Looking back at his plate, Lirim murmured back, “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play coy, little brother. It doesn’t suit you. Are you more than work partners?”
Lirim sighed, ignoring his tightening chest. “We are friends, nothing more. Mind your own business, O nosy one.”
They both nodded at something Meara said and responded appropriately and waited until she was chattering again. Kane turned towards Lirim and shrugged, “It’s my job as eldest to be nosy. Besides, it’s not like you’re overly chatty.”
Lirim replied slyly, “I think that Meara does more than enough for all of us.”
Kane hastily smothered a laugh. “True. But still, what’s going on with you and the lovely Miss Sheridan? I’m not getting just friends vibes from you.”
Lirim glanced at Aletta again before narrowing his eyes at Kane. “I’m here because of the chimas problem. Aletta is here because she recently had healer powers manifest and needs training. There is nothing more to it than that. Stay away from her.”
Kane arched an eyebrow. “Methinks that you doth protest too much. And why should I stay away from her? After all, if you are just friends and she is single, which I’m assuming she is when you didn’t warn me away using the fact that she was already attached, then what harm would there be in courting her? After all, both you and Aunt Awena approve of her.”
Feeling uncomfortable with his brother’s intense scrutiny, Lirim drew in several calming breaths before replying. “I’m not protesting too much. I just… don’t want to see her hurt. She’s been through a rough patch lately in addition to her powers emerging. Our job can be… challenging. How do you think she got that cast?” He had to force the next words out. “If you’re serious, I suppose that I have no objections. However, if you are just looking for diversion, look elsewhere.”
Kane seemed to be weighing him for a minute and it was all Lirim could do not to fidget like a school boy in a principal’s office. Finally, Kane spoke, “I apologize. I was just teasing you. I have no intentions towards Miss Sheridan as I am currently courting my mate. I spoke thoughtlessly as I did not think the whole situation through. You have my word that I’ll do everything in my power to watch over her while she’s here and make sure that no more harm befalls her.”
Touched by his brother’s sincerity, Lirim relaxed for the first time since the meal had started. “Thank you. Aletta is, special. She’s the first partner I’ve had that I can actually stand working with. You should see her take apart a crime scene. It’s incredible. Now, tell me why no one in the family mentioned that you’d found your mate? Tell me about her.”
After that he was besieged on both sides by chattering siblings. While he still felt tense, he could feel a part of him shifting, almost like it was moving back to where it was meant to be.
Eventually dinner ended and it was time for the family to move to the library. Lirim stood and stretched, trying to loosen his tense muscles. He saw Awena head over to Aletta but was sidetracked when his mother slid her arm through his. She teased, “Are your ears ringing?”
Lirim laughed ruefully, “They had a lot to share. I need to visit more often so so many things don’t pile up for them to share.”
Rose smiled, “They miss you, as do we. It’s nice to have you home. I take it that Kane told you about Meredith?”
Lirim mock grumbled, “And Meara told me everything else. Why did no one tell me that Kane had found his mate?”
“We told Awena and she said that she’d pass it on.” They both turned to look at Awena and Rose smiled. “If I were a jealous woman, I’d been envious of all the time that your father is spending with her. But honestly, it is such a miracle to see her like this again. I’d given up hope that she would ever return to us. It’s so good to see her awake and aware and it’s almost as if your father is ten years younger now.”
“It’s still hard to believe some days. I’m glad that she came, she needs some recovery time still. She still tires easily, even though she tries to hide it and she still has foggy days, although they are getting fewer.”
Rose smiled and leaned her head briefly on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, she’s home now and we’ll take good care of her. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, but who helps carry your burdens? Who takes care of you? Of all my children, you were always the most serious and sensible.” She sighed. “I wish for your happiness, but every time you return, I see less and less joy in you.”
