Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1) (20 page)

‘You could be a little more polite,’ I told him. ‘Especially as you’ve sworn fealty to me now.’

‘I’ve done no such thing.’

I turned my head, addressing the older Sidhe who was still staring at us. ‘Leave us.’

He didn’t need telling twice. He pivoted on his heel and ran off.

‘Cul-chain,’ I said in the most dulcet tone I could manage, ‘be more polite.’

The Bull’s expression tightened. He bowed, however. ‘Yes, Miss Adair.’

‘Taylor,’ I said. ‘Until Clan Adair is resurrected, call me Miss Taylor.’

He bowed again. I clapped my hands. I could get used to this.

‘How did you do it?’ he asked. ‘How did you do the teleportation?’

‘Beats me,’ I shrugged. ‘I’ll let you into a secret – I didn’t think I’d get any Gifts. When I didn’t get a fever, I was sure of it.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’ There was a dangerous glow in the back of his eyes. The Bull still hated me probably more than ever now. But his fear was greater than his hatred. With my knowledge of his true name, he’d do whatever I asked even if that meant slitting his own throat. ‘How did you bring me along with you?’

I frowned. ‘Eh?’

‘I know other Sidhe who can teleport but they can only bring themselves and the clothes they are wearing. They can’t even hold a cupcake and bring it with them.’

No wonder he didn’t seem concerned when I grabbed hold of him in his room. Thanks to Bob’s machinations, the Bull already believed I could teleport before I did so – but he didn’t think I could include him on the trip. Interesting. ‘You will tell no one about this.’

The Bull nodded. Then there was a tiny twitch at the side of his mouth.

I smiled. ‘I almost forget. It’s like Simon says, isn’t it? I have to say your name to force you to do my bidding. Cul-chain.’ I rolled the word around my mouth like a tasty treat. ‘You will tell no one about this. And you will order your Clan to keep quiet too.’

He snarled. He also said, ‘Yes, Miss Taylor.’

I circled round him. ‘Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? Why did I become your ward?’

‘Aifric commanded my Chieftain. I either agreed to take you in or lost several key lands to the north.’

I rubbed my chin. ‘But why you?’

He looked defiant. ‘I’m the Bull.’

‘I don’t understand.’

He set his jaw. ‘Your mother was engaged to me.’ I sucked in an astounded breath. He ignored it. ‘But because I am the Bull, she grew unhappy and left. I assume he thought that because you were her child, I would take good care of you.’ He looked at me. ‘I swore to keep you alive.’

‘Because you’re the Bull, she split up with you?’ I asked, puzzled. He rolled his eyes at the same moment I realised what he meant. ‘Ohhh. You’re not called the Bull because you’re a big guy. It’s because you think of yourself as a stud.’ I looked at his body derisively.

‘I was younger then,’ he spat. ‘I was a different man.’

He’d have to have been very different for anyone to want to shag him. I stared at him in mock horror. ‘My goodness! You could have been my real father after all!’

He hawked up a ball of phlegm. Before he could do anything with it, I wagged my finger. ‘I don’t think so, Cul-chain.’

He swallowed it back down. Eurgh.

‘So,’ I said, ‘you wanted to kill me because of my aura. And because you want the Foinse to fail. Is that correct, Cul-chain?’

Yes,’ he mumbled.

‘Speak up.’ I nudged him gently with my toe. ‘Is that correct?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Yes.’

‘Was my father really evil?’

‘Yes.’ His gaze was unwavering.

‘If I asked any other highborn Sidhe, would I get the same answer?’

‘Yes.’

‘What about the lower classes?’

He looked away. ‘They’re naïve.’

‘Why do they think differently?’

‘He manipulated them. There are stories suggesting that it wasn’t him. Or that he was possessed by a demon.’ His expression made it clear how unlikely he thought that was.

‘Very well. From now on, Cul-chain, you will not seek to harm me. You will ensure no-one in your Clan seeks to harm me. In fact, you will not seek to harm anyone.’ I smiled. ‘I wasn’t lying. I really am a pacifist. I might have an imaginative interpretation of the word but I’d never have let you fall.’

His eyes spat fire. ‘Evil bitch.’

