Free Agent (16 page)

I DON'T REMEMBER
how we got home. That trip was exactly the reason I didn't like shopping. I went out looking for a book and a prism, and I almost got destroyed by the advance scouting force for a warrior race. That's why I avoided the mall most days. Not that I'd ever seen an army of magical warriors kill everyone on a street before, but once was more than enough.

I heard Grimm in the mirror as I unlocked the door.

“Marissa, princess,” he called from the bathroom.

“We're okay,” I said, knowing he could hear fine.

I walked into the bathroom, where Grimm waited. “I found out you two were in Kingdom this morning, and I was greatly worried, my dear.”

Ari held up the bag with my prism. “Doing a little shopping.”

“Marissa, did you see the fae?”

“Saw them. Heard them. Almost got cooked by them. My ears are still ringing. Grimm, I've been reading as fast as I can. What's a Seal? I'm sure the answer's in a book I should've read by now.”

“It is, my dear, but I believe you've earned a little direct education. A seal is a barrier for a realm. In this case, the fae Seal, for the Realm of Fae,” said Grimm.

“So every realm has one?” I knew there were seven realms, seven royal families.

“Earth is not sealed, my dear, but all the other realms are. Without their seal, one could cross into Fae anywhere, instead of the agreed-on and prepared portals. One could strike at the heart of a realm and walk away without ever passing a guard.”

I held up my book package. “I'm only up to about a thousand years ago, but the fae had a lot of enemies back then.”

“And now,” said Grimm. “They believe someone in the city has rendered them vulnerable, and will do anything to coerce us to return it.”

Ari tapped on the mirror to get Grimm's attention. “Who has the Seal?”

Grimm detested being treated like an aquarium fish, and frowned. “Young lady, if I knew that, I would have already alerted the authorities. Honestly, it isn't anywhere as best I can tell. This isn't like Liam's curse. I knew he was alive, I just wasn't looking for the right form. The Seal isn't present at all. Anywhere.”

“Someone destroyed it?” asked Ari.

“Killed, young lady. You kill a seal. If they had killed it, we would know for certain. The effect would be unmistakable, and leave a crater the size of an office building. I want you both to stay out of Kingdom and stay away from the Agency. I can't keep everyone safe, but I will do what I can.” Grimm exhaled, and I wondered for the first time ever what the limits to his power were, beyond his stingy nature.

“Grimm, you mind if I skip around in my reading a bit?” I asked.

He looked at me in surprise. “I was certain you would have read the history of the Black Queen first. Of course. Consider it a reward for diligent effort.”

“Is it the whole story?”

Grimm began to fade. “No, my dear, but it contains what you want to know.” He left us alone.

It wasn't easy to fall back into a vacation rhythm when I knew a war was fast approaching, but I did. It's not that I didn't care, it's that there was so little I could do. Grimm wouldn't let me come into the Agency, and frankly, I was beginning to feel like I was normal again.

I sat in the chair each night, reading the history of the Black Queen, which was primarily concerned with who she killed and how (the answers are: a lot of people and in grotesque ways). She wasn't all that creative either. Thorns through the eyes, thorns through the ears, thorns through the—okay, in some ways she was creative, but it was all the wrong ways. Late one evening, I finally found what I was looking for.

“Ari,” I said, and she came out with her hair in a towel. “About what the witch said—”

“You don't have to explain. It doesn't matter.” Her tone was cold, and her eyes looked past me, lost in thought.

I read aloud. “‘She called them, and they came, those who bore her mark, and they knelt before her to receive her blessings. Her handmaidens swept the land like a plague, the shadows that went before and after her.'” I closed the book, tired on so many levels. “The witch said ‘She' marked me. Can you see it?”

Ari came over and took my hand. “I still don't see magic that well, but I don't see anything. You know what I've been reading about? Witches. She told me the truth. We're the same. Witches were all seal bearers once. Then they started using wild magic.” Her eyes were open wide, her face looked nearly panicked.

