The Deadly Fae
by
Terry Spear
The World of Fae, Book 2
PUBLISHED BY:
Terry Spear
The Deadly Fae
Copyright © 2011 by Terry Spear
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Discover more about Terry Spear at:
http://www.terryspear.com/
Dedication
To the world of fae and the delightful imagination. May you only encounter the good kind of both!
Chapter 1
Wearing male fae clothes, breeches and a tunic, all black that would blend in with the dark alleys or the woods on a moonless night like a master thief on a mission, Lady Sessily stalked her target. Her dark curly brown hair was wound in braids and secured to the back of her head, then she"d covered it with a wide-brimmed ebony hat pulled low over her eyes that shadowed her face in the low light of the alley. The hat had been her father"s when he went on a mission like this, and now she proudly wore it, the black plumed feather waving like an invisible flag in the light breeze.
She peered out beyond the ancient stone building and watched the man she was hired to assassinate, swaggering with his arrogant pride as he headed toward the gaming house.
Lord Davenport loved collecting new brides and their dowries and eliminating them as soon as possible so that he could court another fae heiress. But only in another fae kingdom so that no one knew what he"d done in the last one.
Some fae wouldn"t have cared. One less fae of another kingdom, no problem. Not until they learned that it didn"t matter which kind he murdered. Any would do as long as she was available and wealthy.
But this time, he had married the wrong woman. As soon as Lord Davenport had targeted Lady Marguerite, her brother had tried to learn everything he could about the fae. By the time he had discovered Lord Davenport had a string of former wives, all dead of mysterious causes, his sister had already married the fae and was too in love to see anything but good in her new husband. Her brother could think of only one way to get rid of the lord before he murdered his sister. He contacted the Denkar Fae assassin guild to end the lord"s life, not that the brother knew who he was really hiring.
Sessily was certain Lady Marguerite"s brother would have said no to the deal.
Sessily had watched Lord Davenport"s movements for a day and a half, learning his routine, but not wanting to delay his demise. She wished she had longer to observe him, as she was most methodical in her researching the behavior of her intended victims. Any mistake and she could be dead instead of her target. And if she died, the poor wife of the lord would be next.
Sessily stayed to the alleyways, watching his progress as he stalked along the dim-lighted street to the gambling house where he would spend another of his brides" dowries. He was handsome, as men go, a blond fae, dressed in the finest of clothes, his bearing noble, and a real charmer with the ladies. But he was the worst of beasts, if one could discern the true man beneath the clothes and the bearing. He was the devil himself with only one thought in mind—
which fae heiress would he claim next for his own?
Sessily almost wanted him to attempt to ply his charms on her. She was an heiress also.
But in his case, she"d like to see how he tried to woo her before she put him out of his misery.
She"d never had a man show any interest in her. Not that she wasn"t attractive, or appealing, or smart, but making friends was an occupational hazard. How could she tell a guy she was truly interested in that she had to assassinate someone tonight? Could they get together later?
Fae women just didn"t serve as assassins, not in the assassin-guild sense. So keeping her secret was extremely important.
Normally, she would have just stalked the murderous lord, poisoned him, and collected her gold. She would have felt good that she"d saved his current bride from an early death and rid the world of one really bad fae.
But tonight, Sessily was feeling out of sorts. She was tired of hiding what she was, of never getting out and being with her kind, of living in seclusion at her castle. She glanced down at her dark clothes. She wasn"t dressed as a lady, either. She couldn"t garner any man"s attention in these clothes, except to suffer his ridicule. And maybe she"d even get herself arrested. She looked like she was ready to steal the silver and jewels from an estate, not like she was a fae heiress.
She was moving like a shadow, getting ready to blow a poisoned dart at Lord Davenport, not making a sound when she heard someone behind her. He moved almost as soundless as she did. But not quite. His footstep was heavy, and he shuffled just a bit. She whipped around to see a huge bear of a man swinging a cudgel at her head. She ducked, thanking the goddess for her agility.
“You"ll not be taking the money from him, you thief. He"s mine,” the man growled under his breath, his dark beard and hair long, and shaggy. His clothes were unwashed and if the breeze had been blowing in the right direction, she would have smelled his approach long before he had reached her.
She narrowed her eyes at him. This man intended to rob her target?
Maybe that could be a good thing. He could rob Lord Davenport, then she"d poison the lord, and the fae who investigated crimes in this kingdom would think the lord had been robbed and murdered by the same man.
But the thief swung the cudgel at her head again, the ring of gold around his pupils glowing brightly, revealing just how pissed off the fae was at her that she would target the man he intended to rob. And he didn"t intend to just knock her out with a feather-light touch either.
His cudgel and hefty swing could kill a man.
She dove out of the way, felt the cudgel sweeping the air past her head, just missing her.
Her heart raced as she tried to come up with another plan, slipping further into the dark alleyway.
If she used her poison dart on the thief, she wouldn"t have it to use on the lord. She slid it back into her pocket.
In exasperation, she let out her breath in a rush. Most cities were too dangerous to live in.
