Outlier: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Sentry of the South Book 1) Read online

  “Invitations, please,” the tallest guard said. His voice was muffled behind the metal.

  “She’s my plus one,” Peter said. “I’m a lucky guy, right?”

  The guards didn’t even glance in my direction. They seemed to immediately decide that Peter was a threat. “Your invitation,” the guard insisted.

  I pretended to poke through my purse. Of course, it only housed my wand. It wasn’t as though I needed to bring tip money. “I’m so sorry, Peter. I know I had it in here.” I looked at him, my eyes round and sorrowful. “I may have dropped them when the pegasus banked left and I almost slipped. Remember that?” I faced the guards wearing my most vulnerable expression. “I was so frightened. My purse wasn’t secure and it fell open when I slid. It’s not his fault. Please…We came such a long way and we won’t be alive for the next banquet.”

  “The goddess will not approve,” the second guard said, as though detecting the first guard’s hesitation.

  “She’ll approve even less if you kick her honored guests to the curb,” Peter said. “Do you know how hard it is to make this journey?”

  “I am familiar with its challenges,” the third guard said. “I commute from downtown Limpet Square.”

  “See?” Peter pointed to the third guard. “He knows.”

  I latched on to Peter’s arm. “Please forgive me, baby. This is all my fault. You can burn me at the stake. I deserve it.”

  Peter observed me coolly, pretending to consider the option.

  “No, no,” the third guard said. “We all make mistakes. You mistook that goat for an antelope the other day, Bob. Remember?”

  “I remember,” Bob muttered. “It was embarrassing. Everyone laughed.” The first guard stepped aside. “You may pass, but if there’s an issue with your invitation, you’ll regret your decision to come here.”

  I gulped and leaned closer to Peter. “Thank you so much. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. We’d hate to miss it because I’m a bumbling fool.”

  “You’re not a bumbling fool, miss,” the third guard said. “You’re a beautiful maiden because of your flaws, not in spite of them.”

  My gaze lingered on him for another beat before we continued past the guards and along the golden walkway.

  Peter slipped an arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, “That was amazing. You can smuggle with me anytime.”

  “Snuggle or smuggle?” I teased.

  “How about both?” The touch of his hand as it rested on the small of my back warmed my whole body.

  “Let’s live through this first,” I said. Stop flirting, Dani, I scolded myself. This is life or death business.

  The path led to a beautiful outdoor area. Small white orbs danced in the air glowing with golden light. A table stretched the length of the lanai and was adorned with bouquets of…peaches.

  “I guess they take their peentos very seriously here,” I said.

  “It’s right there in the name of the banquet,” Peter replied.

  “More guests?” a man queried, rushing over to us. “The goddess will have my head for this. Please, honored guests, follow me. The rest of the party has moved to the orchard for the dance before the banquet begins.”

  We followed him past the table to another walkway. This one wasn’t golden. It was, unsurprisingly, the shade of a peach. Music swelled as we approached the edge of the orchard. I spotted the goddess in the crowd. With her shining circlet and lush curls, she was impossible to miss. Her dress seemed to be made of silver wire mesh, slicing across her perfect body and leaving very little to the imagination. She paused when she caught sight of us.

  “Smile,” Peter said, grinning from ear to ear. “Look like we belong here.”

  The goddess seemed to respond to our happy faces. She threaded her way through the crowd to greet us.

  “Apologies, my lovelies,” she said. “I must have missed your arrival.”

  “It is we who need to apologize,” Peter said, placing a hand over his heart. “We nearly lost our mount on the ride over. Thankfully, we recovered in time.”

  “It is such a perilous journey,” the goddess said. “I am Urania. Welcome to my humble abode.”

  Humble was the last word I’d use to describe her palace. Even the orchard was impressive. The same glowing orbs floated above our heads, giving the entire landscape an ethereal quality.

  “I’m Peter Zilla, and this is my beautiful companion, Danielle Montrose Degraff.”

  Urania examined me. “She is rather beautiful, isn’t she?” She fixed her gaze on Peter. “More beautiful than I, Urania?”

