Determine the Future (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 10)

by Sarah Noffke

  Blathers gave her a sideways expression that showed his uncertainty. “It’s important to never underestimate anything in the Highlands, especially on a journey such as this. The hunt for the Glenlivet Thistle brings out dangers that would normally ignore us. It’s how the thistle protects itself, only to be picked by those who are worthy of its power.”

  “Do we have to pass them?” Sophia pointed at the other side of the pond. “Couldn’t we go that way around?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Blathers answered. “My instinct tells me that your thistle is straight up that hill on the other side of the eastern side of the pond.”

  Sophia nodded. “That seems about right.”

  “Oh, stop with your ‘the universe is always trying to bring me down’ attitude.” Evan charged past her. “The universe tries to keep us on our toes, which means no breaks, Pink Princess. We do things the hard way because we’re the Dragon Elite.”

  “You might,” Sophia argued and hurried to keep up with him as Blathers took off too. Tiffannee reluctantly followed.

  “Give the flock a wide berth,” Blathers warned as they approached, but as he said that, the dozen or so swans made their way quickly in their direction as if they all had fish filets in their pockets.

  “They’re so pretty,” Tiffannee observed.

  “Their necks are strong enough to break a man’s bones quite easily,” Blathers stated.

  “Yeah, because something is pretty doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. Look at me.” Evan’s implication was strong in his voice.

  The mortal simply rolled her eyes at him.

  Okay, I have some new naming options, Lunis said in Sophia’s head as the swans sped in their direction.

  I’m busy, Sophia replied.

  You’re always busy, Lunis argued. Oh, and the animals that you need to watch out for are a flock of swans.

  Thanks, she said blandly. You’re supremely helpful.

  That I am, Lunis stated. Now it’s your turn to return the favor. What do you think of these names: Flaming Hearts, Love Scales, Ember Heart, or Lizard Love?

  The birds spread their wings and flapped them as they hurried in their direction.

  Hells bells, Sophia said in reply to the impending attack.

  That’s a good title for a dragon dating app for the demons, but this one is geared toward the angel dragons, Lunis replied.

  She shook her head, amused by her dragon although his timing was awful.

  “Pull your weapons,” Blathers stated with an edge to his voice.

  “I thought that harming the creatures—”

  “Sometimes it’s kill or be killed,” the gillie interrupted. “Plus, I don’t think they’re real.” He pulled a pistol from a holster on his hip that Sophia didn’t notice before.

  He aimed at the closest swan and shot with one eye closed. The bullet hit the bird in the chest, and a puff of smoke overwhelmed the sight. The swan vanished.

  “Oh, cool.” Evan pulled his ax from its holster. “The old disappearing swan game. This will be fun.”

  “Be careful,” Blathers warned. “If they bite you, then I fear it will be deadly.”

  Tiffannee retreated several steps at that warning, but Sophia doubled back to cut off the mortal because the swans had spread out and some were approaching from the other side. They were surrounding them and fast.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Sophia briefly caught sight of Blathers reloading his one-shot pistol as Evan went to work and swung his ax. Puffs of smoke shot into the air, along with loud pops as the swans vanished from the attacks. However, Evan would soon be overwhelmed if they didn’t all work together. There were too many swans and their wings beating in the air made it hard to get in close to attack.

  Yanking Inexorabilis from its sheath as she ran, Sophia cut Tiffannee off. The mortal spun to find that the swans had surrounded and trapped her.

  Sophia swung her sword as one of the closest swans lunged for the doctor and felt the blade go through its neck cleanly, as if slicing through a melon rather than an animal.

  A plume of smoke shot into the air and overwhelmed the area, making it hard to see.

  “Get behind me!” she ordered Tiffannee as she sidestepped and took the place right in front of the mortal.

  While bringing Inexorabilis around again, Sophia lopped off the heads of the three closest swans, all teaming up for an attack. She realized that she hadn’t really cut off anything although it seemed like it. The lack of blood from the kills made her feel immeasurably better.

