A Ride of Peril (A Shade of Vampire #46)(32)

“Welcome, fine travelers,” she greeted us with arms open. She stood behind a large table loaded with precious gems and metals. There were earrings, bangles, necklaces, collars, bracelets, pearls, rings, and pendants. “What a pleasure to have you here!”

Bijarki nodded politely while scanning the table.

“You’re a fae, aren’t you?” I couldn’t help asking.

“Indeed, I am, young man. And you’re not from around here, are you?” She grinned, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth.

She’d aged very well, with just a few fine lines and a cascade of white hair pouring down her back. From what I knew about the fae, she was most likely several thousand years old. I shook my head in response.

“Neither are you, for that matter,” I replied.

“No, I am not, young man. I take it you know my kind?”

“I do. I was a guest of Sherus,” I said and immediately watched her smile drop. “You know him?”

“Oh, I do indeed. You might not believe it, but he was once my protégé.” The old fae sighed. She ran her fingers over the precious gems on the table, absentmindedly moving them around.

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking? How did you end up here?” Bijarki interjected, suddenly interested in our conversation.

“I was here on a diplomatic mission, many centuries ago. I was betrayed by someone close to me and found guilty of a crime I did not commit. They left me behind as punishment. Sherus, unfortunately, believed others instead of me. I’ve been here ever since, before Azazel even began his bloody conquest,” the fae replied.

I wondered what the crime was, and what would have made Sherus do that. There was sadness in her voice, but she quickly reverted to her bright smile.

“Anyhow, that is in the past, and it doesn’t matter anymore,” she continued. “What matters is that you are here, and I have so many wonderful jewels for you to buy. There must be a special lady in your life.”

Bijarki picked out a small turquoise pendant, sculpted in the form of a flame and hung on a delicate silver chain. A faint smile passed over his face as he lifted it between his fingers.

“How much for this one?” he asked.

She looked at the pendant and squinted.

“Just two pieces of gold, soldier. The turquoise flame protects and nourishes the spirit,” she replied. “Well chosen!”

“Thank you,” Bijarki said and handed her two gold coins from his coat pocket. Draven had given us gold from his father’s inheritance for occasions such as this. Almus had gathered a healthy fortune during his service to Eritopia, leaving plenty of gold for his son.

She stashed the money in a small leather pouch on her belt, then picked up a pendant to show me. It was a silver wolf’s head, its jaws wide open and fangs holding on to a tear-shaped diamond. She held it up for me to see up close.

“This is a special trinket. It should only be given to the one you love unconditionally.”

There was a small flame burning white inside the diamond, the result of some kind of spell, for sure. I took it in my hand and found myself entranced by how it burned on the inside.

“How will I know if I’m giving it to the right person?” I asked.

“Worry not. The diamond will know.”

It was a beautifully crafted piece, and I felt compelled to get it. I instinctively thought of Anjani as I reached for the few gold pieces I had in my pocket, courtesy of the incubus. The old fae shook her head as she looked at me.

“This pendant will not cost you gold, young man.”

“But I must pay you for it.”

“One day, I will seek you out and ask for your help,” she smiled. “Repay me with a favor then.”

“How will you know where to find me? I’m not from this world.”

I felt a sting on the back of my head, something akin to a mosquito bite. I touched the skin and noticed a tiny speckle of blood on my fingertips.

“Worry not. I have my way of finding people when I need them,” the fae replied and bowed before me.

I couldn’t help but wonder whether the sting had anything to do with what she’d just said, or if it was from some bug that had coincidentally landed on me. My attention was drawn back to the wolf pendant. She gave me a velvet pouch for it, and I stuffed it in my pocket, feeling slightly creeped out.

“Uh, okay.” I wondered what I might have just gotten myself into but didn’t want to be rude and reject the pendant. “Thanks, I guess.”

“We should head for the stalls,” Bijarki said to me. “It will be night soon, and we need to move.”

I waved goodbye to the old fae and followed the incubus through the crowd. I had a feeling she was watching me as I walked away, but when I looked over my shoulder she was gone, her stall unattended. I checked the sting on the back of my neck once more, and the blood had stopped flowing. It must have just been an insect bite.

We reached the stalls, where Anjani waited next to three beautiful horses, tall white steeds with short red manes.

“These three are perfect for what we need,” she explained and patted one of them on the neck.

It nuzzled her face in response, and she smiled. As I watched her interact with the animal, I felt myself soften inside. My fingers felt the jewel through the velvet. The old fae’s words still rang in my head, and I was starting to see Anjani in a different light. Was she the one truly worthy of the wolf’s head pendant?