Betrayals
Page 60
“It was,” I said. “The Cn Annwn asked me to look into the deaths.” Which wasn’t completely true, but I didn’t want to admit I’d seen it in a vision.
Melanie looked surprised. “Why are the Cn Annwn involved?”
“Because it’s the murder of fae,” Ricky said. “That’s what they do, right?”
“Yes. Sorry. I just … I didn’t think they’d bother with us.”
I asked what she knew about the murders. Even less than we did, it seemed. She had no idea the killer was Ciro Halloran. As for Lucy Madole …
“I don’t know what Lucy was doing when she was killed. It’s near our territory, where we hunt.” She flushed. “I mean, where we work. One of our sisters thought Lucy might have been lured there by someone pretending to be us. Another wondered if she was mistaken for one of us. She’s lighter-skinned than Aunika and looks young for her age. But now Aunika’s missing, and there’s no way the killer could make that mistake twice. And there’s Erin …” Her gaze lifted to mine. “They’re looking for us, aren’t they? Going after anyone who can lead them to us.”
“Did Erin know what you were? You said you knew her from the streets.”
“We did. She was Aunika’s first big success. She didn’t know what we are, though. We’d discussed it—me and Aunika. There’s only so long we could keep coming around before Erin would wonder why none of us got any older.”
“Could Aunika have already told her?”
Melanie shook her head. “She’d have warned us. But if Lucy’s dead and Aunika’s missing and now Erin’s dead … They’re the three humans who knew us best. The killer must have thought they knew where to find us. We went underground after he killed Rina and Steph. We’re being careful. We stopped working, but we can’t do that for long. Some of the girls are already getting weak. No matter what I say, they’re going to feed, and once they venture out, he’ll be waiting.”
“Is there someplace you can go?” Ricky asked. “Someplace safe?”
“There’s no safe for us. He’s found our haunts in the city, and we need to be around people. The only true sanctuary for us is the one we cannot enter: Cainsville.”
“Cainsville?” I said.
“I tried to get Pepper in there after her attack. I pleaded through an intermediary for temporary sanctuary until she was stronger. The elders refused.”
“On what grounds?”
“The only grounds that matter. Who we are. What we are.”
“Lamiae? That’s enough to deny you sanctuary?”
She gave a bitter laugh. “They don’t need a reason to deny us. It’s their sanctuary. They don’t allow foreign fae. I hoped they’d make an exception. I was willing to repay them, of course, but they wouldn’t even meet with me.”
“I know you’re Greek, and Cainsville is primarily Tylwyth Teg, which is Welsh. Those from the British Isles are the ones identified as fae in human folklore. Lamiae are not. Yet you are fae.”
“That depends on who you ask. The Cainsville elders say that if I was true fae, I’d be immolated if I stepped through Aunika’s warded door. I wouldn’t. I’d still be burned, though. I am fae.”
“Evolution from a common source,” Ricky said. “Evolution, however, alters the genetic structure. A fae from Greece or from Russia won’t have the same genetic makeup as one from the British Isles. Celtic fae are the ones with the deathly allergy to cold-forged iron.”
“Which doesn’t mean non-Celtic fae are inferior,” I said. “Only that they don’t have the same genetic makeup. But since Celtic fae are the defining type in folklore, they see themselves as the superior subtype.”
Melanie smiled. “Exactly. Thank you. In the old country, we consider ourselves fae. It was only when we immigrated to the new world—where Celtic fae had already settled—that we were …” She struggled for a word.
“Reclassified. Okay, so Cainsville is for Tylwyth Teg. Which explains why the place is so damned white. As for the rest of you, if you didn’t build your own secret towns three hundred years ago, that’s not their fault. The fact that you weren’t here early enough to settle a town? Also not their problem.”
“That sums it up nicely.”
“But you still need a place to stay, and if Cainsville wouldn’t let Pepper in, even with her condition, they won’t let you in. How many are we talking about, anyway?”
“There are three more I’m looking after and another one I’m trying to find shelter for, but she’s … stubborn.”
“We need to figure out what to do with you guys. Find a safe place. I’ll work on that.”
“Stopping the killer would do that,” Gabriel said.
I nodded. “You’re right, of course. Catch the killer and the problem is solved.” I snuck a look at Pepper, who was gawping at Gabriel like he was the second coming. The lost and broken child. Catching a killer wouldn’t solve her problem.
I pulled my gaze away and said, “Gabriel? Can you drive them wherever they need to go? Ricky and I have an appointment.” We had to talk to Ioan about the hound. I knew that would be important to Ricky.
