by Alexie Aaron
“Remember when we talked to Brian about the Martin rules?”
“Yes. Protect the nest.”
“Varden was listening.”
“But he was only a few months old, Mia.”
“That was the first time. I know I’ve discussed the rules before each activity Brian has gone to outside of the family. Varden just took it all in.”
“Mia, at this rate, these boys are going to be smarter than I am when they reach adulthood.”
“Or it may even out. Evolution may be in play. Maybe our children have to be smarter and quicker in order to survive.”
“That makes sense. I’m surprised…”
“That it came from me,” Mia said, lifting an eyebrow. “I’ll never be as smart as you, Cid, or Rand Templeton, but I’m not a box of rocks either.”
“How do I extract myself with both of my testicles intact?” Ted asked, looking as cute as he could manage.
“Don’t worry. I’ve been guilty of hiding my light under a bushel basket.”
“Never show all your strengths,” Ted said. “That was your addition to the rules.”
“I got that from training with Nicholai. Do you think I’m nuts to want to do this?”
“How about you start off with Altair teaching you, and then you decide what to share with each boy, according to their level of understanding. If Varden is as quick as you told me, and he grasps something faster than Brian in front of us, we may start an unhealthy competition. Brian is already bummed there’s no sign of him having wings yet. Him being genius boy is trumping being bird boy right now.”
“You’re right. Right now, Brian has a lot on his plate, balancing genius boy and preschool boy. We will have to have Noah over here soon. I’ll have to impose a no-fly zone.”
“I’m more worried about your swearing than birdmen dropping out of the sky.”
“Me too.”
“I’ve got a project I’m neck deep in. Would you mind if I spent the evening working on it?”
“Not at all. I have a few conversations I’ve been putting off. I’m going to put the boys to bed and then speak to both concerns individually, that is if I have a voice left after screaming at one of them.”
“Not the boys.”
“Not the boys.”
“Cid?”
“Stop guessing. Not Cid, Cid’s perfect.”
“He’s not.”
“I know.”
“Mia.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for this afternoon.”
“Thank you,” Mia said and kissed him as they parted: she to read to the kids and he to his calculations.
“Noah can make chocolate milk come out of his nose,” Brian said.
Varden laughed. Mia cringed.
“Remember when Grandma Adele made a monoscope come out of my nose?” Brian asked.
“Butterflies,” Varden said, opening and closing his hands.
“She had a few tricks up her sleeves,” Mia said. “She used to be a gypsy.”
“Mom, are you going to see Baxter tomorrow?” Brian asked.
“Yes, I am.”
“What do you do there?” Brian asked.
“Baxter sits and listens to my concerns and helps me make better choices. Then he teaches me tricks.”
Varden clapped his hands.
“What kind of tricks?” Brian asked.
“How to protect myself better by being crafty. It’s so I don’t get hurt anymore.”
“What can you do?”
“Nothing much yet. These kinds of tricks you must practice a lot. I can do something small. Toss that pillow at me.”
Brian stood up in bed, picked up his pillow, and hurled it at Mia. It stopped before it hit her and dropped. “Small but handy in a pillow fight.”
Varden clapped his hands again.
“He’s an odd boy,” Brian said.
“Varden is younger than you. He is happier than both of us put together. That is a very special gift.”
Brian nodded. “I love him, but I worry about him.”
“He has you. He has all he needs,” Mia said, tucking Brian in. “What are you reading tonight?”
“Noah has a toy train. Lazar found a book about trains in the library for me. That was why we were late.”
“That was very kind of Lazar, especially because it was his afternoon off. I hope you thanked him.”
“I don’t remember. I’ll make sure I thank him tomorrow.”
“Good. And I’ll thank him tonight after I rock Varden to sleep.”
“Isn’t Varden too big to rock?”
“I don’t rock Varden for him, Brian. I do it for me.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no. Good night, Brian. I love you,” Mia said and kissed the top of his head.
She walked into the bathroom and let Varden have one last pee before she walked into the sitting room and sat in the rocker with him.
“Would you like some books to read before bed?” she whispered.
“No, just rock,” he said sleepily.
Mia held him tight and rocked, humming a tune that seemed to be in the ether that night. She didn’t know the words, but it was familiar somehow. When Varden was asleep, she gently laid him in the crib and walked quietly out the door. She stopped at Dieter’s door and tapped lightly.
“Come in,” he called.
Mia walked in to see Dieter puzzling over something on his desk. She hung back. He waved her over. “It’s nothing private. I’m supposed to write a paragraph for art appreciation about the first time I saw a piece of art. Everybody is writing about trips to museums when they were in elementary school. Some sooner. I have nothing.”
“Does it have to be a painting?” Mia asked.
“No, it says a piece of art.”
“You flew into New York when you came from Nigeria.”
“Yes.”
“Did you see the Statue of Liberty?”
“Yes, my mentor pointed it out to me. Mom, it was so big, and it made my stomach feel uneasy. I was happy but afraid. There she stood holding her torch. It made me think of other torches that weren’t so nice.”
“She’s a statue, and a statue qualifies as a piece of art.”
