by Ken Lange
I shrugged. “You can ask, but I can’t see why he would…why?”
She motioned for me to hand her the plate. “I’d like to type them out and have them bound.”
Passing her the food, I nodded. “Probably not a bad idea. But I can tell you right now, there are a few of us who’d like a copy.”
She cut her eyes at her plate. “Depends on how this turns out.”
“In that case, I’d like mine in English.”
Her tone was light as she picked up her fork. “You’re awfully confident.”
I folded my arms. “For good reason.”
Kimberly took a bite of the lasagna and the look of ecstasy on her face said what she couldn’t. She had two more bites before glancing up at me. “You’re right. This is fantastic.”
“Told ya.”
Kimberly smiled. “So where is Gabriel anyway?”
I picked up her father’s Bœuf bourguignon recipe and placed it in front of her. “He’s gone to get what he needs to make this.”
Dropping her fork, she blinked several times. “This is my father’s favorite.” She looked up at me with a combination of joy and sadness in her eyes. “Why is he making it today of all days?”
“Keto asked him to. He’s hoping the smell of the stew will help wake Henri. He thinks that time, rest, and perhaps good food will help.”
She took another bite and sat there for several seconds before swallowing. “Do you think it’ll help?”
I shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”
Tears welled in the corners of her eyes but didn’t fall. “I’ll text Gabriel. He needs to stop at Martin’s to pick up the wine. They’re the only ones in town who carry the brand he needs.”
Smiling, I said, “Good to know.” I put my dish in the sink. “Is there anything I can do for you this morning?”
Her expression faltered as she shook her head. “The food was plenty, thank you.”
“You sure?”
She sat there for several seconds then handed me her empty plate. “Could I have another piece about half the size?”
“Absolutely.”
She pointed at the pan. “You should probably make a plate for Heather. I’ll take it up when I go to relieve her shortly.”
I nodded. “All right. Do you mind if I tag along?”
She grinned. “Not at all. You can carry the food and drink.”
Laughing, I said, “Not a problem.”
A few minutes later, we were up the stairs with some food and a glass of tea. I entered the room to find her sitting in the recliner, which had been moved closer to the bed. Kimberly walked over to check her father’s pulse.
I dropped my voice to a near whisper. “Want something to eat?”
Heather smiled. “That’d be great.”
Handing her the plate, I asked, “Any change?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
Kimberly checked her watch. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, honey. Will you be all right?”
Heather smiled. “I’m fine. Go take care of whatever needs to be done.”
Kimberly walked over and kissed her daughter’s forehead then left the room.
I pulled up a chair from the vanity and sat in silence while she ate. It was odd seeing Henri in person. Heather had shown me old photographs, but they hadn’t done him justice. The strange part for me—and Kur, for that matter—was how much of a toll the last twenty years had taken on the man, given that he was a sorcerer.
He was thinner, his features were sharper, his hair grayer, and he was far fitter than the old pictures implied. Wherever he’d been had changed him physically, and most likely mentally. For now, all we could do was wait to see what came next.
My phone beeped with a message from Vasile. He had information and wanted to speak with me this afternoon.
Kimberly returned a few minutes later and encouraged Heather to get some rest in the guest bed while she sat with Henri. I haven’t always claimed to be a smart man, but when her mother insisted, I knew enough to grab the dishes and make myself scarce.
It took another hour and a half for Gabriel to make it back from his errands. During my downtime, I went through the files of the men who’d tried to kill us last night. Nothing in their service records stood out. Still, I sent their names to Captain Baptist and asked him to run a full background check. If there was anything abnormal in their history, I wanted to know about it.
The scent of bacon, beef, red wine, and a host of other ingredients soon filled the house. Even though I’d downed half a pan of lasagna a few hours ago, I couldn’t wait to dig into this. Thank god for my metabolism or I’d be eight hundred pounds on my way to an even thousand. Over the course of the morning, I lost my ability to concentrate and found myself sitting in the kitchen hoping for scraps. Gabriel however, was an ass-hat and refused to let me taste it early.
