Page 17 of Royal Ransom

She was right, and I knew it. Knew it and hated it. No matter how well we hid, there was a limit to that lifestyle. There was always the ever-present shadow of fear hanging over it all. And one day I had to assume that Janara would find us. Only then we wouldn’t have the benefit of a whole town of supernaturals standing behind us. The only creature who could guarantee some kind of normal life was a sadistic, manipulative vampire deity intent on wearing me as a meat suit.

“Then what are you suggesting? I’m not turning you over to get them back.” I shot an apologetic look at the vampire. “Sorry, but I’m not handing Taliyah over to be killed.”

“Fox wouldn’t want that either,” Charlie said.

She sounded so sure of that. How close had this vampire gotten to my uncle? Did she love him? Would that love make her do something stupid at a crucial moment?

“Then what?” Tally asked. “Waiting for Janara to storm the town isn’t going to work either. It won’t get Cain back from Wren.”

“We sneak into faerie.”

The words came from the far end of the room. I turned intime to see Astrid striding in from the patio. She was clutching a fine, golden chain in one hand and wore one of the biggest, toothiest smiles I’d ever seen.

I raised a brow at her. “And how exactly would we do that? Janara will absolutely have all ways in and out watched.”

“All but one,” Astrid responded

“Explain,” Angelo said.

She nodded to all of us in turn. “I talked to a professor of mine from Blood Rose.”

“I thought the university was done?” someone piped up from the back.

“No,” Astrid said as she shook her head. “They’ve just moved location. They’ve set up temporarily in New Jersey, courtesy of Guy Velardi.”

“Who?” Roy asked.

Wanda gave him a look. “The husband of the High Witch of the Sub Rosa Coven—Scarlett Velardi. Really—don’t you people follow any current events?”

Astrid nodded. “I had to do a lot of political haggling to get the summer session to continue at all. But luckily Basil used to be a servitor to the lords of Autumn. He let it slip that he might be able to help, but that we’re going to need to meet him in person.” Then she looked at me. “Basil thinks he can get you into faerie.”

My eyes narrowed. No way in hell would an administrator of the Sidhe be doing this out of the goodness of his heart. The faerie were tricky people, usually angling to play pranks or cut deals as the mood struck them. He was looking to capitalize on this situation. I just wasn’t sure that we could afford to ignore the possibility. No matter what his terms might be, they couldn’t be as steep as the one Janara wanted us to pay.

“How?”

“And even if we believe he’s sincere,” Tally said, “I’m surewe’re being monitored. I can’t exactly sneak off into winter to visit him in New Jersey, can I?”

Astrid actually bounced a little on the balls of her feet, her red hair almost quivering with enthusiasm. “That’s where this beauty comes in.” She then held up the chain and it glinted in the light. “Meredith’s mom mailed it to us a few days ago. It was worn by Lady Hellebore, one of Janara’s toadies, and it made her look like an autumn noble. It’s so powerful that it even fooled Uncle Fox for a while.”

“So, what are you proposing?” I asked.

“I’m proposing that you leave here in disguise. They’d have to get really close to know it wasn’t you—or that it wasn’t your magic under the disguise.” She looked at the chain then, twirling it in the air. “I think with Wanda’s help, I can split the necklace in half.” She looked back up at me. “You take part of it. Sneak into faerie as someone else if you can.”

Tally looked thoughtful. She was actually considering it. No. A thousand times no.

“And why would you keep the other half?” Tally asked.

Astrid shrugged. “Someone has to play the part of you or my brother.”

“I’m not dangling you like bait, Astrid!” I snapped. “You did that once already. It got you killed. I’m not going through that a second time.”

Astrid crossed her arms over her chest, facing off against me with her usual sullen, bratty demeanor. It didn’t matter how serious the fights got; somehow, she’d always be my irritating little sister at the end of the day.

“I’m not going to be alone, dummy. I was actually thinking we could make a big stink. Say the police chief was attacked by a gang. Mundanes will be on high alert. We could even get the hunters involved.”

“The hunters?” Roy repeated.

Astrid nodded. “Jonathan Moses won’t like it that Janara is threatening one of his finest hunters. He and Fox are close—well, as close as Fox can get to someone.”

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