Tik-Tok (Faeries of Oz Book 4) Read online

  And even though she didn’t want to think about Birch, his face still haunted her as the male hiked up her dress, then lifted her so her legs wrapped around his narrow waist. North wanted to pretend Birch loved her, that she had her own magic, that she was good enough—even compared to her family. But she couldn’t. Shame spread through her.

  “Stop!” she shouted, desperate.

  The male froze, releasing her as though she’d burned him.

  “I can’t.” Avoiding looking at him, she adjusted her dress.

  “I thought… North…” His voice came out gentle.

  Of course he knew who she was. Everyone here did. How could they not? She was the granddaughter and daughter of the Land of Oz’s leaders. Not only that, but she was like a daughter to the Queen of Oz. Three powerful females. And she was nothing.

  “It’s fine. It’s not your fault. It’s mine.” North turned to leave and swayed unsteadily as the woods spun around her.

  The dizziness remained until she reached the castle walls, thankfully avoiding any guards, and approached her window. Only when she looked up to climb the tied sheets back to her room, did she realize they were gone.

  Gods.

  “You snuck out,” a voice growled behind her.

  Closing her eyes, she sighed and turned around, trying not to wince. “Father, I—”

  “You said you were tired.” Tin’s silver irises burned brighter than the stars as he glared at her. “You lied.”

  “Father…”

  “You really thought Birch wouldn’t tell me what happened?” Her father’s gaze remained hard.

  “He had no right,” North murmured. She supposed Birch didn’t stay to propose if he’d already tattled to her father. A desperate part of her liked that he had.

  “He cares about you.”

  “Like a sister, I know.” North didn’t want to think about it anymore.

  Tin’s shoulders relaxed. But then they tightened again as she stumbled, no longer able to maintain the charade of sobriety. He caught her by the arms and took a whiff—his entire face became stony.

  Her tongue felt heavy. “Father....”

  “You’re never leaving my sight again.”

  Chapter Three

  Tik-Tok

  There were times when Tik-Tok thought the sea witch was fucking with him. Mostly in the last few years. It isn’t time, Celyna had told him last year. And the year before that. And the one before that. Every single one of his yearly trips to the seer had met with the same three words for over two decades now.

  It isn’t time.

  Like hell it wasn’t.

  Tik-Tok had done everything Celyna had told him to do for decades. Every year, she’d given him a new task that was meant to bring him closer to his dream. He’d tracked down a magical compass, held a mutiny against his old captain, severed his own arm, and helped that cunt of a mortal wizard—who had held his compass hostage.

  Running the Wizard’s errands was easily one of the darkest parts of his history. Willingly helping keep the Land of Oz under the mortal’s oppressive rule, giving up even a sliver of control over his choices, made him want to murder someone. And those monstrous addicts guarding Oz in Orkland. Damn. It was enough to make even the most hardened of fae squirm.

  But then, as Celyna had promised, he’d reacquired his compass. Followed immediately by making the fated deal with an unknown queen—for a female with silver hair and brown eyes. Ozma and Jack had been unexpected but a relief. Not only had they wanted the Wizard dead—something Celyna hadn’t mentioned—but they’d been desperate enough to take his ring and promise him a female with little convincing.

  All of that just to hear the sea witch tell him it wasn’t time?

  No. To hell with that. He wanted to open the damn portal to another world just like the witch had promised. Celyna didn’t personally care about the portal—as long as she got a good fuck in—so the lack of forward motion didn’t bother her. Tik-Tok could wait another fifty years for all she cared. That fact had somewhat soured their yearly tryst.

  Palming his magic compass, Tik-Tok flicked the golden top open. “Starboard, ten clicks.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Rizmaela, his first mate, said from where she stood behind the ship’s wheel.

  He’d picked up the cynical female dwarf a few years back after watching her take out three males singlehandedly when they wouldn’t leave her alone at a tavern. The three dwarfs started by asking to buy her a mead which she refused, so naturally they thought she would agree to join them for a foursome instead. Idiots. He’d never seen a dwarf pull a dagger from their boot faster than Rizmaela had.

