“I’m going to stumble upstairs for a shower. Can you put on the teakettle for me? Actually, never mind. Make me a double shot mocha if you would. I don’t think tea’s going to do the trick this morning.” Angel slowly made her way toward the hall. “You might want to try and wake Raven up as well.”
I hurried into the kitchen, every step jarring my brains, and turned on the espresso machine. Dropping four slices of bread in the toaster, I made my way back to the living room.
“Raven, hey Raven?” I said, shaking her arm. “Wake up. It’s time to go home, Raven. Come on.”
Raven muttered, then sprang up, her eyes wide.
“What?” She looked around, then shook her head. “Oh, we did it, didn’t we?”
I nodded. “Apparently we knocked back four bottles of dwarven champagne. I think that was about two bottles too many. Angel and I have to get ready to go into work. We’re three hours late and Herne is having a fit. I’m about to make mocha all around. Do you want some, and how many shots?”
Raven nodded. “I’ll take a quint shot. And do you have anything to soak up the bubbles that are still rolling around in my stomach? Bread would be good.”
“I’m making toast for all of us. Come on in the kitchen when you’re ready. Angel’s taking a shower, and you can freshen up in the hall bath if you’d like. I’ll take my shower after she’s done.” I headed back to the kitchen where the espresso machine was ready, and the first round of toast was done.
As I spread butter on the toast and bit into one of the slices, I threw four more slices in the toaster and began to pull Raven’s and my shots of espresso. Ten minutes later, I had fed Mr. Rumblebutt, and Raven and I were sitting at the kitchen table, mochas and toast in hand, while Angel’s mocha was awaiting her return.
“Well, we know how to party,” Raven said with a laugh.
“I’m afraid to see what would happen if we decided to really cut loose,” I said with a grin.
“We already did that and my walls had the ectoplasmic stains to prove it,” Raven said, shaking her head.
My headache was beginning to lift thanks to the caffeine, and the toast was settling the shockwaves that were still running through my system. “Do you want anything else to eat?”
“Eggs would be good, if you have any. Why don’t you take your mocha and go up and shower, and I’ll make us some eggs and bacon. I’m a competent cook.”
Raven was more than a competent cook. While she wasn’t as good as Angel, she had her own mad skills in the kitchen, much better than my own.
“Thanks. I think I’ll take you up on that.” I picked up my cold cup—iced mocha seemed a better choice than hot this morning—and headed up the stairs, meeting Angel as I turned on the landing.
“Raven is making eggs and bacon for breakfast. Your mocha’s on the table. I’m going to go take my shower now.”
Angel looked almost human, although her eyes were still bloodshot and she looked like she hadn’t had a good night sleep in a week.
“Thanks. I’ll meet you downstairs. What time is it?”
“Eleven-thirty. We have time for breakfast and then we can leave and get down to the agency before Morgana gets there. I warn you, though, Herne sounded like he was in a snit about us being late. He’s probably mad that we didn’t call. I think he was worried.”
By the time I was clean, dressed, and ready, Raven had called an LUD, and Angel and I were both more coherent, and a lot more grounded. Carrying the bow that I had got from my great-uncle, I slung my purse over my shoulder and grabbed my keys. We said good-bye to Raven as she waited for her ride, and Angel and I headed off to work.
Luckily, traffic was light and we arrived at the office at quarter after twelve. Talia was sitting at the desk, answering phones for Angel. She looked up as the elevator doors opened, a grin on her face. She stood, taking Angel’s key from her desk and going over and locking the elevator behind us.
“Break room. Now. Boy, are you two in trouble,” she said with a snort.
“Yeah, I got that feeling from Herne’s tone. I can’t believe we did that.” I straightened my shoulders, and glanced at Angel. “Are you ready to face the music?”
“About as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go.”
With Talia in the lead, we headed back to the break room. Herne, Yutani, and Viktor were already gathered around the table, eating lunch. It looked like someone had ordered chef’s salads, and the men didn’t look too happy. I glanced at Talia questioningly.
