Undone Deeds

13

Late the next morning, a knock at the door startled me out of sleep. I was expecting Meryl for lunch, but it was too early, which meant that Ceridwen’s messengers might be rousting me out of bed for something. I had been avoiding Ceridwen since yesterday because I didn’t want to give her the answer she didn’t want to hear. I didn’t want to go to Ireland, at least not now. As she lay dying, I had promised to help her get revenge against Maeve, but that didn’t mean I had to do it her way.

I opened the door and cringed as my mother grabbed me in a full body hug. “Still an early riser, I see.”

“How did you find me, Ma?” I asked.

She entered the room, eyeing it with suspicious appraisal. “I asked.”

I closed the door behind her. “Mother, I’m in hiding. You didn’t just ask for directions to my apartment.”

She peered down at the seat cushion on the armchair. “Actually, I did. I asked Amos the Apothecary, whom I have known for years. He gave me the general direction and a contact on Ceridwen’s staff, who referred me to that rather disheveled dwarf who keeps the lookout on the water tower next door. He told me.”

I pulled my jeans on and sat on the bed. “And why would he tell you where I lived?”

With a deep breath, she sat in the chair. “I told him I was your mother.”

“And he believed you?” I asked.

She put on an innocent face. “I knew his mother. We played cribbage years ago. She stank at it.”

“You shouldn’t have come down here. It’s dangerous,” I said.

She pulled her chin in. “Is it? It looked rather shabby as I came through. Not like the old days. Do those trolls still live under the channel? They kept things lively down here.”

“There’s only one troll. He pretends to live under the bridge but has a nice underground apartment nearby,” I said.

She clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Only one left? No wonder there are so many feral cats around. Do you have any tea?”

I glanced at my empty kitchen. “I haven’t been shopping. Why don’t you give me a sec to wash up, and we can grab lunch?”

She waved her hand. “No need. I have a luncheon date already. I wanted to see you.”

“Is everything all right?” I asked.

She pursed her lips. “Hmm. Yes, of course, everything’s all right. I have spent half an hour sitting on top of a water tower talking to a lonely dwarf because everything’s all right.”

I sighed. It was going to be one of those conversations. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried about your father. This business with the Seelie Court has taken the wind out of his sails,” she said.

I was getting more lost by the second. “I thought the entire court was sent home.”

She brushed her handkerchief on the arm of the chair, draped it over, and rested her hand on it. “Yes, that was after he was shut out. Oh, he didn’t think I knew, but I’m no fool. He’s had a hard year. It started with him being dropped from the missions to the Continent. Then Maeve put him on desk work entirely. You know your father loves travel.”

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. “So, um, what exactly do you want me to do?”

She waved her hand in the air. “I don’t know. Guy stuff. Get Callin to join you. He’d like that. All you boys together.”

I stared at my stocking feet. “Mother, I am never, ever going camping with Callin and Da again.”

“Well, what about bowling? You used to be quite good,” she said.

I hid my disbelief beneath an amused smile. Sometimes mothers forget that their children outgrow their childhoods. “I’ll see if I can find Cal. Maybe he might have some ideas,” I said.

“Oh, I already went to see him. He said he would love to do something. Now that you mention it, he did say to suggest camping to you. He said he has fond memories of the two of you in the woods.”

He would. He spent all our camping trips making my life miserable as only older brothers can do. I have had enough of bugs in my bedroll to last a lifetime. “You went to see Callin? Where?”

“His apartment. He’s not much better at decorating than you, but the view is lovely,” she said.

I had no idea where my brother lived. No one ever seemed to know. “Mother, have you been walking around the Weird looking for us? Do you have any idea how bad an idea that is right now?”

She huffed and fell back in the armchair, then bolted forward, eyeing the cushions for dirt. “I’m desperate, Connie. If I don’t get your father out of that hotel, I’m going to scream. He needs something to do.”

I didn’t laugh, but I did smile. My parents loved each other but tended to get on each other’s nerves. “Okay. I’ll think of something.”

