Secrets of the Sword 2 (Death Before Dragons Book 8) Read online

  Your mother is unclothed, Sindari observed. Humans lack fur and are unappealing naked.

  I agree, but don’t tell her. She gets huffy.

  “Let us go inside to your coffee maker, Lady Thorvald.” Gondo reached up and clasped her hand—fortunately the other hand was keeping the towel up, save for an alarming droop—and led her up to the covered porch and the front door.

  Is that goblin wooing your mother? Sindari asked.

  Just trying to get some of her coffee. I hope.

  Val? Freysha spoke into my mind from somewhere in the woods behind the house. I’ve found something.

  More than bear prints?

  Yes.

  I’ll be right there. I lifted a finger toward Zav, intending to let him know, but he’d wandered over, opened the door of the sauna, and was peering in. Well, he had a big day or days of hunting ahead of him. If he wanted to relax in a sauna for twenty minutes, who was I to stop him?

  “Can you stay long enough to fight if there’s trouble?” I asked Sindari as I headed around the cabin to join Freysha.

  Always. Will there be more of those vile skeletal creatures?

  “I hope not.”

  16

  There weren’t any other houses behind my mom’s cabin, just trees. A muddy trail led off toward Moss Lake and a huge forested recreational area. Fortunately, my senses told me that Freysha hadn’t wandered far. I headed off the trail toward her, passing what even my meager tracking skills told me were bear prints among the soggy brown fir needles.

  It must have been something else that interested her. Had the bear been a coincidence? Or someone’s cover?

  “Up here,” Freysha called softly from ten feet up in the crotch of an alder tree. She nodded toward my mom’s cabin, the back door and deck visible through the branches.

  “Someone was up there?” I gritted my teeth at the idea of the thief or any creeper peering through my mom’s windows from the woods. I’d brain the sucker if I found him—or her.

  “Yes.” Freysha closed her eyes, one hand resting on the damp bark of the tree. “An elf.”

  I eyed the ground, but the faint indentions in the leaves and mud might have belonged to Freysha. Or my mom, for that matter, since we were so close to the trail and the house. I picked out a few Rocket footprints.

  I agree. Sindari was prowling through the undergrowth, leaving a few big prints of his own. It is faint, but the scent of an elf lingers on the foliage.

  I sniffed the air, but all my substandard mongrel nose smelled was someone’s wood stove burning fuel nearby. “That assassin was here a few weeks ago. Sarrlevi. Could he have crouched up there?”

  It was bad enough he’d visited my mother’s place and left his signature coin where she could find it. The idea of him peeping at her made me wish I knew where he lived so I could go wrap magical roots around him again. Around his throat this time.

  “This was a more recent visitor,” Freysha said. “The tree is sharing its memories with me.”

  “How does that work?”

  “The magic of the forest.”

  “Are you going to teach me how to access that?”

  She smiled without opening her eyes. “I thought you were more interested in hurling fireballs. Trees don’t approve of fire.”

  “Not more interested. Just also interested.”

  I would not be able to detect the scent of someone who passed through weeks ago. Sindari was currently sniffing a wild blackberry bush, the fruit long since devoured by critters. Whoever was here is not familiar to me. Since we crossed paths with the assassin, I know his scent.

  Freysha jumped down from the tree, landing lightly beside me. “I believe the elf who visited your mother to ask her questions may have observed her from here before approaching her cabin. Perhaps to ensure she is not dangerous or to see how she acts when she is not in the presence of others.”

  I scowled, not appreciating quasi-friendly spies any more than assassins. “All because they want to make sure she’s not a threat if Eireth comes to my wedding?”

  Freysha hesitated. “It may be more that they are concerned she will be… inappropriate in his presence, especially if his wife comes along.”

  “She’s not invited.” I folded my arms over my chest.

  “I was there when Lord Zavryd extended his invitation. He invited… almost everyone within his telepathic range, which is vast. Our entire city, essentially.”

