He had his attention focused solely on finding contacts who could help him figure out how Kymaris would get enough power to bring the veil down between the Underworld and the Earth realm.
The process was painstakingly slow. As the fae arrived, they were more interested in catching up with old friends instead of meeting new ones. Then there came playtime—where the humans were used in the way they were brought to be used. It included Pyke, who, while more than happy to help Carrick get into the party and make contacts, wanted to have his fun first.
So, for a long time, Carrick and Myles stood on the sidelines and watched. There was no talking between the men because fae didn’t talk to their pets unless it was to praise them for a job well done or kick them if they were displeased. Throughout it all, Carrick was amazed to see that not one single human minded being where they were. Clearly, a whole society of fae owners and human pets had formed, and both sides got something enjoyable out of it.
That thought made Carrick miss Finley tremendously because what they had was quite simple, which was what made it so deep.
Of course, it went deeper for him than it ever would for her, but it wasn’t a good idea to dwell on that tonight.
Eventually, Pyke found Carrick without his human—she was entertaining some other fae—and took him around for some introductions.
Carrick was introduced as a very old member of the nobles in Faere, which he could get away with because all the Light Fae at this party hardly spent any time there unless it was the Festival of Creation, which was held every hundred years. Within those introductions, Pyke let it be known that Carrick—or rather Quentin Borrows—was a highly esteemed antiquities collector who was insanely rich and willing to pay for precious objects.
In Faere, money meant nothing to the Light Fae since they had all their needs met. But those who chose to live in the Earth realm among capitalistic societies worshiped the almighty dollar. Some of the wealthiest individuals in the world were Light Fae.
After countless introductions and meaningless conversations as these newly formed acquaintances asked about Myles and if he was shareable—to which Carrick said he was not—someone approached him for a private conversation.
“Mr. Borrows,” the Light Fae said.
Pyke had introduced them to each other over an hour ago, and since Carrick had a phenomenal memory, he easily replied, “Mr. Wells.”
He was a younger Light Fae, and, by that, he was only about fifteen hundred years old. He came from a gentry match, so he was incredibly handsome like most here. Although Carrick knew nothing about the man, he could tell plenty by how the fae treated his human pet, a very submissive male who was made to crawl along after his master with a ball gag in his mouth. Carrick had noted Mr. Wells didn’t mind any other fae using his pet. How many times Carrick had watched the human have to perform services sickened him. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what Myles, who had never been privy to this type of debauchery, felt. Regardless, Carrick was more than grateful Finley wasn’t here to see this, because, as tough as she liked to act, she couldn’t have put up with it. She would have spent her time running around trying to free the humans.
Tugging his pet along behind him, Mr. Wells came closer to Carrick. Myles stood obediently behind him by a foot with hands clasped and head bent, his eyes on the floor. Carrick figured he’d have a horrible neck ache when the night was over.
The fae leaned in and said in a low voice, “Pyke told me that you’re in the market for a very rare object of power.”
“Indeed, I am,” Carrick replied vaguely.
“Anything in particular?” Wells queried.
“Not really, although I’ve heard of something called a Blood Stone. It seems to be more myth than reality, but the more elusive the object, the more valuable it is, which means the more willing I am to pay. I’m interested in something with enough power that I can leave Faere and perhaps create a realm of my own.”
Wells’ eyes lit up, and he smiled solicitously. “It just so happens I’ve been able to broker deals such as these, and I might have a lead on a very powerful object that sounds right up your alley.”
“And what would that be?” Carrick asked mildly.
“A chalice,” Wells replies. “Some say it’s the basis for the myth of the Holy Grail, but it’s far older and not divine by any means.”
“And its powers are?” Carrick pressed.
“It’s said to be carved solely from the meteor, and its power hasn’t been depleted in the slightest.”
It wasn’t what Carrick was looking for. If Wells knew anything about the Blood Stone, Carrick was sure he would have offered it up. But that didn’t mean this chalice should be overlooked. They weren’t sure the Blood Stone even existed, only that Kymaris would need something with great power to pull down the entire veil.