Constance Verity Saves the World
Page 28
“Thanks, I’ve had an itch on my leg that’s been driving me crazy for half an hour.” Tia scratched at her leg. “Look. I know you’re mad—”
“I’m sorry,” said Connie. “I kept saying I was protecting you, but I was using that as an excuse to take away your choices. I didn’t trust you. Either of you. And it almost cost me my life.”
“You were worried,” said Byron. “We can’t blame you.”
“The hell we can’t,” said Tia. “You should’ve known better.”
“I should’ve,” said Connie. “But it’s hard for me sometimes. I’ve never thought of myself as a loner. I know so many amazing people. But those people just come and go. You’ve always been there, Tia. That’s why you were able to enter the circle. As far as the universe is concerned, you and I are a team. You saved me. You’ve been saving me since we were kids.”
“Damn straight,” said Tia. “You’d think you’d have realized that a couple of decades ago.”
She held out her fist, and Connie bumped it.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” said Tia, “I’m going to scare up a phone and see if I can reach Hiro. Let him know you aren’t planning on killing him anymore. You aren’t, right?”
Connie waggled her hand in a maybe gesture.
“Eh, close enough.” Tia walked away.
Byron embraced Connie, and they shared a long, deep kiss.
“You smell awful,” he said.
She laughed. “Adventure does that to a woman.”
She put her hands on his cheeks. He was a good guy. She’d always known that, but she’d never truly known it.
“That thing you said about the circle,” he asked. “Does that mean we’re a team too?”
“Who am I to argue with the universe?”
“But I didn’t do anything.”
“You saved my life.”
“I had a screwdriver. I threw a book. Badly. And I carried a phone. Hardly heroic achievements.”
They sat, holding hands. The sleepy mutant woke up and lumbered closer, laying its massive head on Connie’s lap before going back to sleep.
“Can we keep him?” asked Byron.
“I’d think you’d be reluctant, seeing as it almost ate you.”
“You know what they say. There are no bad abominations of science. Only abominations of science with bad owners. And I’ve been wanting a pet.”
“We could get a cat,” said Connie.
“Bit boring, isn’t it?” asked Byron as he stroked the mutant on its furry snout, between its jutting tusks.
“I’ll talk to Ellington.”
She scratched the beast behind its ear, and its tail swished, thumping against the aircraft’s fuselage.
Connie said, “People think what I do is amazing and incredible, and it’s all very impressive. But saving the day isn’t about fighting ninjas or defeating space monsters. Except maybe in the world I live in. But sometimes, being the hero isn’t always about being the smartest or the fastest or the strongest.”
“Stop. You’re embarrassing me.”
“Sometimes, being the hero is just being the guy carrying a screwdriver at the right time.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “You were that guy for me today. I’d like you to be that guy tomorrow.”
“I’d like that too.”
She closed her eyes. She’d made a hell of a lot of assumptions about her future, and up to now, she’d never questioned them. She’d been hedging her bets with Byron, even if she’d never admitted it before. She’d stop that now. At least, she’d try.
“Things might be different now,” she said. “I’m not sure what happened in that circle with you and me and Tia and the caretaker mantle. I don’t know if the balance has changed. I could be back to adventures every day. It could make it harder. More complicated.”
“It’s always complicated, but I’m willing to fight for us if you are.”
He put his arm around her, and a warmth welled in her chest that had nothing to do with cosmic magical forces and everything to do with him. And Tia. And a life she’d been putting off for far too long.
“I can fight,” she said. “If there’s one thing I can do, it’s that.”
34
Larry paused at the door.
“You don’t have to do this, Lord Peril,” said Apollonia. “We can leave.”
Their aircraft hovered over the jungle. The only clearing beside the manor was already occupied by a black Siege Perilous experimental jet.
“No, I need to do it.” He knocked on the door.
Lady Peril answered. He almost didn’t recognize his own mother. Her trademark lab coat and spandex had been replaced by casual cabana wear. The bright colors didn’t suit her, but the straw hat, decorated with flowers, was what threw him most.
“Larry,” said Peril.
“Mom,” he replied.
Peril cast a disapproving glance at Apollonia but didn’t address her.
“Can we come in?” asked Larry.
Peril stepped aside. “Please do.”
She led them to a sitting room dominated by a statue of Peril holding a sword before her. A few guards stood around, though none of them wore anything from the Siege Perilous uniform. Not even a logo on their suit lapels. She sent one of them off to get some refreshments.
“I suppose you’re wondering how I faked my death once again?” asked Peril.
“No,” said Larry.
Peril shrugged. “Pity. It was quite clever.”
“I’m sure it was, but at this point I don’t care.”
Peril asked, “Come to bring me to justice then? Vengeance?” She leaned forward. “Have you finally come to kill me, Larry?”
He shook his head. “Holy hell, Mom. You’d love that, wouldn’t you? You can see why I’ve got issues,” he said to Apollonia.
The refreshments arrived. Peril helped herself to a butter cookie and some apple juice. “Then why are you here?”
“I’m here to tell you that Siege Perilous is mine now.” He leaned back and put his feet on the coffee table because he knew how much it would annoy her. “I’m keeping it.”
“Have it then, if you think you can manage it. Frankly, I don’t imagine you have the backbone required, and I look forward to your inevitable failure. But don’t come crawling back to me when you do.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Larry stood, snapped his fingers. “Let’s go.”
Apollonia and Peril’s guards left the room, leaving Larry and Lady Peril alone.
He said, “I don’t know if you have anything planned for the future, if this is all an elaborate scheme, wheels within wheels, but if you stay out of my way, we won’t have a problem.”