“I thought it be a good idea to get some vegetables into these guys. I didn’t know if you’d be hungry or not, so there are a couple salads in the fridge if you want them.” She carried her salad over to the table and sat down.
I decided I didn’t feel like playing rabbit today, so I just stood behind my chair, waiting until Herne looked up at me.
“We’re really sorry. I have no excuse except it was a hard day yesterday, and we decided to kick off steam last night. Unfortunately, we chose dwarven champagne to do it with.”
Viktor snickered. “How many bottles?”
I glanced at him. “Four. Mountain Kingdom. I had no idea it was so strong.”
Herne’s steely gaze slowly melted, and he burst out in a guffaw of laughter. “The three of you polished off four bottles of Mountain Kingdom champagne? No wonder you didn’t wake up this morning.”
“I woke up on the floor of the living room, Angel was passed out on the sofa, and Raven was in a chair. Believe me, it wasn’t pretty. After we left Navane, I was pretty shaken by the news about my grandmother.” I slid into the chair as Angel slid into hers. “Needless to say, I didn’t manage to get the crown. And with the notice that anybody breaking into the house would be executed if caught, I didn’t like the odds. But I did get the bow, and I had a very interesting talk with Sharne.” I leaned back in my chair. “I don’t think I’d mind talking to him again, to be honest.”
“What was he like?” Herne asked, stretching his legs out under the table, his hands clasped on his stomach.
“Apologetic. Nothing like Farthing, except in looks. To be truthful, I was kind of shocked. Not only did he willingly give me the bow, he told me a bit of its history. At least what he knew of it.” I set the bow gently on the table, feeling incredibly possessive of it. “Something happened when I held Serafina. That’s the bow’s name.” It was practically humming in my hands, and I mused about what it would be like to shoot it, to aim it and test it out.
Viktor whistled. “She’s a beauty, all right. How old is the bow?”
“I don’t know, and neither did Sharne. He thought it was about a thousand years old. My great-great-grandmother found it somewhere. I’d like to know more about its history, if possible.” A sudden premonition swept over me and I glanced at Herne. “What do you know about this bow?”
He leaned forward, smiling as he ran a finger down the smooth wood cross-piece, and gently plucked one of the strings. “I see she’s still in excellent condition.”
“What do you mean, still?” I asked.
Herne picked up the bow, holding it in his hands as he turned it around, looking at it from all angles. “I haven’t seen her in about a thousand years. I made this bow, Ember. I made it and then promptly lost it in the forest where your great-great-grandmother found it. I was watching from high in one of the trees overhead when she came along.”
“You made it? What…how…?” A sudden delight sprang over me. Serafina was Herne’s bow—and it had been passed down to me.
“I had set the bow down to take a leak behind a bush. I heard someone coming, and I didn’t feel like being seen, so I scrambled up one of the tall oaks. It was then that I remembered I had left my bow down on the ground, but it was too late. I watched through the leaves as your great-great-grandmother came along. She found the bow. I could have taken it from her, but she seemed so pleased, and I had other bows at home. I decided to just forget about it. I was in a hurry, anyway.
“But I overlooked how powerfu
l the bow was. Your grandmother used Serafina a number of ways that I regret. The bow will need a thorough cleansing before you start practicing with it.”
That, I hadn’t expected to hear. “But it belongs to you.”
“No, I left it behind long ago. Serafina seems to like your family. I can feel her purring toward you right now. She has a definite personality, and the minute you claimed her, she chose you as her new owner. She’s all yours. Take good care of her for me. My mother will help you cleanse the bow of any energy that shouldn’t be there.”
He handed me back the bow, and I carefully took her in my hands, cradling her. She fit my grip perfectly. It was as though Serafina had been made specifically for me. I could feel a quiet pulsing from the bow, through the wood, almost like a heartbeat.
Hello, I thought toward the bow, not expecting anything to happen in return. But it was worth a shot.
And then, slowly, a woman’s voice answered. Hello. What would you like me to do?
