“Oh, I do. Do you have a problem with that?” Dare dripped from her voice and she kept her parasol poised.
“You may hunt me all you wish, I don’t mind.” His eyes danced.
Jeff cleared his throat. “The money, Silver. All I care about is the money.”
“Two hours. I need two hours and I’ll meet you at Miss Molly’s Teahouse. I promise.” Putting a fist over his heart, he bowed.
Jeff drew his pistol and aimed it at Kevighn. “I’m only letting you go with my take because my sister seems to trust you. If you don’t come back with my money, so help me, what I will do to you will make shooting seem like mercy.”
“Point taken.” Kevighn extended his hand to her. “Come with me. That way you may ensure I get your money.”
Now that would be the prudent choice. However, the last time she’d followed him she’d ended up at his cabin and nearly succumbed to his advances. She knew better now than to fall for his charms, but who knew where he’d lead her.
“No.” Jeff’s voice cut through her reverie. “Noli is going nowhere with you, Silver.”
“She’s quite able to answer for herself, Braddock,” Kevighn snapped. “Magnolia?”
Both men looked at her expectantly.
Being put in the middle made Noli seethe. “If you don’t mind, gentleman, I’m going to get some tea. Kevighn, you have one hour.”
Without waiting for either, she brushed past them and onto the streets of San Francisco. She’d find Miss Molly’s Teahouse on her own. As she walked, she slid the piece from her glove into her dress pocket. There was no good reason for keeping it. If she’d thought Kevighn would double-cross her she never would have let him leave with it. After all, she hardly needed Kevighn. Quinn would know what to do—V’s tutor always had an answer. If anyone had a dusty old book about a forgotten artifact it would be him.
“Noli, Noli wait,” Jeff called from behind her.
Noli didn’t stop or slow down. When Jeff caught up with her his cheeks pinked with exertion, chestnut curls messy.
“What did you do?” Jeff asked softly, eyes searching as he kept pace with her.
“We can trust him.” In some ways she thought of Kevighn as a friend. Either way, he understood exactly why Brogan couldn’t posses anything which would give him any more power than he already had.
Jeff shook his head. “There’s no trusting a man like that.”
Noli wasn’t going to grace that statement with a reply.
“Did the faeries kidnap you?” His voice went soft.
“Yes.” She looked ahead as she walked, slowing slightly.
“And Charlotte, the one who gave you the knife and the magic valise, she’s a faery?”
“Charlotte? No, she was mortal.”
“Why did they kidnap you?” He said this in seriousness, as if he truly wanted to understand.
She might as well tell him the truth. “Because they wanted to kill me.”
Jeff stopped in his tracks. “They what?”
For a moment she studied his familiar face. He’d changed so much since they were children. His words in the alley about money and doing business proved that.
“Do you know anything about their culture?” Pain colored her voice as she thought of sweet Charlotte. Of how much James had loved her. “Every seven years they find a mortal girl with something they call the Spark. It’s that something special some people have. You often see it in the great painters, musicians, inventors, and such. They lure the chosen girl into their realm, ply her with beautiful things and attention, sometimes she’s even seduced. Then, they kill her to feed the land, the very magic, that composes their world. Otherwise, the Otherworld, and all those who call it home, will perish.”
“My word, they wanted to kill you?” His face contorted into a look of sheer terror. “The realm of faerie lives off the blood of girls?”
“It does. They would have sacrificed me, had Charlotte not volunteered to take my place.” Tears pricked her eyes and she dabbed them with her handkerchief. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
He pulled her close to him. “Noli, none of this makes sense.”
“It’s the truth. I regret all my dealings with them.” All except for V. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.” She flinched as pain poured through her voice.
“Who’s Brogan?”
“He conspired to exile his own brother and take over the throne of the earth court.” She didn’t hide her bitterness.
Jeff blinked. “He’s the king?”
“A king, earth court king.” For some reason his ignorance angered her. “Jeff, if you don’t know anything about the Fae, you shouldn’t be doing business with them.”
“What is Kevighn?” He said Kevighn’s name as if it tasted bad, completely ignoring Noli’s scolding.
Revealing Kevighn’s role in all this wouldn’t be prudent. “Nothing. Kevighn’s naught but an exile—granted a crafty, resourceful one. But really, why are you doing business with them?”
“I’m sorry, Noli, but I can’t tell you.” Not one sliver of regret tinged his voice or gleamed in his eyes. “Now, please, why don’t we go have that tea and you can explain all this. Like if Kevighn is an exile how can you be so sure he’ll bring us the money.”
Noli looked at her brother, crestfallen. “The money? You can’t tell me why you’re stealing dangerous artifacts and selling them to an unscrupulous king and all you want to know is about the money?” She waved her parasol at him. “No, I’m not going anyplace with you. Not until you explain.”
Picking up her skirts, she ran and didn’t stop until she’d lost Jeff. When she had, she put her back to a wall and caught her breath, refusing to cry or allow her knees to buckle. No, she had no time for this. Right now, she needed to find the teahouse and meet Kevighn before Jeff did. This way she’d get her answers or her brother wouldn’t get the money. If he refused to tell her, she’d go to Vix.
Yes, if Jeff was stealing things for faeries, odds were the ship’s captain knew all about it.
Valise in hand, Kevighn hummed a merry tune, step light as he traipsed down the street. Jeff and his mortal crew had no idea what they were about to do. And Magnolia—the fact she trusted him enough to give him the attaché case made his heart soar.
Now, to find Ciarán.
If the king wanted to be found a simple finding spell should do the trick. Kevighn followed the spell through the city. A grin spread across his face when he saw where it led and he remembered what Roderick had said about a particular opium den.
Ah, how he’d had wasted away many a day here at the Red Pearl.
As he strolled through the front gates he glanced at the yellow house beside it and shuddered. Soulless place that Findlay House.
Mr. Chun, the owner, opened the door. A puzzled expression crossed his face as he peered at Kevighn. “May I help you?”
“Mr. Chun, it’s Kevighn Silver. I’m here to meet someone; I believe he’s already here. He goes by Kyran or Ciarán.” Kevighn couldn’t help but feel the tiniest bit wounded that Mr. Chun didn’t recognize him considering all the time and money he’d spent here.
Then again, he’d always dressed impeccably on his visits. Today he looked like an air pirate in need of a bath. How did Magnolia manage to stay so neat and clean? Especially given her position on the ship?
“Ah, Mr. Silver, it’s been some time.” He looked up and down in a way that made Kevighn think he might not be allowed in. Finally, Mr. Chun stepped aside. “He is in the garden and is expecting you.”
“I appreciate it.” Kevighn walked through the house into the lavish back gardens filled with nooks and grottos. Even in winter the gardens remained green and beautiful. Through the fence he spied two girls in gray hanging laundry on a line over at the school. Neither laughed nor smiled. What a waste.