Troll Tunnels

by Erin M. Hartshorn

  I didn’t have too many occasions to use the word “unctuous,” but this was certainly one. “No, thank you.”

  “Pen—”

  “If you’re about to tell me I don’t need to be rude, you can stop right there. Especially if you’ve decided that you’re going to call me anything other than the name I choose to use.” I glowered at Aunt Rena. They had officially crossed over from minor irritation and delay to meddling busybodies who I had no time for. “I was polite in what I said and how I said it. I like the furniture I have. If others don’t like it, they don’t have to come over.”

  Aunt Rena’s lips thinned. I hadn’t told her she wasn’t welcome, but I had said it was her own fault if she was unhappy. She would find some way to make me pay for that, beyond the twinge of guilt I was already dealing with.

  I pointed at the couch. “That’s what there is for sitting, if you really feel the need to do so. As I’m not interested in going shopping for either furniture or somewhere to live, however, I do not see that we have anything to discuss, and I have things to do.”

  Alex gave me the smarmiest smile I had ever seen as he settled into my spot on the couch. “Come out with me. I’m sure we could find something to discuss.”

  “That’s it. You can leave now.” I opened the door back up. “I don’t know what my aunts told you, but I’m already dating someone and have no interest in cheating.”

  “Cheating?” Aunt Ti said. “I had no idea you were that serious.”

  Her tone told me she still doubted it.

  “That is because you never listen to me when I do talk to you. Haris and I are spending the day on the Cape, and I don’t have time to deal with your nonsense now.” I jerked my head at the door. “Leave, now. Feel free to call my mom and tell her what an ungrateful brat she raised. I’m sure she’ll be very sympathetic after you explain your errand today.”

  Now both of my aunts looked unhappy with me, but I told myself I didn’t care. It wasn’t my fault they’d showed up on my doorstep.

  Alex ignored the awkwardness, stood up, crossed to the door, and pressed a business card at me. I glanced at it and flicked it at the table next to the door. I’d likely toss it into the recycling later.

  He winked at me. “Call me if you change your mind. I can show you whatever you’re after.”

  “I rather doubt that.”

  After I ushered them out, I stepped out behind them and pulled the door closed. I would walk them out — not so much to be certain they left as to be exceedingly, overbearingly polite, as much as I did not want to be. And also to make it clear that I absolutely expected them to go.

  When we reached street level, my aunts hesitated. “Are you certain you won’t look at just one?”

  I was saved from answering by Jinhong stepping out of the restaurant. “If you have a moment, Pepper, we need to talk.”

  “Of course. My aunts and their guest were just leaving.” I nodded at them. “Do try to let me know the next time you want to drop by. I try never to be too busy for family.”

  I hoped they took the point that they might be welcome, but their matchmaking was not.

  Unwilling to make a scene in front of Jinhong, my aunts hugged me and gave many reassurances that of course they would never have just dropped by, but today had seemed so opportune. Right. I hugged them back, told them I’d see them at the monthly brunch, wished Alex well and told him it had been nice to meet him but I was afraid it would be the only time, and waited while they walked off toward the nearest parking garage.

  Jinhong stood at my shoulder watching them go. “What was that all about? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen your aunts here, although I would have recognized them anywhere. They look so much like your mother.” And like me, but she didn’t need to say that.

  “The usual. Relatives trying to run my life and play matchmaker at the same time.” I shrugged and turned to face her. “What did you need?”

  By unspoken agreement, we stepped to one side, shifting closer to the door to the apartments, leaving the entry to the restaurant clear for customers.

  “I don’t mean to complain—” Which meant that she was planning to anyway, but she expected me to not get upset about it. “—but I haven’t seen my grandchildren recently.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. She had taken the twins to meet Hsien last month, and her reward had been to be almost completely shut out of their lives. No, that wasn’t fair. She had tried to alienate me from the children, telling them to keep secrets, to not discuss their magic with me. She wanted to shape them into a dynasty for herself. Hsien had put a stop to that — she probably still resented me for that. Jinhong would not appreciate being disciplined as though she were the twins’ age.

