The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) (10 page)

Figuring that I’d probably regret it, I stepped onto the path and ventured down the trail, my shoes slipping over the wet twigs and soggy leaves. The snow was partially melting, and it was slippery.

I made a lot of noise.

In the patches of the light ahead of me, I could see Ajax wincing, and he shot me more than one annoyed look. Finally, he returned, and I got the message that he wanted me to be quiet as he crouched low and slunk forward as silent as a cat.

I slowed down and did my best to mimic him.

“Are you taking me somewhere nasty?” I couldn’t resist asking in a hushed tone, suspicion creeping into my voice.

I weighed the thought of dashing back home when he veered sharply to the right towards a park with a barbecue area and a few covered gazebos.

It was eerily dark.

I frowned, figuring it was just like Ajax to lead me out here and then desert me. I shuddered, wondering if the Mesmers were watching me even now. But Jareth’s stone was cool.

A twig snapped behind me, and I whirled.

Ajax was there in a flash, standing between me and the sound with his lips drawn back from his teeth in an inaudible growl.

But it only turned out to be another dog. Ajax snarled in warning, and the other dog loped away. After that, the Doberman trotted closely by my side.

Leaving the path, he crept through the dead ferns towards the gazebos. I hardly dared to breathe as I followed him.

A branch swiped my cheek.

We’d arrived at one of the gazebos. Hearing voices, I hugged the wall and inched forward slowly to peek around the corner.

There were some bushes in my way, but through a gap between them, I could see several tall shapes moving about in the dim light of what looked like a fire.

They were Fae.

At my side, I could see Ajax’s dark eyes watching me, but he made no move to betray my presence. He clearly wanted me to witness something. I could only wonder why. Sending me a fierce look and showing his teeth, Ajax hurtled past me to join the Fae.

He obviously didn’t want me to follow.

Slowly, I crept a little closer.

I recognized Melody first. She looked as menacingly evil as I’d always felt she was. I couldn’t suppress a shudder.

And then I saw Rafael, clad in white and holding the white-feather mask emblazoned with intertwining circles in his hand.

He looked downright dangerous.

And incredibly handsome.

Several other Fae stepped into the light. I didn’t recognize them. They were also dressed in white and had the intricate Inner Circle symbols painted on their hands. I’d seen those same symbols painted on a Fae before, the Fae that had helped us get into the Queens’ Castle in Avalon.

So, Rafael had been controlling everything, even then.

He stepped forward suddenly and held up his hand. “Soon, the bloodlines will be purified,” he announced as he surveyed those around him with a condescending smile.

Goosebumps sprouted on my arms.

“The Mesmers will soon outlive their usefulness,” Rafael continued in a cool tone. “We must not let their mutant tulpa divert us from our true purpose. We must focus on our fatal blow.”

“And the Dark Fae, my prince?” someone asked.

Rafael looked up sharply. “We will carry on as planned with them.”

At that, Melody stepped forward. “There may be a better way, my prince. A certain way to purify the bloodlines.”

Rafael held still. “And what is this way?” he asked.

“A … secret weapon,” she answered, but the hesitancy in her tone was apparent.

“Weapon?” Rafael turned upon her and his voice deepened. “Tell me of this secret weapon.”

Melody clenched her hands tightly. “For many years, I have been developing it, and it’s almost ready. But, it’s not ready to be revealed. Not yet.”

Rafael folded his arms and towered over her. “I would see this weapon of yours now.”

“Soon, my prince. Soon.” She bowed deeply.

Silence fell.

Rafael lifted his hand. His voice was confident and strong. And there was no sign of mercy upon his face. “Tread softly, Melody,” he warned. “Do not forget who I am, and who you are.”

The contempt in his voice was clear.

Melody jerked a little, but she forced a smile upon her lips. “Never, my prince,” she swore.

Their gazes locked and hardened in challenge, but as the other Fae began to edge behind Rafael, Melody was the first to glance away.

Rafael was calm. Too calm. With an expressionless face and unreadable eyes, he turned upon the other Fae.

“And why are you still here?” he asked, his voice composed and deadly.

They shifted in one instant.

He followed them in the next.

