Bound by Blood (An Anya Maynard Novel)

Chapter Fifteen

   “I think I know someone who might be able to help,” Connor looked to Kai for confirmation as he rubbed a comforting hand up and down my back, “but I doubt he wants to hear from me,” he mumbled the rest of his words and stepped away.

   “But nevertheless he will help,” Kai stated confidently, “if he can.”

   Connor wasn’t the only one who looked contrite. Steve winced too at the mention of this mysterious ‘he’.

   I raised my eyebrows when no one was willing to grace me with an answer, watching Connor with wary eyes as he sat back behind his desk and picked up the phone without so much as a glance in my direction.

   “Anyone?” I asked with an irritated flourish of my hands.

   “His name is Jacquent,” Steve finally indulged me, “but don’t you ever say his name because as an elf that would give him power over you.”

   “An elf?” I was appalled, “after all this you’re going to trust another elf?”

   “Oh I’ve never trusted him, but he owes Connor a favor. He took up residency on this earth some centuries ago after some major, er, business went down in Fairie,” I dipped my chin down to glare at him though my eyelashes for avoiding specifics but he continued on anyway, “He’s got connections that we could use, and there really aren’t all that many elves here that would be willing to help. If anyone knows of an Elvin encampment it’s him.”

   “And you’re so sure that he’s going to help us? Didn’t you say a minute ago how they thought all life here was flawed?”

   I was shushed by Connor who got a snappy “shush yourself,” back from Kayla. 

   “Believe me Anya,” Steve continued in a lower tone, “he has way more loyalty to the humans these days than the Elves.”

   His body language said he wasn’t exactly thrilled with that fact, but if it meant he would help find his sister then he would grin and bear it.

   “Why?” Kayla asked when I didn’t.

   “All I know is that the Elves killed someone close to him in a plot to steal whatever power he had. They weren’t done either so he took his family and fled here, he’s been against them ever since.” His brow scrunched as he trailed off, suggesting that there was more to the story than what he knew…or at least what he was willing to tell me.

   There was some mumbling behind me as Connor relayed a message to someone who wasn’t this Jacquent. His timber told me he had been expecting just a thing and he calmly asked whoever he was speaking to if Jack could call him back as soon as possible.

   I rubbed at my temples, uncomfortable with the whole situation, “how exactly is it you know Jac- Him,” I corrected myself at Steve’s warning, “and why wouldn’t he want to hear from you?”

   Connor flopped back in his chair and propped his hands behind his head, “Probably because of the happenstance of how we first met…” again I had to push for more answers as he drifted off, “the wolves had his daughter on trial for murder and he came to me for help.”

   “Why you?” I asked carefully.

   He picked up on my suspicion, dropping his hands quickly to his lap with a sigh, “because of who I was, a wolf of some significance who existed on the fringes of the pack. Someone who could find the evidence he needed to get his daughter acquitted, someone whose word would be taken as truth instead of brushed off.”

   The pink in his cheeks had the heat in my eyes flaring, “and the other part?”

   For a fleeting second his eyes met mine before quickly moving back to his desk, “we…I had been involved with her at the time.”