Revealed in Fire by K.F. Breene
Eleven
“Incoming.”
Charity looked to the left as Devon hung back a little, none of the shifters having shifted yet. Based on what she saw coming toward them, that might change in the next few minutes.
A group of five elves in various shades of bright sauntered along the path, almost like they were skipping. Behind them trudged what could only be described as a magical horde, made up of various thick-bodied and heavily armed magical creatures. One had a bludgeon, another a cudgel, some were equipped with daggers, and one with a boomerang, of all things, laden with spikes.
Romulus slowed as they reached an intersection with the fast track, a path that magically sped up travel time. They’d only been traveling for half a day—the journey would take at least another two—and already the elves were coming in numbers. Darius had assured them that this would happen. Emery had agreed with the vampire and told Romulus to be ready. But even though Romulus had gotten a taste for how the elves handled things on his way out of the Realm, he hadn’t thought the situation would escalate. He’d hoped his rebuff, plus his intention to reinstate the warrior fae’s traditional duty in the Realm, would grant him a pass. And it probably would’ve. But it did not grant his party a pass, that was clear.
The elves at the gate had spied the young blond woman traveling with a vampire. They suspected, correctly, they’d found the woman Lucifer was looking for. The one who was causing all sorts of problems for the kingdom. They would want to capture her at all costs, warrior fae be damned.
“Darius was right,” Charity said to her father, because that truth had to be acknowledged and acted upon. It would change the way Romulus had planned this travel. It had to.
His movement was incredibly slight, and Charity read it as two things. One, he agreed. And two, he very much hated being wrong. He was probably a reformed sore loser.
He angled his body, silently giving the signal, and their people formed into their usual battle cluster, locking Darius and Reagan in the middle and forcing the mages to the outside.
“Shift,” Roger commanded, and puffs of green preceded skin and hair boiling into animal forms.
“Let me out,” Reagan hollered.
“She doesn’t know how to fight this way,” Charity told her dad as they positioned themselves on the path, moving head-on toward the slowing elves. The elves could read the signals—this wouldn’t go smoothly.
“I do not wish to advertise what is in our midst,” he responded.
“The vampire has it under control,” Kairi said, always with Charity in battle and now at her back. “Though from his posturing, he doesn’t seem confident she’ll hold back for long.”
“I’m surprised she’s holding back at all.” Charity quickly loosened her sword and then let her hands fall to her sides, like her father was doing. The song of battle rose through her. The feel of Devon’s wolf urged her on.
“Greetings,” Romulus said as the elves drew within speaking range. They stopped on the path, facing the warrior fae. A soft breeze flowed through them. Fragrant flowers bloomed all around. “It seems you have a battle party ready. Please, what is the disturbance? I did not see anything along the way.”
The warrior fae had certain ways of handling things, and arrogance and posturing were two of the favored tactics.
The lead elf stepped forward, and the slight tightening of Romulus’s shoulders suggested the creature was dangerous. Powerful, in other words, by rank or magic or both. Probably both.
“Second, so good to see you,” the elf said, and its cadence, words, and politeness made Charity ten times warier than the brutish creatures at its back. It suggested someone higher up in the ranks, and she’d learned through her life that those types of people always had the upper hand. In the Brink, that meant money and power. Here, that would also mean fighting prowess.
“Yes, hello. I apologize, I do not know your name and rank…” Romulus smiled and bowed slightly.
“That won’t be necessary.” The elf flicked a finger, and the others fanned out, preparing for what came next. Romulus’s arms tensed. This would be bad. “It has come to our attention that you are traveling with someone the elf royalty wishes to speak with. You and your party are to come with us immediately. Full quarter will be given to those who come peacefully.”
“Are they all one sex?” Reagan asked softly, her voice carrying in the sudden quiet. “I can’t tell. They’re all trying a little too hard to appear jolly, obviously, and they kind of look like clones.”
“Ssshhh,” someone said, and it was probably Penny.
“Full quarter…” Romulus smiled while squinting, showing the humor he found in those words. “You are attempting to treat peacekeepers like war criminals.”
“I’m glad you see it our way. Now, if you’ll step forward, one at a time, we’ll apply the necessary restraints.”
“I see.” Romulus put his hands behind his back. “And what infractions did we commit?”
The elves fanned out more on the path. The creatures waiting behind them shuffled forward a little, anxious to fight.
The lead elf said, “Before you left the Realm, you killed members of the kingdom. You—”
“We are all members of the kingdom. There is no law against defending oneself.”
The elf hesitated, and it was clear its patience was running out. “You killed members of the elfin royal throne, and for that—”
“Nonsense.” Romulus waved the thought away. “We killed foot soldiers, nothing more. They were too stupid to be in your employ. That is something I must bring up to the royal family. Having those types of drooling simpletons working for your kind brings all of you down. It’s an embarrassment. No, I did you a favor. What else?”
The lead elf—possibly a female—blinked and popped out a hip before regaining control of itself. “You refused to hand over the mage sentenced to death. For that—”
“You see?” Romulus said. “That is the problem with employing idiots. I already explained the details of young Emery’s inclusion in our group, something I will also take up with the royal family. It is above your pay grade, I’m afraid, and given the way you’re carrying on, I’m starting to assume it is also above your comprehension ability. What has happened to the royal guard? Is your goal to become a laughingstock? Because I must say, madam, you are well on your way.”
“Oh my God, I like him so much,” Reagan whispered.
The lead elf straightened indignantly. “Second, it is in your best interest to come quietly. We do not wish to harm you. It is the mage, the woman, and the vampire that we want. The rest of you will simply be questioned.”
“Simply be questioned?” Romulus laughed. “Oh my, no. No, that will not do. We will not turn ourselves over to you, we will not be questioned, and we will not stand for you wasting our time any longer. Either disperse now, or we will kill you all. Those are your options.”
The elf’s voice turned sharp. “With respect, Second, you’ve been gone a long time. Things are done differently now. It would be best if you educated yourself on those changes rather than make an error that you cannot unmake.”
“There has been no respect here, just wasted breath.” Romulus centered his weight and let his arms drift to his sides again. That was his cue that he planned to fight.
The elf clearly saw it. Her hair stilled, no longer waving in the absence of a breeze. “This is your final chance, Second. We take no pleasure in shedding your blood.”
“Ridiculous.” He drew his blade in a swift, practiced movement full of grace and power. Charity was right behind him, and she knew from the way the elves moved, and the speed with which Halvor leapt out from within the group of fae, that this battle would be a challenge.
Before she could even start forward, however, the orange bled from the sky and the flowers and trees along the path melted into fire and brimstone, with a few random candy gumdrops stuck in. Large carrion birds swooped down, screaming curse words. And then, in a blink, the scene was all gone. All of it. And only flat desert remained.
