A Hollow in the Hills Read Free Page A

long ago. They couldn’t get Holly, not now, but Jinx was still there. As good as having a target painted on his back, that was. He couldn’t afford to be complacent. Fights like this just showed them it wasn’t worth the risk. Not yet.
    The Magpies were looking at him like he was the next course in their dinner. ‘What do you want?’ he asked.
    ‘The boss asked us to fetch you to see him. To extend his invitation, as it were. As an emissary, naturally.’ Pie sketched an overly formal bow and grinned his filthiest grin. ‘He’d like a word.’
    ‘I’ll give him a word.’ Jinx grabbed a towel from the pile by the edge of the makeshift ring and looked around for Art. The lep owed him his cut. You couldn’t trust the little bastards.
    ‘The boss doesn’t like words like that, Jinx.’
    Another Suibhne Sídhe, a bird man like the Magpies, shouldered his way through the milling crowd. Smaller and slighter by far, he cast furtive glances at them and at Jinx before thrusting a grubby pile of banknotes at Mags and fleeing.
    Mags grinned broadly and began to sort them, flattening each one out and forming a fan worth several hundred euro, which he waved at his brother.
    ‘Who said we didn’t have a dog in this fight?’ He laughed.
    Jinx stalked away from them, aware that they were following, silent and malignant as ever. It didn’t matter. They wouldn’t dare to do anything here in the Market. They were irritating, that was all.
    Art sat on top of a barrel, his legs crossed, counting out his own pile of notes. ‘Ah there you are, Jinx, my boy. Come for your share, eh? You did well out there. You did—’ The words dried up as he saw the Magpies behind Jinx. Very little could silence the leprechaun, but the Magpies had a fearsome reputation.
    ‘Here,’ said Art, shoving all the cash towards Jinx. ‘Here, take whatever you want.’
    Jinx rolled his eyes, and stepped up to the trembling leprechaun. He didn’t speak – might as well make use of the intimidation, even if it wasn’t his doing – but carefully counted out what he was due and no more. No doubt Art would have tried to fiddle him. That was in his nature. Leps couldn’t be trusted, especially when it came to money. Lucky for him most Cú Sídhe were inherently trustworthy so Jinx only took as much as he should have earned in that fight.
    And he had earned it. He could already feel the aches and bruises working their way through him. He was going to suffer tomorrow. But what else was new? He always suffered. It was his lot in life.
    ‘So you’ll come with us now?’ Pie sounded bored.
    ‘Why on earth would I do that?’ Jinx asked.
    ‘Because we asked nice-like. The Old Man said to ask nice. And to tell you something. What were we to tell him, Mags?’
    Mags grinned, showing all his teeth. ‘That if you don’t want to come, we’ll have to ask the girl.’
    Izzy? Hell no, he didn’t want them even thinking about Izzy.
    ‘I don’t have anything to do with her. Not anymore.’
    ‘Aww,’ Pie said. ‘Lovers’ tiff?’
    Jinx curled his lip in a snarl that would terrify more than half the Market, but only made the Magpies grin even more.
    ‘But you did,’ said Mags. ‘We all know you did. And still would. Isn’t that true? Don’t lie now. It’s you the Old Man wants to talk to though, not her really. She’s tricky, that one.’
    ‘I’ll need to talk to Silver first.’
    ‘Sure. Get her permission.’ Mags sneered at him. ‘Wouldn’t want to annoy her any more, would you?’

    Silver was surrounded, as always. With her head bent over her work, her long white-blonde hair fell forward to shield her face. Slender and delicate, she didn’t look strong enough to rule the whole Market, but she did. Or at least, she should. Silver was more than just fae. She was Leanán Sídhe, muse and inspiration and one of the most powerful Aes Sídhe alive. She sifted through a pile of petitions while those filing them with her gathered around, waiting.