by Sarah Noffke
“Is it an electronic device?” she questioned, buying time.
The man shook his head again, stepping to the side, his eyes intent on her.
“I’ve got your coffee. Want me to bring it up there?” John called from the back.
“No!” Liv answered at once. “I mean, no, thank you. I’ll be back there in a minute. Stay where you are.”
The elf took another step in her direction.
“What do you want?” Liv dared to ask. His glamour was fading, and with it any pretenses.
“You know,” he sang, his voice raspy.
Liv didn’t know, but she felt that she should.
“I’m not a mind reader. Why don’t you tell me what you want?”
The deranged look in the man’s eyes was unlike anything Liv had seen. He appeared more scarred from the inside out than any homeless person she’d seen on the streets. At her core, the man frightened her; not because of what he might do to her, but rather for John and the shop.
“Give it to me,” the man said, his voice almost pleading as he stepped forward. “All you have to do is give it to me and they’ll end my suffering.”
Liv stumbled back as the man lifted his arm. Reacting instantly, Liv leaned to the side, throwing her foot into his chest and knocking him across a display case. The sound of metal crashing to the floor assaulted her ears. The elf had gone down faster than she’d expected, but he’d also gotten back into position quicker than he should have.
“What the heck is that?” John called from the back.
“Nothing!” Liv yelled. “Stay back there!” She raised her hand, directing it at the man, but it was too late; she saw that at once. He released a blast of water, and it was like being hit by a firefighter’s hose. Water blasted her so hard in the midsection through her clothes that it burned her skin.
It pushed her back hard into the shelf behind her, making a loud noise. Her spine hit the edge, making her fall to the floor.
“Liv!” John called.
There were rushing footsteps as the man stepped closer to her. This was Liv’s chance to attack him as he reloaded, ready to assault her again. She rolled over and took this opportunity to direct her hand at the door to the back, locking it so John couldn’t get through.
The elf attacked her again, this time throwing himself at her. His fists missed her face as Liv dove over the fallen appliances, grabbing the man by the back of the shirt and tossing him into a different display case. He went down hard, seeming to have lost a great deal of energy. Liv was just about to throw another attack at him when he wailed like a child and cradled his arm.
This gave her pause. She didn’t know how to deal with someone who reacted with such emotion. Allowing him to climb to his feet, Liv noticed that a wound had opened on the man’s arm and was pouring blood. Everything slowed down in her mind as she spied the black spider-like veins radiating away from the wound, reaching around the man’s arm, crawling up his shoulder, and then from under his shirt up to his neck.
“You,” Liv said in a hushed voice, recognizing the elf she’d cut with Turbinger.
He shook his head as he held his arm, the spider veins now covering his face. “This isn’t over,” he warned, and turned and raced from the shop.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Liv was shaking so violently from adrenaline and anger that she let the elf get away. It had happened so fast, and the shock that he’d come back for her—for the sword—had given her momentary pause.
In her mind, she should have stopped him. Detained him. Taken him to the House of Seven. But what was she going to say? “This is the elf I stole the giant’s sword back from when I broke into the National History Museum. Oh, and by the way, that was me. Surprise!”
And there had been John to worry about. He was currently beating on the door to the back that she’d locked to protect him. With a wave of her hand, the locks disappeared and the door released, John stumbling through it immediately.
With wide eyes, he stared at the chaos, his eyes finding Liv at once. “Are you all right? What happened?”
She nodded, trying to will a full breath into her lungs. “I’m fine. And I’m sorry about this.” She motioned to the front of the shop, which was destroyed, shelves knocked over and appliances and their parts strewn across the floor.
He shook off the apology. “I don’t care about the shop.” He looked her over, his brow furrowing before he pulled off his leather jacket and offered it to her. “Here, you’re shivering. Take this.”
It wasn’t until then that Liv remembered she was drenched in the water the elf had sprayed at her. She declined John’s offer, using a drying spell to evaporate the water. That didn’t help with the pain where the water had burned her skin.
“Do you want to tell me what happened here?” John asked, looking at the wreckage.
“Would you believe that Plato got spooked and made this big mess?” Liv said, noticing when the lynx materialized on the other side of the workstation and jumped up so John could see him too.
“And the water?” John asked, pointing to the puddles on the concrete floor.
“Oh, yeah, well, he knocked over the water dish I had just given him when he got spooked,” Liv lied. “I think he saw his own shadow or something. You know how touchy he can be.”
“Liv,” John said, crossing his arms and drawing out her name.
“Okay, fine. It wasn’t Plato,” Liv said, going to work picking up the broken devices. She would have used her magic, but it felt weakened from the battle.
“Who was it?” John asked, then shook his head. “No, never mind. You don’t have to tell me.”
“John, I think I need to move into the House of Seven early,” Liv said, and couldn’t believe the words had fallen out of her mouth.
Apparently, John couldn’t either because he looked up suddenly, the broom and dustpan in his hands. “What?”
“Well, I mean, I was planning on doing it at the end of the month when that horrid lawyer forced you out of here,” Liv began. “However, I think I need to quit and move before that. Like in the next hour.”
