Chapter 29
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
It didn’t take long to get to Kathy’s Country Kitchen, which Rhaz learned was called a restaurant.
Eating places in the human world, or this realm, were categorized by size. There were things called eateries, of course, but then also cafés, restaurants, cafeterias—he had no idea what that was—and something called a smorgasbord.
He didn’t know what that was either, but Jackson talked about them with fondness.
When they reached the restaurant, they went inside and waited to be seated.
A middle-aged woman, apparently Kathy, showed them to a cozy booth, as Phin called it, and left them with menus.
He perused his and would have to ask Phin what some of the things were. He didn’t recognize the words, and though he could speak the language decently enough, his reading and writing of it wasn’t as good.
“I am getting the grilled ham and cheese,” she announced.
“Ah,” he said. “I am not sure what I want.”
He pointed to his menu.
“What is a taco salad?”
“Try it and find out. I’m sure you’ll like it. In fact, we need to go to Tequila Mockingbird and you can try some Mexican food. Have you ever had it?”
“No.” Before he could say more, Kathy herself came, took their orders, and left.
“Does the owner of an establishment often do all the work?” he asked, watching Kathy retreat to what he assumed was the kitchen.
“Yes and no. It depends on the place,” Phin said.
He turned to her, a smile on his face. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”
Her eyes suddenly widened. She wasn’t going to back out, was she? “Well, I...”
“Phin, is something wrong?”
“No, of course not.” She looked at the tabletop just as Kathy returned with the drinks they ordered. She set them on the table, smiled at them, and left.
“Phin,” Rhaz drawled, “you seem to be stalling. Are you?”
“I am not,” she shot back. “I’m thinking. When one wants to have a serious conversation, a lot of times they have to think.”
He sat back. “Very well. I won’t rush you.” Rhaz found her thinking, as she called it, adorable.
Her nose twitched. Sometimes she wrinkled up her face.
He watched her a few moments before she rested her hands on the table, fidgeted in her seat, then looked him in the eyes. “I... okay. The ring. It really bothers me that you bought me such an expensive gift.”
She pulled it off her finger and slid it across the table. “You should take it back.”
He looked at it, then shoved it in her direction. “It was a gift, mo’ belah. Please keep it.”
Phin cocked her head. “Mo…belah? What does that mean?”
He didn’t hesitate. “It means my beauty.”
A tiny gasp escaped her. “Oh. Um, well...”
“You do not think you are beautiful?” he asked. “Phin, you are a very beautiful woman. Why would you not think so?”
“I don’t know. No one calls me beautiful. I don’t go around looking to be called beautiful.” She pointed at him. “And you’re making me nervous, all right?”
He laughed at that. “I don’t mean to make you nervous, Phin.”
“All right.” She fidgeted some more in her chair. “But this...” She held up the ring. “This makes me nervous. It makes my parents nervous. My mother is threatening to have my father give me the talk tonight when he gets home.”
“The talk?” he asked in confusion. “What is that?”
“It’s when your parents think you’re getting married or something because someone gave you a ring. A very expensive one. And now my mother’s practically planning my wedding.”
He gaped at her. “Oh. I see.” He sat back. “I did not mean for things to be taken that way. I am afraid I am not familiar with your customs here. Surely they will understand that.”
She nodded. “You have a point. Okay. Still, I...”
Before she could finish, Quill entered the restaurant. “Good, there you are. We need you back at the manse, Rhaz.” He smiled at Phin. “Hello.” Quill gave her a little wave. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Um, well, yeah,” Phin said. “We haven’t eaten yet. We just ordered.”
“Sorry about that. Maybe you could get it to go?” Quill said apologetically.
“What is this about?” Rhaz asked.
Quill glanced between them. “Emory’s at the manse, and he has some new information on that little job you’re doing with Anon.”
“Oh yes. I see.” Rhaz’s expression became serious. He couldn’t help it. He had to protect Phin. “Very well.” He looked at her. “My apologies. I am sorry, but I must go.”
She nodded and pressed her lips together in an odd sort of way, as if she really wanted to voice her opinion on his leaving but was deciding to keep her mouth shut.
He deserved any scolding she was holding back. But if there was information about the Sarian, he needed to go. “Phin, I am sorry.”
He got up, then pulled some money from his pocket and set it on the table. “Here. Take this.”
She looked at it.
“Take my food home with you and you can have it later.” He smiled apologetically. “I am sorry.”
Before he could stop himself, he bent down, kissed her on the forehead, and left.
As soon as they were outside, Rhaz realized what he’d done. “Flaming trolls.”
