"What happened?" I ask. I don't remember anything after Levi fed on me.
"Baron saved you by taking a chunk out of Levi. While the bastard fled, Dean and I took down his soldiers. We got away just in time. If he'd had more of your blood… "
Fen lets the thought trail off, and I shudder. I came close to dying. Again.
Dean joins us through the cave's opening, a wobble to his step, carrying a flask that he's clearly been imbibing generously from. "It's good to see you awake, Princess."
"Why did you send me the key?" I ask without preamble.
He shakes his head, his dark blond hair shifting gracefully with the movement. He truly is a beautiful man, at least on the outside. "What? No thank you to the man who saved your life? I thought surely that would win me some points. Save the damsel in distress, win her hand?"
"My hand isn't for winning," I say. "And you didn't answer my question."
"Why did I save you?" he repeats, sitting down across from me. "It seemed my only chance of getting my month with you, since my brothers keep stealing my turn." He shoots a look at Fen, then returns his attention to me. "I'm convinced that with a little one-on-one time, you'll finally see how charming and irresistible I truly am."
I roll my eyes at that. "Not likely. But thanks, I guess. Now what do we do? Where do we go?"
Dean's smile grows bigger, if that's even possible. Does this man take nothing seriously? "There's only one place I can think of off the top of my head that would offer us protection."
Fen groans. "There has to be somewhere else. That's no place for Arianna."
I flash Fen a look. "Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean? I'm not a child in need of shielding. If we'll be safe there, we must go. Where is this place?"
Dean chuckles. "You'll see shortly. Let's be off then, shall we?" He takes a swig of his flask and offers it to both Fen and me. Fen refuses, but as I try to walk, pain shoots through me and I reluctantly accept.
The drink burns my throat going down, but then a pleasant tingling alleviates some of the pain, and walking isn't as hard. I hand it back to him. "Thank you, that helped."
We follow Dean through the cave. He turns to make sure we're keeping up. "It's the perfect place," he tells Fen. "We can relax, indulge in some fun, maybe even get some help with what to do next."
"This isn't a holiday," Fen says. "We'll get Ari a healer and then return to reclaim Stonehill. Besides, I will not be indebted to that demon ever again."
Dean laughs but doesn't argue.
"Where are we going?" I ask to break the awkward silence that has developed. And because I'd really like to know.
"We must meet with Sly," Dean says. "There's a place called The Black Lotus. Sly Devil runs it. It's a no-kill zone for beings from all realms and worlds. A safe space, more or less. Sly knows everything that happens everywhere, and everyone who's doing it. If anyone can help us, it's him."
"For a steep price," Fen mutters.
Dean laughs. "Ignore him. He's just still pissed about his last favor being called in. It involved a mermaid and a hit man. I'll tell you the whole story sometime when Fen isn't around to ruin it."
"Where is this place located?" I ask.
"Portland," Fen says. "So that part of your contract will be fulfilled."
"And my mom will be safe… "
He nods and I squeeze his hand and smile.
"So, The Black Lotus is conveniently in Portland?" I raise an eyebrow at that.
"More like you were conveniently in Portland," Fen says. "Our mansion is there because it's a useful location for our work with other beings in addition to the humans. It's likely what drew your mother to that area. Portland has a pull for those embroiled in the otherworldly, which your mother certainly was, even if she was only human."
"I'm going to pretend, for the sake of our relationship, that you didn't just say only human in relation to my mother. Them's fighting words, mister. Prince of hell or not." I'm still so tired, and so weak, and in so much pain, and things are still so bleak for us all, but I do my best to bring some levity into our situation. To laugh. To tease. To find some semblance of normality in all this.
Fen's face is tight, and strained by worry and anger and tension, but he sees what I'm trying to do and relaxes, if only marginally. He bows graciously and uses the same light tone I employed, though there is still a seriousness in his eyes when they lock with mine. "Please accept my apologies, Princess. I have only the utmost respect for humans."
I smile at his attempt. "Apology accepted. But don't let it happen again, or my royal punishment will be swift and merciless."