by Maria Dean
Beatrice tried to step in front of Astrid to defend her. "This is a mistake," she said evenly. "You do not want to trifle with me."
Astrid searched the area for a shimmer. For the first time in a while, she found herself trapped without a portalling option. A safe option, that is. There was always the chance she could fall into her own portal and escape. Sure, the last time she'd done that put her into a brief coma. And it wasn't like she knew for sure she could take Beatrice with.
The men in front of them cocked their guns. "That's cute," one of them said. "The bitch is cocky."
All right, so maybe it was their best option. Astrid put an arm around Beatrice's waist. "If this works, I'd like to apologize in advance," she said.
Closing her eyes, Astrid blocked out Beatrice's concerns and the shouts of their abductors. She focused on feeling safe, on finding a place where she knew she could bring Beatrice without danger. She opened her heart up and welcomed a shift. Falling backward, Astrid tugged Beatrice's fiery energy with her.
When they hit a soft, plush carpet instead of the cold concrete of the street. Astrid nearly screamed in pure joy. Her head hurt a little and her muscles were frozen to her bones, but she'd done it without putting herself in a coma. And she brought someone with her.
"Can I get a hell yeah?" She said aloud to herself, grinning from ear to ear.
Beatrice coughed. "Children," she warned Astrid.
The Alice looked to the side to see two traumatized toddlers staring at them. One of them pointed at her and started to babble, "Magic lady! Magic lady!" He toddled off with his friend, both shouting 'Magic Lady' until their guardians shushed them.
"Where are we?" Beatrice asked, offering Astrid a hand. "I do not believe I'm familiar with this specific library."
"I wouldn't be surprised if we're at Merriam Park," Astrid said.
Beatrice looked around. "No, I would recognize Merriam Park. I visit often to read for story time. I find the children help calm me down after a long day." She glanced at Astrid, her normally cold expression melting. "I too have a child, you know. I understand sometimes you must do whatever is necessary in order to protect them from harm."
Astrid squinted at the library surrounding them. "I'm going to be real here, I have no idea where we are if it's not Merriam Park. I wanted to go somewhere I felt safe."
Then, from around the corner, a familiar laugh rang out against the library walls.
"That makes a lot more sense." Astrid grabbed Beatrice's hand and pulled her around the corner. "Nova?"
"Astrid!" Nova got close, covering up something she'd been addressing moments before. "I didn't know you'd be here today. I didn't know you went to libraries at all."
The Alice in question lifted an eyebrow. "Nova, you know I'm friends with a librarian. We just had dinner with him." She tried to look past her aunt. "What were you laughing about a moment ago?"
"Oh, you know how I love my stories," she said as she held up a book. "They just get funnier the longer I read them."
Beatrice walked around Nova, examining her at every angle. "Is this woman aware she's referring to a home-style vegan cookbook?"
Sighing, Astrid yanked the book out of Nova's hands. "Nova, this is Beatrice Russo. She's the next in line to be matriarch of the Russo family. Beatrice, this is my aunt, Nova Gray." After a moment, Astrid gave the book back to her aunt. "You can have that. I don't believe in diets that destroy the livelihoods of Latin American farmers."
Nova returned the book to its rightful place on the shelf. "Well, you need not worry yourselves. I'm not losing my mind. That's just a funny ole' cookbook." She flashed Astrid a grin. "Now, what are you two doing here?"
Beatrice leaned over to Astrid and whispered, "Is she aware of your activities?"
Astrid nodded. "Well, Miss Gray, your niece just saved me from being attacked by what I presume was a cabal of alchemists. I owe my life to her."
"I portalled," Astrid added. "I pulled us through a portal, all on my own. With minimal damage to my body, too." She was still shaking from the cold. It didn't help that the library's air conditioner was on full blast. "The smaller the gap in space, the easier it is to do."
Beatrice frowned. "That's not normal?" She asked. "I must admit, I know little about Alices outside of their ability to use portals."