“I thought witches gave birth to witchlings.” I'd actually never given any thought to the matter, but now I understood Ari's concern.

“Evil witches can't have normal children. Their sons are satyrs and the daughters gorgons. Witches were seal bearers like me.”

I thought about my blessings, and how almost everything they'd done caused me more trouble. “It's just a name. We decide what we are.”

She almost smiled at me, but looked away. When she spoke I could barely hear her. “I'm not sure anymore.”

The doorbell rang, and it was not time for the daily mail. I grabbed my gun and approached the door. “Beatus, Consecro, I might need you.” I had no idea what the little guys would do in a pinch, but from what I read, some curses were capable of pulling your intestines out through your nose.

I hated peepholes. They required you to put your eye right up to the door and when (not if) something poked a claw through the door, your head was right there. So I had a camera installed a few years ago.

The man standing outside wore a fine gray suit and showed no signs of rabies or fangs or the normal problems you see in the city.

Ari looked at him with me. “Assassin?”

“Doesn't look respectable enough for that. Probably a lawyer. Either way, go hide.” I put away the gun and opened my door.

The man reached into his coat and took out a scroll. “I'm looking for Arianna Thromson. I have a message for her.”

“What is it?” asked Ari, breaking our agreed-on rule that she hide in the bathroom until I gave her the all clear. She took the scroll. Those Kingdom types still wouldn't use phones or text messages. Ari read the first few lines and her eyes went wide. A tiny sob escaped her, and she dropped the scroll, backing away.

I stepped into the doorway between them. “She's not going back, and that is not negotiable.”

The messenger caught my tone and raised his hands. “I'm not taking her. It's her invitation to the funeral ball.”

I slammed the door on him, knowing he was waiting for a tip, and read the scroll. The first bit was your usual proclamation stuff. I skipped over it to the silver writing that identified the actual message.

We celebrate the passing of King Torsten Thromson, and his rich life, this Friday, the twenty-second, at eight in the evening—her Majesty the Queen.

Ari lay on the couch and curled into a ball, tears streaming from her eyes. She began to sob and rock as pain finally found a voice. Her tears ran like a river for hours.

I wasn't used to having anyone around to comfort me. Agents became best friends with pain, and sorrow rented out every spare room in our lives. So I sat beside her, and held her hand, and listened to the silence. Her sadness found a counterpart in me, and without Grimm or Evangeline watching, I finally felt free to let it out. When she finally fell asleep, I covered her with a blanket and settled into the recliner.

In the morning, she woke me up to talk, looking at me with eyes ringed red. Her pale skin made the purple bags under her eyes look worse. I sat up and gave her a hug that only caused her to gush more, as though I'd squeezed the tears from her.

“I have to go, M.” She looked at me, pleading and watching my face as though she thought I might say no.

“Let me get dressed, I'll take you anywhere.” I rolled out of bed and winced, a headache born of shared tears.

“I have to go to the funeral ball. I have to say good-bye. My stepmother will be there.”

I understood. Ari's stepmother wouldn't lay a hand or spell on her under my protection. If her stepmother wanted to try going a few rounds with me, I'd welcome the opportunity. My only real concern was my bad history with celebrations. They almost always ended in disaster, which I attributed to bad luck, and Grimm attributed to me not being able to keep my mouth shut. “We'll go together. I'll take care of everything.”

We sat together in silence, because grief didn't come with words. I thought about my own family and wondered. Would they have called me if someone died? They hadn't called for anything else, but part of me felt certain that Mom or Dad would have called if something awful had happened.

Later I went to my bedroom to make a call. “Grimm, did you know?”

“I heard, Marissa. Please convey my sorrow to her.” He didn't bother coming into view, which meant he was doing a thousand other things at once.

“I'm taking her to the funeral ball on Friday in Kingdom.” I wasn't asking if it was okay.

“Of course. Would you like Evangeline to come along? Your track record at parties leaves something to be desired.”

