The Faerie Ring (33 page)

“Wills!” Larkin’s shriek was laced with panic as she struggled with her captors. “Help me!” There was something so primal, so desperate, in her cry that Tiki stepped toward the three faeries. She wanted Larkin’s screams to stop.

“Tiki—” Rieker grabbed her arm and stopped her. “You can’t.” He stood poised with his knife extended, as if debating himself whether to intervene, but in that instant the two men were able to clamp the claw onto Larkin’s wings, and with a howl of pain she slumped forward, unconscious.

“Wait,” Tiki cried. “Where’s Clara?” She tried to pull away from Rieker’s grip, but he slid his arms around her and held her tight. “I need her to tell me where Clara is.”

The silver-haired faerie supported Larkin’s limp frame and motioned toward Marcus’s still body on the floor, now surrounded by green iridescent faerie blood. The other man scuttled over to the dead faerie’s body and hefted him over his shoulder. The first faerie shifted his gaze to Rieker and Tiki.

“Clara,” Tiki cried, tears running down her cheeks. He didn’t acknowledge Tiki’s question. Instead he stared at them for a moment as though memorizing their faces. Then the two faeries along with their prisoner and cargo shimmered out of view and were gone.

The silence was as deafening as the din before.

As the realization of what had just occurred sank in, Tiki turned to Rieker in panic. She clutched at his arm, fear contorting her face. “What just happened? Who were those men that took Larkin? Where is she?” At his wince of pain, she realized she was digging her fingernails into the wounds on his arm, but she didn’t release her grip. “How will we get Clara back now?”

Before Rieker could reply, a strange choking noise came from behind them. As one they turned to see Leo, bracing himself against the door frame. His eyes were locked on the floor where the still figure of Marcus had sprawled moments ago. Green blood still marked the spot.

Leo’s face was an ashen gray color. His chest heaved as he spoke, his words heavy with horror and disbelief.

“Was that a dead faerie?”

Chapter Thirty-eight

“I
THINK
I’m going to be sick.” Leo staggered from the room. Rieker returned his focus to Tiki.

He reached out and put his hands on her arms, as if to steady her. “We’ll find her, Tiki,” he said. “I promise you.”

Tiki was unable to stop the tears pooling in her eyes. “What if Larkin took her to the Otherworld?” she whispered. “What if we can never find her again?”

“She wouldn’t have done that. She was wanted in the Otherworld. It was risking her life to go there. Besides, faeries can’t care for mortals. Clara was sick. She would have had to keep her here.” Rieker smoothed the hair out of her face. “I’m sure of it.”

“But where? Where is she?” Tiki wanted to believe him.

Rieker reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “I’ve learned that Larkin likes to hide in plain sight. She likes to take risks. It’s almost a game to her—catch me if you can, I’m right under your nose.”

He rubbed Tiki’s back, his warm hand reassuring her. “It was that way when she pretended to live on the estate next to mine when I was a boy. Then she brazenly brought Clara here after she kidnapped her, knowing I was gone for weeks at a time.” His tone became regretful. “Because she knew I would never think to look for her in my own house.” He heaved a long sigh. “I think it amuses her to make people look stupid.”

He gripped Tiki’s shoulders and held her away from him so he could look into her face. “Clara is somewhere obvious, I’m sure of it. We just have to think like Larkin.”

“But Clara must be alone now. She’s so little. What if she’s scared?” Tiki’s voice started to rise hysterically. “What if she wanders away and we never find her?”

“Calm down, Tiki. It’s the middle of the night. I would bet that Clara is asleep somewhere. Larkin intended to trade Clara for the ring. She wouldn’t have left her someplace where she would get lost. It just doesn’t make any sense.” Rieker put his lips close to her ear. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you find Clara. If it’s the last thing I do.”

For a second, Tiki leaned against him. How she wanted to believe him. To believe
in
him. With a sob, she let her head rest on his warm chest, the steady beat of his heart echoing in her ear. “But what about you and Larkin?” she asked in a whisper.

“Tiki, there is no me and Larkin. She wanted you to believe that—to use us against each other to get the ring.” Rieker shifted his position so he could look into Tiki’s face. “I’ve talked to her several times, put up with her advances, to try and learn where she was hiding Clara.” He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “But it was for one purpose and only one. To help you.”