John set the broom down and gave Liv a serious look. “Are you in danger?”
She nodded, then changed the direction of her head to shake it. “I’m always in danger. That’s the nature of the job. But more importantly, you’re in danger. And look at what that jerk did to your shop!”
John actually laughed at this. “I’ve done worse things to it after a night of whiskey. For the life of me, I don’t know why I think I can repair a damn thing when I’m drunk. Then I end up tripping on a cord and knocking over an entire shelf of stuff.”
Liv didn’t laugh. “John, I’m serious. That deranged elf is going to be back. He all but promised it.”
“Well, then go to the House of Seven so that you’re safe,” John stated. “You said they had security measures. Lord knows I can’t protect you very well. The locks on your apartment are a bit of a joke, but in my defense, you won’t let me put any more on there.”
Liv quit cleaning up and gave John her full attention, feeling the weight of the situation like a great burden on her heart. “John, this is serious. If that elf had gone after you? Well, I don’t like to think about what would have happened.”
“Don’t…” John said his voice cracking. “Don’t leave here and quit just because you’re worried about me. We don’t have that much time before…well, before it’s all over. Before I move and the shop is gone. If you need to quit because you have to focus on your Warrior duties or you need to be in a place that’s safer, then do that. I’ll support you. I’ll help you pack. I was planning on it anyway. But don’t you do anything because you’re worried about me. I know you locked that door so I couldn’t get out here and help.”
He pointed at the back door, his arm shaking.
“John, I had to—”
He cut her off, shaking his head. “I may not be a Warrior with magical powers, but I can take care of myself, Liv. I’ve been d
oing it for a long time, and I won’t have you thinking you have to protect me.”
This was the same argument he’d thrown up when she’d offered to fight the lawyer and whoever else was forcing him out of the building. There was a pride in his eyes that she hadn’t questioned then, and something told her not to argue with now. He looked strong, and also close to breaking, like all she had to do was walk out that door in the name of protecting him and it would undo him. They didn’t have much time left together, and she understood that he didn’t want it tarnished with his safety and magic.
“John, I’m sorry,” Liv said, looking at the wreckage. “I’ll clean all this up.”
He waved her off. “It isn’t a police officer’s fault when a criminal breaks into a house, and it isn’t your fault when the bad guys come after you. It’s a part of the territory. And Liv, I’d much rather have you around and criminals tearing up my shop than the alternative.”
She didn’t know what to say. Nothing seemed adequate in her mind. Thankfully the door clanged as someone entered, interrupting the moment.
Liv spun, ready to jump in front of John and defend him. She softened with relief at the sight of Rory.
He stood stock still, his eyes scanning the shop. “What happened?”
Liv gazed at John and Rory. This was going to create a new level of complexity for everyone. Looked like it was about to be Honesty Hour.
“The elf came back, looking for Turbinger,” Liv explained.
“Turbinger?” John asked as Rory seemed to process.
“Yeah, it’s a—”
“Book,” Rory lied, cutting Liv off.
Liv shook her head. “No, it’s a sword.”
Rory shot her an angry look.
“He’s already in this,” Liv argued. “The least he deserves is the truth. He already knows that you’re a giant, so we might as well put everything on the table.”
“Liv, it isn’t safe,” Rory began, keeping his gaze off John.
“Not safe?” Liv questioned. “An elf came to John’s shop and tried to blast me through the wall. The sword is doing strange things to him. I think John deserves our honesty at this point.”
“It’s better if you just stay out of this,” Rory said, still not looking at John.
“I’m already in this,” John stated. “Until the last day of the month, I’m all in. And if you two don’t like it, you can just…well, eat Pickle’s turds.”
The laugh jumped out of Liv’s mouth without her expecting it.
Rory laughed too, the tension broken by John’s ridiculous sense of humor.
John stepped forward, looking up at the giant. “I might be a mortal and not understand the magical world.” He scratched his head. “I admit that it doesn’t always look right to me, like I’m not seeing it clearly. Hell, some of the things Liv shows me I forget later, as if I hadn’t seen them at all. Who knows why? However, I’ll tell you what I told her, and that’s that I don’t want the people I care about running away in order to protect me. I’m already involved, so don’t shut me out now.”
Rory thought about that for a moment and then nodded his head slowly. “Okay, but we just don’t want anything bad happening to you.”
“You two are like a broken record player.” John chuckled. “Of course, give me a chance to tinker with that record player and I’d have it as good as new.”
Liv laughed, but Rory remained stoic, his eyes searching the wreckage.
“You say it was the elf from before?” he asked Liv.
She nodded. “And he promised to return.”
Rory shook his head. “He won’t have much longer. You cut him with the sword, right?”
John looked back and forth between the two, following the exchange.
“Yes, and the wound appeared to be infected,” Liv answered.
“No, it’s not infected. You don’t have to fatally stab someone with Turbinger unless you want their death to be immediate,” Rory explained. “Simply cutting them with the blade will eventually lead to death. It’s why it’s the most deadly weapon on Earth, and therefore in my protection.”
“But I got the impression the elf thought if he got hold of the sword he’d be okay,” Liv stated.
