Save for the evergreens, every other bit of flora had either lost its leaves or had deadened in anticipation of the coming cold. Garin reached out to touch the vine, wanting to confirm that it was still awake. He could have sworn the plant sighed and relaxed a bit as his fingers ran over it.
“You’re lucky it likes you.” Garin spun around and saw his father-in-law standing there with a smirk on his face. “I’ve seen more than one person almost lose a finger doing that.”
It took a moment before understanding dawned on Garin. He stared at the ivy with fearful respect. The last time he had any dealings with sentient plants had nearly ended badly for him.
“How is this possible?” he asked as he swiftly moved away from the house.
“Honestly, I am not completely sure,” said Lord Gregory with a shrug. “It was a wedding present from my wife’s grandmother, Belladonna Westend. Been a helpful defense from time to time, I must admit. Luckily, children are the only ones who never have to fear what it can do if provoked. Otherwise, I would’ve burned it out by the roots long ago.”
The ivy began to shiver and squeezed itself closer to the exterior wall as if it had understood the threat. Lord Gregory walked over to the plant and softly patted the leaves like he would a skittish horse. Garin stepped backwards a few more steps when he saw the vines respond and slacken once more into their normal resting state.
His father-in-law turned and saw the stricken look on his face. The man chuckled. “Calm yourself. This is not much different from what you’ve seen in Arduenna. You know full well that some plants are more aware than others.”
“And that they can become deadly guardians!” blurted out Garin before he could help himself. Now upset that he had been unnerved by the memory of some rather angry trees, he grumbled, “I have never heard of such things living this far beyond that realm.”
Lord Gregory shook his head. “The Nature Wrights you led here were not the first ones to ever be found in Crosshawk, lad. How often must you be reminded that the universe is not content with being the way we think it should be?”
“Apparently, as often as it takes,” grumbled the younger man. “A truth you should know well.”
Surprisingly, his father-in-law barked out a hearty laugh. “That I do. And life never stops reminding me that I still have a lot to learn.”
Garin took a real hard look at the man. Something had changed these past two months while the couple had been in the North, something that had helped his former teacher take a few steps away from wanting to tear his new son-in-law apart and closer to being whole again. Maybe it was having someone like Dougal to train. Maybe it was having to step back into his role as the Duke of this area when he had to find a compromise between the residents of Crosshawk and the elves seeking refuge. Maybe it was just spending enough time in the place where he held a connection to the land. Maybe it was all three.
Whatever the reason, Garin was grateful for it!
“Stop staring at me like an old war horse that just suddenly remembered how to charge,” said Lord Gregory with a bit of a snort while walking towards him. “We don’t have much time before everyone heads back this way.”
“So what did you want me to know?” asked Garin, remembering all the tension-filled talks they had regarding Mattie. He was really hoping he wasn’t going to get another head smack for their recklessness.
Then his eyebrows shot up with surprise as his father-in-law companionably wrapped an arm around his shoulder, an action the man hadn’t done in years. Lord Gregory’s firm voice lowered when he said, “There are many reasons I’m disappointed that you and Mattie agreed to train with Leto, but I have one concern above all others. History shows that he always has more than one plan in mind. I doubt that personality flaw has changed in a thousand years. Do not let him talk either one of you into something without a thorough explanation first.”
Thinking of all the arguments on the journey to Crosshawk, Garin softly snorted, “I doubt Mattie would let him get his way without one.”
Lord Gregory’s voice grew stern. “Don’t underestimate him. He’s a great manipulator with thousands of years’ worth of experience. You only have to look at history to see that.”
Garin frowned. Arion had called Leto, “Fate Changer”. Unfortunately, the stories seemed to agree with that assessment. The Last Draconian was the one who had convinced a portion of his race to leave home and sail the seas until they found new shores. A king who had convinced his people to wall themselves off from the rest of the races who shared these lands, a maneuver that eventually led to the misunderstandings that helped bring about the Great War. A brother who had taken it upon himself to punish his sister’s lover, Caligo, in such a horrific way that the creature’s millennia-long thirst for revenge nearly destroyed Menapolin completely.
“I believe I see what you mean,” Garin said with a shake of his head. “We’ll find a way to be doubly careful, sir.”
“Good,” said his father-in-law, giving him a clap on the back. “It’s easier to circumvent the snake in the grass when someone has pointed it out to you.”
Garin rubbed his forehead, wondering if his stress level would ever come close to being normal again. “I need a drink,” he murmured.
“I rid this place of any remaining spirits last month, I’m afraid,” said Lord Gregory apologetically.
Despite the lack of alcohol on the premises, the younger man thought that was great news considering the older one had been having issues with not getting drunk all the time. This was definitely a step in the right direction. “Maybe I’ll settle on a nice cup of tea instead.”
The smile was real when his father-in-law said, “Now, that we can do.”
