Fates 06 - Totally Spellbound

by Kristine Grayson

  When it became clear that he couldn’t, he joined Richard the Lionhearted in his crusade against the infidels, only to learn that there weren’t infidels, only different systems of belief, and that the people he’d always thought of as his people were really very different from him.

  They had no magic, and he did.

  He was part of a special class after all.

  And, as he had always done, he eventually rejected that class, and used his powers to help those less fortunate without resorting to ruling them, directing them, or controlling them.

  His people.

  He had no people. He wanted no people. He only wanted to live his life his way.

  “Good argument, Aunt Megan,” Kyle whispered. “But it probably wasn’t the most effective.”

  She shrugged and smiled at the boy. Her love for him was so obvious that it made Rob’s heart twist. So many children didn’t have that kind of love.

  “Then what would be effective?” she whispered back, even though she glanced sideways at Rob, and clearly knew he was listening.

  The boy squared his shoulders and turned to Rob. “The Fates say that true love is at stake. For some people, love is all they get. They don’t get money, they don’t get superpowers, they just get love. You want to make that go away? Because the Fates say that’s what’ll happen if you don’t help them.”

  Rob felt that heat rise in his face again.

  “I’d hear them out, boss,” John said, putting the sarcastic emphasis on “boss” that he’d been using for the last century or so.

  “You hear them out,” Rob said, “and then send them back home, wherever home is.”

  “What’re you gonna do?” John asked.

  “A little research of my own,” Rob said. He extended a hand to Megan. “You want to help me?”

  He wasn’t exactly sure why he offered, except that he didn’t want to leave her presence. Maybe that was enough.

  “I guess,” she said. “So long as I can bring Kyle.”

  “No,” Kyle said. “I want to stay with the Fates and Mr. Little.”

  Megan looked at the boy with surprise. “We don’t know Mr. Little.”

  “I do. He’s really nice. C’mon, Aunt Meg. You can tell that. Besides, the Fates’ll be here.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” she said, glancing at Rob.

  “John can handle them,” Rob said to her, softly, knowing that her fears were more about the Fates now that he’d scared her with them.

  “I know.” She bit a cuticle. The movement was clearly a nervous habit. “It’s just that Travers left Kyle in my charge…”

  “I got to get back to let Fang out anyway,” Kyle said. “I don’t want to go on a mission.”

  Rob started. He hadn’t realized that he had been thinking that word, but he had, deep down. He felt like he had a mission.

  “Besides,” Kyle said. “Mr. Little thinks the two of you need time alone. He thinks you’re the best thing—”

  “Kid!” John snapped. “Enough already.”

  Megan glanced at her nephew, then glanced at John. She was obviously intrigued.

  So was Rob.

  “Why don’t you tell us what you think, Mr. Little?” Megan asked.

  John looked trapped. Rob would have laughed if he hadn’t recognized the expression. John always had this look when he was afraid he’d offend someone.

  John shook his head. “I can’t.”

  “It’s okay,” Rob said, wondering if he wasn’t making a mistake. “Tell her what you think, Little John.”

  Fifteen

  Megan’s stomach clenched. Something in Rob’s tone told her that she might not like what John was going to say.

  She looked at John, mostly so that she wouldn’t have to look at Rob. She could get lost in Rob’s eyes, forget where she was, forget what she was doing.

  She couldn’t afford that at the moment. She was slow on the uptake, but she was beginning to realize that she had stumbled into something momentous, and she would have to act accordingly.

  Kyle took her hand and squeezed it. The door kept banging against the wall. Those poor women, locked in there, unable to get out. They must be panicked.

  Even if they did deserve that imprisonment, at least from Rob’s point of view.

  John looked at Megan sideways, his expression sheepish. He was such a large man. She finally understood all the jokes that had filtered down through history; John Little was anything but.

  Although he was a gentle giant. She had probably hurt his feelings by implying that Kyle couldn’t stay with him because she didn’t know him.

