by Martha Carr
“What do we do now? I had no idea this was a one-way trip.” Hagan swore softly under his breath. “I’m sorry, Rose.”
Rose took in another deep breath just as the sun broke through the canopy in rays that touched her face. She shut her eyes and felt the warmth against her skin, smiling. She tilted her chin down and opened her eyes in time to see a doe leading her fawn across a path and butterflies lifting off a forsythia bush. “This place… it’s not where I expected to live out my golden years. But it’s like a little Eden.” She gave the Gardener a hard stare. “Provided there’s a roof that goes over our heads.” She quickly smiled, her eyes shining as the Gardener smiled broadly back at her.
Two times he’s smiled in one day. That’s your miracle. Leira shook her head. The world is changing all around me. “Rule number two. Roll with what is.”
“Another good one, Berens.”
“There’s a small cottage that’s been empty for a while. You can live there for as long as you like.” The Gardener gave a gentle nudge to the moose, sending him off at a trot as he followed behind him. Not bothering to beckon anyone else to follow.
“That’s his way of saying, walk this way.” Leira held out her hand in the direction of the Gardener even as Perrom hung back.
“I suppose I can commute to work from here.”
“You can even work from here.” The Gardener was going deeper into the forest into places Leira had never seen before. “We aren’t all Pixies and Elves in the sanctuaries. You’ll find I adapted to reality and life on this world more than others would have guessed.”
The hike took them down winding paths with Perrom following at a short distance from the rear. At one juncture where the path split in two directions the Gardener chose a third direction and walked straight toward a thicket, only to pass easily through it. “A glamour…” Leira marveled at the spell, taking Rose’s hand as they pushed forward.
On the other side stood a long, low building with a thatched roof. “Don’t be fooled by the simple surroundings.” The Gardener led them inside the building, only to reveal a room hardwired with technology and screens at a table down the middle. Hagan’s eyes widened as he rushed toward the nearest end of the table, looking from screen to screen.
“You’re monitoring the world from here.” Hagan’s voice was full of awe. “This is like the warehouse but raised to a whole new level.”
The Gardener stood back by the door, near his son even as Perrom moved away from him.
“He put all of this in after the beast broke through the protection…” Perrom’s voice trailed off and Leira felt the ache pass through her chest from Perrom, sending a pulse through the scar on her belly. She saw the anguish flicker on the Gardener’s face.
“I should be getting back. Hagan are you okay staying here?” Leira put her hands in her back pockets, watching Rose look out the window toward the gardens in the back and Hagan resisting the urge to press any buttons. This might just work.
Rose smiled as Hagan kept moving, not hearing what Leira said. “We’ll be fine. I’ll make a list of things to bring from the house. That would make this easier.” She went to the door and stepped outside as Hagan reluctantly followed her.
“This is all moving a little fast for me,” said Hagan.
Rose took his hand. “It’s okay, Felix. We’ll do this together, like we’ve done everything else.”
“I don’t get how you can just give in so easily. This morning we were happily in a life we love…”
“We weren’t… not really. That life was quickly slipping away. I mean, I liked our old life… a lot.” There was a wistful tone to her voice. She crossed her arms, determined to find the good. “But the old life was being taken from us, and according to some pretty decent doctors, pretty quickly. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound like I’m struggling to be grateful. What do I call you, is it Gardener?”
“That will do. My given name has been lost to time and another life, and no longer suits me. Gardener will do.”
Perrom opened and shut his mouth a few times, trying to find the words. Leira felt the beginning of a shift inside of him. Rose has her own kind of magic. Things work out the way they’re supposed to. Another Hagan rule. Make that my rule number three.
“I suppose I could see this as a chance to have a bigger garden… Grow a few flowers.”
Yumfuck saw his chance and leapt from Leira’s shoulder to Rose, landing neatly on her arm and scrambling up to her shoulder. She let out a short whoop, and held still, looking at Hagan as he rolled his eyes.
The troll leaned in, whispering something in Rose’s ear as a smile spread across her face and she broke out in laughter. Yumfuck smiled and cackled, running back down her arm, leaping into the air, sailing across the distance back to Leira’s shoulder.
“Consider that done,” said Rose.
“What did he ask you?” Hagan felt some of the tension leave his body. All he wanted in the world was for Rose to be happy. It made it possible for him to do anything else.
“Sew him a new mask and a cape. Something in blue. I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a few. Maybe a nice gold, and a red one.” Rose shook her head. “I suppose dying is just as weird and that was going to be my next stop. You have to let go of everything you know whether you like it or not. Making a super hero costume for a…”
“Batfuck,” chirped the troll, puffing out his chest, his hands on his hips.
“Sure, okay, yeah… So, I landed in a kind of heaven with a lot of weird mixed in. Where’s this cottage? Leira can you make sure I get my sewing machine? I’m assuming there’s some kind of electricity around here. Which way do we go?”
Leira hung back as the Gardener led them down a path further into the forest. She grabbed Perrom by the arm, his new arm, feeling the energy course through her veins. “I’m glad you survived. It’s the only thing I can think of to say. I’m not sorry your father found a way to help you come out of this as some kind of whole being.”