Chapter 10
Gregory and Garin had both just released a hearty laugh when Mattie entered the house through the back door. They were sitting casually at a new kitchen table that could easily host eight, an added bonus to the slight extension of this room. Their conversation stopped before they gave a greeting to the four newcomers. Mattie and Bran politely returned it, but Dougal and Selina merely waved as they headed straight for the living room. The two youths had been having a heated discussion about the differences between strength and stealth, neither one yielding an inch on their preference. They were still bickering and probably would continue until midday.
“Come and join us,” said Gregory as he waved his hand at the tea service in front of him. Six empty purple cups positioned in front of the silver teakettle were waiting to be claimed.
Mattie quickly accepted, and her father poured a cup of tea. Surprised delight came over her when she discovered that the new wooden chairs were made to fit a body comfortably. The happy twinkle in his eyes when he handed her the tea made her smile grow even wider. He was definitely looking like his old self, making her gut twist a bit at the thought of what the two of them needed to discuss later. Trying to distract herself from the coming storm, Mattie looked towards her cousin and patted the chair next to her.
Bran didn’t sit down. He shook his head instead, his eyes darting as he looked over the room. “I’m going to see what our errant guest might be up to.”
Frowning, Mattie realized that Bran had noticed Leto’s absence from this gathering before it had even registered with her that they were down a body. He made a noise of disgust before he headed straight out the front door, obviously on the hunt. While Mattie doubted that the Draconian was up to trouble, it was better to keep a wary eye on him—for everyone’s protection, including his.
Mattie had just lifted the cup to her mouth when Garin gave her a pointed look and demanded, “Why didn’t you ever tell me that the ivy growing on this house had a mind of its own?”
Her eyes grew wide as she thought of all the horrible things that could have led him to that conclusion! “It didn’t hurt you, did it?”
“On the contrary, I think it almost purred at him,” chuckled her father.
Her husband’s response was on the grouchy side, “Thankfull
y.”
“I’m sorry, Garin,” Mattie sincerely apologized. “I often forget that the normal I grew up with doesn’t coincide with the rest of the world.”
“Downside of living with the strange, a body gets used to it,” her father said in agreement. “Plus we have a habit of keeping such things to ourselves.”
“Which seems to be a common practice in Crosshawk,” grumbled Garin as he appeared to be lost in a memory. Then he blurted out something that was close to being off topic, “How did Thaddeus and Henriella Brewer meet anyways?”
Mattie’s brow furrowed at the question, wondering just how badly her husband had been terrorized by the woman. Her father’s expression nearly equaled her own, yet he answered the strange inquiry: “Henriella was working for his father, Lander Brewer, both as a barmaid and a regular one. That was how they inevitably met. Their relationship started out as friendship, and it just grew into more over time.”
Garin sipped his tea, tapping his finger against the cup as if the movement would help him process the information. Mattie wasn’t surprised when he finally mused, “So that’s why they didn’t have any reservations about you working at the tavern.”
She nodded. “It was my Aunt Henriella’s idea, actually. She hoped it would teach me patience and maybe patch up my relationship with the community.”
“I think her crazy scheme worked,” he said with a grin as he carefully placed the cup back on the table. “Everyone there was ready to hand me my ass for acting like one towards you.”
“A scandalous stunt that you should’ve known better than to pull,” grumbled her father. “Memories run deep in these parts.”
“I’m sticking to the story that she bewitched me on first sight,” Garin said with a wink in her direction.
Mattie playfully stuck her tongue out at him. The couple had talked over the events of that night a few times, and they had agreed with Jacques Regir’s conclusion that the accidental blood bond between them had been partially responsible for Garin’s brazen behavior. And since she had been a little over a year old at the time the connection had formed, everything that had occurred because of it was technically Garin’s fault. She would never complain about the results; just tease him about his part in it from time to time.
“Considering the magic surrounding this place,” said her father with an eye roll at the couple’s interaction. “The residents just might believe you.”
“Speaking of magic…”
Garin never got to finish because a happy shriek came from the living room. Dougal’s “Hey! Where are you going?” was nearly covered up by the racket Selina made as she raced out the front door. Gregory stood up as if the girl needed rescued, but Mattie calmly sipped her tea before commenting on the obvious:
“Appears Tobias is back.”
***
Mattie’s assumption turned out to be correct when a mountain of a man wearing a leather vest and matching trousers entered the living room. A feat made difficult because Selina almost refused to let him go, tightly wrapping her arms as far as they would go about his middle. Finally the white-haired mage laughed and used his tattooed arms to gently pull the girl off so they could move away from the door.
“Greg, where did you dig up this old fossil?” asked Tobias Loganach with a merry laugh as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder.
The fossil in question grumbled at that as he made his way into the house. Leto glared at Tobias the whole time. “Does no one have respect for their elders anymore?”
“Depends on the elder,” snarked Bran as he finally closed up the door behind them.
Orla’s father let out another joyous laugh, making Mattie believe he too was on the road to recovery from his ordeal with Caligo. Then he used his index finger to bop Selina on the nose and made his way over to the table. Garin and Mattie stood at his approach. Her husband received a clap on his back before she found herself within a fatherly hug.