  “I think, Miss,” John Little said to Megan, his tone oddly courtly, “that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Robin.”

  Meg’s stomach clenched worse than it had a moment ago. How could she be the best thing? She’d only just met the man.

  Then she caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye. He had stiffened, his body posture so formal that it looked as if he might break if she touched him.

  There was a shadow of the expression she had seen on his face in that old memory which he had played for her like a movie when they’d been in her condo. He had looked so shattered. She had never seen a man so shattered.

  And the remnants of that emotion were with him still.

  “I can’t be.” She made sure she was facing John Little instead of Rob. “I haven’t happened to him at all.”

  John Little bowed slightly. “But you have, Miss. You’ve already seen his magic, and he’s taken care of you.”

  There that phrase was again. She didn’t like it, but this time, she didn’t say anything.

  “He doesn’t take care of just anyone, Miss.”

  If he was Robin Hood—the real Robin Hood—didn’t that mean he took care of everyone? Or he had at one time?

  Didn’t that mean she was just one of many?

  She bit her lower lip, then started to chew it. The moment she tasted blood, she stopped.

  Old habits. Why in the world were old habits coming up now?

  “I’ll be okay, Aunt Meg,” Kyle said again. “It’s okay. We need to help the Fates.”

  As if the Fates had heard him, the door that imprisoned them banged so hard that the entire wall shook.

  “Magic’s fading,” John Little said to Rob.

  Rob still had that expression. This couldn’t be easy for him, poor man. Especially not if those three women had deliberately destroyed his life.

  If Kyle was right—and why would he be wrong?—then there was a lot at stake here. Megan wasn’t even sure she believed in true love. Friendship, passion, long-term companionship, and yes, love, but not true love, not the Hollywood variety, not the stuff legends were made of.

  Although she had seen Rob’s devastated face. That love affair was part of a legend. An old, old legend. His love for a woman whom Megan had originally mistaken for his mother had been so powerful it had resounded through all of time.

  And now he needed her? She didn’t believe it.

  “Believe it, Aunt Meg,” Kyle whispered.

  His round face was upturned toward her. He seemed so vulnerable. She was trusting the judgment of an eleven-year-old. A precocious, psychic one, but an eleven-year-old nonetheless.

  “Aunt Meg…”

  Rob wasn’t saying anything. He wasn’t even looking at her. It was as if John’s words had frozen him.

  Maybe he didn’t want to influence her decision.

  AUNT MEG!!!!!!!!!!!

  Kyle yelled at her so loudly that she stumbled backward and nearly hit the wall. She covered her ears with both hands. Her eyes watered.

  She blinked at him, trying to catch her breath. A single tear ran down her face, but it wasn’t a tear of sadness.

  It was a tear of pain.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “Me.” Kyle straightened his shoulders. “The Fates taught me to do that. When I’m in trouble.”

  “Do what?” Ro
b had lost that rigidity. He had moved toward her as if he were going to help her, but she raised a single hand, keeping him back.

  “Children aren’t supposed to yell like that,” she said.

  “He didn’t yell.” Rob glanced at John for confirmation.

  John shrugged. “I didn’t hear anything.”

  “It’s broadcasting,” Kyle said, obviously pleased with himself. “Remember? I told you. You were doing it this morning, only not so loud. And I aimed mine. Yours was just out there, kinda general.”

  Aimed it? He made her ears ring, her eyes tear up, and her head ache with a single thought?

  She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

  “Don’t do that again,” she said. Her tone was a little harsh.

  Kyle grinned. “Unless I’m in trouble.”

  “Unless you’re in trouble.” But she wasn’t even sure about then.

  “So, see? It’s okay to leave me here with Mr. Little and the Fates. I can ask for help if I need it. And if you don’t come, I can do the same thing to Dad.”

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate that,” Meg mumbled.

