Quicksilver by Callie Hart
- Alisha Eadle
- Mar 31
- 26 min read
Quicksilver
by Callie Hart
Published by Forever
Book 1 in the Fae & Alchemy Series
Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.
Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.
When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.
The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home.
Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...
Genre
Triggers
graphic violence/adult situations
WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS?!?!?!?!
Why didn't I wait longer so I didn't have a long wait to the next book?
I was aware of the popularity of Quicksilver, and I had it on my TBR, but I wasn't in any rush. But once again, my best friend peer pressured me into reading it, and once again, I have no regrets.
I loved, loved, LOVED this book.
Callie Hart created a beautiful, unique, and interesting world. The different realms, the magic system, and different types of species, all blended to make this totally immersive world that I couldn't help but sink into.
Callie Hart didn't just create a vivid landscape for her story, though. She also wrote a cast of characters that were just so much fun to read.
I loved Saeris as our main female character. Her strength, and loyalty were traits that made her easy to appreciate. Her realism and her humor were what made her lovable. Her sarcastic quips hid her vulnerable side, which meant we got a few chuckles before she opened up to the other characters in this book.
Kingfisher was the most complex character in this book. While, yes, he does do and say some pretty mean things, I already knew I would love him. I love a grumpy guy. Obviously something is wrong with me. Honestly, despite the anger and displeasure he put off, I felt the undercurrent of his true feelings. The people around him loved him. Despite his attitude, he couldn't stay away from Saeris. Callie just made it very easy to push past all that, and get to the ooey, gooey center that is Fisher. I am absolutely fascinated with his character, and the quicksilver in him, and I can't wait to learn more about him.
I can't pass by and not mention how much I loved Saeris and Kingfisher together. Whether they were fighting, bickering, or getting along, the chemistry between these two character was off the charts. Callie Hart brought her A game when it came to these two. I felt the tension throughout the book between these two, and the banter was the cherry on top. Seriously, the banter in this book in some of the best I've ever read, and had me laughing out loud. It takes a while, but the romance and the spice does not disappoint, and I often found myself making sure no one was around to see my screen while reading, because ... whew. HOT.
I can't forget about another of my favorites - Carrion. I'm obsessed. His character was charming, and hilarious. I definitely appreciate the fact that Callie didn't just focus on the banter between Fisher and Saeris. Adding Carrion in the mix was pure genius. Honestly, all of the side characters were interesting.
I was never bored.
Quicksilver quickly became on of my favorite books so far this year. I can't wait till November for Brimstone to be released. If you love romantasy, you will ADORE Quicksilver.
Saeris: “Spit it out, Carrion. You wouldn’t have bullied me into staying if you weren’t trying to work some kind of angle.”
Carrion: “Can I not just be enamored by your beauty? Can I not just want to sit and listen to the angelic tone of your voice?”
Saeris: “I’m not beautiful. I’m filthy, and I’m tired, and my voice is full of sarcasm and annoyance, so let’s just get on with this, shall we?”
Saeris: "It isn’t disease that’s contagious in my ward, Captain. It’s dissent. Anarchy and rebellion spread like a wildfire. And what do you do with a fire? You blockade it. Trap it behind a wall. Give it nowhere else to go until it burns itself out and dies a quiet death. That’s what Madra’s doing with my people. Except our fire hasn’t burned out the way she’d hoped it would. We’ve been reduced to embers, yes, but the coals that lie beneath the ash of my ward are still hot enough to burn. Do you know much about metalwork, Captain? I do. It’s under the most unbearable conditions that the sharpest, most dangerous weapons are forged. And we are dangerous, Captain. She’s turned us all into weapons. That is why she won’t suffer my people to live.”
Everlayne: “Belikon’s assassins could be anywhere—”
Fisher: “Sounds to me like you’re the one I should be watching out for, darling Layne. You’re the one who just threatened to knee me in the cock.”
Saeris: “Should we, uh...knock?”
An arrogant smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.
Fisher: “Sure,”
he said, as if this was a charming suggestion made by a single-brain-celled idiot. A second later, he slammed the sole of his boot against the wood, and then the door was on the ground in pieces.
Fisher: “Knock knock.”
He stepped to one side, holding his hand out in a mockery of manners, gesturing for me to go ahead of him.
Fisher: “I don’t think anyone’s home.”
Saeris: “What about you is magic?”
