Breaking Out (20 page)

“It’s not real Mexican food.”

“It still tasted good.”

I played with three of my beans, batting they
around on the plate. “Do you think Samson’s okay?” I asked him.

“Yeah, I called the building manager. He’ll
let him out and feed him. He’ll probably bite me for staying away
so long, but I have no choice.”

Jay laughed. “I don’t think the manager’s
gonna bite you, Char. He has a wife.”

I almost spit out my water. These guys were
crazy. And fun. And I so didn’t want to go back to Court.

Charlie scowled. “I’m still pissed at
you.”

Jay picked up a butter knife. “Maybe I should
commit hari-kari or something.”

“You were an asshole on the boat.”

“My assholedness can reach epic proportions
at times, but on the boat, I was not being an asshole.”

“Yeah?”

“I was doing my job.”

“Which is?”

“I’m your second-in-command, remember? Like
Sash is to your dad. Isaiah even said so. I tell you when you’re
messing up, get you back on track.”

“I guess.”

“So what’s the plan, boss?”

“Don’t call me boss.”

“Fine.”

Here’s the plan and you’d better not open
your mouth to complain about it. “You two are getting on the ferry
and going back to the office. I’m going in and getting the guy out
of there.”

“Hey, wait a minute. I didn’t say…”

“A second does what he’s ordered to do. If I
have to learn to lead an army, you have to learn to take orders
from me.”

“What if they capture you? We won’t
know.”

“You’ll know. I’ll send you a message.”

“It better not be a dead fish wrapped in your
tee shirt.”

Charlie started to laugh, then Jay. I could
only shake my head. Crazy as loons.

Jay and I took the 6 pm ferry back to L.A.
The sun was setting, so we went up on top where we’d have a better
view.

“So how’s he gonna do it?”

“Can’t tell ya. Trade secret. Did you call
him? The prisoner?” He pointed two of his fingers at my eyes, then
pointed them out at the island fading in the distance behind the
boat.

“Yes. I told him someone will come but it
might not be what he’d expect. Talk about cryptic.” I’d muttered
that last part under my breath, but his grizzly ears heard all.

“You gotta trust my buddy, Char. He’s got
magic that’s got magic.”

“Half the time I don’t know what you’re
talking about.”

“It’s a gift.” He suddenly grinned at me.
“You’re smiling.”

“So?”

“You don’t do it enough.”

“I don’t?”

“Nah, you’ve got sulky, sad, stubborn, sore
and stressed down to a science, but happy? Not so much.”

“I’m happy.” Even I could hear the lie in my
voice.

“What’s up? Are you still worried about those
guys who kidnapped you?”

“No. But I still don’t know who they
were.”

“Then something must be up back at the
castle, right?”

“They’re gonna hook me up with someone.”

“They’re choosing someone for you to
marry?”

“It’s not even marriage. I mean it’s not for
life or anything.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Yeah, that’s why I don’t like going back.
Why I stay human. When I turn seventeen, I’ll have to go back.”

“They wouldn’t force you.”

“Sure they would. I have good genes and babes
are rare.”

“Do you do it like horses?”

“You are the most irritating male I’ve ever
met.” I stood and marched to the railing.

He came up behind me, resting his hand on my
shoulder then sliding it down to weave his fingers through mine.
“I’ll protect you. I’ll never let them take you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Cause females are supposed to be protected,
not used. No matter what their species.”

“You don’t know how powerful the chieftain
is.”

“Yeah, well I got a pretty powerful
friend.”

“He’s like a god to them. At least the idea
of him is.”

“What?”

“Charles Liam William Cuvier, the grandson of
Finvarra, the King of Faerie. He’s a fae of royal blood, but also a
demon of the royal line. We’re unseelie. His demon blood runs in
our veins, too.”

“Why don’t you guys side with the
demons?”

I shrugged. “The histories say we fought
beside them, but they treated us like crap.”

“Guess that’s as good a reason as any to dump
your allies.”

“The ancient fae were grateful for our
service. They treated us as honorable allies, not lower class
citizens. The demons turned up their noses at us, as if our
bloodline wasn’t the same.”

