Mystic Warrior
Page 29
“Actually, I have.”
“When?”
“After you had your pain meds. They put you out for hours and you snore unbearably.”
“I don’t snore.”
“You do.” Actually, he didn’t, but Annja didn’t like Roux feeling he was too perfect.
“Well, if I snore, I should be allowed. It’s probably the damage from being shot.”
“If you say so.”
“Has Garin been here?”
Annja smiled at the neediness in Roux’s voice. During the surgeries, Garin hadn’t left the hospital. He’d even flown in specialists to follow up on Roux’s recovery, though Roux didn’t know that.
Garin had also spent part of the first few days dealing with Sabre Race. Even as evil and twisted as his brother had turned out to be, Sabre had lost family and that loss had hit the young man hard. Garin helped him through some of it, and worked out the legal issues so Sabre could return home.
She wasn’t sure, but she believed Garin had given Sabre some of his share of the treasure.
Despite her gentle but insistent questioning, Garin hadn’t talked much about his time with Sabre Race or the man’s ancestors. Whatever Garin had experienced back in those days of the Black Legion, he was hanging on to it.
For now. Annja hoped to get the story one day.
“Garin’s been here every day,” she told Roux.
“I haven’t seen him.”
“You sleep a lot. He already knew you snored. He said it’s the worst he’s ever heard.”
“Garin will lie to you.” Roux turned the page, allowing Annja to see the photographs of the castle ruins above the fold. He wouldn’t say so, but he didn’t mind preening over the success of their quest. “Has he been back out to the treasure room?”
“He has.”
“And you’ve made certain one of my people has been with him every time?”
“I have.”
“Because he’ll rob you blind if he thinks he can get away with it.”
“Roux, he carried you out of the castle.”
“You could have carried me out of the castle.”
“He wouldn’t let me.”
“Maybe you could have insisted a little more strongly.”
Annja thought about arguing that point, but Garin pushed the breakfast cart out onto the balcony. The covered dishes gleamed in the morning light.
“I saw the waitstaff outside your door and thought I’d bring it.” Garin parked the cart by the table and sat, then helped himself to a plate. “I figured I’d join you for breakfast. Annja said you were up and around.”
“Did you pay for that meal?” Roux asked.
“Of course not. I signed off on your room number.” Garin didn’t hesitate about piling his plate high.
Roux appeared on the point of arguing, but Annja crossed to the table and sat. “There’s enough to go around,” she said, and started preparing a plate for Roux.
“That’s what I keep telling the old skinflint about the treasure we found in the castle, too.” Garin glared at Roux.
“You would never have found that treasure if it hadn’t been for—”
“Me, actually,” Annja said. “I’m the one who figured out where the treasure was. And I say there’s enough to share.” She looked meaningfully at Garin. “Even after the tax people get through with it.”
Garin nodded sullenly. He had wanted to “disappear” the treasure before any of the authorities got a chance to make an accounting of it.
“Neither of you needs a treasure.” Annja fixed a plate for herself. “You both have treasures enough to last you several lifetimes. Money isn’t an issue. You both just love the hunt.”
Neither of them disagreed with her.
“That said, during my little sojourns away from the apartment, I happened across a legend in one of those books Childeric III had saved in his vault.” Annja buttered a piece of toast and knew without looking that she had the full attention of both men. “I thought maybe we could discuss whether it was worth following up on a legend concerning Saint Eligius. I trust you’ve heard of him?”
“He’s the patron saint of goldsmiths,” Garin said. “Of course I’ve heard of him.”
“Well,” Annja said, “Childeric III came by an interesting story about Saint Eligius that involves a mystical caduceus and a misplaced temple dedicated to the Greek god Hermes. I thought we’d talk about that.”
As they ate and talked, it struck Annja she was a far cry from that orphan child who had grown up in New Orleans. She was a woman with a bright, interesting future.
And a family she could rely on.
* * * * *
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First edition November 2015
ISBN-13: 9781460385388
Mystic Warrior
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Mel Odom for his contribution to this work.
Copyright © 2015 by Worldwide Library
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