Grave Dance (41 page)

I glanced around. Falin and I were the only ones left standing in a field of dark magic and bodies.
How come
when I end up in these situations, the bad guys have
always disintegrated?

Chapter 39

I
sat in the middle of my bed, huddled under blankets. I hadn���t spent a night in jail this time, which had shocked the hel out of me considering that most of the witnesses to what had happened were soul col ectors and not inclined to speak to the police. While I’d walked the detectives through a heavily edited version of the events surrounding Edana’s ritual, I’d remembered Edana had owed me a debt.
I might not have had to destroy her.
Not that I’d meant to completely remove her from al planes—I’d needed to stop her. And I’d done that. But now I had more blood on my hands.

The explanation of what had happened had stretched my newfound inability to lie, so the police knew more than Faerie was likely to appreciate. Of course, the fae weren’t the only ones with things they would rather that mortals did not know tied up in this mess—the col ectors had more than a few of their own secrets precariously close to the surface of the tale. And, speaking of soul col ectors, I hadn’t seen Death since he disappeared. It had been only a day, and it wasn’t like he showed up daily, but I was worried about him.

I was also worried about what the gray man had said.

Though I hadn’t seen Death, I couldn’t keep Falin from hovering. I’d lost even my psychic sight by the time we were released from the crime scene, and my vision hadn’t improved with sleep. So now I sat on the bed, listening to the news because I couldn’t see it.

“. . . Stil no explanation for the bizarre dreams that attacked the city two nights ago.” Lusa’s broadcast voice mixed with the sound of static before clearing. “While mixed with the sound of static before clearing. “While nightmares are a common occurrence often brought on by stress and other life events, the sheer number of people who cal ed police in the early morning hours because they thought their dreams were real has led some experts to speculate that outside forces might be involved. Despite the number of emergency cal s, no one was hurt, but the OMIH continues to investigate. In other news . . .”

I tuned out the TV as the bed shifted under Falin’s weight.

He pressed a steaming mug into my hands, and the scent of rich coffee met my nose. Then he lifted the comforter from my shoulders so he could slide closer before wrapping us both in the covers again. My skin reacted to more than just his body heat, and I focused on the mug of coffee I couldn’t see.

I didn’t know whether to enjoy the giddiness that erupted in my body with every stray touch of Falin’s body, or to run and deny the emotion. How could I very much want to be here, right now, with Falin and stil be worried about Death?

I ached to see Death and know he was okay, to see that easy smile that hid so many secrets, and to know what might have happened if there hadn’t been a hydra at that bridge.
I feel like I’m trying to run in opposite directions at
the same time.

Not that anything too serious could happen between Falin and me. Not at the moment, at least. Hol y had taken PC for a walk and was due back any second.

Poor Hol y. She had attempted to eat mortal food after we returned home, but it turned to ash on her tongue. She could never again eat any food but Faerie food—if we figured out how to get her some.

Falin had left a message at the Bloom for Rianna. I hoped that she’d be able to send Ms. B or Desmond with food for Hol y, but if that wouldn’t work, we’d have to think of something else. Which might mean sending Hol y to my castle to live. She’d moped around my apartment for most of the last day, the three of us taking comfort in each other’s of the last day, the three of us taking comfort in each other’s company and avoiding discussion of any important topics like changelings, planeweavers, or the queen’s bloodied hands.

“So if fae can’t say ‘thank you,’ how do they express appreciation?” I asked, thinking about the fact that I couldn’t thank Falin for saving my life. Of course, I guess I’d also saved his, so we were probably even.

He brushed my hair away from my neck and leaned closer. “Gifts or gestures. Actions that say more than words ever could.” He brushed a kiss on the spot where my neck met my shoulder and a shiver traveled through my body, nearly making me spil my coffee.

He scooted closer, his heat sliding over my back. Then a loud knock sounded on the front door, and I jumped. That time I
did
spil the coffee.

Hol y let herself in, PC scampering around her, his nails clicking on the hardwood. As soon as she released him from his leash, he pitched himself onto the bed and planted himself in my lap. Hol y sat on the bed a moment later, the mattress shifting slightly under her weight, but she couldn’t have settled herself before another knock sounded on the door.

It opened, and I felt Falin stiffen. “My queen,” he whispered, sliding to his feet.

Oh, crap.
What was the Winter Queen doing at my house? I tugged the comforter tighter and cracked open my shields.

Nothing happened.

I’d burned out both my physical and my psychic sight. I could hear the click of her heels as she swept into my smal apartment, but I couldn’t see a thing.

“Hel o, knight, planeweaver.” She paused. “Mortal.” I could imagine her unimpressed gaze assessing the mismatched furniture and the broken TV.

I considered trying to scramble off the bed, but what would I do then? Stumble around blindly? I remained in the would I do then? Stumble around blindly? I remained in the middle of the bed, PC in my lap and a cup of coffee in my hands.

“Planeweaver, I believe our acquaintance suffered in our first meeting.”

You think?
Might have been something to do with her threatening to have me tortured. “Alex,” I said.

“Excuse me?”

“My name is Alex. Not planeweaver.”

“Al-ex.” She drew the syl ables out, and judging by her tone she wasn’t impressed. “What a dreadful y masculine name. I believe I wil cal you Lexi.”

Great.

“As I was saying, Lexi, our first meeting could have gone better. As a gesture of goodwil , I have brought you your friend.”

The door opened again, and I recognized the touch of familiar magic that zipped through the air.

“Caleb!” Hol y yel ed.

Thank goodness.
I’d hoped he’d escaped when the Shadow King had helped me out of the winter court, but when we’d returned home we discovered that he was stil missing. Of course, just because she’d returned Caleb didn’t mean she’d freed the rest of the independents.

“What about the others?” I asked.

I could almost hear the stil ness in the room. Then the queen’s heel clicked on the floorboard, one quick
clack
, as if she’d tapped her foot.

“I wil consider the idea. Now, I have heard that you have family in the shadow court and have a friendship with the upstart in the nightmare realm. Do not forget, dear Lexi, that there is something—or at least someone—who interests you in my court. While I do hate sharing my toys, I’m always wil ing to trade up, and having a planeweaver in my court would please me.” Her skirts rustled as she turned, and the door opened. “Come along, knight. I’ve heard that you’l require a new abode, so you might as wel show me around require a new abode, so you might as wel show me around this dreadful city.”

With that, she left, the door banging shut behind her. I thought Falin had fol owed, but then his hand traced the edge of my cheek, his fingers trailing into my hair as he leaned his forehead against mine.

“Don’t you have to fol ow her?” My question was a whisper because I wanted the answer to be “no” even though I knew it wasn’t. I blinked, wishing more than anything to be able to see.

“Alexis,” he whispered. Then he kissed me, his lips taking possession of mine as if everything that hadn’t been said could be passed through our lips, tongues, breath.

“Wow,” Hol y whispered behind me, and I heard Caleb clear his throat.

I didn’t care. I returned that kiss. Savoring the press of his mouth, the taste of him. And knowing that this kiss was good-bye.

“Knight,” the queen cal ed from beyond the door, and Falin broke off the kiss.

But he didn’t pul back. Not yet. His lips pressed a smile against mine, and he said, “Don’t you dare throw out my toothbrush.”

Then he was gone.