A Cup of Conflict - Chapter 5

I've been struggling to finish the edits on Magick and Murder. In order to clear my frustration, I finished Chapter 5 of A Cup of Conflict. Here's the new unedited chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

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Luc sucked in a breath to reprimand Mateqai, but I silently said, Don’t my love. He is no longer your warden.

Thankfully, Luc relaxed a bit. However, Shi Hua turned to her captain of the empress’s guard. Her expression was neutral, but her irritation grated along my psyche. “Heed your place, Captain.”

He dropped his gaze. “I beg forgiveness, my empress.” But his own worry and suspicion were barely under control. A fact not lost on any of the clergy or former priestess in the room, including Darys.

She raised her chin. “If it will ease your guards’ fears, Your Majesty, I will submit to formal questioning. In making my suggestion, I did not wish to waste your valuable time.”

Po stopped playing with the beads on his moustache. A whisper of his old, sly smile tilted his lips. “What say you, Lady Justice?”

I looked at the Skoloti priestess. Her skin didn’t change from its warm yellow. I turned back to Po. “This isn’t a formal investigation. Sister Darys voluntarily revealed her knowledge of her Reverend Mother of Balance’s prophecy to me. While I trust Captain Mateqai’s advice, I don’t want to allow any prejudice I might have against two specific members of Thief affect your nation’s relations with the Skoloti tribes.”

Po chuckled at my reference to Biming and Ogusuku, the Reverend Father of Ryukyu’s Temple of Thief. My acknowledgement of Mateqai’s concerns seemed to mollify the former warden. His skin shift from orange to gold.

Po inclined his head. “Tell us your story, Sister.”

“As I said a moment ago, our Revered Mother of Balance had her vision thirty-three years ago,” Darys began. “At this time, she was technically a novice of the Temple.” She glanced at me. “I don’t know how such things are done in Issura, but for us, those novices, who are ready, take their final vows at the end of the Spring Rituals. Assignments are made so when the tribes split and go to their grazing lands or hunting grounds during the summer, they have sufficient clergy to care for the people until the Vintner’s festival. The final vows happen during the last night of the Rituals. While she was reciting her oath to Balance, she went into a trance and spoke in an odd voice.”

She closed her eyes. “In thirty winters, the last demon attacks will start. A babe will be born, touched by Balance, but with a unique sight. She will lead the last battle because she can detect demons through their disguises. You will know her because her eyes will be the color of her birth mother’s Temple.”

Darys’s eyelids fluttered open. “No one knew what to make of her words, though Balance clerks and Knowledge clergy had the presence of mind to record what she said. When she finished speaking, she collapsed to the ground. After the healers roused her, she did not remember speaking.

“She recovered and took her vows, but she remained with the Reverend Mother of Balance instead of departing with the tribe she had been assigned to. Over the years, our Temples searched for signs of demon activity. The Reverend Mother of Balance at the time consulted all the records she had as well as the other eleven Temples. Justices queried their counterparts in neighboring territories. Other Balance Temples were contacted through distance speakers.”

Darys chuckled. “It started a philosophical debate about whether a sighted justice was actually a justice. Others believed the blessed justice would develop a spell to pierce the demons ability to shapeshift. It was all theory until word came from traders about Issura’s Red Justice.”

“Please do not call me that.” My request was halfway between a snarl and a plea.

“No offense was intended, Lady Justice.” Darys inclined her head by way of apology. “It is merely the description we received.”

“It means something else in Issura,” I muttered.

“Why is this prophecy such a secret?” Luc asked.

“It isn’t,” Darys said. “At least not among the Skoloti clergy. I cannot speak for other nations, but our Temple of Balance did send notice of the prophecy to their sister Temples. \”

“Your people are known for your oracles among your orders,” Shi Hua said. “Isn’t that correct?”

Darys nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do the other nations’ Temples often disregard the foresight of your fellow clergy?” Shi Hua asked.

Another chuckle from the Skoloti priestess. “I cannot speak on behalf of foreign Temples, Your Majesty.”

“But your own people take these prophecies as truth, correct?” Shi Hua asked.

“We take any foresight quite seriously,” Darys said. “However, understanding a prophecy isn’t always as straight forward as we would wish. For instance, this divination did not specify how the justice obtains her method of detecting demons. Another facto,r as the Chief Justice will tell you, relates to the future constantly moving because our decisions and actions change based on what we perceive. And that perception is not always accurate.”

“This particular prophesy seems rather accurate.” Po smiled. “It would explain the desperate attempts of the Assassins Guild and their partners to eliminate you, Anthea.” “Yes, it does,” I replied dryly.

