Skye limped the two blocks to her apartment without encountering more bad Fae. With luck, they were semi-nocturnal beings with diminished power in sunlight. She rounded the corner and saw her apartment. Fae or no Fae, she would grab her spare set of keys and hightail it to Finvorra’s place.
Skye drove out there with her mind racing as fast as her car. If she got pulled over she’d resort to something desperate like flying. Bet that was something no know-it-all veteran cop had seen before. She giggled, deciding she must be officially losing it.
Just as she feared she might be lost in the boondocks, Skye spotted the small cottage at the edge of the woods and raced up the dirt driveway, bringing the Mustang to a sudden stop right at the front porch. She didn’t bother knocking when she twisted the doorknob and found it unlocked.
A stale odor of whiskey pervaded the darkness. Skye flipped on lights and surveyed the kitchen.
“Anyone home?” she yelled.
Loud snoring sounded from the den. Skye ran toward it, determined to do whatever she needed to find Kheelan. Even if that meant smacking down a lecherous Finvorra.
He was sprawled in a recliner, a deluxe bag of chips on his pot belly and crumbs in his beard. His right hand flopped to one side, almost touching a bottle of whiskey set on the floor. One sock was off, exposing crooked toes and narrow feet.
Same as Claribel. Shapeshifting to human form was not a perfected transformation for any fairy.
Skye grabbed the bag of chips and crumpled it in his face. “Hey, you! Kheelan’s missing. Get up.”
Finvorra rolled to his side.
“I said, get up, and do your job for once.” Skye flung the contents of the half empty bottle of whiskey in his face.
That got his attention.
He bolted out of the chair, fist raised.
“Kheelan’s missing. You have to find him,” she said, taking a few steps out of striking range.
His bloodshot eyes narrowed. “Why are ye hollerin’ and carrying on?”
“Kheelan’s gone. This huge bird, some kind of Unseelie fairy, grabbed Kheelan in his claws and took off with him.”
Finvorra’s fist lowered and fear flashed in his eyes. “That be the sluagh then. He’s done fer now.”
“You have to help him – you’re his Guardian.”
“I ain’t getting nowhere near no sluagh. Now get out of me house afore you wake me friends.”
Skye grabbed his stained t-shirt and raised her voice. “Help him. Don’t you know anything? He’s supposed to take me to the celestial stone. I’m the one in your legend that’s going to help you in the fight with the Unseelies.”
Finvorra shoved her. Hard. Skye landed in a heap on the floor and clutched his pants leg. “Please,” she begged. Her voice choked with frustration. “Please . . . got to . . . please.”
“Get out woman.” One fist closed over her right forearm, clamping on the flesh as deep as a bulldog’s bite. She was being dragged to the door.
“I dunna think ye should be doin’ the lassie that a way,” said an unfamiliar voice.
Three men entered the den, each in various states of undress. They all looked to be awakened from a major drinking binge.
“It’s the changeling’s woman,” Finvorra said. “A right nuisance she is. Claims she’s The One who’s came to save us all from the Dark Fae.”
Skye appealed to their audience. “It’s true. I swear it. Get Annwyn here, she’ll tell you.”
“No need to be draggin’ that bitch into this business,” Finvorra said.
“Well now, Fin, let’s think about this a wee minute.” One of the strangers, sporting a long, ZZ Top kind of beard, stepped forward. “What if she be tellin’ the truth? Couldna hurt to have Annwyn take a look, just to be on the safe side, ya ken.”
Finvorra’s scowl deepened. “Don’t ye be tellin me what to do in me own house or ye ken get –”
The sudden, sweet scent of lilies of the valley stopped the bickering. Annwyn emerged from the shadows in a swirl of opalescent pastels. Her raspberry wings opened and shut once before feathering out like a peacock fan as she settled in their presence.
“Unhand the human,” she commanded.
“Ye have no business giving me orders.” Finvorra said. He let go of Skye’s arm even as he spoke the belligerent words. “I’ll not stand for ye interfering in me affairs like ye did last time with Kheelan. I’m his Guardian and I can do as I see fit.” He edged toward the door.
Skye scrambled up from the floor. “Deal with him later. We’ve got to find Kheelan. The sluaghs have him.”
“Sluaghs?” said one of Finvorra’s friends in a horrified whisper. The three guests looked at each other uneasily.
The ZZ top bearded one turned to Annwynn. “We’ll be taking our leave now. We told Fin to leave the lassie alone. Didna we?” he asked his companions. They both nodded energetically. “We be biddin’ ye good day.” They all gave a submissive nod to Annwyn before making a mad scramble to open a window and fly out.
It would have been funny, if she hadn’t been so scared.
Finvorra decided to make his escape too and bolted to the door.