Chapter 53 Helena #2
“Aside from getting my neck snapped,” he said, “I didn’t know the mirror wraiths would do what they did. In that moment, because of my vast array of talents, I managed to keep my devilish mask in place, but… I didn’t relish your obvious pain. Quite the opposite.”
“That’s not why your scar bled,” said Grim, shoving Cedric back even as he released him.
I didn’t know what scar he was talking about, but Cedric did. An uncomfortable smile flashed across the wizard’s face as he cricked his neck.
“If I didn’t care about you, Grim,” said Cedric, “I wouldn’t have tried to pretend to want to murder your lady love so voraciously.”
“I should punch your damn lights out,” muttered Grim, even as his anger, at last, began to abate.
“Ill-advised,” said Cedric as he smoothed his robes. “Given that I now have access to your substantive music collection and coveted memorabilia.”
Grim brandished a finger at him. “You’d better not touch that guitar.”
“When you’re settled,” said Cedric, “and officially out of my hair, so to speak, I plan to hand deliver it. Until that time, you’ll simply have to trust I will handle your effects with care.”
“So… that’s it?” I asked, again squeezing Grim’s hand. “You’re just… going to let us go? Grim, too?”
“You really have no choice,” said Cedric. “I’ve already credited the life that assuming this role grants me… to you, Grim. I told you I had plans for it. That life, if my plan was going to work… I had to save it for you.”
“This is really happening?” asked Grim as he glanced to Flora, who dabbed at her eyes with a leaf-embroidered handkerchief. Johann, in the meantime, smiled wistfully at Cedric—a bit like a proud grandfather.
“This,” said Grim, swallowing hard, emotion straining his voice. “Why does it feel like another fucking bait and switch?”
“You,” I said, interrupting Cedric before he could answer. “You love Grim, too, don’t you?”
“Abrasive as he is,” said Cedric, “he’s a bit hard not to hold some affinity for, isn’t he?”
A smile broke onto my face, and I beamed up at Grim, who could only look down in response.
“I always hated you,” said Grim.
“See,” said Cedric, “I don’t think you did.
Not truly. Even when you scythed me and snapped my neck.
In fact, I would wager you’ve never hated a single soul in your entire existence.
None, perhaps, but your own. But… Helena helped you with that, didn’t she?
And Flora and Johann, too. Maybe me as well, albeit backhandedly. You’re welcome, by the way.”
Grim didn’t answer. Swallowing again, he just looked away.
“I’m free to leave and Helena, too?” he asked at last. “I’m not bound to my oath anymore, and Helena’s no longer a Fated. Do I have that right?”
“She’s still technically a Fated,” said Cedric.
“Though none but The Few know for what. Her fate, as everyone’s in this room has for one reason or another, has simply…
changed. Sir White made some adjustments, swayed by the realization she had far more important work to do here.
You are her fate now, as I understand it…
and she is yours. The rest? Well, that will come one day, won’t it?
When I do. In the meantime… I think you two have some particulars to sort out.
By the way, I should probably let you know that you’ve also been left with a few of your…
tricks. Being a wizard of my standing, I didn’t need to take your powers.
Also, The Few know you have enemies—Mephistopheles, for one.
Rumor has it he’s the one who gave you that striking white streak in your hair. ”
“Yeah, well,” said Grim, “you should have seen him.”
“Just like a demon to put flair in your hair,” announced Pluto.
Goodness. Mephistopheles had put that shock of white in Grim’s dark locks? That was certainly a story I was going to have to get out of him later.
“Aside from Johann’s demon friend,” added Cedric, “there’s also a vampire or two in the mix from what I understand?”
I narrowed my eyes on Cedric. Because… did he seem anxious?
“Fuckin’ hate vampires,” muttered Grim through clenched teeth before tilting his head and rolling back a shoulder, as if the thought of them gave him the heebie-jeebies. Like he might have even been bitten once.
“Um,” I ventured, suddenly nervous as I traded a terrified glance between the two of them. “V-vampires?”
“There’s also that one witch from Florida, is there not?” asked Cedric.
“The fucking Sarasota Shrew,” mumbled Grim, his gaze going distant and hollow, like he happened to be recalling a nightmare. “You’re going to have to watch out for her. She’s still pissed as hell over the cat incident.”
“Um. Cat incident?” I couldn’t help asking. “What happened? Did the cat… die?”
“No,” said Grim. “But that witch’s boyfriend did—and I got there just in time to keep her from stashing his soul in the neighbor’s Siberian. I sort of get it now why she didn’t want me to take him.”
“You mentioned she was still angry,” said Cedric, his tone now unmistakably daunted.
“Maybe don’t go to the Keys alone,” warned Grim.
“Mm,” said Cedric with a frown. “Noted.”
“Something tells me we should probably have a conversation about these… acquaintances of yours… later,” I muttered to myself more than Grim. “Over some… drinks.”
“Point is,” said Cedric, “adversaries don’t go away even when you get fired.”
“Can’t we just say he was laid off?” I asked.
“For my own sake,” said Cedric, “let’s go with ‘deposed’ since, to a certain degree, I’m inheriting Grim’s track record with said enemies.
Makes me sound formidable while also suggesting Grim himself won’t be a satisfying target any longer—and it’s true-ish.
Anyway, what I was saying is that you’ve got the means to protect yourself—and this Fated—from harm.
I mean… that’s what those powers you have are for, right? ”
Grim’s gaze shot to mine, and I blushed even as I tried to look oblivious.
“I’m so sad I’m happy,” whimpered Flora, her tears freely rolling down her cheeks now.
“I knew there was more to you than what you pretended to be,” said Johann, speaking to Cedric. “Both of you,” he added, turning to address Grim.
“Cedric’s done pretending,” said Pluto, “happy couple, happy ending.”
“Invite me to the wedding?” asked Cedric through another surly, self-satisfied smirk.
“You could come to dinner, too,” I said, my response drawing Grim’s shocked gaze. But I just winked at him. “Flora and Johann as well. And Pluto, of course. Surely one of The Few could babysit the Hallowed Halls for a few hours. I make a mean lasagna.”
“I could bring pastries from Paris,” said Flora.
“I have an appetite I could bring,” said Johann, patting his belly. “And I suppose I could pop out of hiding for a short spell so long as we’re not in public. If it’s cold, I’ll wear the ushanka Flora got me from Siberia.”
“Dinner at the Grims’,” called Pluto.
“It’s a date,” said Cedric. “So long as Loxley agrees, of course.”
Grim remained quiet, still processing the emotions that had to be warring for his attention, his mind, his heart—that dark soul that still needed to learn what it was like to fully embrace the light.
But then, I still had things to learn, too.
From and about myself as well as him.
Thanks to Grim, I now had the promise of a full life in which to do that.
“Yeah, fine,” said Grim at last. “Just… don’t touch my shit until I have a place to put it.”
“I’m turning the furniture green at first opportunity,” said Cedric.
“Prick,” growled Grim.
To this, Cedric grinned, and stepping forward, he looped an arm around Grim’s shoulders, guiding him—and by proxy me—toward the hall leading out of the Hallowed Halls.
“As the Americans say,” replied Cedric, “I love you, too, man.”
“Grim won’t say it,” said Pluto. “He won’t use his breath. But I think it can be said, he loves you to death.”
“We’ll go with that,” grumbled Grim.
I smiled at Flora and Johann, who, both sniffling now, followed us, no doubt wanting to see us off as Cedric escorted us to the nearest portal—the doorway that would not just take us home but return me and Grim to the greatest gift of all.
Life.
And not just any life—but one the two of us would get to spend… together.