by J M Thomas
Lana dipped a tiny spoonful from her bowl, then stared at it with a heavy sigh. “Same old stuff under new names, mostly.” Finally, she met his determined stare. “I’m not hungry, A. E.”
“Ah, so we’re playin’ guess the free lies, is we?” He took a bite of his own, winking as he waved his spoon. “But we free are gonna ‘ave us a nice bowl of ice cream and sit ‘ere talkin’ and doin’ business. Then I’ll get out of your ‘air.” He softened his stern words with a sly smile. “‘You’re not ‘ungry? Now, I knows ‘at was lie one, Your Eminence.”
I wasn’t sure how he’d managed to come across like he was wholly on her side while not letting her get away with anything.
Lana nodded, blushing shyly as her gaze fixed on the wall behind him. “Sorry. It’s been a rough… however long.”
“Too long, it seems.” He leaned back in the bean bag chair. I had to suppress a laugh; he belonged on a bar stool, not on a fuzzy throne of fluff.
I followed his lead, working my way through my creamy vanilla ice cream to help set her at ease.
“And speakin’ of, ‘ow long’s it been since you ‘ad a ‘ole meal, love?”
She stared at the ceiling for a moment. “I had breakfast.”
“‘At’s two.” He took another bite.
She gave a nervous laugh. “I didn’t say today.”
“Still counts.” Aeron tilted his head almost playfully. “I’ll call it one ‘alf. You’re a tricky negotiator. Remind me of this when we ‘aggle on price.”
Lana seemed relieved to change the subject. “You came to buy something?”
He nodded. “Summing unusual. Summing ‘ere’s only one place I’m gonna get it. The powerful and mysterious Lana Ward ‘erself.”
That seemed to put her more at ease, the next tiny bite going in as she grinned. “What is it? Do I have one listed?”
“I’ll tell you.” He gave Lana a calculating smirk. “At the end of ‘at bowl.”
Lana flashed an exhausted glance at the bowl again, seeming shocked at how much he’d filled it with. “But it’s…”
He shook his head, cutting her off. “At’s my price. I can do wivout, or I can pay top whack. All depends on you.”
She eyed her ice cream bowl like it was puddled blood. “And then you’re leaving again?”
“I ‘ave about ‘alf an ‘our I can stay, this time.” Aeron shoved a monstrous bite in his own mouth. “If that’s alright wiv Your Excellency.”
Lana took another small bite, forcing herself to swallow. “Celeste, was it? You, um...”
I piped up, “I’m just along for the day. Aeron’s introducing me to people in the area.”
“Lucky.” Her eyes widened. “I want a field trip with Aeron!” She smiled at him with a mix of hope and sadness.
“You know ‘at’ll cost you, love.” He grinned. “But I’ll see what I can work out wiv Missus Ward.”
I was right in the car. I wasn’t prepared for the sight of Aeron grinning like an idiot as he goofed off with this girl. His eyes twinkled with something halfway between mirth and mischief. I stared dumbfounded, hoping no one had asked me a question.
“I’m offended,” Aeron said around another bite of ice cream. “I might count that for the other ‘alf of lie number two.”
“What?” Lana thought for a moment. “Oh, you mean…” A hollow grin escaped for a second, then she recovered. “I also adopted A. E. as my official big brother, since I don’t have one, and he didn’t have a little sister, either.”
“You know it.” His smile was warm as he saluted her with his spoon, prodding her to keep going on her bowl.
Despite the mental overload, my curiosity finally got the best of me. I carefully set my bowl on a shelf that wasn’t entirely bursting with its teddy bear occupants. “So, how do you two know each other?”
“A. E. stayed with us a couple months when he first came to town.” Lana settled deeper into her pile of stuffed animals with a tiny wiggle and a tired, resilient smile. “Now he’s my best customer.”
I found myself leaning my head in her direction. “I take it you’re someone pretty amazing, from what he’s told me.”
Lana let out a bashful huff. “I design potions, that kind of stuff, or did. Dispel mists, mostly, because those are so cheap to make, and I can… well, could enchant a whole batch in one go.”
Aeron nodded. “Every ol’ bloke wiv a filament wants to keep a mist in case ‘e’s being haunted, like pepper spray for ghosts.”