“It does.”
Mia kissed the top of his head. “The torches that weren’t so nice, I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop them.”
“You stop them now. When I sleep here at the farm, I don’t fear torches because I know you and Dad are here to watch over me.”
Mia hugged him again. “Don’t stay up too late, but I think you’ve earned a later curfew tonight. I’ll make sure Lazar knows.”
Dieter smiled.
Mia walked down the hall and down the stairs. She found the kitchen empty, so she knocked on Lazar’s door.
“One moment,” he said. “Come in.”
Mia walked into the large room. Lazar was pulling on a tee. Mia turned around and gave him a moment before she continued to approach him. She smiled and thought, “When were you going to tell me about reading minds?”
His eyes opened wide.
“I can send you thoughts. Can you send one to me?” she thought, raising an eyebrow.
He shook his head.
“TRY!” she shouted in his head.
He grabbed his ears as if it would dull the sound. “I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you in the beginning because I wasn’t going to read anyone’s mind. It’s something that freaks people out. I overheard Cid telling Mike that you hate mind readers. I didn’t want to lose my job. I love it here.”
“Stop,” Mia said and sat down on the side of his bed. “I think I knew. I almost thought you had told me. That’s why I thought maybe you could send thoughts too. I understand not showing all your strengths. Right now, only I and Varden know. If Ted ever asks me, I’ll tell him I always knew. Because maybe I did. I can’t remember everything because my mind has been messed with so much.”
“Who told you and Varden?”<
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“Abigor told Varden. Varden told me. The problem right now isn’t that you’re a mind reader. It’s that Varden was left alone with Abigor. It wasn’t on your watch and nothing bad happened. How does he know about you?”
“He showed up here once when you were all gone.”
“K. Lazar, Abigor isn’t ever to be treated with anything but respect, but neither is he to be trusted completely. I was engineered to be his assassin, and he came to kill me when I was newly born. He lifted me from the crib, and he looked at me with those beautiful demon eyes, and I fell in love, and then the Cooper curse kicked in, and he fell in love with me. We are inextricably interrelated. I can’t kill him, and he can’t kill me. If I kill him in battle, I may die of a broken heart. It’s either a cruel twist of fate or an inspired one. You’re too much a gentleman to ask, so I’ll just tell you. It’s not a sexual love on my part, but it is love. I thought Murphy was my cursed love, but I was wrong. That’s something else. Unless I’m double cursed? Anyway, the reason I’m telling you this is, if the world goes upside down, and we can no longer trust angels and birdmen, Abigor will be your next ally. Not Roumain.”
“Got it. I would hate to deal with Hell, but I do understand your reluctance to put your children in Roumain’s hands.”
“Before I forget, I’ve lengthened Dieter’s curfew. And what was the other thing?” Mia asked herself, tapping her chin. “Oh yes, thank you for going to the library and for picking up Brian from Noah’s. I owe you another afternoon off.”
“Why aren’t you mad at me?” Lazar asked.
“Do you want me to be?”
“No. I just don’t want it to be because I’m missing a leg,” he spat.
“Now, I’m mad. Have I ever treated you different than anyone else?”
“No.”
“I trust you to protect my boys when I’m not here. I don’t trust easily. When I first met you, I may have seen your prosthesis before I saw your smile, but it was your smile I remembered. If you want, when I calm down, I’ll help you to develop your gift.”
“Speaking of gifts, are you going to have another child?”
“I would like to. Right now, I shouldn’t. I have this foreign energy inside that doesn’t belong. When I sort it out, I will have the child who will continue your line. I have not forgotten my promise. I just must be responsible about it. Imagine a crone with infinite power. Not good.”
“I know I’m selfish and way out of line to ask such a thing. When Raphael proposed the idea, I thought it would take away my guilt about being sterile. Knowing the magic gene will move on to another generation, through your next child, eases my mind.”
“You know my kids all have tremendous noses.”
“Noble noses,” Lazar said. “But don’t sell your genes short. You have a rather nice nose with a charming bump on it.”
“It’s my old nose. Baxter gave it back to me. I think the bump is from Acalan’s elbow in the third grade. I was being beat up by some little thugs. He jumped in and told me to stay down on the ground. I got up and met his elbow with my nose. I listened to him after that.”
“Was he your boyfriend?” Lazar asked.
“No, but he was one of three decent kids who came to my defense. A hero like you.”
“I took for granted that Murphy always had your back.”
“I didn’t meet him until I was fourteen. Speaking of Murph, I have to have a serious discussion with him tonight. Keep an ear out for the boys for me,” Mia said, placing the monitor in his hand.
“Will do.”
Chapter Six
Mia walked up the hill to the aerie and down past the new barn. She clicked on her cell phone light and navigated to the old stream where a wooden bridge still crossed the expanse. She sat down a moment, dangling her feet inches from the water, and pulled together her thoughts. Sure, she was mad that Murphy didn’t tell her about Abigor, but had she given him any opportunity to do so?