  However, those good feelings didn’t last long because Tiffannee screamed behind her and grabbed Sophia’s shoulders as though she was going to jump on her back to get to safety.

  Sophia spun as one of the largest swans went for her, its extended neck as long as its spread wings. Its beak was open, and Sophia had only a split-second to react. She was too close to use her sword, so she brought her leg around in a roundhouse kick that ended with her boot thumping against the fowl’s neck.

  The bird exploded into smoke and disappeared at once as if she had used her weapon.

  Thankfully, Tiffannee wasn’t completely helpless and had picked up some stones and was throwing them at the closest birds. Most of her attempts missed, but a few connected with the aggressive swans and made them vanish.

  The area was a mess of smoke, making it difficult to tell how many swans were left. Sophia was careful to stay a safe distance from the mortal as she swung Inexorabilis through the air in a complete circle. She connected with two objects and cleanly sliced through as before, although she couldn’t see anything with all the smoke cloaking them.

  As fast as it had started, they were suddenly in complete silence as the four of them stood and looked around, their heads the only thing visible with the smoke all around them. It slowly rolled across the pond and dissipated to show that they were thankfully free from attacking swans.

  Together they had defeated them all.

  Chapter Forty

  “Well that was fun.” Evan cheered and waved his hand through the air to clear some of the smoke.

  Tiffannee grimaced at him. “That wasn’t fun at all. That was the scariest experience of my life.”

  He chuckled. “That’s why this whole marriage thing isn’t going to work out. That was a regular party time for me. As far as scary goes, try being chased by a crazed cow with sharp horns. That’s still not the scariest thing that’s happened to me today. Pink Princess came down to breakfast this morning without her makeup on.”

  Sophia rolled her eyes at Evan, who more and more was like the little brother she never had nor wanted. “They’re gone. Is everyone all right? No one got bit?” She sheathed her sword.

  Tiffannee checked over her limbs, but the others simply nodded.

  “You’d know if you’d gotten marked,” Blathers stated, then turned and accessed the way they were to hike. It was straight up a steep hill that would require them to dig in and possibly use their hands to climb the sharpest incline.

  “Shall we continue?” Sophia strode up next to the gillie.

  “Yes, and we should make haste,” Blathers stated. “I have a feeling that with the flock gone, we have limited time that the Glenlivet Thistle will be present for picking. That’s usually how it works after passing the last obstacle.”

  “Okay, then let’s go.” Sophia set off quickly but realized it wouldn’t be her, Evan, or Blathers who held them up. That’s why she discreetly pointed behind her and put a speed spell on the mortal.

  She was grateful to see that the spell had worked right away as Tiffannee moved around the group at once, took the lead, and almost sprinted up the hill.

  “Wow, someone had their Wheaties this morning,” Evan observed and gave Sophia an impressed look as they hiked up side by side and brought up the rear.

  She held up her finger and winked at him.

  He understood what she’d done at once and nodded appreciatively. “Can you also put a gag spell on her?”
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br />   “What was that?” Tiffannee asked over her shoulder as she paused for a moment.

  “Nothing dear,” Evan sang. “I told Pink Princess that she was lagging.”

  Sophia shook her head at him but smiled.

  I got my bio worked out, Lunis imparted in her head as she hiked up the hill with the group. Everyone fell silent from the arduous trek. It was good to have Lunis to entertain her.

  Oh, this should be good, she replied with a silent laugh.

  It is, he agreed. But it was hard not to brag.

  I’m sure it was excruciating for you.

  Well, I thought about talking mostly about my flaws. You know, to balance it out.

  Which are? Sophia dared to ask.

  I care too much. I’m a perfectionist. I’m overly punctual, overly eager to please and donate almost everything I have, leaving me with hardly anything.

  And your modesty knows no bounds, Sophia added while leaning forward and using her hands to secure her balance as the hill turned steeply upward.