  Uh oh. The answer seemed obvious. I resisted the urge to stamp on Peter’s foot as a prompt.

  Urania burst into laughter. “Oh, please, darling. I don’t play such games. We can both be beautiful in our way, can’t we? My self-esteem is not so low that I cannot share the spotlight with a beautiful young…” She glanced at me again. “A witch, yes?”

  “Yes, my goddess,” I replied.

  “And your power is impressive,” Urania said.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  She narrowed her eyes. “I wasn’t speaking to you.” Peter muffled a laugh as the goddess continued to inspect him.

  “He’s not that strong,” I said. “I’m an elemental witch with….”

  One look from Urania silenced me. “Yes, yes,” she said. “Fire is your specialty. I feel the heat emanating from you, but your fire magic pales in comparison to what this hybrid is capable of.”

  Hybrid? “He’s a druid,” I said, and noticed Peter shift uncomfortably.

  “Yes, hybrid, my lovely,” Urania said. “It’s the combination of two beings.”

  “I know what a hybrid is,” I snapped and instantly regretted it. Don’t piss off the goddess in her palace, Dani. Not smart.

  Urania ran a hand down Peter’s arm and shivered. “Oh, my. So much untapped potential.” She hugged herself. “I am so glad you came to my little banquet. Mere mortals can be such a bore. Why do you think I only host this once a century?”

  I craned my neck for a better glimpse of the other guests. “It seems like a nice group,” I said vaguely, hoping to learn more about them. Maybe it would yield a clue as to Fraser’s interest in the banquet.

  Urania tossed a disinterested look over her shoulder. “They can pretend all they like, but they only come for the immortality.” She mingled with her guests, leaving us alone.

  “Cool. The peaches are shaped like doughnuts,” Peter said, plucking one from a branch.

  “That’s a human world delicacy, isn’t it?” I asked.

  Peter grinned. “You really need to get out more.”

  “I have a busy schedule,” I argued. “You don’t get to be the best by being lazy.”

  His brow creased. “Is that what I am? Lazy?”

  “I didn’t mean that,” I said quickly. “I was talking about me. Maybe I’ll ask Bryn about a tour of one of the human towns she lived in.” Bryn had moved around a lot before her arrival at Spellslingers. She’d lived in fear that her father would find her and kill her, completely oblivious to the fact that he’d been dead for years.

  “Doesn’t have to be Bryn,” Peter said. “I could take you.”

  I laughed. “Why would you do that? You’re barely tolerating me now.”

  He seemed taken aback. “I do more than tolerate you.”

  “You don’t have to be insulted,” I said. “It’s okay if you don’t like me. I’m used to it from growing up in Fairhaven. I was a pariah.” Life had improved for me at Spellslingers. Once I was able to demonstrate my skills, I seemed to earn my place, despite the occasional snide references to my background.

  Peter edged closer to me, his face mere inches from mine. “Let’s get one thing straight, princess. I don’t spend time with anybody I don’t like. Don’t have to. That’s the beauty of being a lone wolf.”

  I became oblivious to the other guests nearby. It was only Peter and I in this orchard.

  His l
ips hovered dangerously close to mine. “You’re very…unattractive,” he said, and we both burst into laughter. “What? You’re not buying it. You are. Look at how symmetrical your features are. It’s bizarre. Nobody likes a freak.”

  I didn’t know why I found his mock insults so charming, but I did. “I may be a lot of things, Peter Zilla, but unattractive isn’t one of them.”

  He tucked a tendril of my hair behind my ear. “I like a woman who knows who she is.”

  “And who are you?” I asked. “Urania called you a hybrid and you didn’t deny it.”

  “Because it’s true,” he replied.

  “You said you’re a druid.”

  He caressed my cheek with his knuckle. “I am.”

  “And what else?” I prompted.

  “And very, very attracted to you,” he replied, and then he kissed me.

  I caved easily, not that there was any chance I’d push him away. Despite my best efforts, I was very, very attracted to him, too.

  “Maybe it’s the peaches,” I murmured, my lips still brushing against his.