“What?” Quill asked with a smile. He looked over his shoulder at the restaurant. “So, Phin, eh?”
“It’s nothing,” Rhaz said and walked straight ahead, then realized he was going in the wrong direction. He stopped, turned around, and headed toward the manse.
“Definitely Phin,” Quill said, trailing behind him.
Rhaz swore the wizard was snickering. “Never mind about that,” he snapped. “What about Emory? What news has he brought?”
“He hasn’t told us yet. He insisted everyone be present. Anon called Caelen and Jackson. They’re on their way.”
“All right,” Rhaz said and kept walking. Thankfully, Quill didn’t bring up Phin again.
He hated to leave her like that. It was rude, as far as he was concerned, but he’d do what he had to if it meant protecting her, even if it that meant cutting their lunch short. He’d have to make it up to her later.
When they reached the manse, Jackson was just getting there. There was no sign of Caelen yet. Maybe he was inside.
“Quill, what’s this about?” Jackson asked.
Quill stopped up short. “Anon didn’t tell you?”
Jackson sank onto the couch. “He just said Emory was here with news.”
Quill sat in Anon’s favorite red chair. “Sometimes he does things just to get you to come quicker.”
Jackson made a face, and Rhaz had to agree. The vampire did have interesting ways of getting things done.
Basil entered the living room and set a tray on the coffee table. It was full of snacks.
Good. Rhaz was hungry. He popped a raw vegetable into his mouth.
“No, no, Your Highness. You must dip it in the sauce,” Basil insisted.
Rhaz failed to notice the bowls of different sauces on the table. Had kissing Phin on the forehead rattled him that much?
He tried to push thoughts of her aside but didn’t succeed. She kept popping into his head: her worried looks about the ring, the way she twitched her cute little nose…
“Your Highness,” Basil asked, “is something wrong?”
“No, Basil. I am fine. Carry on.” He waved him away as if he were at court back in their own realm.
Basil bowed and left.
Good. Rhaz didn’t want to have to put up with the gnome’s inquisitive nature, especially if he knew he’d been with Phin. Basil would never let him hear the end of it.
Caelen soon showed up, just as Emory and Anon joined them, and the meeting got underway. Caelen popped a carrot into his mouth. “All right. Emory. What’s this all about?”
Emory stood before them, eyeing the food. “It struck again. The Sarian, or whatever you want to call it. It got a ranch hand this time, about a hundred miles east of the Mount Hood National Forest.”
“What?” Anon immediately looked at Rhaz. “What’s it doing way over there? That’s odd.”
“What do you mean, over there?” Emory asked. “It’s where we found more tracks. We’ve been covering as wide an area as possible, but it’s been difficult with the more heavily forested areas.”
“No doubt,” Anon said, “and we’ve been covering it from the air, but we didn’t look that far east. It’s very interesting. No wonder we didn’t see any signs of it. But if it’s looking for another door and was heading in this direction, then why did it change course? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Jackson agreed. “That’s odd.”
“Well, what do we do?” Caelen asked.
“We take to the air tonight and check out that area,” Anon said. “Of course, we’ll have to drive a good part of the way. I doubt Rhaz wants to fly that far, and there’s a lot of open country. We’ll have to be careful.”
“I could go with you,” Emory offered. “I know the area it was in. I have the coordinates.”
“You won’t be missed?” Anon asked. “What about Mr. Bristow?”
“He left,” Emory said with a shrug. “Said he’d be gone a few days.”
“What? Left? Why?” Caelen asked. “That seems odd, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, who knows why these scientists and military types do the things they do?” Anon said. “But that works perfectly for us. We can check the area out and see what we can find.”
Quill raised his hand. “Um, Emory. I hate to ask, but how did the poor chap...”
Emory shoved his glasses up his nose. “Oh. Drained of all his blood and bodily fluids, much like the other one. At least he didn’t get chewed up.”
“Ew,” Quill said, making a face. “They’re both a bad way to go.”
“Indeed.” Anon patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, wizard. We’ll get the blighter. Sarian or whatever it’s called. Perhaps you’d best whip up more spells so we can see how best to corner the thing.”
Quill gave him a curt nod. “Very well. I’ll do that.”
“How far of a drive is that going to be?” Jackson asked.
“We’ll check the map,” Anon announced as he headed out of the room. “I’ll be right back with one.”
Rhaz paced as they waited for Anon to return. He didn’t like this. Not one bit. “This is very strange,” he said to no one in particular. “If that thing knows where the door is, why did it head in another direction?”