by T K Eldridge
Chapter Fifteen
Sin
Grizz and I stopped at Gavin’s Bakery and then we stopped by the Farm so I could give Evelyn the chocolates, and give Grams the four-serving tiramisu I picked up for her. We chatted for a few minutes, then the radio squawked with a 10-50, vehicle accident about five minutes from the farm, so I called in that we’d take it and we headed in that direction.
When we arrived, it looked like a pickup truck had t-boned a four door sedan. Steam poured out from under the truck’s hood, and the sedan lay on its side, balanced against a light post. Sirens could be heard in the distance, so Grizz made sure to keep people back while I went to check on the occupants of the vehicles. The man behind the wheel of the pickup was dead, but the teenage girl and her three friends in the sedan were trapped and screaming.
“Calm down, you’re going to be okay. The fire department will help get you guys out, and we’ll get you taken care of. Just breathe,” I said as I crouched down and looked in where the windshield used to be. Two of them were shifters, two were witches.
I pointed to the shifters. “You, and you. Can you move?”
When they both nodded, I said, “Okay, one at a time, undo your seat belts and climb out through the windshield.” Unlike humans, shifters that could still move wouldn’t have any fatal injuries, so it was safe to get them out of the way. I helped them climb out and then had them sit on the ground nearby. “Can’t freak the norms, you two, so just stay put, got it?” They both nodded and I turned back to the witches in the back seat. “The fire department just got here, so let me tell them what’s what and we’ll get you out. Stay put for now.”
I got the captain and told him the shifter kids were out, but there were two witch kids in the back seat and I didn’t want to move them until the medics could check them first. He thanked me for the help and soon all four kids were headed to the hospital to be checked over. The coroner came and picked up the other driver, a Mr. Seth Stevens, while Grizz and I directed traffic around the area and waited for the wreckers to come clear the mess.
“Did you smell the alcohol on Mr. Stevens?” Grizz asked.
“Yeah. And the empty vodka bottles on the floor of the passenger’s side were a big clue,” I said.
“Medic said the guy was a witch,” Grizz said and I let out a breath.
“Well, fuck. Self-medicating to deal with things and then dying for it. Sid’s working on a few ideas, but Grandma Maggie decided to be a bitch and now Sid’s scrambling,” I said.
“What’s old Mag’s issue now?” Grizz asked.
“No idea, but Sid’s been trying to get Her Majesty to call her back and she’s been dodging Sid’s calls.”
“Maybe it’s time I called the King,” Grizz said.
“Wait, you’re friends with Fionn MacCumhaill, the King?”
“I am. And it’s been a while. He left it all in Maggie’s capable hands, but I think his little hiatus is over and it’s high time he stepped up and helped us out. I’ll let you know what he says.”
“Thanks, Grizz. I’m sure Sid will appreciate any help you can give her.”
“I won’t be the one helping, but you can bet your ass he will be. I get that he’s related and all, but the man needs to stop whining and step up. If it wasn’t for Maggie and his grandson Finn, the fae realm would be gone and he’d be in the Fade. If he’s not going to rule, then he needs to abdicate or go into the Fade himself.”
“Sounds like you’re pretty pissed at the guy,” I said. “I’ve never met him, so I have no say.”
“Legendary warrior, now a recluse – that’s just not okay,” Grizz continued as we wrapped up the scene and got back into our vehicle.
“Well, if you can get him to settle things with Maggie so Sid can keep working in the Archives, that’d be great. If anyone’s going to find an answer to this mess that goes beyond just a band aid fix, it’s Sidonie.”
“She is impressive,” Grizz said. “Speaking of impressive, I’m hungry. Let’s hit up Bubba’s and get some lunch.”
Considering it had been at least three hours at the accident scene, lunch sounded great to me. “Y’know, I’ve never met the king – and he’s never met his great-whatever grandson, my boy Ethan.”
“I think it’s great how you and Mira, Finn and Katie, worked out parenting so Daren and Ethan can spend time together. Family is important, whether it’s blood or chosen.”
