Page 17 of Beauty At Stake
“We are helping them.”
“We are. Not the Fey.”
“Ah. I see.”
Murdock sighed. “They just want as much support on this as possible, and I don't blame them. A Demon's involvement has escalated things.”
“Should I speak to the High Fairy Council?”
“No. They're all here. I've just come from a meeting with them. I believe the Fairy Council will send a team in. Expect them soon.” A pause. “You're in Thailand, right?”
“Yes.”
He chuckled. “Have you met the Thai Fey before?”
I thought about it. “No, I don't think so. Thailand has distinctive fairies?”
“Ambassador, your people are all over this planet. And the planet is all over them.” He laughed harder.
“What?”
“You'll see,” Murdock said. “I served in Thailand for a short time.” It was the most interesting experience of my life.”
“You know that's a Chinese curse, right?”
“No, Ambassador. The curse is 'May you live in interesting times.'”
“Yeah. As I said.”
Murdock laughed again, even harder. “Good luck, Seren.”
“Thank you, sir. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
“Who was that?”
I yipped and spun around to find Star standing behind me. And surprise, surprise, he wasn't wearing a suit. Still, he made the black leather Sayadi uniform look elegant. Elegant and fucking sexy. I glanced down, taking in everything from his form-fitting leather jacket to his matte boots. And then I jerked my stare back up to where it belonged.
Star's lips twitched.
I grimaced at him. “That was High Councilman Murdock. He said to expect a hunter team.”
“Good.” Star glanced at the garden. “Then I don't have to kill the fairies in the garden.”
“What?” I peered around the garden, the floodlights putting everything into sharp relief. But the illumination only went out a few feet. Beyond the fading edge of light was a dark forest and road. I stared into the darkness using my enhanced vision, and adding my psychic sight to it. There, near a twisting tree trunk, I caught the glimmer of a glamour. “If you're reporting for duty, maybe you should, oh, I dunno, fucking show yourselves and stop being such rude creepers!” Then I muttered to myself, “Damn it. I'm sliding back into the habit of using real swear words.”
“Real as opposed to the silliness you usually employ?” Star drawled.
“It's easier to stop swearing around the kids if I stop swearing period.”
“Ah. Yes. The joys of parenthood.” Star's expression was sardonic—as usual—but I saw the longing beneath the mask.
Then rustling sound caught our attention. A group of people appeared. All of them were on the slim side, delicately boned with Thai features. But they weren't humans. If they had been, I wouldn't have been able to catch that gleam of magic with my second sight. The Fairies stepped forward—a team of eight—and inclined their heads to us before coming over the bridge.
A woman in the lead separated herself from the others and stepped up to Star and me. “Greetings, Ambassador. I am Malai, Lady of the Wild Hunt.”
I shook her hand. “Hello, Lady Malai. We're glad to have you with us.”