  I dropped my arms. “He invited thousands of elves we don’t know to our wedding? How many presents does one dragon need?”

  We were going to have a chat before he went off on his exotic-animals hunt. A thorough chat.

  “The impression I had was that he was pleased and proud and wanted everyone who was interested to come and witness the festival.”

  “Oh.” I was glad he was pleased about the whole affair, but it had been bad enough when he’d invited the ogres.

  “If it soothes your mind, I am certain that few of the elves who aren’t related to you will come. It is possible that my mother will to ensure that your mother will not attempt anything… untoward to our father.”

  “Make a pass at him, you mean? My mom is seventy. I’m positive she can control her libido.”

  Freysha nodded. “I also do not believe that she—or my father—would do anything inappropriate. It’s possible that my mother is the one who sent someone to observe and interview your mother. If that is true, it is…”

  “Petty? She got the guy, and she’ll live centuries longer than my mother. Why is she even worried about it?”

  “She should not be. If Lord Zavryd will deign to open a portal for me, I will go home and discuss this situation with my parents.”

  “Let me know if I can send an electric cattle prod along.”

  Freysha probably didn’t know what that was, but she smiled. Then she looked around thoughtfully. “This may be a better place to set a trap for your thief than your well-defended home in town. It is likely she has already visited it and noticed the various protections around it.”

  I imagined an identical tree in my neighborhood with a half-dwarf crouched on a branch, peering through the windows at me.

  “She would be foolish to attempt to breach Lord Zavryd’s defenses,” Freysha added.

  “I don’t know about that. The assassin tore them down.”

  “He has substantial magical training. If this thief was born here on Earth, she is likely similar in talent to you, perhaps even less able if she has not found a teacher.” Freysha splayed her hand on her chest.

  “She’s just got a lot of powerful artifacts.”

  Someone had created those undead minions.

  “Not unlike you. You may be facing off against your—what is the human word?—doppelgänger.”

  “Except she’s short, dark-skinned, and dark-haired instead of lanky and blonde. And a thief. I’m not a thief.” No matter what people kept saying about my sword…

  “Of course not,” Freysha agreed politely. “But if she wants your sword—that is her goal, yes?—and if you’re willing to stay here and visit with your mother for a time, perhaps she would be lured in to attack you in this place with few magical defenses.”

  “Are you forgetting the gargoyles in the Jeep?”

  “Perhaps you could take your time setting them up.”

  “Yeah, I see what you’re saying. And there’s no reason I couldn’t stay for a bit. Mom should appreciate having a little company.”

  “Excellent. Before leaving, I will set a few traps and ponder a way to lure her to those specific places.” She eyed the tree, her expression thoughtful again.

  “How do half-dwarves feel about chocolates?”

  A few days back, per my agreement with the fae queen, I’d left some boxes of caramels and fudge in the fairy ring in the front yard. With no way to communicate to the fae that they were there, I hadn’t expected anything to happen to them, but someone had activated the magical doorway in the middle of the night, only for
a few seconds, and the boxes had been gone by the time I looked out the window.

  “I do not know,” Freysha said, “but that would be suspicious, would it not? I believe the sword itself may be sufficient bait. And she may wish to spy upon you before attempting to get it, so I will seek out the places such as this that offer good vantage points.”

  “Do you need me to get the ropes out of the Jeep? Or anything else? Gondo thinks highly of aluminum cans.”

  “I will make my own ropes.” Freysha wiggled her fingers and didn’t comment on the cans.

  “Vines aren’t native to the area.”

  “They will blend in.”

  “All right. Thanks. Anything I can do to help?” I felt guilty about standing around while someone else did work for me.

  “It would perhaps be better if you are not near me and do not draw attention to what I’m doing.” Freysha lowered her voice. “She could be out here even as we speak. I will be stealthy.”

  Exuberant woofing came from the trail, and Sindari sighed into my mind.