  Right after that, Vanessa and her family had come home, and I’d been relying on her more for the things Jinhong usually did, most of them anyway.

  “Didn’t you take them to the bus stop just the other morning? And there was yesterday morning, with both my twins and Vanessa’s.”

  Her huff of exasperation was not lost on me. “That’s not really quality time. I would like to see them more than that.”

  She was right — they hadn’t been spending as much time together, and when we moved, they would be spending even less. “Matt has them both this weekend and next weekend, but I’ll make some time during the week, as well as over Thanksgiving weekend.”

  “Thanksgiving? That’s a week and a half away, and a busy time for the restaurant.” Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows climbed up her forehead.

  I knew that, but there wasn’t much I could do about the schedule. And because of my agreement with Benjamin, I would be spending time in the restaurant every day of that weekend, although I didn’t think Jinhong knew that. “It’s okay. If it’s going to be too busy, I’ll drop them with my parents. Mom’s always saying she gets to see them less than Wei and Benjamin do.”

  “I didn’t say it wouldn’t work. I was surprised is all.” She tilted her chin in a gesture I saw frequently from both Tina and Gavin. Lucky them — they got stubbornness from both sides of the family. “I’ll be happy to watch them. If it’s going to be overnight, though, you should do something about that doorknob that’s sticking.”

  “I can do that.” It might take a bit of work to make sure she and the twins could get in but Matt could not. Though — “I have one condition. Matt does not enter my apartment when I’m not there. Ever. And nothing gets taken out of there for him, either.”

  “You are quite demanding.”

  “Takes one to know one.” So much for me being polite.

  She stared at me flatly for a full minute before nodding. “Very well. Send the children down when you need me to watch them.”

  “I will.”

  Now, though, I went upstairs, calling my parents as I went. My dad answered the phone. “What’s up, kiddo? I’ve set aside those pages you wanted from me.”

  I’d forgotten about the journal pages that grandma had stashed away. “Did you read them?”

  “No, I told you — I figured if she’d wanted me to read them, she would have left them in the books. The pillow is sitting next to the front door, all ready for you.”

  He had said that. “Right. That’s not why I’m calling, though. My aunts.”

  “Oh, dear lord, what did they do now?”

  “They stopped by my apartment. With a realtor in tow. A young, handsome, single realtor, who wanted to take me out for a date if I wouldn’t go out and look at condos with them.” I hesitated as I passed Wei and Benjamin’s door, and didn’t say anything more until I was past Vanessa’s as well. There were things I didn’t really need to discuss in front of others. “He even offered to take me furniture shopping so I’d have more seating.”

  “You do need more,” Dad pointed out.

  “Not until I know where it’s going to go and how it’s going to fit. And I don’t need some complete stranger giving me advice on couches or hard versus soft—”

  “Or beds?”
he asked dryly. “I can see that. I’m sure you put him in his place.”

  I hoped so, but he’d still been entirely too chipper when he left. He was sure he had an in with me. I’d have to look at the stupid business card. I didn’t say that to Dad. Instead, I said, “I’m still very annoyed with Aunt Ti and Aunt Rena.”

  “As you should be. If you have any plans to poison them, don’t do it at brunch. Or Thanksgiving. I’d like plausible deniability.”

  Having reached my door, I opened it and stepped in. Closing it behind me, I saw Alex’s business card sitting on the table. I picked it up but saw nothing unusual. Flipping it over, I saw that he’d printed, “I’ll call” on the back. When had he had time to do that? Unless this was a frequent enough ploy that he did it before ever leaving home. I shuddered a bit at the sliminess inherent in that idea.

  As I did, an unfamiliar phone rang from the cushions of my couch. I narrowed my eyes. This was what he had meant — he left his own phone behind so he could call me on it and arrange to meet up and get it back. I didn’t think so.

