“Herwhat?” Holly jumps in, rising from her place on the couch. “Gil, tell me you didnotsay the word ‘bargain.’”
“Would hate to lie to you, darlin.’”
Darlin’… I bristle.
“How exactly do you two know each other?” Pepper asks the question before I have a chance.
“I shared a dance with a few of his kin some seasons ago.” She shrugs but cannot hide the blush that covers her face.
“Both Finn and Goldie still speak of you.” Gil smiles at her. “My siblings will be mighty jealous of this encounter, though I must admit, my affections lay elsewhere.”
“Ah, yes, I remember you spent much of the ball pining for a lost love,” Holly says, a smile cracking through her tough exterior. “We did manage to drag you out for a few songs.”
“I didn’t stand a chance against the peer pressure of you three.” Gil laughs, and I relax if only slightly. Though I will not let my guard down, Holly’s friendship with him seems genuine enough.
“Perhaps you’ve taken more after your brother than we realized,” Pepper teases before raising their cup to their lips.
“Let us not get distracted!” Holly clears her throat, her face flushed. “Heather has a bargain with the vampire king—what are the terms?”
A bargain…I do not know much about them, but it does not bode well for us.
“They are bound until he finds another love or releases her,” Gil says. My body tenses. How dare he bind them together in such a frivolous promise. I wish I did not doubt Heather’s abilities to carry out this nonsensical matchmaking plan.
“I take it that means we cannot cause him harm?” I groan. Oh, how I crave the simplicity of the mortal realm, where claws can cut and bones can snap, without worrying about curses and bargains.
“Well, you could—but it won’t break the deal unless you flat out kill ’m.” He shrugs. “Wouldn’t blame you.”
“Is it an enchantment?” I ask. “Will it affect her safety or free will?”
“A bargain can’t change a heart. Just make a mess of an already bad situation.” He shakes his head, gills flaring at his sides. He points to the ice pack with webbed fingers. “I tried to reason with him, didn’t go so well. We’ve always fought like brothers, but I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Well, it’s all very inconvenient,” Holly huffs. “Why would Heather do something so foolish?”
“She didn’t seem to know the words would mean anything,” Gil says. Holly’s brow rises as he looks at us expectedly. “Said she’s new here…”
As trustworthy as he may be, an explanation is not offered.
“I am sure that, in our time together, someone must have warned her to be careful…” Holly shakes her head. “I know I have expressed the dangers of such things, haven’t I?” She turns to me, and I can do nothing but shake my head.
Holly and Mother have not offered much help when it comes to navigating this world. Heather adapts too well for them to baby her, and they assume, because of my history here, I will remember customs and rules.
“I’ve heard you offer no more than vague threats,” Pepper says under their breath, earning a glare from Holly before she softens.
“Perhaps you are right, I should have focused less on swordplay and more on … practical advice.” Holly groans.
“Okay, just so I’m keeping up, you shouldn’t make deals with faeries?” Rosie pipes up. The four of us nod. That much I know now.
“Have you any idea where they are?” I ask. The conversation has shifted, and I cannot allow us to lose any more time.
“Somewhere in that big spooky castle of his—but it’s warded,” Gil huffs. “That’s Magnus for you: private, paranoid, and persistent.” He looks me in the eyes. “He won’t hurt her though; she’s not in any danger of being more than annoyed by his prattling.”
“He will still get what he deserves,” I seethe, struggling to keep my composure. It sounds like this man—Gil—has done what he could to sway the vampire king. I just wish we had arrived sooner.
“Fair is fair.” Gil shrugs “But remember, keeping him alive and sufferin’ alone is crueler than a clean death.”
“You want me to spare your friend. That is honorable.” I nod. Gil seems to have sense about him, why he would be friends with the vampire king I do not know.
Still, the fate of this vampire will depend on Heather’s wishes. If she wants me to cut him down I will gladly do it—either way, he will not come out of this unscathed. The thought of maiming the man who took her from me does not give me as much pleasure as the thought of her lips on mine. Getting her back is all that matters. Everything else will come second. Closing my eyes tightly, I let out a short exhale; in this moment, we are closer than we have been in days and still…