“Speaking of family, you and Glenda should come to dinner sometime. Mira picked out a dining table and chairs that will be delivered this week, and she wants to host a dinner party to celebrate our new place.”
“I’ll have to check Glenda’s schedule. She just started working at the hospital and I don’t know what shifts she’ll have. She’s excited to be back to work, though.”
“What does Glenda do?” We sat back while our plates of food were delivered and waited until we were alone again before he spoke.
“She’s an orthopedic surgeon. It takes some strength to get bones into position, so she’s got an advantage.”
“That’s impressive,” I said, then proceeded to devour my burger.
We were both quiet while we ate, which meant the growing volume of the argument from the other side of the restaurant could easily be heard.
“I don’t care if you think eating meat is bad. I’m going to eat it. You can eat your veggie patty thing and pretend you’re being healthy while you down a double order of fries, but stay off my ass about my food choices,” a male voice said.
“Are you saying I’m fat?” a female voice said.
“If the lard fits,” the man replied.
The sound of liquid splashing and a choked growl brought both Grizz and I to our feet. We headed towards the fight, but I was in front, so I saw the man’s hand shift to the paw of a big cat, claws extended and swipe at the woman whose scream ended in a gurgle.
“Call a bus!” I shouted to Grizz and ran towards the booth. A waiter had a towel in hand – it looked like he had been headed over to clean up the spill – so I grabbed it and pressed it to the woman’s throat. Blood soaked it immediately and I whispered a spell that I hoped would slow the bleeding.
Grizz called for an ambulance and backup, then grabbed the man’s arm and hauled him out of the booth. He hadn’t moved since the swipe – he just stood there and watched as the woman bled out. Once he was cuffed, Grizz pushed him towards the exit.
I held a woman’s throat in my hands and watched the light leave her eyes. If she’d been a shifter, she might have had a chance. Maybe. But a witch? No chance. I stepped back when the medics arrived and dropped the bloody towel on the table.
“She’s gone,” I said. “I tried, but there was little hope she’d make it.”
The medics slid her onto a gurney and covered her with a sheet. “Be careful,” one said to the other. “We don’t need her head falling off.”
I turned for the restrooms so I could wash the blood off my hands. My dry cleaning bills were getting nuts. When I came back out, Bubba himself was waiting for me.
“Agent Boudreau,” Bubba said. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, sir, but I’m sorry we didn’t stop the fight before it became violent,” I said.
“That’s not on you. Adam and Jan have had a fight every day for the last four days. They come in here for lunch since it’s between their two workplaces – and there have been arguments and issues every day. Usually with her starting them. She was always so calm and serene a person until the ley lines started acting up,” Bubba said with a sigh. “That’s the sixth customer that’s died in the past three months. This ley line problem is bad for business.”
I had to refrain from commenting that it was bad for more than business, so I just gave him a nod and reached for my wallet. “We didn’t finish our meal, but I can at least pay for it.”
“No, don’t bother. Next time you and Grizz come in, the meal is on me. See ya, Boudreau,” Bubba said and headed into the kitchens. Staff had been b
usy boxing up meals and getting people out the door, so I found an empty seat and sat down to wait for the techs to show up. Grizz had taken Adam to the station to book him and would come pick me up when he was done, so I pulled out my phone to text Sid.
“Shifter killed his witch partner in Bubba’s while Grizz and I were here for lunch. I’m waiting for CSI and Grizz is booking the guy. Bubba says this is the sixth customer of his that’s died in the last three months. That seems like a lot.”
Sid texted back. “We’ve been seeing an increase in deaths over the last ten months. Each month, a few more added to the numbers of the month before. Last month was eleven, this month we’re already at fifteen – and this includes suicides and murders. I’ll catch up with you in a couple of days, I’ve got to get these scans done.”
“Thanks, sis. Good luck.”
“You too – and stay safe.”
I put my phone back into my pocket, then thanked the server that brought me a cup of coffee while I waited. So much of this job was hurry up and wait – I had been getting pretty good at finding ways to kill time. I pulled up a book on my phone and started to read.