  “The peaches make you immortal, not frisky,” he replied. “Besides, I’ve been feeling this way for a lot longer than tonight. Haven’t you?”

  I hesitated, not wanting to show weakness. But was it weakness to admit the same? Feelings were a weakness, so it had to be.

  His fingers threaded their way through my soft waves. “Dani? Say something.”

  I didn’t say anything, not out loud anyway. Instead, I pressed my lips against his and sank against him. He backed me against one of the peach trees and deepened the kiss. My whole body quivered with longing.

  The sound of someone clearing a throat interrupted our fervor. We broke apart to see the man who directed us to the orchard, presumably the servant. Everyone else was gone.

  “Pardon me, but the banquet has begun,” the servant said. “The goddess requests that you take your places at the table.”

  Peter’s hand slipped into mine and we trailed after the servant. My cheeks were still flushed when we reached the long table. There were two empty chairs to the right of Urania. Terrific.

  “There’s nothing like young love, is there?” Urania mused, as we joined her at the table. “Your glasses have been filled with the nectar of the gods. Enjoy!”

  Sitting at the table, I began to return to my senses. I wanted to kick myself for giving into my primal urges. What kind of sentry would I be if I went soft for the first guy that showed any real interest in me? It wasn’t too far from my grandmother’s missteps, not really. It was foolish and liable to get me killed. I had to do better. I had to be better.

  Under the table, I felt Peter’s hand on my thigh and I warmed all over again. “A little nectar is good for the soul,” he said.

  I lifted the glass to my lips. The aroma was sweet and the liquid slid down my throat with ease. Delicious.

  Peter downed his, not allowing a single drop to go to waste. “It isn’t often I get to enjoy such bounty.”

  “Nor with such pleasurable company,” Urania cooed. “Stay the night, my lovelies. I have ample space here. An entire palace with nothing except servants and me. Even the guards travel home.”

  “Thank you for the honor,” I said, “but we have rather pressing matters at home.”

  “Nonsense,” Urania said, her eyes blazing. “You will stay. I insist.”

  Peter squeezed my thigh again. “She insists, princess. How can we refuse?”

  How, indeed? It wasn’t staying overnight in a palace that was the problem. It was managing to make it through our stay without our hostess discovering we didn’t belong here. Despite her apparent good nature, she was still a goddess and goddesses were known to be temperamental. On the other hand, we still had to figure out why Fraser wanted to come here, whether it was the promise of immortality—or something else.

  “We would be honored,” I said, and polished off my nectar.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The servant—whose name we discovered was Burdock—accompanied us to our suite. Singular. I didn’t realize the issue until he stopped outside the door and clearly expected both of us to enter.

  I hesitated. “Um, one room?”

  Peter gave my arm an affectionate squeeze. “It’ll be fine, sweetness. I’m sure the bed is plenty big, isn’t it, Burdock? This is a palace, after all.”

  “I shall let you be the judge of that,” Burdock said and bowed before slipping away.

  Peter nudged me forward. “We came as a couple,” he whispered. “We can’t give Urania any reason to suspect we’ve lied to her.”

  He was right, I knew, but still.

  “Wow,” I said, fully entering the room. The suite was larger than the Spellslingers cafeteria and that was saying something. The room was beautifully decorated with a nature mural that rotated from wall to wall. The huge arched windows offered a breathtaking view of the mountainside.

  “There’s even a balcony,” Peter said.

  “Probably not very safe,” I said. Not at this height.

  He chuckled. “Worried I’ll push you? Keep your cool, princess. You’re in safe hands. I won’t let what happened in the orchard go to my head.”

  Absently, I touched my lips. “We need to leave here as soon as possible. What’s the earliest that she’ll accept, do you think? Daybreak?”

  He shrugged. “I think we leave as soon as we figure out the connection to Fraser and hope no one notices until we’re long gone. I’m going to prowl around the palace and see if I can find anything.”

  “Anything?” My eyes popped. “Peter, you’re not going to try to smuggle something out of here, are you? That’s suicide.”

