Chapter Four
Elida drove past the car with the hazards and wished them better luck with their engine as she headed to the tea house.
When she arrived, she walked up and said, “A reservation for Elida.”
The young woman smiled. “Yes, miss. Your other party has arrived.”
She followed the young lady and grinned as Wymol sat, checking his phone while he sipped a cup of tea. Elida approached the table, and Wymol set his phone down, rose to his feet, and held her chair out for her. She smiled. “You are punctual.”
He leaned in and kissed her swiftly. “As are you.”
He returned to his seat. “So, did you have an easy drive?”
“I believe so. There was someone who had engine trouble on the highway, so I am having a better day than they are.” She looked at the menu and smiled.
“I am glad for it. So, how long did you stay at the party?”
“I left around five. The dancers who stayed were playing with the rest of the guests, and it was a lot of fun. When did you leave?”
“Around three. I had business matters to attend to.” He sipped at his tea. “You didn’t notice?”
“I was busy keeping the girls from being lured away by the dark elves, the XIA, and the other men that were there. It kept me busy.”
“Four young women. You did very well with them.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
She looked at the server and ordered a tea tray for two and decaf Earl Grey.
Wymol ordered two trays for himself and more tea. “So, avoiding decaf?”
“In tea. I still have three cups of coffee today. I am down from six.”
He chuckled. “I see. Pacing yourself.”
“Well, I need what I need.” She shrugged. She looked at him, and in daylight, he was a midnight blue elf with the glowing white eyes. “Are you using a glamour or something?”
He chuckled. “I am. The blue is a tan, and the suit is a suit. The eyes are behind lenses.”
“Funny, to me, you look like a blue elf in a suit.”
He grinned. “Because I am.”
“Very formal for Sunday tea.”
“Well, I haven’t had it before, so I dressed for anything.”
“Anything?”
“This feels suitable for negotiations.”
Elida smiled. “Oh, it is. What are we negotiating?”
“My place, your life, and that of our child.”
“Ah. That.”
The tea arrived, and she poured a cup for herself before the towers of sandwiches and pastries were set on their table. She chuckled and took a sandwich. “I don’t know. I just thought you could visit when you are in town.”
He paused. “But you didn’t know who I was.”
“No, but if this child is anything like me, it will call its own blood the moment it shows up. You would know.”
He smiled. “Fair answer. You didn’t try to get the information from Amori?”
“Oh, I did. But for a woman claiming what I was claiming, he felt that my intentions weren’t honourable, so he told me to find another sucker.”
She shrugged. “So, my last daughter was an adult, and it was time for me to go home. So, now I am home, and my child will call this home.”
“Why was that a necessary criterion?”
“Oh, a friend is a seer of sorts, and she told me I needed to raise my daughters away from Redbird, or the traffickers would find them again. I didn’t want to put them through that sort of stress, so I left.
Fortunately, I had the resources to settle us in Arutrus.
Plenty of sunlight and great schools. Most of the girls have gone through undergraduate studies, and Miika has joined the XIA.
We were all very proud when she made it through the entrance exams.”
“So, a supportive family.”
“Yes. My parents gave me money and left, so I built a hospital, and I built in equipment and staff for dark fae and folks with dark energy. There was a distinct lack of that in Redbird. Now they have a place to go where they won’t freak out the staff and get crappy treatment.”
“How old were you when your parents left?”
“Twelve. They left me with a guardian, and he let me do my own thing as long as I went to school and checked in.”
His eyes were wide. “Twelve?”
“Yes, well, I was emancipated, so I didn’t have to go travel through the elven cities, so I considered it a win.”
“But your school.”
“I graduated really early.”
He narrowed his eyes as he ate a tiny quiche. “How early?”
“Thirteen? After that, I took some courses from home and got some certifications until I was legally allowed on university campuses.”
He shuddered. “I would have found your parents and dragged them back.”
“Why?”
“To take care of you.”
“I take care of others. It’s the reason that I wasn’t upset about getting pregnant. I am so used to being a mom that I can’t see life without it.”
His eyes glowed a bit.
She smiled. “You extranaturals get all hot and bothered as soon as babies are mentioned.”
“I have been around for a while. This is the only time I have ever managed to kickstart a life.”