  “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do anything that obvious. But I have to go now and get ready. I’m spending the day with Haris. Let me know how it goes when they decide to tell Mom their version of what happened.”

  After hanging up, I crossed to the couch, picked up Alex’s phone, and pulsed it with my magic. It shut off, and any further attempts at calls would go to his voicemail. His business card didn’t have an office address on it. Where had my aunts found him? Probably at church.

  I opened a lookup app on my phone and entered Alex’s name and number, as listed on his card. The address that came didn’t look like a business address, but I supposed if the phone was his, rather than one provided by a realty office, it would have his home address on it. Good enough. I wrote the address onto the card and placed the card and phone on the table next to the door. I’d go by the post office on Ave de Lafayette on Monday on my way to the T and mail them off. With any luck, that would be the last I heard of Alex Argyros or my aunts’ latest clumsy attempts at matchmaking.

  Chapter 16

  I finally settled on light jeans and a camp shirt, with a windbreaker for the evening. Even with the interruption from my aunts, I was ready to go when I felt Haris’s approach. I skipped down the stairs to meet Haris.

  The rental car that Haris had picked up was a lovely little hybrid. He held the door while I got in, then leaned in for a kiss before closing it. Heat melted through my center, and the car engine turned on. I flushed guiltily and pulled away.

  “Could be a problem having something with an electrical starter,” I said.

  Haris brushed his finger across my lips. “I don’t know. I think it’s rather convenient.”

  “Aren’t these supposed to turn off when you come to a full stop?”

  “Since when have we ever come to a full stop?”

  There was no good answer to that. I sank into the seat and fastened my seat belt.

  He slid into his seat, then kissed my cheek before fastening his own. “I’m glad you managed to take the day off. I had my doubts.”

  “So did I.”

  Traffic was the usual heading out to the Cape on a weekend. Yes, even in November people go out to walk along the shore, bike the trails, and otherwise enjoy being outside. Those who aren’t enjoying being inside at a spa, anyway.

  It was hard not to think about my last trip out this way, although I didn’t try very hard. It had been twilight, a late summer evening, looking for my best friend. Beth hadn’t been where I hoped to find her, and the night had only gotten rougher from there. Now I found myself wondering whether Clay had chosen the Cape to go after Beth not simply because it was convenient but also because it was surrounded by water, by the ocean with its connections to Tiamat. I didn’t feel any echoes of her magic as we drove along Highway 6, but I was enough on edge that I looked. Always.

  Haris rested his right hand briefly on my thigh. “You’re not alone, you know.”

  I turned to look at him, flushing with guilt because I hadn’t been talking, had only been caught up in my own worries and memories and fears.

  He shook his head lightly and shot a sideways glance at me. “Not what I meant. I don’t require you to keep me amused. But you’re not alone in standing against Tiamat or anything — anyone — else you might face. I am here. Always.”

  I set my hand on his. This time, the warmth was a golden glow, starting from our clasped hands and stealing up and down my spine, melding with and spiraling around my own electric blue magic, leaving me enveloped, warm, accepted, held. Loved.

  My mouth opened, but I didn’t know what words would come out. I couldn’t speak.

  Haris turned his hand over and squeezed mine, then put it back on the steering wheel. “So … where am I driving? Are we antiquing? Visiting the lighthouses? Walking along a beach?”

  “You’re driving. You can choose.”

  He chuckled. “No. Your choice, remember? What’s it going to be?”

  “How about Great Island Trail? Go up to Wellfleet, and I’ll give you directions from there. I didn’t think to check the tide tables, so we may not be able to walk out to see the salt marshes, but we can probably do the tavern loop.”

  In Wellfleet, I suggested we stop first to pick up some water before we head out for the hike. If I’d planned ahead, I would’ve had it on hand, but I wasn’t about to make excuses.

  “Do we want to grab some food, too?”

  “No, let’s work up an appetite, first.”

