Chapter Four

Apparently unwilling to kill her plaything so easily, Ghira gave me plenty of time to get my sword up to meet hers.

“Ah, see? Not so hard, is it.” Then she knocked the sword out of my hand again and cackled.

“Why do you find this entertaining?” I asked. A calculated risk. Maybe it would keep her talking for another minute and I’d avoid being skewered longer. Or maybe I’d make her mad and seal my fate.

“Does it matter? You get to live a few more moments. Isn’t that all humans truly have to look forward to?”

“If you have such a terrible view of humans, why are you trying to come to Earth?” I picked up the sword, keeping my eye on her. Grayson was only about fifteen feet from the portal now.

The male fae saw me look. No! If he followed my gaze…

I shuffled my feet, trying to get his attention back.

No such luck. He had to have seen Grayson. He didn’t immediately raise the alarm, though.

“I’ve been trying to get back to Faerie for many years. But things have changed. Let’s just say that fae leadership has had a major shift, and my husband would have a rough go of things in Faerie. The way he lives his life makes him many enemies. But he’ll enjoy Earth. Oh, the things I have to show him…”

Her tone didn’t imply she wanted him to see the Chinese Theater.

“I haven’t seen him in…” she put the point of her sword into the ground, leaning on the hilt as she tapped her chin with her finger. “Sixty-three years.”

Sixty-three years? How old was this woman? She had to be in her seventies, unless the fae were pledged at birth or something weird like that.

“I’ve been trapped on Earth, looking for a way home to him for sixty-three years.” She leaned forward. “Trapped with humans like you. Useless. Foolish.” She grinned. “And tasteless as well. If I had any mercy, I’d let you live long enough to try the bounties of Faerie before slaughtering you.” She shrugged. “But I don’t see any reason to do that.”

Faster than I could even get a squeak out, she slashed a small cut across the side of my jaw.

“Now you’ll have a scar to match the one on the other side. Or you would if you live long enough for it to scar.”

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“My queen,” the male fae interrupted.

“What?” Ghira snapped.

I took her moment of inattention to check on Grayson. He was within a foot of the portal. I snapped my attention back.

“Might it not be more fun to see how long she can survive in Faerie on her own?”

The tip of her sword dropped again, and she studied me.

Faster. I urged Grayson on in my head. I wasn’t quite ready to count the guy fae as an ally, but he knew what was going on and was stalling Ghira. How long would that last? Was he just toying with me too?

“It would be a far more painful way to die.” Ghira continued to stare me down.

“What would be?” Hey, my voice stayed pretty steady. At least I could say that for myself.

Ghira’s eyes sparkled with laughter, making me sick. I’d never seen such glee on someone’s face as they thought of another person’s death.

“That would be part of what made the whole thing interesting. There are thousands of ways to die in Faerie. And only two I would consider somewhat pleasant.”

Grayson slipped through the portal. I bit my lip, fighting back tears at being left here, alone, to die. But Grayson was doing the right thing. People had to know.

“At least leave me with a sword,” I said.

“I don’t know, Wenslo.” Ghira propped her sword up on her shoulder. “We won’t be here to see the results. How will that be any fun? We should just kill her. I’m getting bored of this, and Kienthall should arrive at any moment.”

“Of course my queen will do as she sees best.” The male fae, Wenslo apparently, bowed.

“Of course she will,” Ghira snapped.

Now was my chance. With her ire directed at him, it might be the only iota of a chance I’d get.

Gripping the sword tightly, I tore off toward the portal. Grayson had enough of a head start. If she found him gone and had time to catch up with him, that was on his head, not mine.

Behind me, Ghira screeched, kicking my legs into overdrive. A few more steps and she wouldn’t be able to stop me from going through the portal.

I felt her before I heard her. She slammed me in the back, tackling me. We fell through the portal together, back into the warehouse in L.A. My head bounced off the cement, sending the room whirling. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, but I kept it together enough to throw her off me.

Rolling over, I bashed Ghira in the gut with my elbow, stumbling away from her. I took a wild look, checking for help, but there was no sign of Grayson. I’d kept my grip on the sword, and lifted it as Ghira stood and Wenslo stepped calmly through the portal.

I dodged around Ghira and struck at the wall of the portal. Shrieking in anger, she shoved me with her shoulder, knocking me into a crate. I went twirling to the floor.

Ghira stalked toward me. “This has gone on long enough.” She lifted her sword.

I scooted away from her until my back hit a wall.

Crack!

After a year on the gun range, the sound processed before the bullet pinged off of the brick behind me.

Grayson slid around another stack of crates and into view, squeezing off another round. I should have known he wouldn’t leave me.

This bullet flew wild as well. Grayson was a much better shot than this. What was going on?

Ghira turned to face the threat, apparently not worried about me on the floor.

Big mistake.

I took another run at the portal. A well placed hit with the sword, and the strange material giving it shape splintered, just a little.

Another two shots rang out, but I had a job to do.

Another swing and the portal cracked loudly.

“No!” Ghira screamed from somewhere behind me. But she was too late. One more blow, and the portal blinked out of existence.