Once in a Blue Rune: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Dwarf for Hire Book 2)

by J. B. Garner

  After that car ride with Sinclair, I wanted to give him a chance here to do the right thing, to do the things he insinuated to us he believed in. I didn’t even hold the fact he was angling for another scheme to turn into a Dragon against him, even if it would bring about the nastiest turf war the Earth had ever seen. At least that was true to his principles and ambitions.

  But if he couldn’t follow through with this one good thing, I wasn’t sure if I could keep my casual rebellion from becoming a full-blown revolution. Sure, I didn’t know how I’d do it, but I’d find a way. We Dwarves were stubborn like that.

  Mr. Sinclair stopped in his tracks at the base of the stairs, one foot on the first step, and stood still for a few moments, his back to us. His broad shoulders rose under his bespoke suit as he took in a deep breath, punctuated by an almost snake-like hiss of a sigh. Finally, his head turned back towards us, one glimmering eye visible as he spoke.

  “If there is one thing I find infectiously admirable about you, Ms. Stone, it is your stubborn infatuation with principle. It is almost as annoyingly contagious as Reba’s dedication to the law.” His eyes snapped back to the stairs. “Together, it makes me wonder how I will ever get anything positive accomplished with all these little crusades to deal with. It also makes me realize that sometimes, I can lose sight of my own principles in pursuit of the bigger picture.

  “Suffice it to say, certain steps shall be taken regarding Mercutio Frizzoli.”

  With that, Sinclair started up the stairs, only snapping his talons once more, a gesture that brought Clovis and Thaddeus into his orbit once more. We watched in silence as the trio left, managing to contain the surge of jubilation we all shared at what finally was the light at the end of the tunnel in this little misadventure.

  Hell, it wasn’t even a train this time.

  The moment the door above closed, with Patches still sleeping off his magical bender on the floor, I almost bowled over Aelfread with a crushing hug, smiling madly at him. “Oh, you glorious con artist lover of mine, you did it!” As he let out a cry of surprise from my embrace, I looked past him to beam at Bunny. “And you saved Patches and got the heat on Frizzoli! By my scarlet beard, we won!”

  Aelfread managed to recover enough to hug me back as Bunny, the grey blanket wrapped around her like a bath towel, returned my smile. “Yeah, Mary, I suppose we did.” She ran a hand through her ruffled blonde hair. “Still, I hope I never have to turn into a little bunny ever again.”

  I think Aelfread was about to make a comment about that, shifting in my arms to glance at Bunny himself, when someone decided to do it for him.

  From the shadows underneath the open staircase, a familiar, bubbly voice oozing with flirtatious lust murmured, “Oh dear, I missed it. There are oh-so-many wonderful things that one could use such a cute-and-cuddly little form for.”

  We all turned to look as Siofra Yvirsdottir, Watcher of the Dragon’s Eye and spymistress for the True Dragons themselves, shimmered into existence, wintergreen motes of magic falling away, as she began to slowly clap. “Remarkable performance, my friends, but I really must ask for the Azure Star now, if you don’t mind?”

  23

  At least the Elven woman, as drop-dead gorgeous as Aelfread was breathtakingly handsome, was wearing her working clothes instead of the gossamer dreams that were Elven formal dresses. An exquisitely tailored red velvet jacket hugged Siofra’s generous curves, and khaki jodhpurs followed the line of her hips like a second skin before plunging into leather riding boots. Her silver-handled cane was tucked under one arm as her badge of service, a golden eye circled by a flying dragon, bounced along with her breasts as she clapped.

  It is a fact of nature that Elves were probably the most sexually charged Figment species, at least of those that I had encountered. I didn’t blame Aelfread for staring. Hell, I usually did, and I didn’t play for that team. Bunny was looking almost as star-struck as Aelfie, only her natural sense of duty and decorum helping her keep a few of her wits around her.

  Naturally, I was the first to work out from under Siofra’s spell. “Wait, hold on.” I raised a hand for space as the Watcher sauntered towards us. “Not that I object that much to giving the Star to your care, but shouldn’t it go to the Garou?” I shook my head. “And as much as it makes me sound like a broken record, how are you here?”

