A knock announced Lia as she entered the room. “Good evening.”
“Evening, Lia,” Doc replied. “Do you know anyone who enchants, or can work on soul stones?”
Lia paused, her eyebrow raising as she went over to the table and took a seat beside Ayla. Turning the box around, she looked over the ring. “Expensive, and nearly impractical for anyone. The stones are used by soulsmiths, but can also be touched by the Mother. As for enchanting, any major city will have one or two who can do such. What were you thinking of enchanting it with?”
“Honestly, I have no idea,” Doc said. “Not sure what enchanting means for this world. I bought it because it felt right to do so.”
Lia took the ring out of the box and examined it closer. “A dozen chips? Interesting. For the enchantment, maybe healing, since your health is of the utmost importance to your wives and business.”
“True, and I wouldn’t have to rely as much on my own healing,” Doc nodded. “That’s all beyond what this meeting was for, though.”
Lia put the ring back in the box, snapped it shut, and slid it back to Doc. “Yes. This was to find out what happened at the mine and in town over the last few days.”
“Why don’t we start with town, then I’ll talk about the mine?” Doc offered.
“The money from the bank came in,” Ayla said, looking at the table, suddenly a little red in the face. “I let my emotions get the better of me and that might cause trouble. I’m sorry.”
“What happened?” Doc asked.
“I was at the bank the next morning to find out how much we were owed, and Friedrichsen had just given me the answer when Goodman came out of his office. He greeted me with... less than polite terms, but I ignored it and turned to deal with his new secretary. I needed to see how they were going to give us the money owed for such a large deposit of ore.”
“And...?” Doc prompted when she paused again.
“That… woman… wanted to argue about Friedrichsen’s assessment of the ore. Goodman took an interest at that point and took Friedrichsen’s report to read it. She was refusing to pay the owed amount, and Goodman started yelling at Friedrichsen, demanding to know how he’d cheated the test to make it look that pure, as it hadn’t been the last time.”
“Is he okay?”
Ayla held up a hand to forestall answering the question. “A lot of arguments occurred, and he said things one shouldn’t say to a woman.” Her cheeks reddened further and she glared at the table. “He even brought up… things… that he’d made me do, and laughed about how much better his new secretary is at it.”
“Asshole,” Doc growled.
“That’s when I snapped. I demanded payment in full,” Ayla said. “They tried to dispute it, but Friedrichsen is a fully licensed assayer, so they can’t dispute it legally. Goodman fired Friedrichsen on the spot and tried to claim that it was a false assessment. I threatened to take him to court, where I would explain all the troubles the bank has had. He was livid, but he backed down and asked if we could wait for a shipment to be made from the capital. I almost denied his request, but I allowed it. The rest of the money owed should be here in a couple of days.”
“I don’t find fault with you,” Doc said slowly. “I find even more fault with that asshole, Goodman, though. Do we know if Friedrichsen is going to be okay?”
“He said he’s going back to the clan for now.”
“Okay, that was a lot of news. How much do we have currently?”
“I’m not including costs already accounted for,” Ayla told him, “like the operating costs of the mine, the Beavertons, and such. With all of that excluded, the company is sitting on sixty thousand. You have twenty in your account, and the other hundred thousand should be here soon.”
Doc just blinked at her for a long moment, as did the others.
Shaking his head, Doc cleared his throat. “How about the business paperwork?”
“Done and ready to be signed,” Ayla said. “You just need to appoint the officers of each department and have them sign off.”
“You’re finance, I’m the CEO... who else do we need right now?”
“A lawyer,” Ayla said immediately. “We’re going to need someone who has law knowledge. An executive vice would be good, too.”
“Okay,” Doc said. “Get it started with you and me. I’ll see about someone versed in the law somehow. Leave the vice position open for now.”
“Yes,” Ayla said, her eyes going to the paperwork sitting next to Sonya. “Should I help get that completed and filed for you?”
“Oh, the marriage license. Please,” Doc said. “I would like to take Sonya to the courthouse tomorrow.”
Lia gave Sonya a look before nodding. “A good idea. Cement your ties with the clan before the real trouble begins. That, and the fact she is completely besotted with you is good, too.”
Sonya reddened a little. “He saved my life.”
“And blood debts must be paid,” Lia said. “I know. I’m not against your pairing. I’m for it, as I know what a dwarven woman who is committed to her husband can do.”
“Anything,” Sonya said, meeting Lia’s eyes.
Lia smiled. “Yes. With all our people have in common, it’s sad that we warred with each other as we did. If we’d only known what would come from that.”
“Anything else new in town?” Doc asked.