Fisher: “Everything,”
he said, entering the room.
Fisher: “My looks. My sword skills. My personality—”
Saeris: “Your personality is trash.”
I braced against the workbench and said,
Saeris: “Elroy swears that a man will lie about the size of his cock every time a woman asks him.”
Kingfisher stilled.
Fisher: “Are you asking me how big my cock is, Osha?”
Saeris: “I don’t care how big it is. I care about the way you answer.”
A slow, terrifying smirk spread across his face.
Fisher: "It’s big enough to make you scream and then some.”
Saeris: “See.”
I jabbed a finger at him.
Saeris: “You’re not going to be honest.”
He looked around the forge, feigning confusion.
Fisher: “I’m sorry, I’m not sure that I understand your meaning.”
Saeris: “Ask a man how big his dick is, and he’ll show you that he’s full of shit.”
Fisher: “Maybe. But I’m not a man. I’m a Fae male.”
He paused.
Fisher: “And maybe I’m just well-endowed.”
Saeris: “Or maybe you’re just wasting my time, and we should get on with whatever you’re going to attempt to teach me here,”
I snapped.
Everlayne had been waiting for me when I returned to my room yesterday. She hadn’t banked on Kingfisher kicking in my bedroom door, me thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and wailing like a banshee. Nor had she expected his ultra-foul temper, his split bottom lip, or the thin line of blood trickling down his chin. She’d squawked when he’d thrown me unceremoniously down onto my bed and snarled, “Bad human,” at me.
Fisher: “You like it?”
he purred.
Fisher: “I figured some extra protection was in order this morning since you’re now given to hurling yourself at me like some kind of rabid feline.”
Saeris: “Cats scratch,”
I said flatly.
Saeris: “I came this close to knocking you on your ass.”
Fisher: “In your fucking dreams, human.”
Kingfisher’s gaze snapped up, singling in on mine.
Fisher: “Careful, human. We Fae have an excellent sense of smell. You’d be amazed what we can scent floating on the air.”
Saeris: “I—I wasn’t doing anything. I didn’t—”
Oh, gods. I was going to die of embarrassment. The moment had been fleeting. I hadn’t even meant to think it. I despised Kingfisher. I was not attracted to him. I was not thinking about his tongue or his teeth...
He set down the piece of bread and meat he was holding and sat back in his chair very slowly. His expression was suddenly serious, his eyes alert, his voice low and smooth as velvet.
Fisher: “You’re making it worse.”
Saeris: “Why haven’t you gotten your lip taken care of, anyway? They can heal it. A small cut like that? It’d be gone with one tiny touch—”
Kingfisher’s eyes narrowed, still boring into me.
Fisher: “I was going to get it seen to after this, but now I’ve decided against it.”
Saeris: “Hah. Right.”
I ripped a piece of cheese from the block he’d slapped on the plate for me and shoved it into my mouth.
Fisher: “Yes. Just now, actually. I’m going to keep it as a souvenir.”
Saeris: “A reminder of the time a weak human girl landed a hit on you and drew blood? You want your friends knowing about that?”
Fuck, this cheese had the consistency of glue. I kept chewing, but my mouth was so dry that it was turning into a thick paste.
Fisher: “I like being surprised,”
Fisher said, spinning his fork over in his hand.
Fisher: “I’m also a fan of aggressive foreplay. It’ll be a fun reminder.”
I jerked when he snapped his fingers in front of my face.
Fisher: “You could at least say hello before you start eye-fucking me.”
Fisher: “It’s always confounded me. Humans aren’t restricted by the same laws as the Oath Bound Fae. You creatures can lie whenever you want. You do it all of the time. And yet you’re all so fucking bad at it.”
Saeris: “Ow! It’s almost down to the bone, Fisher. Help me!”
Kingfisher pushed away from the sword, standing up straight. He looked up at the rafters overhead, squinting.
Fisher: “This...is a learning experience, I think. There are always consequences to our actions. Your new furry bracelet is a consequence of human weakness. Wear it with pride.”
Saeris: “Pants and a shirt,”
I said dryly.
Saeris: “And a pair of boots with really good soles. Do you have any idea what those boots cost me?”
Fisher: “Let me guess. Your virginity.”
Saeris: “Fuck you, Fisher.”
Fisher: “Sure.”
He smirked.
Fisher: “But I’m afraid I don’t have any new boots to trade you for your time.”