"No, my girl is special. She's unlocked something no one else has done. You never rest, do you?" Nova chuckled. She tucked Astrid into her chest, hugging her and planting a kiss on her forehead. "That's my Astrid. I don't think she'll ever stop saving people from danger. You just need to find yourself a man who's willing to take care of you in the same way."
At the mention of a man to take care of Astrid, Beatrice perked up. "I was wondering if you had decided about my cousins yet. Though I suppose this is hardly the right time for that."
"It's never the right time," Astrid muttered.
Beatrice retrieved her cell phone and began to send rapid fire text messages. "My partner is out with my son for the week. Family vacation visiting the in-laws. I'll let him know to stay there while we're getting this alchemic nuisance sorted out."
"What are you going to do?" Astrid asked her. "You can't stay at your house. They were bold enough to get outside and try to attack you right there. It's not safe."
But Beatrice shook her head. "I'll be fine. As the next in line to run the Russo family, it's imperative I stand my ground. I'm certainly not a coward by any means. If they want to attack me, they're welcome to try." She gave Astrid a brief smile. "I, like you, am a woman capable of many things."
Whether or not she knew it, it was a massive compliment to be compared to someone like her. Astrid blushed. "Thank you," she said. "Can I trust that means you'll get home safely?"
"Naturally," Beatrice replied. "I might run some errands while I'm out. Nicole was asking me to come over for dinner soon, anyhow. This might just be a fortuitous turn of events."
When Beatrice wasn't looking, Astrid mouthed the word 'fortuitous' to her aunt. It sounded like she'd stolen it from a museum. It was foreign on her tongue and an unnecessary mouthful. When she was done testing out a wealthy person's vocabulary, Astrid said, "Let me know when you get home safe. If the alchemists corner you and you can't get out, call me."
Again, Beatrice assured Astrid she wouldn't need the assistance but appreciated it anyway. She turned on her heels and meandered out of the library, calling her sister on the way out.
"Astrid," Nova said with a smile, "are you sure the alchemists were going after your friend? You did just shut down one of their major companies. I'm sure they won't be happy to discover you've escaped."
Keeping her head down, Astrid said, "I will not give the Russo family any more of a reason to think I'm insanely dangerous to be around. And I would say there's a really high chance those thugs were coming after me, not her."
Nova rubbed her back. "Come on, baby, let's get you home and taken care of. I'm thinking a nice, lavender scented Epsom salt bath. It'll soothe your body and help you fall asleep faster." She escorted Astrid out of the library, not letting her niece get another word in. "Why don't you call your friend down in Merriam Park? I'll contact Zion and let him know someone was coming after you. Make sure we cover our bases and all that."
"I don't want to worry X right now." Astrid felt the weight of her phone in her front pocket. "With Zion's new plan of action, he's probably running rampant around the Cities trying to make sure everything is sorted out."
Nova nudged her side. "At least text the boy. If you're being attacked by the alchemists, then there's a chance they'll know where you live. He might find us a place to stay where we can lie low. It's like a, oh, what's the word," Nova paused. "Spy house."
"That's a coffee shop I took you to the other day. You're thinking of a safe house."
"Potato, potato." Nova pulled Astrid over to the nearest bus stop and began to count dollars, making sure she had the right fare for the bus. It looked like Nova was finally paying attention to he
r concerning Lyft spending habit.
Astrid didn't mind her aunt had taken the lead. On one hand, Astrid had portalled to a place she'd never been to before. At least Nova knew where they were. Her aunt had decided that while she was in the Twin Cities, she would take advantage of the library system. Her beaded bag was filled with cookbooks and, to Astrid's amusement, soft core paperbacks.
"Your stories, huh," Astrid snorted when she fished out one of the books. "Tell me, what's so fascinating about Cowboys for Christmas?"
"You mean you don't see that hunk of man on the cover?" Nova replied, trying to tease her niece. "I would pay top dollar for a man like that. You know, your friends could make some extra money if they modeled from some of these. I can just see the girls swooning for that Christian fellow."
