Roses & Rye (Toil & Trouble Book 3) (5 page)

“Good guess.”

“And this human is the only one you can offer as your witness?” He shakes his head. “What about your fairy?”

“They don’t like her, she’s done… things to piss them off. I need him. I can’t chance using someone they will dismiss as unworthy. And Seph was his friend, which will help my case.”

“But exactly how do you intend to make a case, Frost? What’s your proof?”

I smile tightly. “I’ve got that covered.”

“Really?” With a decisive nod, Tyr gets to his feet. “Well, let’s go. This I gotta see.”

“You’re letting the commission go?”

“Of course not.” He grins. “I’m coming with you. If the human agrees once he hears the terms.” His glance at Thomas is considering. “I take it you hadn’t gotten that far before I interrupted.”

I shrug, testing the pain in my shoulder. It’s nearly gone, just a fading pinprick.

Thomas’s gaze moves from Tyr to me and back again, his scarred side looking sinister in the yellowish light. “What does he mean?”

“Do you believe me?” I ask, meeting his eyes.

He frowns, his scars pulling his lips into a one-sided grimace. “I never believed you killed her in the first place. But Jett killing her? I don’t know, Jack. I’ve lived with them, seen them grieve. Jett loved Persephone.”

Love has never stopped anyone from killing—in our world or his. In fact, more often than not, it’s the catalyst for murder. But I let it go. If he goes along with this, everyone will soon know the truth anyway. I hope. “It doesn’t matter what you think about Jett as long as you’re willing to attest to that belief in my character. There’s one other thing, Thomas,” I hesitate, even though I’m fairly sure of this part. Like the bruin I plan to appeal to, Thomas has a rather rigid code of honor. “If they find me guilty, they’ll kill you, too.”

He pales. Tyr chuckles, but Thomas ignores him, his eyes boring into mine. “Is that all?”

“That won’t happen, Thomas.”
Probably
. “I can prove I didn’t kill her.” If I get to choose the venue. If my plan actually works.

If, if,
if
.

“And who are we hoping doesn’t kill us?”

“The bruins. Stephen Krueger will be the judge.”

“You mean that big, black-haired guy who was at Seph’s funeral with Syana and the scary redhead?”

The funeral I didn’t get to attend. My hands clench under the table. “Yes, Thomas, that would be him.”

“You want to convince
that
guy that Jett killed Seph?” He looks a bit sick.

I nod, wondering if it’s Stephen being a shifter that’s giving Thomas the willies. He has reason to be wary of things with fur and claws after all. I watch his scars stretch as he swallows.

The assassin raises his eyebrows at me as if to say,
Humans. What can you do?
Tyr is not the type to sympathize with any perceived weakness. Then again, back in the day, I would’ve shared his disdain.

Thomas glares at us both, regaining some color. “I think you’re both missing something rather important.”

“What would that be?” I ask.

“I saw him and Jett together a few months back. Well…mostly
heard
them, if you get me.” He sighs, his voice going quiet. “It was kind of hard not to, they were right outside my door.”

At his pointed look, I do a slow blink. So does Tyr. The assassin’s gaze finds mine and I’m betting I look just as floored as he does. Jett Gosse’s hatred of bruins is legendary, though the reason why is not so well known.

“Maybe it was a one-time deal?” he suggests.

“Sure didn’t sound like it.” Thomas coughs. “They were arguing for quite a while before things got…heated. I’d say it wasn’t the first time, or the last, Jack. Not if this Krueger had anything to say about it. He seemed like the possessive sort. Kept saying she was his, and I got the impression he meant it very literally.”

Gods.
I look at Tyr, Tyr looks at me. The would-be bruin king getting ‘possessive’ with the witch who despises all things bear-like? That’s the kind of tidbit that would definitely start tongues wagging in the FTC community if it was common knowledge. They’ve been hiding it. Quite effectively, it would seem.

As Seph would say, this is fucking bullshit.