Fisher: “I don’t hate your kind. I’m just disappointed by how breakable you are. If I held you down and fucked you the way I’m imagining fucking you right now, I doubt that you’d survive it.”
Fisher: "That your body is betraying you, Little Osha, and I'm thinking about drinking the sweet nectar you're making for me straight from the fucking cup."
Fisher: “Careful,”
he panted.
Fisher: “I swore I’d be still while you kissed me. At no point did I promise to exercise restraint if you climbed up into my lap and started grinding yourself against my cock.”
Fisher: “Let me guess. You don’t like horses?”
he said.
Saeris: “No, I don’t like horses. Horses don’t like me. We mutually dislike each other.”
Fisher hefted a saddle down from a rack on the wall and barged passed me, carrying it out of the tack room.
Fisher: “You’re gonna have to get over it.”
I followed him, stepping over Carrion as Kingfisher entered one of the stalls.
Saeris: “It doesn’t work like that! I can’t just get over it!”
Fisher: “Sure you can. Keep your ass in the saddle. Keep your mouth shut. It’s easy.”
Trot? I laughed scathingly.
Saeris: “Nothing you can say or do will incentivize me to smash my genitals against this saddle any harder or faster than they’re already being smashed.”
Fisher: “Feeling a little sore, human?”
Saeris: “Sore doesn’t come close,”
I grumbled.
Fisher: “I’ll happily kiss all of your aches and pains better for you once we strike camp. I’ve been told my mouth has healing properties. Especially when administered between a pair of thighs.”
Stable hand: “What about this one, then? Is this one for sale?”
The stable hand thumbed a hand in the direction of Carrion.
Fisher: “What’s your best offer?”
Fisher asked.
Saeris: “No!”
Kingfisher had the audacity to look bored when I slapped his arm.
Fisher: “No, the human isn’t for sale either,”
he said in a flat, annoyed tone.
A swarm of tiny faeries with gossamer wings flitted around our heads, tugging on my hair, snatching up the loose strands that had worked loose from my braid, giving them sharp, vicious little pulls.
Saeris: “Ow!”
I tried to swat them away, but Kingfisher caught me by the wrist.
Fisher: “I wouldn’t. They’re drunk. They get mean when they’re drunk.”
Saeris: “I’m a thousand times bigger than them. I could crush—Ahh!”
I hissed, pulling my hand away from the cloud of fluttering menaces. There, right on the heel of my palm, was a perfect oval welt. A bead of blood rose up from the tiny wound, shining like a tiny ruby.
Saeris: “A bite? Is that a bite mark?”
I held out my hand for Fisher to see, but he didn’t even look.
Fisher: “Not only do they get mad when you try to smash them out of the air, but they speak Common Fae and take offense when you imply that you’re going to crush them to death. Beer, please. Two. And a pour of your strongest spirit as well.”
I hissed when my behind met the wooden seat. Gods, that hurt. I was never going to be able to sit down without drawing in a sharp breath again. Fisher’s infuriating grin was the only part of his face visible beneath the dark cowl of his hood.
Saeris: “I’m glad you think this is funny,”
I groused, accepting the beer he handed to me.
Fisher: “I think it’s hilarious,”
he countered.
Fisher: “You’ve been a persistent pain in my ass since we met. Now the universe has seen fit to make your ass smart. I’d call that justice.”
Saeris: “Urgh! Do you have to be so difficult?”
His eyes danced.
Fisher: “It isn’t mandatory, but I do enjoy it.”
Kingfisher considered me, one eyebrow curving with interest.
Fisher: “Are you thinking about running? Gods, I hope so. I’ll give you a head start if you like. It’s been an age since I’ve hunted anything.”
Saeris: “Wonderful. Another day of being forced to do whatever you want me to. Lucky me.”
He looked at me solemnly.
Fisher: “I’m not going to force you to do anything.”
Saeris: “Oh?”
I couldn’t keep the mocking edge from my voice.
Saeris: “So if I decide to stay right here and tell you to go fuck yourself, you aren’t going to react badly and command me to go with you?”
Fisher: “I’d be a little annoyed that you’d told me to go fuck myself,”
.
As he spoke, we passed a nook in the wall, where seven marble busts were mounted on stands, one of which was facing the wall. Kingfisher flipped off the gods as he passed them, not even breaking his stride.
