Phenex and Bael both grumbled in unison.
“I like the negotiation idea,” I piped up. No one had asked me what I thought about all of this, and it was about time I was at least heard. We were going to save me, after all. I should have a say in what we did. “If you destroy an entire fae court, then we’re no better than our enemy. Don’t you think?”
The demons shared a look, and then Phenex let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. We’ll try it your way. Negotiations.”
* * *
“The fae prefer nature to steel,” Caim said as we stared up at the building covered in lush green ivy. It sat on the northeast edge of Central Park, tucked between two apartment complexes. The brush was so thick that only a hint of the red brick peeked through it. A small set of concrete steps led up to a wooden door that had been painted a green so deep it was almost black.
“Then, why do they live in a city instead of out in the countryside?” I asked with a frown. “There are lots of forests upstate. I bet they’d have way more privacy, too. They could build their little court in the middle of nowhere.”
“Like the wolves, most fae don’t live in Manhattan,” Stolas answered. “The ones you’ve met, they’re only here because they want to keep an eye on the activities of more urban supernaturals. The vamps and the demons. We have a reputation for letting things spin out of control. Plus...some of them do like to play games and trick humans into agreeing to grant them favors. They can’t do that if they’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Right. The favors.”
I swallowed hard. It had been a few days since I’d agreed to grant River a future favor, and I’d barely thought of it since. According to Caim, she could come to me at any time, and there was no way to anticipate what she’d want. She could ask me to rip out my own damn heart if she wanted. And the magic would force me to comply.
“Stolas,” Caim murmured. “Can you scout around the back and stop anyone who tries to flee? If no one rushes out that way, come straight back to the front. We’ll try to talk some sense into the fae.”
He nodded. “You’ve got it, boss.”
As Stolas took off toward the rear of the building, Caim lifted his finger and rang the bell. Gritting my teeth, I steeled myself. It seemed wrong to approach the rogue fae like this, like we were dropping by to catch up with some old friends. We were anything but.
The door almost instantly opened, which made my spidey senses tingle. They’d clearly been watching from behind the curtains to see what we’d do next. A trio stood just beyond the frame, their bare feet sinking into a lush green carpet that resembled the moss creeping up the side of their building.
All three of them were nearly identical. Pale skin, deep emerald eyes, and hair that was the color of the richest dirt. Unlike the fae we’d met in the Lower East Side, these guys had chosen clothes that looked like they were straight out ofGame of Thrones. Tailored brown trousers, brushed leather tunics, and cloaks that rippled in the light wind.
Eerie smiles lifted the corners of their thin lips. The one in the center, the shortest of the three, took a step forward and spoke. “Good morning. How can we help you?”
I shot Caim a look. One that said far more than words ever could. Basically, I was thinking,what the fuck?
Caim’s face revealed none of this thoughts. He didn’t even blink at their outfits. Maybe he was used to this kind of thing, of course. Totally possible.
“Hi. My name is Caim. This is Sarah.” He motioned toward me. I forced my face to remain blank. Why the hell had he used my roommate’s name instead of mine? “We’re on the hunt for an object that is supernatural in origin. We thought you might know where it is.”
The short fae’s smile only slightly flickered. “And why would you think we’d be in the possession of a supernatural object?”
“Oh, come on,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “We know you’re fae. And even if we didn’t, it’d be pretty easy to figure out just by taking one look at you.”
Caim cut a sharp glance my way. Oops. I probably should have kept my thoughts to myself, but the tension was starting to get to me. At any moment, dozens of fae could burst out of that house with daggers raised. There was no telling how many of them were inside just waiting for a signal from their leader.
“Interesting,” the leader said with an arch of his slim brow. “I wasn’t under the impression we had a particularly notable look.” His gaze narrowed. “Especially to humans.”
Good. At least I still smelled like a human to them. Though Caim wouldn’t be so lucky.
“Excuse my friend,” Caim said through gritted teeth. “The supernatural world is fairly new to her, and she doesn’t understand the intricacies.”
The fae clucked his tongue. “I was under the impression the laws of Lucifer still held true. We’re not to tell humans about our existence. It’s a shame the gate is closed, so he cannot come here to enact a suitable punishment.”
Oh, here we go.
“Funny you should mention that,” Caim countered, “when the object we’re seeking has ties to your plans for the hellgate.”
At that, the fae visibly bristled. His gaze went dark, the smile vanishing. “I’m not entirely sure I know what you’re talking about.”
Caim just grinned. “If you really didn’t know what I was talking about, you wouldn’t have stiffened when I mentioned it. I’ve been made aware of your plans to dethrone Lucifer by using the demon cure against him. That’s why we’re here.”
The leader flicked his gaze up and down the length of Caim while the other two shifted uneasily on their feet. “And let me guess, you’re one of his Princes. I should have known when I heard the name. You and the rest of your Legion are becoming a little more infamous than I think you’d like. The supernatural world is on to you, Caim. We know what you’ve been doing in your stupid little club.”
