A Sliver of Shadow (19 page)

And I owed Talivar an apology, for certain. Instead, I clutched a battered paperback, willing my hands to still. Phin had been strangely quiet almost the entire trip. But now the unicorn was leaning up against the window, humming something beneath his breath, his tail swinging in time.

“‘And she’s loving him with that body, I just know it.’”

Melanie picked up the refrain, harmonizing on the chorus, quickly joined by Katy. I remained silent, not trusting my voice to interrupt this rather surreal and spontaneous outburst of Rick Springfield.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I jumped, nearly dropping it.
Charlie
…

“Hello?”

“Abby.” Charlie’s voice crackled through the speaker, strained and weary. “Where are you guys?”

I gazed out the window. “Almost to Maryland, I think. We’re getting there. Singing ‘Jessie’s Girl,’ apparently. How are things going?”

“The OtherFolk are growing … restless.” Her voice lowered a bit. “We’re starting to get fights in the Hallows now. Robert is down there, breaking heads and trying to keep the peace as best he can, but it’s a bad situation.”

“I know. We’re going as fast as we can. How’s Benjamin?”

“No different really. I don’t know.”

“I should have TouchStoned him,” I said, cursing myself for my stupidity. Not that I even knew if it was possible to TouchStone a baby, but I should have tried.

She paused. “Well, maybe, but what good would it do if Tresa’s spell ended up causing some other mischief?”

“Speaking of which, how is … she?” I couldn’t quite
bring myself to say her name, a wave of loathing dripping from the word.

“Still at the Judgment Hall. Still a complete bitch.”

I grimaced. “All right. Thanks for letting me know.”

She hung up and I relayed the information to the others. Melanie didn’t say anything, but I could feel the clanking acceleration of the van, a subtle nudge in speed at my words.

I picked up my book, flicking the book light off and on aimlessly. Unable to help with the driving, there was little I could do save immerse myself somewhere else for a bit. The events of the last few days continued to roll through my thoughts over and over as I searched for alternate answers or clues in some distant memory.

My gaze slid sideways to where Phin sprawled over the armrest of the bench. Would knowing his true purpose have made my decisions any different? I bit down hard on the side of my cheek. Probably not, but at least I would have understood the stakes better.

After all, I had a sister now. An honest-to-God sister. Who just happened to be a Faery princess. My mouth twisted at the thought. Somehow being her TouchStone seemed a lot like a crappy door prize. Had she known who I was, that first morning when I entered the bookstore?

In either case, I wouldn’t know until I found her again. For now, though…

The vampire raised his head, his lips lightly brushing the inside of her inner thigh, causing her to quiver in heady anticipation. Her skin burned with longing, limbs trembling in thwarted need. “Francois,” she gasped, arching her back when she felt the skim of his fangs prick at the junction of her sex.

“Angel,” he murmured against the taut flesh, the
heated velvet of his tongue lapping at the tiny wound, a soft growl escaping him—

“Is this the part where he starts to sparkle?” Talivar snorted over my shoulder. Not exactly a scion of pop culture, the elf still took a great deal of amusement at mortal misconceptions.

“None of your business.” I slammed the book shut, unable to halt the flush of heat creeping into my cheeks. “I like smutty romance. So what?”

“Just filling in the blanks.” He gave no outward sign of acknowledging my rudeness from the night before, but the tactical gleam in his eye suggested he was measuring me up a little differently now. I wondered if I’d managed to squash something good, or if I was going to be subjected to a more traditional sort of hunt.

I shrugged, tossing him the paperback. “Knock yourself out. If you need pointers or whatever, I can highlight the good parts for you.”

The tips of his ears pinked. “I assure you, I need no such instruction.” He paused and then opened the book, his eye scanning the pages rapidly. His brow furrowed for a moment and his lips moved as though he were having trouble understanding the words.

“It tends to get a bit euphemistic,” I advised him. “Let me know if you need a translation for ‘purple-headed warrior’ or ‘gentleman’s relish.’”

The prince sputtered for a moment and I felt the smile creep across my face in return. Not quite all fixed. Not yet. But a good step.

I resumed staring out the window. So many questions I wanted to ask my father. Or even my mother, for that matter. Why had she kept him a secret from me all those years? One more thing I’d probably never know.

