Callie lifted her glass and downed the rest of the fairy wine, leaving me impressed with her tolerance. If I'd done that, I'd be slurring my words in no time.
"Well played, little one," Callie said. "I look forward to our next encounter."
Callie sauntered away, several of her snakes lifting to keep an eye on us.
"Why did that feel like a threat?" I asked.
"Because it was." Liam didn't sound happy about it either.
Connor focused on me. "Aileen, she's extremely dangerous."
"I kind of figured that out for myself." She'd practically had a neon sign proclaiming deadly creature here.
"I've never heard of a Callie, but I have heard of an assassin named Calliope," Connor said. "Several Fae in Niamh's court were killed by her."
"Too bad the assassin didn't kill Niamh while she was at it," Nathan muttered.
"Indeed," Connor said in a heartfelt voice. He cast a glance at the departing Callie. "No one ever figured out how she was getting in or out. All were killed with an untraceable poison."
I bet I could guess where she was getting her poison. Several of her snakes had looked poisonous. For an assassin, they would come in handy.
The similarities between the name Callie and Calliope couldn't be dismissed. I was betting they were one and the same.
"She's also part of the Scattered," I said.
Connor's gaze jumped to mine. "Are you sure?"
I pointed at my forearm. "She had the tattoo."
All of us looked at Callie as she made the rounds in the hall, never staying anywhere long. There was a bubble of space around her anywhere she went, as if even the Fae were leery of getting too close.
"That is convenient," Liam finally said.
Startled, I looked up at him. "Not exactly what I would have said."
His smile when he met my eyes was that of a warlord on the cusp of battle. Hungry and vicious as his eyes darkened with a lust for violence. "My dear, we now have someone to question. Your situation is practically resolved."
"Right, because capturing a legendary assassin and making them talk is going to be super easy," I said, staring at him like he'd gone crazy.
"And fun. You can't forget fun," Nathan said.
My bad. Of course, I couldn't.
FOURTEEN
TO MY EVERLASTING relief, Liam and company didn't immediately set out to kidnap the medusa. A good thing, too, since I didn't think our host would look too kindly on such an action.
Hours later, magic drained from the world, leaving us standing in the original clearing. The only thing to remain of the banquet hall was the ancient tree as it loomed above.
"Finally." For the last hour, my skin had practically been itching with the need to get moving.
Callie had come to the barrow alone, but there was nothing to say she didn't have allies waiting for us on our return.
"Not as bad as I feared," Nathan said, stretching. Despite his words, I could see the relief in his face.
Around us, others were doing the same as they got used to being in a world not saturated by magic. Where you could breathe without it fizzing and popping on your tongue.
Sofia and Sam joined us, having kept their distance the entire night.