She much preferred her country estate.
Conjuring up a spell, she summoned fae dust and tossed a handful at his eyes. The gold shimmering particles like fine sand pelted his eyes and face, forcing him to shut his eyes. He cursed out loud, swiping at his eyes with a meaty, filthy hand.
He would scare Lord Davenport off with all his shouting, she feared. She headed for the exit to the alley, but the thief managed to grab her arm with a bruising grip and raised his stick again to strike her.
She was in the process of pulling a pin out of her hat with her free hand when a stranger said, “Whoa.” He immediately poked a gun at the thief"s ribs. “Let the boy go.”
She jerked her head up to see a man covered in a hooded cloak, looking down at her, a faint curve to his lips. His blue eyes were dark and shadowed, and he was dangerously handsome, she thought. He looked to be around her age, or maybe he was a little older. It was hard to tell from the grim look on his face.
Then she recalled what he"d called her.
Boy? The stranger thought she was a boy? Certainly she was dressed as one, but still, she hadn"t thought she looked like a boy. A ruffian girl, yes.
She really had to do some serious thinking about her role in life. She wanted a boyfriend.
It wasn"t that she minded ridding the world of people like Davenport. But there had to be more to life than earning a living and keeping her castle and people safe.
Again, she jerked her arm to free herself from the thi
ef, but the smelly bear that held onto her tightened his hold and yanked her closer.
Nothing had gone as planned. She couldn"t kill Lord Davenport in front of the thief and now whoever this man was. Master assassins never had an audience. And she couldn"t use her fae magic to do serious bodily harm to the thief either because she was careful to keep her abilities secret from other fae. What they didn"t know could hurt them. In her business, that was the only way to live.
“Release the boy,” her rescuer said, his voice frigid and dangerous.
The thief let go of Sessily and swung the cudgel at the stranger. The man leapt back and fired one shot. Like a massive tree trunk, the thief fell backward and landed with a thud on the stone path. One bullet in the temple, and the man was dead.
Lord Davenport glanced back at the sound of the shooting in the alley, but continued on his way to the gambling house, his pace quickened. The stranger looked from the dead man to Sessily, a chilly smile on his face. “Come with me, boy. You"re safe now.”
She closed her gaping mouth. Great. One dead body, wrong man, and it wasn"t even her doing. And if he called her boy in that irksome manner one more time…
She steadied her breathing, tethering her emotions, and tried to relax.
What did the stranger intend to do with her? She was a witness to a murder, although he was defending her and himself also. Did he need her as a witness to the murder or it would be his word against a thief, probably well known in these parts?
But she didn"t trust the man. Something about him seemed ominously dangerous as his gaze swept over her figure as if he knew just what she was. She"d learned long ago to trust in her instincts.
Using her fae form of travel to get her out of this bind, Sessily waved her hand and vanished, leaving the stranger, the thief, and Lord Davenport far behind, but careful to shield against leaving a shimmering fae trail for anyone to follow.
Several minutes later, she reappeared in her bedchamber, two fae kingdoms away, and collapsed on the bed.
Now what was she to do? Lord Davenport"s sweet new bride, who so eagerly awaited his return, wouldn"t be alive after a few days. Not unless Lord Davenport changed his ways. After so many bride deaths? At least four that Marguerite"s brother had uncovered. Hardly good odds.
Sessily rose from her bed and pulled out one of her velvet gowns from her wardrobe closet. Could she be a seductress? That was a role she"d never tried to play before.
She shook her head and shoved the gown back in her closet.
If she couldn"t track Lord Davenport down on his nightly run to the gambling house, she"d have to find another way.
***
The next night, Sessily arrived too late in the sphinx fae kingdom to accomplish her mission, due to trouble at her own castle—a small kitchen fire that had put her whole staff in an uproar. By the time she arrived in the city, Lord Davenport had already reached the gambling house.
Not wanting to delay her mission any longer, Sessily knocked at Lord Davenport"s manor house door and offered a calling card to the butler. “I was friends of Lady Davenport"s cousin,”
Sessily demurely said. “I wish to pay my respects.”
The gray-haired butler had aristocratic features, a prominent nose and bright blue eyes, but he was not of fae blood. No fae aura surrounded him. He was…a changeling, Sessily would guess. A man who was stolen when a baby or child or even older and made a servant in the fae household. Actually, he may have been in several households before he ended up here.
Something about him, a gentle manner, almost fatherly, reminded her of her own father.
Most butlers would have asked her to wait in a receiving room, treated her with courtesy and strict professionalism, but this one dealt with her differently, almost with reverent respect and with a fondness, which she wouldn"t have expected from someone she"d just met.
She couldn"t figure out why a changeling"s actions would affect her so either, but she almost felt a kind of bond. “Do I know you?” she asked, wondering if she"d come across him as a child while he served in another household, and she just couldn"t recall.
“I"m Gevus, my lady. I knew your father.”
A chill swept across her skin. Did he know what her father did for a living? What she did to earn her keep? Why she was here?”
