Pickup Styx (14 page)

“Do you truly suspect him?”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t know what to think anymore. Obviously I didn’t want my father to be behind any of this, but what did it say about him that I wouldn’t be shocked if he was? This was the same man who’d carried me on his shoulders through the woods, taught me to hunt, and had given me advice on nearly every problem I faced in my life . . . before Selene, that was. She was without a doubt the reason I questioned what he’d taught. I spent the majority of my life idolizing my father, only to discover he had terrible flaws. But did those flaws run so deep that he would murder his own children? My sister came to mind. He didn’t kill her, her lover did, but he was so angry when he found out she’d had a human lover that he was definitely capable, the hypocrite.

“I see.” Adan took my silence as a confirmation. “Well, if he did set the curse, he would be immune to it. But why would he set out to destroy his legacy? I understand he must be upset over you taking the crown, but he had to see it coming. He took the crown from his father, as his father did before him. Times change and people must move with them or get left behind.”

“If we all die, no one can challenge him for the throne. He may believe he can remain the Erlking indefinitely. He hates that I’m with Selene, and he isn’t coming around to her. Also, the protests you mentioned, as long as they continue, he still has hope of taking the throne back from me.”

“Why not challenge you directly? With honor.”

“He might lose.”

“Has your father fallen so far? Would he really let greed sway him?”

“I hope not . . .” I looked at my hands, so very like my father’s. “But it seems probable.”

Adan sighed. “I am grieved to hear it.”

“But why wouldn’t he just come after me and Selene if that’s what he wants? Why kill the others too?”

“The elverpige is not a precision instrument. If set loose, it would go after everyone with that bloodline, and they are easier to get to than you and Selene. Or perhaps he is innocent and unaware this is happening.”

“Who else could do something like this?”

Adan lifted a hand. “Who else has a strong grudge against you?”

I didn’t even know where to begin to compile that list. I stood and paced the room.

“How do you intend to stop this?”

“There are no clues at Smaragdine. The bodies have my family’s symbol burned into them, but there is no trail to follow. I am at a loss.”

“This is troubling. Have you not told your wife? I understand you do not wish to trouble her, but do not undervalue her abilities. Selene is powerful, and she could be a great partner if you allow her to be.”

“Ah, yes. I would never undervalue Selene, but she cannot help me with this particular case. I’m afraid I have to solve it on my own.”

“Is that so?” This time he did look disapproving. “Until you trust Selene, how do you ever think she will trust you? You have given up much to get to where you are, but so has she. Do not forget that, young Erlking.”

The last thing I needed was a lecture from Adan, but I gave him a gentle smile. “How can I find this elverpige? Better yet, how do I stop it once I find it?”

“The elverpige cannot be stopped. The curse must be broken by either killing the one who started the chain or by completing the genocide. And if the elverpige didn’t kill you, and the two of you were to conceive, it would come back for the child. The curse never ends. It never stops until all its intended victims are dead and then it lies dormant.”

My chest clenched. We had been so caught up in figuring out how we would fit together that I never considered children. But hearing that their lives would also be at stake was too much. I would find a way to destroy the elverpige and whoever set this scourge upon us. “And how do I find it?”

He shook his head. “I am not sure, but if your family has indeed been cursed, then rest assured, it will find you.”

I bowed and shook his hand. “Thank you for your help. I trust that I can count on your discretion.”

“Always.” He bowed slightly.

I sat next to Selene, holding her cold hand, thinking about the visions and what kind of mother she would make. Everyone had left the room except for Frost, who adamantly refused, saying she had to stay. She was easy enough to ignore, tucked in a corner with her nose buried in her book.

I had to find the visualized locations before the elverpige or there would be more death. “You could’ve picked a better time to go to the Underworld,” I told her. “I could really use your help. Adan thinks I undervalue you and your opinion, but I honestly don’t. I listen to everything you say to me, even when I don’t want to hear it.”

I knew she probably couldn’t hear me, but it made me feel better to talk to her. What would Selene demand we do if she were with me? Stop sitting around and find the next location! I imagined her facial expression as the command came to me, and I smiled and refocused my thoughts on picturing the next location in my mind. A filthy alley with a broken sign. It could be anywhere. . . . Wait, no. Actually, it couldn’t be anywhere. The sign was in English, so it was probably in the human world. Wow, that really narrowed it down. I sighed and leaned my head back against the chair.

Sebastian came in and cleared his throat. He didn’t have to say anything. I could tell by the air surrounding him that there had been another murder. I kissed Selene’s forehead and stood. “Don’t give up, my love. Fight until you are back with me. I need you.”

I followed Sebastian to my office, where the entire coven sat in rapture around Sy, who was telling some joke. He was more like Selene than I had ever given him credit for. Neither of them had ever met a stranger, nor did they let self-doubt hold them back. Katrina seemed particularly amused with Sy, which made Sebastian study the floor with a stony expression.

Edith stood when she saw me. “Is the necromancer still with my granddaughter?” I nodded and she responded with her own curt nod. “Let me know if you need anything else.” She headed back to Selene’s room, looking older than normal. The stress was wearing her down. It was wearing all of us down.

“Where is it?” I asked.

“New York,” Sebastian said.

That made sense, given what I’d seen. “Let’s go.”

Jessica and Katrina hopped up.

“Wait, don’t you want to know what we found out?” Leslie asked.

I did want to know, but another body, especially one in the human world, had to be dealt with first. “When we get back.”