“We’ve had more people trying to cheat during the tournaments,” Lia said. “We’ve thrown them out without pause. The church has also been spreading word that seeing a faith healer can cause the soul to rot.”
“That could be tied with what I found out earlier today,” Doc sighed. “Let me tell you about the mine and what happened today.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
Doc exhaled a long shuddering breath as his body relaxed. “Fucking hell, Jasmine. That tongue is unique.”
Jasmine sat up, giving him a wink as she licked her lips clean. “I know. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life. Fiala said it’d be okay, but then you got married and left town, and are getting married again today. I’m glad Fiala said last night would be best. I would’ve felt increasingly awkward trying to do that when you had two wives.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be different,” Doc said, watching Jasmine as she got out of bed, her naked body on full display. “But like I said last night, you didn’t have to do that, not that I’m complaining.”
Jasmine gave him a smile over her shoulder as she pulled her dress on. “It’ll more than likely be the last time, sadly. A man with two wives has twice as much work to keep them satisfied, after all. With Lotus taking up any spare energy you might have, I’ll consign myself to remembering tonight.”
“Probably right,” Doc said, climbing out of the bed. “I’ve been curious, if you don't mind answering: how has it been? The change?”
Jasmine bent over to pull her boots on, and Doc admired the way her ass made the dress taut. “Good. It’s nice that I can make a good living just tending the bar now. I don’t have to take on customers I regret. I’m not completely off the market like some of the others, though. If a good man comes in, I’d consider giving him a good time. Someone like you or the marshal, for instance.”
“Wenn did seem like one of the good ones,” Doc said. “How is Cassia doing?”
“She’s doing okay. Sometimes she looks at the doors as if waiting for him to come back, though she knows that’s probably not going to ever happen.”
“Marshals don’t come around often?”
“Out here? I was surprised to see him at all. We must’ve been the closest town that had a judge.”
“He did act like he wanted to get rid of his catch,” Doc agreed as a knock came on the door. “Water,” he told Jasmine.
“Posy does love to dote on you,” Jasmine giggled, then her face turned serious. “She sees you as the father she wants. It’s going to be hard when you go...”
Doc nodded, his voice low, “I know. I can’t stay, though, and she can�
�t go with.”
“Don’t fret it,” Jasmine said. “Daf and the rest of us will look after her and make sure she gets raised right.”
Doc had a thought, and made a mental note to talk with Ayla about it. “Can you grab that, since you’re dressed?”
She gave him a long look, her eyes drifting south of his waist. “Of course, but with me being dressed, that might cause some problems.”
Doc laughed. “The water, please. I need to get ready.”
Jasmine sighed dramatically, but she had a smile on her face. “I guess, if that’s what you’d rather I grab.”
“You’re trouble,” Doc chuckled. “Some man will be very lucky when you pick him, though he’ll have his hands full.”
Jasmine gave him a sultry laugh and wink. “Glad you agree.” She cracked the door and set the water inside the room before slipping out with one last lascivious look at his naked form.
Doc shook his head and picked up the kettle. “Lady, some days I wonder... was this part of your grand plan? Hard for any man to not want to do what you asked when beautiful women are always there to keep him company.”
No answer came — not that he expected one— as he used the basin to clean himself up.
~*~*~
When he finished eating breakfast, Doc wondered if Fiala and Sonya were doing okay. Fiala had told him that she was going to stay with Sonya last night and help her get ready for the wedding before springing Jasmine on him. Fiala had given him a passionate kiss and told him to enjoy himself. He had, but now his mind went back to his lovely wife and his wife-to-be.
“Doc, are you here?” Otto asked as he opened the door.
“Morning, Dad,” Doc laughed.
Otto shook his head. “Not yet. Soon, though. I came to let you know the feast is prepared and ready for after the wedding. If it’s okay with you, the elders would like to announce you as shaman to the clan during the feast.”
“Faster than I thought.”
“They did tell you that if you married, they’d want you to take the mantle.”
“True. I need to know more about what being a shaman means.”
“Sonya’s taken it upon herself to read deep into shaman lore. I’m sure she’ll be able to aid you in this endeavor.”
“She’s determined to help me,” Doc smiled.
“You have no idea,” Otto said with a wry grin. “She’s at least as strong as her mother, but I’m thinking she’ll be even more unmovable.”
“I’m glad for that,” Doc said. “She’ll need to be a rock, for we’ll see storm and fire in the future.”
Otto nodded grimly. “Yes... You’ll do what you can to keep her safe?”
“Without question.”
Otto sighed. “I was sure, but…”
“It’s hard to see your little girl go off knowing that there will be danger at every turn.”
“Gods, yes. I know Luck has blessed you, but I worry still.”