"Not that he'd know what to do with them," Astrid replied. She relaxed back into her bus seat, not minding when her head hit the cool metal bars behind her. That was the 'other hand' of why she didn't care if Nova was dragging her through the city. Astrid was tired. Even if she hadn't used up a lot of energy to travel, it was enough to make her worn out. With how busy her life was becoming, Astrid was forced to take solace in the little moments. The quiet breaks in between chaotic spells.
"If you're not going to call the librarian, you should at least call someone," Nova continued. "Like one of your friends from the office. Your receptionist is so nosy, I'm sure she's already found out about your recent escapade."
"Sally's probably watching a movie right now she can compare my life to," Astrid snorted. Grabbing her phone, she decided it would do her some good to give Sally a call. Given her insane connections throughout the city, Sally was Astrid's best shot at finding a non-magical safe house.
The minute she touched her phone, it began to buzz. Astrid's heart skipped a beat when she saw the last name. Her finger hit the green accept button so fast she nearly cracked the screen. "Hello?" She said, trying to collect herself.
"Hey there, Astrid. It's been a while."
It wasn't the voice she expected, but Astrid found the heat rising to her cheeks all the same. "Lorenzo," she breathed. It felt like a dream. A million questions buzzed through her mind all at once. Was he finally back? When did get home? And why?
He cut her off before she could ask any of them. "That is my name," he said. She could tell he was smirking on the other end of the line. "Glad you remembered. You've been spending so much time with my brothers, I thought you might've forgotten."
I'd never forget the way your words spreads warmth throughout my body.
"It was a real struggle," Astrid said instead. "Sometimes I wonder if you were ever real or just a figment of my imagination. Do you still have that ratty man-bun, or was I making that one up?"
Lorenzo laughed. "I missed you," he murmured. "It's lonely out here."
"Yeah, well," Astrid looked out the bus window at the streets of Minneapolis, "it can be lonely out in the city too."
Nova waved her phone in Astrid's face. "We're almost there," she informed her niece. "Is that the one who cooked for me? I really liked him. Where did he run off to?"
Shushing her aunt, Astrid returned to her call. "So what's going on? You haven't called me in a while. At all, actually." It was difficult to make that last one sound like she wasn't hurt. There were thousands of reasons he could've been busy, many of which involved dragon affairs and things Astrid didn't care for. Lorenzo had, however, been the first of the Russo siblings to break into her shell. He was the one who'd brought her down to earth during her panic attack.
Perhaps he had been what she needed.
"I know." His voice snapped her back to reality. "I should've been better about that, and I'm sorry. Things got crazy out in the woods. The things I've seen in the Minnesota woods." Astrid couldn't tell if he was joking or not. "I think I witnessed a ritual sacrifice."
Christ, please tell me he's messing with me. "Your brother almost got killed in one of those."
From the other end of the line, Lorenzo choked on whatever he'd been drinking. "God, Astrid, I was joking. You're not serious about that, are you?"
"Unfortunately," Astrid said. "It was Christian, if you're wondering. He was taken by alchemists into their world. If it wasn't for Matilde and her partner, we wouldn't have got him back."
"You mean if it wasn't for you," Lorenzo corrected her. "I'm going to guess the only reason we know Christian was missing was because of you, Astrid." She stayed silent. "That's what I thought. You need to give yourself more credit."
You sound like your brother. Unwilling to even bring up Giovanni with his brother, Astrid said, "Are you coming back to the cities soon? Oh, hold on." The bus lurched to a halt. Astrid and Nova rose out of their seats, squeezing through the now crowded vehicle to get out to the street. When they were safely on the sidewalk, Astrid said, "So my question."
"I don't know," Lorenzo replied. "I'm worried about the increased number of attacks on my family. I know you took down VidaCo. Which was very impressive, by the way. But I'm still not sure if it's safe."
Something about the way he complimented her didn't hit her the same was as Giovanni did. Lorenzo was always down to earth, but it meant he regarded everything that wasn't art or gardening with the same level of mild interest. "Well," Astrid said, trying to gather her thoughts back together, "I would love to see you again."