“Am I supposed to believe you’d raise a hand against your own mother? Please, you’re far too sentimental for your own good. Always were.”
“Maybe,” he said. “But I am also my mother’s son.”
He walked out. A moment later, Lady Peril’s manor went dark.
She sat there in the darkness. And she might have been smiling, but there was no one to see it if she was.
“Perhaps you are.”
• • •
Larry took one last long look at the darkened manor.
“You should’ve killed her,” said Apollonia.
“Probably, but I’m not interested in giving her the satisfaction.”
They strolled toward the hovering craft.
“So what now, Lord Peril?” asked Apollonia.
“Don’t really know, but we’ll figure it out.”
He pressed a remote in his pocket and Lady Peril’s jet exploded.
“And, please, call me Larry.”
35
I can’t believe they let us keep her,” said Byron.
Cupcake pulled at her leash. The giant mutant could’ve easily dragged him down the street, but Connie had spent a week training her. She was mostly docile, though there had been an incident with three angry poodles that had got them disinvited to the dog park.<
br />
The abomination sniffed at a hydrant.
“We’re not keeping her,” said Connie. “This is only until Ellington can arrange transport to Monster Island.”
“It’s not dangerous, is it?” Byron asked.
“It’s called Monster Island. What do you think? But it really is the best place for her. She’ll be happy there.”
Cupcake walked away from the hydrant, leaving a sizzling puddle of acid behind.
“Probably is for the best,” admitted Byron.
He put his arm around Connie, and she rested her head against his shoulder as they walked. He kissed the top of her head.
“This is nice,” she said.
She said it because it was, because after decades of globetrotting adventure, she was maybe finally ready for something like this.
They passed Doctor Malady and Automatica walking their dog. The small brown mutt yipped and circled Cupcake playfully, who danced with equal enthusiasm, until their respective owners carried on their way.
Tia was waiting at the condo entrance. They were meeting for lunch.
“No Hiro?” asked Byron.
“He’s still worried Connie is mad at him,” replied Tia.
“I’m not mad,” said Connie. “I’m really not. He might’ve been a thoughtless idiot, but he helped us confront some real issues.”
“Well, then I guess you might even say I did you a favor,” said Hiro from behind her.
Cupcake squealed and bared her fangs. Connie calmed the mutant with a hand on her snout.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m not going to kill you.” She grinned. “Not today, anyway.”
Cupcake growled, licking her maw in Hiro’s direction.
“I never doubted you two would work it out.” He hobbled to Tia’s side. The hobble was for show, to remind Connie that she’d broken his leg in the first place. The transparent appeal to her sympathy wasn’t lost on her.
Thunder cracked in the cloudless sky as a green lightning bolt blasted the middle of the street. An interdimensional rift opened on the spot, grinding traffic to a halt. A minor pileup ensued, with cars smacking each other’s bumpers.
A skeleton in black robes stepped through the portal. She raised a gnarled staff sizzling with magic over her head and cackled.
“Behold, mortal fools, your new mistress has arrived! And with my endless undead hordes, I shall sweep across your world extinguishing all cruel life, bringing the beautiful mercy of death!”
“So much for lunch,” said Byron.
Connie unhooked Cupcake’s leash. “Sic her.”
Cupcake pounced on the sorceress, whose shrieks of terror were cut short as her bones were scattered about.
“Maybe we should keep her after all,” said Connie.
The skull landed at her feet. The sorceress glared. “I shall see you all fed to my army of death.”
A few more skeleton warriors lurched through the portal.
Cupcake loped over and dropped the staff at Connie’s feet. She scratched the mutant behind the ear. “Good girl.” She picked up the staff and fired a blast of eldritch energies that disintegrated the skeletons.
“You can do magic now?” asked Tia.
“It’s mostly the staff,” replied Connie, waving it over her head. Red and orange clouds materialized, rumbling in the sky. “Looks like we’ll have to close this portal from the other side. Sorry, honey.”
“It’s fine,” Byron said. “Hiro and I will grab something to eat while you ladies do your thing. But don’t think an interdimensional undead invasion is getting you out of meeting my parents.”
“I’ll be there.” She pulled him close and kissed him. “You’re the best.”
“I know. Now go save the world.”
Connie and Tia and Cupcake stood before the portal. Cupcake slavered, snapping her jaws, growling. Tia held the sorceress’s skull under her arm.
“Should we take this with us?”
Connie used the staff to shatter another skeletal invader. “Couldn’t hurt.”
Tia asked, “This might be a dumb question, but do we have a plan for getting back once the door is closed?”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out. I’m not worried.” She slapped Tia on the shoulder. “I’ve got backup.”
Tia grabbed a sword and shook off the skeletal hand still holding it. “Let’s do it.”
“You shall die, fools,” said the sorceress.
“Someday,” Connie said with a smile. “But not today.”
CONSTANCE VERITY WILL RETURN.
About the Author
A. Lee Martinez was born in El Paso, Texas. He enjoys juggling, origami, skulking, and time travel. Visit him at aleemartinez.com.
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ALSO BY A. LEE MARTINEZ
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. • Text copyright © 2018 by Alex Martinez • Jacket illustration copyright © 2018 by Jon Picacio • Author photograph copyright © 2018 by Sally Hamilton • All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Saga Press Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 • SAGA PRESS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc. • For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com. • The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com. • Also available in a Saga Press paperback edition • CIP data for this book is available from the Library of Congress. • ISBN 978-1-4814-4354-8 (hardcover) • ISBN 978-1-4814-4355-5 (pbk) • ISBN 978-1-4814-4356-2 (eBook)