  Right. Lunis drew out the word. I’m so modest.

  Okay, let’s hear this undoubtedly inaccurate and totally offensive bio for your dragon dating app, Sophia stated, glad for the entertainment in her head that took her mind off the fact that her calves burned and the air had become thinner.

  Ladies, your search is over, Lunis began in a regal tone, sounding like he was reading a speech. The perfect catch is right here, but you’ll have to work to impress me. I have sky-high expectations that I’m sure you’ll never meet, but because I’m so understanding, I’ll look past your many flaws.

  This is even better than I could have imagined. Sophia shook her head at how ridiculous her dragon was.

  Don’t interrupt, Lunis scolded. I’m getting to the good part.

  Oh dear. That wasn’t the good part?

  About me, Lunis continued. I’m a big tipper, a baller, a poet, and I make John Snow look like a baby. I have rock-hard abs, love concerts, but probably won’t take you to any because that’s an excellent place to pick up chicks. I invented the internet, duct tape, and Fruit Loops. Introduce me to your family. They’ll no doubt love me. I’m certain they’ll prefer me to you, and we’ll slowly start to edge you out. If you’re ready to improve your life, message me. P.S. I come with baggage. Her name is Sophia, but we’ll come up with fun new nicknames for her.

  Sophia couldn’t help but laugh out loud when Lunis finished.

  Evan glanced at her. “The voices in your head telling jokes again?”

  “You know it,” she replied.

  “Maybe you should book an appointment with me,” Tiffannee said over her shoulder. “I specialize in schizophrenia.”

  Sophia shook her head. “My only mental illness is the company I keep.”

  Did you like it? Lunis asked in her mind.

  Like really isn’t the right word, Sophia replied.

  You think I’ll catch a hot babe with a snazzy dating profile like that?

  You’ll catch something, Sophia replied as they neared the top of the hill. They were so high that the clouds were nearly on top of them.

  Great. I’m going to work with the developer to get this dating app off the ground, Lunis stated. Check you later. Good luck with your flower-picking. Maybe next you can do some basket-weaving, followed by painting some watercolor pictures for me.

  I’ll get right on that, Sophia retorted as Tiffannee and Blathers halted in front of her. They’d reached the top.

  “Oh my gosh!” the mortal exclaimed. “This is a total nightmare.”

  Sophia peeked around her to see what she was referring to. She blinked from the sudden display of purple color that overwhelmed the hill and took over the green she’d been used to everywhere around them.

  Stretched across the broad expanse of the hill where they stood were rows upon rows of purple thistles—thousands of them.

  Chapter Forty-One

  “We have a time limit, you say?” Evan asked Blathers, then looked at his wrist as if he wore a watch. He wasn’t.

  “Yes, and this complicates things greatly.” The gillie combed his fingers over his chin while thinking.

  “Oh wow,” Sophia marveled. “Did you know that there would be so many thistles?”

  “The events around the challenge are always different,” he stated. “So no, I didn’t. And I suspect that there’s only one Glenlivet Thistle on this hill. They’re too powerful for there to be more than one.”

  Evan glanced sideways at Tiffannee. “Okay, let’s get to picking.”

  Sophia stepped forward and halted Evan from moving. “We don’t have time for that.”

  “Not to mention, I think that would ruin your chances of the real one sticking around,” Blathers added.

  “Well, how are we going to find the right one?” Tiffannee sounded irritated as she shivered from the cold wind whipping across the hill.

  “The reason that a married couple must pick the Glenlivet Thistle,” Blathers began, “is because it represents love and the power that it holds to heal and cure the worst situations.”

  Sophia thought for a moment as something started to dawn on her. “On this trek, it was protected by creatures that we usually see as being peaceful and representing love.”

  “That’s correct,” Blathers affirmed.

  “Highland cows are seen as peaceful,” she continued. “Swans mate for life and are a common symbol of love.”

  “I see them as a symbol of craziness now,” Evan joked. “I know what I’m having for dinner tonight.”

