Page 7 of Untraceable
“I can’t believe I am considering the club.” She mumbled it as she turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel.
She used her hair towel to dry her hair as she sat at her kitchen counter and looked for any mention of necromancers in the last four months.
As she stared at her screen, a new notice popped up, and it asked, “Is this what King Amori referred to?”
She blinked. “Uh-oh.”
This city had suited her. The scrying had told her it would be the safest place to hide, so she presented her new credentials and her shaved head at the immigration centre and set about becoming nice and settled in her new city. It had taken six months of effort to go from temporary to permanent housing. She was relieved that all it took to hide herself was a haircut and contacts.
She was now able to use magic to keep her eye colour hidden as an automatic part of getting ready in the morning.
She looked up the rules of the club, and virgins visited for free the first time. It was right there. It would also ensure that the partner chosen would not be in a hurry. They did recommend advance registration for it so that the widest spectrum of possible partners would be available.
Val bit her lip and then filled out the registration. She was getting too old to remain a virgin by local standards, and she didn’t want a relationship. The club was the best outlet available. Disease- and complication-free, no one remembered you when you left the building.
Bailey sent a query to her, and Val sighed and told her that she was going. Tonight, she would just get things over with.
* * * *
Amori looked at thechild in bed with his mother clinging to his hand. She had turned to get him a juice box, and he had laughed and run for the waves. The rest was why he was here.
“So, Gerald, what did the lady say to you?”
Gerald was healthy, pink, and sitting with an IV and a little clip on his finger to monitor his oxygen level. “She asked me if I wanted to live and then hit me. She hit me hard, but it felt good later. I could breathe again, and my heart thumped again.”
His mother had tears welling slowly. A bear of a man ran in and said, “Where is he?”
Amori looked at the shifter and smelled grease and metal on him. “Come with me for a moment, and you can see him.”
Amori walked to the family room and explained the situation. “The child ran to danger. Your spouse bears no responsibility.”
“She isn’t my spouse. She’s... we have Gerald together.”
“Well, your son was resuscitated by a powerful mage, and he is going to enjoy robust health and increased strength. His mother will need help with him. He will be a lot to handle.”
The man nodded. “I can do that.”
“Why aren’t you together?”
“Her family doesn’t think I am the right fit for them.”
“Tough. I will draft a royal decree if it will help. Just come to my office on your day off. I will have it waiting.”
He smiled and said, “Thanks. If she will, I definitely will.”
Amori nodded. “Good, now go check on your son. He’s a handful.”
They walked back to the patient room, and the mother got up and ran to her partner, sobbing apologies. He held her and said it was okay. He remembered doing stupid shit as a boy as well. The son giggled, and they all sat around, in contact.
Amori heard a foot scuff and turned to see one of the peacekeepers from the scene. “So, what have you found out?”
“This woman has no ties to anywhere. She arrived in the city around ten years ago and has been employed as a baker since. Small apartment. Small friend group. Doesn’t make trouble. No signs of magic.” The tablet chirped, and the officer smiled. “Oh, and she just registered for the club tonight. Her friend is goading her there for her first visit.”
Amori cocked his head. “First visit in the city?”
“No, sir. She’s applying for herfirstvisit.”
Amori blinked. “Huh. Unexpected.” He checked his phone, and the notice appeared. As king, he was notified the moment special handling was required. He checked the time and verified that he would be there at seven. If this was the woman he remembered, he really needed to speak with her, and what better time than when she was exhausted in his arms.
