Trickster Noir (Pixie for Hire Book 2)

by Cedar Sanderson

  It didn’t take long, and then we were on our way to her little house, which I had only seen once, in the deep of winter. It turned out that what I’d been driving on were gravel roads. Covered in snow and ice, they had been hard as stone. Now, they looked almost like cobblestone.

  Her cabin, she explained, was on a twenty-acre lot she’d bought even before she went to college. Clearing, building, and finally living in it had taken her up until the Fall before I changed her life. The driveway was as I remembered it, a soft curve that hid the house from the road, but wasn’t so long that maintaining it alone would be impossible for her.

  She shut the truck off and stared at the little building with the sod roof. Flowers sprawled around the front door, and the roof was starred with wildflowers. It was a charming picture.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked her, wondering if she was regretting her decisions.

  She looked at me, smiling, her eyes soft. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just hoping someone remembered to clean out my fridge.”

  I felt a bubble of laughter well up in me. “Want me to go in first and clear the building, Princess?”

  “Ah, now there’s my ethically-challenged henchman.” She hopped out of the truck, and I came around to her rather than heading for the house and took her in my arms.

  “I remember that morning well.”

  “I do as well,” she told me, the corners of her eyes crinkling with her smile. At close range she was even more beautiful than from afar.

  “It was damn cold.” I pointed out.

  “Warm today.” She pointed out, cuddling.

  “Oh, I’m not complaining. It was deliciously nipply, that first view of you.” I pointed out drolly.

  She burst into laughter and pushed me away. “Go thou knave and brave the kitchen unclean!”

  Laughing, I went. The house was a little musty with being shut up, but someone had cleaned it thoroughly, even the litter box.

  She sighed, looking around. “I wonder where Raspy is?”

  “I’m sorry I pulled you away from this.” I offered, feeling her awkward in her own home.

  “Don’t be. It’s been a grand adventure, and I can do this.” She lit an elf globe and let it bob up to the ceiling. “Makes up for the missing cat, although I mean to take him home with us.”

  My heart did the little thing it did every time she called my home hers. I didn’t even mind the news that a cat named Rasputin would be living with us. She put the elf globe out, and beckoned.

  “Last time you were here, you saw little, let me give you the tour.”

  I shook my head. “I plan to unwrap you on our wedding night.”

  She stuck her tongue out at me. I knew what she’d had in mind. “Not unless you plan to use that, princess...”

  She responded to my teasing with a kiss.

  At some point later we realized we needed to go into town and order pizzas. Bella warned me that it was likely to be a crowd, that her family would want to meet me, not to mention the wedding planning.

  “It’s not about the ceremony itself, you know. It’s a party, and gifts, and lots of food.” She explained, steering the truck into the parking lot of a one-story building. The big sign read Fast Eddy’s and the smell when I got out confirmed that this was the pizza place.

  ”Are we putting too much on your family with needing this done quickly?” I asked as we walked in. “We could do the party later, and the legalities quickly and quietly.”

  “Too late.” she laughed and went to hug the woman at the first booth. “Erica!”

  I watched as she greeted and was seen by everyone. I’m not sure when the pizza was ordered, or even if it was. For all I knew, Mike had called ahead. I did manage to pay for it. It was a small thing, but important to me.

  This was her world, and she was at home in it. Watching her, I got a glimmer of what she would be like as Queen, Underhill, or the High Court and what it would mean to my world. Bella was going to set it on its ear, and I was going to welcome that, even if it meant I would not see as much of her.

  It was a game of give-and-take, but what marriage wasn’t? Love takes work. Bella swirled back into my arms, with a hug and introduction to another friend. I squeezed her, shook hands with the friend, and picked up the pizza boxes.

  The heat from them was uncomfortable, and I was glad Mike lived in town. Bella was right, his yard and the side of the road were lined with vehicles.

  “Is all this... family?” I was experiencing a bit of culture shock, suddenly.