Fisher: “There’s every way,”
Fisher rumbled, his eyes darkening.
Fisher: “I’d know the smell of you anywhere. On anyone. I’d know it blind and in the dark. Across a fucking sea. I’d be able to scent you—”
Fisher: “For the record, I’d never use an injury as an excuse to sneak my way into a bed,”
Fisher said. His voice was even closer now. I could almost feel the brush of his lips against the shell of my ear.
Fisher: “I’ve never had a problem securing myself an invite.”
He was so sure of himself. His arrogance went beyond the pale.
Saeris: “Well, don’t count on an invite from me,”
I snapped, drawing the sheets up even higher beneath my chin. Fuck me. That smile. Slightly open-mouthed, flashing the smallest hint of pointed teeth. I had to be so, so careful around that smile. It would wreck me if I let it.
Fisher: “Mm. You’re right. I don’t think you will invite me into your bed. When the time comes, I think you’ll beg—”
Carrion: “That night, before you had dinner with him, actually. You’d already left for the dining room. He showed up with these in his hand and said he’d give them to me on one condition.”
Saeris: “Which was?”
Carrion snagged a grape from the tray and popped it into his mouth.
Carrion: “That I take a bath.”
Saeris: “A bath?”
Carrion: “Yes, a bath.”
Saeris: “That’s a weird request.”
Carrion: “I know. Even after being kidnapped, dragged into a different realm, and carted for miles on the back of a horse, I still smelled great. But he was all wound up about not liking the way I smelled, so I figured fuck it. Whatever. A bath for a new pair of boots was a fair trade. And it felt great to soak in all of that hot water. Strange, right? All of that water? I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that there’s just so much...”
He prattled on, but the bite of toast I’d just taken had turned claggy, like glue.
Saeris: “He said he didn’t like the way you smelled?”
Carrion: “Yes, and he was very rude about it. He had a bunch of sprites come in and scrub me with these stiff brushes until I was raw and pink all over. I swear they took off four layers of skin. They put this thick white clay all over me, then, and let it sit so long that it went hard, and they had to crack it to get it all off.”
Saeris: “Gods.”
Carrion: “And then,”
he said, taking another grape.
Carrion: “They rubbed me down with this special kind of moss, which is where things got interesting. They paid particular attention to my...”
His eyes trailed down his body until they rested in his crotch. I raised my eyebrows at him.
Saeris: “You let a fire sprite jerk you off with a handful of Fae moss?”
Carrion: “Not a fire sprite,”
he said defensively.
Carrion: “These were water sprites. Three of them. They’re smaller than the Fae women and very nice to look at. I didn’t mind their attentions one bit.”
Saeris: “You’ve been in Yvelia for five seconds, and you’ve already had a foursome with a different species of magical creature?”
I didn’t know why I was surprised. It was absolutely something Carrion would do.
Carrion: “Jealous?”
he asked, winking again.
Saeris: “No! I’m—I’m disgusted! What if you catch some kind of Fae disease?”
I eyed his crotch for emphasis this time. Another grape went into his mouth.
Carrion: “Ahh, I’m not worried about that. They were very thorough with that moss.”
Saeris: “Gross!”
Fisher: “You’re late,”
Fisher said in an icy tone.
Fisher: “And please enlighten me. Why have you invited half of the household along to a meeting that was supposed to be for just the two of us?”
Saeris: “Meeting? I thought this was dinner. And how would it be fair for me to enjoy the pleasure of your company while these two miss out?”
Carrion held up a hand.
Carrion: “I’d prefer not to be here, actually.”
Saeris: “Sit the fuck down,”
I hissed.
Carrion: “All right. Gods.”
Renfis had been in the process of sipping from his glass, but the second he realized that I’d sat opposite him, next to Fisher, the alcohol sprayed out of his mouth in an arc that nearly crossed the width of the table. Luckily no food had been placed on it yet.
Renfis: “Saints.”
He pounded on his chest, wheezing.
Renfis: “What the fuck?”
Fisher: “Oh, yes. She has no sense of timekeeping, and she has unconventional seating preferences, don’t you, Human?”
Carrion: “I can sit there instead?”
Carrion offered.
Fisher: “Absolutely not,”
Kingfisher barked.
Fisher: “Try it and die.”
Carrion: “Whoa. Okay. I was just trying to keep the peace. If you guys need a buffer—”
Fisher: “We don’t,”
Fisher fired back at him.