  Rocket bounded into view, tail wagging hard enough to knock leaves off the bushes, and ran to greet us. I patted him, Freysha patted him, and Sindari made a point of sniffing things and keeping his back to the dog, his tail high in the air in a show of aloofness.

  That didn’t keep Rocket from leaving us to bound all around Sindari, then drop his forelegs to the ground in a bow, tail swishing as he woofed. Sindari turned his back on him again. Rocket scooted back, still in the bow position, and woofed again.

  “So much for stealth,” I said.

  Sindari gave me an aggrieved expression. What is wrong with this slobbering canine?

  “You know he wants you to play with him.”

  And you know that regal, majestic tigers of the Tangled Tundra Nation do not play.

  “Are you sure? Rocket looks fun.”

  The golden retriever bounded to a leaf pile and dove into it. Even though the leaves were soggy, he managed to fling them all over the place as he flopped down and rolled on his back, all four paws in the air.

  That is not fun, Sindari informed me. That is ridiculous. It is possible he is afflicted with mental impairment.

  “Not everybody strives to be regal, you know.”

  They should. No prey would take that seriously.

  I waved for Sindari, and hopefully Rocket, to follow me back to the house, so Freysha could set her traps. Before we made it to the entrance of the backyard, my phone buzzed with a text from Nin. I saw that I’d also missed a call from her. I hadn’t heard it; the reception out here was sketchy.

  I am investigating the baker, Nin’s message read. I believe I am barking up the right tree.

  A squirrel chattered at us from a branch, and Rocket ran over, put his forefeet on the trunk, and barked at it.

  An appropriate thing to do today, I texted back, not trusting the reception to let me make a call. What did you find? Did you question her?

  I only managed to speak to her for a moment before she closed the door and said she was not interested. She has four deadbolts on her door that she thunked into place. This neighborhood is not known to be dangerous.

  She wasn’t interested? Are you posing as a door-to-door saleswoman?

  I am giving away buy-one-get-one-free offers for my food truck to the occupants of select houses on this street.

  The street where the baker lives?

  Yes. She refused to answer questions, especially when I brought up the coffee shop, but her neighbors like to gossip. It seems that her deceased acquaintance, Charlie Wu, was a former boyfriend. The neighbors believe from repeated noisy arguments, and sounds of things breaking, that he abused her. She broke up with him, but he did not take it well and kept coming back. He slept in his car in front of her house a few times. She started dating someone else, and the two men ended up fighting on the sidewalk in front of the baker’s house.

  Didn’t she ever call the police?

  The neighbors did not know. This is all gossip and rumors, mind you. But if the police would be cooperative, perhaps we could find out. Our baker had a reason to wish her ex-boyfriend to disappear.

  Or be slain by fire?

  Quite. I will attempt to find the name of the new boyfriend. Perhaps he will be interested in two-for-one coupons.

  Any sane person would be.

  Precisely.

  A scream came from my mom’s yard, and I almost dropped my phone.

  Visions of the thief grabbing her and holding a knife to her throat popped into my mind. I yanked out Chopper and sprinted to check on her.

  17

  I burst into the yard in time to see my mother staggering back from the sauna, the door flopping shut as she lifted her hands in horror. There was no sign of the thief or any other enemy. And I sensed Zav nearby, so if there had been trouble, he would have put a halt to it.

  Wait a second… I didn’t just sense Zav nearby; I sensed him in the sauna.

  Oh, hell. Was he experimenting with nudity too? And here my mother had finally put on clothes…

  “What’s the problem, Mom?” I trotted up to her side.

  “I…” She lowered her hands and cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean to scream. I was just surprised. I’d left my coffee mug in there, you see, and when I went to get it…”

  I opened the sauna door, and hot dry air washed over me, as well as a view of Zav, naked except for his Crocs, as he lay sprawled on his back on the bench.

