Mistfall (7 page)

“Get in the backseat and lie down. Once we’re
out of town you can get in the front seat,” he ordered.

I complied, not wanting to die today or sit
in a seat I had bled all over last night. Luca covered me with a
blanket and my duffle bag, leaving little room for movement. We
drove away and even though I knew my life would never be the same,
I had no idea the direction it was about to take.

Ten minutes later, Luca gave me the all
clear. I grabbed the blanket to cover the front seat, but when I
went to climb over, there was no trace of the hemorrhaging blood
loss I had experienced the night before.

“Elves and nature magic. I should’ve known
you’d have a stain removal spell,” I mused. “Though I don’t think
you’re the type to wear an apron and cook and clean for your
husband all day,” I said rather pointedly, teasing him.

“What if I was?” Luca questioned.

“Well then, your husband’s going to have to
rethink your relationship. In the last half day, you’ve not only
kissed me, but you’re running away with me too. That kind of thing
doesn’t exactly keep the marriage bed a rockin’.”

My abdomen constricted and I laughed, the
hilarity of the conversation making it impossible not to. Luca’s
chest shook as he chuckled along with me. I quickly found Luca
could give it as well as he could take it.

“So Mags, what exactly does keep the marriage
bed going?”

What was he expecting? Was I supposed to clam
up and turn bright red? Sorry, not this girl. “Oh you know, hearts
and flowers…and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ type of stuff.” I grabbed
onto the door handle and the middle console as the car swerved.

“There was a, uh, raccoon in the road,” he
covered.

I guess I won that battle. It was time to
change the subject. I’m not a shy type of girl, but sex talk with a
near stranger I was already having dirty thoughts about couldn’t
end well for my dignity.

“How much farther do we have to go?”

Luca checked the odometer. “We’ve gone about
twelve miles, so maybe ten more minutes. Do you know what you’re
looking for yet?”

The envelope I was holding was your standard
white office type, nothing of note about it. My name was the only
thing decorating it. The handwriting wasn’t Melissa’s as I had
assumed, but was familiar, even though I couldn’t quite place its
owner.

“No, but Melissa was sure I would recognize
it. I haven’t been outside Harmony the five years I’ve lived there,
so the list is pretty small.”

“Never?” He looked shocked, as well he
should. It’s impossible to fathom never leaving a small town once
in five years, but hey, it’s me. The rules seem to go out of the
window where I’m concerned.

“Extenuating circumstances,” I replied.

“Anything to do with the roller coaster ride
I’ve been on since I’ve met you?”

“My entire life has been that roller coaster
ride Luca.”

“I’m sorry.”

It was my turn to look confused. “What for?
It’s not your fault.”

I could have sworn I saw him flinch as if he
felt guilty.
You’re imagining things, you’ve just met Luca, I
told myself. Probably all hyped up on a day full of adrenaline
running through your body and know you’re seeing things.

Luca glanced at me sideways before turning
his blue-green eyes back to the road. “Do you ever wish your life
was different, normal even?”

I laughed. I loved my life. Sure, it hadn’t
been easy, losing loved ones and constantly being hunted, but there
was good in it too. I had a best friend who I loved like a sister.
Even killing the occasional bad guy was fun. If I had been born an
elf, I probably would have joined the Aelfadl.

“Normal doesn’t apply to us Luca, even if I
wasn’t the enemy. To answer your question…STOP! Stop the car Luca,
we’re here.”

Lo and behold we had arrived and my life over
the past five years had come full circle. I was back at the diner I
had first set foot in when I ran the night my parents and Willa
were murdered. Sadly, I was running again.
One day I’m going to
stop in here on purpose.

“The diner?” he asked.

“One day I’ll tell you the story. Right now
it’s time to find out what’s in this envelope.” I felt a shadow of
foreboding close in on me as I opened the letter. Some small part
of me realized nothing would ever be the same, let alone end well.
I chose to ignore that part and opened it up, girding myself for
whatever came next.

Dear Mags:

This is a letter I never hoped you would
have to read, for various reasons. The second reason you’re reading
this is that something has happened to separate you from all the
protections I had in place for you. (The first reason is not
relevant at the moment. I will get to that later.