“I understand a small bit, at least,” Doc said. “Marrying Fiala, and now Sonya, just makes me all the more determined to bring this world back from the brink. Luck has blessed me and I will use every scrap she gives to make life better for those I love.”
“Any man should do so, but we both know that so many don’t,” Otto said. “My initial impression of you was wrong, Doc. Thank you for being an honorable man, and thank you for giving my daughter her heart’s desire.”
“I’m glad you’re not going to cut my throat now. There was a time I worried about it,” Doc replied.
Otto shrugged. “Well, she’s my little girl.”
A knock on the door made both of them turn to look. It swung open to reveal Sonya, dressed in a cream-colored gown. She gave them both a bright smile. Fiala, who was behind her, also smiled widely.
“Father, Doc, I’m ready,” Sonya said.
Doc rose to his feet. “Then let’s not delay.”
~*~*~
The patrons quieted as Doc and Sonya led the small procession through the room. There were several questions being thrown around, but Doc ignored them all as he measured his steps to match Sonya’s shorter stride.
“At least more of us get to attend tonight,” Doc heard Lotus’ soft whisper to Fiala behind him. “Especially Lia.”
“We didn’t mean for it to go like it did before,” Fiala whispered back. “Mine was very spur of the moment.”
“I know,” Lotus replied. “I’m just sad. Sorry.”
“This doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with us still,” Fiala whispered to her.
“With you, maybe, but she won’t allow it.”
“We’ll have to see,” Fiala replied, “but I think she’ll allow more than you think.”
“Doc,” Sonya said softly, drawing his attention away from the conversation behind him, “thank you. I’ll do everything I can for you. I’ve even been studying shamanism to help you. If there is anything you need or want of me, just tell me.”
“I want you to be happy,” Doc told her. “That’s the first thing I want.”
Sonya’s eyes glittered and a soft smile formed on her lips. “You’ve already made me happy. When you accepted me during the Rite, my heart soared, but I worried it would come crashing back down. When you said Fiala would be the one who would have the final say, my hope dimmed.” She paused, trying not to let her tears fall. “Yet she knew what I felt and only feared I wouldn’t be as true to you as she is. When she told me there was a single test, my heart pounded harder than any other time in my life. I don’t know what I would do if I’d failed. When she told me what it was... my hope shined all the brighter.”
Sonya’s smile grew. “When she asked me questions, I answered truthfully. She honestly didn’t need the drugs to get me to do so, but it was to reassure her that I was being truthful. My answers shocked her, and I could see when she accepted me. When the drug wore off and she told me that I was going to be able to marry you, my whole soul sang with joy.”
“I… Sonya, all I ask is you get along with Fiala and whoever else joins us. If something bothers you, tell me. Communication, trust, and honesty: we must have all of them for this to work.”
“I will, Doc. Nothing will be kept from you. I will tell you everything and never lie.”
“You’re okay with leaving your family behind?”
“My family walks beside me and a few feet behind me as of today,” Sonya said. “Mother and Father will always be family, too, though they will be secondary. The clan will be tertiary, as it should be.”
“Interesting way of seeing things, but these are the things I need to be told.”
“And I will tell you everything I know, and learn more for you.”
Doc glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She walked along with her head held high and a bright smile on her face. She does look like she has won the lottery. Maybe this is all she really wants.
~*~*~
Grange came out of the courthouse when the group was approaching the stairs. “Holyday, what’s this?”
“A wedding,” Doc replied evenly.
Grange’s eyes went to Fiala behind Doc. “Didn’t you marry that one already?”
Doc looked over his shoulder and gave Fiala a smile before turning back to Grange. “Yes.”
“Then you can’t marry her!” Grange snapped, pointing to Sonya.
“Oh? Why not?” Doc asked.
“Because it’s against the law!” Grange growled.
“No, it’s not,” Ayla said. “The church doesn’t like it, but it’s not illegal. Besides, the clans have traditions for this going back for generations.”
Grange’s eyes locked on to Ayla’s, and his lips twisted. “I’ll let the judge explain it to you, then.” Stepping aside, he stared at them. “Go ahead.”
Doc didn’t bother to reply. Instead, he led the way into the courthouse with Sonya beside him. Reaching the clerk’s office, Ayla slipped inside as Doc paused. Elta came out a moment later, locking the door behind her and putting a sign up.<
br />
Grange frowned at them, following the procession. When Sophia joined them and locked up, his frown deepened. He was grinding his teeth as everyone filed into the courtroom.
“Ah, the wedd…” The judge trailed off when he saw the groom. “Mr. Holyday, I married you not that long ago, did I not?”
“To Fiala, yes, your honor.”
“Then why are you before me today?”
Cashing In (Luck's Voice Book 2) Page 23