I shrugged. ‘Evil bitch who’s now your boss.’ Not that I thought he needed reminding. ‘You may leave now.’

He turned tail and ran. As I watched him go, my hard demeanour softened to something more genuine and far more troubled because from the moment, the Bull told me his true name, I’d been able to see a strange halo round him. It was a sickly yellow and it followed him as he spun out of the library door. The aura of the grey-haired man who dropped the pile of books was more of a chocolate-brown colour.

I had no way of interpreting what each hue meant but apparently I could add aura reading to teleportation as one of my gifts. It was a damn shame it wouldn’t be of any use without a colour chart.

The faint buzzing in my ear still hadn’t gone away. It was incredibly annoying. I tried scratching and slapping at it but they had no effect. It was as if I had a bee trapped inside my ear canal. I wondered if one had flown in during my little skydiving adventure but I’d been too high up for bees – and the buzzing had started before then anyway. Odd.

Bob winked into existence. He’d managed to lose the parachute but he still had a smug smirk plastered over his face.

‘You waste of space, genie,’ I hissed. ‘You almost got me killed.’

He raised his eyes to the heavens. ‘Come on, Uh Integrity. You knew there would be consequences. You told me about them often enough. Besides, it all turned out well in the end, didn’t it? You discovered your Gift and you got the nasty old Bull to tell you his true name. Now you own two people.’

I gritted my teeth. ‘I don’t “own” anyone.’

‘Monsieur Scrymgeour and I would beg to differ.’

I scratched at my ear again. Damn, that sound was annoying.

‘That’s your friends,’ Bob told me cheerfully. ‘I told them it probably wouldn’t work.’

My brow furrowed. ‘What do you mean?’

‘They’re trying to summon you with your true name but they’re not Sidhe. They can probably bend you to their will if you’re in the same room as them and you can hear them. But from a distance?’ He shrugged. ‘It’s never going to be a strong enough call.’

‘Well, that’s stupid,’ I said irritably. ‘If they’d summoned me back straightaway then your little game would have been null and void.’

‘As I’ve already said, you have benefited immeasurably from my,’ he sketched air quotes, ‘ “little game”. Don’t be a sore winner.’

‘They’ll be worried. I should get back.’

Bob beamed. ‘You’re right. They
are
worried.’

I started running out of the library. I had to get back to Lexie, Speck and        Brochan as quickly as possible before they did something rash.

‘What are you doing?’ Bob shouted after me.

What did he think I was doing? I cursed under my breath then smacked into a hard body. Slightly dazed, I pulled back. Byron. The shimmer around him was a deep purple. It should have clashed with his bronze hair but instead it made him appear more regal and charismatic. Great. That was all I needed.

He caught my arm and gave me a funny look. ‘I thought you were feeling sick and lying down in your room.’

Shite. ‘Er, I was. But now I feel better.’ I gave a disarming smile. ‘I can’t tell what gift I have yet, though.’ I might have more reason to trust him but that didn’t mean I was going to volunteer information.

His eyes suspiciously. ‘How did you get past the…’

I raised my eyebrows. ‘The guards that I asked you not to post but you did anyway?’

He sighed. ‘Someone’s trying to kill you, Integrity. You shouldn’t be flippant about these matters.’

‘Not until the Foinse is safe and sound anyway, right?’

A strange expression crossed his face. ‘Right,’ he muttered.

‘Actually, I was coming to find you,’ I said. ‘That’s why I was in the library. You asked me to meet you there before, so I thought it might be where you liked to hang out.’ I gave myself an imaginary pat on the back. Nice little side step I did there.

‘What do you need?’

I grinned. ‘As I’m clearly hale and hearty, we can get on with the crusade to the Foinse. The sooner we fix it the better, don’t you think?’

I still hadn’t allayed his suspicions. He folded his arms and gazed at me. ‘Are you sure you’re up to the journey?’

I beamed. ‘I can’t wait. Let me rush upstairs and grab my things and I’ll be ready to go.’

The furrow in Byron’s brow deepened. I caught sight of Jamie and Tipsania hovering in the back and gave them an enthusiastic wave. ‘We’re going to the Foinse,’ I bellowed out. ‘Do you want to come? We could take a picnic.’

