Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
G wil awoke with a sense of detachment, as if he were floating just outside his body.
The spell had made him feel as if someone was drinking him through a straw, and he was sure Hyax hadn’t expected the reaction.
He took a moment to work through a grounding exercise he’d been taught after a heavy coke session by a Californian yogi, and the world came back to normal.
Unless he’d slept around the clock, he’d not been out more than two hours, and he was good to get up.
He wished he hadn’t needed to feed from Hyax.
He’d wanted to keep the act of feeding something special, not a first-aid treatment.
Whatever had happened had left him feeling like a freshly dug-up corpse, and he had a shower, which made him no less of a corpse, but at least someone wouldn’t follow him around with an air freshener.
Hyax was sitting at the dining table sorting through papers.
He didn’t do the admin side and Gwil had a horrible thought he’d been spending a long time searching for items Hyax had been trying to help with.
“Step away from the files. Some of the evidence I collect isn’t replaceable.”
“While I’m happy to see you back to your old snarky self, fuck you.”
He pulled out a chair and sat next to him. “You once filed something so badly I didn’t find it for seven years.”
“Six years, ten months. You always over-exaggerate. Besides, I’m not filing, I’m just putting the pack together for Howard Squire. He asked for a debrief once you were ready.”
Howard was only one of the people they would need to close out loose ends with, whether he wanted to or not. “What about Goya? I can’t imagine he hasn’t stuck his snout in.”
“Since he was there, he can’t claim to have been left out of the proceedings. But I did agree he could be present when we spoke to Howard—it gets it all out of the way in one go.”
He wasn’t sure he agreed, but it was a bit late to rescind the offer as Goya would think they were hiding something.
“When?”
Hyax checked his watch. “How about now, if you’re feeling up to it? Howard gave me some times he’d be available over the next few days, and Goya said he would prioritise the meeting if he could.”
“All right. Contact them and let’s say an hour.”
Hyax fired off a couple of texts. “Done. I wanted to apologise again about what happened with the spell. I didn’t think you were in any danger.”
“I gathered that. It was fucking weird though, can’t say I’d want a repeat.” He reached out and curled his finger around a hank of Hyax’s hair. “You would never do anything to hurt me. I just hope I didn’t do too much damage to your throat. I wasn’t in full control.”
Hyax shushed him. “I was a bit sore, but Simon sent me a special balm. He uses it when he and Robin dabble. I was surprised as I didn’t think vampires fed off each other very often.”
“We don’t. But I think Simon’s nature might change things up a little. And he’s a baby vamp. Hasn’t been turned a year.”
“I’m not sure you can technically call him being turned; more like the other side of him was released.”
Hyax would argue black was white and he didn’t really care that much about Simon’s physiology, beyond him being a scary fucker. “Whatever the situation, I’m glad he was able to help you out.”
“I don’t even have the same marks from the last time, so I can avoid the turtlenecks that don’t do me any favours.”
Gwil often voiced that there wasn’t a piece of clothing Hyax wouldn’t look good in. He loved being seen out with Hyax, everyone knowing they were together, which reminded him. “I was thinking you still owe me a trip to Bled.”
“I do indeed.”
“We could go tonight?” He wanted to give Hyax the earrings and with the end of the case and the intel regarding Hoffman, the timing seemed perfect. “Both dress up, schmooze a bit.”
“Perfect. Let’s go wrap up with Howard and spend some quality time together.”
Howard’s office was the sort of place where Hollywood megalomaniacs planned world domination in movies.
It was glass and steel and was a strict no portal zone, the type that would cost a lot of money to enforce.
A shortage of money wasn’t an issue Howard had to contend with, but Gwil wouldn’t have wanted the level of stress that must come with the work Howard needed to do to maintain his business interests.
Hyax seemed more annoyed than impressed when they were shown into a private room to wait for Howard. “You all right?”