The top of the manila envelope with the lockbox key tucked neatly inside mocked me from the unzipped pouch of the backpack at my feet. I had a sudden urge to open it and throw the key out the window, the weight of responsibility resting hard and sweaty on my shoulders. A natural leader, I wasn’t.

I swallowed it down, hating the restless rush of anxiety that caused my knees to start shaking. What if the lockbox didn’t hold the answer? What if the Key didn’t work? My inner voice seemed strangely uncertain, and lent me none of its usual sarcastic comfort. Underneath it all was a soft sort of loss, wondering at the other secrets my mother had kept from me. Had she known what was there? Or had my father merely left her something for her safekeeping, under the pretense of coming back to get it?

“That’s not even possible!” Talivar exploded next to me, shoving the book at Phin. “Is it?”

The unicorn squinted at the pages before giving the elf a sly look. “Maybe not for
you.
”

“That might actually be a bit of a compliment, Phin.” I gently pulled the book out of Talivar’s hands. “Now, if you don’t mind?”

“Suit yourself. Though I would have thought we might focus on something a bit more serious than reading about a vampire doing …
that
… to an angel.” Mild outrage still tinged his voice.

I raised a brow at him. “And here I thought you were slumming for ideas.”

His mouth pursed. “Oh, no worries on that account. Now that I know what sort of things you’re into, I’ll tailor my responses accordingly.” His hand reached to gently brush my knee.

I opened my mouth to snap at him, the motion apprehended by Melanie’s chuckle from the front. “What is it?”

“You two. It’s refreshing.”

“Do tell,” I drawled. “Far be it from me to shed light on your only source of amusement.”

“It’s just sort of surreal to be driving down I-95 with you and an elven prince arguing like an old married couple in the backseat.”

Phineas slid off the seat and reared up so that he was resting on the center console. “I could make it even more surreal, if you like.” He leered.

“Don’t press your luck.” She pushed him out of sight. “I think Katy’s mom would prefer it if we kept the seats dry. But you know what I mean.” She glanced at me slyly from the rearview mirror. “Not quite like the romance books, is it?”

“Is that your way of telling us we’ve got more important things to worry about?” I sighed, crossing my arms as I shifted in the seat.

“That and I need to stop soon. Think I’m just about at my limit for driving today. I can find us an EconoLodge or something … unless you’d rather sleep in the van.”

“I can drive another shift,” Katy said. “But I wouldn’t mind getting something to eat first. Something real.” Her nose wrinkled at the crushed bag of Cheetos on the floor. “Something that doesn’t taste like it came out of a zebra’s ass.”

“Speak for yourself. I happen to know some very nice zebras.” Phineas sniffed the air. “I think I smell a White Castle nearby.”

“Indeed.” Melanie said dryly. “Let’s see if we can’t find one of those box motels and then we’ll snag supplies.”

I stretched out on the bed, watching Talivar pace. “You’re restless,” I observed, idly playing with a french fry. Melanie had found us a Motel 6 not too far off the interstate. We
hadn’t quite figured out what the sleeping arrangements would be, but at the moment we all sat in one of the rooms, scarfing down burgers and fries with abandon.

The prince flopped into one of the overstuffed chairs by the sliding door. “I am worried,” he confessed, gazing through the slit in the curtain. “Things were in a precarious position when I left Faerie this last time. I am afraid for my mother’s sake.”

“Your mother?” Katy said, sipping her Coke. “Is that the Queen?”

I nodded at her, drumming my hands on the bed. “She’s ill. And one of the reasons Moira was delayed.”

Katy blinked. “I thought you guys had voodoo doctors or something for that kind of stuff. You know, like what they did for Abby … or Melanie’s hand.”

Talivar shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his bad knee. “You do not understand. The Queen is physically sound … but her mind …” He shook his head. “For the most part she is lucid, but these spells of—madness, I suppose—are occurring more frequently and for longer periods of time.” His mouth compressed. “Our healers cannot cure insanity.”

Melanie frowned. “Then what happens?”