Tears flooded from Tiki’s eyes again. Was it possible?

Rieker smiled at her. A gentle, warm smile, his eyes clear of the shadows that normally lurked there. “Don’t cry, Tiki. Do you remember our walk in the park? When I told you what had happened to my family?”

Tiki nodded.

“And do you remember the reason I kept returning to Charing Cross? Why I was following you?”

Tiki gave another nod, smaller this time. A small bubble of hope rose in her chest.

“Everything I told you was true.”

“You don’t love Larkin?”

“No.” Rieker shook his head. “There’s only one person I love, Tiki.” He made a noise that sounded like something between a laugh and a sob. “And I denied it as long as I could. But I don’t want to live without you.” His thumb caressed her cheek. “It’s you I love. No one else.”

His lips found hers then with a warmth and passion that confirmed his words. Tiki’s arms slipped around his neck and pulled him close, her emotions burning through her. She’d been afraid to admit it to herself, but she had wanted him to love her so much.

He crushed her tight to his chest, his lips against her hair. “I love you, Tiki,” he whispered. “Not Larkin. Never Larkin. Only you.”

Tiki slid her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his bloodied white shirt, breathing in his scent. Rieker was here, with her. And they loved each other.

Someone cleared his throat. “I hate to break up this charming moment, but I need some questions answered.”

Tiki and Rieker turned to find Leo, standing in the entrance to the hallway, looking thoroughly shell-shocked.

“Leo, yes, of course.” Rieker strode over to him. He slid an arm over the prince’s shoulders, motioning to Tiki with his head. “Let’s go back to my sitting room and talk.” He led Leo down the hallway, with Tiki following behind.

*   *   *

H
ALF
an hour later, Tiki took a sip of her hot tea and wished again that Leo would stop staring at her.

“So, old Mamie was right
,
” Leo repeated, setting his teacup down with a revealing clatter.

“Faeries.” Rieker nodded his head in acknowledgment, looking over at Tiki with a gentle smile. He reached out and wrapped his warm fingers around hers. “We’ve been caught in the middle of a battle as old as time.”

“Faeries,” Leo repeated, but he didn’t sound as though he disbelieved Rieker’s answer. “Around us all the time, you think?”

Rieker nodded.

“Go on, then, why don’t we see them?”

“Part of the truce that’s held within the ring, Leo. They choose when we see them and when we don’t. And sometimes we do and don’t realize who we’re looking at.” Rieker leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Tonight was a bit of an exception. Just as we battle other countries for power, so do the fey. Their world is more ancient and complex than ours, as they straddle both worlds. But tonight the battle spilled over into London.”

“And what was the battle for?” Leo asked.

Rieker looked over at Tiki. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her fist. Like a flower unfolding under the warmth of the sun, she slowly unfurled her fingers to reveal the queen’s ring.

“Mother’s ring,” Leo gasped. With shaking fingers, he reached out to pluck the band from her palm. He stared at the flames embedded in the heart of the stone, still burning brightly. His brow drew down in a frown as a thousand different possibilities rushed across his face. Finally he lifted his eyes to Tiki’s with an accusing stare. “You did steal this, didn’t you?”

Rieker interrupted before Tiki could answer. “Now, Leo, don’t jump to conclusions. We’ve risked our lives to keep the ring safe from the likes of Larkin and Marcus and others.” He nodded at Tiki. “You should be thanking her for returning the ring safely to you.”

“But if you didn’t steal it, how did you end up with it?”

Rieker smiled at Tiki. “Probably best not to question everything. Leo, just be glad it’s safe again.”

Leo looked from Rieker to Tiki, as if debating whether to push for more information or not. His gaze dropped to Tiki’s clothes. “And those clothes?” Before either of them could answer, Leo shook his head and raised his hand to stop their answers. “No, on second thought, don’t tell me. It’s probably better if I don’t know that part, either. What’s important is that we have the ring back. That’s all that matters, really.”

He turned to look at Tiki. “You
were
the boy I met in the park that day, I can see that now.” His eyes dropped to her wrist. “I knew you and Elizabeth were the same person. You
had
to be with that mark.” He hesitated a moment before shaking his head. “But what is your real name?”