I thought about the second, and last, time Grimm threw a birthday party for me. I got to find out what a radiation decontamination procedure felt like. The best gifts may be experiences, but that one was definitely not the best present ever. “That would be great. When do I get to come back to work?”

Grimm snapped into view, his face pale and hair disheveled. “Princess Arianna is my responsibility now, and therefore yours. Take care of her, and I promise I will have you back to work as soon as possible.” He sounded more tired than ever.

“You find the Seal?”

“We are looking everywhere.” Grimm's chin was set, and the look on his face was nearly a scowl. If I didn't know better, I'd have said the most powerful magic wielder in the city was powerless.

EVANGELINE SHOWED UP
early on Friday, knocked on my door, and marched right past me to squeeze Ari until I thought she would choke her. She stood a foot taller than Ari, but they managed it. Evangeline put her hands on Ari's shoulders like she was a child. “I brought a dress for you.” Evangeline nodded toward me. “And I'll keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't ruin things.”

Ari's voice was hoarse. “Thank you.”

We dressed, and I understood why Evangeline had brought a new dress for Ari. Almost all of her outfits looked fit for a rave rather than a funeral, but not this one. It was magnificent. Forget sweeping trains and all that; they aren't comfortable or easy to move in. This was sheer and black with a liquid shine. It looked like someone wove a fabric of tears. Looking at the dress made me sad. On the shoulder it had a golden emblem sewn in thread I think was real gold: her family crest. I preferred black slacks and shirt.

On the way there Evangeline actually drove somewhat somberly, proof in my mind she was set on being nice. When we pulled up outside the ballroom, my nerves about got the best of me. See, I might have mentioned balls didn't usually work out well with me. The first one ended with police in riot gear. The second one ended with a fire, and the last one, with the hazmat squad having to wash down everyone.

Evangeline let us off at the front steps and waited for the valet while we went on in. She didn't have an invitation, but then again, she never did. Men had trouble saying no to her when she had her veil on, and they had trouble saying anything when she had it off.

“Lady Arianna,” said the doorman. “I'm delighted to see you.” She gave him a hug, which was completely against ball protocol.

“The Princess Arianna Thromson, and guest,” called the announcer, and a low buzz swept across the ballroom. Kingdom balls were like high school lunchrooms, except alcohol and cleavage were mandatory. They ran on gossip as much as Glitter, and I'm certain Ari was the subject of many tales. Just another reason for me to dislike them.

“Arianna,” said a woman, and I felt a storm rolling in. She was dressed in black, of course, and her hair was red like Ari's, but that's where the similarities ended. She was as tall as Evangeline, and her eyes were dark brown, almost black. Her makeup was perfect.

“Gwendolyn.” Ari made no attempt to hide her contempt.

“I will always be Mother to you.”

I gave Ari a squeeze. It wouldn't do to have a throwdown on the stairs. She relaxed a little. “I've come to see Dad.” She shook my hand off and disappeared into the crowd.

“Have we met?” asked the queen, and as she did, I had this feeling. Her voice seemed familiar, her face was alien and repulsive, but I couldn't quite place her.

I gave her my best smile. “Of course we have. You didn't think I'd forget, did you?” It wasn't the answer she was expecting, for sure, and I took the opportunity to go after Ari.

Funeral balls were one of the creepier parts of Kingdom. They're a holdover from the old days, when people would gather together and bury the dead, but having a coffin at one end of the ballroom inevitably killed the desire to dance near it. Ari stood alone, waiting her turn, and I joined her.

She latched onto my arm like a drowning woman grabbing a rope. “I can't do this.” Her makeup was sealed with Glitter, but magic didn't work well against grief. She was starting to streak from the tears.

I took her hand and we approached the coffin. As was traditional, a bin of polished rocks sat beside the coffin, and I took a handful. At one time kings had been buried with diamonds and rubies, but that had two effects: It encouraged grave robbing and it drove up ghoul dental bills. These days they used pretty rocks.