  She came around and grabbed some of the boxes from me. “Yeah, mostly. Aunts, uncles, cousins...”

  I followed her into the house. Most of the people, it seemed, were out back relaxing. With the long twilight, this seemed like a good idea. There were citronella torches to ward off the mosquitoes, and I added a surreptitious warding spell to keep any persistent pests away.

  Other than introductions, her family was warm and friendly. I found myself sitting in a chair with beer and pizza, talking to Mike.

  “I have four relatives.” I told him. I gestured with the bottle, worried the pizza would shed toppings if I moved it too fast. “This is...”

  “Overwhelming?” He grinned. His beard, an Alaskan male fashion must, I was beginning to realize, was trimmed short for the summer, so his smile showed.

  “Not really.” I thought of icily perfect and precise Court events. Not all of them were, but most. “I like it.”

  “Good. Can’t change it.” He leaned back. Most of the chairs were carved from wood, and I didn’t think I’d seen a plastic lawn chair at all. I asked.

  He laughed. “Oh, we’re redneck as any. But Mark and I have a side-line with picnic furniture, and diamond willow - that’s the twisty bit,” he gestured at the arms of the chair I was in. I could see the diamond, the scar of a removed branch, in the wood. The living wood had partly healed around it, and formed a smooth edge. “When moose browse, they tear off limbs and that’s the marks. Anyway, Mark has a real gift for it.”

  I nodded. I could imagine, with his magic, that it had come out in inconspicuous ways. The pieces were practical, but with a rustic charm. I wondered if I could commission a set to take Underhill. Wouldn’t that set them talking.

  Bella came and plopped down in my lap. The chair didn’t even budge. They were sturdy, too. “Having fun?” she asked.

  “Yes, dear,” I assured her. “What have the aunts decided?”

  She had been sitting at a table with a handful of older women I assumed were her aunts. I had recognized Min, but she had just waved and huddled with the others over Bella.

  “That it can be done,” she giggled. “Which I never doubted. Even if I had to cheat a little.”

  “Oh, good. I think we have a schedule, then, between the aunts and Raven. Not to mention my mother...”

  Bella spoke over my head, “Lucia is a lovely person, Mike, don’t believe a word he says.”

  Mike laughed, and I tickled Bella, making her squeak and jump up. Watching her walk away, I wasn’t surprised when Mike spoke.

  “Make her cry, and they’ll never find your body.” The smile on his face took some of the sting out of his words.

  “You know, I’ve been waiting for someone to say that.” I leaned forward. “I’ll do my best to keep her out of trouble.”

  “That’s all we can ask, I suppose.” He got up. “See you in the morning.”

  I looked up at the gathering darkness. “I think it might be morning already.”

  He laughed, and I went to find Bella. It wasn’t until I was lying down, alone, in the disturbingly pink room that I remembered I had never taken a closer look at the kitsune’s belongings. I would try to get to Raven’s the next day... not too early, though.

  I had been more social than my norm, but it was easy with her family. They had manners, but it wasn’t like Court, where you had to worry about offending someone. And the storytelling was better, even if I hadn’t believed a fraction of what I was told. I’d spun a
few of my own, suitably sanitized. As I drifted into sleep, I finally realized why I had been so circumspect. No one had mentioned Lavendar at all.

  Preparations

  Bella came for me in the morning, looking sleepy. “I’m going to drop you at Raven’s and go on to Aunt Mya’s for the day.”

  “Same routine as Underhill, eh? Maybe on a mission I’ll have you for a whole day.” I teased her, climbing in the truck.

  “With things shooting at us or trying to eat us?”

  “Stirs the blood.” I leered at her, and she laughed hard enough to make me stop teasing. I didn’t need to cause an accident.

  We talked about wedding things, and she dropped me at Raven’s around lunchtime. I watched her pull carefully out of the rutted drive, and then looked toward the cabin. It seemed suspiciously empty.

