Page 23 of Kisses at the Crossroads

The laugh comes without my permission. “I’m trying to help your brother, so I’d appreciate it if you backed off.”

“Take me to him!”

“Can’t.”

“Why not? You know where he is. We’ve been worried sick about him since the day—” They cut themselves off.

“Since the day you were introduced as a courtesan.”

Their eyes go wide. “You do know him.”

“I do, but not well. There’s something you should know. But first?—”

“Don’t try to bargain with me, demon.” They lift their dagger again.

I roll my eyes. “Name, pronouns.” Since once more I find myself having a whole ass conversation with a Fae instead of getting right to the point.

Their mouth drops open. “Wren he him.”

“Pike, also he him.”

His eyes go wide again and his hand flies to his mouth. “What trickery is this? How did you get my true name from me?”

“That’s all you, buddy.” I pat his shoulder as he looks at me, dazed. “But there’s nothing to worry from me. I have no desire to use it against you.”

He shakes his head. “My brother. Take me to him.”

“See, that could be a problem. I can tell you he’s in Hex, Indiana?—”

Immediately Wren poofs out.

I sigh and look to Frankie, who just huffs out a breath.

“Three. Two. O?—”

“You lied!” Wren glares at me with his arms crossed. It takes everything in me not to laugh in his face at how much he and Trick pout alike.

“If you had let me finish, I would have told you he has not only a soul tether to an asshole born witch but also said witch has him behind so many magic walls to keep out people looking for him you won’t be able to detect him.”

What strength Wren has drains from him as his knees buckle. I catch him with my tail so he doesn’t hit the ground too hard.

“A soul tether? How?” Wren pushes my tail away. “And how do you know my brother to begin with?”

“Funny story, that.” I wave a hand in front of us. “Mind if we walk and talk? Frankie hasn’t had a proper walk in a day.”

The question must throw Wren off because he nods and we continue down the block. “Your brother, he goes by Trick in the human realm, summoned me the other day to get him home.”

“But you didn’t help him?”

“I am helping him. Unless you rather I took his virginity then dropped him headless in the Fae lands? Because the soul tether would have beheaded him the moment we left the human realm.” I shrug. “Plus, the sacrifice would have been empty, so I denied him.”

“You denied him?”

“Temporarily. I’m working on a solution to dissolve the soul tether, but there isn’t much information on it. I told him we’d come up with a bargain later. After we get rid of the soul tether.”

“I’m here now, so he doesn’t need you to bargain a way home.”

“You can’t even sense him in the human realm. You need me to do more than get rid of the soul tether.”

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