When his mother asked who took care of him, he almost blurted Aletta’s name, biting his tongue at the last minute. The sadness in her tone shook him out of his shock. He drew her gently into a hug and rested his chin on her head. “I don’t mean to worry you. I’m actually doing better now.” Swallowing hard, he chose his words with care. “I’m not going to lie. The Out…” He cleared his throat. “The Outlander War was brutal and I’m going to carry scars from it for the rest of my life. However, I’m making progress. I’m carving out a life for myself, one that I enjoy, one that I’m good at. I will probably never live here again; I just don’t fit here anymore. I do promise that I will visit more often though. I’m sorry for making you worry.”
Rose sniffled and wrapped her arms tighter around his waist. She mumbled, “I’m your mother, it’s my job to worry about you.”
He chuckled, “You sound like Christine, Aletta’s mother.”
Releasing him reluctantly, she stepped back and discreetly swiped at her eyes. “She’s right, it’s a mother’s job to love and worry about their children. You’ve met her mother?”
“A very nice woman, she’s the one Aletta gets her spine of steel from. Also, she’s an empath, a strong one.”
“That’s a difficult gift to master. Does Aletta have empathy?”
Tucking her hand into the crook of his arm, he started walking towards the library. “Not strong enough to register, but it seems to be a solid part of the foundation of her gifts. Just something to be aware of.”
She frowned thoughtfully, “Does she know what type of healer she is?”
Awena joined them at that moment, “Rose, I love you dearly but your daughter can out chatter the best of them.”
Rose laughed, “She’s just excited is all, she’ll settle down in a day or two.”
Lirim frowned and looked back down the hallway. “Where’s Aletta?”
Awena smiled at him, “She was tired and turned in. Also, I made an appointment with the healers to see her tomorrow. We’ll find out then.”
Rose looped her other arm through Awena’s and they strolled together. “Do you think that she’s a mind healer?”
Lirim thought about his hands and had to hide a wince. He hadn’t told his family or aunt about that and he didn’t plan to. “I don’t know, she’s done some physical healing too. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Reaching the door of the library, he slipped his arm from his mother’s and dropped a kiss on both his mom and aunt’s cheeks. “Well, ladies, as dazzling as your company is, I believe that I shall turn in as well. Big day tomorrow.”
They pouted but waved him away. Grinning, Lirim quickly climbed the stairs. Pausing by Aletta’s door, a quick scan showed that she was already asleep. He headed for his room, going over all the things that were planned for the morrow. He hadn’t lied, it was going to be a busy day tomorrow and he felt a headache approaching. Hopefully a good night’s sleep would stave it off enough that he could function, otherwise it was going to be a long day.
Chapter Seven
Aletta contemplated her wardrobe choices as she thought about what the day would bring. Today she’d be seeing the healers, so she wanted to make a good impression. However, there was also a good chance that she would be tested, so she might get dirty. What she needed was something classy that could be cleaned with little effort. She scowled as she rubbed her thigh right above the cast. She was so tired of the itching and aching, but she didn’t dare let Lirim know. He already felt guilty over it but there was nothing
he could’ve done. He’d been unconscious at the time and even if he hadn’t been, his hands and arm had been in pieces. But the stubborn male somehow conveniently forgot that and blamed himself for not protecting her. She shook her head, he was going to implode from all the guilt he was carrying someday.
With how achy her leg was, it would have to be something simple. She finally settled on a pair of black work slacks and a navy button down blouse that ended at the elbow. A French braid would hopefully corral the worst of her unmanageable hair and keep it out of her face. No jewelry today she decided after a moment. She glanced at her sidearm, but hesitated to actually wear it. After all, she was a guest here and had no legal jurisdiction. However, her leg would undoubtedly slow her down and she felt uncomfortably defenseless without her gun. Finally she left it and walked from the room. She would ask Lirim what was appropriate here.