When it was finished, he placed a thick piece of toasted bread on a plate and ladled a healthy portion over it.
I reached for it, and he smacked my hand. “Take that to Kimberly, and I’ll make you a plate when you return.”
I frowned. “Fine.”
Five minutes later, I was downstairs in the dining room, ready to dig in, when Kimberly yelled. I dropped my fork and bolted upstairs.
Chapter 22
At the top of the stairs, I slammed into Keto. He skidded to the side, hitting the one wall hard while I careened into the other. Luckily, we were able to stay on our feet as we continued to pound down the hall.
Henri was sitting up in bed hugging Kimberly when we entered the room and came to an abrupt halt. His body tensed then he rolled to the side, taking Kim with him in one smooth motion. When he righted himself, he flung a massive sphere of crimson flames our way.
I threw myself in front of Heather and Keto a second before fire unlike any I’d ever known engulfed me. Normally, I’d get a small boost of energy when magic was used against me, but this was different. Heat, power, and something otherworldly slowly worked through my flesh. My muscles ached, my skin tingled, and my body twitched as the inferno blazed around me. A small eternity later, it died out, and I collapsed to my knees, panting. I’d absorbed it, barely. When he pulled his hand back to create another sphere, I wasn’t sure I’d survive it.
Heather moved forward, holding her hands out. “Pépère, please stop. He’s here to help.”
Henri hesitated, and the tiny firestorm in his hand dissipated. When he spoke, it was in French, but Kur translated it for me. “I’m sorry. I’ve been on guard for so long.” He gestured for her to come closer. “I’ve missed you, little one. You’ve grown since I last saw you.”
Keto put his hand out to help me to my feet, which I gladly accepted.
“This is becoming far to commonplace for my tastes.”
He frowned and nodded. “Are you all right?’
Patting myself down, I said, “Yeah, I think so. Everything’s still attached.”
I glanced over at Henri. He should’ve been panting or faint, but he wasn’t. That was truly impressive and more than a little frightening. If I had to guess, the man could’ve gone a full ten rounds, but I doubted I would’ve made it past the second. My body was still aching as it tried to contain his initial onslaught.
Heather hugged her grandfather and waved a hand in my direction. “This is Gavin, my…other half.”
He gave her a curious look. “You’re dating?”
She playfully smacked him on the shoulder. “I’m more than old enough.”
Henri’s eyes narrowed as he quickly appraised my worth. “Interesting.”
Before I had a chance to stick my foot in my mouth, Heather waved for Keto to step forward. “And I think you know Keto.”
A smile broke across Henri’s face. “Good to see you again, old friend.” He shook his head. “It’s been so long.”
Keto moved to separate Henri, Kimberly, and Heather. “I need to examine you. After that, you can tell us where you’ve been all these years.”
Henri jerked his arm away from him. “No.” He gestured at the stew I’d brought earlier. “First, I eat. Then you can perform your hoodoo on me.”
Keto opened his mouth to argue, but Kimberly quickly handed Henri the bowl. “You know as well as I do that once he makes up his mind, it’s easier just to go along with it.”
Keto clearly wasn’t thrilled with the idea but relented. “Fine.”
Henri scarfed down the first helping quickly and handed the bowl to Kimberly. “Could you and Heather bring me up another?”
Kimberly handed the bowl to her daughter. “It doesn’t take two of us to get the food.”
Henri grinned. “No, but it’ll give me a moment to speak with Gavin while Keto looks me over. So take your time.”
Heather turned beet red. “Pépère, I’m a grown woman. I don’t need you interviewing the men I date.”
He shrugged. “Grandfather’s prerogative. God knows your father isn’t worth a damn, which means his opinion can’t be trusted.”
Kimberly and Heather froze.