  “The Dragon’s Eye always watches, my noble Dwarven friend,” she giggled as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. To be fair, it should have been. “When an ancient item of power becomes loose in the Drachenreich, we always endeavor to keep track of it. We wouldn’t want it falling into incautious hands.” Her silver-flecked green eyes grew deadly serious. “Or talons, in this case.”

  “Watcher,” Bunny said, her tongue back into her head, “you know you have my utmost respect but …” Her voice trailed off as she tried best to order whatever was in her mind without insulting the most influential person in the room, probably the most influential person we knew.

  “And you mine, dear Bunny.” Siofra flashed a million-watt smile at the Garou. “Oh, you’re so delightful when you’re flabbergasted. Please, speak plainly.” With a deft move, she pulled her cane from under her arm, tapping it to the floor in front of her and resting both palms on the silver handle. “I am, after all, on your side here.”

  Bunny coughed and tried not to blush too badly. I knew her pain, it was like dealing with Aelfread at times when we first met. “Yes, well, why didn’t the Eye do something earlier? I may be a top-notch Huntress, but you have the full force of the Drachenreich behind you. Surely you could have wrapped this up in hours and saved us all a lot of pain and suffering.”

  The Watcher took a step or two towards Bunny. “Reba, you know more than the rest the policies of the Dragon’s Eye. We watch, only to intervene when needed most.” She reached out and traced a finger along Bunny’s jaw with a smile. “If only I could have done so sooner, I would have. I certainly didn’t enjoy knowing what you were going through, yet to have interjected myself, well, the balance of power is always one improper step from tilting over. As much as it hurts my heart, I must always think of that balance.”

  Bunny found it hard to counter that, but if it was from lack of a proper counterargument or her rising libido, I didn’t know for sure. Instead, she nodded slowly. “I, well, I suppose I understand.”

  “But you were always close, were you not?” Aelfread finally added, stepping toward Siofra as she turned back to all of us together. “If things had gone too far over, you would have stepped in.”

  “That is my duty, Prince Aelfson.” Though it was always hard to get a solid read on Siofra, given her ability to blend into any role (the true art of deception, you could say), I was sure I caught a hint of regret and concern for a moment. “I must admit I thought I was about to have to do so. I …” She frowned a moment. “Let us say that some things are best left unsaid in my line of work.”

  I laughed at that. “So, you do really like us, eh, your watchfulness?”

  Siofra smiled sublimely as she set her cane on her shoulder. “You are all delightful and charming people, dedicated to the well-being of the Drachenreich in your own unique ways. Of course, I like you.”

  There was more to it. I knew that I think we all did, but as Siofra herself said, there were things it was best that the Watcher didn’t tell. After all, it wouldn’t help for her to give an impression of bias.

  Bunny took a deep breath as she said, “It’s good to know that some authorities watching out for the people aren’t corrupt like Sinclair or Frizzoli.” It looked like it took some effort to set her jaw after saying that, her blue eyes growing serious. “Which takes us back to Mary’s question. Why should we give the Dragons the Star? Doesn’t it belong in the care of the Garou?”

  Siofra matched Bunny’s gaze, her lips pressing into a tight smile. “You would be the last person I would expect to extol the virtues of the Garou community, my dear. We can already see what good putting this relic in the
ir hands has done, have we not?” Her cane spun until its silver tip pointed at the sleeping Patches. “His intentions were pure, yet in the end, Sanderson would have caused a tragedy had you not saved him. As for the Council, the ‘rightful’ authorities of the Garou, I would expect far worse to come from them, regardless of Mr. Frizzoli’s future status.”

  The Watcher arched a delicate eyebrow as she returned her cane to a resting position. “Who then, fair Huntress, would you suggest the Drachenreich entrust this powerful gift to? For, as I’m sure we all know, its power will return the moment it leaves the reach of Lady Stone’s runeword.”

  “I don’t know.” Bunny cast her eyes down. “Despite all the crap the Council has done, there’s a part of me that wants to defend them or at least the concept of them, but you’re right. I can only think of one person I’d even trust with that thing among us, and ...” Her voice trailed off as she slowly shook her head.

