Sixx and the Incubus: The Sidekick Chronicles Read online

  Her warnings twisted my stomach into painful knots as she dressed me in an outfit considered ‘informal’ in neutral colors. However, I didn’t have time to consider her words before Isa arrived in Olezka’s room.

  “The King has asked me to retrieve the human.”

  Chapter 25

  Once Isa retrieved me from Olezka’s room, the pace of our next adventure moved quickly. Erebus didn’t even have time to explain why the timeline of the mission was moved up before I was shoved into the back of a luxurious carriage. The inside of the carriage contained a bench at the front end, closest to the olams who pulled it. The beasts looked like the same ones we’d taken to Olezka’s parents’ house.

  The rear of the carriage held a cushioned mat or pallet large enough to lie down on, and the roof was tall enough that I could stand without having to bend over. While the tall, sinewy fae of this world wouldn’t be able to do the same, at least, they wouldn’t have to bend over so far. The bed was piled with luxurious furs and pillows made of silky material to cushion the occupant if they decided to rest on their journey. The rocking sway of the carriage began almost immediately after the door clicked shut, followed by the sound of wheels crunching over loose stones.

  Panic hit me a minute later. Won’t Olezka or even Erebus be riding with me? I’d planned on peppering them with questions during the trip. I struggled to stand but had difficulty finding my balance in the moving cart.

  I stumbled over to the carriage door where Isa had shoved me none-too-gently and knocked on the door, hoping someone would answer. When that proved fruitless because, of course, why would it be that easy, I sat back down. The least they could have done was shove someone in there with me so I could talk to them and prepare myself for the events ahead.

  Erebus made it pretty clear that my only job was to be bait. And while normally I would tell them to find someone else, this sidekick was more than happy to work on the sidelines. The wooden walls of my mobile prison didn’t stifle all sounds from outside, but the entourage that I knew must have accompanied me were eerily silent. The olams moved almost as quietly, given their massive size. The dampened shuffle of their feet and the steady creaks of the wagon were the only sounds.

  I eyed the rear of the wagon where the bed beckoned with eager arms. The stress of the day and the blissful lack of sleep the night before lulled me closer.

  ****

  A rough bump followed by the slowing of the wagon woke me from a fitful sleep. The bed was a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be. I blinked as the carriage door opened with a creak. A head popped in, and light streamed in from behind them. I welcomed the gentle croak of forest life.

  “Glad you’re awake, Sixx,” Erebus said as he climbed inside and shut the door behind him.

  I sighed. I wouldn’t mind getting out of this carriage to stretch my legs before we arrived or, at the very least, relieve myself.

  “Any particular reason you stole me away without any warning, Erebus?”

  “I would be stupid to believe that the Light King didn’t have his own spies ensconced within my walls, or my dear cousin Key, for that matter. Olezka and I decided it would be best to leave in separate groups. Olezka is with the other human. They planned to leave in the middle of the night as was the original plan. Whisking you away when we did was to throw off the spies in my Kingdom. I apologize for the subterfuge. Olezka and his team will meet us at the Light Fae Palace at the same time,” Erebus explained.

  I begrudgingly had to admit it made sense, but I was still frustrated that they didn’t trust me enough to include me in the final plan.

  “We have another day’s ride until we arrive. We will break again in a while. Did you find your food storage?” Erebus asked.

  Even though the King still filled me with apprehension, he was kind enough in his way. Truthfully, I hadn’t taken time to search the carriage for food due to my stomach being twisted in knots because I didn’t know what was going on. Eating wasn’t exactly top of mind. I shook my head to answer his question.

  Erebus pointed to a small basket, and I pulled out a bit of food. I offered some to him, but he shook his head.

  “When we arrive, I need you to remember that Olezka is not your mate. If we play into the rumors Key has spread, you must keep him at a distance to make them believe you are my mate. You don’t need to drape over me, but you cannot be caught with him. Not a touch, not an embrace, not a look.”