“I always thought a lot of the fae were
pretty snooty.”

“Not in Finvarra’s time. Only now they’ve all
forgotten us.”

“There hasn’t been a war in a thousand years.
They probably don’t even know you’re still trotting around. Oh.
Sorry.”

“Lay off the horse jokes.”

“You know Finvarra’s back, right?”

“What?”

“Finvarra came back because Fionna, his
daughter, turned out to be a really dangerous asshole. She was
killing her own people. He thinks of every fae as his child.”

“You haven’t met him, have you?”

“I talked to him for a few minutes. But I’ll
be spending a lot more time with him soon.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The war’s coming and I’m Charlie’s second.
Fin will be there to help out.”

“Wow.”

“I’ve already met Isaiah. He’s the son of
Naberia, the archdemon.”

“That’s the Isaiah you mentioned?” Jay
nodded. “He’s one of the few demons my people say good things
about.”

“He trained Char.”

“He did?”

“Yeah, they’re related.”

“Oh right. They are.” I sighed. “I wonder
what the DR is like.”

“A lot like here, only with spookier
creatures roaming around.”

“No, it can’t be like our world.”

“The way he described it, it seemed like
something out of a 19
^th
century novel.”

“Cool.”

“Except for the people running around trying
to burn you or poison you or kidnap you.”

“That’s exactly like a 19
^th
century novel.”

“Yeah? Cool.”

I snuck a peek at his face. It was broad,
with flat plains for cheeks and forehead, a square jaw, and large
blue eyes maybe a little too far apart. But his mouth was full and
he smiled all the time, like there was some kind of joke the
universe was telling that only he got.

I liked him. A lot. Charlie was intense, too
intense for me, but Jay, he made me feel safe and comfortable.

As if he could read my mind, he squeezed my
hand. “You look nice in the sunset. It makes your hair shine.”

I frowned. “Are you flirting?”

“Maybe.” And there was that grin, definitely
a make-a girl-weak-in-the-knees kind of grin.

“I thought you were a player when I met
you.”

“People think what they think. I’ve always
liked females, but this trip has made me see things
differently.”

“It has?”

“I guess I’m seeing the real world. It’s
dangerous and exciting, and there’s no time for flirting around. We
have to get serious if we’re going to help your people and the
wolves and anyone else who needs us.”

“Charlie needs you.”

“Yep.” He grinned and winked, proud to be
part of his friend’s adventure. We stood together by the railing
until the boat docked in Long Beach, his arm around my shoulders to
keep me warm. I wished the boat ride had been a little bit
longer.

CHARLIE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The prison
was a stable. Why that should have surprised me I couldn’t figure
out. I mean he was a horse, or at least he was in horse form at the
moment. As I rounded the corner of the stall, I expected the usual,
but when I saw him for the first time, I was floored.

He was enormous, sleek like an Arabian
stallion but hands larger. Even in this darkened room, his mane
shone golden against a chestnut colored hide, his nostrils flaring,
his ears pulled back. His aura glowed with waves of power, fluxing
because of his possibly weakened state. His magic wasn’t mine, the
feel of it alien, but it was of the earth and the sea and the air:
elemental in nature—more similar to fae than demon.

Those two species fed the ley lines every
time they used their magic. Without them, there would be no magic
for the witches and sorcerers who used spells or the shifters who
transformed themselves into their animals. The virus of the
werewolves might lose its potency and even the vampires might
become human once more, the older ones turning to dust. Most of
this was just guesswork because obviously, I didn’t have all the
facts, but if the fae or demon races left for good, the
supernatural world would pretty much fall apart.

Life without magic would suck even worse than
life as a reluctant, magic user.

But the kelpie race might not be affected if
the fae and demon races shut us out from their magic. Kelpies fed
from the earth’s own magic, living in the deepest of places,
absorbing the primal strength of our world’s beginnings. His was a
prodigious magic I could not tap into.

Amazing.

