Mad Woman Rambles

The city passed by the sedan’s window at a fast pace blurring into a gray lump as we moved down the avenue. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as my gaze shifted to the elf driving us to our destination.

“You don’t have to look at me like that. I won’t bite,” he said absently as he slowed the car down. Traffic had gathered around us as we inched along.

“Look at you. Ha! Perish the thought,” I scoffed and returned to my pointless window watching. He chuckled to himself before turning and entering a parking structure. Within moments we were enveloped in darkness briefly as the car made its way underground. Detective White smoothly pulled into an assigned parking space.

“Someone must be pretty special to have his own parking space,” I jibbed but he only smiled at me.

“That’s what my mother tells me all the time. Then again, I suspect she tells all her boys the same thing,” he joked as he got out of the sedan.

“I can imagine,” I say to myself as I stay seated in the car. ‘I have to find this book, and I have no time for these shenanigans.’ My thoughts wander to my next steps refusing to move from this seat until I finished formulating my plan. Unfortunately, my plotting was interrupted as my car door opened on its own.  

“After you madame,” Detective White says offering me his hand. Surprised by the gesture I slowly unbuckle my seatbelt eyeing his hand warily. He chuckled to himself again. “I told you I won’t bite.”

“I thought chivalry was dead,” I mused taking his offered hand to help me out of the car.

“Not for me. I am far older than I look,” he replied with a glint of mirth in his eye. “Besides, my mother would tan my hide if I was rude to a lady.” At that I snorted in reply straightening my dress as I stood next to the sedan while he closed the door.

“Your definitions could use some work. A lady I am not,” I retorted as I studied him for the first time. He was tall and lanky like most fae. His auburn hair almost looked brown in the low light of the garage, but his green eyes shone brightly. He even had the nerve to have freckles. ‘What grown man has freckles?!’ I thought in outrage.

“Oh, well. I am not sure what reflection you are looking at but, in my eyes, I do see a lady in my presence,” he replied guiding me towards the building entrance behind us. His hand rested on the small of my back, the only contact between us.

‘I guess the freckles aren’t that bad,’ I mused to myself as I allowed the elf to escort me to my doom.

We walked through the entrance and moved through the building quickly. I couldn’t get a handle on the maze of generic doors and basic hallways before we came to a non-descript door. Detective White ushered me through to a cozy office space beyond.

“What? No lock up? No restraints?” I asked, eyebrow raised as I eyed the slightly messy office.

“Would you like to be restrained?” he asked, closer to me than I had first thought. A shiver ran down my spine as a tingle of magic caressed my skin.

“You are a dirty fighter,” I said shocked at the glamour magic he had been using on me. Normally I would be able to detect such subtle magics, but he was either very powerful or very old, or both.

He chuckled as he moved to the other side of the cluttered desk. It only seemed to have a little bit of space visible beyond the stacks of papers. “Please have a seat,” he gestured to the seat opposite his in front of the desk. I sat down feeling for other magics that might be clouding my judgement, but I couldn’t sense any other than the glamour magic he had dialed back once I noticed it.  

“We aren’t at a S.N.O.B. facility are we,” I summarized settling back in the chair. His humor filled expression turned serious for a moment. His mirth filled smile disappearing behind his mask of business.

“No, we aren’t,” he replied as he leaned back in his chair. His gaze penetrated me as the pause in our conversation drew out. “Can I trust you, Delphine?”

“Can I trust you, detective White?” I retorted.

His smile returned to his stupidly handsome face. “I would like to believe you can. I would like to believe you would put your faith in me.” He paused holding up his hand before I could counter his statement. “However, I have hunted you for years. Hounding you at every turn, knowing all you wanted was to live your eternal life in peace and without trouble.”

Any response I may have had died on my lips. He was right about that. I just wanted to live my life in peace but trusting him was a long shot. However, I sat there waiting for him to continue. Curiosity getting the better of me, “What is it that you want?” I asked.

“Simply put, to help you in your quest,” he said watching for my reaction.