“Yeah, newsflash: they’re probably not haunted.” Lana gave a slow shrug. “But, for five bucks, they can make sure.”
Filament? Not sure what that was but I made a mental note to go look it up later.
I sneaked a peek at Lana’s bowl. It was still about half full, but the teen had eaten some of it. “A. E.?”
“Dad called him A-A-ron when he first came over, and I was like, ‘nuh uh! This is an A-E-ron!’ and it stuck.” This was the first glimmer of teenagerhood I’d noticed from her, and wanted so much more.
“Orright,” Aeron said, leaning forward before Lana could be tempted to spill more state secrets. “You keep workin’ on ‘at bowl, and I’ll tell you what I’m ‘ere for. I need a ninety-eight percent or ‘igher proof dispel solution, summin' ‘at’ll clear a room about this size...” He gestured to the four corners of her room, adding, “...of approximately a ‘undred souls.”
Lana’s jaw dropped, then a look of concern flashed across her dark, deep-set eyes. “What kind of trapper made a snare that strong?”
His tone took on a conspiratorial note. “Not even a trapper, ‘at’s the best bit. A speaker who’s got some kind of Pied Piper charm.”
“Oh, those! What’s-his-name sold a couple in his shop. Hugo.” She licked the spoon, tapping the metal against her chin as she thought. “Now where did I put it? “ Lana paused for an uncomfortably long time, as if she’d forgotten what she was looking for. “Gremlin!”
Aeron and Lana surveyed the room until her eyes lit on a stuffed, alien-looking doll in the corner. “There he is! He loves to hide; that’s what makes him my favorite.” The teen propped herself up with her elbows and shushed the rest of the stuffed animals as she pushed herself up again. “Don’t anybody else get any ideas, now. You’re all my favorites.”
Since Aeron didn’t count that as lie number three, I took it that Lana really did believe they were all her favorite. I stood to help but didn’t see which one of three that looked super similar she meant.
“‘Ere, let me get ‘im for ya, love.” Aeron fished out, then tossed the Gremlin stuffie to its owner, who caught it midair.
The movement seemed to tire her out, and she slowed her movements as she unzipped the back of the doll, revealing a pocket. A stoppered vial appeared in her hand. “That’ll be fifty bucks, though. I’m not making any more of these.”
He grinned. “Is it, now? ‘At lie number free, then?”
“You want me to show you what all goes into making a concentration this high?” Lana cocked her head, a glimmer of teenaged sass energizing her dark eyes as she held the vial aloft between her index finger and thumb.
I loved the current of strength coursing deep through the young woman, now that I’d gotten a glimpse of her tenacity peeking out. That momentary inner sparkle lit up the room, and I couldn’t imagine the force Lana would be if she was filled to the brim with the kind of personality she glimmered with now.
“Orright, orright, but you ain’t earned your sale yet.” Aeron wagged a finger at the melting bowl, his look growing serious as he fixed Lana with his piercing gaze. “What’s ‘ardest right now, love?” he asked, voice hardly above a whisper.
Lana set her jaw, her shoulders tensing as she stared at the bowl. Finally, she relaxed back against her couch bed with a sigh. “I don’t like seeing what this is doing to Mama. It’s my fault, but there’s nothing I can do!”
“Now ‘at one, I’m callin’ number free.” Aeron interrupted with a grave shake of his
head. “I just spoke wiv your mum, and she was very, very proud o’ your stubborn arse. But, she said you’re tired all the time, and she was worried, she was. ‘At’s not the same as guilt.” He pulled his bean bag chair closer to her and quietly laid a hand on her shoulder. “You fink it might be time to go in, get treatment?”
Lana set the ice cream in her lap, her gaze downcast. Her silent tears betrayed her strength. “I’ll lose my magic, Aeron,” she said softly. “I can’t.”
“‘At’s absurd.” Aeron waved her off. “You can’t lose it.”
“Not my whole magic, just my ability to… you know.” Lana shook her head and tucked her knees up under her chin, hugging her thin legs.
“Ah.” Though I had no idea what they were talking about, Aeron clearly did. He straightened, his tone shifting from an older brother’s banter to consoling an exhausted fellow soldier in a foxhole. “What’s ‘at useless bastard telling you right now? You’re outta lies, so you gotter be straight wiv me, Younger.”