With dread twisting my stomach, I left the cover of the bushes and ducked behind the adjacent gazebo, forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths.

“What the heck was that?” I muttered to myself. A weapon? What kind of weapon? And what was it going to be used for?

I took one step forward when Ajax appeared before me once again and knocked me back against the gazebo. I tripped, landing in the wet snow.

Startled, I held still as he stood in a protective stance over me, his ears pricked to high alert, and his eyes locked to the side.

Slowly, I turned to follow his gaze.

And gulped.

Melody had reappeared.

And she wasn’t alone.

She was supporting a tall figure. Whoever it was, he looked drunk. He leaned heavily against her as she guided him to the side of the gazebo and propped him against it as he collapsed to one knee.

It was then that I gained my presence of mind.

I needed to be documenting this. I just might have to study all of this later for additional clues.

As Melody fumbled around in her white cloak, I silently grabbed my cellphone and hit record.

It was dark, I wasn’t sure how good the video would be, but then Melody solved my problem by creating a ball of light and sticking it to the side of the gazebo wall.

It was then that I saw who she had with her.

It was Jareth.

And that fact had barely registered before I saw her raise her hand and drive a needle deep into the side of his neck.

I stifled a gasp as Melody held up the needle and vowed, “I will succeed with or without Rafael’s aid. I will see Avalon purified and the vermin of the Brotherhood and Earth eradicated from existence!”

Suddenly, she disappeared, leaving behind only the trademark puff of mist.

I didn’t hesitate. As soon as she’d gone, I scrambled to my feet and ran towards Jareth, slipping on the wet soggy leaves and melting piles of snow.

He looked just like he had before, when I’d discovered him collapsed against the wall on my first Neighborhood Watch walk.

“Jareth!” I shook his shoulders.

He winced up at me, barely conscious.

It took some effort to get him onto his feet. He was heavy. I managed to go a few steps with him, but we didn’t get far before he collapsed into the snow.

Pulling my cellphone out, I was just about to call Ellison when Ajax suddenly bounded to my side, and I whirled to see Rafael. I could barely make out the pale blur of his shirt in the darkness as he advanced with the slow tread of a stalking cat.

“What happened?” he asked, stepping into the circle of dim light.

He’d shed his Inner Circle garb and was now dressed in jeans and a brown leather aviator jacket.

“You tell
me
,” I said. I was pretty sure that Melody had acted alone here, but then Rafael had his own share of secrets.

Rafael’s gray eyes narrowed. “Did you just find him like this?”

I was torn between showing him my cellphone video or just pretending I didn’t know anything. I chose the latter. While my heart screamed I should trust Rafael, my brain wouldn’t let me.

“Yeah, I just found him here like this,” I muttered.

Ajax pricked his ears at that, and I felt stupid. No doubt, Ajax had already told Rafael the entire story.

My lie hung heavy in the air between us, but Rafael didn’t say anything. Although his lips did tighten in the corners.

“Let’s get him back to the house,” he said.

We each took one of Jareth’s arms and hefted him onto his feet again. He was becoming more conscious by the moment and helped this time. As much as Jareth normally cooperated, anyway.

I slipped my arm around Jareth’s waist as Rafael did the same. His hand touched my skin, and a shiver rippled through me. Rafael alone had the power to make me feel that way, even after everything that had happened. I wondered what that said about me.

I jerked my hand back.

Rafael didn’t move. “Shall we?” he asked, leaning forward a little so our eyes met.

I stared at him, wanting to ask him what was really going on, what he was really doing. For some reason, I was sure he would tell me at that moment, but then my cellphone rang.

It was Betty. She was worried and wanted to know where I was.

“Ajax hurt his paw.” I said the first thing that came to mind. “It took me a bit to find Rafael. We’re taking him home right now.”

After assuring Betty that I would be home soon, I turned my phone off.

“What happened?” Jareth asked in a groggy tone. It took him a moment to realize that someone else was supporting him, and he swiveled to see Rafael. He reacted by shoving him back. “What’s this? What are you doing?”

“Helping, actually,” Rafael supplied in a cool tone.

“Get out of here,” Jareth rasped in response, weaving unsteadily on his feet a bit. He seemed to have trouble focusing his eyes.