  “My mate,” he said, beckoning to me. “This heat is fabulous. Join me. We must discuss whether you will come with me for my hunt and for the meeting with the Dragon Ruling Council. As soon as my kind deal with the undead interloper on Dun Kroth, we will be able to return and finally learn the secrets of your sword. Must you remain here? Is your mother in danger?”

  “Only of having her retinas scorched out by dragon nudity.” I spotted Mom’s empty coffee mug and grabbed it. It had a lopsided rim and looked like something she’d made herself on the pottery wheel—her new hobby.

  “Dragon nudity? Dragons are always nude.”

  “I meant this.” I waved at him. Admittedly, his nudity was attractive—scorchingly hot, one might say—and I didn’t mind it at all, but I could see where finding a naked man in one’s sauna would be alarming. “What happened to your robe?”

  “The air is a comfortable temperature in here. I do not need it.” Zav sat up, draped an arm over the back of the bench, and patted the open spot beside him. “Join me. You may also remove your clothing.” His eyes glinted as he envisioned this, reminding me that it had been a while since we’d had a steamy night together. Though I supposed a sauna was steam-free.

  “May I? You’re generous.”

  “Yes.”

  I started to step inside, but Mom cleared her throat behind me. I turned and offered her the mug. “I’ll take care of the problem.”

  “No doubt. Please be aware that I just cleaned the sauna. Also, there’s a no-bodily-fluids rule.”

  “Isn’t the whole point to sweat?”

  “Sweat isn’t what I’m worried about.” Mom peered in over my shoulder. “He’s not even using a towel. Put towels down if you’re going to sweat or do anything else in there. There’s a stack in that box under the bench.”

  Her gaze lingered on Zav, even though she was pointing at a wood crate.

  “Are you checking him out?” I asked.

  “Of course not.” She snatched the mug and stepped back.

  “He’s pretty sexy.”

  “That’s why I’m worried you won’t put enough towels down. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must return before that odd green person drinks all of my coffee.”

  “I’m sure it’s too late. I’ve seen how many cups he orders at the coffee shop.” Maybe I should warn her that she should make Gondo aware of bushes in the backyard that she wasn’t attached to.

  “When I left, he was munching on the beans from the bag.”

  Gondo is now helping Freysha lay traps, Si
ndari informed me from where he’d taken a seat in a sunny spot in the yard. Well back from the sauna door and any chance of glimpsing Zav, I noted.

  Did he take a bag of coffee beans with him?

  That is possible.

  Will you get it from him? Take Rocket. He’ll think it’s a delightful game. Pilfering back a goblin’s pilfered coffee beans.

  Sindari leveled a flat stare at me. Will we engage in battle soon?

  Gondo might bop you on the nose with his wrench.

  Sindari’s eyes closed to slits.

  If the thief shows up, you can sit on her.

  Very well.

  Sindari sauntered off. Whether he intended to rescue my mother’s beans, I didn’t know.

  “Join me, Val,” Zav rumbled from the sauna. “I can’t stay long.”

  Mom lifted her eyes toward the heavens and headed back to the house with her mug.

  I slipped into the sauna with Zav, using a nearby rock to prop the door open. I had no intention of stripping down and didn’t want to swelter.

  But I’d no sooner sat down beside him than a puff of magic stirred the air. The rock rolled away, and the door shut.

  “It is drafty with the door open.” Zav lowered his arm from the back of the bench to my shoulders.

  Even though I had no plans to have sex in my mom’s sauna, I leaned against his side, still appreciative that he’d taken on all this extra work to help me out.

  Zav stroked the back of my head. “Do you wish to come hunt with me? We have not yet flown together to chase and slay fast and guileful prey. It would be enjoyable.” His eyes closed partway, and he gazed at me through his lashes. “Mates hunt together.”

  It was getting hot in the sauna, and it had nothing to do with drafts. I turned my head so I wouldn’t look into Zav’s eyes and get distracted, but that left me looking at other appealing parts of him. Maybe I would focus on that crate of towels.