Denal bowed. "I am pleased to meet you, Lady Tess. Ven and Erin speak often of your visit."
"Thank you, but just Tess, please," I said. "It's so nice to meet you. Please say hello to them for me."
He raised a single dark eyebrow, as if to ask if I really thought he had time to be passing messages along when he could be conquering small countries—or maybe that was my admittedly vivid imagination—but he nodded.
"Atlantis? The actual Atlantis?" Jed's shock was palpable. "I knew about vampires, and of course shifters, being one myself, but you're from Atlantis?"
"Yes. Our continent has risen to take its rightful place in the world again," Denal said, studying Jack's grandfather. "How is it you do not know of this?"
"He's been a statue for three centuries," Jack said matter-of-factly, and Denal just nodded.
Evidently, Atlantis had more experience with Fae tricks than I did.
"I have news. Iona Mackenzie is safe and lives with the Autumn queen. They are in love, and the dream walker is very happy," he said, grimacing slightly at the word "happy." "She will not aid her brother any further. Also, Conlan and Riley have proclaimed—"
"They're proclaiming things now? Seems out of character," Jack said mildly, grinning.
Denal smiled, and his face didn't actually crack at the effort. He was startlingly gorgeous when he smiled, and I wondered if the women of Atlantis threw themselves at him everywhere he went, or if the grim exterior kept them away.
Then I wondered why I was wondering anything so ridiculously frivolous at a time like this.
And then I just sighed.
Denal glanced at me and then continued. "Right. Theysaidthey won't make a treaty with those who threaten our friends, so I am to promise you we will aid in your defense should it come to that."
"Nobody is going to destroy my town," Jack said grimly, and Jed and I nodded.
"I must return to Atlantis. My new team departs within the hour on a mission," Denal said. "One last thing: do not trust Logan Mackenzie. We have had dealings with him in the past, and he brings trouble and deceit wherever he goes."
"I know," Jack told him.
"We are going to make sure you're right about his sister," I said. "I'm not doubting your word, but someone may have given you false information."
I could have sworn his eyes flashed green sparks, but he spoke calmly enough. "The Fae cannot—"
"And don't say they can't lie, because we have a whole lot of evidence that they can make the truth stand up and do backflips."
Denal's lips twitched, and then he bowed again. "As you say, Lady. I cannot argue that point. Shepherd, if you need us, let us know."
With that, he stepped back through the portal, which immediately vanished.
"Atlantis," Jed said, awed. "I can't believe I'm alive to see that."
"Stick around, and I'll take you there myself," Jack promised, and Jed's eyes gleamed.
"It's so beautiful," I told him, but then I gathered up what little courage I had left and changed the subject.
"The well. Now. The day's not getting any younger."
The brooch didn't intensify my headache any, so I put it in my jacket pocket for the trip down the well. Once I braced myself halfway down, facing the runes, I pulled it out, took a deep breath, and held it to the wall.
Nothing happened.
My headache didn't get worse. No magical bell tolled, no light or portal appeared, and not a single Fae queen showed up.
"Anything?" Jack called down.
"Nope. Well, I'm getting a cramp in my leg from bracing like this, but nothing is happening with the wall. Maybe this brooch is actually about chicken eggs too. Or sheep having lambs, or cows having calves, or—"