  “He doesn’t like it any more than you do,” Kyle said, “but it works. Most of the time.”

  Rob came to her side, and pulled her up. She had been crouching, and she hadn’t even realized it.

  His touch was gentle. He smelled faintly of leather, even though he wasn’t wearing any.

  “John has never hurt a child in his life,” Rob said. “And we won’t be gone too long, I promise. John has enough magic to handle the Fates, and your nephew can get home in time to take care of his dog.”

  “Fang! Dang!” Kyle glanced at his watch. “Aunt Meg, it’s nearly emergency time.”

  She frowned at him. There would be more emergencies, and they were planned? How come no one told her about that?

  “No, Aunt Meg. For Fang. If he makes too many messes, he’ll cost us extra money, and you know how Dad hates that.”

  She did know, which was why she had been surprised about the suites in the first place.

  She had no idea why the potential dog emergency convinced her more than all the other arguments had, but it did.

  “All right,” she said. Then she took a deep breath, and did the responsible thing. “But I want you to dig another hole in my brain if something goes wrong, all right?”

  Kyle wrinkled his nose. “Gross. I can’t do that. But I’ll broadcast at you, okay?”

  That was what she had meant. She hadn’t expected him to take it literally. “Okay.”

  “Good.” Rob nodded at her and at John. “Megan and I will do some preliminary work. John, you get those Fates out of here, and get the boy back to his dog before there’s a costly puddle. I’ll meet up with you when we’re done.”

  Megan’s stomach had now tied itself into knots. “How long will we be gone?”

  Rob shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’ll make sure it’s not as long as it seems.”

  Fifteen

  Megan’s stomach clenched. Something in Rob’s tone told her that she might not like what John was going to say.

  She looked at John, mostly so that she wouldn’t have to look at Rob. She could get lost in Rob’s eyes, forget where she was, forget what she was doing.

  She couldn’t afford that at the moment. She was slow on the uptake, but she was beginning to realize that she had stumbled into something momentous, and she would have to act accordingly.

  Kyle took her hand and squeezed it. The door kept banging against the wall. Those poor women, locked in there, unable to get out. They must be panicked.

  Even if they did deserve that imprisonment, at least from Rob’s point of view.

  John looked at Megan sideways, his expression sheepish. He was such a large man. She finally understood all the jokes that had filtered down through history; John Little was anything but.

  Although he was a gentle giant. She had probably hurt his feelings by implying that Kyle couldn’t stay with him because she didn’t know him.

  “I think, Miss,” John Little said to Megan, his tone oddly courtly, “that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Robin.”

  Meg’s stomach clenched worse than it had a moment ago. How could she be the best thing? She’d only just met the man.

  Then she caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye. He had stiffened, his body posture so formal that it looked as if he might break if she touched him.

  There was a shadow of the expression she had seen on his face in that old memory which he had played for her like a movie when they’d been in her condo. He had looked so shattered. She had never seen a man so shattered.

  And the remnants of that emotion were with him still.

  “I can’t be.” She made sure she was facing John Little instead of Rob. “I haven’t happened to him at all.”

  John Little bowed slightly. “But you have, Miss. You’ve already seen his magic, and he’s taken care of you.”

  There that phrase was again. She didn’t like it, but this time, she didn’t say anything.

  “He doesn’t take care of just anyone, Miss.”

  If he was Robin Hood—the real Robin Hood—didn’t that mean he took care of everyone? Or he had at one time?

  Didn’t that mean she was just one of many?

  She bit her lower lip, then started to chew it. The moment she tasted blood, she stopped.

  Old habits. Why in the world were old habits coming up now?

  “I’ll be okay, Aunt Meg,” Kyle said again. “It’s okay. We need to help the Fates.”

  As if the Fates had heard him, the door that imprisoned them banged so hard that the entire wall shook.

  “Magic’s fading,” John Little said to Rob.

