Girls, Spies, and Other Things the Faeries Stole

Part 3: How To Make A Deal With An Ice Queen

I waved a hand in Riel's direction. He saw me pointing and lifted his glass in a sort of wave/salute with a smirk.

"All I wanted was a kiss from him," the fae queen said.

"Well, he's stalling, and he's very good at that, believe me. Anyway, he said it would kill him."

She shrugged. "It would make his heart—and by extension, his life—belong to me, or turn it to ice. One or the other."

Well, that was cold. Literally. "Fifty-fifty chance, hmm?"

She smirked. "It depends on whether his heart already belongs to another. If it does, I cannot truly take it, merely turn it to ice."

I let this information spin around in my head for a moment until it clicked into place. So if Riel, or I, already loved a girl, we'd end up dead. Unless . . .

"And would I be a suitable substitute?" I asked.

She eyed me. "Well, that depends what you have to offer. I don't know you, you see. And I know that Gabriel Kenworth has a large fortune and a good deal of prestige in the human world—fortune and prestige that could be mine."

So she wasn't taken in by his false name. Too cunning for that.

"And who are you that I should care?" she asked.

"My name's Sean," I said stiffly, giving her the least information possible.

"Oh," she said, "you're one of Gabriel's coworkers, then. I've heard of you. Not from him," she added. "But you're an agent, then, like he is."

My teeth clenched.

"Well, this is interesting."

"An acceptable trade? You'd let them all go if I took his place?"

She nodded slowly. "I would. I give my word. Of course, the same rules would apply for you. One kiss. Your heart, one way or another. Still interested in taking his place?"

Here went nothing. "Deal."

The queen gave a slow smile. "Splendid. They're free to go. As soon as you're ready, then." She tilted her head, eyeing me with those ice-cold eyes.

I worked my jaw. "Give me a minute." I set the glass back on the table with unnecessary force and stalked off, back toward Riel.

"So how's that whole plan to rescue me coming?" Riel asked, a teasing tone in his voice to cover the tension beneath.

I blew out a breath. "Look, I'm only here because your sister will kill me if I don't bring you home."

He gave a knowing, sage nod. "Naturally."

I rolled my eyes and rubbed my forehead. "Just take the girls and the would-be fortune seekers across the lake. I'm dealing with it."

"I told you, I can't leave."

"You can now. I dealt with it."

Riel frowned and straightened in his seat. "What did you—?"

"Later. Just—just go."

"Sean—"

"And leave some of the reward for me," I added.

"Hey, I'm the one who solved the mystery," Riel said, grinning.

"Yes, and I'm just the one who saved your sorry hide and made it possible for you to leave. I'm serious. I could really use it to help with some . . . things."

He smirked. "To get those selkie shifters off your back, hmm?"

I sent him a flat look and waved my fingers. "Don't you have something to do? Bye."

Riel pushed himself to his feet, standing from the throne and adjusting the cuffs of his charcoal suit. "Right you are."

I waited until he was occupied apparently talking with the sisters in the midst of the dance floor before I strode around the edge and back to the fae queen.

"One kiss, as promised, my lady," I said stiffly.

She smiled and tilted her face toward me.

Her lips were ice cold on mine for just a moment.

We pulled back. Nothing happened—and then pain exploded through my chest in the general vicinity of my heart.

I staggered back a step with a gasp and gritted my teeth, tossing a look toward Riel and the girls and several others, who were all disappearing together through the exit.

This had better be worth it.

Time to see if my backup plan was going to work out like I planned. If it didn't, I was going to be very sorry or very dead.

Then again, if it did work, I would likely be one or the other, anyway.

I never said the backup plan was a good idea.