The Fae Hunt by Nicholas Woode-Smith

Author:Nicholas Woode-Smith [Woode-Smith, Nicholas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Warpmancer Press
Published: 2020-04-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14.

Desperation

I had one priority now. End this epidemic. I needed to save Conrad. Save Cindy. And now I needed to prove that Duer didn’t need to be kept in a cage. Oh, and I needed to save the city as well.

Brett and I didn’t speak until the Sanitation squad had left. I couldn’t tail them. Something told me that if I made a move towards them at all, they’d open fire. I’ve survived a lot, but point-blank sprays from two assault rifles was a little bit out of my league. And even I wasn’t confident enough to think I could dodge these trigger-happy public servants at this range.

Brett made his way over to me as I knelt in the doorway. He stepped over splinters and shards of wood from the shattered door and placed his hand on my head. I leaned into him. I didn’t cry. This wasn’t the time to cry. But I did spend this tender moment in silence. For a few moments, and then I stood.

“I need to phone Pranish. Hopefully he isn’t fucking sick too.”

Brett frowned but didn’t respond. How could he? My pixie was gone. My housemate and mentor were unconscious and coughing blood. My only lead was a bust and had almost gotten me killed. There wasn’t much one could say to make me feel better.

“We’ll crack it, Kats,” he said. “You always do.”

Usually, that wouldn’t have made me feel any better, but I looked into his eyes and I saw complete confidence. They weren’t just some empty words to make me feel better. He honestly believed it.

I clenched my fist, and considered the wooden debris and door hanging on its hinges. The lock was blown out. A commendable breach.

“Those fuckers will pay.”

“We’ll get Duer back,” Brett assured me.

“I mean for the doors.”

He looked surprised, but then answered. “That too.”

Brett phoned Guy to tell him what had happened while I phoned Pranish. I sat on the front doorstep. A few neighbours were watching the house. I could see it in their eyes that they were considering coming over to ask what the trouble was. What was more concerning was the number of empty houses. This street was hit hard by fae flu.

“Pranish,” I said over the phone, before he could interject with snark. “Cindy is sick. Sanitation took Duer. I need a lead. Now.”

A pause. “Fuck, Kat. Good morning to you too.”

I felt a quip coming. He sensed my glare through the phone and bit his tongue. I heard him typing.

“I did some more research. I think your best bet is to follow the myth leads. Plague gods, disease spirits…etc.”

“There are countless myths involving diseases! We’re running out of time.”

“Well, find a way to narrow it.”

I paused, contemplating last night. The spirit had mentioned pestilence and rot a lot. It wasn’t the primary cause because the city was still sick, but it had to be linked to the fae flu somehow.

“What about spirits? I fought a spirit last night that tried to get me to succumb to its inevitable pestilence.

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