She remembered him standing on top of the dune when she came back from her confrontation with Roumain, Michael, and Lucifer. He had sent Mother Nature to rescue her. Little did he know she rescued Mia more from herself than the three powerful entities. “What did Lucifer say about Abigor? It doesn’t matter. He lies like the rest of the fallen.”
“Who are you talking to?” Murph asked as he appeared on the opposite riverbank.
Mia remembered that ghosts weren’t fond of moving water. She got up and walked over to him. “I was talking to myself.”
“Why?”
“I’m trying to sort out why Varden was sitting on Abigor’s flying horse?”
Murphy cringed.
“Care to explain?” Mia asked, trying to keep her voice modulated in a receptive tone so he wouldn’t disappear.
“I was watching Varden when Abigor landed on the dune with his flying horse. He told me that Lucifer reported that you were holding a sword at the back of Roumain’s head, and you were pumped up on some blue star power. He asked me to get Mother Nature to intervene. I had to move quickly because you were in danger. He offered to watch Varden.”
“You did right. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I think, in the beginning, I was concerned that you had been through too much, and then it got harder for me to bring up the subject.”
“K. Thank you for telling me.”
“You’re not going to yell at me?”
“No. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry you were put in that situation.”
Murphy pushed his hat back on his head, confused.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so mercurial lately. I think this is the time in my life when I was meant to kill Abigor. The demon gene is gone, but my human urges are way off the charts. Baxter is helping me, but I’m not really sure I can be trusted anymore to do the right thing. I’m going to destroy my marriage if I can’t get a handle on this.”
“Destroy it how?” Murphy asked.
“I have a lot of lust and anger inside. I’m barely connected to my body. Why do you think I’ve been avoiding you? The whole birdman/Quentin thing put so much pressure on me, I was afraid I was going to act out inappropriately. I’m just barely keeping it together.”
“What’s the problem? Quentin’s dead.”
Mia’s mouth gaped opened, and her eyes wouldn’t make contact with Murphy’s.
“Mia?”
“Oh my god, you don’t know, do you? How could I be this stupid? What the fuck is wrong with me?”
“Mia, tell me,” Murphy said gently.
“I just assumed you knew. You’re part of me for God’s sake and… I’m sorry, I beg your forgiveness,” Mia said, dropping to her knees.
“Tell me,” he said, putting his hand on her chin as he pulled her back to her feet.
Mia told him everything.
“This is why you were so volatile when we were fighting over the trees.”
“Yes. I would have told you, but you were being so pigheaded.”
“I was, wasn’t I,” he said, shaking his head. “Who all knew?”
“Ted, then Baxter,” Mia said.
“Who else?” Murphy asked.
“Mike.”
“Why him?” Murphy asked, hurt.
“He was there when I imploded. No one else knows that he knows.”
“You hide and protect him like a lover. Is he your lover, Mia?” Murphy asked.
“No.”
“I’m not going to lie to you and tell you I’m not hurt,” Murphy said. “But I also know you went through something horrible. I was amazed how you held it all together. I have my own secret I should tell you. When Nyx offered to send us someplace where there were no rules against us being together, I wanted to say yes.”
“But you were so quick to say no,” Mia said.
“I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“It was.”
“I will always have your best interests at heart.”
“How can you be so strong?” Mia asked.
; “I’m dead. I have no right to make love to you. I’m not even sure I could. Today, I said too much, and in front of your child.”
“He reminded me that I have Ted to give me babies.”
“Ted’s more than that to you, isn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“You have to remind yourself of that when you are tempted. Also remember that, no matter what, I’ll be here for you. I can’t touch you like he can, and I’ll never be alive again, but I’ll be here waiting for you when you die.”
“But what if I’m a zombie, or I can’t feel you?” Mia said.
“I’ll still love and care for you. I know I’m just a dumb farmer whose wife’s lover killed him with a tree, but you’ve always treated me better.”
“Will you forgive me for not telling you about Quentin?”
“Yes. Mia, I understand why you didn’t, but I do worry, if you couldn’t kill Quentin, you’re never going to be able to kill me if I go ghost crazy.”
“You see, I didn’t promise Quentin I would kill him. I promised you.”
“True.”
“But try to keep it together because I barely survived you dumping me on the pirate ship. I don’t know what I’d do if you were gone forever?”
Murphy walked Mia back towards the house. She could see the office lights on.
“Ted’s still working. I better not disturb him.”
“I’ll leave you now. Have a good evening,” he said formally.
Mia smiled a crooked little smile and said, “Thank you for walking me home.”
She entered the house and retrieved the monitor from Lazar.
“Varden is singing in his sleep.”
“How cute is that?” Mia said. “I’m going to hit the hay. Leave the back door unlocked for Ted.”
“Night, Mia.”
“Night, Lazar,” she said and ran up the stairs.
She took a shower and eased her tired muscles. Mia barely remembered to pull on a long tee before she collapsed in bed.
Mia heard Ted come in and opened her eyes to see that it was two in the morning. She waited until he got into bed to speak. “Welcome home.”
Ted drew her body to his and kissed her. “I’m sorry, sometimes the numbers just call to me.”
“Were they calling you when I assaulted you earlier?”