“Really, Gillian, we meant no harm.” Helgi’s eyes were wide.
“I said fine. Let’s keep moving.”
To have Garm, the scariest- looking Wolf any of them had ever seen, and Helgi, white Bear extraordinaire, both squirming under Gillian’s level glare made Pavel laugh. Unfortunately, it came out as more of a choking cough from his canine larynx. Kimber pounded him on the back.
“You’d better watch yourself too. I might get a hankering for a Wolf pelt for my bed.” She scowled at him.
“Don’t underestimate the power of a hungry, pregnant Marine.” Daed laughed. “They need food and probably a little rest.”
Gillian was too distracted thinking about where the hell Jenna was in Prague to argue with him or to appreciate the beauty of the city they were stomping through. She figured they’d all feel better after having something to eat. Even Daed’s step was less than springy.
Prague was a crown jewel in the cities of Eastern Europe. It was a thriving metropolis with pristine streets, remarkable history, friendly people and amazing sights. A modern city with its roots firmly in the past. Cobblestones and automobiles, horse-drawn carriages and cell phones: all were a welcome sight after trudging through the woods for several hours.
Trocar had vanished at the edge of town, promising to keep within shouting distance. The Grael was too well-known as one of Gillian’s regular companions and didn’t want to attract unwanted attention to their escapade by parading through the streets. He planned on joining them for food, but for now he’d scout ahead with Dagr.
Dagr stayed as close as possible to the unseen Grael. He was there more as an intermediary between the party’s two locations than anything. The Elves had their own methods of communication and didn’t need visual aids to keep in touch. Dagr took a few moments outside town to activate his contacts with the Sidhe and the Elves in the area. Arrangements were being made to accommodate any number of possibilities. He also put the word out about locating Father Daily’s current retreat.
Hreidmar and Kelda had stolen, or rather commandeered, a horse and wagon from a farm on the edge of the forest. Gill wasn’t happy about it until they left a sizable bag of gold for the owners and a note that promised the return of their property. The Dwarves drove into the Old Town section of Prague, near Josefov, the Old Jewish section of the city, causing quite a stir as Kelda smiled and waved at the gawkers. With a female Dwarf casually driving through town in a horse-drawn carriage, a crowd of local press soon gathered, jogging after the cart as Hreidmar moved leisurely around the city. Bless the Dwarves. They were true to their word, creating a distraction any political figure or public personality would envy.
With the majority of the city’s attention elsewhere, Gillian felt remaining in the Old Town area might be the safest way for them to avoid Bartholomew Daily and his friends. She didn’t know why. It was just a feeling that abruptly started when they entered the area. Years of dealing with weird shit and situations had taught her to rely heavily on those feelings.
Hopefully they could locate Jenna’s whereabouts without arousing too much suspicion, and hopefully she was safely secured away from wherever her puppet master was located. The sector had less vehicle traffic to contend with, and a smashing open-air market. Josefov was glorious with old synagogues, a world- famous astrological clock and a beautifully kept ancient cemetery. There were dozens of eateries around the area as well. She was following her nose and her stomach.
“Look!” Gill pointed and veered off diagonally from their current path.
“It’s perfect!” Kimber took off after her at a dead limp.
Daed followed closely, trotting after the two women as they headed for a place called Bed Lounge Bar and Restaurant. He rolled his eyes. Two gorgeous women, neither of whom was interested in him romantically, and they were headed for a place to eat with beds. It figured.
He caught up with the women in the doorway of the café. Gillian was following the hostess to the continuous bed wrapping around the walls of the restaurant. The interior was lit with soothing sea green lights. An entire wall of white linen covered a huge bed that curved around the dimensions of the restaurant. White acrylic trays were strategically placed at the foot of the beds. Gill and Kimber scrambled up on the huge linen expanse and fluffed their pillows. Pavel curled up next to Kimber.
“Only you could find a restaurant like this,” Daed groused. He still sank gratefully down onto the softer-than-it-should-be mattress and leaned back against the pillows, mirroring Gillian and Kimber. Garm and Helgi took places across from the rest of the group so they could keep an eye on things.
