" I asked, just as Lugh shouted. "Enough! "

The sorcerer pressed her lips together. "I see now why you want that Sapphire."

I tightened my grip on Lugh's arm to keep him from shouting anything else. "Listen, we're not actually looking to buy any from you tonight. There's a rumour going around that a fae is hooked on the stuff. We were hoping to find out who it was, so that we can help him."

The words came out of my mouth, unheeded. I hadn't planned any of this, but I was quickly realising that she wouldn't care one bit that we were in trouble. Hell, she'd probably find the entire thing amusing. If we were going to get her to give up her client list, it would have to be for some other reason than to help us stop an attack.

"Surely you aren't suggesting that I would allow one of my clients to turn into a magic addict," she said, her voice going sharp. "Particularly not a fae. I don't deal with your kind."

"You were ready to sell it to me two seconds ago," I said flatly. "So I think you might deal with them more often than you'd like to admit."

She pursed her lips, regarding me carefully. "You're observant. I like that. And you stand up to the wraith. I also like that."

Lugh let out another growl of irritation, but we both ignored him. "We just want to know if you've sold to any other fae lately, and if you have, what their names were. Then we'll be on our way and leave your territory in your hands. You won't find us here again."

She sniffed. "Fine. But you might be disappointed when you hear my answer. I've only sold to one fae recently, and he didn't look like the addict type. In fact, I'm fairly certain the Sapphire wasn't meant for him at all."

My heart thumped, ears perking up at her words.

"Tell us his name," Lugh said in a low voice.

"Quentin Something," she said. "He wanted me to meet him at his house, or so he said. It was a flat in Old Town, above a pub called A Knight's End. I assumed it was a front at the time, but I didn't ask. Every fae in the city lives in your castle, right?"

"Right," Lugh growled, twisting toward me. "That's the same pub."

"I thought your team investigated the pub," I whispered, aware that the sorcerer was keenly listening to every word we said. "No long-term tenants."

"He must have obscured the truth somehow," he said. "We asked Kyle to hack the booking server, but he must not be an official guest."

A chill swept down my spine. So Quentin had been there the entire time. That meant he could have been watching and listening when I'd popped into the pub that night to question the owner. Had he seen me rendezvous with the team outside in the streets?

Unease churned through me. Pressing my lips together, I looked up to meet Lugh's concerned gaze. "I think he knew. The whole thing, I think it was some kind of trick."

Lugh gave a slow nod. "He must have been there. He might have even followed you back to the castle that night."

"And he called me anyway." I blinked, trying to piece the entire puzzle together. "That's why his team didn't attack that night. That wasn't the plan."

But if that wasn't the plan, then what was? Why give me the Sapphire in the first place? None of it made any sense.

"Excuse me," the sorcerer cut in, her voice sharp and full of irritation. "I have a business I need to run, but no one is going to approach me if they see me chatting it up with two armed fae. Can you please take your weird conversation elsewhere? I told you what you wanted to know. Now shoo."