  I walked up onto the porch, but didn’t try the door. He would come out, if he were home, and if not, I’d wait. I’d been here for long enough to impinge on his usual solitude, and I would want to be alone after enough of that, myself.

  Opening the bench, I took out the little packet. It held an identity card with the name Neko Sune on it, a small folding knife, and a large pearl. I held the last in my palm for a moment, remembering what I had learned about kitsune over the years. A young male was unusual, but he would have been a servant to this Shaman Raven had mentioned. And he had been an Arctic Fox, something I had never heard of. Two tails meant less than a century old, as well.

  I had an inkling of who we would be talking to, but wasn’t certain. Eastern Court had shattered, reformed, and in strange ways, some time ago. I left their territory alone, it wasn’t my trouble, and I didn’t know how they dealt with their miscreants. Rumors, but no confirmations. But the pearl I would return to the boy’s kin, if they would be found.

  I put the things back in the paper I’d wrapped them in, and shoved it in my pocket. Underhill, I’d send them to my armory for safekeeping. Here, that wasn’t as much an option. Although Bella had done something with my guns she shouldn’t have been able to, and I needed to ask her about that.

  I’d also like to have her library access. Now, if only I knew where she were. I laughed to myself. Serve me right for not checking before she took off.

  I walked out into the clearing and closed my eyes. Doing a sweep with the Sight only confirmed that I was alone. I opened my eyes slowly and looked around. The wood pile was tidy. Harve had evidently not been back with the last load of wood. My eyes fell on the log. In the heat of the moment I had completely forgotten about that chore.

  I stripped off my shirt and rubbed my hands together. With magic, this could be fun. I couldn’t just flick a finger and put the leg in place, it doesn’t work that way. I had to decide what series of spells, like tools, would do what I needed in this job. It would be a lot less work, or course, than the manual process I had planned out.

  It didn’t take me long. I was testing my limits, finding out what worked, now that I had magic again. It wasn’t perfect, yet, I was fumbling for some things. I hadn’t checked what time it was before I began, but it certainly wasn’t late in the day when I had the old leg replaced and the new one firmly pegged in its place. I was actually up in the cache making sure it was solid on all sides, top and bottom, when I looked out and saw Raven waiting for me.

  “I’ll be right down.” I called.

  He walked over and kicked the leg. “Good job, boy.”

  I did a very quick bubble and was on the ground next to him. “I think it’ll hold.”

  “Coffee?” He cocked his head in an oddly bird-like mannerism.

  “Sure.” I grabbed my shirt and pulled it back on. He went in the house, and I followed him in to get a glass of water to start with. It was warm, and I was thirsty after working.

  “Raven, this woman we are going to talk to. Is it Daniken?”

  “I suppose that is one of her names.” He considered it briefly. “Many names, she has.”

  I nodded. “A lot of the older kami have.”

  “I’m always the old bird.” He grinned at me. “Kids these days, they give one another ‘the bird,’” he did the gesture quickly. “It’s funny!” He went off into a gale of laughter, although I didn’t quite get why it was that funny.

  “Every generation, they think they invent the dirty joke. Haha!”

  That explained a bit of it. I also thought he might be a little worried and that was coming out as attempts at humor.

  “You said she was cruel.” I dragged him back around to the topic at hand.

  “Coffee.” He pushed a mug in my hand and led the way out to the porch. I sat in the shade, on the bench, and set my coffee next to me. It was a bit too hot for it.

  “She is...” He stopped and pursed his lips slightly, looking off into the distance. “Bitter, I think. She drives those that are bound to her too hard, she thinks she has lost status, and she must regain it. That is why she will not come to me herself.”

  “I must understand her, if we are to deal with her safely. I’m going to ask you questions.”

  He hunched one shoulder uncomfortably, but let me talk, answering sometimes volubly, others in monosyllables. By the time Bella pulled into the drive, I’m sure he was eager to get rid of me. I stood up and held out a hand.

  “I know I’ve been trying your patience. But with her... I run no risks.”