“Are you bitching?” Gill accepted the menu from the hostess.
“Nope. Just making a statement.”
“Jenna would love this place,” Gillian mused. She wanted to eat just enough to fuel up and then get moving. Feeling crappy was not helping her mood. She was going to have to learn how to balance her lifestyle with her hormones.
“They have shrimp!” Kimber squealed.
“So they do,” a silky voice said next to Gillian’s feet.
The approaching waitress nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Dammit, Trocar. Cut that out. We’re starving and this is the most perfect restaurant idea in the world.” Gillian shoved the Dark Elf as he seemingly materialized out of thin air.
“If food is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it.” Trocar wriggled in between the two women, putting his arms around both of them.
“You’re not staying.”
“Yes, I am. Your Vampire would kill me if I let anything happen to you. I will order lunch, let you eat your food and I will be here with Daed, Garm and Helgi to watch over you. Tonight will be a busy night, make no mistake.”
The waitress, who looked to be fully Human, was practically drooling on Trocar’s boots. He turned on the high beams, smiling at her. Gillian watched with amusement as the woman’s eyes predictably glazed over. Trocar translated their orders and made arrangements for them to eat and rest undisturbed.
“I didn’t know you spoke Czech.”
“I have many skills. Besides, what would our relationship be without a little mystery, Petal?” He grinned at her.
“You’re an ass,” Gill said affably.
“You love me.”
“Occasionally, yes.” She scrunched around to get more comfortable, removing Trocar’s arm from across her shoulders. “Hands to yourself. I remember what happened last time we were in bed together.”
“Ah, yes, our British adventure.”
“What happened again?” Kimber mumbled from her side of the Elf.
“He grabbed my boob when Aleksei came in—that’s what. It was a magical moment. Wait a minute, you were there in the next room with our token Wolf.”
Gillian’s tone would have been more biting if she hadn’t been so exhausted. Who knew being pregnant and walking seven or eight miles could wipe her out? She mentally kicked herself for being a slack-ass.
“Shit, that’s right. I forgot.” Kimber sighed.
“You’re just hungry. Your brain cells are starving.”
Gillian hoped the traditional levity they kept up would help them keep from thinking about what could possibly be happening to Jenna.
Once a Marine, always a Marine. The standard operating procedure was that the more dire the situation, the more jokes and bullshit were flying around. She figured they were doing so well needling each other that Jenna had to be in one hell of a mess. Gallows humor, for the win.
The waitress appeared again, with two more waitstaff behind her. All were carrying loaded trays. Trocar had ordered enough food for a small army. There were platters of Kimber’s requested shrimp; two types of soup: broccoli and chicken; lamb chops with mashed potatoes; gallons of water and tea; and a dessert platter so beautiful, it nearly made Gillian cry.
For a time, the only sound from the group was chewing and making happy noises as they ate. Kimber was shoveling food in as fast as she could chew and swall
ow without choking on the large pieces. Gillian forced herself to eat, knowing that keeping her strength up was good for both the baby and her own survival. Since Pavel was still in Wolf form, they all tossed him choice bits off their plates.
After eating and making herself catnap, Gillian suggested they split up and see what kind of information they could gather individually on Bartholomew Daily. She was vetoed immediately by Trocar, Kimber and Daed.
“There is no way I am letting you go off on your own, Captain.” Trocar’s normally smooth brow furrowed slightly.
“It was bad enough following you for your Ripper suicide mission in Sacele, but I am not going to explain to your Vampire why I let his pregnant fiancée get mangled in Prague because she insisted on individual data acquisition.”
“And I’m not sewing you up again. There is a limit to the types of anesthesia I can use on pregnant women. We’d have to risk exposure in the hospital if you get yourself seriously wounded.” Daed scowled.
“Oh, hell no! I am not going through a pregnancy on my own if you get yourself killed. Besides, it’s your fault that I’m pregnant in the first place,” Kimber griped.
Pavel’s lupine face registered shock. If his eyebrows had been as mobile in Wolf form as they were in Human form, they’d have been up in his hairline.