He was older, starting to turn gray. Maybe in his fifties, but he had a regal air about him even in death, and I thought I could see a hint of Ari's chin. I left a handful of stones and let her stand by the coffin. She took his hand and leaned in to whisper to him.

“I don't think we had a chance to complete our conversation,” said the queen, who had come up behind me.

I made no attempt to hide the threat in my voice. “Leave her alone. If you put a hand on her, you'll find out what color the emergency room walls are this week.”

She sneered, staring down at me like a few inches of height made a difference. “I know who you are. You're the little tart he sends around to do his dirty work.”

Evangeline sauntered up, her every step drawing the attention of each man she passed. “I'm the big bitch he sends around. You look like you bruise easily, Your Highness.”

Ari turned away from the coffin, her face set with determination. “What do you want, Gwendolyn?”

“You will call me Mother. I want you to come home. It's time to begin your training, under my care.”

“I am not coming back.” Ari crossed her arms and stepped back.

“This discussion is not over,” said the queen, and she reached out to grab Ari's hand. Several things happened at once. Evangeline swung at the queen's hand, a simple downward smack with her palm. Evangeline was fast. The queen was faster, pulling her hand back before Evangeline could touch her, and backhanding me.

The blow wasn't hard. It caught me off guard and off balance. I fell backwards, my hand caught the rope and pulled the entire vase of stones over on me. I'm telling you, at balls it's like I'm cursed. The good news was no one was staring at Ari or Evangeline. They all stared at me as I clambered to my feet and walked away. Warm blood trickled down my lip where the queen had struck me.

“Let's go,” said Evangeline, grabbing Ari by the arm.

Ari shook loose. “I need to see them take him out.” At midnight the reapers would come and the coffin would be taken to the cemetery.

Evangeline leaned down to whisper in my ear. “You've got blood on your face. I think the bathrooms are up the stairs.”

“You got Ari?” I asked, as Ari wandered aimlessly in the crowd.

“Got her. The queen caught me by surprise. Won't happen again.” I'd seen that look on Evangeline's face before. It would take a miracle to keep this party from ending in blood, and Grimm was a bit busy.

I looked around and found the queen, surrounded by a flock of bodyguards. Evangeline would tear through them like tissue paper if they bothered Ari. I headed off for the bathrooms.

The ballroom was standard for Kingdom. The entrance on one side led down a grand set of stairs to the dancing floor. On the far side of the oval room, another set of stairs led up to a refreshment table, private feasting halls, and most importantly, bathrooms.

At the top of the stairs stood a table of food, mostly ignored in favor of champagne, but I was hungry. I debated cutting a slice of cheese from the wheel. I loved Gouda, but it reminded me a little too much of the cheese in the Agency fridge. That's when I felt that familiar feeling, someone looking at me, and I looked over my shoulder. The huge mirror on the corner wall showed the dancers whirling in dresses, but the mirror itself was what caught my eye. Grimm didn't even try to call much in Kingdom, but that's exactly what it felt like.

In the bathroom I washed the blood off my lip. There, I sensed it again. “Grimm?” I asked, but he didn't answer. Then again, it was the lady's restroom, and we'd had a few intense discussions on appropriate places to talk.

Outside, I snagged a glass of wine from a host and watched the dancers below. Ari and Evangeline stood off to the side. The feeling of being watched surged over me again. I turned to the mirror and walked closer, as if by staring into it I could see through. My own face looked back. A nose too small, eyes too large, and a chin that showed no particular heritage. I reached out a hand to touch my reflection.

“That would leave fingerprints,” said a voice.

“Show yourself,” I said.

The mirror swirled, turning milky. In the center something strove with my mind to form, but I rejected the image it sent and countered with another. She came into view, an older woman. Sixty-five or so, with gray hair pulled back in a bun.

“Well met, Marissa.”

“Who are you?” I asked, though I was sure I knew the answer.