  He looked past me at Bella getting out of the truck. “Yeah, I know. I’m not used to talking, you know.”

  He took my hand, finally. “I promise, if I think of anything else...”

  I nodded. “After we meet with Daniken I will send you messages, but I doubt it will end there.”

  “Going to be a long one, boy.” He was somber, for a moment, and then he stood and went to Bella with a big smile.

  We were standing and listening to her talk about the wedding plans when Harve pulled in with the load of wood. He backed carefully around, avoiding her truck by inches, and stopped. The bed started to grind upward slowly, and he jumped out of the cab.

  “Hey, Ray, I see you have comp’ny...” Harve came to a dead halt, looking at Bella. She was looking slightly amused, but relaxed. He looked pale with fright, and as the wood slid off the dump-bed with a crash, he jumped. “Got to go!”

  He turned tail and scrambled back in, driving off while the bed was still going back into place.

  “Ouch, that’s not good for his hydraulics,” Bella commented.

  “I’d say you scared him, Princess.” I chuckled. “What’s the story there?”

  “Harve? Oh, he got handsy one time at the Northstar. I straightened him out, but then I hear he may have been spoken to by a cousin... or three.”

  I laughed along with Raven. Raven told her, “I get a good price on wood from him. Maybe that’s why.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t think he’ll be a problem to me again.”

  “I can assure you he won’t. I’m glad I didn’t know about this before.” I mused, looking up the driveway after the long-vanished truck.

  “Why not?” She looked at me quizzically.

  “He’d had a long walk home from Fairbanks. I was this close,” I held up my fingers, almost touching, “as it was.”

  “We should get back to town.” Bella hugged Raven and opted not to ask about that story yet. “I will see you Saturday, at the wedding.”

  “Yes, girl.”

  He shook my hand. We weren’t at the hugging stage, and might never be. It wasn’t my thing any more than it was his, except when it came to his girl.

  On the way back to Tok, I regaled Bella with the story of my Fairbanks trip. She was alternating between appalled and wanting to laugh as we pulled into Mike’s. We sat in the truck talking for a couple of minutes.

  “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” I asked.

  “Shopping,” she said firmly. “Do you know what a potlatch is?”

  “It’s a celebration, usually lasts a week, and is a wealth-sharing practice, in the original ways.”
/>   “This will be a short one. One day, and instead of being given Western wedding gifts, we will be giving them.”

  “I’m paying my dowry for you.” I reached over and cupped her cheek. “You’re worth whatever it is.”

  “Because my family isn’t all Athabaskan, it’s a non-traditional gathering, but the spirit is the same.” She leaned her face into my hand. “I’m glad you aren’t scared off by them.”

  “Not a chance. I like them.” I glanced at the house. “Mike’s pretending not to watch, you know.”

  She giggled. “They have trouble remembering I’m grown up.”

  “I will see you in the morning. Were you planning to drive to Fairbanks?”

  She nodded. “It’ll be a long day but...”

  I laughed. “You’re forgetting something, my dear. We can go anywhere we want to. How about Seattle?”

  Her eyes widened. “I got home and fell into old habits. You’re right, and Underhill too.”

  “Bright and early then.” I leaned over. She met me half-way, and we gave Mike something to see.

  The next morning she was there while the dew was still on the grass. I waved to Mike, who was headed off to work, and we pulled out. “Raven’s to park and bubble?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “Just back to my place, so we can put things there while we’re shopping.”

  “That works.”

  We were only ten minutes from her house, and we stopped there for another cup of coffee before heading Underhill to begin with. I took her to the nearest door I knew of, near Seattle, and we went home.

  I didn’t want anyone to know I was there, or that I had begun recovering my magic, so I stayed in my armory pulling a few things together for more masculine gifts while Bella went after feminine things. I met her on the landing and we transported various bulky packages back to her cabin. I was finding that I could travel quite some distance without feeling a strain, and it felt good.