  “You can’t eat a swan,” Sophia remarked.

  “I can do as I please,” Evan argued. “You aren’t my old lady. My current one is about to get served, so I’ll be a free man and can do what I want.”

  “With that kind of attitude, Dr. Freud will be your first and only wife,” Sophia shot back before turning her attention back to Blathers. “So what do you suggest? Finding the Glenlivet Thistle has to involve love?”

  “But we don’t really love each other.” Evan motioned between him and the psychiatrist. “Our marriage is a ruse, orchestrated to save Father Time’s assistant.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Blathers stated. “Marriage is still a sacred institution that bonds you two.”

  Evan pursed his lips and gave Sophia a scathing look. “See that? You made me defile a sacred institution.”

  She laughed at him. “Yeah, because you wouldn’t eventually do that on your own.”

  “Probably, but at least I would have had a scandalous Las Vegas wedding instead of a quickie one done by a munchkin,” Evan stated.

  “I married you.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Exactly!”

  “Anyway,” Sophia tried to steer the conversation back on track. They were running out of time. “Blathers, how can we find the Glenlivet Thistle using these two?” Sophia indicated Evan and Tiffannee.

  “I think,” he mused, his words coming slow. “That if they really focus on feelings of love, maybe not for each other, but the general feelings associated with it, then they could magnetize to the right thistle. But I warn you that it will take focus on both of your parts. If one of you isn’t in the right state, then it won’t work.”

  “It will pull them in the right direction?” Sophia asked. “Like hands on a Ouija board?”

  “Yes,” he affirmed. “I think that it should work if you both concentrate and block out anything that doesn’t feel like love.”

  “Okay, I can do that,” Evan stated with confidence. “I’m like a love doctor. And my wife, well she’s a crazy doctor.”

  Tiffannee narrowed her eyes at Evan.

  “How about we focus on being nice to each other to encourage good, loving emotions?” Sophia suggested.

  “Yes, that would be a good idea,” Blathers stated. “One more thing is crucial for this to work.”

  All eyes pinned on the gillie.

  “What’s that?” Evan asked with an edge to his voice.

 
Blather’s face was quite serious. “You two are going to have to hold hands.”

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Evan held out his hand to Tiffannee. “All right, doll face. Give me your hand and let’s take a stroll through Love Lane.”

  The mortal eyed his hand like it was covered in toxic waste. Honestly, Sophia would bet a lot of money that Evan hadn’t washed his hands in years…possibly decades.

  Tiffannee finally gave in and laid her dainty hand in Evan’s, then immediately yanked it back. “Oh, gross. It’s sweaty.”

  Evan shook his head. “Yeah, remember that hand wielding an ax to slaughter the crazy swans? I worked up a bit of a sweat then. It’s not going to kill you, though.” He indicated Sophia. “Based on the look on that one’s face, she might if you don’t get a move on with this lovey-dovey bit.”

  Sophia realized that she wasn’t hiding the irritated expression on her face. “It’s true. I might kill you both if we came out here and miss our opportunity. Hold hands. Pretend to love each other and be filled with love. Then pick me a magical thistle. I have a fairy godmother college to save.”

  Evan gave Tiffannee a commiserating expression. “She’s not a very good leader, is she? Doesn’t really inspire her people adequately.”

  “Evan!” Sophia yelled and restrained herself from kicking him like she did the swan.

  He grabbed Tiffannee’s hand and yanked her in the opposite direction. “We’re going! We’re going! Calm down already.”

  Sophia folded her arms over her chest and watched as the two strode away. Evan hummed a tune that sounded a lot like Lovesong from The Cure.

  “I can’t focus with you singing,” Tiffannee complained.

  “Singing love songs helps me to concentrate on the emotions of love,” Evan stated.

  Sophia sighed. “This is going well.”

  Blathers stood like a pillar of strength, calm and present with no judgment on his face as he watched the two bicker in the distance.