“If you go accusing Jett of killing her sister,” Thomas continues, “I don’t think he’s going to take it well.”

Thomas has no idea how right he is. You don’t get between a bruin and his woman.
Shit.

I sit back and let it all sink in, my head pounding. The first thing that occurs to me is that Krueger could’ve had a hand in whatever Jett’s plot is—but I dismiss that almost immediately.

Krueger has a reputation for honor that is unrivaled among FTCs. That’s not necessarily a good thing in our world, but the likelihood that he was involved in Jett’s plot to kill her sister seems slim to nil. Then again, I still don’t know why Jett killed her sister in the first place, other than ending the prophecy, of course.

What’s more likely is that Jett is playing him. Just like she’s playing her sisters. The problem is I need that bruin. Getting him to listen, which was going to be a hell of a bitch already, just got a whole lot dicier. I have a way to prove to everyone I’m telling the truth once we get to the Gosse sisters. But he’s the key to getting me there.

I finally shrug again, getting to my feet.

“So I don’t tell him until the last second. None of us do.” I turn to Tyr. “You agree?”

“Sure, why not?”

My eyes narrow on the grinning assassin, my fingers starting to tingle. Almost there. “You just want to watch me poke a bear with a stick.”

“That’s funny, Frost. Did some of your dead witch’s sense of humor rub off on you?”

I’m on him before he can blink.

My element crackles down Tyr’s blade, sheathing his hand and arm in a glove of ice before he can move. Then my hand is wrapped around his throat. “Watch your mouth, assassin, unless you want to be an ice cube for eternity.”

“Guess your magic’s back. That was quick.” He chokes, forcing a brittle smile. “Seems you’re a bit stronger than I remember.”

I let him go with a tight smile of my own. He has no idea how right he is. I haven’t exactly been idle all these weeks. “Guess so. Now let’s get something straight. We’re going to see the damn bruins, and you’re going to bring that fang of Ivo’s. It may come in handy for what I’ve got in mind.”

Tyr cocks his head. Then his eyes light up in understanding, even as his brow furrows. “You really intend to do this properly, don’t you?”

“You mean you doubted my honesty? That hurts.” I use the wind to flick open the door. Tyr steps through, still looking at me over his shoulder. I untie Thomas and help him outside.

“Want a ride?” I throw the offer at Tyr, but he only sneers.

“Aww, shucks. That’s sweet, Frost. Let’s not get too cozy just yet. I’ll meet you there.”

“How do I know you’ll show?”

“Of course I’ll show. I still have a commission to collect and like I told you, I’m curious. Especially given what I’ve just realized.”

“What’s that?”

“You loved her.” There’s something that may be sympathy in those black eyes. No doubt a trick of the light, but I don’t bother to deny his words. There’s no point anymore.

“And?”

“And that means you’ve got something to prove. To her sisters, and to yourself. See you in Wisconsin in ten.” He pulls at a bit of scrollwork at his belt and vanishes just as I realize I never got that damn vial off him.

“I’ll be there in five,” I mutter, before the wind takes Thomas and me away.

Actually
it’s
less than five, and I don’t get the chance to knock. Krueger has the door open the second I land on the steps of the Den with Thomas.

“What is this?” He’s huge and beyond pissed, probably because I blew past the guard at the perimeter. It was a calculated risk but one I had to take. I couldn’t let myself get turned away without even seeing him. Even more so than Kivistö—who was fairly even-tempered for a bruin— Krueger has a reputation for being slow to anger. You wouldn’t know it by his current appearance.  He’s growling at me and I can see the shadow of the beast within eclipsing the man. He steps outside, slamming the door behind him with such force the third-story windows above us rattle.

I was hoping for a bit more restraint.

Like I said, the bruins haven’t
officially
crowned a new king yet. But my bet is on this man.

Krueger was Kivistö’s second, which gives him an edge, to be sure. It’s more than that, though. Stephen was born to be a goddamn king. A real one. Not like me, with my magical title. This is a man lousy with righteousness. He’s practically drowning in it.