Perrom worked his new shoulder, a soft hum Leira didn’t notice before breaking the stillness of the forest. “He didn’t give me a choice. By the time I woke up, it was already done and I haven’t had the courage to tell him to rip it off.”
Leira held out her wrist with the bracelet on it. “I have my own kind of addition. I know it’s not the same but there’s a similarity. I didn’t ask for any of this. The light could absorb me into nothingness. The dark energy is hunting me like I’m some kind of prey. There are different sides all seeking to stake their claim on this world. Some of them have better intentions but I’m not sure anyone has the right to be called virtuous.”
“What do you do with the new rules?”
“Break every fucking one till I figure out which ones are still mine and follow those till they don’t and make up some new ones. Repeat.”
“Tell Correk for me.”
“You’ll tell him yourself, when you’re ready. You’ll tell Ossonia too. Correk told me. She’ll understand all of it. Give her a chance.”
“I don’t understand it.”
“Okay, she’ll get it enough to stay. That’s the point, anyway.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Leira met Correk out on Rainey Street just as the bars were warming up and the college students were out in force, moving in and out of the bars like a constant stream of ants. On nights like this Leira’s nickname for the street was ant hill. She looked out over the sea of heads bobbing along the street and smiled as she saw Correk in the middle of the crowd.
She was leaning against the green Mustang as he came down the street. He was dressed in his cowboy boots that were getting worn in nicely, jeans and an ATX t-shirt. He looks like he’s from Austin, just in time for me to drag him somewhere else. If he’ll go… “I am going to have to get used to awkward as a state of being. Fuck me.” She put the smile back on her face despite the butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
“I got your message from Turner. He said something about you not wan
ting to meet there. You two on the outs?” Correk took her hand and kissed the top of her head. Leira resisted the urge to look around and see who might have noticed.
“You barely flinched. Well done, Berens,” he said, smiling.
“It’s not that I don’t like it. It’ll take practice. We’re not on the outs, exactly. I don’t need to have his house guest in my face. I have a better day when I don’t have to look at Rhazdon. Can we go for a walk?”
Correk stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as people moved around them, some of them giving him the side eye.
“This is the exact opposite of walking, Correk.”
“Tell me what’s gone wrong, then I’ll walk. I want to see your face when you tell me.”
Leira leaned back, her face breaking into a crooked smile. “Wow… that says a lot about our relationship.” A shudder went through her. “Sorry, that was involuntary. Not used to being someone’s girlfriend. Girlfriend.” She pressed her palm against her stomach. “You’re still not moving. I suppose if I told you to sit down first you’d assume I was dying. Or worse, Costco was closing.”
“Something like that.”
“Well, you can dial it back. It could be good news, you know.”
“Is it?”
“Depends on how you take it. First, there’s still Sam’s Club. Same deal, hardly know the difference and Costco’s not going anywhere.” She pulled on his hand. “You’re still not budging.”
“You still haven’t told me. Spill it.”
“I got offered a kind of new job.”
“Not really telling me anything. What’s a kind of job?”
“The kind that Turner Underwood offers that makes me more of an independent…” Leira shook her head. “I don’t really have a name for it, yet.”
“Maverick. You’re searching for the word maverick.”
Leira made a face, considering the word. “I like it. Independent, make my own rules.” Leira pulled on his hand again as they walked down the sidewalk. “At last, you’re moving, which is ironic because this means I’d be moving. The setup is in Washington, DC. Georgetown to be exact. Fuck, my hands are sweating.” She wiped her hand on her jeans and grabbed Correk’s hand again. “Not usually this nervous. It’s a good central location in some kind of mansion that Turner owns. That dude has got to be worth millions. Is that a normal Fixer thing? Fuck, I’m babbling.” Her stomach did a flip as she got to the hard part. Still rather run down a felon, clink of handcuffs. “And I’m hoping that means you’ll move…”
Correk stopped on the sidewalk again as a man ran right into him. “Hey! A little warning.” The man threw up his hands and walked around them as Correk took Leira’s face in his hands.
“Okay, we’re doing this?” Leira felt her stomach flip again. Sound of handcuffs, easy confessions… fuck it…just go with it Berens. She stood on her toes and kissed Correk. “Fuck who sees us.”
“Stop swearing for just a minute, Berens. Or in your case, talking.” Correk kissed her back and Leira felt the same surge of energy pulse through her, circling around Correk. She pulled back, smiling, her face flushed and warm.
A couple of fraternity brothers walked out of Icenhauer’s bar, tipsy from happy hour. “Alright, alright, alright. Now, that’s a kiss.”
“Fuckin-A. They’re glowing!”
Leira smiled, digging her free hand into her coat pocket. “I don’t suppose they’re really Elves in disguise.”
“No, better. Drunk human males. They’ll never remember.”
“I meant what I said. I want you to come with me. Shack up with me again, but this time in the same room.” She smiled, squeezing his hand but noticed he wasn’t smiling. “Am I going too fast?” The smile faded from her face.
“Leira, you and I are both going to live to be hundreds of years old. Don’t make a joke, Berens. Let me finish. I’ve got at least a hundred years on you already.”
