Page 223 of The Seven Rings
It made her laugh. “Only you, Cleo. And I’m leaving that to you.” Sonya lifted the ice pack from her ankle, laid it against her sore cheek. “This was my first ever physical fight, though I can’t say I landed any punches.”
“Here.” Cleo took off one of her multitude of bracelets. “Wear this.”
“Pretty, but why?”
“It’s fluorite. Think of it as a shield against dark forces.”
Sonya slid it on, admired it. “Got one big enough for my face?”
Lifting her hands, Cleo fisted them. “Keep your dukes up.”
Clover lightened it up with “Kung Fu Fighting.”
On a half laugh, Sonya shook her head. “Maybe I can stream a workout for that. Meanwhile, it may hurt some, but I need to move or I’m going to stiffen up. It’s also the first time I’ve been thrown across the room like Yoda’s red ball.”
“How about a hot bath and a nap?”
Both sounded wonderful, but.
“If I went that route, it’s like she won. Thanks to you, she sure as hell didn’t. So, wearing my shield, I’m going to take my walk with two fierce dogs and a fearless cat. She’s done for now, Cleo. You know it.”
“I’ve got the look on her face when I shot her ass engraved on my brain, so I do know it.”
“Go reload your weapon of evil destruction.” When she rose, Sonya said, “Ow. But definitely better. I’m going to walk, finish my workday, help you make jambalaya. And, hopefully, manage to settle Trey back to his usual calm self.”
A little sore, a little stiff, she took her walk. And felt better for it.
She had a moment when she stepped back into the library, and quashed it. She would not let Dobbs spoil her amazing workspace.
And scattered on the floor she saw crystal beads. They’d gone through her, Sonya realized. They’d gone right through her.
And carried traces of her blood.
Because she didn’t want to touch them, Sonya got tweezers to pluck them up, put them in a little bowl.
She’d give them back to Cleo. So thinking, she gave Cleo’s bracelet a rub as she sat down.
Clover added Sia’s anthem “Unstoppable.”
“Damn right we are.”
But she felt a little more secure when the dogs settled down in the library with her.
When Trey pulled up to the manor, calm didn’t ride with him. He knew Sonya had downplayed whatever had happened. And if he hadn’t reached the end of the line, he was fast approaching it.
Whatever she’d gone through, he hadn’t been there. Instead, he’d been miles away in court over a case that should never have reached litigation. And wouldn’t have if the plaintiff hadn’t been so goddamn dug in.
The fact the judge clearly agreed with that assessment didn’t negate the wasted hours. And he’d waste a few more the next day before the judge ruled, he had no doubt, for his client.
That was the job.
As if to shed those wasted hours, he tugged his tie loose as he got out of his truck. Action, he thought, it was past time to take action, to stop playing defense.
His head snapped up when he heard a window open.
Clover, sunny hair shining, her young, lovely face projecting sympathy, leaned out.
“She’s okay, big guy. I know you had to worry, and you’re a little pissed off, too.”
