Chapter 20 #2
“Sweetie, we were hot and heavy off and on for a few millennia.” She sighs. “But being the supreme leaders of separate realms created obstacles that we couldn’t overcome.”
“This is giving The Young and the Monstrous a run for its money right now,” Skylar says, whistling softly.
Thank the Light that Ryder isn’t here right now. I can just imagine all the inappropriate questions he’d be asking.
A dragon goddess and the Queen of the Fae—now that’s a romance I know he’d be eager to write a story about.
Rowan holds up his hands. “We’re straying a bit far off topic.
Our most pressing concern is the situation here in Mystic Hollow.
The rest can wait. I’ll have to examine the node at the sources to get a better sense of what we’re dealing with here, but it’s entirely possible I can hack it as a temporary fix. ”
“Ooh! Like on one of those CSI television shows?” Max asks brightly.
“I like him,” Angelica pipes up. “I think we’re going to have a delightful time in this town with such entertaining personalities around.”
Rowan’s lips twitch. “Kind of, Max. Magic has its own code, if you will, that you can mess with if you know how. I’ll have to study the node, but I might be able to gain a kind of magical backdoor access.
In the meantime, I should be able to cast a temporary containment spell that will prevent power from going in or out.
Once that’s established, I can draw on energy from another part of the ley line to establish a new layer of magical protection over the town to keep out any who pose a threat.
It won’t be as superpowered as what the node can provide, but it’ll serve your needs for a while. ”
“Thank fuck,” Astraea says, tension easing from her body as she leans against the bar in relief. “That all sounds good, but we’ll need you to stay in Mystic Hollow for the foreseeable future so you can monitor things and keep the magic stable.”
“No problem,” Rowan says.
“This will be child’s play for us,” Angelica adds, licking a paw.
I slump in relief. While bigger issues around magic in this realm may be lurking on the horizon, our town will be safe and sound for now.
“This isn’t the type of job a mage like him would seriously want,” Baxter chimes in huffily. “We should find someone else.”
Rowan gets off his stool and stalks toward Baxter. “You haven’t seen me in nearly forty years, Thunderbody. Are you sure you can say you know what I want? Besides, I don’t sign onto a job I won’t see through. Never have, never will.”
Baxter narrows his eyes. “There’s not enough excitement in this job or town to keep your interest for very long and we both know it. We need someone who can stay with us and commit.” He adds extra emphasis to that word.
Rowan’s left eyelid twitches, but he smiles and shrugs. “I’m a professional. I don’t quit partway through a job unless I’m dead. Also, it just so happens that I’m in need of some downtime, and this gig will suit me quite well.”
Baxter steps closer, looming over the mage. Then his large nostrils flare and his eyes narrow. “You smell like blood.”
Rowan stumbles a step back, and Angelica presses into the side of his leg, hissing at Baxter.
“It’s okay, Ange,” Rowan murmurs to her.
She huffs and shoots Baxter a look of contempt.
“I’ll have you know we just got done with a nasty case involving some basilisk traffickers.
Rowan was injured in the process of capturing them and bringing them to the authorities.
He saved a lot of people and was hurt in the line of duty.
You of all beings should understand what that means. ”
Baxter’s jaw clenches. I know him well enough to sense that even though he’s angry, he’s also worried about the mage. That conversation and cake plan of mine will need to come together stat.
Rowan gingerly presses a hand into his side and gives us another one of those roguish smiles.
“Those basilisk bastards have seriously deadly fangs. My backup was late in arriving, so one of them managed to sink its teeth into me.” He gives Astraea a little salute.
“But never fear, boss, that won’t have any impact on my ability to assist you with Mystic Hollow’s little magic problem.
I just won’t be chasing any bad guys for a while. ”
“You should be in a mage hospital,” Baxter says, that obvious note of concern once again underneath the anger in his voice.
Maybe having Rowan in town will be a good thing for them both. They need to mend fences, just like Astraea and the Queen of the Fae.
Rowan waves a hand dismissively. “Already had triage at one. I checked myself out early when I saw Astraea’s ad.
I was far too bored being cooped up in one of those stuffy wards.
” He rubs his hands together. “Recuperating while working here is perfect. I’ve been granted long-term medical leave, so I’m at your service for as long as you need me. ”
“It could take a while to track down Astraea’s son,” I offer, “especially since she hasn’t had much luck finding him so far.”
Rowan grins. “I may be able to assist you guys on that front, as well. I have some skill at spell-based tracking for most beings.”