Jamie threw a nervous glance at Byron then looked embarrassed again, while Tipsania wrinkled her nose irritably. I wondered whether her father would tell her what had transpired between us; somehow I doubted it. The Bull wouldn’t want to look weak in front of anyone, even if they were his closest family or loyal Clan members.

It was interesting that Tipsania’s aura was a pretty pink, with some flecks of scarlet. How come I was the evil black-aura woman and she got pink?

‘They can’t come,’ Byron muttered. ‘Only two representatives from each Clan are going to travel to the Foinse.’

‘Why two?’

He didn’t meet my eyes. ‘It’s an auspicious number.’

‘Really,’ I said flatly. ‘Or is it because you need an heir and a spare?’

‘Accidents happen.’

‘Is that what we’re calling murder these days?’ I asked, although there was a lightness behind my words. Byron might not be aware of it but there was little chance of any further mishaps now I’d sorted out the Bull. But it still didn’t seem fair that I was the only one without a buddy. ‘There’s only me from Clan Adair,’ I said, pointing out the bleeding obvious. ‘Does that mean I can nominate someone to come with me?’

Byron’s gaze flickered towards Jamie. ‘I’ll talk to my father. But even if he agrees, you can’t bring someone who’s in the Kincaid, Darroch or Moncrieffe Clans because they will be already be represented.’

I shrugged. ‘Suits me. Jamie can be one of the Moncrieffe reps.’ I winked at him. The corners of his mouth tugged up in a quick answering smile. He was still very cute, especially when he put his dimples on show like that.

Byron’s jaw tightened. ‘No, he can’t. Both my father and I will be travelling for Moncrieffe.’

I was surprised at that. Byron’s attendance made sense; he had, after all, been one of the few Sidhe I’d had proper contact with and I doubted that the other Clan reps would be keen to chew the fat with me during our journey. However, I’d assumed that the Steward would delegate the journey to someone else. He must be a hands-on kind of leader.

Tipsania was looking bored. ‘He’s made things very awkward for the other Clans. Now they all have to send their Chieftains so they don’t lose face.’

‘As they should,’ Byron replied. ‘This is a matter of some importance.’

‘So I’ve heard,’ she said sarcastically.

His expression softened. ‘Sorry. It’s been a long week.’

Tell me about it. ‘Can we get this show on the road?’ I interrupted.

‘I’ll inform the others. Despite your sudden desire to get going, we won’t leave until first light tomorrow. By the time everyone gets their gear together, it’ll already be too late today.’

I remained cheerful. ‘More time for me to hang around the Cruaich and get to know the Sidhe, then. What fun.’

Tipsania rolled her eyes. ‘Byron, baby, will you come with me to the garden? I need some fresh air.’

‘It would be my pleasure.’ It was interesting that his expression told an entirely different tale. He was going to have to work on his acting ability if he planned to make an alliance with the Scrymgeours through Tipsania to solve the Moncrieffes’ financial woes. Although, looking at the way she hooked her arm round his and gazed adoringly up at him, that might not be too hard.

I watched them go. Jamie said reluctantly, ‘I have to, um, I have to go too.’

I smiled at him. ‘Okay.’

Byron’s head turned for a moment, as if he were checking up on his mate. Perhaps he was worried I’d jump on Jamie and rip his clothes off right here and now. But as soon as Jamie walked off in the opposite direction, Byron returned his attention to Tipsania.

‘You like him,’ Bob said coyly into my ear.

I jumped. He was perched on my shoulder like a damn parrot. ‘Don’t sneak up on me like that!’

‘Why? Are you worried I’ll catch you drooling?’

‘For Jamie Moncrieffe?’ I considered it. ‘His dimples are rather alluring.’

‘Not him,’ Bob purred. ‘The other one.’

I stiffened. ‘Just because I might find Byron Moncrieffe sexually attractive, along with his friend,’ I added quickly, ‘does not mean that I drool. Besides, as you can see, he’s already taken.’

‘I don’t see no ring.’

‘Watch this space.’ I started to stride away again.

‘Uh Integrity! Stop!’

‘I have to find the others,’ I said. ‘They probably think I’m dead by now.’

The genie looked exasperated. ‘So why are you taking the long way around?’

‘What do you mean?’