Kimberly spoke first. “Robert’s no longer in the picture.” She gestured at me. “In fact, Robert and Gavin had a serious falling out, which led to Robert’s death.”
Henri blinked as his gaze landed on me. “May I ask what this falling out was over?” Heather opened her mouth, but Henri shushed her. “I asked him. If he can’t speak for himself, he isn’t worth your time.”
Stepping forward, I put my hand on Heather’s shoulder and pulled her back. “Not sure that I’m worthy of anyone, but she loves me, and I love her. As for my problem with Robert, he was working with a necromancer, for starters. But to make things worse, he’d hired someone to kill Kimberly and Heather. Needless to say, I took offense.”
Anger clouded his features for a moment. “Thank you.” He glanced up at his daughter. “I promise to be nice.”
Kimberly sighed. “Fine.” She walked around the bed, put her hand on Heather’s shoulder, and guided her out of the room.
Keto grabbed Henri’s arm to take his pulse.
I sat in the recliner next to the bed. “You’re welcome.”
Henri smiled. “You seem like a nice enough fellow.”
Suppressing a grin, I shrugged. “Depends who you ask.”
He chuckled as Keto poked and prodded him. “What are you?”
I arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
His voice was light but carried a certain menace. “It’s an easy enough query, and I’d appreciate an answer.”
Great, he’d started with the difficult questions.
I took a deep breath. “Hard to say, really. I appear to be unique in the Archive. I’m a Stone Born who happens to be a Reaper, among other things.”
His mouth fell open. “Reapers are real?”
Keto leaned in front of Henri’s face. “They are, and he’s a good guy, so stop with your overprotective bullshit.”
Henri leaned against the headboard, locking his gaze onto Keto’s. “You trust this man?”
He nodded. “With my life and that of everyone I care about.” Keto waved a hand at me. “He’s taken Naevius’s spot as vigil.”
Shock spread across Henri’s features. “Wow, okay.” He turned to me. “Sorry to be such a hard-ass, but she is my granddaughter and I’d hate to see her get hurt.”
I shrugged. “Me too. I can’t promise that I won’t hurt her, but I’m going to do my best not to. She’s a fantastic woman who deserves better than me.”
He grinned. “I like you.” His expression faltered. “I’ve got one last question.”
I gestured for him to continue. “Go ahead.”
He took a deep breath. “How are you still alive? The fire should’ve consumed you, but you’re unharmed.”
Truth be told, my body ached with the additional power his spell had given me.
I shrugged. “It’s one of my gifts. Magic doesn’t work on me the way it does on other people.”
He nodded. “Obviously.”
Keto sighed. “You’re in excellent health considering you’ve been gone for twenty-seven years.”
Henri blinked. “That’s all?”
I frowned. “What do you mean that’s all?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been in the realm of fire for what seemed eons. I know time passes differently there than it does here but that’s a huge discrepancy.”
Heather knocked on the door. “Is it all right if we come back in now?”
Henri gave her a warm smile. “Yes, but only if your mother brought me more of that stew.”
Kimberly held up another helping. “I can’t believe I have to bribe my own father to let me see him.”
He shrugged. “Where I’ve been, the food hasn’t been so great.”
Kimberly set the bowl next to him. “And where exactly was that?”
He patted the side of the bed. “Sit. We’ll talk while I eat.”
Everyone found a semi-comfortable place to sit, and Henri launched into the story of what had happened twenty-seven years ago…and the aftermath.
Robert and a red-headed woman named Ruth were waiting for him late one evening when he got home. After Henri invited them in, the conversation quickly turned to complaints about Andrew. They wanted to forcibly remove him and replace him with someone more…malleable.
That was when Henri asked them to leave. They refused. Ruth sliced her palms and got to her feet. Being familiar with the concept of blood magic, he ran. As he entered the bookcase, Ruth hurled something at him that caused a weird explosion, which sealed the door and ripped a hole in his pocket reality, dropping him into Muspelheim.
