Page 10 of A Hint of Delirium

“Vi, are you paying attention to me?” Ansel cut into my thoughts.

“Huh? Yeah, I am.”

He sighed. “Let’s get you home. I think I’ve taken up most of your day.”

We walked out of the bakery and turned the corner to 83rd, which was the street I lived on. Surprisingly the streets were empty. It was a residential area, but usually there were joggers and dog walkers sprinkled here and there. I was enjoying the bright, sunny day and the company of a fascinating person, which probably explained why I wasn’t paying much attention ahead of us. Ansel was rambling about different possibilities for my condition when a portal opened up in front of us and four men ran out. The instant they were on this side, the portal slammed shut behind them with a loud crack.

The men looked normal, and when I say normal, I meant human. But so did Ansel, so that didn’t mean much. They wore black tactical gear like they were in the military or something, but since they emerged from a portal, I assumed they were fae. High Fae. Whatever.

“Ansel!” One of them strode forward purposefully. He had long, white-blond hair and the same pointed ears Ansel had. “I knew we’d eventually find you, although this isn’t exactly where I thought you’d be.” The blond looked around the neighborhood disdainfully, then his eyes landed on me.

Ansel extended his arm in front of me protectively and pushed me behind him.

The newcomer’s face wore a salacious sneer. “And who might this be?”

“None of your concern, Cael,” Ansel snapped. “I don’t have what you’re looking for. I haven’t found it yet.”

Cael tsked. “That’s a shame. I guess we’ll just have to take you as a consolation prize.”

It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to even blink. Ansel pushed me back as three of the fae came toward us in a run, then he slammed his palms on the concrete sidewalk and tree roots shot out from the cracks between the slabs. The roots slithered and wrapped around the bodies of our attackers, stopping them in their tracks and circling their throats, cutting off their air supply.

Cael snarled and then he ignited—quite literally. His whole body lit on fire, but Ansel wasn’t too far behind. The concrete began to crack and rumble. In seconds, the pieces floated and arrayed themselves around Ansel like a coat of armor—made of concrete and rocks.

When Cael charged him, Ansel backhanded him, sending him flying down the block. Ansel released some of the rocks coating his hand and opened a portal. Without a second thought, he snatched my hand and we both jumped in.

5

VIOLET

“What the heck wasthat?” I shrieked once we shot out of the portal and landed in the living room of an unfamiliar apartment. The space was vast, with a sleek, industrial warehouse vibe with expansive windows that overlooked the city. We definitely weren’t in Queens anymore.

“Those were Unseelie guards.” Ansel shed all the concrete and rock that coated his body and it shattered on the floor. Acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, he waltzed into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. He offered me one, but I declined.

In stark contrast to his easy demeanor, I was not quite as relaxed. “What is an unseelie?”

He took a swig of water. “The fae are separated into two courts—Seelie and Unseelie—Light and Dark. I belong to the Seelie Court, but those guards who attacked us belong to the Unseelie Court. They’re very bad fae.”

I wrapped my arms around my middle and scanned the apartment for anything unusual. “How do I know you’re not a bad fae?”

“You don’t.” He grinned as he leaned against the kitchen island and stared at me intently. “But I’m not. If I were Unseelie and found you, I would have taken you to the Otherworld and held you prisoner with the other humans.”

“There arehumanswhere you come from?” I gasped.

He nodded. “Yes, but they’re … more like our servants. They’re worth much less than a brownie.”

“A what?” My mouth fell open in surprise, picturing a delectable sweet treat being held prisoner.

Ansel sighed. “This is a lot to explain. How about I just get you settled for now?” He set his water bottle down and walked over to a linen closet where he pulled out a blanket and a pillow. He flung them onto the couch. “You can sleep in my room. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

I did a double take. “Wait, what? No way, dude. I’m going home! Where are we, anyway?”

Ansel sighed again, which did funny things to my stomach. “We’re in Hell’s Kitchen, and no, you can’t go home. Cael got a good look at you, which means he’ll be out roaming the streets to find you. This is the only place I can keep you safe until we figure something out.”

He reached back into the linen closet and handed me a bundle of towels, which I accepted reluctantly. “I can’t just sleep over at your house!” I spluttered.

He quirked a brow. “Why not?”

I looked down at the towels, searching for an answer that wouldn’t make me sound like an idiot. “Because my mom will be worried, that’s why. Trust me when I say she wouldnotbe okay with this.” I was starting to freak out, but luckily I kept most of it bottled up inside.

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