His blue eyes smiled at her. “He was a good man. I remember you as a little girl accompanying him to the royal ball of the Denkar.”
“You…you worked in Queen Irenis"s castle?”
He shook his head. “I served a nobleman who was killed when he angered a dragon fae.
But before this, he attended the Denkar ball and I was his valet, taking care of his clothes and other personal matters. I met your father there, and…” Gevus looked at the floor, then back at her, as if trying to decide whether to say anything more. Then he said, “He hired me to do some work for him.”
“Hired you?” To do what? Her father had never needed a servant to dress him. He always thought the notion ridiculous.
“Spy for him, before he undertook his mission.”
Gevus knew her father was an assassin! But, surely he didn"t know that Sessily was one, too.
“Oh.” But how could a human, a changeling have any abilities that would make him useful? She doubted in the position he was in that any fae had given him special powers.
Then she scoffed at herself. Sure, they were always privy to what went on in a household.
There were no secrets among the staff. And one staff member from one household could easily speak with one from another and gain all kinds of useful information. “I see. So you knew what he did for a living.”
“Aye, my lady.” Now the smile reached Gevus"s lips. “Good luck with your mission.
And if you ever need my help, I"m forever your servant.”
She stared at him, her lips parted, but she couldn"t speak a word. My mission. He couldn"t…how could he…had her father told him? No, he would never have told anyone about her. Only her own staff knew and no way would any of them whisper a word to others outside of the household. Not when they knew that it could hurt Sessily, but worse, the Denkar assassin guild master would take them to task in a terminal way.
“Thank you,” she said softly, not sure what else to say.
“You realize I"m not of fae blood, although I do have a human quality only your father recognized and found most fortuitous,” he said for her ears only.
Her eyes widened. She"d ignored it the first time he"d done it, but this time when he probed her thoughts, she opened her senses to learn just what he was doing. Reading her mind.
Her mouth dropped open again. “You…can…do… that?”
He bowed his head.
“You know the danger Lady Marguerite is in?”
“Aye, my lady. I"ve been keeping her brother posted on what has been happening. He wanted me to know the moment you…well, the person he hired arrived and accomplished the task at hand. I never thought to see you, Lady Sessily. But I"m much pleased that you are here. I will do anything that you require of me to help you to accomplish your mission. I will take you to her ladyship now and you can visit a while. Lord Davenport often stays at the gambling house late into the night. But sometimes he returns early. Let us hope he returns soon so you can be on your way.”
He bowed again and led the way into the library. “Please wait here for Lady Marguerite.
She"ll be with you soon.” He made a low bow again, then left her alone.
Gevus probably realized, or even read her thoughts, that Sessily hadn"t known Marguerite"s cousin, and that she was only here using that faux association as a ruse to get close enough to Lord Davenport to finish her task.
Sessily glanced at the volumes of fae lore and books on fae lineages of Marguerite"s family tree and of the cultivation of flowers, a pastime for many. Although some preferred archery or sword fighting, or other fae sports that were of more of an aggressive nature.
Graciously, Lady Marguerite swept into the room an
d greeted Sessily as if she was a long lost sister. Her golden hair was swirled above her head, adorned with pearls and gold leaves as she guided Sessily to a high wing-back chair covered in robin"s egg blue silk and motioned for her to sit on the soft cushions. Once the ladies were seated, Lady Marguerite began speaking of how kind Sessily was to visit her in this way, and somehow the topic switched to how wonderful her husband was. She remarked on how he was always giving her gifts, and so thoughtful and kind.
Right. Gambling away his deceased wives" moneys while out until all hours of the night.
The petite blonde fairly glowed with pride. She was of the sphinx fae, their kind being notoriously good-natured, one of the oldest fae civilizations, if not the earliest, who opted for peace first when faced with any confrontation.
Sessily wanted to make a face and tell her what had happened to all his former new wives, but smiled and chatted pleasantly instead. Let the lady believe what she would about the snake she was married to. When she was out of mourning, she could find a husband who would truly be the one for her.
Tonight, Sessily had worn a dark purple veil over her hair and dark clothes so that she could slip out into the night as soon as she"d accomplished her task and then…vanish, in the fae way of travel.
Lord Davenport abruptly entered the library, surprising her that he would return so early from the gaming tables. Immediately, she stiffened her back. Lady Marguerite nearly jumped from her chair to greet him. But he was cool with her, until he saw Sessily. Had the honeymoon already worn off?
“You have a lady visitor,” he said, sounding surprised and a little wary. Was Sessily messing up his plans to kill his wife tonight?
“Yes, this is Lady Sessily,” Marguerite said sweetly, but with such pride Sessily almost felt ill-at-ease that she had bamboozled her to such a degree. On the other hand, she was here to save the lady"s life, nothing more.
“She inherited Doverton Castle of the turtle fae realm. Do you know the place? She was a friend of my late cousin and wished to meet me and tell me how much she missed her. Isn"t that sweet of her?” Marguerite asked.