Imperative: A Quinn Larson Quest (8 page)

Olan flew up to my shoulder. I guess we were back to being on the same side in this fight. Unfortunately that wasn’t likely to continue. This fight had too many sides: Sidhe versus Fairy, Fairy versus Human, Morrigan versus Olan. And probably ten more I had no idea about.

I opened a can of soup and put it on the stove. Olan perched on the back of a chair and watched me prepare. “Did you already eat?” I asked.

“You can handle that.” Olan walked back and forth along the top rail of the chair. I couldn’t help thinking of my old mentor in full lecture mode.

“Maybe, but I can’t handle Fionuir that way. She won’t just stop because we asked her. We need some leverage.”

“Well, we could threaten to back her opponent.”

I poured the soup into a bowl and took a sip. “I don’t think that will count. Even if all the Real Folk backed her opponent, the election is Sidhe business. She only has to convince enough Sidhe that status quo is better than promises of future changes and she’ll win.”

Olan continued to pace. “Do you think she is giving everyone access to the human’s spirit?”

“Maybe she’s offering it for votes.”

We sat quietly while I ate the rest of the soup. I grabbed beer from the fridge after I finished. “We don’t know enough to use leverage. What we think we can use is based on guesses and second hand information. Princess didn’t see the amulet, her lover did. She didn’t tell me who he was so we can’t ask him. Melbe’s information is probably right but Sidhe politics is convoluted and full of grudges from the time they lost Ireland to the Milesians.”

“My throat is parched. Pour some of that into a saucer.” Olan flapped his wing toward the beer. I did as he asked, or rather demanded. He sipped some of the amber liquid before speaking again. “What if we gave her something?”

“Who is this ‘we’ you mean?”

“That is, you. I don’t think they will want anything that I have. As a pixie, or as I am now.”

I just knew this was going to turn out bad for me, but Olan had a point. “It’s worth a try. I draw the line at giving her anything that will do harm, though.”

“You have things that will do harm?” Olan sipped some more beer. “I thought you were one of those spirit wizards. Do no harm, kind of thing.”

“I am. But, some of the things I have can do harm in enough concentration. You know that. You saw the belladonna in my workroom.”

“I don’t think she’ll ask for something she can get from the fairies for nothing.”

“No, but I have some amulets that shouldn’t get into her hands.” I’m not sure why we were arguing this point. It was up to me what I gave Fionuir. And, Olan had come up with a good plan, or as good a plan as I could. “How do we get an audience with Fionuir?”

Olan shrugged. “I think the best way is the direct one. Let’s go tap at her door.”

It took me a day to get ready to visit the Queen of the Sidhe. I’m not usually prone to vanity, but Fionuir would expect me to dress as though I respected her position. I went to my barber and said goodbye to the scruffy magic geek look. A nice shave and a trendy haircut and I had to admit I looked better.

I had some court clothes in my closet, they were from the nineteenth century, but a good preservation spell had kept them in perfect shape. I couldn’t say the same for my body. Olan and I looked at the clothes hanging on back of the closet and back at my body. “It’s going to be close,” I said.

“Mayhap we should go shopping. I don’t like the idea that you suffocate because you can’t breathe in that waistcoat.”

“Even if I can fit in it, I don’t know that the Sidhe court is into the Steam Punk look.” I couldn’t help myself. I needed to try on the suit. I guess there’s a bit of vanity in my blood. If I could fit into the same clothes I wore almost two hundred years ago, I would feel good.

The shirt fit, and the waistcoat and jacket. From the waist up I looked mighty fine. Unfortunately, from the waist down, my body now stuck out where once it narrowed, so I couldn’t close the buttons on the pants. “Oh, well, I guess I’ll start exercising after we fix this little Sidhe problem.” The sound that a chickadee made laughing was not pleasant; neither was the sight on one rolling on the floor with hilarity.

I changed back into my regular clothes, and grabbed a roll of twenties from the stash of cash I keep on hand. I told Olan to wait for me at home because shopping with a talking chickadee was sure to raise eyebrows.

I returned with a black suit and pale green shirt, black shiny loafers, and an emerald green tie. It’s fortunate that I look good in the colors of Ireland. I hope Fionuir sees it as honoring her homeland,

“Okay, now I look the part, it’s time to arm myself.” We headed back to the basement. Princess looked cold so I threw a blanket over her.

“What kind of armament do you need?” Olan waddled along beside me as I pulled out two chests from under the counter. “I don’t think they will attack you.”

“Not with swords, but I’m not taking the chance one of them will try to stun me with a spell. After all, her best outcome right now is for me to be gone. So, I need a bit of magical protection.”

I took three amulets from the black chest and two from the gray one. The five amulets were made of precious stones: Jade, Obsidian, Opal, Soapstone, Coral.

“The Soapstone is from California. I’ve added a transmittal spell. If we can find a way to leave it there, we will be able to hear everything that goes on.”

“Handy.” Olan pushed the stones aside with his beak. “It is small enough that I can hold it in my craw. I will find a place to leave it before we exit.”

I nodded but didn’t pay attention to what he did with the soapstone. I was just glad he had something to occupy his attention while I dealt with the other stones. I took the opal and checked it carefully for flaws; no one wants a cracked opal. I renewed the oil that I had painted on it before storing. The stone was for attack. I wasn’t certain if the spell I had cast on it for attacking vermin would do enough damage to a Sidhe to distract them so I could run away.

The coral would absorb a spell, kind of like a shield but it would hold the energy for me to use later.

