Free A Fey Harvest by Amy Sumida Page B

god friend that you introduced me to is quite amusing. I invited him back and he's already visited again.”
    “ My god friend?”
    “ Kanaloa.”
    “ Oh right,” I laughed, remembering how Kanaloa had helped me and Trevor catch Kael when he went on the lamb into the Human Realm. All he wanted in return was to be brought to Faerie. “I'm glad you've enjoyed his company.”
    “ Oh yes, he's got some interesting ideas about underwater life,” Guirmean continued on but his voice faded out for me as I started to make connections in my head.
    Kanaloa was the Hawaiian God of the Sea but he was also a god of Squid, Death, and... Darkness. Darkness, exactly what Faerie had warned me about. King Cian had said that the magic at the abduction scene wasn't fey. Well if it wasn't fey, what was it? There were only two other options; human and god. Human magic stemmed from the fey so I'd think it would have at least partially registered as fey on the King's magic radar. Also, it was virtually impossible for a human witch to have traced the Aether into Faerie. Gods could do it but they couldn't enter the Faerie Realm without and invitation, which Kanaloa clearly had. He'd been in Faerie recently, was a god of darkness, and held magic the King wouldn't recognize.
    “Oh shit,” I whispered.
    “ What was that, Queen Vervain?” Guirmean had obviously been continuing our conversation without me.
    “ I'm sorry,” I glanced at Arach and found him staring at me in concern. “I just had a disturbing thought. The magic at the crime scene wasn't fey and Faerie mentioned darkness to me. Now you tell me that Kanaloa has been coming to visit, Kanaloa who is the God of the Sea, Squid, Death, and-”
    “ Darkness,” Arach finished for me. “Oh, that doesn't look good.”
    “ No,” Guirmean shook his head. “I don't believe it. Kanaloa is a good man and when he visits Faerie, he stays in Water city with me. He doesn't leave the water until he returns to the God Realm.”
    “ When I was hunting Kael,” I frowned as I remembered nuances of the conversation I'd had with Kanaloa that day, “Trevor and I tracked him to the ocean, where Kanaloa conveniently appeared and offered assistance. He wanted something in return though, a visit to Faerie. It seems a little suspicious now.”
    “ Why would Kael want to come here just to kill brownies?” Guirmean scoffed. “It's ridiculous.”
    “ Why would any god come here to kill faeries?” I shrugged. “Who knows. Maybe he has a vendetta against the fey, maybe he's just evil. It could be anything.”
    “ I have to admit,” Arach grimaced, “he's a valid suspect.”
    “ I'll be sorely disappointed if it's him,” Guirmean sighed, “but I see your point. I won't invite him through until you prove either his guilt or innocence.”
    “ I think that's for the best,” Arach nodded.
    “ If it makes a difference,” I added, “I hope it's not him.”
    “ Enough of this depressing topic,” Guirmean waved it away with a sad smile. “Let's get back to enjoying the food.”
    I nodded, not wanting to spoil the meal either, but when I looked over at Arach he gave me a grim stare and I knew he was as convinced as I over the possibility of Kanaloa's guilt. The look he gave me said clearly that he wanted action but the King in him would not insult another ruler by dashing out in the middle of a meal. The conversation, and any action we decided to take, would have to wait.
    Two more courses came out but they were spaced apart enough that I didn't feel like I was going to explode. The conversation became lively and entertaining, the wait-staff congenial and fascinating. Turns out the first three men were selkies, then we were served by undines, a sort of water spirit that seemed to be made of water. It was fascinating to watch them slosh about without spilling a single drop of themselves.
    Dessert was served by kelpies and I had a moment of panic when I first saw their seaweed hair. Kael, the killer