By the Magic of Starlight (The Forbidden Realm) (3 page)

Swift. Yes, that was him. He was speaking to someone still in the room. Kyne, obviously. And perhaps Pimma, as well. An unfamiliar ire rose up inside her at the thought of that trim little blue fairy holed up in that room, alone there with Kyne. Why should she suddenly be so eager to burst in and separate them? Did she think the advocate would harm Kyne in any way? No, far from it. All she could picture was Pimma prancing around Kyne as she questioned or advised him, brushing his tight flesh with her wispy wings or leaning in overly close while she offered breathy legal advice. What else might she offer him?

Raea scolded herself. What on earth was wrong with her? She shouldn’t be thinking this way. What were these strange feelings that invaded her?

She was concerned for Kyne, of course, but why on earth should she feel such unfounded dislike for Pimma? She had no reason to form any opinion of the advocate one way or another, yet she detected a distinct hesitation to admit that. She didn’t like Pimma and didn’t want her with Kyne. Raea only wished she had a rational explanation for this.

By the Skies, could she be wrestling with a ridiculous
human
emotion? If she didn’t know better, she might say her feeling was
jealousy
. How odd. Of course it was common among her kind to feel some mild envy from time to time. She’d seen others receive honors of some sort and wished to share similar reward, and she’d noticed the elegance of another fairy’s spectacular wingspan and wished her own were so grand, but she’d never felt this stabbing heat of fury directed at another of her kind simply over something so petty. Could she truly be
jealous
that Pimma might be getting attention from Kyne while she herself was not? How extraordinarily unfounded.

It was undeniable, though. Swift had left them alone together and Raea didn’t like it one bit. If she hadn’t reminded herself of the importance of remaining undetected, she would have shoved past him in the corridor and marched herself right into that room, ordering Pimma to wish herself to Antarctica.

But it was important she remain undetected now, and Swift was her first concern. He was coming her way! What if he walked into her, or noticed her pressed up against the wall as he came by? She held her breath and tried desperately to calm her racing heartbeat.

She got lucky, though. Instead of walking right into her, Swift stopped at the very door opposite her. She scooted sideways just a bit so the green fairy’s wings didn’t accidentally brush against her and clue him in to her presence. He seemed fully intent on his duty, though, and paid her no mind as he rapped sharply at the door.

It opened a moment later and she saw Dorn’s assistant appear. Dorn’s voice called from inside.

“Well? What is he saying?”

“Not much,” Swift replied, remaining where he was outside the doorway.

“Well, he’s got to know these charges won’t simply go away. This is a serious accusation, Swift. Who’s been assigned as his advocate?” Dorn asked.

“Pimma.”

“Hmm. Yes, good. She’s brand new at this, fresh out of training. Still, keep an eye on her. Keep her in line. We cannot risk Kyne being freed, especially not now.”

“Sir? What if he’s telling the truth?”

“You know what’s at stake here! Does it really matter if he is guilty or not?”

“But, sir, we can’t very well convict an innocent man.”

“He’s not innocent. Don’t get your wings in a self-righteous buzz, Swift. We all know what sort of fairy he is. Someone’s working with the humans and he’s the most likely suspect we’ve got. He knows something; you just have to find out what it is.”

Despite the nature of his words, Dorn sounded fully confident. Swift, however, shifted and flicked the tips of his wings in barely stifled agitation.

“Sir, perhaps we should discuss this. Behind closed doors, perhaps.”

Dorn dismissed the suggestion. “Bah. Who do you have out there with you?”

“No one, sir.”

“Exactly. And there’s nothing more to discuss. Now what busywork do you have that advocate—Pimma, is it?—handling right now?”

“She’s speaking with Kyne, sir.”

“What? You left them alone?” Dorn boomed. “By the Clouds and the Sunrise, Swift! Get your wings back there and take her out. Put her on some errand; make her research something or other. The last thing we need is for Kyne to convince his little advocate to help him deny charges. She’ll take up his cause and get him released before morning.”

“Er, isn’t that what an advocate is supposed to do, sir?”