Making her way to the dining room, she was pleased to see that it was empty, although there were covered dishes on the sideboard. Investigating, she was relieved to find a fresh carafe of coffee. Pouring herself a cup, she grabbed a croissant and wandered over to the French doors instead of sitting at the table. Nibbling delicately on the flaky pastry, she took in the serenity of the empty room and the garden outside. Centering herself, she took stock of her magic. The drain from the previous day had been replenished and it looked like her passive field had finally reached a stable point with the environment. It was its normal size, maybe even a touch larger from all the natural ambient magic that it had available to draw on. She pinged the passive field a few times, testing the area and magic draw from it.
Satisfied that everything was as it should be and that she would have plenty of magic for whatever the healers would be testing for, she let her conscious awareness of the magic go and it faded back to its place at the back of her mind. Lifting her cup for a sip, she nearly spilled it when a voice spoke from behind startling her. “Morning, Miss Sheridan.”
Carefully lowering her cup so she didn’t spill and relaxing her fingers from their white knuckled grip, she turned her head to see Lirim’s brother standing at the sideboard. She hadn’t even heard him enter the room. She said cautiously, “Good morning.”
He lifted a lid and looked at her curiously, “Can I bring you anything? More coffee perhaps?”
She shook her head, “Thank you, no. I was just admiring the garden, Mr. Bosk.”
Holding his own cup of coffee and some sort of pastry that she had no name for, he joined her. “Please, call me Kane. After all, you are my little brother’s partner. That makes us practically friends already.”
She hid a smile at Lirim being called little. However, that was the way siblings were. She lifted an eyebrow and asked archly, “How do you know that I’m not just using him?”
Kane’s face grew remote and a dangerous gleam entered his eyes. “If that is the case, then I suggest that you’d better leave immediately or you won’t be leaving at all.” He paused for a moment to let that sink in, then his expression warmed again. “However, Lirim is an excellent judge of character as is Aunt Awena. I believe that we will become great friends.”
Aletta took a sip, letting him know that he hadn’t intimidated her and that she wasn’t fooled by his friendly face either. She nodded, “You’re the eldest, aren’t you?”
He offered her a crooked grin. “That obvious, huh?”
She let the smile that had been threatening for a while bloom onto her face. “I’m the eldest as well. It’s our job to protect. And just so you know, I will protect Lirim. He has had my back more times than I count and I have his. So, if we’re going to be friends, you might as well call me Aletta.”
He raised his cup in a silent toast. They drank their coffee in silence for several minutes and when Kane brought the carafe over, Aletta accepted a refill. After returning the carafe to the sideboard, Kane asked, “So what trouble are you and Lirim going to get into today?”
Aletta smiled slightly. “Hopefully none. I have an appointment with the healers today, see if we can determine exactly what type of healing gift I’ve been, well, gifted with. We’ll see where the day goes from there.”
Kane hummed thoughtfully. “I have a question but I’m not exactly sure how to phrase it politely.”
“Let me see if I can guess. What happened to my leg and why haven’t the healers healed it?” He nodded and she laughed. “It’s complicated, to put it mildly. As to what happened, I broke my leg while on a case. I’d already reached my healing quota for the quarter so I’ve had to let it heal naturally.”
A cool voice broke in, “Did that nephew of mine not protect you?”
Aletta bristled but quickly shoved it down as she turned and faced Fergus. Making sure to keep her tone polite and her expression neutral, she replied, “Good morning, Mr. O’Brian. Lirim is a marvelous protector. However, HSI deals with dangerous cases and we are both field agents. He’d already been injured and there was no way that he could’ve possibly made it in time. However, we managed to successfully wrap up the case. Thank you for your concern.”
He nodded but his eyes were as cold as glaciers. “I’m glad to hear that he at least has managed to keep you somewhat safe. Tell me, what drew you into investigating crime?”
He managed to make it sound like one of the most menial demeaning jobs out there. She offered him a small smile that lacked any true warmth. “Some people are drawn to things. I happen to have a knack for investigating. However, I plan on enjoying my vacation fully and leave all of my work back home.”
“Well, I hope that you enjoy your stay, Miss Sheridan. If you’ll excuse me, I have some matters that I must attend to.”
