There were a scattering of people in the pews. None sat together, so their spread made the cavernous church appear even larger and more imposing. I noticed Flynn and Rowan seated in the back row. I ran over and slid into the pew next to them. Arthur squeezed his bulk in after me.
“Welcome back,” Rowan leaned over and hugged me. A lump rose in my throat as his floury, earth scent washed over me. God, I’d missed these guys.
I pulled away. “No sign of the fae yet?”
Rowan shook his head. Flynn crossed himself frantically. He pushed a long shape across the pew toward us. Arthur’s heaviest trench coat, wrapped around some long, hard object.
“I think you’ll know what to do with that, Aragorn,” Flynn said. He threw a smaller parcel into my lap.
I unfolded a short iron dagger from inside my blue jacket. Tucked into the pocket were my four talismans – Corbin’s parchment, Rowan’s twig, Flynn’s medallion, Arthur’s dagger.
There was a fifth object, as well. I pulled out a long, thin bone.
“That bone is from Blake.” Flynn wrinkled his nose. “I figured it was safest not to ask him where he found it.”
I nodded and replaced all the items. I shrugged the coat over my damp shoulders and slid the dagger up my sleeve. Through some feat of gymnastics Arthur managed to buckle his sword belt and pull on his trench coat without dropping or exposing the enormous weapon. When he sat down, the tip stuck out at an angle, but I hooked my leg over it to hide it. No one seemed to notice our shuffling.
I watched Corbin and Blake descend the steps from the altar and head towards the pews. Both of them wore huge jackets and thick trousers. Blake walked with stiff legs, like he was pretending to be a robot. As Corbin sat down, a metallicclinkechoed throughout the church.
They’re laden with weapons, too.
My chest tightened. I glanced around at the few other people present – could we really hope to keep them all safe if the fae came? All the defensive moves and blocks Arthur taught me had flown out of my head. Were we ready for this fight?
I tapped Flynn on the shoulder. “What’s that on Corbin’s cheek?”
Flynn gave me a grin, completely devoid of mirth. “A willy. Blake drew it on his face while he was sleeping outside his room.”
“You’re all ridiculous.”
“We missed you, Einstein.”
The vicar called for silence, and Sheryl sat down at the organ, testing a few of the keys.
“I think they’re getting started,” I whispered, squeezing Arthur’s fingers.
I glanced behind my shoulder again. Nothing rapped on the church door.Where are they?I knew better than to hope the protection charms would work.
The service started with a hymn. I didn’t know the words, but all the guys seemed to know it by heart, their deep voices ringing through the lofty nave.
Arthur’s hand slid onto my knee. At first, it was a comfort, something to steady myself against while I collected myself. But after a couple of minutes of the priest droning on about baptism and sin, Arthur’s fingers grew hot. I tried to focus on waiting and watching, but all I could think about was the other night under the stars and that hand and how close it was to my?—
I pinned my legs shut.Stop thinking about it.
“Maeve,” Arthur elbowed me. “If the fae really are going to show up, we need you to be as magically charged as possible.”
“You’re right.” We should have thought of that earlier. That meant we had to… “I mean,no!We can’t do that here. This is achurch.”
“No one will see,” he whispered, pulling the edge of his huge coat over my lap.
I gasped as Arthur slid his fingers under my skirt, slipping between my already sodden panties. He dipped his finger into my folds, wetting it with the juices that had already spilled there, and rubbed it against my clit.
The ache of my need rose up inside me, followed by the pillar of warmth that meant my spirit magic was activating. Arthur’s hand swirled harder and his eyes met mine with a mischievous glint. The fact that the vicar wasright there– and we were doing this in a totally public location – made it so much hotter.
Arthur’s fingers stroked harder. I opened my legs, giving him more room. He responded by switching out his fingers, pushing one inside me while his thumb circled my clit.
I bit down on my lip to stop myself from moaning.
Flynn whirled around. He grinned when he noticed Arthur’s hand under the coat. “And in an Anglican church, no less. I approve. I’ll make a Catholic of you yet, Maeve Moore.”
