Chapter 3

Ispent the next morning drafting a list of household tasks in order of priority. The Castle was a structural hydra; every time I tackled one job, three more appeared to take its place.

"Where's Claude?" Ray asked. "He'd be handy with a hammer."

"No pun intended?"

Ray's chest puffed with pride. "Oh, it was very much intended."

"In that case, you nailed it."

He chuckled. "I see what you did there."

"As for Claude, I haven't seen him since last night." I'd searched for him after Gun and Cam left the house, but there was no sign of the revenant.

I felt a light pressure on my arm, as though someone was politely trying to get my attention.

"That's a new one," I said to no one in particular.

I hurried through the foyer to peer outside as a large black mare crested the bridge. Her eyes burned with red-hot fire. Although its rider was cloaked, the gentleness of the ward gave me a clue as to their identity.

The horse skidded to a halt at the front porch. The rider threw back their hood to reveal Matilda, otherwise known as the Night Mallt. The ancient Celtic spirit slid from the horse's back with an expert's grace.

"Inside," Matilda demanded.

She squeezed past me, and I closed the door behind us. Spotting the coat rack, she relieved herself of her cloak. "I can't wear wool anymore. I need fabrics that breathe." She noticed the brown suede jacket with fringe on the coat rack. "You've been making friends, I see."

"How do you know that isn't mine?"

"Because you wouldn't be caught dead in fringed suede, cariad."

Addison wasn't a friend, but I wasn't ready for that conversation. Knowing Matilda, she'd zip upstairs and murder the hunted woman right under my roof to protect me.

"How did you get here?" I asked.

"Through the crossroads. Those werewolf guards aren't too quick. I blew right past them without stopping, and they didn't even bother to chase me."

My phone lit up with a text message from Anna Dupree, a member of the Arrowhead werewolf pack. Guards reported a cackling woman on horseback riding at breakneck speed. We assume she's a friend of yours. Please confirm.

I couldn't decide whether to be insulted or impressed. I typed back a single word—confirmed.

"I don't think they were too concerned."

Matilda huffed. "Well, they'd better start showing a bit more care."

"Why?"

She cocked her head. "Didn't Claude tell you?"

"Claude?" My mind was blown. "You sent the revenant?"

She turned her eyes skyward. "Good grief. I gave him one job. Just one."

"Why would you send a revenant?"

"Deepest apologies, cariad. I was fresh out of hobgoblins. They all report to Vortigern now."

"Who's Vortigern?"

"We'll get to that. Offer me a drink first. Where are your manners?"

"Come into the kitchen, and I'll make tea."

"An excellent suggestion." She marched into the kitchen ahead of me. The Celtic Bossy Boots.

"Why send Claude? Why not come yourself?"

"I'm here now, aren't I? Anyway, I couldn't. I was trying to unearth their game plan first. I sent Claude to warn you that trouble is brewing and to lay low. I was hoping to divert their course and avoid this whole catastrophe." She dropped into a chair. "I regret to inform you that I was unsuccessful."

My head was spinning from too many sentences I didn't understand. "Divert who and what?"

"The Wild Hunt and their leader, Vortigern."

"Your Wild Hunt?"

"It hasn't been mine since that backstabber ousted me. Doesn't believe in women hunters."

I hadn't realized she'd been booted. I assumed she'd chosen semi-retirement. "Somebody's stuck in the wrong century."

"Even worse, he has no respect for the hunt. A fool if ever there was one. You should see the mess he left in the taiga in Siberia and Canada. He dishonors us all."

I circled back to her opening line. "Why is the Wild Hunt coming to Fairhaven?"

"Vortigern believes there's worthy game to be had."

"Because of the crossroads? But how would he even know about Wild Acres?"

Her head bowed. "This is where I am to blame. Vortigern is insecure and paranoid."

"Terrific qualities in a leader."

She grunted. "Insecurity breeds jealousy and bad decisions. Vortigern forbade the hobgoblins from answering to anyone except him, hence my need for Claude. He also enlisted scouts to keep tabs on anyone he deems a threat, including yours truly."