Astraea strides forward and shakes his hand. “I’ll pay extra.”
Skylar snickers with amusement.
“Of course you will,” Angelica says, lifting her chin and making a huffing noise. “My mage is one of the best and should be paid what he’s worth.”
“Aww, I love you too, Ange,” Rowan says.
“That way, he can provide me with the finest cuts of meat,” she continues, blithely ignoring him.
“Now wait a minute,” Baxter protests. “An injured mage isn’t what we need right now.”
“I can do the job, Thunderbody,” Rowan grits out between clenched teeth.
I hold up my hands in a placating gesture. “Let’s all calm down.”
Sylvia climbs up onto a stool, tosses her long beard over her shoulder, and plants her hands on her hips. “Baxter Thunderbody, we’ve heard what you have to say, but you’re overruled. Am I right, committee?”
“Correct,” I say, and Kassiel, Max, and Skylar nod in agreement.
Baxter scowls but stays silent.
Sylvia clucks her tongue. “Quit acting like the bratty barely adult you were when you and Rowan used to date. It’s been nearly forty years.
You’d think a few decades would be enough time for you to get over it and grow up.
We need to focus on stabilizing the magic and ensuring the Harvest Festival goes off without a hitch.
” She gives him a warning look over the rim of her glasses. “Do I make myself clear, young man?”
He looks away but gives a terse nod.
“I knew you’d come around, Baxter. You’re a stand-up guy and the best police chief Mystic Hollow’s ever had, you will always put the town first. We’ve got this!” I say, brimming with renewed optimism.
“Agreed!” says Kassiel. “This plan is coming together perfectly.”
“As long as you get rid of this damn portal, I’m happy,” Akram chimes in dryly while giving Kassiel a side-eyed look.
Skylar leans in closer to my side, and I shiver at his touch.
“Forty years since Rowan and Baxter dated? He was serious about that? He looks younger than me,” he murmurs.
“Many Otherkind species age differently than humans,” I whisper.
“I didn’t realize mages had slower aging as well, though.”
“It’s from their fae lineages,” I explain.
I covertly glance over to where Rowan, Max, Sylvia, and Astraea are doing a more detailed review of the portal with Rowan.
“Based on his appearance and the size and strength of his familiar, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of his genetic makeup includes at least fifty percent fae.
If that’s the case, it means he might live several hundred years or so. ”
Skylar’s eyes nearly bug out of his head. “Holy shit, I think I need to start reading some of those books Max’s husband writes. That’s insane and way cool.”
With hearing to rival a hellhound’s, Max immediately springs to attention at the mention of Targan. He practically skips around the portal and back our way, Waffles hot on his heels.
“My hulkalicious honey’s books are amazing, Skylar, and so informative. Anything you might want to know about Otherkind and their history, he’s got you covered. I can lend you a few if you’d like.”
I’m distracted from the conversation when Rowan gets down on his knees and uses some kind of chalk to draw intricate runes at four directional points underneath the portal.
“This is just like a scene in Ryder’s book, Secretly Married to the Mage,” I say out loud before I can stop myself.
Watching a mage in action is quite fascinating.
“OMG, you’re right!” Max squeals. “When Nox draws those runes to create a protective ward on the tunnel he and Julius use to escape the city.”
“Oh, yes! That one was highly enjoyable,” adds Kassiel. “Especially when Julius stole the map from the villain and they got to the treasure first.”
“Ryder told me he plans on writing a story for Nox’s djinn friend, too,” says Akram. “There aren’t enough romances that accurately represent my people, but I’m confident he can do us justice.”
Seeing the support our town has for my friend’s books always makes me happy.
“Do you guys have a romance book club going on or something?” Skylar asks, dropping that amazing idea bomb on us.
Kassiel, Max, Akram, and I all swivel our heads in unison to gape at him.
Max recovers first, to no one’s surprise. “OMG, yassss! We simply must make our spontaneous book conversations official, babydolls. One book a month should be doable, right?”
“I’ll talk to Yuki. I know he’d be thrilled to join as well as organize our club,” Kassiel says, clearly enthused. “We could even meet at his library when we have our monthly book talk.” His eyes sparkle. “It’ll be yet another way for us to bond over something he loves, namely books.”
“I’m not sure I want to be in a club with you,” Akram grumbles, eyeing Kassiel coolly.
Kassiel grins unrepentantly. “We’re going to become such good friends, just wait and see.”
Akram scoffs.