22. Lark

Chapter 22

Lark

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

The grandfather clock across from my gilded cage chants the irritating noise all day, every day. It's seven or so feet of gorgeous cherry wood and I want to burn it and the mansion to the ground.

I've been here for three days now. Drake taunts me. He's put up a perimeter spell using my magic that keeps out demons and other Fae. I hold out hope that the tether to him snaps soon.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

I glare at the clock, willing it to cease its annoying sounds. I knuckle roll the luck coin. it's my only companion for now.

Look closer.

I squint at the clockface. "Don't see anything."

Nothing looks familiar? What did Drake stir your binding concoction with?

I think back, trying to remember the strange design of the stick. "The hour hand. Or maybe the minute hand? It's been staring at me the whole time." I shiver in the cold. I'm without a shirt or the wing binder, and Drake keeps his house drafty. At least he keeps his dining room drafty. I've been without sunshine for three days, which means I'm weaker than usual too. "Any ideas on how to get free this time?"

I press a hand to the door and gasp when it swings open. "What the hell?" I whisper as I climb out.

It's good to have me around sometimes.

Drake's magic is so weak without you, he can't sustain most of his old spells.

"Good to know," I whisper as I tiptoe closer to the grandfather clock. I check for surveillance as I go.

He's wallowing in his room.

"Okay, but how do I do this? I need to destroy the clock, correct?"

Yes. Burn it with fire.

"I don't have any matches or a lighter." Everything will be easier once the tether's gone and I have access to all of my magic again.

Before I can make it halfway through the room, Drake stomps through the door. "You little brat."

"You don't own me anymore." I stand taller. "I'm my own person again."

"Our tether still stands. You're too weak and pathetic. The demon just wants to fuck you and leave you."

"No! Pike is a good person. He's shown me so much kindness and he loves me."

Drake rolls his eyes. "He loves the idea of having a pretty little Fae at his side to take his orders. What makes you think he won't take you to the demon realm to turn you into a slave there? He's just buttering you up."

"That's not Pike! Pike loves me. I know it." I know it in the way he treats me. In the way he talks to me. In the way he wants to help. "What turned you into such a sour person, Drake? Who hurt you? I could see the man you were before in the beginning. You weren't cruel. What happened?"

"We're not talking about me." Drake growls.

"Why not? We used to talk. But then…" But then Drake turned into the nasty, evil man he is now.

"Get back into the cage and I'll let you have sun tomorrow."

I shake my head. "Tonight I gain my freedom. I know my soul aches for Pike, but I also don't want the possibility of your tether ever controlling me again. So the anchor has to go."

Drake's head goes back when he laughs. "How do you think you'll get that done?" He puts a hand on his hip and waits for my answer.

There's a slight pull from my chest and something snaps. We both drop to our knees, gasping for air.

"No. No!" Drake's back to his feet first and lunges at me, but I have the advantage.

I swipe his legs, taking him down again. Drake isn't draining my magic any longer, so while I haven't had the sun in days, I'm stronger than I've been since I stumbled into this realm. When he tries to fight me, I elbow him in the diaphragm, sending him down again. He coughs and chokes.

"You know something fun about Fae?" I lift a hand, and summon fire as if I never stopped using the elements. "We can tap into the elements when we're not hindered."

I throw the fireball at the grandfather clock and watch as the flames consume it and the magic contained within.

Drake lifts his head as he's still gasping for breath. "You son of a?—"

"You have no hold over me any longer." I walk around his heaving form, giving him a wide berth. "Do better, Drake. You were kind once. You can be that way again."

He ignores me to gasp for breath.

Burn it all down.

"Tempted. But that's not my style." I hunt down every one of the perimeter spells and destroy them. As soon as the last one's gone, Pike manifests in front of me.

"Lark," he whispers my name as he cups my cheek.

"Lark!" Wren calls my name as he comes into view. We run to each other until he's swinging me in his arms. Tears spring to my eyes. It's taken so long to get here.

"Is Drake dead?" Pike asks.

"No," I say. "He's in there and he's miserable. I don't know what he'll do if the coven doesn't take more measures to keep him contained. But the anchor exists no more, and I felt his tether break."

Pike rubs his chest. "I felt ours solidify."

"We need to celebrate!" Wren says. Van and Wick materialize and agree.

"Pike owns Flutter now, and it's even more amazing," Van says. "We should celebrate your freedom there."

I shake my head. "I want to summon the coven first. See if?—"

We all stumble back. Drake's house lifts in the air, raining dirt and grass and gravel all around. Then it disappears, leaving a giant hole where the house once stood.

Van laughs. "It looks like the trash took itself out."

I'm not so sure it's that easy, but I want to hope it is. I cling to Pike and reach for Wren's hand. I don't want to let go of either of them. My heart is so needy right now.

"I redecorated Flutter." Pike kisses the top of my head and in two seconds, we're on Flutter's stage. But it doesn't have stripper poles any longer. There are cozy couches everywhere. Frankie chews on something in a soft-looking dog bed. The house lights are bright and there are so many neon colors.

"What is this?"

"More of a meeting place. We'll have karaoke, and concerts, among other things. But I want this to be a meeting of the people. Someplace we can learn about each other and teach each other. The coven gives me their blessing and has it booked every full and new moon for ritual work on the roof." Drake's tail wraps around me. "Plus, I may have renamed it. Flutter and Fang. With your approval. Ava helped. I?—"

"Is she okay?" I pull away to search for her, but she comes out from Drake's former office.

"Trick." Ava smiles wide and I rush to her.

"Lark. My true name is Lark." I say it loud enough that everyone can hear. I trust these people with my life and my heart. They're all part of my family.

"Lark. Suits you much better than Trick." She grins and smooths hair from my eyes.

"You're okay, then?"

"Perfect. Once the coven gave Pike full ownership, I was his problem, and he set me free."

"And I asked her to stay on as manager if she was comfortable with the idea."

"I said absolutely yes. Now that you're free, let's party!" Ava claps and music starts. I can't help the laugh as Pike grinds into me.

"I'm so glad you're here, Lark." Pike nuzzles at my neck. I'm afraid to jinx things, but I join in the celebration.