In a bright flash of pink, Joe burst into the air. He held a take-out cup half as tall as he was. A tag on a string dangled from the lid. He held the cup out to my mother. “I thought you might be here and like some tea, Momma Grey.”

My mother popped the lid on the cup and inhaled. “You are such a dear, Joey. Earl Grey is my favorite.”

Joe threw me a smug look over her head. “Is it? I had no idea. Great minds drink alike.”

My mother giggled. “You are so naughty. Where were you last night? I thought you might drop by.”

Joe fluttered over by the window. “I was helping some children with their lessons.”

I shook my head. “Children? Really, Joe? You were with children?”

Joe shrugged. “Everyone is someone’s child. I didn’t say how old they were.”

My mother bubbled with laughter.

“Suddenly, I remember something I didn’t miss when you moved to Ireland, Ma,” I said.

She drank her tea, the amusement fading from her eyes. “Speaking of Ireland, I’ve been trying to contact Nigel. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

I feigned nonchalance. “I haven’t seen him. We’re not on the best of terms anymore.”

She hummed. “I heard. I’m not going to interfere in whatever is going on between you, but I’d like to speak to him.”

“Why?”

“Because Nigel has insight into Maeve’s thinking. She is rushing headlong into war, and that’s never a good thing. If there’s a way to avert it, Nigel will know.”

“I don’t know, Ma. I don’t think Nigel would be interested in stopping Maeve. He’s always done her dirty work,” I said.

She gestured with her mug. “Exactly. If he’s around, she doesn’t have to do it herself. Nigel has a way of making things happen behind the scenes. We don’t need war. Maeve needs her advisor.”

I was impressed. I never talked politics with my mother. I had no idea she had that much interest. “That’s…. shrewd,” I said.

“I am not a diplomat’s wife for nothing, dear. The trick to avoiding war is to find something more enticing. Maeve might be a bit of a hothead, but she’s still a ruler. She wants something more than defeating the Consortium. If we can understand that, we might be able to end this nonsense.”

I loved the way my mother referred to war as nonsense. I might not have thought of her as a politician, but she always was sensible. Half her silliness was contrived, I knew, but now I saw her in a different light.

Another knock came at the door, and my glance shot to the clock over the kitchen sink. I groaned inwardly as I answered the door. When I opened it, Meryl kissed me, then stopped short when she saw I had company. “Oh! Am I early?” she asked.

Meryl was wearing a black bustier with a short jacket and jeans that might have been painted on. Oh, and she wore her knee-high boots with all the buckles. My mother put on her most diplomatic smile. “Not at all, dear. We were just discussing lunch.”

Meryl turned a confused smile toward me. “I didn’t realize it was a group lunch. My bad.”

“Meryl, I’d like to introduce you to Regula Grey. Mom, this is Meryl Dian,” I said.

Meryl batted her eyes in stunned silence. My mother held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Meryl shook hands, staring at me over her shoulder. “You’re his mother.”

“And your his…. ?” My mother said.

Joe swooped closer to my mother’s ear. “That’s his hootchie.”

Meryl held her hand in the air. “Connor, can you hand me the fly swatter?”

My mother smiled. “It’s okay, dear. I was someone’s hootchie once.”

“Mother!” I said.

She stood up. “I must be going. I’d love to have you for dinner, Meryl. You can meet Mr. Grey.”

“Um…. sure,” Meryl said.

“This isn’t happening to me,” I muttered.

My mother hugged me and kissed my cheek. “Get some food in you, Con. Call me later.”

“I will,” I said.

She paused on the threshold and looked at Meryl. “Oh, by the way, you look lovely, and I understand the desire not to feel constricted, but, trust me, in a pinch, a bra makes a great sling weapon.”

“I did not hear that,” I said.

Meryl tugged at the bottom of her jacket. It didn’t cover anything. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

She patted my chest. “Just girl talk. See you soon.”

I closed the door behind her and turned toward Meryl. “Do not say a word,” I said.

She grinned like I’d never seen her do. “What? I liked her.”