"That's probably the real reason he ousted you. He was intimidated by you." Not that I blamed him, Matilda could give me nightmares, and I was the goddess of them.

"No doubt. I discovered two of his scouts had been tracking my movements and sharing the information with him."

"And they followed you to Fairhaven."

She nodded. "Vortigern was apparently giddy with excitement when he learned about the crossroads and the Falls. Together, they generate the kind of magical energy that guarantees good hunting grounds."

"Tell him he won't find many restless spirits to hunt in our forest. I bring peace to any I encounter."

"Oh, Vortigern has no interest in tradition. He prefers prey that can feed his ego. As I said, no respect."

My stomach turned. "Oh, gods. I saw a white stag yesterday."

Matilda winced.

"How did you learn all this if the hunting party is loyal to Vortigern?"

She allowed herself a tiny smile. "A revenant has his uses."

"Is that where his other body parts are—spying on Vortigern and his scouts? I thought the parts had to remain a reasonable distance from the whole."

"Hmm. Who taught you about revenants?"

"Not you, apparently. How long do we have?"

"A week at most, but I suspect less."

"Any chance they'll be delayed?"

Her laughter rang like a bell. "This isn't a package delivery, cariad. Preparations are already underway."

I'd never witnessed a raging host. "What can we expect?"

Her expression grew rapturous. "Howling hounds. Pounding hooves. A horde of hunters. Dark skies. Electricity in the air. There's nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt." She fanned herself. "Apologies, cariad. I shouldn't make it sound so appealing."

It didn't sound appealing to me; it sounded downright terrifying. "There has to be a way to seal off the crossroads and prevent them from coming."

"If it were possible, wouldn't someone have done so by now? He'd hardly be the first monster that crossed that threshold."

"It's worth a try." My next thought was of the guards posted day and night at the crossroads. "I need to warn West, tell him to pull his wolves off duty until the threat passes."

"Pull them? He should post his entire pack."

"I'd rather let him make that decision." Although we weren't exactly best buddies, the alpha of the Arrowhead Pack knew I had no interest in endangering his pack. "Then I'll speak to Phaedra. Maybe we can put up a temporary barrier. Long enough to frustrate Vortigern into abandoning his plans."

Addison appeared in the doorway. "Why is there a large black mare parked outside?"

Matilda's gaze skated to the intruder. "This is the owner of the brown suede jacket, I take it."

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed. "I do not like her."

"Join the club."

Addison knocked on the doorjamb. "Hello. I'm standing right here."

"Would you like tea?" I offered, ever the polite hostess.

"No, but I'll have a cookie." Addison swiped one from the plate and bit off a piece. "Who are you?"

"A friend of Lorelei's."

"Nice horse."

"Thank you."

"I learned to ride when I was in my twenties. It's exhilarating." Addison continued to stand between us, nibbling her cookie. "You can keep talking. Don't let me interrupt."

"This is a private conversation," Matilda said.

Addison looked at me. "Should I just eavesdrop from upstairs then?"

I drummed my fingertips on the table, debating.

"What is it?" Matilda asked.

"I think she should stay."

Addison gave the Celtic spirit a triumphant smile and swallowed the last of her cookie.

"Who is she?" Matilda asked.

"An escaped avatar from The Corporation."

Matilda started to choke, prompting me to whack her between the shoulder blades.

"Why in the name of the gods is she in your house?" Matilda demanded.

"Lorelei is hiding me," Addison answered, beaming with pride.

Matilda stared at me. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Because they'll kill her if they find her."

"Not your problem," Matilda said, giving Addison the stink eye.

"I kind of made it her problem." Addison plopped down in the chair between us and seized a second cookie. "I named her as a person of interest to The Corporation, so we're in this together now." She looked at me. "Isn't that right, snookums?"

Matilda snatched the cookie out of her hand. "I require more information before I decide whether you will choke to death on this."

Addison shot me a pleading look.

"Give her the cookie, Matilda. Nicely."

Matilda glared at me. "You can't be serious, cariad. This child has endangered you, after all you've done to protect yourself."