“You need help,” Rafael began.

But Jareth wasn’t about to listen. “Then if you don’t go, I will,” he snarled.

And before I could do anything, he shifted.

“This is getting tiresome,” I said acidly, waving my hand at the puff of mist he’d left behind. “Instead of dealing with things, you guys just disappear at the drop of a hat.”

“And how does an article of apparel equate to shifting?” Rafael repeated quizzically, sliding his hands into his coat pockets.

I glanced up, startled into a smile. He was seriously asking, but upon seeing my amusement, an answering smile sprang upon his lips.

Somehow, that smile made me forget everything but the present. With a beating heart, I watched his expression alter into one that made my heart soar.

He was going to kiss me again.

And I wanted him to, but suddenly I became nervous. And when I get nervous, I babble. Waving my hand in the direction of the gazebos, I asked, “So what was that all about? What were—”

But I didn’t get anything else out as Ajax leapt between us. Raising his fur, the Doberman bared his shiny white teeth and snarled right at me.

I took an involuntary step back.

Rafael frowned. “What’s this?” His voice turned cold and his expression grew distant all at once.

“I don’t know,” I snapped, a bit shaken. “He’s
your
dog.”

Rafael’s jaw clenched tightly as he nodded at Ajax. “He says you were fighting with Jareth in some … lovers’ quarrel.”

I was surprised. The only word that escaped my lips was “huh?”

Obviously, Ajax didn’t want Rafael knowing I’d spied on them. Apparently, even he had his own secrets. But I didn’t appreciate his method of protecting his secrets. I reached down and pinched his pointy little snout. Hard.

He flattened his ears in response.

“Ajax misunderstood,” I began, but Rafael cut me off.

“You shouldn’t wander around by yourself at night,” he said curtly. “I’ll see you back home.”

He didn’t wait for me to respond. He turned on his heel and headed off through the darkness towards Al’s house.

I followed.

Maybe it was something else, but I couldn’t help but think that Rafael was jealous. He sure acted like it. It was a thrilling thought for all that it implied. And even though I knew I should really be pressing him for details about his dealings with the Inner Circle and what they were doing with the mutant tulpa, I suddenly had to let him know that I didn’t have any romantic interest in Jareth.

Skipping to catch up with him, I nearly slid in the snow and grabbed his arm to anchor myself.

“Ajax is crazy,” I said breathlessly as he instinctively reached out to steady me. “Yes, I care for Jareth, but you know, he’s like a brother to me.” I gave a little laugh and added, “You know, like a really annoying obnoxious brother that you’re stuck with. Maybe that looks like something else from a dog’s point of view.”

I wasn’t going to let Ajax off the hook. I was going to give him a nice talking to at some point. But not now. Not when I had Rafael’s full attention.

His gray eyes bore into mine. I couldn’t tell if he believed me or not.

Reaching up, I did something that surprised even me. 
I grabbed his head, and standing on my tiptoes, pulled his lips to meet mine.

It started as an awkward kiss. I didn’t have much experience, but it didn’t really matter. With Rafael, I knew I wasn’t being judged.

He responded at once, and his lips parted to meet mine with a sweet tenderness that stole my breath. I shivered as a deep thrill surged down to each nerve ending.

Suddenly, he pulled back, his lips hovering millimeters from mine. “This won’t work,” he warned softly. “No, this can’t happen, Sydney.”

“Can’t?” I repeated, but then I remembered.

Of course. The Tree of Life thing. The fate line that said if Rafael was to love me that he’d bring about the destruction of the dimensions.

I frowned.

He was the only guy that I’d ever really had an interest in. But there were so many cards stacked against us, I really didn’t see how it could work either. After all, the fact that he was a royal fairy prince from another dimension, embroiled in some kind of conspiracy, was probably a game-ender anyway.

Embittered, I turned away. “Forget it,” I said. “Sorry.”

“Sydney!” he called after me.

But I just ignored him, and bursting out of the greenbelt, took refuge in Al and Betty’s house. Waving at Betty so she wouldn’t worry and putting the egg in the fridge, I escaped to my room and peeled off my wet, muddy jeans and slipped into a comfortable pair of sweats.