Page 62 of Magic and Muffins

“I’d like you right where you are, and how I’d like you is honest,” Shepard replied to her.

“Mmm, sounds interesting. Do you want to know how I’m touching myself?”

Vena pantomimed gagging, and I nodded.

“I want to know what you know about a fae relic that can pull an entire race into the fae realm.”

She was silent for a moment. “Pardon?”

“A very old fae relic, Effora. It’s rumored to be why the treaty was created in the first place.”

“The fae made it so they could pull all the humans into the fae realm,” Vena said. “The vampires got mad—I wonder if that’s where the story about Vlad the Impaler comes from. Maybe he wasn’t killing people but the fae who stole his meals. Anyway, the fae agreed not to use it, and here we are, all happily living in the same world. What happened to the relic?”

“I don’t know what relic you’re referring to.”

Effora was brash and abrasive most of the time. Haughty the rest of the time. She was rarely nervous, but that was exactly how she sounded. Shepard heard it too.

“I think you do know,” Shepard said, “and you’re worried. You should be. The Hunters, a well-renowned pair of treasure hunters, were hired by a private party to find the relic over a decade ago. They went missing after that. What are the chances they found what they were sent to find?”

She was quiet for a long moment. Vena opened her mouth to say something, but Shepard silenced her with a look.

Effora huffed. “The chances are high. Why else would the bitch want the rings or be willing to reveal her kind to the world after centuries in the dark?”

My stomach dropped as I understood what she was saying. Orphia was the one after the relic. She was the one responsible for Grandma and Grandpa Hunter’s disappearance. I glanced at Vena and saw her anger.

“Once she has all the stones, she’ll open the portals and send us all back, Shepard,” Effora said. “We can’t let that happen.”

“All the fae? Or all otherworlders?” I asked.

“Why leave anyone to compete for a food source? If the fae and werewolves are gone, the vampires have free control over the humans.”

“Is that why she’s starting to kill fae now too?” Vena asked. “Why not wait until she has the rings?”

“Never question the motivations of a fanatic. The bitch will do everything in her power to satiate her blood lust. Lust is a powerful motivator.”

“If you have suggestions for stopping her, we’re listening,” Cross said.

“As you know, we love our relics. I have something here that might help. Might. I make no guarantees, but it’s yours if you want it. You’ll need a human to transport it. It’s not dangerous to humans, but it is to our kind.

“It should help you locate Orphia and destroy her.”

“When can we have it?” Shepard asked.

“Immediately if you’d like. I’ll be home all evening.”

“We’ll come right away,” Shepard said.

She sighed audibly, her mood shifting. “If only that were true. Your coming is something I dream about, Shepard. It would be abundant and delicious.”

I reached over and hung up on her.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said. “I’ll be the human handling the artifact to make sure she doesn’t grope you again.

Shepard grinned at me. “I was hoping you’d protect me.”

“While you’re doing that, I’ll scout the pick-up location for later,” Cross said.

“Anchor and I will stay here,” Vena said. “Make sure you’re really loud when you all come back so you don’t walk into anything you don’t want to see.”

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