I hugged the children closer, trying to remember the one self-defense class I’d taken in college. But the instructor hadn’t taught us how to defend ourselves against fae whose magical abilities were still a mystery to me. My mind spun in an attempt to think logically. If they found us here in the closet, I’d beg them not to hurt the children. I’d do whatever they wanted as long as they didn’t hurt Henry and May…
The shadow moved to the bed and crouched down, looking under it. May let out a frightened squeak, and before I could press my hand against her mouth, the shadow spun toward the closet.
They’d heard us.
The figure stalked slowly toward the closet like a predator and rested a hand on the doorknob. The children began sobbing louder now, unable to hold it in. Adrenaline pumped through me. I’d fight if I had to. Scratch with my fingernails. Bite their ears off—
The door flung open. The biggest, most terrifying man I’d ever seen in my life loomed over us, his face half-hidden in the shadows. His pointed ears and bright green eyes marked him as fae, but his scalp was buzzed, shorn of the silver or hued hair of most fae. His bulging arms marked him more as a warrior than a businessman like Severn.
“There you are,” he growled and reached into the closet.
ChapterSeven
I was about to scream and fight and scratch our fae attacker when Henry and May suddenly shrieked. “Talon!”
The hulking fae warrior standing in the closet doorway knelt on one knee. To my shock, Henry and May scrambled to their feet and hurled themselves at the giant fae, throwing their arms around his massive neck.
It took me a moment, adrenaline still coursing through my veins, to understand that they not only knew this fae but trusted him. I was much slower to let my guard down. My muscles were still tensed and primed to fight.
“Who are you?” I demanded.
The fae warrior turned to me with a cold look. Not thatanyfae were much inclined toward smiles, but this one seemed even more brooding than most.
“It’s Talon,” Henry explained in a rush and then grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the closet. “It’s okay, Willow. He’s a friend.”
Talon stood, scooping up May in his arms, who clutched him tightly around the neck, completely unwilling to let go. “Severn sent me to find you,” Talon grunted. “There was an attempted attack on the tower. He wants me to take you three to a higher floor for safety.”
“What happened? Who attacked?” I asked in a rush.
“A demon horde sent by Black Ember.”
The name “Black Ember” meant nothing to me, but it had a sinister ring, and the way Talon had growled the name in derision told me whoever he was, he was a familiar and loathed enemy.
“Come,” Talon growled, grabbing Henry’s hand and still holding May in one arm. “The senior members of the court are congregating in the council chambers. You will be safe there until we can ensure the intruders have been dealt with.”
I had little choice but to follow the giant fae, though he still looked like the most terrifying person I’d ever seen. I was glad that he was onourside, at least. He took us to our floor’s little lobby, where Azalea was waiting with the elevator doors open. Her normally perky face was now weary and tired, her beautiful braided-crown hair slipping from its pins.
She opened her arms to give Henry a hug. “Henry! May! Everything is okay now.”
“The whole building shook, Azalea!” Henry said. May still hadn’t let go of Talon, her face buried in his shoulder.
“I know,” Azalea said as the elevator doors closed. “Don’t worry, Severn and Hemlock made quick work of those demons.” I had to assume that the usual rules about not riding an elevator in an emergency situation didn’t apply tothiselevator. It was no normal conveyance; I had felt it move sideways and diagonally, not to mention that there was only the one elevator and operator for the entire tower, yet it was always somehow available whenever anyone needed it.
The elevator rumbled upward and dinged at the sixtieth floor. We stepped out directly into an enormous two-story-high chamber that looked like a ballroom straight out of a fairy tale, with antlered chandeliers and giant silk-curtained windows. At one end was a round table with nine seats—less of a corporate boardroom and more like the Knights of the Round Table.
A handful of fae was gathered around the table, some I recognized from around the tower or from crossing paths with in the lobby. A tall, lithe fae woman with dark brown skin spoke with a fae man whose long hair was threaded through with glimmering gold. I recognized them from television and newspapers: they were two other members of the famous Wilde family, Poppy and Clay Wilde. Supposedly Severn’s adopted socialite siblings; in reality, other senior members of the New Court.
Talon set down May, who wiped her eyes. Poppy and Clay stopped speaking and nodded a greeting to the children, then gave me a long, curious look. Poppy came sauntering up, eyeing me up and down.
“Always showing up with human girls, aren’t you, Talon?” she said to the fae warrior, who glowered.
“That’s Willow,” May explained, beaming at me. “Our nanny.”
“A human with a fae name?” Poppy asked.
I tipped up my chin. “Fae don’t have a monopoly on nature-inspired names.” At my retort, Poppy narrowed her eyes appraisingly, but then another few fae came up the elevator, and she sauntered off to talk to them instead.
We settled in to wait in the beautiful ballroom. Though it was gorgeous, it was freezing cold, and I wish I’d had blankets or sweaters for the children. We took seats around the circular table, and it wasn’t long before Henry fell asleep in a chair and May in my lap.