* * *
By the time Grizz and I clocked out for the day, I was tired, hungry, and looking forward to seeing my family. I showered and got out of my bloody uniform at the station, because there was no way I would open the door and let my kids see me covered in blood. I parked in the garage, then headed into the kitchen where I could hear Ethan and Mira talking while Reina chattered at them from the playroom. The room that opened off the kitchen had been fitted with a washable carpet over foam pads, and filled with the kids’ toys as well as two cots for nap times. A gate kept the room open for Mira to check on things, but restrained Reina in a safe space when the kitchen was in use.
“Da!” Ethan yelled as he slid off the stool and raced to greet me. I scooped him up and gave him a hug. “Hello there. How was your day?”
“I’ll tell you at dinner,” Ethan said, and went back to helping Mira with the salad.
I paused to kiss Mira, then heard “Dadada,” from Reina, so I went to give her a hug and a kiss.
“Hello, Ray of Sunshine,” I told her and blew a raspberry against her neck to make her giggle.
“You can put her in the high chair,” Mira said. “This is almost ready.”
I tucked her into her seat and put a couple of carrots on the tray to keep her busy. “How are you doing, beloved?”
“It’s been a long day. Let’s get the kids fed and settled, then we can maybe relax in the jetted tub?”
“Sounds perfect,” I replied and did my part to get the kids fed while we ate our own meal, and settled into bed with stories and that last cup of water. Mira read to Ethan while I cleaned up the last bits in the kitchen, then I made sure we were all locked up before I joined her in the tub.
One of the things we were relieved to discover was the owner’s suite had a tub as large as the one we left behind in our house on the farm. It had become one of our couple relaxation moments and we cherished them.
“We’re going to have to schedule our couples baths when the twins are born,” I said. “So we can still have a little time for just us.”
“I was thinking about how fast things have changed – are changing – and I had myself a good cry earlier today. It wasn’t a sad moment, just a ‘holy crap, it’s been a lot’ moment,” Mira said.
I stroked the sponge over her shoulders and upper back as she curled forward around her knees.
“I’m already having to shift to make room for my belly. These two are growing fast. I’d like to use your Gram’s potion to keep us from having any more after these two for a couple of years. I want to enjoy them and not be so overwhelmed I can’t appreciate their early years – if that’s okay with you?”
“Mira, it’s your body – you decide how you want to handle it. Am I happy we’re having a big family? Yes. Am I worried about you having babies so close together? Also yes. I’ll go along with whatever you decide you want to do.”
“Thanks, love. I appreciate that. I will definitely need a couple of years rest after the twins. I’d also like some time to help build Boudreau Botanicals, too. I’m fascinated with what we’ve been able to achieve so far, and I have so many ideas of where to go next.”
“So, why was today so rough for you? Anything in particular?” I asked.
“Reina was particularly cranky because she’s teething again, so I couldn’t focus for more than a few moments. Ethan acted up at school and got a reprimand, so I had to have a talk with him when he got home. Three different batches of lotions needed extra attention and one will have to be dumped and re-worked. Just a lot of little stuff that kept me off balance. How about your day?”
“You really don’t want to know. Had a bad car accident that ended up with four kids being sent to the hospital from one car and the driver in the other went to the morgue – and no, it wasn’t the kids’ fault. Then we went to lunch at Bubba’s and ended up with a murder scene. I spent the rest of the day doing paperwork and made sure to shower and change at the station.”
Mira turned and wrapped her arms around me. “You are so strong,” she whispered. “I love you, Sinclair James Boudreau. Even more now than I did the day we married.”
“And I love you too, Mirabella Alaina Serenity Langlois Boudreau.” Then I took an exaggerated breath and laughed as she elbowed me. “Hey, it’s not my fault you’ve got a royalty name.”
“Well, I am a duchess – just like you’re a prince.”
“I’m a what?”
