by L G Rollins
Beside her, Nathaniel chuckled softly.
She looked up at him, unsure what humor he saw in all this.
He was looking directly at her, his lips turned up lopsided. “Your expression. Even you aren’t doing a very good job at hiding how excited you are about those blood samples.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks, probably turning them brilliant scarlet. “I am excited. That may make me a little morbid, but it certainly isn’t cause for ridicule.” At least she didn’t think it did. Open expression still felt like new and uncharted territory.
Nathaniel pulled back slightly. “How, precisely, do you suppose they pulled it off?” He nodded toward the vials of blood.
“They had nearly all my supplies. Vials. Syringes.” At least she had escaped with most of her BLU Elixir. Though, since returning and experimenting with copper, she and several members of the scientific community had been able to replicate the process.
“True, but if they had remained on the surface long enough for a couple of them to shift”—Elise smiled at his choice of words, she loved that he listened to her often enough that he now sounded like an expert, too—“then they all would have shifted. Who would have been left to take the samples.”
“And prevent them from killing one another.” That would have been a highly likely outcome. How did they do it? “I guess we may never know.”
“Oh, we’ll know.” Nathaniel waved for Melissa to join them. Elise glanced toward the young girl to find the carousel slowing to a stop once more. “I plan on asking them just as soon as I find the bloody lot and retake my submarine.”
Elise gave him a gentle elbow in the ribs. “If you leave me now, to chase after the Gearhound or for any reason, I’ll repay you by taking an extended vacation, alone, in eight year’s time.”
Melissa skipped toward them, then paused, something having caught her eye. She darted toward a large red painted cage. A white and black striped cat prowled menacingly back and forth inside. Melissa pushed her way until she was nearly up to the bars.
The slight vacancy in Nathaniel’s tone told her he was watching Melissa carefully. Caged cat or no, Nathaniel was extremely protective of his little girl. “Why in eight years, pray tell?”
“Because that is when Melissa will be old enough to court.”
His wide eyes flew to her. Then, Nathaniel groaned and ran a hand down the full length of his face. “We only have eight years? Gears above help us.”
Elise laughed. Nathaniel spoke frequently of hunting down the pirates who took his beloved Gearhound, but he had yet to actually do anything about it. Though he never admitted it, Elise knew he felt as she did. What the werewolves had done was certainly wrong, but at least they were living in peace and without the pain of shifting each month.
She had made a difference for those now living on the Gearhound. Elise gently clutched the small box close to her. She would continue to make a difference for others, too.
With this new resource, who knew where she would go and what could be learned? “Shall we see where this next adventure takes us?”
He kissed the top of her head. “So long as we do it together.”
She went up on tip-toe and kissed him back, his lips tasting sweet against hers. “Together.”
Rowley’s upbeat voice joined them. “I knew you two would make an excellent couple from the first time Nathaniel mentioned the venture.”
Elise was always happy to see Rowley, though he did have an uncanny ability to interrupt when she’d rather be alone with her husband. Furthermore, he claimed to know they would fall for one another from a conversation? Before he’d ever even seen her, or her and Nathaniel together? “Somehow, I doubt that.”
“Actually, he did,” Nathaniel confessed.
This time Elise stared at him with wide eyes. Nathaniel only shrugged. Now that was a story she needed to hear. She’d have to get it out of him tonight, after Melissa was in bed. If he refused to talk, she’d threaten to sleep in her own bedchamber. That never failed.
“Rowley!” Melissa tore through the crowd and flung herself at the young man.
“Hello, beautiful.” He patted Melissa’s curls.
She looked up at him. “Are you coming to supper? Can you stay the weekend? You never come to visit any more.” Her voice turned to a pout near the end.
Rowley chuckled, good-naturedly. “Let a man get a word in edge-wise.”
“Only if that word is one I want to hear.”
Gracious, Melissa was every bit a handful as ever. A very tenacious, spunky, outspoken handful. Nathaniel’s mother had left to live in a nearby family home soon after they returned from honeymooning, and Elise had spent nearly every day since feeling more and more sympathy for the elderly lady who had dealt with the non-stop energy that was Melissa for many years alone.
“Unfortunately,” Rowley said, “I am finally on my way. I leave this very evening for France and wanted to bid you all one last farewell.”
Elise had begun to wonder if he ever would do as he claimed and return home. Nonetheless, she was saddened to hear he was leaving. “Where in France does your sister live?”
Rowley shot an uncertain glance at Melissa, and then leaned in toward Nathaniel and Elise, his voice low. “Truth is, Conques.”
Elise’s hand flew to her mouth as her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.” It was only two days previous she and Nathaniel had read the reports, together, in the broadsheets.
Nathaniel’s brow creased. “Are the rumors true then?”
Rowley nodded solemnly. “Unfortunately, my sister says they are most true. I’ve tried countless time to convince her to leave, but she will have nothing of it.” He faced Elise. “My family has owned that farmland for nearly ten generations.”
Elise felt her stomach roll with the thought of living in a town where madness was said to spread like pneumonia. She reached for Rowley, resting her hand on his arm. “You will be careful?”
“Of course.” Rowley was back to smiling, carefree as always. “I’m far too dashing to retire in Bedlum.” He gave them both a heartfelt good-bye and slipped away through the crowd.
Elise watched him go, her lips pursed tight. The idea of Rowley, eager and somewhat naive, charging off to a land where a third of the population were insane did not sit well at all with her.
Nathaniel rubbed her arm. “He will be alright.”
Elise let sarcasm pepper her words. “Of a surety. Rowley in Conques? Nothing wrong could happen there.”
Nathaniel laughed once more and she felt herself lighten. Nathaniel was right, Rowley would be alright. The sun was changing from golden yellow to warm orange. The opposite side of the sky showcased a darkening blue and a cold evening breeze nipped by. Elise looped her hand through Nathaniel’s arm as he took hold of Melissa’s hand. “Are we bound for home ourselves then?”
Nathaniel smiled at her and once more kissed the top of her head. “Yes. Bound for our home.”
I could never have done this without so many people.
A special thank you to Terra Luft, Jenelle Stone, Tara Mayoros, and all the others in my writing group. An especially big thank you goes to Callie Stoker—this story would not be half so good without you.
I am also thankful for all the online support I’ve received from various facebook groups, fontmeme, and several online mentors such as Joanna Penn, Nick Stephensen, and Mark Dawson. Though we’ve never met, I appreciate you all.
I also want to thank my dear husband—you have put up with so much to support me. Thank you.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not also thank my Father in Heaven. It is He who granted me the opportunity and means to write.
Thank you to you all.
For L. G. Rollins, conversations regarding Schrodinger’s cat, the effects of scientific advancements on politics, and whether Infinity is better categorized as a number or an idea are all quite commonplace. To be short, she is an unapologetic nerd. Mix in her love of whimsy and the unusual, and you get St
eam and Shadow, a steampunk series of science, sweet romance, and unexpected adventures.
Follow along on all the adventures, visit:
WEBSITE: LGRollins.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/lgrollinsauthor