“It becomes complicated.” He rose and started pacing again, with the numbing repetition of a tiger trapped within a cage. “Depending on her supporters, it may be kept hidden for a while, but sooner or later it will come to light and she will have to step down.” He stilled, staring straight at me. “And then Moira will be able to make her claim.”

“It’s not a guarantee, then,” I mused aloud.

“There are never any guarantees. And there are some that may take her mixed blood into consideration as a negative.”

“Whatever happened to that ‘all children are sacred’ mantra you’ve been spouting at me?”

He shrugged, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “Some become less sacred than others when it comes to succession.”

“Figures.”

“I need to get there as soon as I can—to support my mother—or to assist Moira in her claim to the throne, should it be needed.” The prince’s face smoothed out to emotionless blank. “I was a general in the Queen’s army years ago. I have men loyal to me still, and they could help strengthen that claim.”

Or help you plan a coup of your own
. Something of my thoughts must have shown in my face because he stiffened, bowing to me formally, one hand upon his breast.

“I swear to you that I have no designs upon the monarchy,” he said softly. “My vengeance has already been taken and I need nothing else.” His gaze met mine. “And you have a responsibility as well, Abby.”

“Responsibility for what? Aside from the TouchStone thing, that is.” Katy frowned at him, stretching out a perfect set of tanned legs. “I mean, she’s not part of any of this, right?”

“When a new monarch takes the throne, certain positions are usually … vacated.” His pause made it clear that the concept wasn’t always voluntary, but I had a good idea of where he was going with the thought.

“The Steward. You want to groom me for the Stewardship. Maurice had it pegged when he captured me in that painting. He said as much to me then, though he couldn’t figure out the relationship between me and Moira.”

The prince faltered a bit. “But you do admit it would make perfect sense.” His brow rose. “You’re family, after all.”

“A family I know nothing about.” I shared a wry smile with Melanie. “I’m a big believer in making my own family.
God knows the one you’re given isn’t always the best. Besides,” I added, “I know dick about being a Steward. Hell, I barely know what I’m doing with this Protectorate stuff.”

Phineas coughed and I glared at him. “Plus there’s the little matter of my father—and Moira’s too, for that matter. If Thomas doesn’t step down nicely, were you planning on taking matters into your own hands?”

Talivar blinked, suddenly horrified. “Gods, no. If it came down to that, I would see no reason for Thomas not to retain his position to help advise his daughter. On the other hand, he may choose to go with the Queen, should she officially retire.”

I glanced at my watch, noting that it was nearly midnight. “Well, as much fun as I’m having playing the ‘what-if’ game, I think we could all use some sleep.” Everyone stopped and stared at each other. “And I suppose that means we need to figure out who’s sleeping where?”

“Katy and I will take the room next door,” Melanie volunteered, innocently avoiding the eye-dagger I threw at her. “And Phin will come too. That will leave Talivar free to … uh … guard your body.”

“Your funeral. Just watch your backsides. He bites.”

Katy grinned. “That’s okay. I’m still a virgin, so we ought to get along great.” She reached out to ruffle his mane. “Right, Phin?” The unicorn shot me a look of pure terror, but I refused to have sympathy for him.

“Sorry. I’m thinking I could use a night without unicorn drool on my pillow.”

“Eww. Seriously?” Katy wrinkled her nose at him. “There will be no drooling on pillows tonight or you’re in the bathtub, got it, mister?”

“Kill me. Please.” Phineas mouthed.

“What goes around, comes around,” I said as they
gathered up the remainder of the food before retreating into the room next door. “Have a good night, you guys.” I hid the smirk in my sleeve. “And good luck. You’re going to need it.”

Talivar snorted softly as I shut the door. “I’m guessing they’ve never been on the receiving end of his affections.”

“Let’s not spoil it for them.” I chuckled. “Besides, Phin can’t stand virgins. He might actually behave.” There was a moment of silence then and an awkward shuffling of feet, and I sucked in a deep breath. “Listen, I wanted to say I’m sorry for … everything. The last few days—I’ve been a total bitch.”

His mouth quirked up. “You forget—my mother is a queen and my sister is a princess. Bitchy women run in my family.” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Our family.”

I shivered. “Yeah, you know, I’m not quite sure I’m ready to accept that just yet, so can we let that part go? Gotta give a girl a chance to get her head straight, you know?”