  I recalled the things I’d learned about my mate the last time I was in the Light Kingdom. He’d obviously made no friends on that side of the Veil, though he’d proven himself to be a strong asset to King Erebus. Unfortunately, he was still weak from his time in Key’s fighting rings. Key had placed us in a very vulnerable position, which I worried he had planned from the beginning. Did he intend to hurt the brothers further by parading the fact that Illarion was under his control?

  “Eat,” Erebus chided. “When we stop again, you can come outside for a bit. Soon after that, we will arrive at the Light Fae palace. You need to be ready.”

  I nodded. Within the next twenty-four hours, we would return to the place from which I’d barely managed to escape, in the company of an inconstant incubus named Cyril, who had selflessly given his life so my mate and I could live.

  I owed him. I would save his sister, but first, I had to save mine.

  ****

  The wagon wheels creaked and squeaked as the carriage slowed to a stop. My twenty-four hours were up. This time, I knew what would be outside the doors when they opened, and dread twisted my stomach. I didn’t have time to ponder it. The moment the door opened, I slid over the bench seat and took the hand that waited for me outside the door.

  Erebus’s cold grip tightened around my clammy one as he gently pulled me out. He wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me close, brushing his nose through my hair. My knee-jerk reaction was to pull away from his affectionate touch. First off, he wasn’t my mate. Secondly, he was my best friend’s man. Thirdly, he scared the crap out of me most of the time. But I swallowed down the fear and clicked my mask into place, beginning my grand ruse under the watchful eyes of the Light Fae whom I knew must be watching with rapt attention.

  Fear swelled in my heart at the first sight of the crystalline palace that loomed before us. Erebus might scare me, but this place absolutely petrified me. My feet felt frozen to the earth beneath me, and my heart rate kicked up a couple of notches. I didn’t want to be there. My muscles twitched with the desire to bolt. It wasn’t far from here where I saw how the fae on this side of the Veil treated humans. My imprisonment in the Light King’s dungeons was practically a dream compared to those other humans.

  “Sixx, you need to find your courage or you will blow our chance,” Erebus hissed as he leaned down to brush his lips against my ear. To an outsider, it would look like a sweet gesture, but I felt the urgency in his words as his hand tightened on my elbow.

  My gaze flitted to my mate, who watched us guardedly. His gaze shifted, searching the area, though I had a feeling he was acutely aware of how close Erebus was standing to me.

  “We are about to enter. I will insist at the formal dinner tonight that you are to remain in your room. Tomorrow, the ball will occur. The dress Spindwella created will arrive in the morning, and their dressmaker will come by to help you dress and prepare for the night ahead.”

  I nodded, afraid to speak. I didn’t know why I’d assumed we were going to arrive the night of the ball in a get-in-and-get-out situation, but there we were.

  Two nights instead of one. I could do this.

  ****

  It turned out that just one extra night was torturous beyond measure. Every sound made me think that someone, namely an evil fae named Key, had snuck in to kill me. Erebus insisted he would be in the room next door and promised to ward my room against intruders, but I would have felt safer sharing it with Ana or Olezka. When morning rolled around, my lack of sleep turned into a buzzing ball of anxiety that lodged in the pit
of my stomach. I had to remind myself that tonight, we would finally have our chance to save Ana.

  When the Light Fae Kingdom’s dressmaker arrived at my door, I almost fainted as a creature straight out of my freaking nightmares walked in. Fuzzy, down-covered wings with hints of veining flared as she stepped into the room. Her large, oval eyes took up most of her face; the orbs were completely black and mirrored everything in their inky depths. My exhausted body and addled mind could only take so much stress. I instantly regretted laughing at Ana when we met Spindwella, who embodied Ana’s biggest fear of spiders. I felt like I was in the middle of some great cosmic joke as my newest visitor arrived. It just so happened that my greatest creature fear was more of the moth variety.

  I whimpered as the dressmaker forced me into a chair and started her work to make me more “presentable.” At least, I thought that was what she was doing. Without a visible mouth, she communicated through gestures that I could barely comprehend over the rushing blood in my ears. My legs twitched. Every part of my body said to bolt. I tried to hold onto my courage as Erebus instructed, but it was being mightily tested.