  When she merely removed an ear from each instead of killing them, Tik-Tok knew he needed her on his crew. He’d lost numerous males and females to their egos already, so he valued someone who knew the meaning of restraint. Rizmaela rose through the ranks faster than anyone else on board. Most of the crew were brownies—not cutthroats—but he’d also recruited others. Two elves, Respen and Dax, who were both irreplaceable to his sanity out at sea. Cyrx, a goblin he’d met playing cards, and, perhaps most surprisingly, a siren named Echo.

  Now all he needed was the sea witch’s next set of instructions. A bone-deep tingle told him he would get his wish this time. It was as if fate were reassuring him. Coaxing him to hope. He wasn’t sure if the sensation was trustworthy, but he wanted it to be.

  Tik-Tok propped the elbow of his gold, mechanical arm on a rain barrel, letting the sea breeze whip his black hair around his face. “I have a good feeling about today,” he said more to himself than to Rizmaela.

  “I hope you’re right,” she said in her usual gravelly voice.

  He grinned at her. “Am I ever wrong?”

  “Is any male?” she joked.

  Tik-Tok barked a laugh and checked his compass again. Right or wrong, he did what he wanted, when he wanted, and his crew knew it. If they didn’t like it, they were free to leave whenever they docked. Or, if they were particularly defiant, before they docked.

  “Port, two clicks.”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  The final leg of the journey took half a day, and the closer The Temptress sailed to Isa Poso, the more restless Tik-Tok became. His fingers rapped against the rain barrel, and he felt the prick of what would’ve been a splinter poke at one of his gold fingertips.

  “Land!” a brownie, Kaliko, shouted from the crow’s nest.

  Tik-Tok’s heart slammed into his ribs. The tingling sensation that gave him hope now bubbled and foamed inside him. Slipping the compass into the pocket of his dark pants, he strode toward his quarters.

  “Prepare to drop anchor,” he commanded Rizmaela over his shoulder.

  The dwarf was already shouting orders to the crew when he kicked shut the door to his room. He shrugged a deep blue jacket with gold buttons on over his loose white tunic, changed out his good boots for his old, and tugged on a pair of gloves. Finally, strapping one of his swords to his hip, he returned to find the crew tying down the black sails of The Temptress.

  “Will you be long?” his first mate asked, rubbing her gnarled hands down her leather pants.

  He shrugged, watching the brownies prepare the smaller boat he would use to row to the island’s shore. “As long as it takes.”

  Sometimes Celyna made him wait, sometimes she met him on the beach and quickly ushered him away. Either way, they always ended up fucking—even if it was a quick tumble on the sand—so she would have the vision he needed.

  “Let the crew relax while I’m gone, but stay aware. No ale for anyone,” he said in a stern voice. The last thing he needed was to return with a clear purpose only to have a ship full of useless drunkards. “We’ll be departing as soon as I return.”

  Rizmaela jerked her chin in understanding and he strode toward the rowboat. “Ready?” he asked, climbing in. With a final tug on a knot, the brownies nodded. “Lower away.”

  As they slowly eased the boat down onto the shimmering silver water below, Tik-Tok took in the island. The aquamarine sand reflected the sun like a mirror. From far away, the island looked like a floating blast of light, but close up, the sand shimmered beautifully. Tall trees with smooth, white trunks grew a variety of exotic fruit while, farther on the island, the trees barely stood taller than Tik-Tok. Their leaves were crystalline blues and greens, in contrast to the pink salt grass that sprouted in patches all over the sandy beach.

  Once the boat landed safely, the pirate untied the ropes holding it to The Temptress and gathered the oars. He eagerly sped through the quiet waves. Celyna would have a task for him today—she had to. Enough had been sacrificed for his goal—friendships, limbs, sanity—that waiting any longer would send him over the edge. And that wasn’t taking his crew into consideration. He’d promised them a portal and their patience would only last so long. Unfortunately, he couldn’t man a pirate ship on his own.

  The boat scuffed against sand a few yards from shore. Tik-Tok hopped out, water splashing up his legs and seeping into his old boots. Dragging the boat the rest of the way, he toed a few bright red crustaceans from his path and followed the familiar stone walkway to the sea witch’s home. The island was small, the witch the only permanent resident, and even she spent most of her time in the water. He skipped over the stepping stones while ignoring the cries of sea birds circling above. His gaze was fully focused on the glass building ahead.