Rory dismissed this at once. “That’s a false rumor. There is no cure for a mark from Turbinger.”
“Then we won’t have to worry about the elf for much longer,” John said, injecting cheerfulness into his words.
Rory’s face didn’t display the same hope. “I fear the elf will grow even madder before his end. They usually do. Desperation will set in.”
“That means he’ll be back,” Liv said, thinking. “And the sword…is it safe?”
The sigh that fell out of Rory’s mouth didn’t fill her with confidence. “It’s safe enough, but after this, I’ll have to increase security measures. I knew someone wanted to get to the sword, but this complicates things.”
“What can I do?” Liv asked.
Rory looked her over in that way he had, concern spilling from his eyes. “You can eat. How much magic did you use fighting him?”
“Not much, but I guess it was enough to deplete my reserves,” Liv answered.
John clapped his hands, stepping between them. “That settles it. I’m taking you two out for pizza.”
Liv rolled her eyes. “We need to clean up the shop and figure out how we’re going to deal with this.”
John dug into his pocket, his change rattling. “I see no better way of doing that than over an extra-large pizza.” He withdrew a handful of quarters. “And how about a few rounds of pinball?”
Liv couldn’t help but laugh. She might have been putting John in danger, but he was absolutely one of the best things for her morale. “Okay, but I think we’ll need two extra-large pizzas.” She leaned forward, cupping her mouth as if she were trying to hide what she was saying from Rory. “Remember, he’s a giant.”
“I heard that,” Rory stated. “And I’ll stick with a salad.”
Liv gave him a sideways look. “What, are you on keto and watching your figure?”
He shook his head. “I’m lactose-intolerant.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Liv couldn’t believe it, but she was actually looking forward to getting assigned a case from the Council. As they’d ordered, she’d taken a few days off after her successful completion of the fae case. It had been nice to clean her apartment and have extra time with John and work on her sparring skills with Akio, but she wanted a case, even if it was something ridiculous like grooming a centaur or telling gnomes they needed to bathe every fortnight. She figured that since Queen Visa hadn’t killed her, she’d go back to getting lame cases, which she didn’t mind so much.
What she wanted most, besides for John to stay and his shop not be sold to dumb investors, was to get her mind off things. He wasn’t going to allow her or Rory to interfere, although they all but begged him while they were eating pizza. The giant had picked over his salad like a dainty southern debutante who was afraid to eat in front of a potential suitor, grimacing as Liv stuffed greasy pizza with double pepperoni into her mouth.
What he’d liked even less was her insistence that they find a potion that cured him of his lactose problems. Apparently, giants were against such things as potions, preferring to go the all-natural approach with their digestive systems.
When Liv entered the Chamber of the Tree, she was surprised to find she was the only Warrior there that day. The white tiger was standing next to her spot as if waiting for her, his eyes focused on the councilors. Thankfully, the black crow was absent. Or maybe he was off chasing Adler’s small dragon around somewhere, the two plotting world domination at the Sinclair brothers’ insistence.
“You’re late, Ms. Beaufont,” Adler said, his eyes low as he studied something in front of him.
She wasn’t; Liv knew that. But what was the point of arguing with the sour old man? She’d simply take her case and get out of there. The less arguing, the sooner she could be tri
mming trolls’ toenails or whatever else they wanted her to do.
Liv took her spot and forced an “I’m a team player” smile. That was when she noticed the melancholy look on Clark’s face. He was probably horrid at poker. He had to be, based on the expressions he couldn’t keep under wraps.
She tilted her head to the side, studying her brother. Was he still mad about her going to the kingdom of the fae without telling him? Had he learned something about the canisters? Was he angry that she had followed Stefan? The worries streamed through her head as she tried to focus.
Liv cleared her throat as the councilors looked around nervously, many of them focused on Adler, who didn’t seem to care. He continued to study the screen in front of him, unhurried.
After a long minute, he glanced up. “Right, well, we have a new case for you.”
“Cool. Throw it at me,” Liv said, trying to inject enthusiasm into her voice.
The disapproving look that graced Bianca’s face was totally worth saying dumb shit, Liv thought. She straightened and made her face serious. “I mean, very well. I patiently await the assignment.”
Adler leaned forward to look down at her. “Ms. Beaufont, you do realize that being a Warrior isn’t a game one should take lightly, don’t you?”
What was the right response here? Liv wondered. Something sarcastic? Or she could ask Bianca to give her lessons on how to take everything too seriously? However, Clark’s expression broke her resolve. She simply nodded. “Of course, it isn’t a game. I take my role seriously.”
“I have yet to witness that,” Adler replied with a smug look.
“Olivia, the Council has voted on a new case for you,” Bianca said, her eyes blazing with evil delight.
“Can’t wait to hear about it, B,” Liv replied.
Bianca’s face contorted with annoyance.
“Oh, you don’t like my little nickname for you?” Liv asked, mock seriousness on her face. “I rather like it. Get it? B for Bianca, and also because you’re a real bi—”
“You’re being assigned to hunt demons,” Clark said in a rush, interrupting Liv.