The four of us transported to the alley. Everything was exactly as I’d envisioned, including the broken sign, except that two elf guards stood sentry at the entrance. The man on the ground had feathery wings and a long feather tail. The feathers blended with their surroundings, camouflaging him. A harpy. They were notorious thieves, but this one apparently had been caught.

“Is this connected? Harpies aren’t really fae.”

Sebastian flipped him over and revealed the symbol on the back of his neck. Katrina held the already purple crystal over the harpy and it turned black. “We have to find the other ones,” I said, almost panicked.

“What was next on the list?” Sebastian asked. I described the gambling room to him, and he shook his head. “That could be anywhere.”

“I know. That’s the problem. Just like this alley could have been anywhere and the stone room can be anywhere. All of this is useless.” I crumpled the paper in my hand. “Utterly useless.”

“You know that paper is the only lead you have, right?” Jessica said. “Whether or not you think it’s helpful, at least we gave you something.”

Katrina put a hand on her arm. “Give him a break, Jess.”

I took a deep breath. It wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t Sebastian’s fault. It was my fault. I was the one failing everyone and everything I cared about.

“Don’t you have, like, a whole army of people? Surely you can find these places,” Jessica said.

“The situation is tenuous. I have to maintain the confidence of my realm. And while the guards may work for me, they are also people. They have friends and family and they talk. Weakness spreads very fast. This is my first real challenge as a leader.” I had something to prove, not only to them, but to myself. “Also, I don’t want to draw attention to any of this while people are protesting Selene. It would feed the fire.”

“Wait. Who’s protesting?” Katrina asked.

“It’s not important.”

“Like hell it isn’t. Someone is trying to kill your bloodline, and there’s a whole group of suspects with picket signs just waiting to be looked at,” Jessica said.

“It’s not like that. I have that handled.”

“Ask Sy about the gambling spot,” Katrina interrupted suddenly. “I mean, he seems more like the type to know places like that—or Holden. He might know. They won’t say anything.”

Now that wasn’t a bad idea at all. Sy might recognize the casino. “I could probably get someone to draw it for me.”

“Devin can totally do that. She’s the only reason I passed art,” Jessica said.

Sebastian pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “It’s worth a shot.”

I glanced back at the body, regretting not having met yet another sibling. We went back to the castle, and I sat with Devin, describing to her what I’d seen while she drew the picture. When the picture resembled the one in my mind, I took it to Sy’s place. I sat on a stool.

“Any news?” Sy asked.

“No.”

He leaned against the back counter. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Please.”

Sy poured bright green liquid into a tall glass and slid it in front of me. “My own recipe. Give it a shot.”

I took a drink. It was potent with a hint lime and perhaps lighter fluid. I pushed it away. “Thank you.”

“What brings you here?”

I showed him Devin’s drawing. “It’s a long shot, but do you happen to know where this is?”

He picked up the paper and studied it. “Give me a second.” He took the paper to a round table where three sleazy men conversed in low growls and spoke with them.

“Hey, handsome.” Alanna appeared from out of nowhere and took the stool next to me. “Having problems with the ball and chain already? Turning to the bottle before the honeymoon is even over? Not good.”

I took another sip of Sy’s drink. Leave it to my lovely ex to show up now of all times. Perfect. “Not at all. Why are you slumming, Alanna? The Office isn’t the type of bar for a fairy queen.”

“You think you know me so well.” She leaned closer to me. “You barely scratched the surface.”

Alanna was gorgeous. She also didn’t like to lose, which made her very dangerous. “Did you follow me?”

She batted her eyelashes. “Your ego is astounding. I do have my own life, Cheney. I just happened to see you and thought I’d say hello.”

Sy watched us from the other table, frowning.

“Hello,” I said, still trying to figure out why she was here. I didn’t buy for a second that she’d just happened to see me.

Her eyes glinted and she reached toward my face. I caught her hand and shoved it away from me.

“Your loss. Someday you’ll regret not choosing me.” She straightened up. “If things don’t work out with little Ms. Perfect, you know how to find me.” She swung her hips as she walked out.

If Sy thought anything of Alanna showing up, he didn’t say it when he came back. “Jean-Luc said this is probably Thistle.” Sy pushed an address to me. “I wouldn’t go there with a group of people if I were you. You’ll stand out and Thistle isn’t the sort of place where you want to stand out. It’s always open and the crowd is. . .eclectic.”

“What should I expect?”

“It’s high stakes. A lot of jinn and Underworld types like to prey on the desperate there. And trust me, you do have to be desperate to go there because the odds of winning are nonexistent.”

“I have to take one of the witches or I won’t know who I’m looking for.”

He considered it. “Just take one and mask that she’s a human or you’ll be fighting off jinn all night. I’d suggest you send Holden, but he has his own crisis.”

“I’ll do my best.” I shook his hand. “Did you notice Alanna here earlier?”

“I saw her with you but didn’t notice her come in. Why?”

Alanna was definitely up to no good. I should’ve known better than to think she would just let go, but what was her game? She was powerful enough to call forth the elverpige, and she was definitely mad at me, but to trying to kill my whole line seemed a little extreme. An attack on Selene was more likely.

“Do you think she’ll cause problems?”

“Whenever she gets the chance.”

Sy looked toward the door. “I’ll keep an eye out for her.”

“I appreciate it.”

He nodded. “Just get my cousin back before anyone misses her.”