She hesitated for a moment. “It says I’m wasting your time, that I should let you go so you can spend it on… on someone whose...” Lana dissolved into tears and buried her face in her knees. “Whose life will matter.” The impact of her muffled response made me want to lurch forward and wrap her up in the biggest protective hug I could give her.
Aeron beat me to it and drew her in. “And what troof is you tellin’ to ‘is dirty, rotten lies, hmm?” he whispered, anger building at something I couldn’t put my finger on.
Lana deflated like someone had popped a hole in a balloon. “I’m so tired of fighting, Aeron.”
“Orright, come ‘ere, Younger.” He toppled himself from the bean bag, coming up on his knees as he tugged at her hand. “Borrow some of my nasty for a minute ‘ere, and tell the bastard inside a fing or two for me, eh? Let’s pick a fight.”
The teen openly melted into him, letting him envelope her in a hug.
Aeron whispered in her ear. “You lying son of a bitch.”
She smiled, the tiniest of laughs escaping. “You lying son of a bitch.”
“You’re not gonna win this one.” His chin rested on the top of her head.
Lana repeated his words, but her tone was less certain.
“The mighty Lana Ward is a powerful and mysterious wizard.”
Her breath hitched as she said it.
“And she is tenacious and strong.”
“And she is…” Lana broke down in tears. “He says I’m weak, Aeron. How can I fight like this?”
“Tenacious and strong,” He said again, firmer.
“Tenacious… and strong.”
“‘Ere, now.” Aeron pulled away, shoving the bowl of now-melted ice cream into Lana’s hands again. “Drink up. ‘E ain’t gonna stop you.” His voice was barely above a whisper, his hand resting on the teen’s shoulder. “‘E can’t. ‘E’s just a demon fucker what made ‘is nest in your ‘ead. All ‘e can do is lie to you, but it’s ‘ard, so ‘ard. Now, bottoms up, like the brave soldier you are.”
She sobbed the whole way through drinking the melted ice cream milk.
Chapter 8 – Around her Boils
Aeron handed the empty bowls to me, and with a jerk of his head indicated that I needed to head to the kitchen with them. I left the room as he sat on the floor with his back leaning against the wall. I took that as my signal to give them some privacy.
Mrs. Ward tried not to look too concerned, but she peeked at the bowls with such keen interest, I tapped the one her daughter had eaten from, wondering if Lana might be anorexic. It’d sure explain how skinny she was.
The sight of the empty bowl brought tears to Mrs. Ward’s eyes. “Bless you both,” she whispered.
When I glanced back at them, the teen was forcing Aeron to listen to some kind of upbeat music through her headphones, and he was giving her odd looks. This only encouraged her, and soon the bass thumped with some electronica dance hit, which he winced at.
Instead of joining them, I spoke with Mrs. Ward, who stood at her sink, salting and oiling a cast iron skillet. “They get along like me and my brothers.”
“You should’ve seen them in the old days.” Mrs. Ward’s she leaned back a little as if reclining into a very comfortable memory. “When he first came into town, he stayed with us. Lana’d really been struggling with a lot of things, but he came in on the upswing, really teased her out of her shell.” She glanced in Aeron’s direction.
“That young man brought her back from a dark place. This house just ain’t the same without the two of them yelling across the den at each other, making up all sorts of games. It was the first time she’d gotten to be a kid since...” In her pocket, Mrs. Ward’s phone buzzed. She checked the notification and excused herself upstairs to take the call.
About then, Aeron gave the door a little kick to close it. There was a small crack left, though, and the mere fact that he was shutting the open space between us intrigued me. Quietly, I padded across the kitchen, leaving my mug at the table.
Behind the tiny crack in the door, Aeron had risen, stretching like he was getting ready to head out. “Orright, business.”
Lana made a face at the clock on the wall. “But do you have to go?”
“Yeah. Sucks, don’t it?” His back popped as he raised his arms above his head.
As I watched through the narrow crack, Aeron paid Lana every dollar of what she’d asked for, but then unzipped a poop emoji pillow from the pile of stuffies and pulled out a bottle of pills. “I’ll be taking these, orright?” He didn’t wait for her permission or even acknowledge the look of horror written all over her face. “You keep fightin’, you ‘ear? I’ll be back to see you soon, I promise you ‘at. Okay?” He pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head.
