Free Faerie Magic by Emma L. Adams Page A

trying to save lives!” I yelled back. “Because someone’s selling a serum that turns people into murdering psychopaths. Whoever they are, they turned your boyfriend into a killer, and if you want to stop it from happening to anyone else, then I need you to tell me the truth. I know you lied to me when you said you didn’t know he was the killer.”
    “How—how?” She gaped at me.
    “Because I’m a witch,” I said. “It isn’t important. Who’s the person selling this crap, and where are they getting it from? Are they telling you it’s faerie blood?”
    Her eyes widened. “That’s what he said. He said it was a prize given to the winner of the Trials.”
    I swore. “Is there any other way to find out who gave it to him?”
    She shook her head. “I don’t know. He mentioned a private party for the winners. The whole point is that it’s a surprise. Nobody knows where it is.”
    Damn. “The Trials… when do they take place?”
    “One round each night,” she said. “Last night was the final round of last week’s tournament, so a new one begins tonight.”
    Oh, boy. All my thoughts went in a single direction. I couldn’t trust anyone else to spy on my behalf. I’d have to sneak in somehow.
    “Okay,” I said. “Who can enter the contest?”
    “Anyone,” she said. That means, ‘anyone with faerie blood’.
    “And there’s one winner?”
    “It’s one-on-one combat in each round,” she said. “Starting with thirty-two entrants.”
    “Damn.” So many people? Every week? Who the hell authorised this? Surely not the Chief… hell, faeries didn’t play by the rules anyway, though. I should have suspected they’d have their own magical contests. The mages did, come to think of it. Annual Olympic-type shows of power and prestige. It wasn’t illegal, but offering fake faerie blood as a prize sure as hell was. “Exactly where does this take place?”
    “Mulberry Road. Number Twelve.” She frowned. “Hang on. You didn’t hit me with a witch’s spell. Your magic’s different.”
    Crap. “Don’t tell anyone,” I said warningly. “Not a single word. Otherwise you’ll regret it.”
    I hated threatening someone who looked so beaten-down, but I didn’t have much of a choice. Turning my back, I shoved the door open.
    Wait. Shit. My disguise had gone. I had to walk through half-blood territory as a human. Damn faeries . Bloody hell. I risked a peek through the keyhole and didn’t see anyone, so I bolted outside. Then I speed-walked along the path towards the gate, inwardly cursing temperamental half-faeries to high heaven.
    Miraculously, nothing blocked my path. The same subdued atmosphere surrounded the place, from the wilting flowers and dying plants, and the chill of autumn in the air. Maybe it was the faeries’ shock at the deaths reflected in their surroundings. That kind of weird magic happened in Faerie disturbingly often. Like the night Avakis came back from hunting in a towering rage and the entire castle turned into a swamp. Faeries were capable of behaving like toddlers throwing tantrums. Even Sidhe lords.
    I stopped at the gate, which didn’t open for me this time. Crap. No disguise, no free pass. I tugged at the edges, but it didn’t budge. I checked my pockets, but I hadn’t thought to bring any unlocking spells. Dammit. Think.
    Only one thing for it. I reached for my sword and sliced at the hedge. I held my breath, expecting someone to appear and attack me, but nothing did. Really weird. Suspiciously so. Maybe I’d used up my bad luck quota for the day. A girl could dream.
    Didn’t make climbing through the hedge any less messy. Once I’d cut a good-sized hole, I half-crawled out, my clothes snagging on branches. I pulled leaves from my hair and turned to look behind me. Half-faerie territory looked… kind of empty from this angle. Like everyone had left the area.
    Not another death?
    I didn’t dare go back in there now, not without a disguise. So I sent Vance a