“You’re a prince. Great-grandson of a Queen is a prince in fae monarchies. Reina is a princess, Ethan is a prince from Finn – and you. These two will also be a prince and princess.”
“So, I’m your prince charming?” I teased.
“Always,” Mira whispered and kissed me.
We didn’t talk much after that.
Chapter Sixteen
Sid
It took me most of four days to get the books scanned, and just in time. I had left them stacked on my desk in the office at home when I went to bed, and when I woke, they were gone. Nothing else had been moved and my alarm hadn’t gone off, so I assumed it had been a magical recall. Oak had told me once that they had a way to do that with books – and I had been betting that he gave me as much time as he could before he was forced to recall them. I had put a note for him inside the cover of one, with my contact information and my thanks for the use of the books. I hoped he would reach out when it was safe to do so.
Now that the scanning was done, I needed to go through the information and try to figure out if any of it was truly useful. I had just settled in with the tablet displaying the scanned pages and my laptop open to the notes and questions I still needed to answer, when there was a knock at the door. I turned down my music and went to answer it, wondering who would be knocking on my door out here at the farm.
I peered out to see Grizz with a handsome older man beside him. I opened the door and stepped back. “Hi, Grizz, what’s up?”
“Sidonie, I’ve brought a friend to speak with you. May we come in?” Grizz asked.
“Sure, come on in. Would you like coffee, or water?” I asked.
“Coffee for us both, please,” Grizz said and turned to the other man as he shut the door behind them. “Your Majesty, may I introduce your many times granddaughter, Sidonie Marie Boudreau. Sid? May I introduce His Majesty, King Fionn MacCumhaill.”
Fionn gave me a polite bow and I offered a brief curtsy. “A pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
“Just call me Fionn,” he replied, his voice a quiet baritone. “And coffee would be welcome.”
“Why don’t you both come sit and I’ll make a fresh pot?” I said and led them into the kitchen. I started a fresh pot to brew and pulled out half of a mixed berry cobbler Grams had sent over last night. I cut squares and put them on plates, set up a tray with everything and carried it to the table. “Coffee will be ready in a moment.
This is a mixed berry cobbler my grandmother, made yesterday. I thought it would go well with the coffee.”
Lesson number one with fae hospitality rules. Always, always offer food and drink. Even if they don’t eat it, they will accept it if they have come in peace. If they refuse? Duck.
Soon we each had a mug of coffee and a piece of cobbler on a plate in front of us. I watched as the king took a bite of the dessert and a sip of coffee, then let my shoulders ease back down as he’d shown we were at peace. His eyes widened as the taste of the cobbler hit his tongue, and I watched his fork take a larger piece to his mouth.
“That was made by Alicia Fortin, my grandmother, Grandma Maggie’s daughter. She owns this farm and the shop you passed out on the road,” I said.
“She is an exquisite chef. I’ve never tasted anything like this,” Fionn replied.
“I brought the king here because I believe he might be able to do two things. Answer some of your questions, and hear your plea to get back into the Archives,” Grizz said.
“Are you going to be willing to answer my questions?” I asked the king. “Because Grandma Maggie was very amenable, until I took a path of research that she simply did not condone. She would avoid my questions, act like I hadn’t even spoken, and when I called her out for being rude, she apologized – and the next day, revoked my access to Oak and the Archives.”
“I will do my best to answer your questions, Sidonie. If they are about more recent events, I’m not likely to be much help – but if you’re asking about past happenings, I should be somewhat useful,” Fionn said.
“Well, what I’m trying to decipher is beyond past happenings. I’ve scanned a copy of The Witches’ Compendium, and Et Magia de Rules, among other texts from the Archives – to give you a sense of the time period I’ve been researching.” Fionn gave me a nod and I continued. “I need to know about the Macha.”
“Oh,” Fionn said and put down his fork. “Well, that explains it.”
I bit my tongue because snark and sarcasm had no place at this particular table, but it took a good dose of willpower to not reply with ‘so glad to hear it, care to elaborate?’ I forced myself to take a sip of coffee and kept both hands wrapped around the mug.