I quietly tiptoed back to the kitchen, hoping they hadn’t noticed me and that Mrs. Ward hadn’t come back downstairs yet. Trotting back around the table, I grabbed my mostly-empty coffee mug and took a sip, just in time.
Aeron strode into the kitchen, shutting Lana’s bedroom door behind him, then tossed the bottle of pills to Lana’s mother as she came back down the stairs. “Disposal, if you please, Missus Ward.”
She caught the bottle, then read the label on her way back to the kitchen. Before she’d even finished, Mrs. Ward pressed her lips together so tight they blanched. Her nod seemed more about keeping herself together than acknowledging the request.
Aeron leaned on the marble countertop next to the sink. “Look, I know you don’t want to and all, but it’s time to make the call, yeah? Or do I toss ‘er over my shoulder and take ‘er in now?”
Mrs. Ward’s strong shoulders trembled as her face revealed her pain. She shook her head. “I’ll make the call.”
“You don’t ‘ave to be afraid for ‘er, orright? She’s a strong girl, she just needs some ‘elp to keep fightin’ anovver day. We’ll manage orright for a little while. I can get supplies from next state over until she’s back wiv us. Because that in there, that weren’t ‘er.” Aeron’s eyes were wide with emotion.
He paced a bit, then stopped, flashing Mrs. Ward an intense look. “We know the real Lana, yeah? We need to get ’er back.” He rested a consoling hand on Mrs. Ward’s shoulder, then gave her a quick parting hug. “We know better, you and me.”
Mrs. Ward nodded silently, her shoulders heaving with barely-contained emotion as she hugged me, too. Her warmth and vulnerability in the presence of me, a complete stranger, both baffled and convinced me this woman was incredibly strong.
I wondered if I’d ever be that secure in myself, to show who I was to anyone who happened to be in the room.
Aeron held the door to see us both out, then marched us back through the rain toward my waiting car. His stony silence felt like a wall between us.
“Lana seems like such a sweet girl,” I offered as we climbed in, hoping to break the eerie quiet. “But so thin. Is she anorexic?”
He shook his head, leaning his elbow heavily on the door frame as soon
as it shut. “It ain’t anorexia.” Aeron’s glare seemed aimed through me at something bigger than me.
I hurriedly started the car, then wondered why I was rushing. First I’m assuming he’s going to be intense all the time, now I’m surprised when he gets snippy. As my sheepishness waned, my curiosity got the better of me yet again. “Then why is she so thin?”
“I don’t make it my business to discuss ovvers’ business wiv people, if it’s not their business.” Aeron’s agitation was palpable, like I’d trapped a badger in my tiny hatchback. “The point is, ‘er body’s crashin’. Worst possible timing for us, but it can’t be ‘elped.”
His hand scrubbed his beard. “Best to work at a disadvantage and take care of your people, because ‘at’ll be the best fing in the end.” He stared out the window with another wide-eyed glare, signaling an end to the conversation.
My mind buzzed. How this man could intimidate Darrel so effectively yesterday but handle this teen so gently and warmly today boggled my brain. Why did Aeron obey Darrel’s enormous request? And how many underground necromancers were we going to be visiting?
I was overrun with questions about Darrel’s “I know a guy” now more than ever, besides those about all the other necros, and now Lana, too. “Where to now?”
“Hmm? Oh, back to hospital.” Irritated, he settled back into whatever brooding reverie he was in while I played taxi.
Dark clouds billowed around us as I drove in silence. In the distance, the first flashes of lightning signaled the power those clouds were ready to unleash. The storm we’d gotten already was nothing compared to what brewed on the horizon.
On a whim, I checked the time. “People will be getting off work…”
“Yeah, no more interviews tonight, I’m afraid.” Aeron shifted in his seat to get a better view of the lightning show starting up. “You got time tomorrow?”
I nodded. “I'm free any time you’re ready.” Another exhausting day… I found myself emotionally drained all of a sudden. Visiting and trying to carefully jot down all I could about these necromancers had me dying to get some peace and quiet where I could process everything.
