Page 71 of Bargain with Fate
Vale was silent for a moment. “The elf can’t die?”
“Possibly. I’m looking into it.”
“And what makes you so confident the woman’s in my territory?”
“Because Leanne isn’t a satellite. She can’t beam into someone’s mind from halfway around the world.”
“I’m sure there are species that can.”
“Leanne isn’t one of them. She needs physical proximity to form a connection. She’s a leannán sídhe.”
“And her name is Leanne? She isn’t making much of an effort to hide her identity, is she?”
“She’s arrogant. She’s been playing this game a long time and has never been caught.”
“More fae,” Vale mused. “Why now? They disappear for ages, and now suddenly they’re everywhere we turn.”
I dared to speak the words I’d been trying to deny. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence, Vale.”
“You think the fae are targeting Savannah?”
“They don’t seem to be working in concert—yet—but I definitely believe there’s a reason for their sudden presence.” Thornborn. Unwoven. Thread-Thieves. Now leannán sídhe. Different types of fae popping up in a small city within a short time frame was a red flag.
“I’ll put someone on it.”
“What about Gage?” Gage was Vale’s right hand. He was also a type of faerie called a gancanagh, also known as a Love Talker. He wasn’t dissimilar to Leanne—his kind fed off seduction. Gage could suck a man or woman dry as a bone, which sounded more titillating than the reality. I pictured poor Ronald, wasting away. Nothing romantic about that at all. To his credit, I gotthe impression Gage employed alternate means to ensure his survival. The sex part was purely for pleasure.
“Gage can be trusted, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I’m not questioning his loyalty. I’m asking if he might have insider information. Maybe he can root out Leanne faster than we can.”
“He doesn’t have a homing beacon for fae, but I’ll see what he can do. What do I get in return?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I asked what I’ll get in return for diverting my resources to aid your elf.”
My hackles were hackling. “You’re the Protector of the Region, remember? You’re the one who petitioned the HOA and insisted the island fall under your territory.”
“Then this is an official request for assistance?”
“Of course. What else would it be?”
“A personal favor on behalf of your friend, which I’m happy to honor, I might add. Just curious what you’re offering in exchange.”
His tone wasn’t threatening. If anything, it was—wait. Was heflirtingwith me? No, Vale was a demigod. His game had to be better than I’ll-scratch-your-back-if-you-scratch-mine, preferably naked.
“If this faerie is in your jurisdiction, she’s a threat to the safety of your people, Vale. I’d hardly toss that in the bucket of personal favors.” There. A professional response. Someone clap for me.
“Fair enough. I’ll let you know what I find out,” he said, back to all business. “On that note, I should probably share that we had a visit from your oni yesterday.”
My blood pressure spiked. “You’re kidding. I thought they were gone.”
“Seems they only relocated to the mainland.”
“Anyone hurt?”
“No. They put the fear of the gods into people and then left. We almost managed to capture one, but it disappeared like a ghost.”