  I nodded slowly, this time unable to find a hole in Siofra’s argument myself. “Kind of like the Cornerstone, eh? All it takes is one person doing wrong to ruin a good thing for everyone.”

  “All too true, my dear,” Aelfie nodded as he stooped for a moment to take up my hand, something I eagerly squeezed. “Still, Bunny, if you have any further objection …?” He looked to our friend chewing on her lip, still wracked by the last shred of indecision.

  Siofra frowned slightly, the mask slipping a hair as she put a hand on Bunny’s shoulder, the other still clutching her cane. “Reba, Bunny, you are the most honorable woman I know, perhaps even more so that our friend Dwarf here. I admire that conviction and desire to see this stone in the right hands, but you know as I do there are none of those.

  “Even Mother Sanderson, no matter her immense virtue, would be unable to keep it safe, even if you were to watch over her from now until her dying day.” Bunny looked up, her eyes meeting Siofra’s as she continued. “And that, sweet, would be torture for you. Not the inevitable death, if you were even to see her pass, but the watching itself. Let her go and the Star with it.”

  With Aelfread in tow, I did much the same as Siofra, walking up to Bunny and putting a hand on her side. My argument was a tad simpler but no less compelling. “You deserve to be happy too.”

  Bunny’s blue eyes darted between us and she bit back tears starting to form in her eyes. Even the toughest of people, man or woman, can’t do that forever and a moment later the tears began to fall, and she had to sniff them back for a moment to speak. “Give her the rock, Aelfson. I know you’ve got it.”

  With a bit of a dramatic flair, Aelfie twisted his hand with one swift gesture that would make the best Vegas magician jealous and the Azure Star, perfectly intact, its blue glow dimmed to a faint pulse at the heart of the stone, sat in his hand. As he held it out to Siofra, Bunny wiped at her messy tears while still trying to keep her towel on, half-glaring at Aelfie.

  “Oh, if you ever tell a single solitary soul about this, Aelfson, you know I’ll hunt you down and feed you your ears, right?”

  Laughing, I hugged Bunny around the waist as Siofra took the stone in one hand, leaning close to Bunny’s ear for just a moment. Whatever she said, unheard by my ears, made Aelfread’s eyes go wide, Bunny to turn beet red over her entire face and chest, and Siofra to grin wickedly as she pulled back.

  I looked between them and shook my head. I didn’t need to hear it to understand what was going on here. “So, do you want us to take Patches home for you, Bunny? I get this suspicion that you might be busy starting in, oh, the moment we leave.”

  Bunny shivered, not from any cold that much I was sure of. “Uh, yeah. Thank you, Mary … and you too, Aelfsuh, uh, Aelfread.”

  “Yes, off with you and dare not forget the sleeping doggo,” Siofra giggled, swatting my backside with her cane lightly. “Don’t forget to see about some pants or a skirt before you venture out too far. Not for our sakes, I daresay we all find the view attractive, but for the sake of those pesky mundane decency laws. What poppycock!”

  Aelfread smirked as he cradled Patches. “Indeed, fair Watcher, said view remains near the top of my fondest memories, though I wager I have others regarding my miracle Mary that rank higher up.”

  “Can the flirting, people, and take off already!” Bunny’s shout sealed any last doubts I may have had regarding certain intentions, though the back-and-forth had me blushing about as badly as she was.

  I finished collecting the last of my belongings, stuffing them into my work bag before holding my hand out to Bunny. “Then give me the blanket. I think I need it more than you right now.”

  In that, I wasn’t wrong.

  24

  “And that was the end of that,” I nodded, leaning against the counter of the Easy-E-Mart astride my footstool. “For once, one of these jobs ended where everyone was happy, well, except maybe Mr. Sinclair.” Laughing a little, I tugged on one of my beard’s braids. “But I wager if you figured out a way for him to give it to you straight without losing face, I’d say even he was pleased with how it ended, assuming you don’t bring up how we tricked him in the end.”

  Dame Polly, her gnarled and arthritic Goblin body weighed down as it always was by her eclectic armor of discarded kitchenware and scrap metal, smiled with a twinkle in her eyes as she dunked her tea bag into her KidzSafe Easy-E-Mart mug. “Assuming you did indeed trick him.”