Fisher: “And even if we did, I’d ask someone far more likable than you. No!”
He held up a finger, stabbing it at Carrion.
Fisher: “Do not tell me how likable you are back in Zilvaren. I don’t want to hear it.”
Carrion gave him a sickly smile as he sat down in the next chair along.
Renfis: “Here. Come and sit on this side,”
Ren said to me, collecting his glass and shoving his chair back.
Renfis: “I don’t mind moving.”
Saeris: “What’s the difference between this side and that side? Either way, I still have to look at his smug face.”
Fisher: “She’s right. She’s made her decision. Let her sit wherever she wants to sit.”
Ren gave him an odd look.
Renfis: “Really?”
Fisher: “Really.”
Saeris: “You said you were going to the camp for a week. You were gone for two.”
Fisher: “Did you miss me?”
Saeris: “I didn’t appreciate being stuck in your bed for five days, y’know.”
Fisher: “Really?”
He picked up a piece of cheese.
Fisher: “Most females like spending time in my bed.”
Carrion: “How long are you staying before you head back to the camp?”
Carrion asked Ren, around a mouthful of food. Ren arched an eyebrow, struggling to tear his gaze away from me to look at Carrion.
Renfis: “Uh...a week, maybe?”
Saeris: “I don’t even want to think about the depraved shit you’ve done in that room,”
I hissed. Fisher’s laughter flooded the dining room.
Fisher: “You’re right. You don’t.”
Saeris: “Urgh!”
Saeris: “Sorry,”
I said, taking a deep breath.
Saeris: “I didn’t mean to snap. Not at you, anyway.”
The general shook his head, suppressing a smile. He reached for a pie and set it onto his plate.
Renfis: “Not at all. He makes me crazy, too.”
Kingfisher hadn’t looked away from me once during this exchange.
Fisher: “Make sure she uses a training sword,”
he said flatly.
Fisher: “One with a very dull edge.”
Saeris: “I do not need to use a training sword!”
Fisher: “Oh? You have experience wielding a blade, then? A proper, full-length sword and not some badly forged back-alley shank?”
I was going to shank him in the neck with my very dull butter knife. Then he’d see how proficient I was with a blade.
Saeris: “I have plenty of experience with full-length swords. They’re like daggers, only bigger. You use the sharp—”
Fisher: “You’re on the verge of embarrassing yourself,”
Fisher murmured.
Fisher: “Better stop talking before you put Renfis here in an early grave.”
Renfis: “Oh, fuck you, Fisher.”
He bit down on his bottom lip, eyes alive, flickering vivid green and silver. I knew what his amusement looked like now, and I didn’t like it one bit.
Fisher: “Go on. Tell her, Ren,”
Renfis: “I’m not getting caught in the crossfire of whatever this is,”
Ren said, gesturing to the two of us.
Fisher: “If I were evil and using your oath for my own purposes, I’d order you onto your knees for me,”
he said, cutting me off.
Fisher: “I’d order you to part your legs for me. I’d order you to suck and fuck me until you passed out from exhaustion. Is that what you want, Little Osha?”
Heat detonated in my chest. An inferno, raging inside me, eating up all of the oxygen in my lungs. My hand shook, my cheeks turning crimson as I used the edge of my fork to cut into the small meat pie he’d put on my plate.
Saeris: “Of course not. Why would I want that?”
I rasped. He nodded to the piece of pie on my fork.
Fisher: “Eat.”
My anger was eating me, but I raised the fork to my mouth and did it.
Fisher: “If I compelled you to do it, you’d be innocent. Your actions wouldn’t be your fault. You wouldn’t have to face the fact that you wanted me.”
Saeris: “Just stop, Fisher.”
Fisher: “And I’d prove what a vile monster I was, wouldn’t I? How vindicating for you. To get exactly what your body is calling out for while also being proven right.”
Saeris: “You’re out of your fucking mind,”
I whispered.
Fisher: “That’s what they tell me. But I don’t know. Aside from the relentless chatter in my head, personally, I think I’m doing just fine.”
Saeris: “I don’t want you, Fisher.”