“We’ve better things to be doing than waiting for a tardy wyvern,” Hyax said. He sank gracefully into a chair, crossing his arms and legs and nailing his trademark pouty pratty prince demeanour.
“He’s not late. We’re early.”
“He’s been informed we’re here. I’m not used to being kept waiting.”
He didn’t have the chance to reply because Howard sailed into the room, accompanied by Daniel. “The men of the hour. You can’t believe how grateful I am.”
Gwil stood, but Hyax remained seated. “I thought DCI Goya would be joining us.”
“I spoke to the inspector, and he agreed that as the case was closed, he needn’t waste his valuable time listening to me praise you for doing something his police force couldn’t do.”
Gwil would’ve loved to have heard that exchange, and the less time he spent with Goya, the better. “I can say I’ve never worked a case like it.”
“Hopefully you’ll never have to evict a dragon again,” Howard said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I must say, I’m super intrigued to hear how you did it.”
Hyax smiled tightly. “I’m not at liberty to divulge the details.”
Howard sniffed and sat down. “As the client, I would’ve thought I’d have been allowed to know how you solved the issues. DCI Goya was there after all.”
“DCI Goya was an observer, but received no more in-depth information than I’ll give to you.
On a macro level, I used a combination of spells and potion work to remove a dragon from under your store to a place of safety.
The specific details and exact whereabouts are confidential.
DCI Goya saw the spell being cast, but wouldn’t have been able to ascertain anything from being present, and he was not present for the potion brewing. ”
Gwil hadn’t given the method much thought in terms of how much Hyax would share.
Their special connection wasn’t common knowledge, and both of them wanted it to stay that way.
But he also didn’t want to piss off a man as rich and influential as Howard.
Thankfully, Daniel came to their assistance.
“I think, Mr Squire, there may be fae tenements that will need to be honoured. I’m sure Prince Hyax would share if he were able. ”
“I suppose I am so used to getting my own way, I forget I’m not always allowed to.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew two envelopes. He handed one to Gwil. “Your agreed fee, plus a little extra for the expedience you’ve shown.”
Gwil opened the envelope. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Howard, but some of his paranormal clients had strange ways of settling their bills, and he didn’t want to have to come back if he’d been presented with currency that ceased to be legal tender centuries before in a different realm.
While the humans had embraced online and digital banking, Gwil knew that he was lucky Howard was modern enough to write a cheque.
The number written on it was enough to buy Hyax several pretty pieces of jewellery and far more than their agreed price. “Thank you. This is very generous.”
“Richly deserved.” Howard turned to Hyax. “But I appreciate, Your Highness, that you might prefer a non-monetary thanks.”
Hyax took the envelope and stared at it with suspicion before he tore it open and removed a sheet of paper. Gwil watched his eyebrows rise. “How did you get this?”
“Just as you have your special ways, I have mine.”
Gwil peered over. Written on the surface was: One Consultation with the Alchemist .
“Is that the Alchemist?” Gwil asked, understanding why Hyax was so surprised. “The potion guru?”
“Calling one of the greatest potion makers of all time a guru is insulting. He offers only one consultation a year, and if the proposed topic is considered unworthy, he will cancel.” Hyax turned to Howard. “This is remarkable. Thank you”
“Given what you’ve done for me, it is a mere token of my gratitude. Your magical gifts are well-known, and whatever you did to move a sleeping dragon must have been extraordinary, so I think you would be someone the Alchemist would relish consulting for.”
“I fear I have far more questions than he’d be willing to answer, but I will relish the opportunity.”
Gwil knew the sort of thing Hyax would want to discuss.
The books he’d been researching to use their connection often listed a potion Hyax hadn’t been able to decipher due to their archaic references to ingredients and long-forgotten methods.
He could already see Hyax’s mind working, and he knew this might be the start of the next phase of unlocking even more ways they could work together.
Coupled with access to the Jyndarin Society’s library, Gwil thought there were going to be some pretty spectacular things in their future.