There’d been no security to speak of, just a
wolf on guard duty who’d been easy to
suggest
into sleep. I
approached the stall slowly because even though he couldn’t see me
or scent me, he could definitely still hear me. He’d been warned
that I was coming but not how I’d look or not look when I got
there. I didn’t want to spook him.

I tapped him twice on the head as instructed
by Ivy and whispered near his ear, using Fae. “Ivy says you can
understand me. There’s a path out back that leads to the woods. As
soon as you’re past the tree line, run. The path takes you directly
to the sea. You’ll be safe.”

He shook his large head, the way horses do,
his golden mane tossed around. “Are you saying no?” He nodded. “If
you’re worried about me, I’ll be fine.” His head swayed another
negative. “No one can see me or smell me. They won’t know I’m
here.” He shook his head, stamped his hoof a couple of times and
bowed like those trick horses do. “You want me to ride you?” He
nodded more enthusiastically. “Without a saddle?” Another nod.
“I’ll fall off.” He snorted, nuzzling against my hand.

And my mind opened to his words.

“
I will not let you fall, young prince.
Trust me.”

This horse/kelpie was a big guy, seventeen
hands at least. I was definitely no shrimp – 6’7” like my birth
father—and I wouldn’t die if I fell off, but it would be
humiliating, for sure. I’d ridden a few horses in my time and they
were skittish around me. Liam said they felt my demon magic, but I
thought that was just fae BS.

I looked up and up. Well, first time for
everything. “I’ll try, but not till we’re on the path.”

We walked right past the still snoring
werewolf, the ease of what I’d done a shock. I hated to admit it,
but Jay was right. I should have been experimenting with my magic
all along.

When I was seated, the kelpie spoke,
“
Young prince, you honor me as none before you have.”

“Um, thanks. You honor me too.” I had no idea
what was considered an acceptable response in their society, but a
compliment couldn’t hurt. “You are a magnificent species.”

“You have not seen us at our best. I will
take you to my people where you will be treated with favor by
all.”

“No wait…” But it was too late. He galloped
with a grace I couldn’t have imagined possible for such a large
creature. The sea loomed ahead and suddenly I was in the water on
the back of a different kind a creature, just as perfect, just as
magical, but a hell of a lot harder to hang onto.

“
It is not necessary to cling to my back.
You will stay seated because I will it to be so.”

I had to switch to mind speech because now I
was underwater. Holy crap
.
I was deep.
“How am I
breathing?”

“
You breathe because I allow it. Your
temperature remains stable because I control it. When we arrive at
court, you will be presented to the chieftain in perfect
condition.”

“
Um…great, thanks, but I have friends that
are expecting me.”
Perfect condition, huh? Made me sound like
an entrée.

“
The female and your friend will be
waiting for you when we arrive.”

“
What?”

“
We are here, young prince.”

And as soon as the words were spoken I was
standing in a room a lot like my Uncle Isaiah’s enormous receiving
room, only it was packed with a few people in human form and a lot
of steeds, as Ivy called them. The steeds were mostly pale in color
with matching manes in creamy whites and dark beiges. Large brown
eyes took me in as their graceful tails flicked back and forth.

I took a panicked look around, searching for
Jay. He was standing by the wall to my right, holding Ivy’s hand,
the two of them looking as shocked as I felt.

“
Glad to see you guys made it.”
I sent
to Jay.

“
Yeah. Ivy got some kind of message and
the next thing I know I’m in the ocean riding this weird creature
here. It took maybe one minute. I could breath and didn’t even get
wet. It was awesome.”

“
You do know that weird creature was Ivy,
right?”

“
No way.”

“
Yep.”
When she saw the look on Jay’s
face, she giggled.

I patted my clothes, happy to find I was also
dry, not too disheveled and hadn’t turned into a block of ice or
been squished by the billions of tons of water over my head. We’d
gone so deep even the see-through glow in the dark fish must have
thought we were crazy.

I did a quick internal inventory. My aura was
strong, as were my shields, and my heart rate was normal. As I’d
been trained, I reached for the lines, relieved to find them so
easily. The magic was familiar and comforting even in this alien
place and I was able to loosen my tense muscles and truly
relax.