Gillian laughed. “She means because of the healing, Pavel. Don’t worry; your stud status is intact.”
He panted happily and licked Kimber’s face. She pushed him off impatiently. “Ew! Dog germs!”
“All right, you guys win,” Gillian conceded. “We’ll stay together.”
“You stay together, and I will continue shadowing you as before. Dagr has his own network looking for Daily’s lair and for Jenna, in case she’s being kept separately. He will meet us in Old Town shortly, hopefully with a guide.” Trocar gave another mock salute, paid the waitress as she handed him the bill, then walked out into the bright sunlight of Prague and vanished.
“How does he do that?” Helgi gasped.
“I have no idea. I’ve seen him do it for years and I still can’t figure it out. He told me once that people only see what they are expecting to see and that Elves generally take advantage of that.” Gillian shrugged.
“It’s still unsettling whenever he does it.” Kimber nodded.
“Will you please get over to Old Town and into the Old Jewish Sector?” Trocar purred next to Gillian’s ear.
Everyone jumped, including Pavel. He had the decency to look embarrassed. A Shifter in Wolf form who couldn’t detect a well-known companion ought to be discomfited.
“Shit! Dammit, Trocar. I’ve told you not to do that.” Gill punched the suddenly visible Grael in the arm.
“And I have asked you not to look so delicious. I think we are even.” Trocar blew her a kiss and sauntered off with a flip of his cape, remaining fully visible this time.
“I really hate him sometimes,” Gillian grumbled. She shifted her pack to a more comfortable position on her shoulder and marched off after the Dark Elf.
Daed was still laughing after Trocar’s quip and nearly tripped over Pavel. The Wolf was sitting directly in the doorway of the restaurant, doing the lupine version of giggles with Kimber leaning on him, snorting back her own laughter.
“Come on; let’s follow pumpkin before she dismembers Trocar in the street.”
“I heard that!” Gillian called back. She scratched the back of her head with her middle finger, knowing that Daed would catch it.
“I can see that!”
“Good! It means your vision hasn’t gone to hell yet!”
The Dark Elf led them deep into the Josefov section of Old Town. Here some of the buildings dated back to the tenth century. Six ancient synagogues, a Jewish cemetery, an old ceremonial hall and what was known as the Old Jewish Town Hall were located here.
Gillian stopped and looked upward. She pointed to a clock high on the top of the Old Town Hall.
“That’s the Astronomical Clock. I’ve read about this. It’s a representation of the Earth, but the local view of the sky. See the Zodiac ring? It moves counterclockwise from the rest of the clock with the Sun on it. The Moon ring goes much faster. The outer ring shows Czech lettering for a twenty-four-hour clock. This is so cool! I’ve always wanted to see that.”
They all took a moment to admire the clock, hoping to look like tourists. It was indeed beautiful and fun to watch. The ancient engineering feat was a strong tourist draw, and soon the little group found themselves surrounded by fellow travelers taking pictures.
Fueled by a little rest and wonderful food, Gillian’s brain clicked on.
“Wait a minute. I know this area. I studied it in Midrasha,” she announced.
“In where?” Kimber asked.
“It’s a Jewish educational program for teenagers to teach us about our heritage.”
“Do you speak Hebrew?” Daed wanted to know. Some of the signs around the area were in both Hebrew and Czech.
“Just the prayers. I’m Reform, not Orthodox.” Gill was tapping her finger against her teeth, thinking.
“There’s the Old Jewish Town Hall, so there should be a cemetery nearby, plus several old synagogues. Look, there’s a ticket stand over there. Do you guys mind if we continue to look around a little bit . . . like in a tour group?”
Joining a tour would give them better anonymity before their rendezvous with Aleksei, Osiris and Vlad. Plus, they needed to reconnect with Hreidmar and Kelda. Daed went to get tickets. He asked the vendor if they could be kept together in a private tour group. Something on a newspaper lying on the counter of the booth caught his eye.
“Pumpkin!” Daed called and beckoned to Gillian.
