I glanced down at the silver-throwing star clipped securely at my side, then shrugged. “It’s a gift from Odin.”
Her eyebrows shot up, and she looked both impressed and mildly jealous, which was saying something. “Odin? What, did he just decide it was your birthday?”
“Something like that,” I replied, pulling the star free and holding it out to her. The intricate etching along the edges glinted in the light, runes carved into the steel in a beautiful and deadly way. “Here, take a look.”
Nishi took it with the reverence of someone who truly appreciated a well-crafted weapon. She turned it over in her hands, inspecting every angle. “Nice,” she said finally, her tone carrying a note of approval. That was high praise, coming from her.
I took it back and clipped it to my belt, and the smooth motion was almost automatic. “They are a little lighter weight, but I haven’t had much time to try them out yet,” I admitted, though the urge to throw something was itching at the back of my mind.
Nishi’s smirk widened. “We can practice upstairs after we’re done decorating. I’d love to see what those can do.”
The others might have rolled their eyes but didn’t say anything. This was just who we were—a little chaos, a little combat training, all wrapped up in holiday cheer.
“Deal,” I said, pulling another ornament from the box with a grin. “Let’s finish this tree first. Then we’ll see how well these suckers fly.”
Her nod was quick, eager. If Nishi was excited, I knew I was in for a solid sparring session. And honestly, I couldn’t wait.
The soft chime of the door turning made me glance up from the ornament I was holding. I turned, and there he was—my son, Liam, standing in the doorway with a large box in his arms and an easy smile on his face.
“Hey, Mom.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “You’re early,” I said before I could think better of it, and immediately regretted it.
He grinned, that same boyish charm that could disarm anyone. “I know how much you love surprises.”
The ladies burst into laughter because, of course, they all knew how wrong that was. I shot them a look as Liam walked over, setting the box down in front of me. It wasn’t even wrapped, which was just like him. Practical, direct.
“What’s this?” I asked, glancing at the picture on the box. “A fancy coffee maker?”
“You’re always talking about how much you love those fancy coffees,” he said with a shrug, as though this was the most obvious gift in the world.
I nodded, even as Nishi barely managed to suppress a grunt. I could see the corners of her mouth twitching, but she held it in. Barely.
Liam leaned in and hugged me, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “I know it’s not really your thing, but Max and I figured your customers might like it.”
“Ah,” I murmured, the pieces falling into place. He wasn’t wrong. The people passing through my world loved their caffeine, and a fancy coffee maker wouldn’t hurt. “Thanks,” I said, giving him a warm smile despite myself.
As I set the box down on the table beside the trays of cookies and sandwiches, I couldn’t resist adding, “Just so you know, I’ll still be going to Danny’s.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” Liam said, his grin widening. He sat on the couch, glancing around the room. “The place looks great. How is everyone?”
The conversation shifted as the ladies started asking him about his girlfriend and Max, my business partner. He gave them easy, relaxed answers, clearly enjoying the attention. My chest tightened slightly when the topic turned to Ravenholde and how busy things had been here.
I tried to downplay it, mentioning a few jobs in the city without going into detail. I didn’t want Liam to know about the truth of the supernatural underbelly of Ravenholde—my real world. He was human, and the less he knew, the safer he’d be.
He didn’t seem to notice the careful way I chose my words, though. His smile never faltered, and his questions about how things were going stayed blissfully mundane.
As the conversation continued, I caught the knowing glances from the others—Aurora, Nishi, Eve. They could read me better than anyone. I gave them a subtle shake of my head, silently asking them to let it lie. And to their credit, they did.
Liam had no idea about the supernatural world or the shadows lurking just beyond the edges of his perfectly normal life. And I couldn’t tell him. Not because I didn’t trust him. Liam had the heart of a lion and the brains to match, but because knowing the truth would put him in danger. Worse, it would shatter him. The truth about Luke, about what he really was… and who killed him. Liam would never recover from that. And I couldn’t do that to him.
When he asked another question about the bounties in Ravenholde, his curiosity piqued by the scraps of information I’d shared, I deflected with practiced ease. “How’s business in Cincinnati?” I asked, turning the conversation back to safer ground.
Liam leaned back on the couch, running a hand through his dark hair. “It’s steady,” he said. “Max is still looking for another bounty hunter, though. Can’t seem to find anyone who meets his standards.”
I nodded, pretending to be interested as I placed another ornament on the tree. But then his tone shifted, and my stomach tightened.
“I was thinking,” he said, leaning forward, “maybe I could help you more around here. You’re obviously raking in the business, and I’ve got the experience. Plus, I’d love to be around more.”
