Jocelynn Drake - [Asylum Tales 02] (14 page)

He was stunned by the question, enough that he turned the rest of the way around to look at me. “I’m thirty-one.”

Only five years older than me. “You seem . . . older.”

Gideon nodded, not showing any surprise at my comment. “It might not show in our appearance, but this life ages you.” He turned back toward the door and left without another word.

I leaned my head against the wall and tried to breathe. This life torn apart by the Towers was aging us all ahead of our time, and it was a crime. But whining about our fate wasn’t going to change a fucking thing and neither was my reluctance to accept what was in front of me. It was time to grow up. If not for myself, then I had to do it for those who were depending on me.

11

WHY COULDN’T IT
have been an overcast day? Sleep had not been an easy thing to find last night after Gideon left and Sofie was settled from her shower. After a couple slices of lukewarm pizza, a beer, and a quick memory spell on Robert, I had lain in bed staring up at the ceiling, my mind replaying the events of the day until I wanted to scream. The sun was peeking over the horizon when I drifted off and then it was only a short time later when Trixie called with plans to pick me up.

A cold shower got me moving, but I was still waiting for the coffee that I had been sucking on since I fell into her car to get my brain moving. Dressed in jeans and a mostly clean T-shirt, I knew I was underdressed to meet with the queen of the Summer Court, but I couldn’t summon up the energy to care. The dark sunglasses weren’t keeping out nearly enough of the bright, early-afternoon glare, and the world had this cheerful feel that seemed horribly wrong considering that the Towers had an itchy trigger finger and were gunning to take out more people.

It was a struggle to push my grumpy attitude aside. Trixie was strained with worry and fear. I was beginning to think that even in my sleep-deprived state, it would have been a better idea for me to drive. She was hitting the brakes at the last possible second, as if her mind wasn’t fully aware that her body was driving.

“Did you have any problems last night?” I asked, causing Trixie to jump. We had been quiet since I’d slunk into the passenger seat, not even daring to turn on the radio.

“Nothing other than Bronx’s snoring rattling the windows this morning,” she complained, but there was no venom behind the comment. “We stayed up watching old
M*A*S*H
and
Great American Hero
reruns. I left him curled up in the shower with a pile of blankets.”

I smiled at the image. It had to be a tight fit and couldn’t be particularly comfortable, but the bathroom was the safest room in Trixie’s apartment since it had no windows. I’m sure Bronx was fine though. The troll slept like the dead and probably wouldn’t stir until sunset.

“After this meeting, we’ll grab some food to drop off to him before heading into the shop.”

“You think we’re going to have any customers today?”

I sighed, placing my travel mug in the cup holder. “I have no idea, but we’ll probably get busy soon.”

Trixie paused, her eyes on the road in front of her as she exited the highway onto the off-ramp. “Did you have any problems last night?”

“A couple,” I admitted, praying that she didn’t press me for details. She already had enough on her plate.

“Did you talk to Sofie?”

“Some. She had a small problem herself, but she’s fine now. Last I saw, she was sprawled across my bed like she belonged there. I swear, I think she’s happier as a cat.”

“Doubtful.” She eased to a stop at a red light, her driving smoothing out as she neared our destination.

“What’s not to love? She sleeps most of the day, has food brought to her, and everyone that sees her rubs her head. Hell, being turned into a cat is starting to sound pretty good.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes at me, but I could see her fighting to hold back her smile. “If it happens, I’ll be sure to have you fixed immediately.”

“That’s cold, woman! You should never talk about cutting off a man’s balls.”

The smile she had been fighting slipped forth as she pressed the gas, sending the car across the intersection. “I think it might be a good idea for the king and I’m sure the queen would agree with me.”

I leaned forward and grabbed my mug. I drained the last of my coffee, grateful that the wheels were starting to turn a little. “I think I’ve got some pruning shears somewhere at the shop. Just a quick snip.”

“For you or him?”

“Him,” I growled, earning me a low chuckle that sent a ripple through my stomach. If we survived all this with the elves, Reave, and the Towers, I swear I was going to lock this woman in some secluded spot with me for a week, and when we were done, we weren’t going to be able to walk right for a goddamn month. Trixie had a way about her that wiped every sane thought from my head.

