“Not many people would’ve realized what was happening, Ms. Allende.”
Ceridwen’s reply was devoid of all intonation. Deryn tried very hard to keep her mind blank, to just listen, to not say anything totally inappropriate, or worse, spill more beans.
“There are no more beans to spill, Deryn. Ceridwen knows that I know about your gift, and she apparently has figured out our…arrangement.”
“She has?” Deryn almost rolled out of bed in shock.
“You aren’t as stealthy in your love life as you think you are, baby sister.”
Victoria chose that moment to enter the room, and Deryn almost dissolved into the mattress from relief.
“There is a Goddess! Thank you! Can we change the subject now that she’s here?” Deryn looked at her aunt hopefully.
“Oh, please! Like we need to know anything about your sex life anyway,” Victoria said and made herself comfortable on the bed, giving Deryn a long, appraising look. “You scared everybody, little one.” The words were barely a whisper, and if not for the tears in Victoria’s eyes, Deryn would’ve thought she had hallucinated them.
“As scary as Deryn’s sex life might be—no offense, Ms. Allende—we have bigger trouble.” Seren stood in the doorway, her fire chief uniform on, helmet under her arm.
“Don’t tell me,” Victoria almost shouted. “Don’t fucking tell me it’s my place. I have worked my whole life?—”
“Pru and Rhiannon’s flat, and no, not fire. We were called, but ended up just helping with the side door to the shop. And before you all start screaming, your Viking boy is okay. He woke up in the middle of it, and the person fled. He didn’t see them. It was dark, and the lights in the flat were disabled at the breaker. He tried giving chase once he assured himself that both Patches and Boleyn were safe and sound in their basket, but the intruder was gone.” Seren set the helmet down and took a few steps intothe room. Paloma slowly got up and brought another chair from the kitchenette.
“Thank you, Ms. Allende.”
“I think, under the circumstances, we can drop the courtesies.” Paloma handed Seren a bottle of water and glanced at Deryn before slowly offering her a straw. Deryn smiled at the care.
It feels so right, so wonderful.
When she caught all eyes in the room on herself, she took a huge sip, choked, coughed, and promptly shut up.
Damn it.
“Is lovergirl here feeling okay?” Seren set down the drained bottle and looked at Paloma, who took Deryn’s hand gently.
“She’s better, coordination is still dubious, and she’s clearly high from those pain meds. Her vision might be slightly impaired, we will have to speak to Dr. Franz about it?—”
“I said you’re beautiful—” Deryn pouted.
“Nothing wrong with her vision, then.” Victoria patted Deryn’s shoulder not too gently, jostling her on the mattress. Paloma held her hand more firmly, her thumb caressing the back of her hand in languid strokes, making her feel a little dizzy with affection.
Before she thought or said anything else, Deryn shoved the straw back in her mouth and looked questioningly at Seren.
“Redding is there with his squad, but from what I saw, it’s very similar to what was done to Ceri’s place. On the surface, it looks like a regular break-in, but it’s clear they were looking for something. We won’t know if anything was taken till Pru and Rhiannon come back?—”
Victoria lifted her phone, showing a text.
“They’re on their way. Should be arriving with the first ferry tomorrow.”
“Good.” Seren nodded and reached for Deryn’s bottle, removing the straw and draining it in three gulps.
Deryn wanted to protest, but before she could, Paloma was pushing a new bottle into her fingers and then kept their hands intertwined. Deryn closed her mouth immediately and enjoyed the warmth.
“Here’s the bad part, though?—”
“Oh, good, ’cause before it was all amazing parts.” Victoria’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she grasped Deryn’s other hand.
Seren shook her head at the interruption but went on.
“Redding has no leads. Nothing. No fingerprints, no trace evidence of any kind. No footprints, tire tracks, not a damn thing. And he thinks the attack on Deryn was either a mistake or a hastily covered-up break-in, just like the ones at Ceridwen’s house and shop, and now at Pru’s.”