I’m hoping that makes him someone I can reason with, but just this second, I’m not so sure.

Of course, recent events have stirred up the far-flung bruin community more than usual. Stephen has to be under incredible pressure to formally declare war with the wolves, an action within his rights as second to the fallen king. It’s almost demanded by the circumstances of Kivistö’s death—at least if they can’t satisfy their honor by killing those directly responsible. He hasn’t yet, which is curious. By all accounts, he and Kivistö were very close. He must want revenge and I’ve no idea why he hasn’t taken it yet. Then again, maybe he’s simply waiting to find Luna and her pack and take a more personal revenge. If that is the case—

The sound of footfalls coming up the stairs we just climbed is fainter than a whisper, but I catch it. The back of my neck prickles. I force myself not to turn, to look the bruin facing me in the eye. “I need a word.”

“What you’re going to get is stabbed in the back, Frost.” A razor-sharp claw taps between my shoulder blades and presses through my jacket and shirt until it bites into my skin. “Just the way you did Seph.”

Maybe coming here was a fool’s errand. Maybe trying to do things the right way isn’t going to work for me. Frustration and rage bursts through the icy shell I’ve tried to maintain as I spin, grabbing the bruin at my back by the throat.

One of the Schade brothers. I can’t tell which one in this light, but the gleam of red hair is unmistakable. He probably outweighs me, but I lift him off his feet without even feeling it, power snapping through my veins. Thomas lays a hand on my arm as the bruin starts to gag and kick. Behind me I hear a warning snarl from Krueger.

Shit. I’m here to parley, not fucking kill people. I drop the bruin with a curse, trying to get my temper back under wraps before I turn back to Krueger.

“I know what Seph was to you,” I say with as much evenness as I can muster. “I know what your king declared her.”

Blue eyes narrow, flashing in the russet-gold light from the curtained windows. “How did you know that? Only Georg and I…” Then his face darkens. “That fucking fairy. Goddammit, Frost—”

“I put myself at the mercy of the bruin court. To be tried according to the law of your people for the crime of killing one of your own. Persephone Gosse.”

Stephen’s jaw drops as I go to one knee, bowing my head. Dominic lets out a disbelieving laugh. “Who in the name of the horned one would stand as witness for
you
? Without a witness—”

“I’m his witness.” Thomas finds his voice. “I believe Jack Frost did not kill Seph because I know him to be an honorable man.”

Okay, Thomas that’s laying it on a bit thick
. I risk lifting my eyes to see Stephen looking him up and down, his expression considering. “How long have you known Frost?”

“About ten years.”

The bruin king’s gaze burns bright. “And he told you what being a witness entails?”

Thomas nods, his eyes wide, but determined. “I owe Jack my life. If it comes to that.” He gives me a look that clearly conveys his hope that it does
not
come to that.

For a long, quiet moment, so long and so quiet I swear I start to hear the waves of the lake over a mile away, Stephen doesn’t move. Then just when I’m certain I’ve wasted my time coming here, he reaches out a hand, pulling me to my feet with more force than absolutely necessary.

“You’ll accept my judgment even if it should demand your life?”

“Yes.”

“How the hell can we enforce that?” Dominic again. “This is bullshit, Stephen. We can’t kill the son of a bitch, his magic will rain down hell if we try.”

Just then there is a flicker of crimson at the bottom of the steps.

“Took you long enough,” I say as both bruins immediately growl. Tyr holds out a hand, palm up. The gesture of peace. Which when offered by an assassin of the realm is the baldest of lies.

Obviously Stephen agrees. He shows his teeth and Tyr drops his hand, glancing at me.

“I had to take care of an errand, Frost.” Then to the bruins, “I’d like to offer a solution to your magic problem, if Jack’s word isn’t good enough for you.” He smirks and holds up the vampire fang. “It’s not lethal injection, but it should give you bruins time to take his head. If not, I’d be happy to offer my sword as well. My hangman’s fee is very reasonable.”