Bob stood on his tiptoes and smacked me on the side of my head. ‘Hello? Teleportation?’

Oh. I’d completely forgotten. I grinned. ‘Thanks, Bob.’

He tsked. A faint shadow crossed his face while I snapped my fingers and declared in a deep voice, ‘The tower.’

‘You don’t have to do that with your hand, you know.’

‘I know but I think it adds a little something to the effect,’ I said, as I felt myself being tugged away. It really was a handy Gift to have.

*

Lexie, Speck and Brochan were relieved to see me. Once again I enjoyed several hugs. ‘We’re making a habit of this,’ I joked.

‘We didn’t know what had happened to you!’ Lexie burst out. ‘That wanky genie…’

I sighed. ‘It wasn’t his fault. But I certainly won’t be asking for any more wishes any time soon.’

‘What happened, Tegs?’ Brochan asked. ‘Who was it?’

‘It was the Bull all along. I should have suspected him from the start. I guess there are so many people around here who seem to hate me that he was too obvious.’ I explained to the three of them what had happened.

Speck’s face turned green. ‘Heights. I hate heights.’

‘It was kind of fun once I realised I wasn’t going to hit the ground.’

‘What colour is my aura?’ Lexie asked eagerly.

‘Orange. It’s very bright,’ I admitted.

She folded her arms. ‘Orange? That’s awful!’

I blinked. ‘Why?’

‘Orange and blue don’t go together at all. Now I’ll have to re-think my entire wardrobe! Not to mention dying my hair.’ She shook her head. ‘All this time I’ve been clashing.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about it, Lex. I don’t think there’s anyone except the Bull and me who can see it.’

She pouted. ‘That’s two people too many.’

‘What am I?’

I turned to Speck. ‘Dark blue. And Brochan is…’

He held up his hands. ‘I don’t want to know.’ He paused. ‘Tegs, have you thought about how you came to have this Gift?’

I frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s a bit of a coincidence, isn’t it? You take the Bull’s true name and now you have the same Gift as him?’

‘I’ve never heard of that happening,’ I said slowly. ‘But it does seem to make a kind of sense.’

‘Let’s face it, you could write down everything all four of us know about the Sidhe and it probably wouldn’t fit on the back of a stamp. Maybe it’s not just the true names that have power. Maybe if give away your true name, you also give away part of that power.’

‘I’m sure the Bull would have realised if his Gift had been diminished.’ I nibbled my lip. ‘What happened with Bob…’ My voice trailed away.

Speck scratched his chin. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Teleportation. It wasn’t until after Bob had teleported me to the Bull that I could suddenly teleport myself. And others, too. The Bull seemed to think it was strange that I could bring him along with me.’

‘You think you absorbed some of the genie’s magic too?’ Lexie’s eyes were round. ‘That’s so cool!’

Speck nodded. ‘Osmosis.’ When he received a funny look from Lexie, he scowled at her. ‘What? Just because I paid attention in school when you were too busy partying…’ She thumped him and he let out a small screech. ‘Stop doing that! You know I don’t respond well to pain.’

Brochan gazed at the pair of them with an expression of long-standing sufferance. Then he turned back to me. ‘Maybe the Gift you received is one of learning. You learn what other people can do.’ He drew in a breath. ‘It would make you incredibly powerful, Tegs.’

‘I can think of a few Sidhe who wouldn’t be very happy about that.’ I shrugged. ‘I didn’t learn pyrokinesis, and those fireballs were flung at me after I received my true name.’

‘That was immediately afterwards. Maybe you weren’t ready.’

I shrugged. ‘Unless someone else uses their Gift on me, it’s not a theory we can test. I’m certainly not about to ask for anything else from Bob.’

Lexie gasped. ‘What if you caught wish-granting from him?’

‘You make it sound like a disease,’ I grunted. ‘And I don’t think that would be possible. Wishes are specific to genies. Teleportation, however…’

‘Hello darlings!’ Bob sang. ‘My ears were burning so I knew you were talking about me.’

I stared at him suspiciously while Brochan sneezed. ‘Why did it take you so long to get here?’

‘I was in the library doing some research.’ He reached up to the tips of his ears; tiny flickers of flame were dancing around them. ‘Scorchio!’ he hissed.