“Not this time. We need Kyne here in our custody. We need these charges to stick, so he’ll have no option but to tell us what he knows. Then you’ll see Fairy Law at work, Swift. You’ll see that the ends often do justify the means.”

“But sir—”

“Go. Now.”

Dorn’s order was loud and unmistakable. Raea found herself nearly shaking, whether from fear or from anger she wasn’t quite sure. Most likely both. What on earth was going on here? The way Dorn spoke… well, nothing he said supported Fairy Law as she knew it.

Swift, too, seemed confused. But he nodded and stepped dutifully back as Dorn’s assistant shut the door in his face. For a moment or two he just stood there, then slowly turned and Raea wondered if he had heard her breathing and suspected something.

He stared past her, though, fixing his eyes on a spot beyond her. If he’d been conflicted about whether or not to follow Dorn’s order, clearly his sense of responsibility to the council won over. He marched right back to the door at the end of the corridor and pulled it open.

“Pimma, you’re done for now.”

She must have protested—not surprising—because his next words were sharp and demanding.

“No, you can finish your interview later. Right now I need you to help me. I want to see every case file involving fairy-human interference for the past five cycles.”

By now Pimma was in the doorway, and she sounded a little dubious about leaving her client just now. Swift was in charge, though, so eventually she gave in and met Swift in the doorway. She assured Kyne she’d return to him and Swift pulled the door shut as she joined him in the corridor.

“What is this all about, Swift? My client assures me you have no grounds whatsoever for your wild accusations,” she said angrily.

“There are a few things you don’t know about your client in there,” Swift replied. “But I guess you can be trusted. I’m going to authorize you to have a look at our special files.”

Pimma frowned, but followed Swift as he led her back up the corridor toward Raea. For a moment or two the mention of something called “special files” occupied Raea’s mind, but then she realized she might be in danger of being discovered again. The passageway was barely wide enough for Swift to be near her without bumping her. How in the world would she keep hidden from two of them as they passed by? The ceiling was too low to fly, and if she tried to use Sizing Dust to make herself smaller, they’d notice the sparkle. Ducking into a door was no good, either. They’d see it open and close. What could she do?

Just before she fell into complete panic, they stopped two doors down from her. Thank the Skies. Swift pulled an actual key from a pocket at his belt. Raea could see that Pimma was just as surprised by this as she was. Since when did magical creatures like fairies need to start using keys?

“Locked with a key?” Pimma asked.

“They are special files, I told you,” he said. “Do you have any dust on you?”

“In my pouch.”

“Give it to me. The pouch.”

She frowned, but complied, pulling a conservative little blue pouch off her belt and handing it to Swift. He took his own pouch off his belt, then reached up to a row of hooks affixed to the wall beside the door. He hung the pouches there. They dangled, tiny bits of dust glittering from the sudden movement.

Pimma seemed confused by his actions.

“What in the Clouds…”

“This room is enchanted. No magic. If we take our dust in, it’s ruined.”

“If there’s no magic, how will I monitor my client while we’re in there? It is his right, after all, to maintain contact with his advocate during his entire time in custody.”

She touched the oval stone that hung at her neck. Raea had heard of these, Watcher Stones, but she’d never actually seen one. How interesting. So even alone in a room all the way at the end of the corridor, Kyne was under surveillance. Well, this was good to know. Raea listened closely for Swift’s answer.

“Your stone won’t work in the room; nothing magical will. Leave it on the hook and come on.”

Pimma seemed doubtful. “But if I can’t monitor my client…”

“He’ll be fine. It’s late; hardly anyone is here. Now quickly, the faster we go through the files, the faster you can get back to your client.”

Swift opened the door and helped her remove her Watcher Stone. Then he ushered Pimma inside and the door shut quietly behind them. Raea could only wonder exactly what these special files were. Did they contain information about Kyne? Probably, or why else would Swift drag the advocate in there to look at them? Given the secretive, high security nature of the room, it was very likely that the council had quite the collection of damning information there. It was bad enough to realize her own people might keep a room like this, but to think that they might actually be prepared to use it against one of their own… it was incomprehensible.