“Glad to see you made it back,” Tobias kindly said before releasing her. “My daughter told me how much you helped the Council with their problems. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, sitting back down. “Will you be returning to the Stronghold any time soon?”
He shook his head as he helped himself to some tea. “Not until things settle down, at least. My daughter needs to exert her new position without my interference for a while.”
“A wise decision,” commented Leto quietly as his eyes took in the slowly filling table.
“Help yourself to some tea while it’s still hot,” Mattie offered good-naturedly. The poor Draconian looked lost and uncertain on what to do next.
“And then sit, man,” said her father with a chuckle. “Standing there will just wear your legs out.”
A surprised expression hit Garin’s face, but it was gone in a flash. While Mattie wanted to grill her husband about why it had appeared in the first place, it felt rude to ask him at the moment—even through their bond. As if he had heard that thought anyways, he mouthed a “thank you” at her before taking a sip of his tea.
Leto hesitated for a moment before finally moving towards the group. “I will accept your kind offer,” he said as he took the seat furthest from his host. “My old bones haven’t traveled like this in a long time.”
Bran tilted his head at the two youngest ones who hadn’t taken a seat yet. Mattie’s father chewed his bottom lip for a second before nodding. Then her cousin said, “I’ll see if I can scrounge something up to make your bedding more comfortable. Dougal and Selina can help me with that.”
Dougal’s whine “Do I have to?” harmonized with Selina’s grumpy “Can’t it wait?”
Gregory shook his head with a wry smile. “You heard Bran, you two.”
Dougal wasted no time obeying, though he stomped his whole way to the back door. Selina, on the other hand, stood fast with her arms crossed and glared at everyone. Mattie doubted that she was the only adult who scowled right back.
“Don’t ruin our reunion by getting punished, girl,” said Tobias at last. “Now go be the helpful soul you are.”
“Fine,” Selina said with a snark when she started to head towards the back door. “But I know you’re just kicking us out to have an ‘adult’ conversation without us.”
Bran sighed as he began to herd both of them out the door. “You’re just as bad as Mattie was at this age.”
A smile tugged at her young mouth. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said as they finally left the room.
“He’s right,” said Gregory with a chuckle.
“Don’t remind me,” Mattie said with a sigh.
“So what is this conversation the young lady was talking about?” inquired Leto as he began to finally pour some tea into a cup.
Tobias was the one to answer. “Both Asger and Orla hinted at the fact you discovered the truth about the tooth used to curse Dougal. If you tell me what you know, it could help confirm what I was able to learn from my own tests.”
Mattie’s eyes must have widened with fear, because Garin quickly reached across the table and clasped her hand. She hadn’t planned on an audience for this, damn it! Her gaze flickered to her father, and there was nothing but abject concern on his face. Knowing the information might break him again, a part of her didn’t think she could do this. Yes, she had been enraged when she had learned the truth. Still was. But not even she could be cruel enough to publicly berate this man!
Then wait to ask him the more sensitive questions until later, advised Garin through their bond.
Mattie’s gaze quickly flickered to Garin’s face; his brown eyes were full of understanding and sympathy. He knew the turmoil she had experienced over this revelation. And her husband was correct; she could stick to the bare facts for now.
“The expression currently on your face confirms the more horrific spells I found on the cursed thing,” Tobias said, allowing Mattie to release a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Like the one that made him stay a child.”
“Yes,” Mattie croaked out. “While the spells in the tooth also made him subservient and suppressed any magic he had—his mind had been tampered with beforehand. They erased his old memories and implanted new ones. I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to get the originals back.”
Tobias’ rage appeared like an icy calm. “They dared do that to an innocent child!?”
The table creaked from Gregory gripping it so hard, and his hazel eyes swirled with a new hatred. “An abomination of their powers!” he hissed.
“Then you two will be happy to learn that all but one of the mages have been dealt with,” said Garin vehemently. “One permanently by Mattie’s own sword in fact.”
Tobias and Gregory both nodded their heads towards her as a sign of understanding and respect.
“Depending on the spell they used,” whispered Leto with quiet venom. “I might be able to help the boy get his memories back.”
“I’ll gladly assist you in that,” volunteered Tobias. “If only to help rid my Council of this shame.”
The ice forming on the floor under the mage’s chair convinced Mattie not to tell him that his commander, Val Halstein, had been party to the curse on Dougal. Instead she said, “Tobias, Leto—thank you both for your offers for assistance. We’ll appreciate whatever you can do.”
“But why do this to a child at all?” growled her father.
“To erase his memory must have something to do with the boy’s true identity,” snarled Tobias. “Did you every discover it, Mathilda?”
She didn’t even have to signal her husband for help. He quickly stood up after the mage asked the dangerous question. “Gentlemen, I fear this is something she must divulge to Lord Gregory first. As the Protector of Menapolin, he has the final say on whether or not the truth should remain hidden for the safety of all.”
Unraveled Homecoming Page 7