She repressed the desire to kill him on the spot when she realized he wouldn’t call out her real name when they were trying to be covert.
“Coming, sugar!” She waved cheerfully and walked to where he was.
Daed pointed to the paper, paid the vendor and handed Gill one of the tickets. “Looks like things are going well in Romania.”
On the front page of the paper was a distance shot of Mirrin and Dorian, walking hand in hand on a moonlit beach. The caption was in Czech, of course, but the names Aleksei Rachlav and Gillian Key were easy to make out. The press coverage they’d been after and the establishment of their alibi was working as planned. Good. Hopefully Father Daily would be privy to the local media and believe that Gillian and Aleksei were safely at a resort in their home Country.
Dagr soon came striding up out of the maze of streets. Hreidmar and Kelda scurried along in his wake. Evidently Elves had excellent homing beacons. Finding them in even this section of the city couldn’t have been easy. After welcoming back their friends and congratulating them on a marvelous distraction, a local Sidhe named Evzen joined them. He was sporting a name tag from the tour vendor.
“Good afternoon, my friends. I will be honored to point out some of the more fascinating sites of our fair city.” Evzen was tall and lovely, but with the wiry muscles of a Fey warrior underneath his tightly fitted shirt and jeans. His hair was an interesting mix of dark rust and bright orange, complementing his deep violet eyes.
Soon they were roaming through one spectacular synagogue after another. Evzen was very enthusiastic about his knowledge of Prague, leading them around the larger crowds via back alleyways and narrow passages.
Dagr waited until Gillian stopped to look at an ancient flag displayed in the Old New Synagogue. He whispered as discreetly as he could, “Evzen is a friend.”
“I figured that. But thanks for telling me,” Gillian whispered back.
Dagr smiled and went back to admiring the artifacts around the synagogue. Gillian continued her rounds as well, her empathy twitching madly at her. Some “Thing” was making it twitch. It wasn’t Jenna and it wasn’t a nearby unknown Vampire . . . or Shifter . . . or Fey. The feeling was strongest here, in this very synagogue. It felt . . . off, in some way. Her mind was whirling, trying to sort through her feelings,
thoughts and memories while she listened to Evzen.
There was a story . . . something that happened in Prague a long time ago. Something she should remember. Damn pregnancy hormones. She felt like she was riding the little bus to combat school. What the hell did she need to remember? Bah!
“This way, everyone.” Evzen waited for his charges to follow him outside. He led them around through an alleyway to an extremely old cemetery, stopping at one of the ancient graves. The tombstone was made of salmon-colored granite and was covered with weathered Hebraic script.
“Here is the most famous grave in the cemetery. Rabbi Judah Loew is credited with saving the city of Prague, or at least this section of it, during a pogrom initiated by the emperor in the sixteenth century.” Evzen’s English was flawless and his voice soothing and musical.
Something clicked in Gillian’s mind as she listened. She remembered! It gave her hope that she wasn’t going to be spending her pregnancy blathering due to exhaustion, lack of caffeine and permanent nicotine deprivation.
“The Golem! I remember that story!” she said louder than she meant to.
Evzen laughed. “You are correct! The Golem indeed is a permanent inhabitant of the Old New Synagogue. It remains in the Genizah, ready to defend again, if invoked.”
“Golem? You mean a literal Creature made from clay?” Daed asked him.
“Yes, I do.” Evzen nodded. “Should I tell him the legend, or would you like to, Gillian?”
“No, you go right ahead. They’re all probably sick of hearing my voice anyway.” Gillian grinned. She was terribly pleased with herself that she had funneled a memory from her teen years into the reality of what she was feeling. No wonder she was getting odd vibes inside the synagogue. The Creature was deactivated, but Its latent power was definitely still present.
Evzen recounted the tale of how Rabbi Loew, in an effort to protect the Jewish population from a vicious anti-Semitic army, had created the Golem. He called It to life and unleashed It on the unsuspecting enemy. The Creature had devastated the army, protecting the synagogue and the rabbi’s people. Eventually the emperor appealed to Rabbi Loew to destroy the Creature.
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