Page 34 of Secrets and Ruin

“Within reason,” I said softly. “From only me, not them.” I nodded at Heath and Landon. “No favor asked of me can put anyone associated with me in danger, only myself.”

“I can agree to those terms,” the fae said quickly, his head bobbling in a nod. “I’m not… I’m just a healer with a particular way of looking at magic. I’m not a great bargainer or anything. I…shouldn’t have helped at all, really.”

“I truly appreciate that you did, which is why I’m giving you this favor. You might have saved lives today, and if this favor is enough, I will gladly give it to you,” I said, then turned on my heel and headed inside.

“Jacky? What’s that?” Carey asked as I passed her. I froze, pushing the grotesque contract behind my back.

“Nothing you want to know about, I promise. Trust me this once, and when you’re older, I’ll tell you this story in full,” I said, clearing my throat as I watched her frown grow, hoping she didn’t press for more. The nightmares she could have, knowing there was something like this in the world… As a woman over forty, I wished I didn’t know.

“Okay,” she finally said, nodding slowly. “What’s going on?”

“Landon and I are flying to Berlin to see Niko and Dirk. It’s urgent. Don’t give your father too much trouble. Don’t tell Makalo or anyone else about this.”

“Are they in danger?”

It was one question I couldn’t sidestep. I wouldn’t sidestep it.

“Yes.”

Unsurprised, she nodded slowly. Resolve filled her eyes, a belief in me I didn’t always have in myself.

“Love you. Stay safe. Come home with them.”

I blinked back tears and leaned in to kiss her forehead, having to reach a couple of inches to get to it. I was an average sixty eight inches tall, only five foot eight. She was now reaching five foot nine. My sixteen-year-old future stepdaughter, one of the greatest treasures of my life, was taller than me and would always be that way. I could remember when she was a small eleven-year-old. I wanted more years with her as she continued to grow up and find out what type of person she wanted to be.

“We’ll come back. Don’t you worry about that,” I promised, then went upstairs to begin packing.

I packed light, knowing I would be running around the Black Forest, deep in Niko’s isolated territory. I was going to get dirty, probably bloody, and it didn’t make sense to waste space on extra clothes for vanity’s sake. I packed enough to make it through three days, but I knew I wouldn’t bother changing unless the clothes were ruined. After that, I rushed back downstairs, keeping my eyes away from anyone around, not wanting to make eye contact and get drawn into conversation. I went into the security building, intending on picking some weapons, only to find Heath already doing that.

“You got started for me,” I said, stopping at his side to see what he was deciding on.

“A way to help,” he said softly.

I couldn’t smell his emotions and didn’t fault him for it. The evidence was pointing at a scenario where we had all been played. Fenris pulled the wool over our eyes, and had been doing it for years in some cases. Someone was going to pay the price for that.

“Here,” he said, putting my silver knife in front of me. “You never take it with you anywhere. Hasan gave it to you, didn’t he? Take it. You’re helping your brother and nephew.”

Without a word, I tucked it into my bag. Oftentimes, I ended up as a werecat for fights. I was stronger in that form, could take more hits, and it made me bigger than most of the supernaturals I found myself fighting. Next, he put down a handgun, then a second. One was black, the other gunmetal gray, so aptly named.

“The black will have standard ammunition. Can put down a fae if needed. This one… It has silver loaded into it. Spare magazines over there.” He pointed, and I loaded them into my bag. He reached for a standard hunting knife next. “To pair with the silver knife.”

Nodding, I shoved it in last, thankful it had a case to keep it from cutting through my bag.

“I’ll make sure to keep it all close,” I said, looking at the weapons in my bag before zipping it closed. “I don’t want to walk through the airport armed, though.”

“I’m not worried. Landon won’t let you run off to find Dirk unless you’re prepared.” He didn’t attempt to give me even the weakest of smiles. I was expecting it, but it wasn’t there as I stared into his stormy gray-blue eyes. I pulled back my own fury and hurt over the seeming betrayal. I didn’t want to lose myself in it, and there was something Heath and I had to talk about.

“What do you want me to say to Fenris when we find him?”

“Nothing. Rainer Brandt is not a member of my pack. His life is forfeit, and there’s nothing he can say to change that.”

“There might be some sort of explanation. He might—”

“Why did he leave the bargain for us to find?” Heath asked me before I could finish my appeal. “Why wouldn’t he take it with him to keep it hidden?”

“I… I don’t know.” I hadn’t even given it a thought. I had jumped into action and planned on thinking about that sort of stuff on the plane.

“He’s an old wolf, Jacky. He knew exactly what actions Landon and I would take when we discovered it. He knew we’d discover it eventually or decide to check in on everyone and call Dirk back. Dirk wouldn’t have come home because we wouldn’t have been able to reach him, and we would have sent someone to get him. Probably you and Landon like right now. He’s not going to go quietly. If he’s sold his soul to the Hunt, he has to succeed. He’ll kill everyone he needs to make that happen.”

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