Chapter Three

Myra sidestepped towards Nathan and a little backwards. “Whoa, what? You can’t do this. I’m my own person. You can’t offer me up like a reward.”

“Yes, yes, I can. By faery law any human does not have rights within faery worlds. If we were on the human plane, by all means you would be correct, but sadly we are not. My hands are washed of debt, and yours is to be repaid in whatever manner Amoria sees fit.”

Nathan shook beside Myra. “You set me up?” He demanded. “This isn’t about her at all, is it? You set this whole thing up just to make me the fool.”

How had Menon slipped through Nathan’s wording?

“Make you the fool? You do that all on your own, outcast.” The boy sneered.

“Why don’t we take this outside,” Amoria asked, seemingly innocent.

Myra immediately moved to take some sort of action. Nathan brushed his hand against hers to stop her. His eyes darted all around the room. The fae closest to them began to move in, casually and slowly, but discernibly. They would prevent any means of escape to encourage the “organic” outcome of the events. Worming one’s way out a deal by direct means wasn’t always accepted.

“Maybe a change of venue would be in our best interest.” Nathan agreed, gently tugging Myra to an exit.

Thankfully, they had wandered back towards one. Nathan slowly urged Myra through as if not to arouse predators. The fae here were certainly beginning to behave in a predatory manner. Nathan saw violence glitter in some of their eyes. If they thought fae ways were being subverted, especially by a halfling and a halfling guardian, he wasn't sure what they would do.

Only one of Myra's feet protruded from the door when two very unexpected things happened. First, someone pulled Myra through as Nathan guided her on and second, rain pelted down, followed by an instant clap of thunder.

Nathan couldn't see further than a few inches from his face. Wild storms of the fae world, the kind that at times crossed the lines between the worlds and entered into the human one raged around them. As much as the storms caused terrible damage, Nathan couldn't help but feel the most invigorated when they hit. He wanted to be up inside the storm and direct its power for himself. Nathan shook aside the desire for the moment. The storm could be a treat and come in handy if this meeting went further sideways.

“Myra!” Illa exclaimed. “What in the world are you doing here?! We thought you were in the rooms.”

Nathan saw Myra start to pull away from Illa, but instantly stop. Myra glanced back through the gate as the girl and her troll exited it. Myra stepped back into Illa, almost as a romantic couple would hold each other. Myra’s gaze darted toward Nathan, distrust written all over her face. Nathan tried to look reassuring and non-threatening. He hadn’t meant for any of this to happen.

Illa wore a simple blue blouse and jeans. How had she found them? She clearly didn't know Myra had been at a party. Otherwise she would have been dressed to the nines. Unless she wanted the other fae to think she was human if they didn’t know her. Maybe she was looking for Nathan to ward him off from seeing Myra again.

Nathan shook his head. He had to return to the matter at hand. There was no way he was going to let Menon and whoever this girl was outwit him and take Myra away.

Illa pulled Myra under the brief shelter offered by the overhang of the roof. Nathan, Amoria, and a troll, presumably her sidekick, followed close behind. Nathan gathered his will and conjured a kind of umbrella over them. It kept the worst of the rain off them and dampened the sound of the storm. He tried to keep Amoria and the troll in the rain. With trolls even a slight advantage like having rain in their eyes could be helpful.

Illa’s expression tensed when she saw the others. She seemed to take in more than possible in the few seconds she glanced at the party. “I should have known he would take you here. Answers are what you seek, yes?” Her tone became formal, her word choice changing to how Nathan sometimes spoke when talking about Faery. A ploy for Amoria? Her natural self showing through? Maybe she lapsed into the old speech just like Nathan did. “Perhaps the time for answers has come. First, however, what is happening here?”

“I claim what is rightfully mine,” Amoria declared, determined eyes on Myra. She lifted her head importantly. “As soon as I have collected my belongings, the two of you may leave.”

As she spoke, Nathan and Illa moved slightly in front of Myra. They didn’t completely block her view or stand directly side by side.

“You, my dear,” Nathan began in a tone he knew was patronizing, “are greatly mistaken. The only belongings you have are on your person.”

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“I quite agree,” Illa chimed in. “Take care of your words. You would not appreciate the things allowed to me by my station.”

Nothing changed physically about Illa, but Nathan could feel her ready her will and gather magic about herself. Illa was allowed a great deal more leniency when dealing with those who broke fae law than those beneath her. She was a trained guardian even if she wasn’t very high up on that totem pole yet. Nathan kept his mind focused on his “umbrella”, but also broke a piece off to allow him to fight if necessary. If anything, it was akin to how orchestra members play. They focus on their hands and fingers, but also give attention to the other members and director.