Aletta didn’t reply but inclined her head gracefully. He strode from the room, almost running into Lirim who was just entering the room. They nodded at each other and Lirim headed over to see what was available. Kane took that moment to speak. “I’m afraid that I must be off as well. I am courting and my lady is waiting for me. Best of luck with the healers.” Bowing over her hand, he managed to snag her empty cup. Before she could protest, he straightened and walked away, pausing to wink over his shoulder before following his uncle from the room.
Lirim joined her by the French doors and yawned. Blowing on his coffee, he asked, “What was that all about?”
Aletta replied cheekily, “Kane wanted to know whether my intentions towards you are honorable or not.”
Lirim choked, having just taken a sip of coffee when Aletta made her outrageous statement. Coughing, he muttered, “I’m gonna kill him.”
Aletta laughed and rubbed his back gently until the coughing fit stopped. “I’m just teasing. He just wanted to know what our plans for the day were, nothing more.”
He peered at her suspiciously. “He didn’t say anything else?”
She smiled and let her hand drop away. “He was curious about how I broke my leg, but your uncle came in before he demanded details. That’s it.”
Lirim cautiously took another sip and this time it went down smoothly. “Why didn’t you tell him?”
“I need to come up with a better story. C’mon, a psycho opera diva getting the drop on me is so not a cool story. I’m thinking something along the lines of a running battle with a mob boss and his crazed army of mutant pixies. Something like that sounds cooler, you know.”
Lirim rolled his eyes at her. “Two things. One. Why are you so wide awake? Two. What does a mutant pixie even look like?”
She shrugged, “Details, details. I have no idea, that’s why I’m still working on the story. As to why I’m awake? I’ve been sleeping well and the coffee here is excellent.”
He mumbled, “I’m glad that someone’s sleeping.”
She leaned in closer. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”
He shook his head and headed for more coffee. “Nothing. What time are we expected at the healers?”
Glancing at the clock, she replied. “In a little over an hour. Are you awake?”
He grunted. �
��Awake enough. What do you need?”
She wove her fingers together to keep from fidgeting. “I have a cultural/personal question.”
“Shoot.”
“What is the policy for outsiders and firearms here at the Glade?”
He turned and looked at her closer. “Now why do you ask that?”
She sighed, “This is a strange place for me. Things are not right, which is why you’ve been called in. And I’m not exactly in top shape right now.” She gestured at her leg. “At this point, I’m a liability because I cannot move that fast and defending myself with hand to hand will be tricky with limited mobility.” She sighed and shifted her weight before finishing. “I guess I’m just feeling vulnerable right now and I know that I could possibly make a tempting target.”
She saw his expression harden and scowled. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything. It’s not that I think that you can’t protect me.”
His words were clipped when he asked, “What is it then?”
“You’re in the middle of an active investigation. I’ll be with the healers learning. We’ll probably be separated quite a bit. I want to be able to defend myself so you don’t have to worry about whether or not I’m safe while we’re apart. And I don’t trust anyone else to have my back! Something is wrong here and anyone could be part of it. And I’m sorry that you have to think like that about the place you grew up and the people you know!”
She paused to pull in air and managed to stop from saying anything else. This was not how she wanted this discussion to go. Lirim raked his hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. “I’m sorry, Leta. I didn’t mean to accuse you. This place messes with my head. And you were hurt…”
He trailed off as she made her way determinedly over to him. Hooking her hand behind his neck, she tugged him down until they were eye to eye. She said fiercely, “Listen to me and listen well. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. You were unconscious after you saved a man from certain death. I am alive. You are alive. We solved the case and no one died. Well, almost no one. Anyways. Yes, I got hurt. But it will heal and I’ll be good as new. No lasting damage, no harm, no foul. You have to let it go. I knew the risks when I signed up for HSI. Don’t lessen me by thinking that you have to protect me or blaming yourself when I inevitably get hurt. Please don’t do that.”
In Search of High Society Page 8