"Give her the cookie."

"I don't want that one now," Addison interjected. "She touched it." As she reached for the plate, Matilda smacked her hand.

"Not yet," she barked.

Addison withdrew her hand and sulked. "I don't see why you care if Lorelei is cool with it."

"Just for the record," I said, "I am not cool with anything. I am choosing to be the bigger person."

"You'll get yourself killed in the process," Matilda shot back.

"Yeah, you should always be the smaller person," Addison chimed in. "Survival Hacks 101."

"The Corporation is the problem, not Addison."

The Night Mallt scrutinized Addison. "Which deity are you?"

"Aite," she replied.

Matilda snorted. "That makes sense. You've brought chaos to my friend's life. There's a part of you that enjoys this."

Addison stared thoughtfully at the cookies. "I guess that's true."

Matilda's sharp gaze pierced my thick skin. "You cannot shelter her. She will bring The Corporation straight to your door."

"They know nothing about me because she knows nothing." Okay, that wasn't strictly true, but I had to tread carefully. Matilda had killed to protect my secret, and she'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Addison poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. "I know you're not actually a run-of-the-mill human, and that you have a connection to nightmares. I wouldn't categorize that as nothing. It's a solid lead."

"Then why haven't you managed to identify me?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Because she's intellectually lazy," Matilda interrupted. "More interested in playing games than acquiring knowledge."

Addison wiped away a dribble of tea. "She's not wrong. In your case, I figured I'd use those few details as leverage to get my old job back at The Corporation and let them deal with you. As you can see, it kinda backfired."

Matilda's eerie calm unsettled me. I would've preferred steam pouring out of her ears. "You endangered my friend's life and then had the gall to seek her protection when your plan went awry?"

Addison reached for another cookie. "That about sums it up."

Matilda turned her furrowed brow to me. "Are you under her influence? Blink once for yes."

"I accept full responsibility for the consequences of my decision," I said.

"This is very bad." Matilda looked ready to send me to my room without supper.

"I'll handle it," I insisted.

"I don't simply mean The Corporation. I mean the timing with the Wild Hunt."

"Wild Hunt?" Addison sat up straighter. "That sounds like fun."

"Depends on whether you're the hunter or the game," Matilda said.

"See? Game. Fun is right there in the name."

Matilda snapped her fingers. "We need privacy, girl."

"We need privacy, goddess." Despite the correction, Addison peeled herself off the chair and exited the room using deliberately slow steps.

"I still dislike her," Matilda said.

"She isn't here because she won a personality contest."

Matilda released a gentle sigh. "You've grown too soft, cariad. How did this happen?"

Addison poked her head back through the doorway. "Does this mean they'll kill that stag you saw yesterday? And the wild boar?"

"Wild boar?" Matilda and I repeated in unison.

"Where did you see a wild boar?" I asked.

"When you and I went dumpster diving. It was rummaging through the overturned dumpster outside the pizza place."

"And you didn't think to mention it?"

"At first, I thought it was a chunky dog. It was only after we passed by that I realized it was a boar. By then, you were rambling about finding cushions to match your new sofa, and I forgot." Addison shrugged. "What can I say? I'm easily distracted. I blame two minds in one puny human brain."

Matilda rubbed the space between her eyebrows. "You may return to the conversation."

With a triumphant smile, Addison practically skipped to the table and sat.

"Tell me what else you've seen," Matilda demanded.

Addison tilted her head toward me. "Lorelei has a boyfriend."

I kicked her under the table.

"You're involved with the demon?" She narrowed her eyes. "How involved?"

"She hasn't seen him since I've been here, but she smiles at the phone whenever he texts her. That's how I know who it is."

I kicked her again. Harder. The snitch didn't even flinch.

"It's a mistake to get close to him, cariad. It will only end in heartache."

I squared my shoulders. "There are no mistakes, only lessons."

She pinned me with a hard look. "And if it gets you killed? Where's the lesson in that?"

"There are two people in danger of getting me killed at the moment, but Kane isn't one of them."

