“Did the druids come after them?” I hoped so, if they came after the amulet they would eventually find it. If not, we were going to have a hell of a time.
“No. Elbert stayed for an hour, his spot in the tree was perfect for moth watching. No one else came out.” She held out her hand. “That is all I know.”
I passed her the star anise and pulled the cloves out of my pocket. Her information wouldn’t get us any closer to stopping this, but knowing the Gur amulet was in Sidhe hands, was worth the price.
“That’s interesting,” Olan stepped into the light as soon as Evangeline left. “What’s this amulet about?”
“Where have you been?”
“Keeping lookout. You never know who might come by and overhear.” Olan paced around the dry space. “So, why did Fionuir steal the amulet?”
“I don’t know. Something that old has great power. You can use it to feed a spell. Or you can use it for its original purpose. But I’m pretty sure that Fionuir is not capturing spirits of murdered druids.”
“Why would the druids want to capture those spirits?”
“I think they expected to free their fellows at a safe time, but there wasn’t one for centuries, and no one really knows how to do it anymore, if they ever did.” I started walking away from the safety of the fire escape. “Come on; let’s get back to my place. It’s warm and I have beer.”
“Not so fast, Quinn.” Olan looked up and then cocked his head as though listening. “Why didn’t the druids go after Fionuir?”
“Who knows why druids do or don’t do anything? Come on. I’m cold and wet.” As I spoke I looked up and saw why Olan wouldn’t come out. On the landing of the fire escape was a shadow. It shifted and flickered, but mostly stayed in the shape of a crow. “What did you do, Olan?”
“Nothing, I swear.” Olan kept his gaze on the landing.
“How long has she been there?” If The Morrigan had heard us talking about druids and amulets, she would tell Fionuir and we would never fix this problem.
“Just now, don’t fret.” Olan sidled behind my legs.
“Morrigan,” I called to the shadow. If she was mad at Olan again, I wanted to get it over. Like I told the pixie, I was cold and tired. “What do you want?”
The shadow moved, she flickered into a woman. The shadow stretched and laughed, slowly and sensually. “The pixie. He can’t help himself.”
“What has he done?”
“Ask him what he keeps in his bag of toys.” She flickered back to a crow shadow.
I looked at Olan and raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to speak.
“I didn’t know it belonged to anyone.” He stepped out from behind me, dug around in his sack and then threw a lump that landed on the ground. “She can have it back.”
The crow launched herself off the railing and swerved toward Olan. She screeched and swiped at Olan with her beak. Being touched by The Morrigan was death to some beings. Olan fell over.
As I bent to pick him up, The Morrigan swept past me and took the lump in her beak. I fell back to avoid her spread wings as she rose again.
I looked for Olan and found him lying on his side in the dirt. “Olan?” I didn’t believe he was gone. I didn’t want to believe it. He could be a pain but I was just getting to like him and he could be helpful. “Olan?” I heard a wheeze and turned him over.
He was sprouting feathers. The transformation completed and he flapped a wing and righted himself. His beak opened and only a weak chirp emerged from his chickadee throat.
“Can you fly?”
He hopped and flapped his wings. No luck. He shook himself and looked around. Picking a patch of dirt he scratched with his talons the stood aside. He’d written home.
“Okay, get up here.” I put him on my shoulder, picked up his bobbin and sack and headed for home.
Chapter Six
Olan was making a crooning croak. I know birds are not capable of it, but I thought he was trying to clear his throat. “You should probably rest your voice. It might be temporary.”
He butted my ear with his head.
I really did hope he got his voice back and learn to fly if he couldn’t get back to pixie form. I figured if he didn’t, I would have a permanent bird on shoulder look. As we cut through a few alleys to get closer to my place, I thought through some possible healing spells. It was probably not a good idea to mess with what The Morrigan had done, but I felt sorry for him.
I turned down the last alley and heard voices. Olan pecked my ear just as I came to a stop. I stepped back into the shadows. Ahead a fairy girl was walking with a human man. I could make out the glamour she’d spun to hide her true identity. In reality she was a nightshade fairy, about three feet tall and thin, dark purple hair and white skin; the glamour showed a busty blond almost six foot. The human was almost salivating with desire. I could smell his musk from here.
Olan rocked on my shoulder, as though trying to tell me something. I hadn’t a clue whether he meant we should run away or jump in to stop what was probably about to happen.
I stayed in the shadows.
In my pocket I felt for the sight charm I carried for emergencies. If I was right, there would be a Sidhe lurking nearby. The spell would let me see into shadows.
I found the charm and squeezed it to release the power, keeping it in my pocket minimized the chance the fairy would notice, but did diminish the power. I could only see dimly into the shadows, but I could see. There was a Sidhe woman wrapped in a dark cloak standing in the deepest gloom of a doorway beyond the fairy and human.
I didn’t recognize her but she had the look of a court member. Her hair was golden; at least the few strands of curl that fell out of the hooded cloak glinted like gold. I caught a glimpse of milky skin splattered with freckles as she leaned forward slightly. Her movement brought my attention back to the fairy who was talking to the human in a warm voice.
“Drink this.” She held a glass in her hand. “It will help you later, when we are alone.”
“I don’t need help.” The man laughed and reached for her. “Let’s get to your place.”
Good, he was going to survive. I searched my pockets for something to interrupt them. I didn’t have time for a spell, and the Sidhe would probably intercept it if I tried to cast something. If I could find a stone or something to throw, I could break the trance she was building.
“No.” I wondered if he heard the desperate note in her voice as I scanned the ground. “You don’t know. I’m different.”
“Okay, sweetie, don’t get upset.” He kissed her before taking the glass. “If you really want me to, I’ll take it, but I’ve never needed help.”
I looked up, a chunk of brick in my hand. She smiled and leaned into him as he swirled the glass. I stepped forward to throw the brick.
Too late, he tipped the liquid into his mouth. I saw him swallow and then drop the glass which shattered on the cobbles. The fairy stepped back as the man reached for her, his body contorting. The man twitched and spun on his heels, it looked like he was searching for something. Then he started swinging as though he was fighting more than one opponent.
Suddenly he stumbled, one leg giving out. His hand grabbed at his stomach. He groaned. The groan changed to a gasp, and then a wheeze as his body buckled to the ground.
The fairy beckoned to the Sidhe and held her other hand over the man as he bucked on the ground. His movements getting smaller until he almost lay still. The Sidhe bent as though to kiss the man. I saw his spirit leave his mouth to be sucked into hers. It brought back memories of vampire feasts: bad memories. Taking too many victims is where the vamps made their mistake. If the Sidhe weren’t careful they would disappear, too.
“Well,” the fairy snapped. “You have your feast, give me my payment.”
The Sidhe wiped the corners of her mouth before speaking. “Why should I pay you, fairy? I have what I wanted. You should have taken payment first.”