  Rob still had that expression. This couldn’t be easy for him, poor man. Especially not if those three women had deliberately destroyed his life.

  If Kyle was right—and why would he be wrong?—then there was a lot at stake here. Megan wasn’t even sure she believed in true love. Friendship, passion, long-term companionship, and yes, love, but not true love, not the Hollywood variety, not the stuff legends were made of.

  Although she had seen Rob’s devastated face. That love affair was part of a legend. An old, old legend. His love for a woman whom Megan had originally mistaken for his mother had been so powerful it had resounded through all of time.

  And now he needed her? She didn’t believe it.

  “Believe it, Aunt Meg,” Kyle whispered.

  His round face was upturned toward her. He seemed so vulnerable. She was trusting the judgment of an eleven-year-old. A precocious, psychic one, but an eleven-year-old nonetheless.

  “Aunt Meg…”

  Rob wasn’t saying anything. He wasn’t even looking at her. It was as if John’s words had frozen him.

  Maybe he didn’t want to influence her decision.

  AUNT MEG!!!!!!!!!!!

  Kyle yelled at her so loudly that she stumbled backward and nearly hit the wall. She covered her ears with both hands. Her eyes watered.

  She blinked at him, trying to catch her breath. A single tear ran down her face, but it wasn’t a tear of sadness.

  It was a tear of pain.

  “What was that?” she asked.

  “Me.” Kyle straightened his shoulders. “The Fates taught me to do that. When I’m in trouble.”

  “Do what?” Rob had lost that rigidity. He had moved toward her as if he were going to help her, but she raised a single hand, keeping him back.

  “Children aren’t supposed to yell like that,” she said.

  “He didn’t yell.” Rob glanced at John for confirmation.

  John shrugged. “I didn’t hear anything.”

  “It’s broadcasting,” Kyle said, obviously pleased with himself. “Remember? I told you. You were doing it this morning, only not so loud. And I aimed mine. Yours was just out there, kinda general.”

  Aimed it? He made her ears ring, her eyes tear up, and her head
ache with a single thought?

  She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

  “Don’t do that again,” she said. Her tone was a little harsh.

  Kyle grinned. “Unless I’m in trouble.”

  “Unless you’re in trouble.” But she wasn’t even sure about then.

  “So, see? It’s okay to leave me here with Mr. Little and the Fates. I can ask for help if I need it. And if you don’t come, I can do the same thing to Dad.”

  “I’m sure he’d appreciate that,” Meg mumbled.

  “He doesn’t like it any more than you do,” Kyle said, “but it works. Most of the time.”

  Rob came to her side, and pulled her up. She had been crouching, and she hadn’t even realized it.

  His touch was gentle. He smelled faintly of leather, even though he wasn’t wearing any.

  “John has never hurt a child in his life,” Rob said. “And we won’t be gone too long, I promise. John has enough magic to handle the Fates, and your nephew can get home in time to take care of his dog.”

  “Fang! Dang!” Kyle glanced at his watch. “Aunt Meg, it’s nearly emergency time.”

  She frowned at him. There would be more emergencies, and they were planned? How come no one told her about that?

  “No, Aunt Meg. For Fang. If he makes too many messes, he’ll cost us extra money, and you know how Dad hates that.”

  She did know, which was why she had been surprised about the suites in the first place.

  She had no idea why the potential dog emergency convinced her more than all the other arguments had, but it did.

  “All right,” she said. Then she took a deep breath, and did the responsible thing. “But I want you to dig another hole in my brain if something goes wrong, all right?”

  Kyle wrinkled his nose. “Gross. I can’t do that. But I’ll broadcast at you, okay?”

  That was what she had meant. She hadn’t expected him to take it literally. “Okay.”

  “Good.” Rob nodded at her and at John. “Megan and I will do some preliminary work. John, you get those Fates out of here, and get the boy back to his dog before there’s a costly puddle. I’ll meet up with you when we’re done.”