Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1)

by Callie Hart

For those who live their nightmares so that others may have their dreams.

This bastard would shit himself if he realized he had the Saeris Fane in his grasp.

hunting for mythical magic users who didn’t even exist.

I bet they do exist…

King Belikon rumbled. “I haven’t witnessed such open contempt in a long time. It’s refreshing. I’ll tolerate it until it grows tiresome. Step forward, girl.”

Lel

Having a friend in a palace full of enemies could never be a bad thing.

Idk she warned her that they’re not true friends.

“Careful, human. We Fae have an excellent sense of smell. You’d be amazed what we can scent floating on the air.”

Ew.

“Rule number three. Do not make me do any physical activity,” he snarled. “What part about ‘I am hungover’ did you not fucking understand!”

“Where the fuck is my other boot?”

The dining table was a league long. All right, all right, it was maybe only thirty feet long, but still far too big for two people to sit at and share a meal. Alone. Fisher sat at one end. I sat at the other.

A great way to get to know one another. Super cute. 😒

The things you’ve already seen here are surely enough to suspend your disbelief...and yet you’re shocked by something so small as me casting my voice?”

The lady only saw her first mountain 9 minutes ago.

“He said he didn’t like the way you smelled?” “Yes, and he was very rude about it. He had a bunch of sprites come in and scrub me with these stiff brushes until I was raw and pink all over. I swear they took off four layers of skin. They put this thick white clay all over me, then, and let it sit so long that it went hard, and they had to crack it to get it all off.”

CACKLING. Did Fisher want the smell of Saeris off of Carrion??? He probably also just smelled bad too tho.

“And then,” he said, taking another grape. “They rubbed me down with this special kind of moss, which is where things got interesting. They paid particular attention to my...” His eyes trailed down his body

lol YUP FISHER DID.

“You’re late,” Fisher said in an icy tone. “And please enlighten me. Why have you invited half of the household along to a meeting that was supposed to be for just the two of us?” “Meeting? I thought this was dinner. And how would it be fair for me to enjoy the pleasure of your company while these two miss out?” Carrion held up a hand. “I’d prefer not to be here, actually.” “Sit the fuck down,” I hissed. “All right. Gods.”

This is amazing.

“Saints.” He pounded on his chest, wheezing. “What the fuck?” “Oh, yes. She has no sense of timekeeping, and she has unconventional seating preferences, don’t you, Human?” “I can sit there instead?” Carrion offered. “Absolutely not,” Kingfisher barked. “Try it and die.” “Whoa. Okay. I was just trying to keep the peace. If you guys need a buffer—” “We don’t,” Fisher fired back at him. “And even if we did, I’d ask someone far more likable than you. No!” He held up a finger, stabbing it at Carrion. “Do not tell me how likable you are back in Zilvaren. I don’t want to hear it.”

This is going to be the best dinner ever.

“She’s right,” Fisher said. “She’s made her decision. Let her sit wherever she wants to sit.”

Is the right seat meant for the wife? Is that why Archer was wondering if she was staying?

“I can’t trust anything,” he whispered breathlessly. And that was when he let me go. When I needed him not to. Right when I needed him to stay and explain what the last one hundred and twenty seconds meant. He gathered up his cloak, swung it around his shoulders, and headed out into the waning light.

I did what any sane woman would do: I bolted.

“What do you mean…cleansed?” “I mean…they sterilize us,” I whispered. I figured he’d known last night. I would have expected him to at least mention contraception otherwise. But from the look of shock he wore, he hadn’t had the first clue. “The Third Ward’s the poorest,” I told him. “Madra’s health advisors decided that we shouldn’t be allowed to procreate, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to support ourselves. The policy’s been in effect for over a hundred years. Seven out of every ten female babies are tagged when they’re registered with the ward officials.” I showed him the small black cross tattooed behind my left ear. The mark that meant I wasn’t allowed to breed. Fisher’s expression flattened out. His eyes went blank. “What? I figured you’d think that was good news.”

This was Fisher’s moment to have a speck of humanity and he dropped the ball. Also, leaving the contraception to the females….

“Because she is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm. The smoke that rolls across a battlefield before the killing starts. You have no idea what she is. What she could be. You should call her Majesty.

I beg your finest pardon???

I’m trying to put the pieces together. He wanted to bite her, literally drew blood and he was with Malcolm assuming for a that 100+ year period. He’s also very upset after an excellent night with Saeris so does it have something to do with wanting her blood?

“If you have more questions about this, then maybe they could be discussed another time. In private. Preferably between you and whoever has suggested they might want to, ahh, drink from you,” Lorreth mumbled, burying his face in his glass. I blushed hotly. “Yes, of course.”

The number of uncomfortable convos in this book is phenomenal

“Don’t you dare die on my watch, Saeris Fane! Fisher will never forgive me if his sole reason for living is torn to pieces on her first fucking battlefield.”

My mind was racing, a million miles a minute. “So, they don’t just show up on their own? The marks? Like…out of the blue? Overnight? Or…while…y’know…you’re having sex with someone?” Te Léna laughed brightly. “Of course not. Don’t be silly.” The edge of panic rising inside me settled just a little. But then Te Léna spoke again. “Once upon a time, that was the case. Back when true mating bonds existed. Unions between true mates were blessed with marks from the Fates. That’s where the tradition of inking our hands originated from. But there’s no such thing as true mates anymore. When the gods left Yvelia, certain elements of our magic either died or waned over time. The God Swords, for example. They were very slowly cut off from the source of the magic they channeled. Our ability to form mating bonds also died out over thousands of years, until it disappeared altogether.”

“Come forward, Alchemist,” he commanded. His was the voice that had asked me if I wanted to pass through the door or stay in Yvelia with Fisher; I had a feeling that it was his voice I had been speaking to for a long time now.