Winding through the park to an empty row of parking spots, Trixie settled her little green hybrid between a silver minivan and a black sedan baking in the sun. She turned off the engine and dropped her hands into her lap as she stared straight ahead. I reached over and twined my fingers through hers on her right hand, drawing her gaze up to me.

“We’re just meeting to talk,” I said calmly, as I placed my sunglasses on the dashboard. “Get a little information. I’ll be there the whole time and I’m leaving this park with you beside me.”

She nodded, forcing a smile onto her lips. I took in her brown hair, brown eyes, and lovely heart-shaped face. She was putting on the glamour spell out of habit, whether she needed it or not. The human version of her was beautiful, but it rankled me at the same time. It wasn’t Trixie. It wasn’t the green-eyed vixen that I loved. “I think it’s safe to lose the spell. I’m sure the queen would appreciate it.”

Her smile wavered a bit, but with a blink of her eyes, the spell faded away to be replaced by a vision of blond hair and green eyes.

“We should get going. I’d rather not be late,” she murmured as she leaned in and pressed a kiss against my cheek. I released her hand as we got out of the car, but grabbed it again when we started toward the park and the man-made lake with the geyser-like fountain in the center. The area surrounding Mirror Lake was open with neatly trimmed green grass and a scattering of flower beds showing off the last of their summer blooms. There were a few people jogging around the lake and a few others walking their dogs, but otherwise the park was quiet in the warm afternoon sun.

“The gazebo,” Trixie said with a jerk of her head toward the far end of the park.

I squinted against the sun glinting off the water as we turned toward the gazebo. “It’s been a while since I was here. I don’t remember that.” The small open building was painted white with a blue roof and was surrounded by a profusion of flowers. Within the shadows of the gazebo, I could see a few figures, but I couldn’t tell how many.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she had it built for today’s meeting. She is the queen after all.”

“True.” I gave her hand a little squeeze. “How many are here?”

“Other than the queen, twenty-three. All guards.”

“I don’t think she could fit twenty-three guards in that little gazebo with her,” I said with a grin.

“There are three guards in the gazebo with her. The rest are spread around the park, hiding just past the tree line.”

I suppressed a shiver, clenching my teeth. I couldn’t see them and I wasn’t even sure that I would be able to pick them out using magic. Elves were one of the few races that I hadn’t had a lot of experience with. After the Great War, they kept a distance from the rest of the world, particularly warlocks and witches. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had found yet another way to get in over my head.

Trixie’s pace slowed as we reached the small stepping-stones leading up to the gazebo. She tightened her grip on my hand, her touch growing cold. The guard at the entrance to the gazebo glowered at us, his hand resting heavily on the short sword that hung at his hip, before he stepped aside. Gazing in, I found two more guards standing on either side of a lovely woman seated on a cushioned bench near the back of the structure. She was partially hidden in shadows thrown down by a nearby bank of trees.

As Trixie lifted her foot to the first of two steps leading up to the gazebo, I placed my free hand against her stomach, halting her. “Wait,” I said under my breath as I sent a small spell swirling about the gazebo, checking for other spells the elves might have used while unraveling any glamour cast on the area. To my surprise, there was none.

“You don’t trust us?” asked a melodious feminine voice.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s that life has taught me to be cautious, Your Majesty,” I said with a bow of my head toward her.

“That is fair,” she said in an even voice. “Please, enter so that we may talk.”

I dropped my hand from Trixie’s stomach and allowed her to enter first. The guard moved back to the entrance behind me as I stepped before the queen. Seated on a bench with white and pale yellow cushions, she appeared to be quite young, with soft blond hair piled high on her head with jeweled clips. She had the same green eyes as Trixie, but the queen’s were cold as they looked us over, while Trixie’s seemed to twinkle with laughter. Her wispy dress was an ice blue, lending her a cold air. Was she as cold as she seemed? Had she been like this before her husband had started chasing after Trixie? It would explain a few things.

Trixie deeply curtsied before the queen while I dipped into an awkward bow that caused her to give a little giggle as she picked up a delicate cup and saucer from a little table near her knee. “How refreshing! A warlock paying me court,” she said before taking a sip of her tea. “I’d almost be willing to brush this all aside to have you wait on me every day for the rest of your life.”

I clamped my mouth shut, tapping down a dozen different comments, ranging from informative to snide. None of them would help and Trixie didn’t need more problems heaped onto her.

