The Evolution of Fae and Gods (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 3)

The possibility of such a thing renders hope within me, but only to be crushed again by a stark truth I can’t deny.

It can’t work between an immortal and a mortal. It’s the whole reason Carrick kept himself distanced from me. He only let himself fall when I pointed out our limited life spans.

So freaking confusing.

Regardless, I jump on his offer to let me have my freedom and trust he will tell me what he knows when I need to know it.

“Okay,” I say in capitulation. “We’ll table all of that for later. So, what is our game plan now?”

Carrick reaches over to a yellow pad on the table and holds it up to read some notes there. “According to Zaid, Otto Von Schmidt is an ancient, immortal dark sorcerer who is an expert in rituals. He’s had no luck in tracking him down, but he has found someone who might know where he is.”

“Wait a minute,” I say, frowning in confusion. “Ancient? How ancient with a name like Otto?”

Carrick smirks in amusement. “Do you honestly think that immortal creatures keep their same names as they move through generations and most likely live among different cultures?”

This had actually crossed my mind before. “So you’ve had other names?”

“Hundreds upon hundreds,” he replies, and I reel backward at the implication.

“How long have you had Carrick?”

“Over a few hundred years. I like it.”

My jaw drops. “What other names have you had?”

Chuckling, he replies. “Too many to remember. I’m sure they’re all in my journals, but when I was created, I was given the Sumerian name Nuesh which means knife wielder. I spent some time in Egypt as Atemu. In the Crusades, I was Stephen, Duke of Brittainy.”

“Wow,” I breathe out in fascination. “You were a Duke?”

“Atemu was worshipped as a god,” he replies blandly.

I shake my head, my mind spinning before I pin my gaze to his. “You realize we have hours and hours of conversation ahead of us, right? There’s so much I want to know.”

Carrick’s smile fades a little. “I’m sure. But let’s talk about the now.”

“Wait… just one last one,” I say because a man with hundreds of names is just that… a man with many names. “What was your favorite period to live in?”

For a moment, his expression goes blank, but it’s just a flicker before he answers. “Ireland, starting in the 8th century. I had a rowdy time helping the Irish chase Viking invaders away.”

I laugh in delight, totally seeing Carrick battling with Vikings to protect the green coastline. “I can’t even. You’re like a walking history book.”

Carrick turns serious as he taps his finger on the yellow pad. “But… let’s turn to the present. As I said, we’ve located someone who probably knows where this dark sorcerer is.”

“Then let’s go,” I say resolutely, ready to start making some progress on figuring this prophecy out.

“You can’t go,” he says, then I see him brace for an argument.

“But—”

“He hates humans,” Carrick interjects. “Otherwise, I’d bring you.”

“He hates humans,” I repeat dully. “Is that the truth or are you saying that to keep me safely here?”

Carrick’s expression is chastising. “I won’t lie to you, Finley. I plan on you being fully involved when you can, but this is one I need to handle without you.”

“When are you going?”

“Tonight,” he replies. “And I was thinking… maybe you’d like to spend the evening away from the condo over at the Fantasia with Myles and Rainey. Have some friend time.”

“Seriously?” I ask with surprise. Because even though he said he would give me freedom, I wasn’t sure how long of a leash he’d give me.

“If you’ll wear a protection amulet like the ones I have for your friends,” he says with an incline of his head.

“Deal,” I say quickly before he can change his mind. The thought of just hanging out with my friends, away from the condo and the library and research, is something I didn’t know I needed. “And after you find out where this sorcerer is?”

“Then you and I will go see him,” Carrick says.

Good answer. Any other one would be unacceptable. “Would you agree that it’s unlikely this dark sorcerer is in Seattle?”

“I’d agree with that,” he replies with a nod. “With a name like Otto Von Schmidt, I’m guessing Europe… Germany, Austria… the like. But who knows?”

I decide to bring up something that has been weighing on me ever since we left Sarvel’s yesterday and learned about the power she deposited in me. “In that case, I want to learn how to bend distance. At the very least, test out my powers to see if I can be protected if you take me along with you when bending distance.”

“Absolutely not,” he replies darkly. “We’ll fly to wherever we need to go. I have a fleet of private planes just for that.”