Seeker friend? Common goal? I could strangle him. More like seeker friend with benefits.
“Hey.” I waved stupidly, not offering my name because Liam didn’t.
The man, Jasper, raised one eyebrow. “Getting desperate, boy? Aligning withthemis a bold move.”
The way he said “them,” you’d have thought he’d just smelled crap. His lip curled and he looked disgusted.
Liam shrugged. “Like I said, common goals.”
Yeah, that’s all we had … common goals. I was going to plot Liam’s murder in my sleep tonight.
“What do you have to trade me for such help?” the man asked.
Liam pulled the vials I’d given him from his pocket. “Pricklewart from Faerie.”
The man’s eyes widened. “Nowthatis very useful. I’ll take it, and one strand of her hair.”
My eyes widened and Liam snatched his hand back. “No deal.”
The warlock sneered before rolling his eyes. “Fine. Come inside and let’s have tea.”
Liam met my eyes and gave the tiniest shake of his head.
“We’ve just had breakfast, thanks,” I said sweetly.
Jasper looked over at me and grinned. “He’s taught you well.”
I gulped, stepping into a large entryway that showcased a massive set of stairs. The Fae padded along the hardwood floors and turned right into an open, double-doored office. The second I stepped in, I felt an energy shift. It was heavy and dark, making me feel like I couldn’t breathe.
“Interesting, you’re the third Fae from Faerie to visit me this week.” The man rubbed his finger over a crystal ball at his desk and I frowned.
Third Fae? What?
I took the bait. “Who were the other two?”
He shrugged. “That kind of information will cost you.”
Liam groaned. “He’s a warlock bard. Anything you want him to tell you will cost something.”
I nodded. I’d heard of bards; they wouldn’t let you pass the Dark Forest without payment, and in kind they would tell you a story. I needed to find out who from my world would visit him this week. I had an inkling, but I needed to know for sure. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out one of my healing crystals Kira had given me. I could just ask her for another one.
His eyes tracked it greedily as I set it on the desk. “It’s a hea—”
“I know what it is.” His hand snatched out and he took it, before opening a drawer and locking it inside.
“The two other Fae that I’ve seen this week are the Faerie elder of Winter and the Faerie elder of Summer.”
My heart dropped. That’s what I’d thought. “What did they want?”
Jasper shrugged his shoulders, holding out his hands. Fucker wanted more payment! I glanced at Liam, who shook his head no.
Reaching into my bag I pulled out another healing stone, leaving me only one left. My arm was sore. I should have taken it this morning.
“Tell me everything about the visit with the elders,” I told him, making sure he couldn’t turn this into another bargain.
He swiped the second healing stone and placed it inside his desk.
“They wanted to know how to change a Tree of Life crystal that had been tainted back to its original form.”