  Nestled into a thick patch of the smaller trees, Celyna had built her home in the only somewhat livable place on the island. Purple flowers flowed down the roof and hung from the eaves like curtains. Coral grew in a small pond nearby, surrounded by a collection of sea glass in all shapes and sizes.

  “My favorite pirate has returned,” a female said from the side of the home. “I expe
cted you yesterday.”

  Tik-Tok stalked forward, rounding the corner of the glass house, to find the sea witch using her magic to carefully weave water into a basket. Her familiar dark green hair drifted around her head and her two fin-like ears peeked out on both sides. As she worked, her scales sparkled over her blue skin and, finally, she raised her black, orb-like eyes to meet his.

  He cleared his throat, struck by her beauty as he was every time he visited. Their meetings were a simple transaction. He thoroughly enjoyed fucking her until she forgot her own name—the other fae he had made scream with pleasure throughout the years were nothing in comparison. But that was all he and Celyna were to each other. A great fuck. “The sea is unpredictable.”

  The witch smiled, revealing each slightly pointed tooth.

  “You seem talkative today,” Tik-Tok mused. Sometimes she greeted him with endless tales, other times, no more than it isn’t time. “Do you have my next task?”

  The witch watched him thoughtfully. “Will you not seduce me first?”

  Tik-Tok crossed his arms. Would he give her an orgasm so she would have a vision of his mystery female? Yes. Many. Was he feeling particularly giving at the moment? Not at all. “I’ve fucked you for the last twenty-two years without reward.”

  “It isn’t payment for what I see,” she growled.

  Tik-Tok shrugged. No. It wasn’t payment—they both genuinely enjoyed the pleasure, no strings attached, but the weariness of waiting had put his libido on ice. “Is it time yet?”

  The sea witch stood, her seaweed skirt bouncing with the sudden movement. She sauntered forward, took Tik-Tok’s chin in one hand, and kissed him harshly on the lips.

  Surrendering to the taste of her—both salty and sweet—Tik-Tok nearly forgot his question. It wasn’t until she nipped his bottom lip, drawing a drop of blood, that he pulled away. “Feisty witch,” he growled.

  Lifting Celyna, he pressed her up against the glass of her home and slid her upward until her legs rested over his shoulders. She was bare beneath her skirt, giving him unimpaired access to her slit. He shot her a knowing smirk at how wet she was. “Seems like you missed me.”

  “I missed your body,” she crooned, grabbing his hair and bringing his face to her sex.

  His tongue flicked her bundle of nerves and he grinned at her gasp. But, as much fun as Celyna was, he was too impatient today. His tongue ran down her opening, plunging inside, swirling as she ground against him. A groan slipped from his throat at the taste of her and his cock begged for attention, but his mind refused to release him to the pleasure.

  Portal, portal, portal.

  Increasing his pace just like Celyna liked it, he tore an orgasm from her in no time. Her legs spasmed on the sides of his head, her back arched. It felt as if she would pull every hair from his head as he licked her clean, but he didn’t mind. He knew, as the fluttering continued, she was seeing exactly what he needed her to. Finally, her grip on him loosened and he carefully set her on her feet. She reached for his pants with a dazed expression.

  Tik-Tok brushed her hands away and stepped back from her. “What did you see?”

  With a sigh, the witch bent and lifted her new basket. “Visit the queen and force her to make good on your agreement.”

  “Queen Ozma?” His pulse hammered in his ears. “The female is finally mine?”

  “That was the deal you struck, wasn’t it?” She cast a look to his gloved hand. “Don’t forget your ring was part of the bargain.”

  Tik-Tok rubbed his chest, his heartbeat painfully fast. It’s time. She’s mine. The portal is mine. “Yes, that was the deal.”

  “Then go to the Emerald City and claim your prize.”

  It was hard to catch his breath, his focus zeroing in on the end goal. How many more tasks would come after this one? How many more years? He shook his head. It doesn’t matter. His next task was ready.

