Page 48 of Iron Unicorn

“He’s got you there.” Olivia turned and returned the crab to the tub before shucking off the gloves. “You’ll be fine, Terry. But we should get you to the hotel, dried off, and properly fed.”

“I’ll take care of providing your supper to the kitchen,” the woman promised, and she carted off the first crab before retrieving Olivia’s and taking it away. “I shall have them make a good bisque with the smaller lobsters.”

“You’re the best, Cassie.”

The woman waved before going about her business. I took advantage of the moment to escape back outdoors. “I do not recommend exposure therapy.”

Olivia hopped to my side, linked my arm with hers, and dragged me in the direction of one of the nearby SUVs. “We’ll swing by the hospital to get that suppressor off, and then you’ll have plenty of time to prepare yourself for conquering a plate of seafood. We willnotbe trying you on hot pot today. We have to work you up to sucking on the heads of your archenemy.”

“I am not going to be sucking on the head of a shrimp or crawdad, and I do not care if that’s where the best flavor is. I have a line, and that thoroughly crosses it. I will try the shrimp as long as they’re already delegged.”

“Peeled is the word you’re looking for,” the princess informed me. “But sure. I’ll make sure the shrimp are peeled first. This is in exchange for eating crab legs.”

“Are the legs going to still be attached to the crab?”

“For the sake of your sanity, no. You’ve been tortured enough for one day.”

“Well, at leastsomeonehere has some mercy on me today.”

ELEVEN

“Revenge comes,” I informed the young man.

Someone,in an effort to finish me off, had set a crab loose in the SUV. In a moment of true stupidity, I attempted to skewer the damned thing with a conjured spear. Rather than manifest metal, the suppressor won the round. In my fright, I’d used enough of my talent to knock myself out.

I loathed waking up in a hospital, something that happened every rare now and then in the line of duty. Usually, a fall of some sort resulted in the trip to the ER. The previous times I’d landed in emergency care, a Montana royal had shown up to make certain I’d be able to return to duty.

I had an assortment of royalty from different kingdoms visiting, including the heirs of Maine, the Texan heirs, and a rather miffed Olivia who wanted to hold my hand.

How dare the prince and princess from Maine do medical work and bar her from her handholding duties?

Melody spotted my status as somewhat coherent first, and she grinned at me. Rather than reveal I was conscious, she glanced in Olivia’s direction.

The Montana princess stood in a corner and fumed.

“You can hold his hand soon,” Melody promised, laughing and shaking her head. “The suppressor went into its special mode intended to subdue the wearer. He’s fine. He didn’t suffer a heart attack. He got his ass kicked, and the suppressor kept him down. This is how they’re supposed to work.”

“Summer didn’t get knocked out,” Olivia complained.

“Summer also didn’t unleash her full talent while wearing it. She did a few tests, and she had one mild temper tantrum. The suppressor acted accordingly. Had she triggered the special mode, the GPS on it would have activated and she would have been recovered.” Melody patted my hand. “Anyway, he’s coming around now, so you can come and reassure yourself. His concussion is gone, and he emerged from being zapped unscathed. I want to observe him for another hour, but after that, you can take him to your hotel, feed him, and let him rest.” The Maine princess turned her attention to Carl. “No scenarios for three days minimum.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

“There. You have three days to teach him the joys of seafood. While you tend to him, I will find who put a crab in the SUV and give them a lecture.”

Carl pointed at Eddie. “He masterminded it, but we thought it was a good way to do a final test.”

“Revenge comes,” I informed the young man. “And when it does, it will be spectacular enough your dad will be forced to praise my cunning.”

As Eddie had sufficient spine to withstand a bunch of Texans at their worst, he laughed at me. “Before or after you redecorate the palace during your test of security?”

“After. I need to dedicate myself to making you pay for that.”

Eddie acknowledged me with a two fingered salute. “I’ll be ready for you, old man.”

Excellent. His willingness to play the game meant good things for his work in California and for the kingdom he would one day help to rule. “I’m just going to set some rules up: no crustaceans.”

Eddie snickered. “Or centipedes or millipedes. When I take you out, it will be fairly and without using your phobia against you. I wasn’t expecting such a spectacular reaction to the crab, though. I mean, you were going to take that thingout.”

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