Page 19 of Pining for the Prince
Footsteps made Chase flinch, but they died away, and he snatched up a bag Gwil hadn’t noticed before. It was a duffel, the sort of bag someone kept all their worldly goods in. “Do you have somewhere to go?”
“Not in London, I’m heading north to stay with a friend. I had intended to find a dark corner to sleep in and then carry on my travels when the trains start.”
“You’re using human transport? Why?” Most fae had magic, not all on Hyax’s level, but he should have access to the portals for general travel.
Chase held out his arm and he saw the Greek letter Sigma tattooed on his wrist. “Understand?”
“What did you do to have your magic limited? That’s a five-year sentence.”
“Nothing so bad. I’m a little light-fingered, and not tight-lipped—you could say that’s what got me into trouble with those orc gentlemen.”
“You stole from orcs?”
Chase snorted. “I am neither stupid nor suicidal.” He winced and clutched his side. The fae healed fast, but not in damp corners.
Gwil’s interest was piqued. “I can offer you a sofa to sleep on.”
“That’s very trusting. Perhaps you should have offered me your bed.”
“You’re in no fit state to share a bed with me.”
“Pity. I’ve heard great things about vampire sex.”
Gwil shook his head and began to walk away. “Come on if you’re coming. You’ll be right as rain in a few hours with some sleep.”
“Have you got anything to eat at your place?” Chase asked falling into step alongside him.
“I daresay I can rustle something up. As long as you’re not fussy.”
“That’s one thing I’m not.”
They weren’t far from his place and it was a good job because Chase started limping, although the orcs could have caused much worse damage, and it occurred to Gwil that it was either a warning or a message. He stopped outside his front door. “Before I let you in, what did you do to earn a beating from the orcs?”
“I may have access to certain information that could fetch a decent price to the right people. As you saw, I’ve had my magic limited which means I have far fewer opportunities to make money.”
For the little Gwil knew about the fae legal system, those in Chase’s position remained in the fae realm, exactly for those reasons. “Then why come to the human world? Why not live out your time with the fae where you wouldn’t need money?”
“That was part of my punishment.”
He decided they’d stood outside long enough, and thought he could get more on the information Chase had sold with the offer of food. The fae weren’t interested in giving a straight answer. If needed, he could see if Hyax had any insight or had a way to find some.
They took the stairs to his flat that was over his office. He pointed to the lounge. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll see what I have in.”
The pickings weren’t great, since most of his sustenance came from blood he didn’t need to keep much real food in the house, but he did have a penchant for soup and so a few minutes later he returned with a bowl of mulligatawny and some not-as-stale-as-it-could’ve-been bread.
His offering was gratefully received. “Brilliant, thank you. Humans are quite versatile with their food. Beats honeysuckle blossom and nectar.”
“Oh, you’re a flower fae? I hadn’t realised.” He should’ve realised, now he was inside and closer he could smell the faint waft of roses, and that meant he was a member of Hyax’s tribe, and one of the higher-status fae. He wondered if he had a rank. “A summer dancer?”
“It’s been a while since I have gone by that mantle. But in essence, you’re correct.”
They were part of the elite so it was even more surprising Chase was in this predicament. Gwil sat opposite him at his small dining table that was used more for balancing piles of paper than for eating. The more he learnt the more he wantedto know. “Time to answer my questions. If you do I’ll pay triple your train fare to wherever you’re going.”
“Have you a need to know, or are you just nosey?”
“One does not negate the other. But start talking, or I’ll toss you back outside and you can shiver your fae arse off and we’ll see how quickly you recover in the cold. I hear it might snow.”
Chase watched Gwil over his spoon as he took several mouthfuls of soup. “What is it you want to know?”
