“We need some root of Paeoria. I know that is commonly used in Fae spells.”
“It is. But why do you need it?”
“For an antidote for my sister. She’s unwell.”
I shot Aeri a glance. She drew a finger across her throat, tilted her head, and stuck out her tongue.
“Oh no.” Concern echoed in Luna’s voice. “Aerdeca is sick?”
“Yes. Do you have the ingredient?”
“Let me check with our potions master. Give me a moment.”
I waited, breath held, foot tapping.
By the time she returned, I was vibrating with anticipation. We needed this.
“I’m afraid we don’t have it,” Luna said. “But there’s a guy in Glasgow. A Fae without a court. He runs a bar as a front, but his main business is Fae potion making.”
Fae without a court were often dangerous. The Fae were a social people, often liking to stick to their groups. They were as pack-like as the shifters, but in a different way. When they went off on their own, they were often unstable.
“What’s the bar called?” I asked. “And where in Glasgow, exactly?”
“It’s the Whispering Rowan, located just off Union Street on the north end, down a flight of stairs that can be found in an alley marked with a stone rowan branch.”
“So Fae,” I muttered.
“We do love our trees.” Her voice sobered. “But seriously, Mari. You need to be careful. He could be unstable.”
“We will be. Promise.”
“What’s his name?”
“Kevin.”
“Kevin?” I frowned. “That’s not very Fae.”
“I told you—he is a Fae without a court. He’s taken a human name. But if you really want to get one over on him, call him Penriel.”
“Penriel.”
“Yep. Good luck. And tell the king that we await his command.”
“I will.”
She disconnected, and I couldn’t help but feel that she didn’t buy my story about Tarron.
“At least she didn't ask questions,” Aeri said.
“Seriously. Is Declan done getting cleaned up, do you think? Could he keep an eye on Tarron while we’re gone?”
Tarron had been hit by this curse while we’d been trying to rescue Aeri and her boyfriend. She’d gotten cleaned up first, getting into a fresh ghost suit so she was fight-ready, and he should be done in the shower any minute now.
“I’ll check.” She shot me a serious look. “But you need to eat something before we go. You look ready to drop.”
I nodded, my stomach grumbling at the thought. Though food held little appeal, I needed to keep my strength up.
I looked at the Thorn Wolf. “Keep an eye on him, will you, buddy?”
He woofed low, then sat in front of Tarron, his eyes glued to the bound man.
Aeri went to find Declan while I hurried to my kitchen. Quickly, I put some bacon in the microwave—not ideal, but I wasn’t rolling in time—then went to my bedroom and changed into fresh clothes. Fight wear, of course.
I grabbed a huge stack of cash from the bottom dresser drawer, just in case the root of Paeoria was pricey, and withdrew my potion bag from the ether. I stashed the cash in it and shoved the bag back into the ether.
By the time I made it into the kitchen, the microwave was beeping. I pulled out the hot plate and threw together two sandwiches.
I bit down into the first sandwich, and deliciousness exploded on my tongue. Life was always better with bacon. I ate as I returned to the workshop and handed Burn the second sandwich.
“For you, buddy. You earned it.”
He nipped it gracefully out of my hand and chomped down.
Tarron had slumped in his bindings, finally exhausted from fighting against the enchanted metal.
“I’ll keep an eye on him.” Declan’s voice sounded from behind, and I turned.
The fallen angel had wet hair from his recent shower, and Aeri stood at his side.
“Thanks. I don’t think he can get out of those chains, but I’d hate to lose him if it happened.”
Declan nodded.
Aeri approached. “Let’s get a move on.”
I held out my hand for her. She reached out and gripped my palm. I called upon my magic, envisioning St Vincent Street in Glasgow, with its wide road and massive stone buildings.
The ether sucked us in and spun us through space, finally spitting us out on the dark road in the middle of the city. Streetlights shed a golden glow on the creamy flagstone, and drunken revelers stumbled along ahead of us.
“It’s got to be near midnight here,” Aeri said. “The Fae pub will still be open.”
“Good. We can pretend to be patrons.” I spun in a circle to get my bearings, then pointed. “This way.”
Together, we hurried down the street, headed toward the east end and the alley marked with the rowan bough.
As we walked, Aeri broke the silence. “So, if you overthrow your mother, that will make you queen, you know.”
I swallowed hard. “Yep.”
“You don’t sound that excited about it.”
“I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it.”
“Now that you have?”
The words blurted out of me. “I don’t think I want it.”
“The responsibility, you mean?”
“Exactly. The crown is fine, the deference and being called Your Highness—that all sounds great. Plus, the palace is fabulous. But it’s so much work. So much responsibility. And it all takes place in another realm.”
“And I thought I was gone from home a lot these days. You’d never be around.”
“Exactly. We’ve built an awesome life in Magic’s Bend. I like that life. I don’t suddenly want to be doing a lot of bureaucracy—because that’s what it is, if you’re a decent queen. The boring minutia and stress of making sure everyone is okay.”
Aeri shuddered. “Yeah, no thanks.”
“It’s definitely not how our mother is ruling.” My heart twisted. “I can’t believe that the only family I’ve ever known sucks. Our aunt. My mother.”
“I don’t suck.”
I wrapped my arm around her neck and leaned my head against hers. “That, you do not.”
“But I get it. Would be nice to have some good family besides the two of us.”
I nodded, then shoved the thought away.
We passed several bars and restaurants before I spotted the stone rowan bough. It was subtle, but unmistakable. Compared to the other spots on the street, the Fae pub was distinctly lower key. A narrow set of stairs led down into the shadowed alley.
“There’s not even a sign,” Aeri said.
I glanced up at the rowan bough. “Just that thing, if you know to look for it.”
“Do you think they’ll let me in, since I don’t have Fae blood?”
“Let’s try.”
She nodded and started down the stairs. I followed, keeping my footsteps silent on the stone. By the time we reached the bottom, the light from the street lamps above had faded. Faerie lights glittered a few feet over my head, shining a faint glow on the alley.
A narrow door stood at the end of the passage, closed tightly against the night air.