Her features softened. "Point taken." Matilda seemed to reconsider Addison's presence in light of the canary's willingness to sing. "If you continue to seek refuge here, you should understand what's coming."

"I assume it's bad," Addison replied.

"Yes," Matilda said, with a sigh of exasperation. "Do you know anything about the hunt?"

Addison didn't react to Matilda's withering stare. "No, but I suppose you're about to tell me."

"Bah. I won't waste my breath on you."

"Tell her," I urged.

"They're a group of hunters who gather for the shared purpose of pursuit. It's a procession, a performance of both skill and artistry under a cold night sky." Matilda's right eye twitched. "At least it was, until Vortigern."

"Cool name," Addison said. "Who is he?"

"The newest leader," Matilda said. "The master huntsman. He is determined to leave his mark anywhere the hunt goes as a show of strength and dominance. Instead of trying to earn the respect of his followers, he is demanding it as his right. He forgets he is not royal, nor is he a god."

Addison whistled. "The fragile egos of men never cease to amaze me. How do you know all this?"

"Because the hunt was my life for longer than your human form has been alive. I lived and breathed it." Matilda sounded rhapsodic.

Addison turned to me. "Can you stop it? Is that why she came to you?"

"I came to warn her because she's my friend," Matilda said. "And I chose to share this information with you because perhaps you can be of use in this situation."

She slapped her hands on the table. "Count me in."

"No," I said.

"Why not? I've spent most of this life causing mayhem in the corporate world. Do you have any idea how boring that is? I'd love to get back to basics." Addison snuck another cookie away from the plate. "What's so special about this Vortigern? He must have a weakness." She shifted to face me. "I bet you can figure out what it is, Miss Nightmare."

"I'd have to touch him."

Matilda glared at me. "Do not reveal anything about yourself to this traitor. If she betrays her kind, she will betray you, too."

"She already betrayed me," I said. "That's how she ended up here."

Addison swilled the last of her tea. "And I betrayed her again two minutes ago when I told you about her boyfriend."

Matilda clucked her tongue. "I swear to the gods you have a death wish, cariad."

"It isn't a death wish to want to help those in need," I said.

"And I'm very much in need," Addison agreed.

"Needy and useless," Matilda muttered. "A wonderful combination."

"Not completely useless. I helped her bring the red leather sofa home," Addison said.

Matilda shook her head. "Another mark against you. I saw it as I passed by. It's hideous."

Ouch. "You don't like the sofa?"

"It looks like a murder scene."

"I think it's more of a lipstick red."

"You prefer that it looks cheap?" Matilda exhaled. "Never mind. The sofa is the least of your concerns."

Amen to that. "What if we had Phaedra ward the crossroads to stop them from entering?"

Matilda shook her head. "Yours is no ordinary crossroads. One local witch doesn't possess that kind of power."

"Hey, if you're the expert," Addison began, "why don't you round up the stag and any other animals you want to save and herd them to another realm before the big V arrives?"

A dreamy smile passed over Matilda's lips. "How I would love to ride again."

"I can ride with you," Addison offered. "I was the mechanical bull riding champion of every dive bar in the greater Oklahoma City area."

Matilda gave her a withering stare. "I have no doubt you were."

"Come on, Matilda. It's a good idea," I told her.

"The white hart is no ordinary deer. As competent as I am, such a capture would be impossible without a hunting party, and possibly even then."

Addison toyed with the handle of her empty teacup. "Then why worry about Vortigern killing it? Sounds like he won't be able to catch it."

"If he learns of its existence, he'll destroy everything in his path to claim it."

"Then we'll gather our own team of hunters and beat them to the punch," I said. "You get to relive your glory days. Vortigern will arrive, find nothing exciting to hunt, and go home empty handed."

"I'd need experienced hunters," Matilda said. "Where do you suppose I'll find them quickly enough?"

An idea took shape. "As it happens, we have one thing most towns lack."

Addison frowned. "Free parking?"

"No, we don't have that either."

"Then what?"

My gaze rested on Matilda. "An Assassins Guild."