Page 67 of No Rest for the Wicked

Behind the altar, half a dozen people peered back at me. Fae, human, gargoyle, troll. All Lost Ones. All bound with chains at the wrists, and gagged.

Gifts for the vampire queen.

Maybe I could just sneak out and nobody would know . . . ?

Guilt tripped my heart. I winced. Okay, leaving wasn’t an option. These people clearly needed help, and was I really going to ignore them?

I hurried up the aisle and knelt next to the first prisoner. A normal fae, probably taken by the vampires, just like I’d been. Metal shackles weighed down her thin arms, the same as the rest of them, and all the chains were locked to a huge ring cemented into the floor.

The gargoyle’s chains had stretched where he’d tried to yank himself free, but clearly, he hadn’t managed to. His soft eyes were big with defeat.

“Okay, I’m getting you out of here,” I whispered. “But you guys need to agree to one thing, alright? I was never here. You don’t know me. This didn’t happen. We never met.”

Eager nods all around.

“And I definitely did not do this.” I took the giant hoop in both hands and heaved. Metal creaked, groaned, and twanged apart, sending broken links flying. They were free. “Great, so we’re good?”

They struggled to their feet with the broken chains still attached to their wrists. Those chains were clearly going to be an issue. I quickly snapped those too, then helped a few clear the gags from their mouths.

“Okay, we’re good? I was never here, remember?”

“You saved us,” the sad-looking young troll said.

“No. Nope. That did not happen. You saved yourselves.”

“Who are you?” another asked.

“I’m nobody. Just a passer-by.”

They huddled together, waiting for something. Hopefully, not directions from me. “Er, so? You haven’t seen a pixie family by any chance?”

“Here,” the big gargoyle grumbled, picking up a large, transparent-plastic candy tub. Three little pixies were trapped inside. Their wings were all crumpled, and although I had no idea if they were Jimmy’s family, I could at least set them free. I took the tub, and popped the lid. The trio of pixies hunkered down, afraid.

“Hey, it’s okay. I know Jimmy—I mean, Grrdug? He sent me.” Their ears pricked. “We’re getting out of here.”

The larger of the three—with bright pink wings—gave the air a sniff, but the smaller two stayed back, hiding. Then with a wing flick, they buzzed out of the tub and landed on my shoulders. “Okay, that’s erm . . . that’s fine, I guess. We’ll walk out . . .” I trailed off as I noticed the group staring. “You guys can go. You don’t have to wait for us.”

“Yeah, but . . .” The female fae looked around at the other pale faces huddled close. “Vampires are out there.”

“Uhm, okay. I’ll show you which way to go, but after that you guys have to say you found your own way out, alright?”

The six of them made agreeing noises.

“I can get you to the fire road. But then you guys have to go your own separate ways.”

More agreeable noises.

With the pixies on my shoulders and the freed prisoners behind, I headed back down the aisle for the door.

“Adam Vex.” The man who entered wore board shorts, sandals, and an unbuttoned black shirt, as though he’d just returned from a day surfing. Impressive black tribal tattoos patterned his bare chest and down his arms. He flicked off his dark shades and gestured with them. “The man of the hour in his most unremarkable flesh.”

The trio of pixies unleashed a chorus of hisses.

The new guy’s sharklike, soulless eyes indicated vampire, but he didn’t dress like one. “And you are?”

“Armin.” He formally bowed, then straightened and zeroed those silvery eyes on me. “Those are my pixies, this is my church, and you’re in my way. Step aside, return the gifts to their rightful place, and you and I need not come to blows.”

At least he was direct. I glanced behind me at the group of Lost Ones clutching each other in fear. I knew what I should do—back away slowly. But I’d also been the subject of bullies for much of my life. “What about a counteroffer?”