A Fae in Fort Worth by Amy Armstrong Page A

the individual has to do with the subconscious, a memory perhaps? Something you would prefer to forget?”
    The news surprised me, but it explained why the memory of what had happened to my parents had been so vivid. It would have been difficult to miss the way Mitch’s entire body stilled and I was curious to know what memory had evoked the desert for him. It was far from pleasant if the stricken look on his face was anything to go by. Had something bad happened to him in such a place? Maybe that was why Mitch had been in no hurry to leave my room when I’d asked him to leave so that I could get dressed.
    “Let’s get started,” I said, for Mitch’s benefit as much as my own. I stepped around Durin and took a seat next to Mitch. “I’d imagine you gentlemen are busy. We don’t want to take up any more of your time. I’m sure it’s valuable.”
    Mitch’s face was expressionless, his emotions locked up tight. “Ashley, you remember Durin from last night,” he introduced tersely as the dwarf climbed back up onto the chair opposite him. “And this is Brokk, one of the Fae elders. Durin, Brokk, my partner, Ash.”
    I nodded to each of the dwarves and offered them a tight-lipped smile, but just as Mitch had warned me, I was careful not to meet their eyes.
    “You look much better than you did when we last met,” Durin remarked. “I’m so glad I was able to offer you…assistance.”
    I ground my teeth together in an effort not to make a sarcastic retort. Fortunately Mitch spoke up before I had the chance to reply. “How did you know that my partner and I were in trouble last night?” he asked.
    Brokk’s eyes widened with excitement and he leant forward in his seat as if he had a great secret to share. “We have magical enchantments in place within a hundred-mile radius of the sanctuary,” he explained. “They were designed to alert us to the presence of the Fae from the Unseelie Court, but they also detect any large amounts of paranormal activity in the area. The local werewolf pack has learned to inform us of any pack meetings they hold. There has never been a vampire nest in the city and as you know, vampires usually hunt alone or at the very most in pairs. Last night the alarm was tripped so I sent Durin to investigate.”
    “If there is no nest here in the city, how come there were so many vampires together in one place last night?” I asked.
    Brokk grinned and the action exposed his stubby, sharp-looking teeth. “That is what we wish to discuss with you. We have a problem we think you will be able to help us with and we believe the two matters to be related.”
    That sparked my interest. I glanced at Mitch before returning my attention to the dwarf, but his expression was still impassive. “We’re listening.”
    “I don’t know if you are aware,” Brokk continued. “But recently our queen banished her son, Prince Avery, from the Seelie Court.”
    When Mitch stayed silent I knew it was time to test out my acting skills. I feigned surprise. “Really? Why would she banish her own son?”
    Brokk’s expression turned to one of distaste. “Avery is a troublemaker. I don’t know what he did to displease the queen on this occasion and I don’t care. We don’t want him here in the sanctuary and we would like you get rid of him for us.”
    “Get rid of him?” I gawped at Brokk. “Surely you don’t mean…”
    Durin raised his hand to get my attention. “We’re not asking you to kill the prince. We only want him out of the sanctuary. We’ve asked him to go, several times, but he refuses to even consider leaving. Either you convince the queen to accept him back into the Seelie Court or you convince Avery to leave this place for good. Do this for us,” he said, turning his gaze on Mitch, “and I will consider your debt to be repaid.”
    “What is the connection between Avery and the increased number of vampires in the city?” Mitch asked.
    Durin turned to Brokk and only answered the