First things first, you need to find
shelter. Time is of the essence. You should be at the diner you
found after whatever befell me happened. I know what you’re
thinking. The long and short of it is that I had you spelled to
find that diner if something happened to me.

You need to travel into the forest heading
south. A day’s journey from here is a Fae village. They will help
you. By the way, don’t worry about eating or drinking their food.
You’re immune, except for the fairy wine, stay away from that. Read
the rest of this once you are safe.

Love,

Willa

Willa was still keeping me safe, even from
the grave. I returned the pages to the envelope, sighed, and turned
to Luca. “I guess it’s time for me to go.”

His well tanned arms were rigid against the
steering wheel. “I don’t like it Mags.”

“Don’t like what?”

“You, going to see the Fae. They’re a bunch
of randy pranksters. I don’t trust them.”

Wow, he was pretty adamant against my
visiting the Fae.
I guess he’s had a bad run-in or two with
them.

“Luca, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m
a big girl. I think I can handle a horny fairy.” I had a short bout
of the giggles after that and Luca was questioning my sanity.

Puzzled he asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking that if
we were human this conversation would be a non-starter. Well, maybe
it would, but I’d be having it with you because I wouldn’t be his
type!” I continued giggling while Luca groaned and shook his
head.

“You’re in a life or death situation and
you’re joking?” he asked incredulously.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s how I deal. It
works for me. Besides,” I looked to both sides, “no one followed
us, there’s nothing suspicious in the general area, and I have a
plan. Can’t be better prepared, under the circumstances.”

There was something about Luca not wanting me
to go to the Fae that caused a vein of ice to form in my soul. It
just didn’t make sense. Then again, maybe he was just insecure. The
Fae really were a randy bunch. My brain was on high alert, nit
picking everything I heard and saw. I decided to go with the
simplest answer. He probably thought the girl he’s interested in is
heading into Fae territory and the chances of that ending well were
gnawing at him.\

While I was mulling that little nugget of
truth over, I wasn’t paying attention to Luca. Had I been aware, I
would have noticed his face was only inches from mine. It wasn’t
until he put his hand behind my neck and brought me in for the kill
that I came back to reality.

His kiss was short and frantic. It felt like
a plea for me to stay. As quick as he kissed me, he stopped. Luca
dropped his forehead to mine. “Come with me. I can protect you. My
job, it has resources-“

“Luca,” I interrupted, “this isn’t something
to get involved in. I have all of good and evil hunting me down. Do
you know what the Aelfadl would do to you if they found out you
were helping me?”

“I know very well what they would do Mags,
more than you.”

I moved away from him. “What do you
mean?”

“It’s just,” he hit the steering wheel out of
frustration. “I’m an Elf; of course I know what would happen.
Damnit Mags, I’ve seen the treatment they’ve given prisoners. I
don’t want that to happen to you. Please quit being so stubborn and
come with me.”

Me stubborn? Noooo.

I thought it was fantastic that there was
still a chivalrous knight willing to help the damsel in distress.
This damsel, however, isn’t helpless and has a wicked sword
arm.

I pushed the car door open, ending the
conversation. We’d go in circles if we kept on this way. “Luca, do
me a favor,” I asked.

“What’s that?” I almost felt bad, hearing the
defeat in his voice. It’s not that I didn’t care what he thought.
If I didn’t have a plan I knew to be solid in place I may have
entrusted him with my life. But, Willa trumps good looking blonde
elf any day.

“Please make sure Melissa is okay.”

His shoulders slumped. “I guess there is no
changing your mind.”

I shook my head.

“Yeah, I can do that Mags. Stay safe and if
it’s at all possible, I’d like to see you again. In one piece
preferably.” He gave me a lopsided grin which, under normal
circumstances, would’ve been adorable, but just seemed sad now.

I smiled at that. You had to give him credit,
he didn’t scare easily. I grabbed my things from the car, waved
goodbye and entered the forest to see the Fae.