  Haris’s dimple flashed. “What if I already have an appetite?”

  “Behave!” But I smiled. He stayed in the car while I went in to get the water, as the car didn’t shut off, even though we had been stopped for a full minute. Evidently, I’m a bad influence on cars.

  The tavern loop is shorter than the full Great Island Trail, and the tavern site doesn’t have anything left on it — no foundation, no walls. Still, it’s a four-mile walk on sandy paths, with dunes giving way to salt marshes on the one side and beach on the other, transitioning to dune and mixed pine forest. It was late in the year for migratory species — the piping plovers wouldn’t be back until April — but there would still be some terns leaving tracks on the beach and diving for fish in the waves.

  With mild weather, the parking lot was crowded, but Haris found a spot without having to circle. I held my breath. Would it stop this time? It did, although the engine sputtered a bit when Haris took my hand. No, we could do this. We’d done it before. Lacing my fingers through his, I strolled side by side with him to the trailhead.

  There were families out enjoying the trail, as well as some walking along the beach. I let the sound of their voices and the calls of the birds wash over me. The ocean breeze hit us, and my stomach turned at the smell. My hand tightened reflexively on Haris’s.

  Soothingly, he said, “It’s okay. She’s not here. Look at this beautiful day, sunshine and high clouds, light glinting off the water. Not a strand of black smoke to be seen.”

  I essayed a half-hearted smile at the reassurance, but said, “I do worry. All this sea out here. You know she’s just waiting. Her witches are working still, trying to bring her forth out of this—” I waved my free hand toward the water. “Because, you know, we don’t have enough to deal with.”

  “We’ll handle it together. Always.” He paused and turned me to face him. Holding both my hands, he said, “We managed before, and we didn’t know what we were doing then.”

  “Are you sure we do now?”

  But he smiled and leaned down to kiss me, and all I could feel was Haris, his love and concern and the heat that always filled me when he was near and life and — thunder boomed in the distance, and I pulled back with a jerk, startled.

  Around us, there were exclamations of surprise. “Did you see that lightning out there? Out of nowhere.” “Amazing!”

  I met Haris’s eyes with merriment. I guess maybe I was ready to strike out, regardless of the
consequences. As long as Haris was with me.

  “Always.” He winked. “How many times do I have to say it for you to believe it?”

  Probably more times — I wasn’t perfect, I was human, and having unwavering faith in anyone was hard. But I would do my best.

  “We can go somewhere else if you’d be more comfortable.”

  I set my chin. “No. I don’t get out here as often as I’d like, should come more often — can’t you just see Gavin and Tina down there on the beach, chasing waves and looking at the driftwood? — and I’m not going to be chased off by a fear of something, of anything. Fear isn’t going to ruin my life.”

  “Have I ever told you how much I love your stubborn streak? All right, let’s walk.”

  We continued on, taking the left-hand fork toward the tavern site when the trail split. It was easier to breathe under the trees, with their fresh scent cutting through the saltiness. I paused to lean a hand on a trunk of a tree. “Is this very different from Greece?”

  “Everything is different from Greece,” Haris said with a smile. “Every coast, every shore — anywhere you go in the world, they are all the same and different, the clash of earth and ocean, solidity that will not give and liquid that will not stop.”

  “The solid does give eventually, though.” I thought of the trolls with their grounding, their deep and heavy magic, and wondered what would wear away at their solid nature.

  “Not everywhere, and not all at once. Something always remains to stand against the tide.” Haris leaned his head to one side. “Here and now, that’s us.”

  I loved it when Haris linked us like that, a pair that was one. I loved — My thought cut off as he pushed me against the tree and bent down, kissing me exceedingly thoroughly. My knees went rubbery, but between him and the tree, there was no way I was going to fall. My arms went around him, pulling him closer, running along his back and feeling the contours of his muscles beneath his light shirt.

  He lifted his lips a bare centimeter. “I can take it off, if you want.”