  And, just as he’d sensed the witch would have good news, he felt a tether to the unknown female. A link tying their destinies together. Gentle vibrations of an undeniable bond locked into place, warming his chest, beckoning him nearer.

  “I’m expected by the merfolk,” the witch said, interrupting his thoughts. “Next time, come earlier and we can finish what we started.”

  He grinned, his libido suddenly in overdrive. If he wasn’t in such a hurry to get to the Emerald City, she would completely miss her meeting with the merfolk. “Promises, promises,” he told her, winking.

  But, before the year was up, he hoped there would be no need to visit again. Because he would sail the Nonestic Ocean and find his portal long before that.

  Chapter Four

  North

  “If I could, I would tie you to the chair and make sure you stayed here where it’s safe, but your mother wouldn’t allow it,” Tin said, his silver eyes boring into North as he leaned his head against the door of her room. “You’re lucky I’m not going to tell her that you snuck out of your grandmother’s palace. Tomorrow we leave to celebrate Brielle, so please try to behave.” This would be her first time meeting Ozma and Jack’s daughter since she’d been born a month ago.

  North hated disappointing her father, but she wasn’t a child anymore. She wasn’t the youngling who constantly followed him around and hefted his axe as if it were her own. While she still wanted to make him proud, she was also finding herself, becoming an individual.

  “I’m sorry, Father. But you don’t understand what it’s like to not be enough or to make mistakes.” Her head drooped as she clasped her hands together in her lap.

  Tin took heavy-footed steps to her bed and knelt in front of her. Under the orange orbs’ illumination from the ceiling, his iron scar seemed to glow. As usual, his hair was pulled back in a knot.

  “You think I haven’t made mistakes? I’ve told you the stories. You know I’ve felt the same.” His voice came out gruff, yet soft, as he lifted her chin. “North, magic doesn’t always come right away, and if it never happens, then it doesn’t. There’s more to life than power.”

  By her age, if she was going to have it, she should have already.

  “Are you still angry?” she asked.

  Tin rolled his gaze to the ceiling and let out a long sigh. “Fuck yes, I’m angry, but I love you. Even when you act without thinking. Oz isn’t perfect, and there are dangerous fae out there.” He pressed a light kiss to her forehead and stood. Adjusting his axe on his hip, he turned to leave, then peered over his shoulder. “There are guards below your window now too. I know you’re not a youngling anymore, but it’s for your safety. Strangers are traveling through the area to reach the capital, and you know I trust no one.”

  North smiled. “No one but Mother.”

  “And you.” He shot her a hard stare like she should have known better. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight.”

  North fell back onto the mattress, letting her body bounce as she stared up at the ceiling, watching the light orbs gently sway. Tugging back her hands, she pretended to throw axes over and over at the center of each invisible target, hitting its mark. This, every night, was the only way she could get herself to fall asleep. She was decent enough with an axe, but that was only because she’d wanted so much to be like her father. Even so, she missed the marks when she hurled one. However, she could twirl an axe and slice someone down if they were close enough.

  Shutting her eyes, still throwing pretend axes, North tried to stop feeling sorry for herself. To pretend as though she’d never gone to see Birch or had her first kiss, and more, with a male she didn’t love. At least she would get to see Ozma, Jack, and Brielle soon.

  North pulled dress after dress after dress from her traveling trunk. Each one ended up on the floor of her bedroom in the Emerald City Palace. Loose, poofy, tight, awful, awful, awful—nothing ever fit right. A knock came at her door, making her drop the fabric.

  “Come in,” she called, not bothering to look up when the door creaked open.

  “You’re not dressed?” Thelia gasped.

  North whirled around to find her mother, perfect as ever. Thelia’s chestnut hair fell to her shoulders and a silver dress covered in sparkling jewels concealed her body, the cloth of the arms flaring out at the ends. She bet her mother had been dressed for hours, tapping her fingers together while waiting for the event to start. Her gaze dropped to Thelia’s swollen belly. North would have a sibling soon, and this child might possibly have magic. She hoped her sibling would, so he or she wouldn’t have to feel the way North did. North already had a softness for the child—she’d always wanted a sibling. But it had taken her parents a long while to conceive again, and they’d thought it would never happen. Then twenty years later it had.