Fisher: “You’re thinking about my hands sliding up the insides of your thighs right now. About my fingers slipping inside the wet folds of you. Working against your swollen clit, rubbing you until you’re panting and whimpering, begging for me to sink my cock into your—”
For the second time since we sat down to dinner, Renfis nearly choked on his drink. He spun in his seat, giving Fisher a scandalized look that said, really? I’m sitting right fucking here, but Fisher paid him no heed.
On the other hand, I nearly keeled over and died. Because if Ren’s superior Fae senses could hear what Fisher was whispering to me, then he could also scent how his friend’s words were affecting me as well, and—and gods, I would never live down the shame.
Ren flicked Carrion’s sword out of his hands and put him on his ass in the snow before he could blink a second time. I stifled a laugh as the male held out his hand, helping Carrion to his feet.
Carrion: “You’ll be laughing on the other side of your face soon.”
Carrion used one hand to dust the snow off his pants and the other to flip me off.
Carrion: “It’s almost your turn. My ass can’t take much more of this.”
Saeris: “I bet that’s the first time you’ve said those words,”
I called. He stuck out his tongue like a petulant child.
Carrion: “I’m more of a giver than a receiver, actually.”
Fisher: “You asked for this. When you’re sore from coming so hard and you can’t recall your own name, remember that, Little Osha.”
Fisher bowed his head, leaning into me, his mouth so close to mine.
Fisher: “When you take all of me, remember to breathe.”
He let go of my throat, and my head swam as I dragged down a lungful of air.
Fisher: “I can’t wait to hear what kind of sounds you make when I thrust into you for the first time,”
he purred.
Fisher: “I’m going to make you pant for me, Little Osha. And when we’re done, I’ll close my eyes and replay the sound of you moaning in my head every time I stroke myself to completion.”
Fisher: “Do not fucking dare finish that sentence,”
he snarled.
Fisher: “I don’t want a mouthful of soap and perfume. I want to taste you.”
Fisher: “Don’t call her Sunshine,”
he commanded.
Carrion: “Why not?”
If Carrion’s plan was to poke the bear, then he sure as hell knew how to go about it. But Kingfisher didn’t respond to the taunting note in his question. He just cocked his head a little, nostrils flaring, and spoke in a low rumble.
Fisher: “Because she is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm. The smoke that rolls across a battlefield before the killing starts. You have no idea what she is. What she could be. You should call her Majesty.”
Every warrior in Innìr will smell me on you,
Fisher’s voice rumbled in my mind.
I’m going to make you hoarse from screaming my fucking name. I’m going to mark you in every way imaginable, so that everyone knows you’re fucking mine.
Saeris: “I would have gotten dressed, but there weren’t actually any clothes in that bag you packed for me. I appreciate the sentiment, but four different throwing knives, a field dressing kit, and a bottle of whiskey might have been overkill. A clean pair of underwear and a toothbrush would have been nice.”
This coaxed a laugh out of him.
Fisher: “Fair point. And noted. Only two knives and a hip flask next time. Plus underwear and a toothbrush.”
I arched an eyebrow at him, then looked down at my chest.
Saeris: “Is this the kind of thing you imagine me wearing often?”
Fisher: “When I imagine you, Little Osha, you’re very rarely wearing clothes.”
Even Fisher swallowed hard as he took in all of this new ink I had gained in the night. I thrust my hands out toward him accusingly.
Saeris: “My mother would not have approved of this!”
Saeris: "And that fucking quicksilver…”
Carrion: “Having trouble making it do its liquidy, rolling around thing?”
Saeris: “No. I can alter its state just fine now. I barely even have to think about that. I just tell it to be a liquid, and it becomes a liquid. The problem is that it’s fucking mocking me.”
Carrion snorted.
Carrion: “Mocking you?”
Saeris: “Yes! It laughs every time I attempt to combine something new with it. It’ll take the pure silver, but the moment I tip anything else in there, it burns up before it even touches the metals. And it fucking laughs!”
Carrion: “It can’t be sentient,”
he said dubiously.
Saeris: “Oh, ho, ho, it is. You wouldn’t be saying that if you could hear what I can hear.”
Carrion nodded, pulling on the cigarillo, the bright cherry flaring at its end.
Carrion: “Have you considered the possibility that you might be mad?”
Saeris: “Yes, I have, actually,”
I answered tartly.
Saeris: “But Fisher’s books back at Cahlish said it was common for Alchemists to report that they could hear the quicksilver.”
Carrion: “Then maybe all Alchemists are mad. Maybe having a screw loose is just a prerequisite for working with this stuff.”
