Key Of Valor (3 page)

“So, you told Simon what was going on.”

“He has a right to know. I—”

“You might want to stop the leap down my throat so I can tell you I agree with you. He not only has the right, but his mind's bright and agile enough to deal with it.”

“Oh.” She stared down into her glass. “Sorry. I'm a little nervous.”

“Maybe it'll help to remember you're not in this alone.”

As he spoke there was a commotion in the hall. An instant later, Moe, Flynn's big black disaster of a dog, bounded into the room. He gave a delighted bark, then charged toward the tray of canapés on a low table.

Flynn and Malory rushed in in his wake, followed by a laughing Rowena. There were shouts, more barks, and one unfortunate crash.

“In fact,” Brad added as he watched the ensuing chaos, “you'll be lucky to find five minutes to be alone with this crew.”

I
T
turned out that Zoe was the one who had to pretend to eat. Not because of the food, but because she simply couldn't relax. It was difficult to swallow when your stomach was tied up in one hard and messy knot.

She'd eaten in this dining room before, with its soaring ceilings and roaring fire. She knew how lovely everything looked under the lights of the chandeliers and the glow of candles.

But this time she knew without a doubt the way the evening would end. It wouldn't be a matter of a lottery. It wouldn't be the luck of the draw, with her and Malory and Dana reaching into the carved box to see which one of them pulled out the disk with the emblem of the key inscribed on it.

Both Malory and Dana had taken their turns, and had succeeded, against what Zoe had come to realize were astronomical odds. They had found their keys. They'd triumphed, and two locks had been opened.

She'd helped them. She knew she'd contributed ideas,
support, even comfort. But when push came to shove, she understood that the burden had been on each of them, in turn. In the end, both Malory and Dana had had to reach deep inside themselves every bit as much as they'd had to reach for the tangible key.

Now it was her burden, her risk. Her chance.

She had to be brave enough, smart enough, strong enough, or everything they'd done before her would be for nothing.

It was difficult to swallow even wonderfully prepared roast pork when that was stuck in her throat.

Conversation flowed around the table, as if it was just a normal dinner party with sociable friends. Malory and Flynn sat directly across from her. Malory had scooped her hair up and back so that the burnt-gold curls tumbled behind and left her girl-next-door face unframed. Her big blue eyes were full of excitement and laughter as she spoke about the work they were doing on Indulgence.

Every now and again Flynn would touch her—the back of her hand, her arm—in a casual glad-you're-here, glad-you're-mine kind of way that warmed Zoe's heart.

To keep her mind occupied with easier things, she decided she would have to talk him into letting her have a go at his hair. It was a great, rich brown with hints of chestnut, very full and thick. But with a few snips here and there, she could improve the cut and still leave him with that easy, tousled look that suited the lean lines of his face, the shape of those dark green eyes.

Letting her mind wander, she mentally clipped and styled her way around the table.

She jolted when Brad nudged her foot under the table. “What?”

“You're needed on this planet.”

“I was just thinking, that's all.”

“And not eating,” he pointed out.

Annoyed, she stabbed a bite of pork. “Yes, I am.”

Her voice was tight, her body stiff. He couldn't blame her. But he thought he knew one sure way of loosening her up again. “Simon seems to be having the time of his life.”

She glanced over. Rowena had placed Simon beside her, and even now they were holding what appeared to be an intense, almost intimate conversation while Simon plowed through the food on his plate.

There'd be no need for that stop at McDonald's, Zoe thought with a smile.

“He makes friends easily. Even with magic people.”

“Magic people?” Brad repeated.

“That's how he thinks of them. He's taken all this in, and thinks it's cool.”

“It is cool. Nothing much cooler for a kid than the battle between good and evil. A little more problematic for you.”

She stabbed another slice of pork, moved it from one side of her plate to the other. “Malory and Dana did it. So can I.”

“That's my take.” He continued to eat as she frowned at him. “So, have you ordered the replacement windows for Indulgence yet?”