That was where he’d spent the last twenty-seven years. Muspelheim was a massive place consisting of many worlds ruled over by a tyrant named Surtr. Henri had found himself on one of the outer worlds, which was populated by several different species, the most common of which were the jinn, a cruel and vicious race of great power, and the dybbukim, rage demons who spread chaos and pain in their wake.
Henri had survived thanks to an exiled being by the name of Dagon. He’d been cast out of his realm eons ago to suffer in the realm of fire. Even weakened as he was, Dagon had enough power to keep the jinn, dybbukim, and other demons away from the stronghold he’d created. It was there that Henri learned how to control and manipulate the primordial fires that had aided in the creation of the universe—the same flames he’d hurled at me earlier and were now seeping into my bones, giving me, Kur, and the Grim a severe boost energetically.
Dagon had noticed that the barrier between Muspelheim and this world had thinned, and he helped Henri make it back. For Henri, it was as if a thousand or more years had passed while it’d only been twenty-seven here.
After he finished, we were all silent for a long moment.
I leaned forward and placed my elbows on my knees. “Was this Ruth Miller?”
He thought for a moment. “I believe that’s what she said.”
Heather glanced from me to him with worry in her eyes. “So, she came after you with blood magic?”
He nodded. “Oui.”
Kimberly’s fists clenched and unclenched as she stared at her father. “That asshole acted as if he hadn’t a clue what had happened to you. He pretended to comfort us as we grieved.” Fury coated her words. “The worst part is he gave us hope. He refused to let anyone declare you dead for years, saying there was a chance you’d return even when he knew you couldn’t.”
Henri reached up and patted her arm. “I’m sorry.”
Anger danced in her eyes as her gaze fell on me. “The only thing I regret about his death is that I wasn’t the one who tore him apart.” She pivoted and walked out of the room.
Heather got to her feet. “I’d better go check on her.”
I nodded. “Probably a good idea.”
Keto had kept quiet until now. “I think I know what happened that allowed your return.”
Henri glanced up at him. “You do?”
Keto sighed. “I’m betti
ng that whoever carved the weird glyphs into your home didn’t know about the pocket reality, and when the blood magic reacted with it, things went haywire. Thus, dropping you into the realm of fire and sealing the door.”
Henri gestured for him to continue. “Okay, that explains how I got stuck, but you said you knew why I was able to escape.”
He held out his hand for patience. “Right. Well, last night, a group of people tried to invade the house. They were promptly cut down in their tracks, and it was exceptionally bloody.”
Realization hit me. “You think the blood we spilled last night counteracted the original curse?”
Keto nodded. “I do.”
“That makes more sense than anything else I can think of.”
Henri frowned. “What glyphs?”
There was no time like the present to tell him about the Gotteskinder and their attempts to bring a jinni into this world. He informed me that a powerful jinni named Eblis had gone missing recently.
Running my hand over my head, I sighed. “Thanks, at least I’ve got a name to work with.”
Henri nodded. “Not sure that helps, but you’re welcome.” Pushing himself upright again, he said, “With Robert dead, I’d like to find this Ruth Miller and give her a piece of my mind.”
Growling, I got to my feet. “You and me both. I’ve been looking for the woman for a few months now.”
He grimaced. “She fucked you over as well, I take it.”
I shrugged. “Ruth has screwed over a lot of people.”
Ruth was becoming a very popular woman, in all the wrong ways…
Chapter 23
My conversation with Henri had been enlightening and more than a little troubling. Over the last few months, I’d been working under the assumption that the Black Circle had set their plans in motion ten years ago when Ke’lets died. But with the revelation of Ruth’s involvement, it was starting to look as if they’d had things in the works for a lot longer.
I didn’t have a clue how the Gotteskinder fit into things, but the necromancers were playing the long game, which meant they were likely manipulating these fools somehow. It was just too coincidental not to be the case.