Tiki flushed and smiled at Leo. “My name is Tara Kathleen.” She leaned forward and whispered loud enough for Rieker to hear, “But just call me Tiki. I don’t need any fancy titles among friends.”

The corner of Leo’s mouth turned up as she echoed the very words he had spoken to Elizabeth at the masked ball.

“Tiki,” he repeated. “Tiki of the faerie ring.” He said the words softly, in an almost bemused voice. He reached forward and took her hand, looking deep into her eyes. “I suspect there is much more to your story that I’ve yet to hear.” He raised her hand to his lips, his eyes holding hers. “I look forward to learning all about you.”

*   *   *

T
IKI
twisted the edge of her coat in her hands as she waited for Rieker to return from escorting Leo out. Larkin was gone. The ring had been returned to Leo. Where was Clara? Her eyes burned as she fought to keep from crying again. She had failed the little girl. After all this, she had lost Clara. She dropped her head into her hands and sobbed as though her heart had broken.

“Tiki…” Rieker came into the sitting room and slid his hand along her hunched back. “Tiki, don’t cry.” He took her into his arms, shushing her like a child, holding her close.

“But I l-love her,” she sobbed. “I was supposed to take c-care of her.”

“You did take care of her. You saved Clara’s life. More than once.” Rieker guided her over to the couch and sat next to her, an arm around her shoulders.

“E-even Larkin said she was my responsibility that day in Mr. Potts’ bookstore.” Tiki’s breath came out in hiccuping gasps.

“Shhh…” He pulled Tiki against him, his hand caressing her hair. “We’ve got to think of someplace obvious that Larkin would have hidden her tonight. Maybe she said something that was a clue.”

“I can’t remember anything,” Tiki sniffed.

“Think, Tiki. There’s got to be
something
.”

They lapsed into silence. Tiki let her mind drift back over the events of the day: from Larkin finding her in the station to tell her Clara was sick, to the disturbing reality of the Otherworld, to watching those strange men in their silver tunics fight with Larkin and ultimately subdue her. She tried not to think of stabbing Marcus.

Suddenly she sat upright in alarm.

Where were Shamus and the others now? Were they still out in the cold at Buckingham Palace, looking for Rieker?

“I’ve got to go check on—” Another thought struck her. Toots, Shamus, and Fiona had gone to Buckingham Palace to watch for Rieker. She had come to Grosvenor Square. Charing Cross had been left empty. Had Larkin known?

“Rieker…” Tiki clutched at his arm, hope making her gasp for breath. “I think I might know where Clara is.” Her words were rushed as she explained what she was thinking.

“There’s only one way to find out.”

*   *   *

T
HE
snow was coming down hard and fast, coating everything in a sparkling blanket of purest white. The ruts that other carriages had cut into the covered roads were quickly filling in as the night wore on and the snow continued to fall.

Had it been under any other circumstances, Tiki would have laughed at the utter disbelief on the driver’s face when he had been rousted from the bed he’d just crawled into and commanded to drive Rieker and some unknown street urchin to Charing Cross. But as it was, she had to press her lips together to keep from urging the man to hurry.

The ride was agonizingly slow as the horses worked to pull the carriage along the slippery streets. Tiki picked nervously at the blanket that covered her knees as she worried again where Shamus, Toots, and Fiona were. They were resourceful, she reminded herself. They had all learned to survive.

“Tiki.” Rieker slid a hand over her nervous fingers. “We’ll find Clara. If she’s not here, she’s someplace else. It’s just a matter of elimination.”

Tiki bit her lip, afraid that if she tried to talk, she would cry. If Clara wasn’t in Charing Cross, where else could they look?

After what felt like forever, the carriage pulled up to the front of the station. Tiki jumped from the carriage step before the wheels came to a complete stop.

“Hurry.” She grabbed Rieker’s hand and pulled him along behind her through the alley.

“Please let her be here, please let her be here,” she mumbled as she ran. They slipped through the maintenance tunnels, and Tiki pushed their back door open. For a second, she just stared at the scene before her.

Several candles were lit, giving the room a soft yellow glow. Shamus, Fiona, and Toots were sitting around a small form covered with blankets near the stove. For just a second, her heart dropped.