Julie Kagawa - 06 The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

Author:Julie Kagawa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE RITUAL

I called Guro before I showed up on his doorstep that morning with two gentry and a gremlin, not needing a repeat of the last time we visited. Guro had a little girl and two dogs who apparently did not like gremlins, and I wanted to keep the faery madness to a minimum this time. When I explained what was happening, I still half expected him to hang up at any moment, but he calmly instructed me to come as soon as I could.

We went Between again, following Keirran through a bleak landscape of mist, fog and nothing else. My truck, sadly, would have to stay in the hotel’s parking lot in New Orleans. I hated leaving it behind, but what else could I do? I just hoped it wouldn’t be towed, impounded or stolen by the time I could go back for it.

The last part of the trip was made by taxi, with Keirran holding Annwyl in his lap and constantly murmuring to her. The mood in the cab was somber; even Razor was quiet, crouched on Kenzie’s shoulder, peeking out of her hair. The Summer faery didn’t look good, curled up in Keirran’s arms, occasionally going transparent and see-through. Keirran’s voice was low and soothing as he whispered to her, and I would catch snippets of stories, memories of summer nights and lonely meeting places, of dances under the stars and some truly crazy stunts he had pulled just to see her. Sometimes, Annwyl’s quiet, lilting voice would drift up weakly, showing she was still fighting, still hanging on. But these were the last hours of her life now, and everyone knew it.

We finally pulled up at Guro’s familiar brick house. As I paid the driver and we all piled out of the cab, the front door opened, and Guro stepped out, waiting for us. I looked at Keirran, still invisible to mortal eyes, and the Fading Summer faery in his arms.

“How is she?” I asked as we started up the driveway. Keirran shook his head. His eyes were grim.

“I can barely feel her anymore.” His outline shimmered as he unglamoured himself, materializing into view. In his arms, Annwyl stirred and whispered something I couldn’t hear. Keirran closed his eyes. “She doesn’t have enough glamour to make herself visible. I hope your Guro can help something he can’t even see.”

I hoped so, too.

Guro nodded to us solemnly as we met him on the porch, his gaze lingering on Keirran. “Come in,” he said, opening the screen door. “The dogs are out back, and I sent Maria and Sadie to their grandmother’s for the day, so it is just us.” We followed him into the living room, where just last week he had given me the swords now hidden in my backpack. Geez, had it really been that short a time? I felt like I’d been doing this crazy faery thing forever.

“Ethan has told me about you,” Guro said, sitting in the armchair across from us. Kenzie and I took the couch, and Keirran perched on the edge, still holding Annwyl.

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