Mortal Ties (43 page)

The mate bond was magic, after all. Not wholly magic—there seemed to be a spiritual
component—but Cullen could see it, and he didn’t see the spiritual stuff, so part
of it was built from magic. That would be the part the halfling’s Gift messed with.

Gifts were always stronger than formed magic, Lily had been told. Still, the mate
bond came from the Lady. Who was an Old One.

Alycithin must have one hell of a strong Gift.

Lily finished rinsing her hair, turned the shower off, and grabbed a towel. She frowned
as she dried herself off, frowned harder when she realized she’d forgotten to get
some of the clothes the sidhe had provided. She padded over to the closet.

If the halfling was baffling the mate bond with her Gift, what was blocking Cullen’s
Find spells?

That had to be the prototype itself, she decided as she fastened the bra that was
such a creepy perfect fit. Alycithin didn’t have the prototype, or why bother grabbing
Lily? Either Friar had it, or there was yet another group or individual in this mix
who did.

Say Friar did have it. Lily simply didn’t believe the prototype could confuse the
mate bond the way Alycithin’s Gift did. So if Sean was right and the halfling did
intend to trade Lily to Friar, then once Lily was in Friar’s hands, her mate-sense
should start working again. So should Rule’s.

Lily stood stock-still in her underwear as a really stupid idea seized hold of her.
Stupid and crazy. Sure, she wanted Robert Friar, wanted him badly. But aside from
the risk she’d be taking, she had a civilian here. Sean Friar wasn’t likely to escape
on his own, and she didn’t buy whatever soothing platitudes the halfling had fed him
about her code. Sean was too big a liability.

But there was another civilian. Another hostage, one held by “the other group.” The
easiest way to find Adam
King was to find Robert Friar. And Lily had someone who wanted to take her to him.

She pulled on her clothes slowly, thinking hard. Then stood and thought some more.
At last she moved in front of the sink, where she stared at the fogged-up mirror without
seeing it. She reached for that place in her mind…

It was like a dial. The default setting on her personal dial was set to the frequency
where she talked to Drummond, and that was downright annoying. Why would her personal
dial be set to him? But maybe it had nothing to do with him, being more about whatever
weird thing tied them together. That was why she could mindspeak him so easily now
that she’d gotten the knack of it, she’d decided.

But she’d mindspoken Rule on purpose a couple of times now. She had a sense for where
he was on her dial. Changing that dial was tricky, and she didn’t always get it right.
It was probably pointless to try. She had no idea how far away he was, but distance
mattered. She’d never tried to mindspeak anyone who wasn’t with her. And she was behind
warded walls, her mate-sense baffled by the halfling’s Gift—which might not affect
mindspeech, but still. There was no reason to think this would work.

And no reason not to try. Lily took a slow breath and hunted for Rule on her dial.
Rule, I’m okay. I’m being held by the halfling, who has a Gift like Arjenie’s, but
stronger. She brought me here in a Honda CR-V, license plate
5FLT230.
I’m on the third floor of a seven-story building in a residential area that’s not
near the water. Sean Friar is here, apparently a hostage. I haven’t seen Adam King
or Robert Friar. I’m told they’re not here. I think there’s another group of elves.
I think the halfling intends to trade me to Friar, who may be with the other elves,
who may have Adam King. I think I should let her. The mate bond will work again when
I’m not around the halfling, and you can find me. And Robert Friar and Adam King.

Lily took a deep breath. That was tiring. She had no idea if she’d done it right,
but if it tired her out, she’d done something. She told herself she’d have no way
of knowing
if she was reaching Rule. She hadn’t learned how to receive, just how to send, and
that only a little bit. But her gut was clenched and unhappy. Her gut was sure she
hadn’t reached him at all.

Better try it again. She ran through the whole spiel a second time. Then she stared
at the slowly clearing mirror, frustrated, wondering if her gut had a clue about what
was going on that her mind wasn’t able to tap in to, because it insisted she was getting
nowhere.

On impulse, she reached up and drew on the foggy mirror with her finger. Drew a simple,
stylized bee—a crude representation of the
toltoi
charm. Which wasn’t exactly magic, but the halfling had taken it, hadn’t she? Maybe
she had a reason. Lily stared at that silly outline the way Sam always had her stare
at a candle flame.
Find me here,
he’d say. She stared at it and tried to find Rule.

“M
ORE
eggs?” Rule said.

“No, thanks.” Beth pushed the eggs still on her plate around with her fork.

Beth hadn’t eaten much, but Rule let it go. Lily was always telling him he tried to
stuff her as if she were lupi.

He’d ordered enough for everyone. Madame Yu was still asleep, but several of his men
had woken as soon as the smell of sausage and bacon reached them. As he’d known they
would. He was doing Rho things. Taking care of his people. He wasn’t sure how much
longer he could…

LT230…stucco building, not near the water…hostage…trade me to Robert Friar.

Rule’s fork fell from his hand. His head swung to the left. To the east. “That way,”
he breathed. “She’s that way.”

L
ILY
swayed, suddenly so dizzy she could scarcely stand. She gripped the sink with one
hand and waited for it to pass. Her head swung to the west.

That way. Rule was that way.

Not that she felt him now, but she had. She had. For a few seconds while she was focused
on the
toltoi
, the mate-sense had broken through. Rule was
that
way, and about ten miles away. Maybe a little less.

