Forged in Fire (13 page)

She took the flowers. When their hands touched, a tingle ran through her—a shiver of joy. “Thanks,” she said, smiling. “It’s been a while since a fella brought me flowers.”

He flashed his best smile, all teeth and sunshine. “There are so few who appreciate beauty these days.” He held his elbow out to her. “Shall we go up?”

She took his elbow and sighed. “Sure. I’ve been pretty psyched about this all week.”

They made their way up the stairs to where the bookstore had chairs set up for the author event. Efrain let her sit down first, then took the seat next to her. Her mind was alight with the fact that his thigh was pressed against hers in the close arrangement.

The author discussed her recent trip to the Middle East and how she’d been welcomed into several homes of women who’d lost their husbands in the revolution. Trisha thought she may have said Egypt, but it could’ve been something else. She had a hard time concentrating when her mind kept wandering around to the way Efrain was casting sidelong glances at her.

It had been a long damn time since someone had paid that kind of attention to her, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Part of her was wary, cautious, looking out for the danger, but another part of her brain wanted her to let him be nice to her.

Afterward, he bought a copy of the woman’s book and had it autographed to Trisha. She took the book graciously but insisted on buying dinner after. She had to keep this on equal footing.

They ended up at a little Greek place down on the Ave. The moussaka was heavenly, and the wine wasn’t too bad.

“Tell me again why you are so guarded,” he said as they shared a dish of garlic-stuffed olives.

She felt freer with him than she had since getting out of the hospital. It was like a block of ice in her chest had begun to melt. All he did was look at her, listen to her, but really, isn’t that what everyone needed?

“Life is just too out of control,” she said. “I wake up some days totally freaked, just wishing that someone else would make the decisions, you know?”

He smiled at her, rolling an olive between his thumb and forefinger. “It takes a very strong person to give up control like that, you realize?”

Trisha shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, I know I’m strong, physically. I can knock out a hundred push-ups without breaking a sweat.” She looked at him to see if he’d have a reaction, but he just nodded. “So, yeah, I’ve got strength. But there are moments I’d like to stop worrying, let someone else take the reins.”

She was watching him. That book she’d picked up, the one about bondage, had intrigued her. After they’d had coffee that first day, she’d gone back and bought the book. It had some interesting ideas, some things she thought maybe she’d like to try.

He popped the olive in his mouth and chewed slowly, staring at her. “There are many forms of power,” he said, finally. “Allowing someone else to control things for a while can be quite liberating.”

She took a long drink of wine, emptying her glass. “That could be hot,” she said, setting the glass on the table. Her head was swimming a little.

He reached out and touched her hand on the glass, steadying it as he poured her more wine. There was a flash of heat at his touch.

“Is it getting warm in here?” she asked, lifting the glass to her smile.

“Maybe we should take a walk,” he offered. “Clear our heads.”

He let her pay, as she’d insisted, but when he slipped his hand in hers on the way out the door, she didn’t argue.

They were several blocks from their cars when she pulled him into an alley and kissed him, pushing him against the brick wall, pressing her body against his.

She didn’t know if it was the stimulating conversation or the wine, but at that moment she wanted him more than she wanted anything else in the world.

Eighteen

J
immy had a meeting over in
P
asco on the following Saturday, so Katie agreed to go out to Black Briar to see Deidre. I don’t know what I would’ve done if she said no again. Likely knock her on the head and put her in the trunk.

When we got out there, the place was practically deserted. Well, compared to normal days. Most of the troops were in town, leaving a skeleton crew on the farm. Deidre and I sat out on the porch, enjoying the unseasonably sunny sky, while Frick and Frack trundled after Bub, who was having the time of his life.

“He visits them every day,” Deidre said, sipping her coffee. “Been a real help to Trisha. She’s totally loving the mom thing and damn good at it, mind.” She looked at me as if I’d argue. “You never know who’ll end up making a good parent.”

I laughed. No telling indeed. Some of us just know before we start. There are some mistakes made by my parents that I’d rather end with them.

“Trisha had been pretty depressed,” she told me, watching the kids. “Frick and Frack were a strong pull back to the light, but,” she lowered her voice, like anyone could hear. “She’s been seeing this guy. Gaga all of a sudden.”

“Really?” I asked. “That’s great.”

“We all think so. She’s keeping up her shifts with the troops, keeping the kids on a regular bedtime, and even making time for a little nookie break.”

I choked on my coffee, spewing a wide spray across the wood of the deck.

“Jesus, Deidre. Don’t say shit like that. You’re gonna kill me.”

She was laughing when Katie came out of the house with a fresh carafe of coffee. “She torturing you about something?” she asked.

I gave Deidre an evil look and leaned over to kiss Katie in front of her. I’d show her.

Katie was surprised, but kissed me back.

“Trisha has a boyfriend,” I said, sitting back.

Deidre shrugged. “Hey, we all need to get laid from time to time.”

Katie moaned and covered her face. Deidre had practically raised her and was married to her brother. Anytime she talked about sex Katie got squicked out. Ever since Deidre had been hurt and confined to a wheelchair, neither of us had gotten around to thinking about how the sex was impacted. I know I didn’t want to know.

“How’d you get Jimmy out of the house?” Katie asked, carefully watching Deidre for some ploy or other.

“He and the twins have been locked in the basement, researching that ring and the code all week,” she said. “I finally convinced Stuart that Jim was getting buggy. He worked on Gunther, and before you know it they were all going out to Spokane for a day of research and kicking back.”

She sure knew how to manipulate all of us. Like an evil overlord or something. I’d be sure to watch her for telltale signs of interference with Katie. Not a woman you’d want to be on the wrong side of.