Poor Kyne. Did he have any idea about this? She wondered what they’d done to him already. Pimma’s stone dangled against the wall from its little hook, so Raea moved closer to get a good look at it. Yes, she could see the image of Kyne. It was like she was spying on him through a tiny window with frost on the pane. He was very much alone in the holding room, sitting quietly in a chair, his fists clenched and his face set in anger and frustration.

What questions had they been asking him? Did they actually have a case? If only there was something she could do. She needed to get to him, to find out how she could help.

It seemed easy enough; the hall was practically empty and Pimma did not have her stone to see what might be going on in that holding room. The only thing between Raea and Kyne was a simple door. He wasn’t actually locked up in a cell or anything. She could just let herself in there to talk to him. It would hardly take any effort at all.

It would take time, though. There was no telling how long Pimma and Swift might be, so she’d have to move quickly. She waited just a heart’s beat to make certain no one appeared, then she hurried to the door at the end of the corridor. She tried the handle and it opened easily for her. No lock. Kyne wasn’t being held here, simply being questioned. That was a good sign.

She pulled the door open slowly, hoping Pimma’s Watcher Stone was the only remote monitoring device being used.

Kyne must have heard a sound. He looked up quickly, then simply stared at the door, his face furrowed. He was not happy to see her and it took her a moment to remember why: he
couldn’t
see her. She laughed, then darted inside.

What a relief to see that he hadn’t been mistreated or handled roughly, from what she could tell. She would hold off from throwing herself into his arms, though. She wanted to help Kyne, and giving in to more forbidden passion was
not
the best way to do that. She needed a clear head and full use of her faculties.

“It’s me,” she said quickly, so he wouldn’t be confused. “I’m invisible.”

She pulled the door carefully and it latched softly behind her.

“Yes you are,” he replied. “And now you’re locked in here with me.”

“Is it locked? I didn’t notice any locks. No matter. I have my dust.”

“Will it work in here?”

“Did they let you keep your dust when they put you in here?”

“No.”

“That means dust still works in this room. Do you have any idea how much longer they’ll keep you here?”

He laughed. “What’s the standard hybrid human-fairy lifespan?”

“Be serious, Kyne. Pimma must have some idea how to get this cleared up.”

“I’m pretty sure they didn’t assign her to me to get this cleared up. No, I hate to tell you, but somebody is determined to keep me here for a long, long time, Raea.”

“No, the charges are bogus. Come on, tell me what I can do.”

“You should probably leave,” he said, his eyes shifting as if trying to settle on her. “Go now, Raea, before you get messed up in this.”

“I want to help you. There must be a way.”

“The best thing you can do is take care of yourself.”

It was sweet that he’d worry so much for her during all this, but enough was enough. They were going to figure this out. Together.

“Stop being stubborn,” she said. “I will not let you just sit there and do nothing.”

“I hate to tell you, but that’s pretty much all I can do right now.”

“It is not! Get up, Kyne, and let’s talk this through,” she ordered.

He stared at the wall slightly off to the left of her. “I can’t, Raea. That’s what I’m telling you.”

She would have scolded him again, but something in the tone of his voice stopped her. And then he moved. He shifted in his chair as if pulling against something heavy. His arms moved only a fraction of an inch, his hands waving helplessly at her while his wrists remained firmly on his lap. It seemed his elbows were stuck to his sides. His wings hung limp behind him and he bobbed slightly back and forth, but did not stand. She realized the trouble.

He was trapped!

“By the Skies, it’s a confinement suit,” she announced.

“Yes. Apparently I pose some sort of threat.”

She cursed softly. They’d dragged him here and put him in a confinement suit! A nearly invisible field of magic covered his torso, restraining his arms, binding his wings, and holding him fast to the chair they’d put him in. She’d been right—there weren’t any special locks on the door. The council didn’t need locks if they kept Kyne magically confined to his chair. The nerve of Swift and his superiors! Something was very, very wrong about this whole thing.

“Let me see if I can get you out of that,” she said, coming to inspect the situation.

“I’m sure it’s secure; probably immune from standard magic.”