Lycans and Legends

Chapter 12: Past and Future

Dinner passed pleasantly. Jericho was lost to his meal. I had to smother my laugh as Franklin, the butler, stared as Jericho ate with exceptional vigor. The butler wasn’t adequately prepared to feed a ravenous lycan. He repeatedly stepped forward to take Jericho’s plate, but the boy simply asked for a little more. Again. And again. And again.

Mister Reeves was busy picking Lionheart’s mind about this or that obscure piece of research, while I watched and listened to the interactions between the two.

For the moment, I felt surprisingly relaxed. Happy, even. My eyes went from Lionheart to Jericho. Yes, I felt truly happy.

After he finished his fifth serving, Jericho finally sat back in his seat and yawned.

“Tired?” I whispered to him.

He nodded.

“Mister Reeves, I’ll take Jericho and get him settled in for the night.”

“Of course, Agent. Franklin, would you show Agent Louvel and Sir Richard’s ward to their rooms.”

“Of course, sir,” the butler replied, moving forward to pull out my chair.

Lionheart rose. “Will you pardon me for a moment, John. I’ll see to my fam—to them, then return.”

“Naturally, naturally,” Mister Reeves said then rose. “And I’ll go see if the cook has anything sweet to eat.”

“Something sweet?” Jericho said, perking up a little.

I didn’t blame him, but I also didn’t blame Lionheart when he said, “It’s time to settle in for the night, my boy.”

Jericho huffed a little, but only a little.

Franklin led us to the second floor of the elegant house.

“You will be here, Sir Richard,” the butler said, motioning to a door. “And your ward is in the room adjacent to you. There is an interior door. Agent Louvel will be across the hall. Shall I send up the maid for you, Agent?”

God, no.

“No. Thank you.”

“Very good. Sir Richard, we don’t have a valet, but if you need—”

“We’re well. Thank you,” Lionheart said.

“As you wish,” the butler replied with a polite bow.

“I’ll let you get changed then come back to tuck you in,” I told Jericho.

“All right,” he said. “But don’t forget.”

“I won’t.”

I smiled at Lionheart who was looking tenderly at the boy. “Come along,” Lionheart said, reaching out for Jericho’s hand.

Lionheart and I exchanged a glance then I headed to my own room.

The room they’d given me was small but charming. The bed was covered in a feminine, flower-embroidered coverlet. There was a vase of daffodils on the bedside table. I hadn’t expected to find myself in some fancy manor house again. I figured I’d be in some bloody fisticuffs with a faerie by now. But the turnabout in circumstance was welcome. The fireplace had been lit; it popped and crackled.

I went to the window and looked out. The sun had sunk below the horizon, and the ruins in the distance were illuminated by the glow of the moon and the strange ethereal light that clung to the stones. Still, the image wavered. The fog had rolled in, but the sky was full of stars.

As I stared out the window, my senses were set on edge. The soles of my feet itched.

Clemeny.

Clemeny Louvel.

I inhaled deeply, slowly. I pulled the faerie’s blade from my belt. It glowed blue. The bright light cast a reflection on the windowpane.

I was here.

Now what?

I turned from the window and went to my bed. Setting aside the dagger, I slipped off my belt, removing my pistols, knife, gadgets, and Fenton. I tossed my red cape on the back of a chair, pulling off my leather vest as well. Wearing a white button shirt and leather trousers, I sat down at the end of the bed and debated on what to do. I could change into the dress Grand-mère had insisted I pack and go to the parlor and sip brandy for the rest of the night.

I could do that.

And then afterward, I could come upstairs.

With Richard.

And…

My stomach twisted into a knot.

When I’d asked Lionheart to join me on the trip into the west country, I hadn’t expected Jericho would come. I wasn’t sorry he was there. I loved the child, and I didn’t want him to feel scared and alone. It was just…since that autumn, things between Lionheart and me had been growing toward something. Something entirely new for me. Whatever I’d felt toward Edwin, I felt it a thousandfold for Lionheart. I had made the right decision. And now, I was ready for more.

But there was the case to be considered.

The Queen’s life was at stake.

And…I looked out the window once more.

And there was that.

For the first time in my entire life, it felt like the answer to my oldest question was within my grasp.

It would be easier to slip into that pretty dress lying at the bottom of my bag and pretend answers weren’t right outside the door. Literally.

I knew what I needed to do.