The queen took another sip of tea before placing the cup and saucer on the table again. She turned her gaze on Trixie, her eyes narrowing as she examined her from head to toe. Trixie had chosen to wear an ankle-length floral skirt and long-sleeved blouse that made her look extremely delicate and feminine. It was the most conservative outfit I had ever seen her in and she looked beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn’t know if that would help or hurt her.

“You’ve gotten lovelier,” the queen announced, folding her hands in her lap. “I think I shall take some pleasure in seeing my dear husband’s face when I tell him that I not only saw you but that you’ve gotten even more beautiful since you were last with the court.”

“Please, Your Majesty,” Trixie said, tightly grasping her hands before her. “You must believe me. I don’t want him.”

“Oh, I believe you,” she said with a cold little smile. “It’s the only reason I haven’t sent my own guards to kill you. Allowing you to live out of my husband’s grasp is a far more exquisite torture for him than him believing you dead.”

“Don’t you think enough lives have been disrupted and destroyed by this little game?” I demanded before I could stop myself.

The queen looked up at me, her smile growing even frostier. “I bow to your wisdom on that point. Only a warlock would know what is
enough
when it comes to destroying lives.”

I inwardly cursed myself, the Towers, and the elves. I should have kept my mouth shut, but it had become apparent that I was going to have to answer for the crimes the Towers had committed on the elves.

As the queen turned her attention back to Trixie, her smile dimmed. “You realize I did not have to agree to this meeting. I could have killed your brother when he requested it. When you arrived, I could have had you killed, and that would have ended my headache after too many long years. I still might.”

“Ah . . . but you have agreed to the meeting,” said a man as he leisurely strolled past the guards and into the gazebo. “And at such a horribly early time of day.” I twisted to watch him walk behind Trixie and me before stopping next to the queen’s little bench. His dark blue eyes drifted over me for only a second before settling on Trixie. He gave a small, distracted smile. “Hello, Ro.”

“Hello, Lori,” Trixie said with a soft catch in her voice. Tears shimmered in her eyes and it looked like she was struggling to stay standing still when she badly wanted to launch herself at the newcomer.

I took another look at him. He didn’t look like an elf. While their paleness seemed healthy and glowing, his was powdery. His pale blond hair was fine, almost like feathers on the top of his head. He was also soft and round, where the elves were all slim and elegant. But there was a grace to him, as if he were trapped in perpetual slow motion. He wasn’t an elf, but I was willing to bet that he was fey.

Despite the growing heat of the day, he wore brown slacks and a pale yellow shirt under a heavy green corduroy jacket, while a blue-and-black scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck. He was reminded of pictures of bohemian artists lounging along the Seine in Paris or even the descriptions of the old Romantics who were troubled with the same soul-weary ennui as Byron.

“It’s good that you could join us,” the queen said a bit frostily.

Lori shrugged, unperturbed by her mood. “When I heard that little Rowena was stopping by, I knew that I had to get a peek at her.” He tilted his head to the side a little as he looked at Trixie. “You haven’t changed.”

“Nor you,” Trixie said, her voice growing firmer.

“You seem eager to help Rowena with her little problem,” the queen interjected into the conversation, her crisp tone chilling as she fixed her narrowed gaze on me.

“Yes.” I waited, wondering what price I would have to pay for the slaughter of her people by the Ivory Towers. And while she was busy taking her pound of flesh from me, would she punish Trixie as well for the trouble caused by her husband?

“Then, since I was so pleased with the feeling of you bowing to me, I think you will be my servant for the day,” she announced with a growing grin. My eyes darted to Lori, weighing his sudden appearance at her side, standing close at hand like a servant waiting to do her bidding. Was that how he had gotten ensnared? Promising to serve the queen for a day?

When I looked back at the queen, her smile was positively sharklike, as if knowing where my thoughts were traveling. Trixie grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly, but she didn’t argue. Not too reassuring, but at least I didn’t have to fight anyone. “What are my tasks?” I asked.

“Nothing much,” the queen said. Her small hand drifted back to her teacup, her finger sliding around the rim. “I’ve decided that I would like some mint for my tea. You will fetch it.”

I nodded, stopping myself from thinking that the task sounded easy enough. “Fine. I know a shop not far from here that sells fresh mint. I’ll—”