  Eventually, she finished her ministrations and left me sitting traumatized on the bed, waiting for Erebus to come to get me. My heart wouldn’t slow down. Even though Erebus said I couldn’t give Olezka any special attention while we were here, I needed him. Before I had time to dwell on my fear, a light knock sounded at the door.

  I stood and smoothed at the nonexistent wrinkles on my dress. The silky material wouldn’t crease even if I tried. Darn fae magic. My hair was styled in an elaborate up-do with soft tendrils framing my face. My makeup was light but applied with an artful hand, enhancing my eyes, which could be seen clearer without being impeded by my glasses.

  I was forced to leave them in the carriage after Erebus decided that even though it would put me at a disadvantage, the Light Fae would see my glasses as an obvious weakness. They already knew I wore glasses from my last visit, but Erebus wanted to throw them off and make them think we were further along in our mating. That made me wonder... Would my eyesight get better since I mated with Olezka? Shaking my head, I decided to dig into that little morsel later.

  First, I needed to make sure Ana was safe.

  I opened the door to see Erebus standing on the other side with Olezka and Timur flanking him. Each one looked unearthly and stunning. My stomach erupted with butterflies as Olezka’s gaze trailed over the dress Spindwella made for me. The fabric enhanced and showcased all of my curves while the dark plum color complimented my skin tone. The plum was considered neutral, neither the black and silver that leaned toward my fake mate’s house nor the red and black of my real one.

  My stomach dropped when Olezka’s face remained blank. He’d never hidden his desire for me before. Before I had time to mull it over, Erebus stepped into my sightlines, resembling an avenging angel of death. If my heart didn’t already flutter for another, he would’ve gotten my motor running. Until he opened his mouth.

  “Ready, my dear?” Erebus's voice could chill the devil’s blood. I latched onto the elbow he offered. I had to remind myself that even though I wanted to speak with Olezka, this was not the time. We would have plenty of time together after we rescued Ana and escaped this place.

  Tonight, at the ball, we would scope out the area and look for an opening. After that, the guys would put their heads together and devise a plan to get us all out. That was what we’d originally discussed, but now I was unsure if that was just part of the fake plan. Erebus, Olezka, I, and the second human they’d brought along as my decoy would leave tonight while Timur and Roman would work to get Ana out. Taking separate paths, we would hopefully put enough distance between the Light Palace and us before they realized Ana was gone.

  We wanted to ensure Timur and Roman got a better head start than us because Erebus explained to me that he had some version of diplomatic immunity. I took his word for it.

  Our party turned and began to walk down the bright, artfully beautiful hallways. The space managed to take my breath away. The last time I was there, I hadn’t seen much of the palace's interior since I was almost immediately thrown in the dungeon. The few times I was in the throne room or with Ana, Key had scrambled my brains, and I had large gaps in my memory.

  The walls appeared almost translucent, even those that led into other rooms, and the outside seemed to live indoors. Plants climbed along the walls, curled into corners, and draped across the ceiling. A soft lullaby meandered through my consciousness, and my eyelids drooped heavily. My muscles loosened, and I stumbled.

  “Fuck! Those assholes,” Erebus growled. He grabbed my face between his hands and forced me to stare into his pitiless eyes. “I apologize, Sixx. I didn’t realize they would use Lure magic in their music, knowing you would be attending. The other human will have to suffer through because I cannot find her to place a protection spell around her. I need Sixx aware, Olezka.”

  A calming sense of euphoric bliss still twisted through me like a light breeze. So refreshing and gentle, I lost all sense of reality and awareness of my surroundings.

  “Sixx!” Erebus snapped at me.

  I blinked, but it was lazy.

  “Sixx.” That voice was deeper than the one before it and came from a different direction.

  Warmth slithered through me, coiling further down. More awareness surfaced, and I realized that we had stopped walking. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my head. My mouth was dry, and my head started to pound. I realized that Erebus was holding my face tightly between his palms.

  “Sixx, repeat after me,” he said, using his fae Lure to compel my mind.

  I nodded.

  “You will not eat or drink anything,” Erebus growled.

  “I will not eat or drink anything,” I murmured.

