“Many things in my shop could be used as tools capable of killing a dragon fae, but wielding them is another matter entirely. All work in the same way. The fairy is immortal until you cut out her heart.”
“A sword or a dagger then?” Jason perused the stacks of dusty artifacts around him. “One that won’t try to kill me like that ring you sold me.”
Ryker’s dark eyes flashed. “I warned you about the ring. You wouldn’t listen.”
Jason nodded. “Yes, yes, you warned me. Excuse me for being moody. A fae psychopath has my girlfriend, Ryker. I need help and I need it fast.”
“I thought I recognized this as Selene’s,” Ryker said, stroking the hair. Jason yanked the ponytail away from his fingers. “Pity. I liked the girl. She had pluck.”
“So find something to help me rescue her.”
Ryker’s tattoo glowed and his eyes flashed with red fire. He scanned the stacks of seemingly unorganized artifacts. Blowing like a dark wind through the narrow aisles, he stopped at a shelf and selected a short silver rod. “Try this.”
Careful not to touch anything, Jason navigated the stacks and caught up to Ryker. “What is it?” He gingerly lifted the cylinder between his thumb and forefinger like it might explode in his hand at any moment. The metal baton was about four inches long with a one-inch diameter. Aside from possibly being used to bludgeon Nickelova, he couldn’t think why the item would be useful at all.
“Well? Give it some intent,” Ryker said. “And your full grip.” He tucked the cylinder into Jason’s palm and squeezed.
Reflexively, Jason raised the hand holding the silver cylinder, withdrawing from Ryker’s tight grip. Jagged blades emerged from each end, thin and razor sharp, with a metal-on-metal clang that resounded through the store. Jason laughed and loosened his grip. The blades retracted into the weapon.
“That’s better,” Ryker said. “This is the bladed staff of Ocebel, the ancient siren goddess. It will react to your intent and increase the speed and accuracy of your strikes when near water. Water magic is a counterbalance to fire magic. You’ll find this helpful in more ways than one. I recommend bringing some of the wet stuff with you.”
“So I cut out her heart and that will kill her?”
Ryker laughed. “No. Removing her heart will make her mortal and give you power over her.” He floated between the stacks, his body going misty at the edges. “Once you have her heart, you can kill the fae if you so choose or manipulate her to do your will. The heart itself has magical properties even if the fae is deceased, but keeping her alive and holding her heart will make her your slave.”
“So I remove her heart.” Jason rolled the cylinder in his palm. “And then I can kill her. Sounds easy enough.”
Ryker laughed. “You do know that dragon fae can shift into actual dragons at will, don’t you? They aren’t dragons, but her fairy magic can transfigure her into the beast when provoked. Although she’ll avoid that transformation if she can. It will drain her energy and cost her human logic.”
“Like a werewolf,” Jason muttered. “She won’t have her higher faculties?”
“Exactly. If she transforms, she must rely on the instincts of the dragon she becomes. Not ideal in all situations. But make no mistake, those instincts will protect her heart with three tons of scaled muscle, razor-sharp teeth, and a barbed tail.”
“Why can’t anything be easy?” Jason activated the bladed staff again, testing its weight in his hand.
Ryker stroked his hairless chin and stared at him for a moment. “No offense, but playing the hero isn’t exactly your modus operandi. This girl must be special.”
Jason locked eyes with the demon. “She is. Saved-my-life, keep-her-forever special.”
“I was surprised how eagerly she risked her life to find you the night she came to me.”
“Thanks for looking out for her.”
“It wasn’t easy.” He licked his lips. “Selene is a temptation for the senses.”
Jason growled, turning one of the blades of the cylinder toward the demon.
“Relax, my friend. I know better than to bite the hand that feeds me.”
Jason released his grip and the silver rod returned to its original state. “I assume I can borrow this on credit and return it when I’m finished. Or do you want payment upfront?”
“You can borrow it, for free, on one condition.” Ryker’s eyes filled with ruby fire. “As I mentioned, a dragon fae’s heart has magical properties that a demon in my line of business would find exceptionally useful. Bring me the heart, and we’ll call it even.”
One of the skills Jason possessed that made him an excellent investor was his ability to read people. Ryker was a demon, but his intentions weren’t evil. Self-serving, perhaps, but the guy had a moral code. His word was good, and most of the time, he spoke the truth.
“It’s a deal,” Jason said.
The demon tipped his head in affirmation. “Good luck, Jason Flynn. I certainly hope to see you, Selene, and the dragon’s heart in my shop very soon.”