“Yesterday.”

He nodded as if that were news to him. He didn't think she would care for the fact that he'd given instructions at HomeMakers that he was to be notified whenever she came in or placed an order. “Some of the trim's going to have to be replaced. I can swing by and help you with that.”

“You don't have to bother. I can do it.”

“I like to work with wood when I have a chance.” He smiled easily, in a look that was casual, friend to friend. “It's in the blood. How about the lighting? Did you decide?”

He'd succeeded in distracting her, he noted. She might not have been thrilled to have been hooked into a conversation
with him, but she wasn't thinking about the key right now. And she was eating.

He was crazy about her. Or maybe just plain crazy. It wasn't as if the lady gave him any encouragement. She'd been prickly and cold since the first time he'd met her, nearly two months ago. Except for the single time he'd managed to catch her off guard and kiss her.

Nothing cold or prickly about that interlude, Brad remembered, and hoped she'd been just as surprised and unnerved by the experience as he had been.

Even now, if he let himself, he could build a very entertaining fantasy about doing little more than pressing his lips to the base of that lovely, long neck.

Then there was the kid. Simon had been the big bonus prize in this particular box of Cracker Jacks. Fun, bright, interesting, the boy was a complete pleasure. Even if he hadn't been attracted to the mother, Brad would have spent time with the son.

The problem was, Simon was a lot more cooperative about spending time with him than Zoe was. So far. But Bradley Charles Vane IV had never given up on anything he wanted without a fight.

As he saw it, there were a number of battles about to be waged, and he intended to take an active part in all of them. He was here for her, and she'd just have to get used to it. He was here to help her. And he was here to have her.

Her brows drew together, and whatever she'd been saying about wiring and lighting systems dribbled to a halt. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

She leaned toward him just a tad—away, Brad noted, from her son's sharp ears. “Like you're about to take a bite out of me instead of what's left of your scalloped potatoes.”

He leaned toward her, close enough to see her flinch. “I
am going to take a bite out of you, Zoe. Just not right here and now.”

“I've got enough to think about without worrying about you.”

“You'll have to make room.” He laid a hand over hers before she could draw away. “And think about this. Flynn was part of Malory's quest. Jordan was part of Dana's. Do the math, Zoe. We're the only ones left.”

“I'm really good at math.” She tugged her hand free because the contact made her twitchy. “And the way I count it, I'm the one who's left.”

“I guess we'll see who's better at adding and subtracting very soon.”

He left it at that and finished his wine.

 

BACK
in the parlor, where they found coffee and wedges of apple pie thick enough to make even Simon's eyes bug out, Malory rubbed a comforting hand up and down Zoe's back. “Are you ready for this?”

“I've got to be, don't I?”

“You've got us all with you. We're a good team.”

“The best. It's just that I thought I'd be prepared. I've had the most time to get prepared. I didn't think I'd be this scared.”

“It was easiest for me.”

“How can you say that?” Baffled, Zoe shook her head. “You went into this knowing almost nothing.”

“Exactly. And you've got everything we've learned and experienced in the last two months running around in your head.” Her smile sympathetic, Malory gave Zoe's hand a squeeze. “Plenty of it's scary. And there's more. When we started this we weren't as involved. With each other, with Rowena and Pitte, with the daughters. Everything matters more now than it did two months ago.”

Zoe let out a shaky breath. “You're not making me feel any better.”

“I don't mean to. You've got a big load to carry, Zoe, and sometimes you're going to have to carry it yourself, no matter how much we want to take some of it off your hands.”

Malory looked up, pleased to see Dana coming toward them.

“What's up?” Dana asked.

“A quick pep talk before we get started.” Malory took Zoe's hand again. “Kane will try to hurt you. He'll try to trick you. In fact—and I've thought a lot about this—because this is the last round, win or lose all, he's going to be only more determined to stop you.”