I laughed. My head fell back as I gave a full-throated laugh at the ridiculousness of his words. “You want to help me?” I asked again, wiping tears from my eyes at the sheer nonsensicalness of it all. His gaze skimmed over my face as he nodded in the affirmative. That stopped my laughter in its tracks. “Why?”

“Because we are old beings. Because I am a bit bored and chasing you has been the most fun, I have had in a long time,” he replied with a smirk. “Because something is coming, and I can feel it deep down in my soul. Something that is going to impact my family in a way that we may not recover from.” He finished with that somber look on his face again.

“Okay,” I nodded in agreement. Not knowing if I could fully trust him but feeling the weight of the truth behind his words. I told him of my visit to the Oracle and what was tasked to me. I told him of my run in with Korbin, Mallec and the Waters family. However, I neglected to mention the relic dangling from my necklace. He watched me intently as he absorbed my words. Nodding along not judging my fumbling moments with Cassandra and Krystal’s cat, Max. When I finished, we sat there in silence for what seemed like forever.

“That is quite the tale and quite an ask for you to manage by yourself,” he said leaning forward to tap away on his computer. “However, I do think I can help at least give you a direction to look in for the book and maybe even find that swan shifter for you.”

“What is this going to cost me?” I asked suspiciously. He smiled broadly as he leaned back in his chair, folding the hands behind his head.

“Simple enough. Let me go with you. I feel like this little field trip is going to be fun,” he replied.

I sat back in my seat in thought. I wasn’t entirely sure I could trust him, but I knew I needed the help. Was he truly trustworthy? What would my father think? His only daughter trusting an elf of unknown origins. His words held the truth but a part of me was unsure. I came this far by myself. I am smart enough to figure out the rest.

“Detective White,” I began.

“Craig,” he supplied.

“Craig, as flattered as I am by your generous offer I have to decline,” I said getting up from my seat. “This conversation has been fun, but I must be going. Needing to save the world and such.” I put on my million-watt smile and moved towards the door.

“I get it, you know,” he called out causing me to pause with my hand on the doorknob.

“Get what?” I asked, turning to face him.

“Why you run. Why you can’t seem to trust people completely. Especially an elf you hardly know, one who has been hunting you for years because he’s bored,” he replied. I crossed my arms and frowned at him.

“Sir don’t presume you know me at all,” I scoffed pissed at his assessment.

“You’re right. I don’t know you. Not really. Just like you don’t really know me,” he said getting up from his chair and moving from behind the desk closer to me. His presence seemed to fill the room, and I cursed my mother for having passed down her short genes to me. I hated feeling small next to such big men.

“Delphine of Filana, daughter of Cruxis. My name is Zavien Alaric Stennus, Prince of the High Court of Fairey, son of Zaxel,” he bowed at the waist in a formal introduction before standing up and grinning at me. I stood slack jawed in awe of what he just admitted to me by way of introduction. A lost prince of the High Court slumming amongst humans was no small thing to admit.

“What?” I managed to squeak out. He stalked closer to me, crowding me back against the door leaning down to speak in my ear.

“Now you know my secret. I am at your mercy. My entire family is,” he said shifting to stare me in the eyes.

I just about got lost in them searching for the lie but finding none. He knew he was risking the safety of not just himself but his family. I could turn them in to the High Court of Fairey or I give them over to my father. Either choice was a death sentence.

“Why?” I uttered in complete disbelief of the burden he placed upon my shoulders.

“Because this quest you have been given is going to change everything. And because if I don’t help you, I feel, people I care about will die. Let me help you, Delphine,” he proclaimed.

I wanted to blame his glamour magic, or the proximity of his body to mine, or the way the mint on his breath caressed my lips in creating this heady need within me but I couldn’t. He ensnared me with his bright green eyes, and I couldn’t seem to tell him no. All I could do was nod my head in agreement.

“Good, off to Charleston we go,” he smiled and grabbed my hand before pulling us into a portal I hadn’t realized opened behind him. I was so fucked.