“Somebody’s already paying you to see me dead,” I growl. His avarice knows no bounds. Not that I’m surprised.

Tyr shrugs. “A lad’s got to eat.” He looks at Stephen. “What say you?”

The bruin nods slowly, looking at me. “That’ll do. If we require your services.”

“Yes.
If
,” I emphasize, mostly for Thomas’s benefit. He’s looking a little ill, turning his head from side to side and rubbing at his shoulder. He has scars there, too, from wounds even worse than the ones on his face. I know because they bled all over me. I frown as he sways slightly. Before I can try to reassure him further, Stephen yanks open the door, roaring out a warning. I assume to Ajax, the other Schade brother, whom I haven’t seen yet. “Inside, all of you. And assassin, if you cross this threshold with the intent to harm any within, you’ll leave in pieces. Small, bloody ones.” His teeth gleam again.

“Understood.” Tyr steps through the doorway, followed closely by Thomas.

Before I can move forward, Dominic yanks me back. “Coming here is going to be the end of you, Frost. The Council may have absolved you—” My lips tighten. Cerunnos took that measure on his own, but I let him, for obvious reasons. “—but that doesn’t mean shit here.”

“Prepare to be disappointed, bruin. I didn’t do it.”

Dominic makes a disgusted sound in the back of his throat, but a soft growl from Krueger stops him from saying anything further. The redhead pushes past us into the cabin, slamming his shoulder into my chest on his way.

I lock gazes with Krueger. He lifts an eyebrow. “What did you expect? We all liked her. But Dominic, he spent a lot of time with her, that week before Georg…” Stephen shakes his head. “Let’s just get this over with, Frost.”

“You don’t believe me.”

He just looks at me. Bruin judges don’t pretend to be impartial. Usually they’re decidedly
not
. Technically, there is only one capital offense in the bruin world, but it covers a lot of crimes. Betrayal. Betrayal of their kind. Betrayal of their ways. Whether that betrayal takes the form of treason, murder or theft, they really don’t care. You’re not presumed innocent in bruin court, you’re presumed guilty. Hence the requirement of a witness to your character. It’s the only way they hold a trial at all. Otherwise, if you’re accused of such a crime, they pretty much just gut you where you stand.

So it’s hardly a surprise that there’s no mercy in those legendary blue eyes.

“I looked at the tracks the next morning when we got the news. You and her going in. You coming out. No one and nothing else.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem.”

“Actually, Frost, they usually are.” There isn’t much else to say. He waves me into the cabin and shuts the door behind us.

The Den is big and warm, wood gleaming, fire crackling. I’ve never been inside, which is hardly surprising. Neither is the litany of curses aimed my way as a slim brunette gets up from one of the enormous leather couches, right before she launches herself at me.

A big redheaded bruin covered in tats and metal—the other Schade brother, Ajax—locks an arm around her in midair, stopping her short. She kicks and screams at him as he glares at Krueger.

The sight of Syana hits me like a punch to the gut, my mind wanting desperately to place Persephone next to her. So much so that for a moment I actually think I see a glitter of blond hair in the firelight, a sheen of pink dancing in the air. But when I blink, it’s gone. There’s only the best friend of the woman I loved with murder in her hazel eyes, clawing at Ajax while she screams at me.

“How could you, Jack?
How could you fucking kill her like that?
”

Before I can respond, I catch sight of Thomas. He’s drawn to one side, off by himself, which isn’t surprising. The expression on his face is. He looks like he’s seen a ghost. Turns out, for Thomas, it’s probably worse.

He lifts a shaking finger as I watch, pointing it at Syana, his voice hoarse. “You’re one of
them
,” he whispers.

For a minute I’m confused, then it hits me. Oh shit.

Tyr laughs in the sudden deadly silence. For once the assassin is a little slow on the uptake. “Bruins don’t turn people, silly human.”

“Not a bruin,” Thomas croaks. “She’s a goddamn werewolf.”