“Your Fairy Godmother, of course. We should talk, but not here. Trouble follows you everywhere you go. I'd hate for you to spoil your friend's mourning. She'll take care of that all on her own.”

“Where? And don't say the basement. I don't do basements.”

She clucked her tongue at me in a disapproving way. “I was thinking over here.” She flashed into a metal bannister. “This way,” she said, farther down the hall.

I walked to the far end and opened a pair of wide doors. This was a feast room, large enough for a hundred guests or more to have their fill before a party. I peered into the shadows with the same suspicion I gave the mirror. “I don't do pitch-black rooms either.”

“The lights are by the door,” she said, and I turned them on. She stood in a massive mirror above the fireplace, a sweeping white gown over her gaunt frame.

I reminded myself I chose what she looked like, and she shifted to half-snake, half-grandma.

“That's impolite,” she said, forcing herself back into gown form.

“What is your name?”

“Odette. You may call me Fairy Godmother.”

I sat at the serving table where I could look at her without turning my head. “So talk.”

“So rude. I'm not your enemy yet, darling, though that may change. I simply wanted to meet the girl I hear so much about. Marissa saved this, or Marissa found that—I've heard your name more times than you have, and never seen your face.”

If there's one thing I couldn't stand, it was people who complimented me. Especially ones I'd never met before, who claimed to know a lot about me. This one had to have an agenda. “What do you want?”

“Why, to help you, darling.” She smiled warmly and her voice sounded like Grandma's, after school.

I wasn't buying. I'd had a lot of people try to help me. Help me off a building, help me under the water until I stopped breathing, or help me find out up close and personal what my intestines looked like. Help tended to be deadly. “What do you know about the fae?”

“I know you carry their blessings. Why didn't he intercede for you? Or help you remove them?” Her eyes flickered with each question.

“What do you know about the Seal?”

“Ah, directly to the point. Good girl. I'm actually here because of it. Did you know what the word on the low streets of Kingdom is? They say the Seal was stolen by a servant of the mirror. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?”

“I didn't take it.” It occurred to me at that moment that “servants of the mirror” was no longer a unique term in this town.

“Obviously not, darling. The seal is a living creature, and pure magic. For one like you, with so little affinity, touching it would be torturous. Your friend, the princess. She's a seal bearer. She could touch it and it wouldn't so much as shock her. In fact, the experience would be empowering. Of course, she has plenty of magic. Tell me something, why is it after all these years he hasn't gifted you with magic?”

“Stop trying to get me to doubt Grimm.”

She shook her head. “I don't need to do that, darling. You are already doing it yourself. How close are you to being free? You know, I don't keep people. Three tasks for me and their debt is paid. Why, even if I made it three years you would already be free of me twice.”

I kept my face calm. “I'm almost there.”

She gave me that wan grin and shook her head slowly. “I've had so much more experience lying than you, child. You are maybe halfway. Probably less. At some point you'll be injured, or maybe you'll make an honest mistake, and he'll sideline you.” She flashed to a silver pitcher directly in front of me.

“Listen to me, child, while I tell you the truth: You will begin to spend your Glitter, and wait for him to allow you to work, and that day will never come. Do you know anyone who has paid their debt to him? Have you ever seen it happen?”

I didn't. I hadn't.

“You are evil,” I said, but I wasn't sure anymore. I was asking those questions. All on my own, before she ever showed up.

She wasn't angry. She smiled that look that said she knew so much more than I did. “I give you my word, darling. I have never given someone something their heart did not desire. I grant wishes and give, it is my way.”

“I'm done being vaguely threatened, and I'm done listening to you talk about Grimm. I pay my debts, and I do what he tells me to. You can go now. If your agents lay a hand on Ari, they'll be leaving teeth under their pillows for you for a month.”

I don't know which upset her more: the dismissal like she was a servant girl or the deal with the teeth. There are only two magical creatures that deal in teeth, pixies and efreets. Pixies take the tooth under the pillow. Efreets bring pliars.