Gabriel took out his phone and texted me … making it obvious to all that he was conveying a message he didn’t want them to hear.
Melanie looked surprised. “Why are the Cn Annwn involved?”
“Because it’s the murder of fae,” Ricky said. “That’s what they do, right?”
“Yes. Sorry. I just … I didn’t think they’d bother with us.”
I asked what she knew about the murders. Even less than we did, it seemed. She had no idea the killer was Ciro Halloran. As for Lucy Madole …
“I don’t know what Lucy was doing when she was killed. It’s near our territory, where we hunt.” She flushed. “I mean, where we work. One of our sisters thought Lucy might have been lured there by someone pretending to be us. Another wondered if she was mistaken for one of us. She’s lighter-skinned than Aunika and looks young for her age. But now Aunika’s missing, and there’s no way the killer could make that mistake twice. And there’s Erin …” Her gaze lifted to mine. “They’re looking for us, aren’t they? Going after anyone who can lead them to us.”
“Did Erin know what you were? You said you knew her from the streets.”
“We did. She was Aunika’s first big success. She didn’t know what we are, though. We’d discussed it—me and Aunika. There’s only so long we could keep coming around before Erin would wonder why none of us got any older.”
“Could Aunika have already told her?”
Melanie shook her head. “She’d have warned us. But if Lucy’s dead and Aunika’s missing and now Erin’s dead … They’re the three humans who knew us best. The killer must have thought they knew where to find us. We went underground after he killed Rina and Steph. We’re being careful. We stopped working, but we can’t do that for long. Some of the girls are already getting weak. No matter what I say, they’re going to feed, and once they venture out, he’ll be waiting.”
“Is there someplace you can go?” Ricky asked. “Someplace safe?”
“There’s no safe for us. He’s found our haunts in the city, and we need to be around people. The only true sanctuary for us is the one we cannot enter: Cainsville.”
“Cainsville?” I said.
“I tried to get Pepper in there after her attack. I pleaded through an intermediary for temporary sanctuary until she was stronger. The elders refused.”
“On what grounds?”
“The only grounds that matter. Who we are. What we are.”
“Lamiae? That’s enough to deny you sanctuary?”
She gave a bitter laugh. “They don’t need a reason to deny us. It’s their sanctuary. They don’t allow foreign fae. I hoped they’d make an exception. I was willing to repay them, of course, but they wouldn’t even meet with me.”
“I know you’re Greek, and Cainsville is primarily Tylwyth Teg, which is Welsh. Those from the British Isles are the ones identified as fae in human folklore. Lamiae are not. Yet you are fae.”
“That depends on who you ask. The Cainsville elders say that if I was true fae, I’d be immolated if I stepped through Aunika’s warded door. I wouldn’t. I’d still be burned, though. I am fae.”
“Evolution from a common source,” Ricky said. “Evolution, however, alters the genetic structure. A fae from Greece or from Russia won’t have the same genetic makeup as one from the British Isles. Celtic fae are the ones with the deathly allergy to cold-forged iron.”
“Which doesn’t mean non-Celtic fae are inferior,” I said. “Only that they don’t have the same genetic makeup. But since Celtic fae are the defining type in folklore, they see themselves as the superior subtype.”
Melanie smiled. “Exactly. Thank you. In the old country, we consider ourselves fae. It was only when we immigrated to the new world—where Celtic fae had already settled—that we were …” She struggled for a word.
“Reclassified. Okay, so Cainsville is for Tylwyth Teg. Which explains why the place is so damned white. As for the rest of you, if you didn’t build your own secret towns three hundred years ago, that’s not their fault. The fact that you weren’t here early enough to settle a town? Also not their problem.”
“That sums it up nicely.”
“But you still need a place to stay, and if Cainsville wouldn’t let Pepper in, even with her condition, they won’t let you in. How many are we talking about, anyway?”
“There are three more I’m looking after and another one I’m trying to find shelter for, but she’s … stubborn.”
“We need to figure out what to do with you guys. Find a safe place. I’ll work on that.”
“Stopping the killer would do that,” Gabriel said.
I nodded. “You’re right, of course. Catch the killer and the problem is solved.” I snuck a look at Pepper, who was gawping at Gabriel like he was the second coming. The lost and broken child. Catching a killer wouldn’t solve her problem.
I pulled my gaze away and said, “Gabriel? Can you drive them wherever they need to go? Ricky and I have an appointment.” We had to talk to Ioan about the hound. I knew that would be important to Ricky.
Gabriel took out his phone and texted me … making it obvious to all that he was conveying a message he didn’t want them to hear.