Taking a half step forward, but not in front of her companions, Myra spoke up. “I don’t need champions. I know enough to know I am not claimed. We can just go.” She hoped the bluff didn’t make its way into her voice. Faeries weren’t the only ones who played a conversation like a game of poker.

Amoria’s laugh sung like a pearly bell, high, echoing and permeating. “Oh, dear possession, the things you do not perceive are your downfall. For by your own words, you are mine to claim by right, by justice, by law. Even if another did speak for you before you knew the price of your request.” She turned to Illa and Nathan respectively. “You, whose station is truly elevated, but not so law can be cast aside. And you, the outcast who society forgot, attempting to influence what is not in your grasp. A beautiful thing indeed. And you, possession, not even aware of what you are. I shall use you to gain that for which I have longed. Your ignorance is certainly my bliss. Come now. We have decades of lost time to rectify.”

Horrified, Myra turned to look at Illa and Nathan. Nathan tried to look reassuring. There was no way that Amoria had enough of a claim on Myra. And even so, she wouldn’t be able to take Myra from here. Before they had even come outside, Nathan had felt the invisible wall drop,

Amoria took longer than Nathan to travel by magic. She murmured to herself and traced swirls through the air, sparkles bleeding from her fingers. Nathan smirked. What terrible control of magic. Myra’s eyes darted between her friends and would be kidnapper. She had to be wondering what was going on here and why they weren’t doing anything yet. Nathan didn’t want to spoil the surprise for Amoria. It would be fun when she realized that she couldn’t do what she wanted to.

Illa stood still, looking almost bored now. She hadn’t moved a muscle. Nathan almost expected her to pull out something to occupy herself with.

The seconds were over. Amoria’s way would open. Myra squeezed her eyes shut, maybe without conscious direction. Nathan reached out a hand to brush hers. He didn’t want to take it. That would be too forward, but he wanted to comfort her all the same.

Nothing changed.

Nathan still grinned; Illa cocked her head, appearing disinterested. More seconds passed. Yes, Nathan was right! He had felt that wall correctly.

Myra’s face lit up and she made to say something, but Amoria beat her to the punch.

“You did this, you did and you cannot rightfully interfere with what is mine.” Amoria whined. Nathan wouldn't have been surprised if she stamped her foot.

“Nope,” Nathan denied, “we didn’t. It was part of the party itself. No one is able to transport in the vicinity, and by consequence out, until the party is properly over. After a certain time, crashers are unwelcome. Surely, you know of that practice. And surely you know that by right of what she is, Myra has every right and ability to fight your claim. And by Illa’s privileges granted to her station, she can convene a trial before a lord to decide who truly claims Myra's life.”

Myra looked to Nathan, shock clearly written on her face. Nathan smiled at her and kept on.

“You can’t take her now, and therefore can’t complete your claim. Once she is back in the human world, your claim won’t be strong enough to transport her against her will.” Nathan said. “A messenger will be along with the date of the trial. Run along now.”

Amoria’s sidekick had remained still and silent. Now he flexed his muscles, scowling.

“Do something!” Amoria whined.

The sidekick stepped forward.

“Nope,” Nathan denied again. “Not with the two of us contesting your claim. Do you truly think you can muscle your way through two fae who can call down the power of the storm itself upon your heads?”

Muscles rocked back a step with a growl. Nathan prepared himself for a possible charge.

Amoria practically shrieked in anger. “I will have your heads for this. I will not forget this insult.”

She beckoned her minion to follow and huffed her way through the woods.

Nathan watched them retreat. He kept his will ready just in case Amoria decided some kind of surprise attack. He didn’t put it past her or this evening in general for something else to happen. Why had Menon betrayed him like that? He thought he had a friend in the other fae, but apparently not. Even through his carefully checked emotions, Nathan felt the stab of deception. He hoped against hope that Myra wouldn’t hold it against him. Certainly Illa and Summer would. They had held crimes against him that he never committed for decades.

“Shall we return?” He asked, refusing to meet Myra's or Illa’s eyes as he watched the receding figures.

Not only did Nathan not want to lose track of Amoria for as long as he could, he didn’t want to see the accusation on Illa’s face.

Myra shivered and nodded. In his peripheral vision, Nathan saw her gaze darting all around. She must have been terrified.

Once again the world simply melted into a different scene. Woods gracing a building that looked like it had simply grown out of the ground morphed into the abandoned shopping center. Nathan opened a gate back to the human world with a simple flick of his wrist. The way he had learned to open gates didn’t require those traveling through it to actually walk through it like a door. Rather it opened around them and moved the people. He still spared some attention for the spot he last saw Amoria and didn’t let up his concentration until he closed the gate again and they were safe.

“You could really use the power of the storm?” Myra asked.

“Oh, yes,” Nathan answered, “It is quite natural to the fae, but not everyone can do so or withstand the power it brings.”