I knew the moment I had made it into the
valley that I was being followed and I knew by whom. My shadow
wasn’t being all that discreet about it. Leaves had been falling
and twigs snapping ahead of me, not of their own volition. I walked
until I was near her, under the cover of the forest, before I
addressed her.

I stopped and listened. She was slithering
around up in the tree to my right. I looked up. “Not trying too
hard, are you Hailz?” I called out.

A twenty foot python dropped out of the tree,
landing ten feet from me with a thud. “Wasssn’t necessary.” She
shook her head. “Sorry, trying out a new form. This tongue takes a
little getting used to. As I was saying, it wasn’t necessary.”

Hailz was an Ifrit, the lowest kind of jinn,
though not one to be underestimated. Last time I saw her she was a
mountain lion. She also happened to be Iblis’s messenger. We had an
odd sort of relationship. Neither of us particularly cared for the
other, but we weren’t necessarily enemies either.

“How on earth did you get the hamadryad to
let you climb up her tree as big as you are?” I questioned.

“She didn’t, but I was getting hungry waiting
on you to quit arguing with your boyfriend. My meal came with a
seat that had a clear view of you,” Hailz stated without
remorse.

Disgust was etched all over my face. “That’s
horrible! Hamadryads are peaceful, hardly a challenge.”

She shrugged as best as a snake could. “Fast
food.”

I just shook my head in disgust.

“So,” I said changing the subject, “what does
the boss man want? Let me guess, is it the old ‘join me or die’ bit
again? As much as I love our little heart to hearts, I really don’t
have time for it today Hailz.”

“She laughed, but in snake form it sounded
more like “sss ss sss ss sss.” It was a bit creepy. “Let’s continue
on your journey Mags, as we talk. It’s not safe for you to stay out
in the open for too long today.”

Her logic was sound, if not obvious, so I
walked while she slithered. Thank Hades we were in the forest on
this side of the Mistfall. Had we been on the human side, a girl
with a sword strapped to her back with a huge, out of place python
would have caused quite the scene. Here though, there were far
scarier things than us prowling around.

“The Master’s offer to join him or perish
still stands. Between us girls though, those he has sent after you,
he did out of punishment for them. He knew you could defeat what
he’s sent after you so far.”

My eyes widened. “So he’s not trying to
destroy me?”

Hailz remained quiet a moment, pondering her
next words. “Repeat any of this and I will rip your arm off and use
it to beat you death. I don’t intend to suffer the Master’s wrath
and you will do well to remember it.”

I rolled my eyes. “And here I thought we were
becoming BFF’s. I guess the sleepover and braiding each other’s
hair is out?”

Hailz gave me the stink eye. A snake giving
you a dirty look is rather hilarious since her eyelid works
sideways. My side felt like it would rip in two from holding back
the laughter. I decided to move on rather than rile her up some
more. “Alright, whatever you say stays between us.”

Hailz hadn’t become Iblis’s messenger for her
charm. Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Don’t kill the messenger?’
In her case, the messenger kills you. She’s also rather creative
about how she dispatches someone.

Believe it or not, Hailz isn’t a psychopath.
According to her, she gets bored with her job and “Dead is dead,
who cares how they get that way.”

“As I told you Mags, the Master does not
truly wish you harm. He merely gets annoyed with your constant
refusal and disrespect.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “You’d think he’d be
used to the rejection by now.”

Hailz hiss-snorted at me in derision. “You’ve
lived a rather sheltered life. You don’t know where you came from
and you’ve barely dented the surface of who you are. Who are you to
be looking down your nose at the Master?”

There was a fallen tree in our path, its
girth making it impossible to move. Feeling a lecture coming on, I
sat down on it. I figured that I’d rather be comfortable. Also the
sooner Hailz was done, the faster I would get rid of her.

I pointed at Hailz. “I don’t care to know
where I came from. It couldn’t have been that great seeing I was
adopted. Secondly, I had my parents and Willa. I could give a
dragon’s hide about where I began life.” My voice had steadily
increased in volume and now I was shouting. “As to who I am, I’m
the one who’s going to smack you in the face with your own tail if
you don’t get to the point!”