I snatched another flask from the box and threw it, growling under my breath.
Saeris: “Look, if you’re not going to be helpful, then I’m kind of busy here.”
Carrion: “Oh, sure, absolutely. I can see that.”
I spun quickly, a fresh flask held over my head, ready to throw it at him, but he held up his hands in surrender.
Saeris: “Can you back up a little? This might be a little easier without you breathing directly down my neck.”
Carrion: “I seem to recall you liked me breathing down your ne—”
Saeris: “If you dare finish that sentence, you can go and wait outside,”
I snapped.
Carrion: “That’s fair.”
Carrion moved back a step, bowing graciously.
Carrion: “Though, if it seems like your mind’s being sucked out of your body, or you’re in excruciating pain and can’t let go of the quicksilver sword murder spikes, do I have your permission to tackle you to the ground?”
That actually seemed like a prudent plan.
Saeris: “You do.”
Carrion: “Excellent.”
Fisher: “Be unrelenting and unmerciful in the face of the wicked dead,”
Ren laid a steadying hand on my shoulder.
Renfis: “And if you should find soul sundered from flesh, order a drink for us at the first tavern you come across in the afterlife. We’ll settle the tab when we get there.”
Renfis: “Stubborn girl,”
he growled.
Renfis: “Don’t you dare die on my watch, Saeris Fane! Fisher will never forgive me if his sole reason for living is torn to pieces on her first fucking battlefield.”
As soon as we were alone, Carrion threw off his coat and pointed emphatically at the door, after the Fae who had just exited through it.
Carrion: “Did you hear that?”
Saeris: “What?”
Carrion: “That smoking hot blonde said I was pretty.”
Saeris: “Gods alive, Carrion. Do not tell me you have a thing for Danya. She’s fucking awful.”
Carrion: “Eh.”
He shot me a rakish grin.
Carrion: “I love a girl with a sharp tongue and a bad attitude. Kinda makes my dick hard.”
I didn’t get a chance to reply. Carrion, dog that he was, jumped in before I could get a word out. He hopped off the bench, crossed the forge, and leaned against the wall by the doorway in that practiced, careless way of his.
Carrion: “You look stunning this evening, Te Léna. You’re literally the only good thing about being back here,”
She laughed.
Te Léna: “Aside from the running hot water, you mean? And the soft feather beds? And the endless supply of delicious hot food?”
Carrion: “No. I hate every single one of those things,”
he said theatrically.
Carrion: “You remain the only bright star in a sea of darkness here. Tell me you’ve changed your mind about having dinner with me.”
She gave him a chastising look, holding up both of her hands and showing him their backs.
Te Léna: “I regret to inform you that I am still happily mated and married, Carrion Swift. And my husband isn’t the type to share.”
Carrion: “Is he handsome?”
Carrion arched his eyebrow suggestively.
Carrion: “I do love a husband-and-wife team. Maybe he’ll let me join you both if he...”
Fisher: “The Oshellith hatch once in most Fae lifetimes. Up north, in the wastelands, far beyond Ajun Sky, where the dragons used to live. The air’s so cold there that it’ll freeze in your lungs if you breathe it in without a mask. No life exists there for long. But once in a thousand years, the howling winds drop, signaling the coming of the Oshellith. News of that event travels quickly. That’s when the bravest of our kind set out. They go on foot where no horse can go. When they reach the valley where the Oshellith hatch, they find the butterfly’s cocoons and they shield them with their bodies. They give them whatever heat they can, for as long as they can. It can take up to twelve hours for them to break out of those cocoons. But when they do…”
Kingfisher swallowed, shaking his head.
Fisher: “It’s the most beautiful thing a person can experience in this lifetime. They glow blue and pink and silver, with an ethereal light. They have music, though no one knows how. A sweet, soft song that’s capable of healing. The Oshellith mate and lay their eggs, but once that’s done, they fill the air, and they dance. Protecting them while they live is considered a sacred rite that many die in order to perform. That’s what Oshellith means in Old Fae, Saeris. Most Sacred.”
Fisher: “She said, when I needed you most, you’d come blazing into my life like a meteorite, riding on a wave of chaos that would turn my whole world upside down. That you’d shine so brilliantly that you’d light up hell itself and guide me out of the darkness. She had no idea what your name would be. Just that you’d have dark hair, and a beautiful smile. And that I’d love you with a fierceness despite myself.”