When the music faded, she scarcely noticed. Then a lovely, musical voice replaced
the Mozart. “Lily Yu. We never did settle the matter of your correct title, did we?
I would like it if you would join me for breakfast. Sean, I regret the discourtesy
of not including you this time, but hope you will join me for lunch later. Lily Yu,
to respond you must press your palm to the wall.”

Lily straightened, swallowed, and shoved her wet hair behind her ears. Her hands were
shaky. She didn’t know if that was because she’d spent a lot of power, or if she was
just scared spitless. Or so relieved she couldn’t think straight.

All of the above, maybe. She took a deep breath and did as she’d been told. The magic
in the wall still vibrated, even though it wasn’t making music at the moment. “I appreciate
and accept your invitation.”

“B
UT
what the hell’s LT230?” Scott said.

“I don’t know.” Rule scrubbed his face with both hands. “Maybe that isn’t all of it.
She was fading in and out—more out than in, I think.”

Everyone was gathered around the table, looking at a map of the city. Rule had called
Cullen to let him know: Lily was somewhere east of the hotel, and she wasn’t near
water. She was possibly in a stucco building. He needed to call Tony, tell him to
concentrate on the east side of the city, but they’d hoped to narrow it even further
with that mysterious number.

“If that’s only part of it,” Jasper said slowly, “maybe it’s from a license plate.
California plates are usually a number, three letters, then three numbers.”

“Maybe.” Rule stared at the letters and numbers he’d scribbled down as if the scrap
of paper could yield some certainty. “I’ll call it in as a possibility.” He reached
for his phone. Ruben first, to get the ball rolling on what might be a partial license
plate. Or might not. Then he’d call Tony.

T
HE
main room was much as Sean had described it. The sidhe might be using mage lights
for their hostages, but out here the lighting was electric. One elf sat on the couch,
doing something with his fingers. It reminded Lily of the way Cullen drew spell diagrams
in the air, only she didn’t see the lines of light Cullen doodled with. He—she thought
it was a
he
—wore the kind of clothes Rethna’s elves had, a soft blue tunic with darker blue pants
and green boots. His hair was white and long and pulled back in a single braid.

There was a big-screen TV across from the couch, tuned to a station that played pretty
pastoral scenes and classical music. Mozart’s sonata was just ending as she walked
across the room with the other elf at her back.

Her stomach hurt. That was nerves…oh, use the right word. That was
fear
, and to be expected, maybe, but she didn’t like feeling this way.

Her hostess and captor was already seated at the table. She wore a yellow tunic that
looked like silk and would probably hit her knees when she stood. It was belted at
her waist with a narrow leather band that held a sheath. The hilt
of a knife protruded from that sheath. Her legs and feet were bare.

At the table, Lily pulled out a chair at the place that was obviously meant for her.
The elf who’d walked behind her went to stand behind the halfling woman. He had long
hair the color of a Creamsicle and wore jeans and a T-shirt, which looked strange
as hell on an elf. He was armed with a SIG Sauer, not a knife. He held the weapon
in his hand, not pointing it at Lily, but ready to.

A drift of white mist hovered over the table. Lily’s gaze flicked up to it once, then
away. It was surprisingly reassuring to know Drummond was here. He couldn’t do anything,
but he was here, and on her side.

She believed that, she realized with a small jolt. Her gut did, anyway. Seeing his
ghostly self nearby settled her stomach.

“You may call me Alycithin,” the halfling said politely. She pronounced it much as
Sean had, accent on the second syllable, only with more lilt. “I’m unsure of your
preferences, and we have no servitors here, so I must ask you to serve yourself.”
Her eyes were a bright, clear green. Like a cat’s.

“I’m used to serving myself.” The table was set with plates for her and the halfling.
Cloth napkins, but no silverware, Lily noted. No fork or butter knife to stab her
hostess with. The food was all finger food—bacon, fruit someone had cut and arranged
attractively on a platter, and a second platter with slices of bread. No butter, but
it smelled good, like it wasn’t long out of the oven.

There were also pitchers of water and what looked like orange juice with glasses for
both. Also a delicate china cup and saucer at each place. And a teapot. No coffee.
Lily grieved briefly, then took a slice of bacon and some strawberries. “Does your
culture encourage or allow business to be discussed during a meal?”

“It is thoughtful of you to ask. Normally we do not, but it is possible to make an
exception to usual practice, if we both wish this.”

“I wish it.” Tea was not, in Lily’s opinion, a substitute for coffee, but it was better
than nothing. “Do you think the tea has finished steeping?”

“I believe so.” Alycithin poured herself some water, smiled, and drank deeply before
setting her glass down. Letting Lily know it wasn’t drugged—though a substance that
affected Lily might not do a thing to one of the sidhe. “Would you care for some water?”

“Thank you, yes.” No point in continuing to refuse to drink. If they wanted to drug
her again, they would.

The halfling poured for her. Lily drank thirstily, then poured herself a cup of tea.
She was doing her best to channel Grandmother. Grandmother absolutely killed at the
polite game when she wanted to—which, admittedly, wasn’t often, but she’d had three
centuries to practice. Lily took a sip of tea. Not up to Grandmother’s standards,
but it wasn’t bad. “Very nice. May I pour a cup for you?”

“That would be kind.”

Lily did so in the manner Grandmother had taught her. “Are we agreed that we can skip
to some of the business we need to discuss?”