Her phone, pressed against her cheek, began to send vibrations through her face. Astrid pulled back to find a second call was coming in. "Hey, I need to go. Someone else is trying to contact me. It's probably Winston or Sally, checking in after my coma."
"You were in a coma?" Lorenzo's bored voice faded away. "That's it. I'm coming back. I can't believe they let that happen to you."
"What?" Astrid stopped walking. "No one let anything happen to me. I just pushed myself too hard."
He wasn't listening. "When I left, I asked my brothers to protect you. They should've been watching out for you. I should've told Christian not to go on that damn business trip."
Astrid frowned. "I'm not fragile, Lorenzo. You should know that more than anyone else."
"I will pack now. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe tonight if I can bike back fast enough..."She hung up on him. Astrid was not fragile or in need of protection. It was one thing to have someone looking out for her when she needed a hand. It was another to ask a person to protect her, especially when they were people Astrid was doing a damn good job of protecting.
Noticing the second call was still coming through, she hit the answer button and pressed the phone to her cheek. "Hello?"
"Astrid!" Again, the bubbly, familiar voice of a Russo she wasn't expecting. "How's it been? I heard you've started to portal on your own now. That's crazy!"
"Hey Christian," she sighed. His energy was almost exasperating. "Aren't you supposed to be in Europe right now?"
In the background of his call, she heard the hustle and bustle of a noisy public space. "I just flew home," he informed her. "I wanted to make it a surprise for Matilde. Her birthday's coming up."
"That's sweet." Astrid hurried down the street to catch up with her aunt. "Is there anything you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Huh? Oh, no, I just wanted to hear your voice. I missed you while I was away." Christian's tone went soft again, the way that usually would melt her heart. "I know things are getting tense back in the cities. You deserve a break after all the paperwork you've been filing." Every one of his thoughts poured out, one after the other. "I've been getting better locks on my house, so if you ever want to come stay with me for a while, we can do it safely."
"Uh-huh," Astrid said, crossing the street with a giggling Nova.
He picked it up quickly. "That wasn't exactly what I meant. I mean, that would be great," Christian stumbled over his words, "but I meant I want you to come visit me."
Astrid sighed. They'd come up to the apartment building, and she was feeling more tired than when she got onto the bus. "I'd love to. I'll call you later, okay? I need to
get some rest now." Again, she hung up before he could say goodbye. The Russo family would run her thin just by talking alone.
"Those boys driving you crazy?" Her aunt asked. They passed by the fountain in front of the building. "This is why you need to pick one. I'm sure the other two will respect your decision." A man exiting the building passed Nova and slammed into her. She staggered back, falling into Astrid. "Watch your damn self!" She shouted at him. "Crazy people. I don't know how you can live here."
Astrid could only shrug in response. They entered the apartment block and hopped into the elevator, chatting aimlessly about Russo family and how distracting they could be. When they got to Astrid's floor, she pulled out her key ring and swung it around on her way to the door. "I just want to sleep," she moaned. "Don't you dare tell me it's only three in the afternoon. I can sleep whenever I want." She retrieved her house key and paused. There was a bitter, foul smell in the air. It was somewhere in between rotting eggs and manure. "Nova?"
"Yeah, baby, I smell it too." Nova pulled Astrid a few steps away from her apartment's front door. "I wouldn't trust anything that nasty."
"But where is it..."
The front door burst off its hinges, slamming into Astrid and shoving her into the wall. Nova screamed, kicking it into high gear as she went to her niece's side. "Astrid, baby, are you okay? Can you hear me?"
She responded by trying to kick the door off her. "I'm fine. What happened?"
Nova rose and looked inside Astrid's apartment. "Oh, you're not going back there for a while," she murmured. The inside was burning, from the kitchen to the bookshelf by the windows. Unnatural flames licked at the ceiling. A sinister mix of blue and green washed over Astrid's former apartment as the fire consumed everything in its path.
"Alchemic fire," Astrid guessed. "Who the hell would do this?"
"I don't know," Nova replied. "Now are you going to call your little librarian friend?"
X was at the top of a long list of people Astrid now needed to call.