Page 31 of The Reluctant Reaper
“I can’t remember the last time we all gathered for a meal,” Hilly said brightly.
Her mother’s happy expression and everything-will-be-fine-now air was so startling, Amara nearly choked on her bacon. How long had her mother been in such a state of extreme denial? “Been a while, Mom.”
“But we are always happy to be invited,” Penny put in. She and Hank were well into the cooing phase of their I-love-you-I-hate-you-I-love you drama. If the pattern held, they would hold hands all through breakfast, nuzzling and gorging themselves, then disappear for three days, eventually emerging flushed, dehydrated, and more in lust than ever. “You put on such a lovely spread, Freyja.”
Like the other rooms, the dining hall hadn’t changed. The table alone was ridiculous: a bulky thing that could seat twenty, hacked and planed out of ancient trees, polished and pampered until it gleamed. The chandelier overhead was a dozen lightbulbs tucked into a nest of pronghorn antlers. The fireplace at the end of the hall could have accommodated half a cow. And not a smallish cow, like a mini Hereford. A real monster, like a German Angus.
“Itisoverdue,” her mother agreed. “And as I said, it’s nice to have all of us together, however belated and brief.”
“It’s not ‘all of us’ without me.” This from the woman no one noticed until she spoke.
Amara dropped her fork, which only added to Gray’s surprised alarm: “Gaaaaah, where did you even come from?”
Amara ignored Gray’s yelp, and was out of her seat in a flash and hugging the new arrival, a tall, broad-shouldered woman with a long red braid, wide green eyes, and a gorgeous explosion of freckles from forehead to shoulder blades. She was wearing cargo pants with what appeared to be a hundred pockets, a short-sleeved black Henley, and black knee-high mukluks.
“Gray, Gray! This is my teacher, Scáthach. The only living creature who can pull off mukluks.”
“Sorry, I didn’t quite—Scat-hock?”
“Call me Skye,” the new arrival replied. “It’s easier.”
“I think I’ve heard of you.”
She laughed at him. “Doubtful. So! This is Amara’s dear friend we’ve heard so much about.”
“That’s a little terrifying, but it’s nice to meet you.” Gray stood and looked up at Skye. “Is it a death-god rule that you all have to be lava-hot and larger than life?”
“Oh, yes,” she replied with a grin. “Our oldest and most sacred rule.”
“Skye was my martial arts teacher. She taught me all sorts of things, actually.” Amara gave the latest arrival another quick hug. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Whoa.” Gray made the time-out motion because he was a referee now, apparently? “I’ve never seen you come this close to gushing. Not even when you figured out how to make mango sticky rice.”
“Mango sticky... ? Sounds vile. But I’m sure it’s lovely. Perhaps you can show me the recipe, Amara. Skye, come dish up and then take a seat,” Hilly coaxed. “We’ve saved a place for you and there’s still lots of bircher muesli.”
“Cold oatmeal. That’s what my mother means. Cold oatmeal and mushrooms swimming in hot oatmeal. That’s what you’re looking at, Skye. Be warned by me.”
Hilly sighed. “Yes, hon, you’ve made your feelings clear.”
“It’s her thing,” Gray said.
“Overnight oats are stupid and gross. I regret nothing!”
“See?” Gray grinned. “Also, Skye, I understand how an ordinary mortal wouldn’t hear you coming, but how’d you sneak up on the others?”
“That’smything.” Skye had been busy filling her plate, and wasted no time sitting and falling to. “Sorry to keep you all waiting.”
“No worries,” Hank said. “We waited for you as one pig does another.”
“Speak for yourself,” La Croix said coolly, gesturing at his empty plate. For one of the Gede, he sure bitched a lot.
“At least I got here before Chernobog,” Skye chortled through a mouthful of ham.
“That’s a low bar,” Penny giggled. “He only comes at night.”
“We didn’t know, actually,” Gray said. “I mean, not all of us knew. Okay, just me. I’m the only one who didn’t know.”
“Liar; I went over this with you already.” Amara plopped another piece of gravlax on a cracker-thin slice of rye bread, took a bite, chewed, swallowed. “Pay attention.”