  “Clues, princess,” he said. “Not trophies.” His gaze swept the room. “Though it would be easy enough to pluck a few luxury items as souvenirs.”

  “You can’t risk it,” I insisted.

  Peter’s mouth twitched. “Why not? Concerned what might happen to me if I get caught? Better be careful or I might think you care.”

  “Of course, I care,” I blurted, before I could stop myself. Blood rushed to my face. “I’d blame myself if anything happened to you.”

  He swaggered toward me. “So it’s about guilt, is it?”

  I took a step back. “It’s about accepting the consequences of one’s actions.”

  His grin widened. “If you say so. Come with me, if you like. Keep me out of trouble.”

  “I think that’s probably for the best,” I said. “Wouldn’t want you to be tempted.”

  His eyebrow lifted. “By pretty objects or pretty goddesses?”

  “I’m not jealous of Urania,” I said.

  “Nor should you be,” he replied. “She doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

  “You don’t have to flatter me just because you kissed me,” I said. “I promise not to read too much into it.”

  Peter laughed. “I kissed you? Hang on a minute, you kissed me!”

  “No,” I argued. “You kissed me first.”

  He stood directly in front of me now. “And then you kissed me back,” he said, his voice softer now.

  Slowly, I lifted my chin to look him in the eye. “Maybe I did.”

  His expression softened. “Maybe you’ll do it again someday.”

  My heart thumped wildly. “We have to stop. Our priority is Fraser. We can’t be throwing ourselves at each other in a palace while gods know what is happening to the poor wizard.”

  “I wouldn’t say I’m throwing myself at you,” he said. “The interest seems pretty mutual.”

  I pushed him away. “Peter, I’m serious. Let’s get out of this room and explore the palace before we make a huge mistake.”

  He broke into a grin. “Huge is the optimum word in that sentence.”

  I groaned and strode toward the door. “Come on, Stone Shadow. Back to work.”

  We poked our heads in every available space, searching for clues that might be connected to Fraser. We passed by the indoor banqueting hall, the
armory, and the throne room—

  “Look at the throne,” I said, unable to stop staring. I’d never seen a real throne before. It was made entirely of gemstones, with a wolfskin pelt draped across the seat.

  Peter ambled over and ran his hand across the pelt. “When would she ever actually sit here?”

  “I’m sure it’s only for show,” I said. “We used to have a lot of items that we were only designed to make an impression.”

  Peter studied me. “Used to? You mean the belongings your family had to sell off?”

  I nodded. “I mean, we never had a throne, of course, but we had generations’ worth of antiques and special mementos. Gifts from foreign dignitaries. Even from gods and goddesses.”

  Peter’s voice nearly cracked. “All gone?”

  I laughed. “Are you asking as the smugger or as my friend?”

  Peter recovered quickly. “Definitely as your friend. Smuggling is only the means to an end. I don’t consider it a calling, not like you consider service as a sentry.”

  “Sentry of the South is most definitely a calling,” I said, admiring the ornate legs of the throne. “I don’t think you can do the job properly if you think of it as anything less.”

  “Tell me that again in a few years,” Peter said.

  I snapped my head toward him. “You think I’m being naive?”

  He moved to inspect a tapestry on the wall behind the throne. A maiden played a musical instrument in the woods for an attentive she-bear and she-wolf. “I’ve met wardens and sentries over the years. Keepers and enforcers, too. You can’t be in the smuggling business without coming across AMF agents.” His lips twisted into a half smile. “Your folks are everywhere, like insects.”

  I scrunched my nose. “You don’t like the AMF?”

  “I’m a criminal by trade, princess,” he replied. “I can hardly seem excited about a run-in with an agent. They make my life more difficult whenever they come on the scene.”

  A chalice on a pedestal caught my attention. “That’s beautiful.”

  “It’s the Cup of Eternity.” Urania sauntered into the throne room, wearing a full-length green dress made of silk. It was molded to her form and showed every inch of the flawless body underneath. “I acquired it from one of my sisters. She coaxed it from a willing dwarf after singing him into a stupor.”