  Her mutt of a loyal steed barked as if in reply, not even shaking her mug, as I arched an eye at the Lightbringer.

  “Indeed, Didymus,” she laughed. “If you were to ask this old warhorse, and by that I mean me, not poor Didy here, I would say you didn’t so much as fool that shrewd young man so much as give him an out, a way to retreat with some shred of his core principles intact.”

  Was she right? No, that didn’t seem right to me, but then again, Polly was about the wisest person I knew. Also, who would ever call Sinclair young? Well, if anyone had the right, it was Polly.

  “Maybe you’re right. It doesn’t really matter, in the end.”

  It was the Wednesday night after the whirlwind events of the previous week and thus frightfully slow. Not only did that make it a good time for Johnny to continue his training, but the perfect time for visitors such as Polly, who had a harder time blending in when not cloaked by the obfuscating magic inherent to Goblins.

  “I suppose not.” She sipped carefully at her tea, one hand holding her rusty visor up. “Have you seen either our fine Huntress or the local Watcher since then?”

  I always found it funny that for all her sanctity (and I knew none holier than Polly Brightsun), Polly had quite the burning desire to hear gossip. Considering she never gave me any herself outside of critical news, I suppose it didn’t do any harm. Still, I wondered what she did with all that stockpiled grapevine talk. Maybe she was a dirty old lady when she wasn’t giving sermons or spreading the Light of home and hearth around.

  Feeling like we were talking over a backyard fence about the neighbors as opposed to a chat over drinks in the convenience store, I leaned forward some more. Johnny was stocking the cooler, while Aelfread was in the back office, haggling with Mr. Blythe for the best cost on our recently increased pastry order each week. As much as I enjoyed my new supernatural life, there was a small part of me that wished for the mundanity of moments like this.

  “I haven’t seen Siofra, which doesn’t surprise me,” I nodded conspiratorially, “but I did see Bunny the night after to pay me my share of the bounty for finding Patches. She wouldn’t confirm or deny anything, but I will say that she was awfully, awfully happy.”

  “Good for her,” the elder knight beamed and, intentionally or not, some of that holy Light shone from her form, just for a moment. “Reba needs more moments like that in her life and less that involve roundhousing some criminal thug in the face. Not that I have anything against a good roundhouse kick, mind you, especially when put in the proper face, but …” She swirled her gauntleted hand, making all sorts of clanking sounds, in a motion that suggested I
should know what she meant.

  I smiled as I settled back off my tiptoes. “I agree, though I’m sure that whatever Sinclair does about the Frizzolis, she’ll be involved in it.” I took a sip of coffee. “While busting crooks isn’t my primary calling, I kind of hope she asks for my help if it comes to it. I really didn’t like that guy one bit.”

  Polly nodded slowly. “In the end, that kind of corruption only leads to a bad end.” Finishing her tea, she set the mug on her saddle horn as Didymus started to scratch his belly with his hind leg. “Now, on to brighter topics. How are the Sandersons doing? Surely, Mother must have been delighted to have her mate back, especially with so many children. The Light is born of the warmth we share, but there are arguments to be made that there exist certain, well, limits to how much warmth there can be before it becomes a fire.”

  Nodding at that, I swirled the stirrer in my own coffee. “Oh, gods, you don’t need to tell me.”

  In the back of my mind, I wondered idly if it was even possible for Figment species to cross-breed. If they could, would I ever want children in our life? Ancestors above, should we be getting married? Did Elves get married? They must, right?

  “Mary?”

  I blinked back to reality. “Huh?” I looked around to see Polly smiling warmly at me and gesturing towards the front doors, which were now swinging freely as a group of new customers had come in while I was daydreaming.

  Now, when the Easy-E-Mart entertained ‘special customers’, the runic locks were, well, picky, you could say, so that meant our patiently waiting crowd were all Figs, which was a good thing with present company. It took me a moment to take in everyone that was there, but when I did, all my errant thoughts were gone, and the thoughtful look on my face was replaced by a smile.

  “Why not ask them yourselves, Dame Brightsun?” I said as I hopped off my perch and made for the counter door.