Page 33 of Secrets and Ruin

“Can you break the…curse, glamour, spell, charm, or whatever keeps us from reading it?” I asked, swallowing.

“I could, but it’ll break all the protective glamours on it,” the fae said. “If you want to finally smell whose flesh it is, that would be the next course of action, but it would be an odd thing to keep hold of.”

“What’s the second reason this is terrible?” Heath asked. “You said one, it’s flesh, but that implies there are more and are probably worse.”

The fae seemed uncertain, closing his eyes as he fought some sort of internal struggle, then he rubbed his face, sighing.

“Have you heard of the legends around something humans like to call the Wild Hunt?” the fae asked, finally opening his eyes. “Well, it’s not always as the legends go, as you know. They have more than one trick, though only the one is often shown to the world.”

“What do you mean?” My voice shook.

“Whoever made that bargain is technically already a member of the Hunt, and they are still on their Hunt at the same time. It gave them all the power and time they might need to do it. If they want to take their time, they can, and when the right time strikes, they will continue the hunt again. The power they might have been given by the hunt, the assistance… that’s never been confirmed. From stories I’ve heard, it’s different per person. If they succeed, they can keep the power and escape the curse. If they fail and die, they join the Hunt for eternity. You would be amazed how many fail, even with all they are given to succeed. I don’t know of anyone who succeeded, but there must be some out there.”

“Break the glamour,” I ordered, holding them out.

The fae took a deep breath, and those webs of magic appeared.

“Luckily, the glamour was placed by someone weaker than the being who wrote the bargain,” the fae murmured. “Maybe the person who sold their soul.”

The smell was first to come back. The magic could no longer hide it, and my denial was washed away as tears threatened my eyes.

“No.” Heath exhaled.

“I’m going to kill him,” Landon snarled.

Fenris’s flesh rested in my hands.

“Do any of you know a Rainer Brandt?” the fae asked softly. “Because he was given fae magic, and he’s probably the one who cursed those werewolves. Simple sleeping spells like that… it’s a dangerous thing to give someone but it makes complete sense at the same time.”

I didn’t know a Rainer Brandt.

Though, I believe I witnessed him once before…

“I’m flying to Berlin. Landon, call the airport and have them ready the jet,” I ordered, leaving no room for argument.

14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“I’m going with her,” Landon said quickly. “I’m going to drive home and pack some things. We need weapons and gear. We have no idea what we’re going to find.”

“I’ll come get you and drive us to the airport,” I said, nodding. “We need to be in the air as quickly as possible, and making you drive back will be slow.”

“Keep her safe,” Heath said, his eyes on me. “And bring Dirk home alive. Bring that boy home alive.”

“Of course. I’ll get them home.” Landon, like a good soldier, stood at attention and gave a sharp nod of confirmation to his father.

“He wouldn’t be the focus,” I said. “He can’t be. He’s not old enough.”

“We don’t know if that matters,” Heath pointed out. He was gentle and calm as if this new threat had provided him something to stand on in the strange storm where we now found ourselves.

My fingers curled, wrinkling the dirty bargain in my hands.

“It better matter,” I snarled at it, not wanting to direct my fury at my fiancé. I took a moment to collect myself, knowing I still had a lot to do before Landon and I could leave. Taking a deep breath, I looked up at the helpful fae.

“Thank you for this information and help. I promise it will never leave those of us here right now. Your employer won’t know of the help you’ve given us nor our enemies.”

“A favor, then? One for the future?” The fae was shaking as if the sudden seriousness of the situation scared him. The magic had already spooked him, but now I could see his genuine fear that he’d gotten tangled into a situation with the werecat ruling family.

---