The obsidian was another matter. My mentor had forced me to learn a killing spell, one strong enough to kill a full grown human. He was always worried that we would have to battle humans. I hadn’t pulled this spell out since he confirmed it was right: three hundred years ago.

The jade held a distraction spell.

I placed the stones in handy pockets inside the jacket and pants. I would look like James Bond, but
my
toys could be hidden more easily than a gun disguised as a pen.

The Sidhe court resided in a building that looked abandoned and ready for demolition. It was on the still to be Yuppified side of Yaletown. I know that humans used these kinds of buildings for raves. This one would not be on their radar. Any human walking by would see an office building, lights on shadows of people moving, lights out during the night. Inside, past a false wall, the Sidhe surrounded themselves with luxury. The public part of the court was on the first floor, the residences were on the floors above. All the Sidhe had homes above the court, but some lived off campus so to speak.

I had been there once, a long time ago, for Fionuir’s birthday party. I asked Olan, “How often do the Sidhe breed?”

Olan didn’t answer. I looked around and he was flying up to the fence. I stepped toward it. “Where are the guards?”

“There are two by the door and one on the corner.” Olan pointed with his beak. “Don’t worry, you are just asking for an audience. The worst they can do is say no.”

“Not even close to the worst they can do. Are you coming with me, or do you have a way to get in without an invitation?”

“I’ll try the legitimate way first. If that doesn’t work, I have my ways.”

“Can’t I just use one of your ways?” It’s not that I was afraid of the Sidhe guards, well not that afraid. But if I could surprise Fionuir, maybe I would have an advantage.

“Quinn, stop being a wimp. Just ask for an audience and get in there. If you think surprising Fionuir is a good idea, you are mad and I am going to have to find a new partner.”

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but he’d just told me not to be childish. “Okay, here I go.” Olan landed on my shoulder as I turned toward the building.

The door guards were a pair of twins, tall, red haired and mean looking; although, to a human they would have looked bent, dirty and indigent. You would think someone that pretty would just be happy. I heard a flapping overhead but when I looked up there was nothing there. Olan moved closer to my ear.

“The queen isn’t taking visitors,” the twin on the right said. I could see the sneer on his face as well as hear it in his voice.

I reached in and pulled him back onto my shoulder and whispered. “I thought you said it wasn’t her.” I turned back to the door twins. But there was only one twin. “Where did your brother go?”

“He took your suggestion and has gone to speak with Queen Fionuir.”

The crow cawed again. Olan flew off my shoulder and stood in my shadow. If that was The Morrigan, it wouldn’t help him to hide in shadows. “I thought you two were square. Did you do something to her?”

“No.” Olan was clearly uncomfortable

Twin two came back. “The Queen has agreed to speak with you. Only you, the bird stays outside.”

Olan bumped my leg as he crossed to the next set of shadows. I figured he wanted to keep out of The Morrigan’s line of sight so I didn’t say anything. Twin two led me through a narrow hall around the inside of the building until we reached a set of double doors. If my sense of direction was working, we were on the far side of the building. With Sidhe magic, you can never tell. We could be under the building and not have noticed descending the stairs.

The doors were metal with an etched pattern. It looked like tin so it must be laid over sold wood. The knot patterns twined from the top left across both doors and back to the bottom left side. I could feel the magic vibrating out of the patterns. There was no way an uninvited guest would get through these doors.

“Wait,” Twin two said. He looked at me until I nodded, then banged his fist on the center of the doors. “We wish audience with her exulted Majesty Fionuir of the Green Hills.”

We both waited for something to happen. I pulled at the cuffs of my shirt, making sure I showed the right amount of cuff below my sleeve. I may not dress well all the time, but I do know how to wear clothes properly. I hoped Fionuir would appreciate the effort.

After a minute, the doors swung open.

Beyond, it looked like something from pre-revolution France: mirrors, gilt, and scattered chairs. I could see golden light reflected in bars across the room. Candles supplied the illumination that would normally come from windows.

“Stand there.” He pointed me to a corner beside the door where there was an empty space between two chairs which were upholstered in pink Toile. “Wait until you are summoned.”

I kept control on my temper, reminding myself I knew what I was stepping into when I came here. The fact that Fionuir agreed to let me in, meant she would talk to me, eventually.

My feet were just starting to complain when a short female Sidhe strode up to me and snapped her fingers. “Follow me.” Her voice floated lightly to me. Fionuir had surrounded herself with paragons of beauty and grace.

She led me to the center of the room where Fionuir and her court lounged in a circle of chairs. Each chair a different shade of green.

“Welcome, Wizard.” Fionuir smiled and I felt like a bowl of cream must feel when the cat slinks into the room. “It is so nice of you to visit.”

“Your Majesty.” I executed as courtly a bow as I could manage. “It is a pleasure to be once again in the midst of such beauty.”

She turned to her court. “And you said wizards were crude.”

They tittered. I was reminded again of the court of Louis the sixteenth. I hoped we could come to a less violent conclusion than he did. I turned to survey the six Sidhe of her court. Three men and three women, all draped in pastel shaded silks. All red haired and pale skinned. It was a bit creepy, like I was surrounded by clones.

“Not at all, your majesty.” I kept my tone smooth and as nonthreatening as I could. “I just wish knowledge. You know how curious wizards are.”

“I know how wizards are,” one of the women said, her voice hard. “One of them killed my husband. I believe that wizard was your mentor.”

This was a trap. If I answered her before Fionuir allowed me to recognize that someone other than her had spoken I would fail. If this wasn’t a test they had agreed on in advance, that woman would be punished later. I kept my eyes on Fionuir until she nodded.