I blinked, quickly setting her back on the table. “She spoke to me again. She asked me what I want her to do.” I glanced up at Herne. “Is there a spirit trapped in the bow, or is that just the spirit of the bow?”
“You’re talking to the spirit of the bow. When I was making her, I harvested the wood from a magical forest known as Y’Bain. There’s more magic in one leaf of that forest than there is in the entire Olympic National Forest over on the peninsula. And there’s a lot of magic in the Olympics.”
Angel looked enchanted. “Is there a chance we’ll ever get to see the forest? I assume it’s in Annwn.”
Herne gave her a long look. “If you’d like to see Y’Bain, we can probably make that happen. I hope you like unicorns. And will-o’-the-wisps. The forest is filled with creatures, many of them deadly.” He broke out into a wide grin at that point.
Angel’s eyes widened. “You really have unicorns over there? Or are you pulling my leg?”
“You have unicorns over here. You just haven’t seen them yet. But trust me, unicorns are run-of-the-mill compared to some of the creatures found in Y’Bain. I’m serious. If you want to see the forest, at some point we’ll show it to you, although I wouldn’t be able to enter. The gods aren’t welcome within the forest proper.” He looked delighted that she had asked.
“She’s not going to see unicorns if I don’t get to see unicorns. You have to take both of us,” I interjected.
Yutani had been finishing his salad, and now he set down his fork. “To be honest, it sounds like a nice trip. Especially with all the crap that’s been happening here.” He pushed his dish away. “I’ll go get the laptop. I assume you’re going to want an update.” He stood, carrying his dish over to the sink where he rinsed it off, and then stacked it on the side. Then he disappeared out the door.
I glanced at the clock. It was almost one and Morgana was due soon. In fact, Yutani had no sooner exited than Morgana came in. Today she was wearing a flowing indigo gown, and her hair was caught back in massive braids and curls, woven through with seashells and pearls. She was in official dress, I thought.
“Mother,” Herne said, hurrying over to greet her. She took his hands and kissed him on the cheek.
“ Herne, it’s good to see you.” Morgana glanced around, nodding to each of us. “Ember, Angel, Talia, and Viktor—you as well.” She spied the bow on the table as she sat down beside me. “I see you actually managed to find the bow? Wonderful.” She reached for it, picking it up and running her hand over the wood. “I remember when you made this, Herne. It’s good to have it back where we can keep an eye on it.”
“Serafina chose Ember, Mother. I don’t think we’re going to have any problems along those lines.” Herne beamed. He sounded both proud and relieved.
“Good.” Morgana placed the bow back on the table. “Ember, you need to begin practicing with this right away.”
“You’ll need to cleanse it first for her, Mother,” Herne said. “It’s still carrying residue energy from her father’s family. And you know what her great-great-grandmother was like.”
“Of course. And yes, it’s carrying trace signatures of their energy. I’ll cleanse it and return it later today. So, have you any news for us about the Tuathan Brotherhood?”
Yutani returned at that moment, Nalcops’s laptop in hand. He sat down, setting the laptop on the table. “Actually, I think I do. I found a cluster of hidden files. I’m trying to retrieve them. I can’t tell you exactly what they are yet, but I hope to be able to by tomorrow. I’m getting close, but I want to ensure that I don’t trigger any hidden viruses or trojans that will wipe them out. As we talked about earlier, it’s common for a lot of computer geeks trying to keep their work secret to encrypt files with self-destruct methods.”
“I see. Well, be cautious, but be as quick as you can. I don’t have to tell you how vital the information could be.” Morgana gazed into his eyes for a moment, then leaned across the table, her hand outstretched to him. “Take my hand, young coyote.”
Yutani placed his fingers in hers, looking worried. “Why? What’s wrong?”