Dana took Zoe's other hand. “Feeling peppy yet?”

“I've thought a lot about it, too. I'm afraid of him.” Zoe squared her shoulders. “I think you're telling me I should be afraid. That if I'm really going to be prepared, I should be afraid.”

“That's exactly it.”

“Then I guess I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I need to talk to Rowena before she takes us into the portrait room. I've got one stipulation before we move to the next stage.”

She looked over, hissed under her breath as she saw Rowena already in deep discussion with Brad. “Why is he everywhere I want to be?”

“Good question.” Dana gave her a quick pat on the back.

Malory waited until Zoe started across the room. “Dana? I'm scared, too.”

“Well, that makes three of us.”

Zoe stopped in front of Rowena, cleared her throat. “I'm sorry to interrupt. Rowena, I need to speak to you for a minute, before we get started on the next . . . thing.”

“Of course. I imagine it concerns what Brad and I were just discussing.”

“I don't think so. It's about Simon.”

“Yes.” In invitation, Rowena patted the cushion beside her. “Exactly. Bradley's been very insistent that I do something tangible, something specific, about Simon.”

“Kane's not going to touch the boy.” There was steel, cold and immovable, in Brad's tone. “He's not going to use the boy. Simon is to be taken out of the mix. That's not negotiable.”

“And you are setting terms now for Zoe, and her son?” Rowena asked.

“No.” Zoe spoke quickly. “I can speak for myself, and for Simon. But thank you.” She looked at Brad. “Thank you for thinking about Simon.”

“I'm not just thinking about him, I'm making this crystal clear. You and Pitte want the third key,” he said to Rowena. “You want Zoe to succeed. Kane wants her to fail. There were rules, you said, about causing harm to mortals, shedding their blood, taking their lives. He broke those rules last time, and would have killed Dana and Jordan if he could have. There's no reason to think he'll go back to fighting fair this time. In fact, there's every reason to believe he'll fight even dirtier.”

The muscles around Zoe's heart seemed to clench, leaving her breathless. “He's not touching my boy. You have to promise. You have to guarantee it, or this ends now.”

“New terms.” Rowena lifted her eyebrows. “And ultimatums?”

“Let's put it this way.” Before Zoe could speak again, Brad silenced her with one sharp look. “If you don't do something to remove Simon from the board, if you don't shield him from Kane, he could be used against Zoe and cause her to fail. You're close, Rowena. Too close to let one stipulation stand in your way.”

“Well played, Bradley.” Rowena patted his knee. “Simon has a formidable champion in you. And you,” she said to Zoe. “But it's already been done.”

“What?” Zoe looked across the room at Simon, who was sneaking Moe a bit of crust from his pie.

“He's under protection, the strongest I can make. It was done while he slept, the night Dana found the second key. Mother,” she said gently, touching a hand to Zoe's cheek, “I would not ask you to risk your child, not even for the daughters of a god.”

“He's safe, then.” She closed her eyes against the sting of relieved tears. “Kane can't hurt him?”

“As safe as I can make him. Kane would have to go through me, and Pitte. I can promise you, such an attack would cost him dearly.”

“But if he got through—”

“Then he'd come up against us,” Brad put in. “All six of us—and a big dog. Flynn and I talked about it earlier. You should take Moe with you, keep him around the way Dana did. An early-warning system.”

“Take Moe? Home?” That big, clumsy dog in her tiny little house? “I'd think you'd consult with me before you made such decisions.”

“It's a suggestion, not a decision.” He angled his head, and though his voice was mild again, his face was set. “It's just a sensible and reasonable suggestion. Besides, a kid Simon's age ought to have a dog around.”

“When I think Simon's ready for a dog—”

“Now, now.” Swallowing a laugh, Rowena patted Brad's knee again, and Zoe's. “Isn't it silly to argue when you're both only thinking of what's best for Simon?”

“Can we just do what comes next? I'm getting all twisted up waiting for it to be official.”