“Ahem. I had a bit more to do with it than you did. I definitely remember the nausea and dizziness of the first few months.”
He frowned. “Was it bad?”
“Worse than some, not as bad as others. I have stabilized.” She laughed.
“I am looking forward to seeing who Vaia recommends as a seamstress for a maternity look. Oh, there’s a business to put money into.
” She shoved another sandwich into her mouth and looked at her phone.
Her main screen showed her local news, and she saw the picture of the car she had passed.
She had totally missed the bullet holes. “Oh, no.”
“What?”
She turned her phone and showed it to him. “I went past this car this morning with its hazards flashing. I went past it because I thought they were answering a call or dealing with a flat. The driver was shot.”
He looked at it and frowned. “They don’t give a name.”
“That means they haven’t gotten a hold of next of kin.”
“Oh. You seem upset.”
“That car is familiar. I am going to ask Krys. I could swear I have seen it recently.” She sent a text, not sure why Krys would know.
She ate nervously.
“Why are you nervous?”
“Because I have a bad feeling about this.” She slugged down some tea. All enjoyment of the morning was gone. Tension was gripping her hard.
It’s Bella’s. The car. On my way to Danforth General.
Danforth?
She’s dark energy.
I will meet you there.
She got up and took out a wad of cash, slamming it on the table.
Wymol got up. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Bella. The deer dancer from last night. She left with that orc. I thought she would be curled up with him this morning.” She paused and breathed calmly. “Right. We will have to reschedule. I have to go.”
He touched her shoulder. “I will drive you. You are upset.”
“Yes. That sums it up. Fine. Please. Let’s go.”
He put his arm around her, and they left while she frowned and kept an eye on her phone. She answered texts as they came through. “All the ladies are heading there.”
“Ladies?”
“The dancers. They are all on the way.” Her phone was buzzing so often, her hands were going numb.
He walked her to a sports car and steered her into the passenger seat.
She pulled the belt across her and fumbled to get it into place.
Wymol clicked it in for her, fastened his seatbelt, and started his car.
The rumble was incredible. She felt it in her bones, but instead of enjoying it, she kept texting.
He asked, “Fastest way to get there?”
He stroked her head, and she thought of the path best for this time of day.
He nodded, and they moved smoothly out of the parking lot.
When they were on the road, they moved fast but not recklessly.
They were at the hospital in fourteen minutes, and she got him to park in her spot.
She unbuckled and got out with a bit of grunting.
The car was low, and her centre of gravity was not where it used to be.
Wymol came around and said, “Let me help.”
He pulled her up and said, “I think I need a taller car.”
“Do what you like. I have to get inside and see what’s going on.” She walked in past the security officer, got her pass and a guest pass out of the office, and signed them in.
She handed Wymol his and put hers around her neck as she went to the offices on the upper floor to find out where Bella was. She wasn’t in the system. A hunch flared in her. She asked Krys a question, and she answered, Isorabella Leto.
The file was in front of her, and she read it. Four gunshot wounds, internal bleeding, and a fractured arm. She had a next of kin listed, but it was surprising. The mayor.
The file indicated that the staff had called the office, and a representative was on the way.
Elida sighed and left the office. She smiled at Wymol. “Sorry for this. I just met her yesterday, but she seems so kind and lively. I am going to go to the surgical friends and family room.”
“I am coming with you.”
“Fine.” She looked at him. “And thank you.”
“For what?”
“For driving me when I was losing it.” They walked through the hallways, and she took him through the elevators and to the surgical floor. There were already six people in the waiting room, and Vaia got to her feet. Krys and Hura were with Vaia, and their men were talking softly.
Vaia said, “They won’t tell us anything.”
Elida said softly, “She’s in surgery. She will be there for hours. I can’t tell you anything else.”
Krys nodded. “But they wouldn’t do surgery if she were dead, so that’s hope, right?”
Hura was rocking, and Kremoyn came to put his arms around her. She muttered, “I should never have called her for last night. She’s just so perfect for stuff like that.”
Reynal frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“She was hit with a fertility aspect in the last wave. She’s perpetually receptive, so she’s been trying guys on for size across the continent. She’s picky but curious. She refers to herself as the shoe.”
Krys chuckled. “Like Cinderella.”
Hura nodded. “Yeah. I never imaged she would run into someone violent.”