“Why Spokane?” Katie asked. She had her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee and was leaning over it like it was the only thing keeping her from freezing to death. Granted, it was only forty-three degrees—in the sun.

Deidre looked over at Katie, debating on spilling a secret. That much I could figure out. Her good sense must’ve overcome her fear.

“Your mom and dad had a place out there. A safe house, someplace to run when things got wacked in the world.”

Katie’s mouth went hard, her lips so narrow I could barely see them. “We were going to tell you, but you freaked out and left.”

“A week ago,” Katie said through clenched teeth.

“Don’t start, young lady,” Deidre said, spinning her wheelchair around to face where Katie was sitting. “He’s given his whole life to keeping this place safe for you. Don’t judge him harshly, Katie. He may have some rough spots, but in the end he loves you more than anything.”

I reached over and put my hand on Katie’s shoulder, not heavy, just a light touch to let her know I had her back.

Only she didn’t explode. She just slumped back and let her breath trail away to nothing.

“I know that,” she said so quietly I could barely hear her. “But he’s keeping them from me, hiding the things I could cling to.”

“Dangerous things,” Deidre said, rolling back a foot or so, to not cramp Katie’s personal space. “Were you aware your mother kept a diary?”

Katie sat up, her eyes alight. “Diary? No. Can I see it?” The dark side caught up with her thoughts half a second later. “Of course, he’s read it already.”

Deidre watched her for a second, then shrugged. “No, he never read it. Wanted to save it for you, when you were mature enough to handle it.”

Katie looked back at me, then to Deidre. “Can I have it, then?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” Deidre said. “Jimmy only took it out of the case she kept it in once. That’s before he and I were married. You were with friends, a sleepover. He opened the case and touched the cover.”

We waited, but she stopped there.

“And?” I asked.

“As soon as his fingers touched the cover he began to shake, like electricity was shooting through him. I thought he was joking at first, but smoke started coming out of his mouth, so I tackled him, knocking the diary and case onto the floor, landing on top of him.” She shuddered, either from the cold, or the memory. “He almost died. I had to do CPR on him for fifteen minutes before the EMTs arrived.”

“What?” Katie asked.

“It killed him, Katie. Sent a jolt of power through him so strong it stopped his heart. If he’d been alone, he’d still be dead. As it is, we got him to the hospital in time. He ended up in there for a week. Full-on heart attack at nineteen.”

“Wait. Where was I for that week?”

“I picked you up the next day and took you out to my parents in Bellevue.”

Katie sat back, stunned. “I was twelve,” she said. “I remember that week as one of the best in my life. That’s when I met Melanie for the first time.” She put her hand on top of the one I had on her shoulder.

Deidre nodded. “And we never told you.”

“More secrets,” she said, heat filling her again. “How could you not tell me?”

“You were twelve,” Deidre said. “And you’d just lost your parents not so long ago. He didn’t want you to think you’d lose him, too, that there was any chance. Made me promise not to tell you. After the battle you two have been having, I’ve decided that you’re being selfish, so I told you.”

Katie mostly deflated. She’d asked for it, pushed Deidre to tell her.

“And the diary?” Katie asked.

“Stashed away,” Deidre said. “Can’t risk it killing anyone.”

I looked at Katie, questioningly. With all the crap we’ve been through lately, with the dragons and the blood mead, the ghosts and dwarves, giants and trolls, magic amulets and magic swords, how could she be so quick to want that diary?

Of course, it
was
her mother’s. I don’t think she had anything of her mother’s. Just memories of smells and songs. I guess that’s why she became a skald, to embrace the songs from her mother.

And now that I remembered it, her mother loved lavender. No coincidence there, I’m sure.

“And Jim’s worried about Anezka’s place,” Deidre continued, letting the subject of the diary drop. “They’re gonna stop by on the way home tonight.”

“Bub said Qindra’s dome is holding strong,” I reminded her.

She looked out at the yard, where Bub was chasing Frick and Frack, who were laughing like hyenas.

“Yes, he went out there. Damn near killed him,” Deidre said. “Ate like a horse, then slept for two solid days. There’s something going on out there, something he can’t figure out, and he’s agitated all the time.”

“What’s Jimmy think?” Katie asked.

Deidre studied her a moment to see if she was digging for a fight. “He’s not sure, but thinks we shouldn’t leave it unattended.” She turned to me. “Sarah, I know you have an obligation to that witch who’s trapped in there, and we all heard the tale of your battles with the ghosties.” She turned to encompass Katie as well. “He’s scared, hon.” She covered Katie’s hand with hers. “But he’s damn proud of you.”

Katie had earned a good amount of cred around the farm with that event. Pissed Jimmy off beyond belief, but proved she had the chops. That she wasn’t a little girl anymore.

Course to Jimmy, she’d always be his kid sister, even when she was eighty.

“I may know a way to ease some of Jimmy’s worries.” I waited until they both looked at me. “What if we arranged for Skella to provide travel services for Black Briar the same as she was doing for the dwarves before we wrecked their happy home? Traveling by mirror is a damn sight faster than driving over the mountain.”

Katie’s face lit up and Deidre seemed pleased.

“We’d need to pay her,” I started.

Deidre didn’t even let me catch my breath. “Done, what’s next?”

I looked to Katie. “It won’t be exactly cheap,” I said. “Specialized service and all.”

Deidre laughed. “You let me worry about the cash flow. I think we can afford her.”

Who was I to argue? I know Jimmy and Deidre were sitting on some serious cash, what with the insurance from his parents being declared dead and Deidre’s money from selling her software company. Must be nice to be that flush.

“Well,” Katie said. “We could set up a watch station out on Chumstick Highway, near enough to the house to keep an eye on things, but far enough away to be out of danger.”