Fisher: “Where are you going, Saeris?”
he called after me.
Saeris: “To sleep. And in the morning, I’m going to the library, and I’m going to research how to save Everlayne and you. Because I don’t just throw my hands up and accept defeat when things get hard. I’m honestly shocked to learn that you do.”
Carrion: “I don’t suppose you’d let me come? I’ve always wanted to see a witch in real life.”
Fisher: “No,”
Fisher said blandly.
Fisher: “I would not. You’ll only try and fuck one of them, and we’re trying to petition them for help, not spark a war with them because you can’t keep your cock in your pants.”
Lorreth pretended to swallow down vomit.
Lorreth: “Urgh. He would not try and fuck a witch.”
Carrion: “No, he’s right,”
Carrion said with a sigh.
Carrion: “I would. Y’know. Just to say that I’d done it.”
Fisher: “If it were up to me, we wouldn’t spend another night without each other again.”
Fisher: “Nobody will ever fuck you the way I’m about to fuck you, Saeris Fane. I’m about to introduce you to all seven gods. When you meet them, don’t forget to tell them I’m the one you worship on your knees.”
Saeris: "How could you accept it? I’m—”
I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts in order.
Saeris: “I’m human. Aside from all of the things we have to iron out once Everlayne is safe, you’re nearly immortal, and my lifespan is—is—”
Fisher: “Inconvenient. You’re right. That part sucks. But...”
He frowned, snaking his arm around my waist, and pulled me back down to lie on his chest. Once I was settled, he slowly stroked his fingers through my hair and spoke again.
Fisher: “I’ll be grateful for every second that I can say that I belong to you, Saeris Fane. Eighty years or eighteen hours. It doesn’t matter to me. It’ll still be the highest honor of my life."
Fisher: “I’m in love with you, Saeris Fane,”
he whispered quietly into my hair.
Fisher: “And I’m already half-mad, anyway. What’s a little complicated thrown into the mix?”
Saeris: “When we were here last time, you said that the people of Ballard had something you needed. But you never got it,”
I whispered. Fisher gently kissed my forehead, and all around us, the flickering candle flames started to blink out.
Fisher: “Yes, I did,”
I barely heard his next words as I drifted away.
Fisher: “I came for a little hope.”
I’ve never been one to trust in the gods, but I choose to believe that all things come from the same place when life begins. I have hope that they return to the same place when it ends.
I’ll be waiting for you there, Saeris Fane.
Carrion: “I’m sensing a little tension in the air,”
Carrion quipped.
Carrion: “Have you two fallen out already?”
Saeris: “If by fallen out you mean am I going to kill him, then the answer is yes.”
Ren got to his feet, letting out a long exhale.
Renfis: “I could kiss you, Carrion Swift.”
Carrion seemed taken aback by this. And then somewhat interested. After thinking for a second, he said,
Carrion: “I wouldn’t be opposed. But maybe later."
Saeris: “Have you heard about the fire at the circus?”
I paused for dramatic effect.
Saeris: “It was in tents. Get it? In tents.”
Carrion winced.
Carrion: “That was terrible.”
Saeris: “Shut up. It asked for a joke. It didn’t specify that it had to be a good one. I was a metalworker and a thief in Zilvaren, not a comedian.”
Carrion: “I was a smuggler and I’ve still got way better jokes than that.”
Saeris: “You tell it a joke then!”
I held out the crucible containing the quicksilver, and Carrion huffed, peering at the roiling liquid metal.
Carrion: “All right. Fine. A husband turns to his wife one day and says, ‘y’know, I bet you can’t think of something to tell me that will make me both happy and sad at the same time.’ The wife doesn’t even need to think about it. She turns to her husband and says, ‘your cock is way bigger than your brother’s.’”
The quicksilver, which hadn’t made a peep over my joke, started to chuckle.
Carrion: “What’s it doing? It’s laughing, isn’t it?”
Quicksilver: “He is the storm. You are the peace that must come after it."
Carrion: “Are you going to tell me about my parents, or are you going to start undressing each other? Because I can leave. I don’t have to, but I can,”
#agegap #alpha #badass #badboy #captive #chosenfamily #cursed #enemiestolovers #fishoutofwater #forcedproximity #distress #mates #slowburn #touchheranddie #trauma
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