“Neal,” he said. “I answer to Neal.”
* * * *
After we left, Benji returned to his former state of hissing, snapping at the air, and threatening to kill everyone. We’d moved to one of the many meeting rooms on the first floor. Kalen and Faye sat beside Fabian, who was seated at one end of the table. Tink had moved off to the common area, where he could receive his daily dose of unfettered admiration. The fae loved him something fierce and were almost always in a constant state of awe around him, partly due to the fact that many had never seen a brownie. Ren was beside me, and Ivy was supposed to head over once she was done with her meeting with Miles. Fabian sat to my left at the other end of the table, and beside him, across from me, was Tanner. Where everyone was seated seemed to be important because when Caden pulled out my chair, every fae in the room stared as if he’d kissed me in front of them once more.
“Even under glamour, Benji couldn’t answer why he serves the Winter Court,” Caden told the room. “He doesn’t know, not on an conscious or subconscious level.”
“He has no memory. It’s like his life has simply been wiped away,” I said. “The only thing I’ve seen like that is a few humans who’ve been fed on and under glamour for long periods, but still, never to this level.”
“I haven’t seen it either,” Ren agreed. “Could it be the Devil’s Breath then?”
“It would have to be,” Fabian answered. “I cannot think of anything that would strip the will and thoughts so deeply.”
“They basically become a minion of the Winter Court without reason.” Ren dragged his hand through his hair. “This isn’t good.”
That was the understatement of the year.
I looked over at Caden. “He knew Neal’s name, though. That was the only other name he could say.”
Caden nodded. “That doesn’t tell us if Neal is still in the city or active. I couldn’t get anything else out of Benji.”
“And we already knew that Neal was involved and have checked out his bar. There was no sign of the Devil’s Breath there,” Fabian stated, his fingers tapping on the table.
“We need to find Neal,” I said, thinking more in terms of how I would do it if this were something the Order was handling. “He has to be the key here.”
“We’ve been searching the city, as has the Order,” Tanner said, nodding at Ren. “If he’s still here, he’s gone to ground. But with Aric’s death, I’m willing to bet he’s left the city.”
“It’s not like there aren’t places he can hide that we haven’t looked or thought to check,” Ren pointed out. “And given how many Winter fae are here, he’d have a lot of help doing so.”
“I’m in need of refreshments.” Tanner rose. “What would everyone like?”
Ren and Caden asked for water. Fabian and Kalen had gone for a soda, and my tongue tingled at the thought of carbonated goodness. I knew one soda wouldn’t harm the baby, so I requested one too.
Tanner nodded. “Faye, why don’t you help me?”
She blinked as if coming out of a daze and rose. I nibbled on my lip, watching her follow Tanner out. I wasn’t the only one whose eyes were glued to her. Kalen had been like a hawk where she was concerned, his gaze flickering to her every few seconds.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I asked when the door closed behind them.
“They were close, more like siblings than cousins.” Kalen tipped his head back. “She’ll be okay. Eventually.”
Eventually always sounded manageable, except it could be a lifetime from now.
“So you think there’s no hope for this kid?” Fabian asked.
“All of the others who consumed Devil’s Breath had to be…put down,” Caden said, his elbow propped on the arm of the chair as he dragged his thumb along his lower lip. “I imagine if Benji hadn’t been restrained, the same would’ve happened to him.”
“But we have one alive,” I said. “That means we can at least find out if this is reversible. Hopefully, in the process, we can figure out how the Devil’s Breath is able to make these younglings loyal to the Queen—a person they’ve never met.”
Ren kicked back in his chair, planting a boot on the table. “The borrachero drug can make humans compliant, but that’s only for a short period of time and when they’re under the influence.”
“Hopefully the specimens Luce took from Benji will tell us if he’s still under the influence.” Fabian crossed his arms. “If not…”
“Then there is no option,” Caden said. “He will have to be given peace.”
His brother nodded.
“He can’t be kept here where there’s a threat of him escaping, causing more harm.” Kalen dropped his hand on the table. “His family will understand that.”
“Will they?” I asked. “Truly?”
Kalen’s gaze met mine. “No one here will ever risk the whole of the Court for just one. Not even for their family.”
That seemed harsh, but I fully understood it.
“Except there is someone here who isn’t just willing to risk the Court,” Caden said, his thumb stilling under his lip. “But who is actively working against the Court.”
“You think whoever that is has something to do with Benji coming home?” Ren asked.
“The youngling didn’t indicate as much, but it would be unlikely that they aren’t connected,” Caden answered.
“So that leaves the question of what the goal of having Benji come back here was,” Ren asked. “To cause mayhem? Remind the Summer Court that even though Aric is dead, the Winter Court is still very much active?”
My stomach dipped a little at the mention of Aric.
“Or Benji was acting as a scout. Or at the very least, a test,” Fabian said, his gaze meeting his brother’s from across the table. “He could’ve been sent here to see what was going on, in the hopes he’d get back out.”
Caden’s jaw tightened.
“Or he was sent as a test against our defense systems.” Kalen nodded slowly. “But that doesn’t seem as likely. Why wouldn’t whoever the Summer fae is that’s working with them be able to give them that information?”
I thought about the Order, how there was a hierarchy involved. There was one here, as well. “Maybe the fae helping the Winter Court isn’t privy to the kind of information that could tell them how weak or strong your defenses are.” Several gazes landed on me. Still unused to speaking up, I found being the center of attention unnerving. “It doesn’t have to be someone any of us know. It could literally be any fae. And to me, it makes more sense that Benji was a test instead of a scout. If the Winter Court truly has no idea how prepared Hotel Good Fae is or not, they can’t be stupid enough to only expect Benji to make it back.”
Ren’s lips pursed as he nodded.
“You have a point.” Respect flashed in Caden’s eyes as he looked at me. “A test does seem more likely.”
“Not that any of this isn’t important,” Ren said, and Caden arched a brow. “But Benji was all hail Queen Morgana, talking like her coming back wasn’t something in the distant future but more like an event not too far from now. Was that crazy talk, the dying battle cry of the Winter Court? Or something we need to be concerned about?”