“You’re not robbing the cradle. I’m old in human terms to just be figuring out how to date.”
“Had to make a joke. Elves are different than human beings. We find someone and give our heart away and it’s like that for life. For hundreds of years.”
“I get that. I can do the math.”
“Be sure of what you’re asking because there’s no turning back.”
Leira laced her fingers with Correk’s, finally taking a deep breath. “It’s too late. It has been for a while. It just took me some time to get that. Come with me and we’ll figure out the rest.” She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked.
“Fuckin-A,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.
“You know just what to say, Fixer. Better than flowers.”
“Or pizza.”
“Now I really am flattered.”
“Just as long as you never call me Bert again.”
Leira let out a laugh, picking up her head. “Deal. Wow, that feels like that was a lifetime ago. You know, Rhazdon being back means I didn’t exactly finish the Queen’s mission.”
“I know it does. We’re going to have to figure that one out as we go.”
“I get that. Will take a new rule. I’m all about that. Rule number five. Save the world first, settle old scores later.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Leira woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing on her nightstand. She looked over at Correk sleeping soundly next to her and felt her heart race all over again. His skin felt warm pressed against her hip in the darkness. She was barely able to make out his form under the comforter in the small dark room.
The bedroom was pitch black from the blanket she had hung over the bedroom window earlier to make sure no light escaped. Correk had laughed and said, “No pressure.” But she had been right as the shadows of their forms intertwining had played along the walls.
The blanket had worked like a charm, not letting out any of the ethereal light.
The phone buzzed again as she kissed Correk’s bare shoulder and picked up her phone, flipping it over as she looked at the clock. Three a.m. No good news comes at three fucking a.m. The number was blocked. General Anderson. I suppose I owe him one last mission, especially since I haven’t told him, yet.
“Hello, sir. What’s happened?”
Correk stirred in his sleep, opening his eyes and sitting up. Leira put her finger to her lips as she listened.
“Nothing good,” said the general. “There’s some kind of confrontation brewing in the heart of Paris. This may be the night we lose the battle to keep magic a secret.”
Leira pressed the phone harder against her ear as a shudder passed down her spine. She knew instantly who it was and what they were after. The dark wizarding families. They were making their move to gain real power. The prize was Tess, the seer. Damn.
“We don’t have any kind of official permission from the French, but I’m sending you in anyway, along with a few PDF agents. They’ve got a head start on you. I can have a plane waiting…”
“No need. I can get myself there. Can you text me the coordinates?”
“Already done. Check your phone. There’s reports of Wizards facing off against some new menace. Sounded like they were describing werewolves. Now, that’s just a myth, right?”
“I’ll let you know, sir. Let me get to the area and see what’s happening.” She hung up the phone and checked the coordinates, holding the phone up for Correk to take a look. “Do you know these coordinates? Is this the kemana in Paris? If it is, we have a shit storm that’s about to rain down on us.” Leira was already rolling out of bed, searching in the darkness for her jeans.
She banged her shin on the dresser, swearing as she fumbled for a light. Her phone buzzed again as she zipped up her pants, looking at the caller ID. It was Turner Underwood. She slid her finger across the screen as she grabbed a shirt. “We already know. They’re after Tess. We’re on our way.”
“It’s worse than that. Someone who knew her secret has betrayed her to the dark families.”
Leira stopp
ed getting dressed for a moment as Correk pulled on his boots.
“You mean Lucius, don’t you? Man, he is the gift that keeps on giving. Lucius is playing both sides and somehow he knew all along where Tess was hiding. Tell me Rhazdon didn’t have something to do with this, too.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment. Leira pressed her lips together, willing herself not to say anything more. Justice my ass.
“She says she didn’t.”
Leira ignored him, moving faster as she balanced the phone under her chin. “Turner, we’ll do the best we can to stop it before things get even worse. Worse like shifters tearing apart a few hundred innocent bystanders, or even one average human being minding their own business. We have to go if we’re gonna make it on time.” She hung up without waiting for an answer.
“That was a lot of we, you were throwing around.” Correk pulled a thin sweater over his head, pulling out his long silver hair as it fell down his back.
“Fuck it, he might as well get used to it. There’s a we now. Come on, those agents are walking into something they’re not prepared to handle and won’t survive.”
“Lucius must have had a plan all along.”
“Clearly,” said Leira, forming a ball of light between her hands. “The question is still what his end game is, and I don’t think it’s to help out the dark families so it’s hard to say who’s walking into the trap. Maybe all of us.” Leira sang the coordinates into the light, opening a portal as she pulled her hands apart, making it larger. “Grab Yumfuck. We’re going to need him.”
Correk opened the bedroom door and found the troll standing on the arm of the couch in his cowboy boots, ready to go. Correk leaned down and grabbed his bow and quiver leaning against the wall. “Leave the boots this time, Yumfuck. By our honor…”
“We shall be known,” squeaked the troll, kicking off the boots as he leapt into Correk’s hand. Correk walked quickly toward the portal, stepping through onto a Parisian street with Leira right behind him.
