Page 58 of Crown of Tides and Fury

But they were short trees, and the stretch of grass was soft underfoot, so I ran for it. If it came down inside the fence, I would be there for it.

I whizzed past the apple trees, and ducked under a branch heavy-laden with fruit. The smell was intoxicating. I came out the other side with another fifteen feet between me and the fence. From far away, I heard Wickham shout my name. But the frisbee had finished hovering and was falling fast. I had time, I had room, it was going to be perfect.

At the last second, the breeze suspended it just long enough…it went over.

I slammed into the solid fencing, my hand reaching in vain, just as something large and dark whooshed overhead, banking high, as if pushed away from some invisible forcefield over the property.

The boys ran toward me, shrieking and shouting, “Did ye see it?” “So close!” “Did it take the Frisbee?”

It was Griffon. His gaze searched the ground, unseeing, as he swooped back and forth over the property, concentrating on the spot where I had crumpled against the fence.

Wickham was suddenly there, standing over me, keeping me where I was.

“What is it, da?” J.W. looked from me to Griffon and back again, putting two and two together.

“An old friend, son.”

“He cannae see us?”

“No, but he kens we’re here.”

“Tell him to come down,” Gavin whined. “I want to see his wings!”

“I cannae do that.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re at war,” Alexander answered. “Andit’sobviously not on our side.”

Wickham shot his eldest a look. “There are many sides.Heis simply not on ours…at the moment.”

Alexander gave me a dirty look, the message clear—he didn’t want me on his father’s side either. Then he turned and walked into the trees. Wickham sent the other two after him, then offered me a hand up. We searched the darkening heavens where the stars were taking their positions, but Griffon was gone.

Wickham watched me closely. “Curious, isn’t it? Out of the entire length of fence, he tried to get through right here?” He bit his lip for a minute, literally holding something back, then gave up with a shrug. “Ye said ye were never lovers, but ye must have made some kind of connection. Something links ye together, lets him ken exactly where ye are.”

“I can’t imagine what,” I said, though I had always wished for a connection, imagined I knew where he was and what he was thinking. But it was only a wish.

“We’ll have Kitch go through yer things, yer clothes, yer…” he gestured to the length of me, “yer person.”

“Looking for what? You’re the only one who’s given me a tattoo. And if you think I’d willingly sit through another one of those, you’re out of your mind.”

He shrugged and gestured for me to go ahead of him, back to the house. “Willingly? Knowingly, ye mean. I meant electronics, but we’d best check ye for tattoos as well.”

With my back to Wickham, he couldn’t see my heated face. The thought of him and Kitch checking me for mysterious tattoos would be just as bad as the day Everly took me through the “grooming” door. It nearly cost her my friendship for good.

If someone could die of blushing, however, I would have dropped right then and there…when I imagined Griffon tapping some ink into my skin while I slept…in a spot I would never notice…

23

Never Say Never

Naturally, I didn’t sleep well.

I grumped my way to the dining room and growled at anyone who tried to talk to me. I might have taken Gavin’s head off when he snatched the raspberry tart I’d been reaching for, but his impish grin saved him. To punish him, I pulled him close and kissed the top of his head, knowing he’d hate it.

He howled and wriggled away.

I never looked at Wickham’s end of the table and hoped my foul mood would make him reconsider his morning plans for me. I forced down some eggs, a half-burnt sausage, and a pastry, washing it all down with a cold Coke, then headed calmly for the door.

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