Morgana closed her eyes, holding his hand lightly. Then she dropped his hand, sitting back. “Your father comes and goes on his own time, but you need to have a talk with him. His energy is strong within you, and just carrying the energy can cause havoc if you don’t know how to handle it. Ever since you discovered that he was your father, his blood has been rising within you. You have a great deal of potential, Yutani, and I’d hate to see you lash out, or go off half-cocked. Because, the truth is, you have a very quick temper.” There was a warning note in her voice that was hard to ignore, and Yutani lowered his gaze to the table, averting his eyes.
“It’s not my fault he won’t come when I call.”
“No, it isn’t. And neither is it your fault that he’s your father. He walks between worlds as easily as you walk down the sidewalk. It’s the nature of the Great Coyote to do so, but he owes you the knowledge of how to use the powers his blood bestows. I’ll ask Cernunnos to go in search of him, because you need direction, and he is the only one who can give it to you.” Morgana sounded serious.
Yutani straightened, and the sullen look banished from his face. “Thank you, Lady. I am so used to being blamed for the things that occur when I’m around, when I no more meant for them to happen than I’d mean for an earthquake to happen. I get used to being on the defense. It’s not often that people understand that I walk in chaos, but not through choice.”
“People can be cruel, and fear causes many a misunderstanding. Cernunnos will have a talk with the Great Coyote, and strongly suggest that he do his duty by you.” Morgana turned to me. “I’ll bring the bow back later this afternoon. Once I do, begin practicing with it. You need to learn how she works, especially since Serafina has chosen you for her owner.”
At that moment, my phone rang. I pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. It was Joffrey, a neighbor of ours. We didn’t know him very well, but he was home all day and he loved animals.
“Hold on a second, I’d better answer this.” I raised the phone to my ear. “Hello? This is Ember.”
“Ember, you have to come home right away. The fire department is here. Your house is on fire. The fire department’s here, and so are the police.”
I jumped up. “Mr. Rumblebutt is inside! Tell them to rescue my cat!”
“I already did. I think they got him out, but I’m not entirely sure. Come home now, though.”
I slammed the phone in my pocket, turning to Angel. “We have to go home, now! The house is on fire.”
And with that, the meeting was over as Angel and I raced toward my car. The others followed, promising to meet us there. All the way home, all I could think about was Mr. Rumblebutt, and if he was safe.
Chapter Eight
By the time Angel and I arrived home, the firemen had managed to put out the fire. I didn’t even look at the damage until I had spotted the fireman who was holding a makeshift cat carrier, with Mr. R. ins
ide. The cat looked decidedly grumpy, but unharmed.
“Oh, Mr. Rumblebutt, thank gods you’re safe.” I crouched by the box, crying as I made sure for myself that he was okay. I anxiously looked him over, but he seemed okay for the moment. There were no singe marks anywhere and he appeared to be breathing all right, though he looked terrified and was yowling up a storm.
“He’s okay?” Angel asked.
“Yeah, but I still want to take him to the vet to make certain.” When it came to Mr. Rumblebutt, I would rather spend extra money and reassure myself he was fine than find out later that I had overlooked something. He was the only family I really had, besides Angel. I put the cat carrier in my car, and then Angel and I walked over to the fire marshal.
“What happened? I can’t imagine what set off the fire. How bad is it?” I gingerly turned to our house, dreading seeing the damage.
Most of it looked intact, but left of the door, at the corners of the north and west walls, was blackened, parts of the siding burned away.
“How about the inside?”
“You can thank your neighbor it’s not worse. I’m pretty sure the structural stability is still intact, though I’ll check it out, of course. But your neighbor’s the real hero. He chased off the arsonist and called the fire department when he noticed something odd going on.”
I gasped. “Arsonist? You mean somebody deliberately tried to burn down our house?” I glanced at Angel, who looked as shocked as I felt.
“Yes, and we found a can of gasoline near the wall. You didn’t leave it there, did you?”
Angel shook her head. “We wouldn’t have any reason to leave gasoline outside. In fact, I don’t think we have any on hand at all. We live close enough to a service station to walk if we run out of gas.” She glanced at me. “Who the hell would do this?”
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