  Erebus released his tight hold on my face, and I blinked a couple of times. Within seconds, my mind began to clear. The fogginess from earlier melted away, followed by a spike of adrenaline.

  “Return her to the room, milord,” Olezka said quietly.

  But Erebus shook his head. “I cannot. It will show weakness,” he claimed stubbornly, giving me a look that reminded me of all that was at stake.

  A stab of disappointment hit me. I had already failed them once, but I wouldn’t do it again.

  I straightened my back, determined. “Let’s do this.”

  Chapter 26

  Oidhche Dhorcha was my first experience with a fae ball. It was overwhelming even though Ana and I weren’t allowed to attend with the dark, dangerous vibes of all of the powerful creatures in attendance. But the tension I felt that night had nothing on the vibrations I felt tonight. Oidhche Dhorcha was all about embracing the longest night, the colors reflecting the time the Dark Fae flourished. In my mind, whether real or imagined, the Dark Fae seemed to lean toward violence and darkness.

  This.

  Was.

  Not that, at all.

  I blinked again and tried to convince myself that what I was seeing wasn’t real. Practically nude bodies twisted throughout the room, overtaken by the throes of passion. The High Fae of the Light world were model gorgeous, of course, blanketed in light and vibrant colors that almost blinded me the moment we walked in. And damn, did we stand out in this crowd. My dark plum dress, alongside the black and silver of Erebus’s family colors worn by him, Olezka, and Timur, were jarring to the eye amongst all of the paleness by which we were surrounded. Several High Dark Fae were scattered through the room, but if they supported Erebus or Key, I had no idea.

  Long, elegant banquet tables filled with fae treats were lined along the far end of the room. The ceiling was a piece of art, ornamented by heavy, elegant chandeliers. If I didn’t feel such a sense of uneasiness and impending doom creeping around every corner, I would have been blown away. The fae’s music was still trying to lure me in, but it felt muted this time. Easier to ignore. I recalled old stories about eating or drinking things from the Veil and reminded myself not to touch any
thing.

  Power crackled in the air, but it was nothing like Oidhche Dhorcha. This wasn’t a ball intended to display their power; it was to introduce their lost princess. I gulped at the thought, thinking how hard it would be to resist the attention if I were in Ana’s shoes. Then again, I was certain Ana wouldn’t be swayed. She would be thrilled to see us and even more thrilled to have an opportunity to get out of this opulent hell hole.

  Erebus gracefully moved us through the crowd, which parted for us on either side. He nodded to another Dark Fae couple that moved past us. I recognized the red-haired one from Erebus’s small council and noticed he was towing a human behind him on a thin golden chain. The dancing, and – Jesus! – other activities between barely clothed paras continued for what felt like hours as I stood close to my pretend-mate. Erebus moved us throughout the room, speaking to others in his polite yet cold manner I recognized well.

  A few whispers followed us throughout the evening, snippets about the false King and his weak mate. Timur remained close to us while Olezka circulated the room, watching closely for threats.

  As the night wore on, the air became thick with the scent of sex, desire, and unbridled power, but the intensity went up a notch or two when the Light Fae King finally revealed himself, emerging from the entrance of the ballroom. The crowd parted for his entrance as he made his way to his throne. He watched over his people with an even colder eye than Erebus. He stopped once he reached his elaborate throne, but he didn’t sit.

  “My dear people and honored guests. I proudly present tonight to you… my long-lost daughter.” The Light King turned as someone else entered the room from a side door. It was close to the throne as if it was typically used as an emergency exit. We were still far enough from the throne that I didn’t think that Ana would be able to spot us immediately.

  Ana looked… different.

  She had always leaned more toward form-fitting, badass clothing. She loved wearing the worn leather pants the Dark Fae favored. Back home, her hair rarely left its slick ponytail. But the woman walking across the floor to her doting father was not my Ana. This woman’s hair was curled into airy, beachy waves that cascaded down her back and arms like warm butter. Light, expertly applied makeup enhanced her already out-of-this-world features, but it didn’t disguise the cold, emotionless look etched onto her flawless face.