I smoothed my hair back, quickly pulled it into a long braid. Leaving my room, I crossed the hall and knocked on the door. “It’s Clemeny,” I called.

“Come in,” Lionheart replied.

I opened the door and went inside. Crossing Lionheart’s room, I went to the adjacent chamber where I found Jericho in bed, Lionheart sitting at his bedside.

The boy smiled at me.

Lionheart looked over his shoulder, that lock of blond hair hanging just above his eye.

I stared at them.

My life had been so strange. Grand-mère had done everything to give me a home, to love me, to make me feel like there was nothing odd about anything. But there was. There always had been. Just below my skin, I’d always been different.

I looked at the pair before me, both of them smiling at me, both of them with a tell-tale flicker of red in their eyes. And for the very first time, I felt like I belonged. I belonged here with them.

Whatever was outside the doors of Abbey House didn’t matter.

In this room, I saw my future.

“Time to sleep,” I said sweetly, my voice cracking as I hid the emotion that wanted to bubble to the surface. I crossed the room and sat down beside him.

“You’ll be just across the hall?” Jericho asked me.

I nodded.

“I’ll join Master Reeves for a bit then come back upstairs,” Lionheart told him.

“All right,” Jericho said then slipped further into his bed. He yawned tiredly. “Clemeny?”

“Yes?”

“The fairies keep looking at you. Be careful. You can’t always trust them.”

“I have nothing to fear. I have a werewolf and a lycan to keep me safe.”

Jericho laughed softly.

I smoothed his hair then kissed him on the forehead.

The boy sighed contentedly then after a few moments, his breathing became slow and deep.

“Fairies?” Lionheart whispered.

“The ruins. There are fairy globes. A lot of them.”

“So, is your hunch right?”

“We shall see.”

“Are you… What are you going to do?”

I sighed. “Well, I suppose I need to go see to the matter.”

“I’ll get my things.”

“No,” I said then paused. “I think…I think I need to go alone.”

“Clemeny—”

“I’ll be all right.”

“You don’t even know what’s out there.”

“Fairies. Didn’t you hear?”

“I did. But besides that.”

“Maybe I’m a fairy. I’ve never tried to shrink down. After all, I am Little Red. Maybe I can get smaller,” I said then closed my eyes and scrunched up my brow.

“You look like you’re in pain.”

I laughed lightly. “Alas, not a fairy.”

“Clemeny, I should come with you.”

“I’ll just go for a look around. If anything gets weird, I’ll call for you. Or run like hell. Either should work.”

Lionheart frowned.

“I’ll take Fenton.”

“That does nothing to reassure me.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“When have you ever been careful?” Lionheart reached out and took my braid into his hand. “Call if you need me. I can hear you very well.”

“Indeed, what big ears you have.”

“All the better to hear you with, my dear.”

“And what big eyes you have,” I said, leaning toward him.

“All the better to see you with, my dear.”

“And do you see me?” I whispered.

“Yes. I see you. Awake and asleep, I see you, Clemeny Louvel,” he whispered then placed a soft kiss on my lips.

My body tingled from my head to my toes. I moved closer to him, wrapping my arms around him. He pulled me closer. The undeniable heat between us began to rise at once. Lionheart was beyond intoxicating. And it took every ounce of willpower within me to finally pull back.

Breathing hard, I set my forehead against his.

“Clemeny,” he whispered. “Come back safe. Come back tonight. Come to me, if you will.”

“I will.”

He leaned forward and set a quick kiss on my lips. “Then get going.”

I chuckled. “And you…go finish your business with your old friend. And just how many years have you been friends, exactly?”

“About sixty.”

“That’s what I guessed. And he’s content to have the big, bad wolf in his house?”

“Everyone loves the big, bad wolf,” Lionheart replied, smugness—but false smugness—in his voice.

“Do they?” I whispered.

“Of course. But I don’t need everyone to love the big, bad wolf. I just need you. So go, and come back to me,” he said then kissed me once more.

I swallowed hard then rose.

Casting one last glance at Jericho, I left the room.

I would go and be done with it. Right now, what I cared about was my future. To ensure that picture came to light, I needed to work my case, to stop the unknown assailant from ripping up London and messing up my life. Voices in the mist. Answers to riddles. They were small things. My future was in front of me. And I would do whatever I must to ensure that the life slowly piecing itself together came to fruition. But first, I needed to get my weapons.