Darys’s information also troubled me greatly. None of my sisterhood back in Issura I’d spoken with in my careful inquiries had known about this prophecy. Reverend Mother Alara had only mentioned it to me after I’d discovered the renegades had quietly taken over Orrin’s Temple of Love.

At the time, I’d though my superior had been playing with me. Now, I wondered why she kept silent about this prophesy, especially after I had given myself my peculiar eyesight. Was she that appalled I was the sighted justice?

That would have made for sense if I didn’t suspect the traitor within Issura’s Temple of Balance was Reverend Mother Alara herself.

“Is there anything else you wish to know?” Darys asked.

Everyone in the room watched for my reaction.

“Not at this time, Sister,” I said. “You have given me much new information to consider. However, may I please speak with you again if I do have a question?”

“Of course.” She nodded.

“As for your request for information—” I began.

“You do not have to tell me, Lady Justice.” Darys frowned. “I was not aware you have had previous troubles with the Assassins Guild.”

“Do you withdraw your request because of your Temple’s former association with the Assassins Guild?” I deliberately raised an eyebrow.

“No, I’m withdrawing my request because I understand your issue with Reverend Father Biming.”

Part of me liked the Thief priestess, but she was one I’d need to keep an ear open for. Just like Biming. However, her insightfulness could be useful. Or very, very dangerous. I wish I knew for sure.

“Which issue is that?” I asked mildly.

She hesitated a moment, but her color did not change. “I learned from one of Duke Lixin’s men that the Ryukyuan Reverend Father of Thief tried to interfere with that kingdom’s installation of their new Reverend Mother of Balance and to force you to stay in Ryukyu in his custody, not Balance’s. He also said Reverend Father Biming conspired with the Ryukyuan Reverend Father of Thief to accomplish such deeds.”

“Which of the duke’s men did you speak with, and what else did this guard convey to you?”

I recognized Po’s cool tone. It was the same one he’d used with me after I’d discovered he’d tortured and executed an assassin within the walls of the Jing Embassy. I had been furious the man hadn’t been properly questioned by a justice before being officially tried and convicted. However, an embassy was considered part of its nation’s territory and I had no say in Po’s disposition of the assassin. It angered me more Po had discovered the traitor thanks to the tracking spell I’d asked the Orrin Temple of Light perform during our investigation of Sister Gretchen of Love’s murder.

“It was Ma Li.” Now, the Skoloti priestess’s color did change to a dull orange. Was she embarrassed about gossiping? Or was she irritated that she wasted a good source of information? I couldn’t tell. No emotion leaked from her shielded mind.

Po glanced at Huizhong who stood to the crown prince’s right and a step behind his chair. “Captain?”

“Yes, my emperor!” The head of Po’s personal guard executed a smart bow to his liege. He turned to me. “If you will, Lady Justice?”

I dissolved my wards with a murmured word, and Huizhong departed. I prayed to the Twelve his only task was to reprimand this unfortunate Ma Li.

“Is there anything you wished to discuss, Chief Justice?” Po asked.

“No, Your Majesty,” I shook my head. “I wanted to keep you and the empress apprised since you were kind enough to warn me of the price the Assassins Guild had placed on my head.” I deliberately didn’t mention Shi Hua had an even bigger price on hers according to the information the former emperor Chengwu had forwarded to his brother. I was sure it had alarmed Chengwu to see Po’s bodyguard, now wife, at the top of an Assassins Guild target list.

And it made me wonder if there had been a prophesy about Shi Hua as well.

Death Goddess Walking - Chapter 5

Here's another unedited snippet from my upcoming series!

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Lord Anubis, sweep the demons that plague me from my path that I may attain my place among the dead. – Partial inscription from tomb wall at KV60, Luxor, Egypt


Wind swept the scarf from Billie’s head, whipping strands of hair in her eyes, nose, and mouth as she made her way toward the cemetery. She snatched the plaid wool before it flew into the street and tied it more securely around her neck. Residual flakes scattered in the freezing onslaught, and it took all her muscle control to keep her balance on the icy sidewalk.

Canvassing the immediate block produced no black mutt. He must have headed back to his old haunt when Nettie let him out the front door. What the hell had the nutty professor been thinking? That she could talk to animals? Billie wanted to roll her eyes. She prayed she found her canine savior before Animal Control did.

The adrenaline rush faded with her anger. By the time she reached the wide-open back gates of the cemetery, every fiber of her body ached with pain and cold. Now, how does someone find a dog she doesn’t really own?

Billie peeled off her single glove and raised two fingers to her lips. Her usual blasting whistle raced away with the wind, leaving a faint echo behind.

“If you’re trying to wake the dead, that’ll do it.”

The sudden appearance of Cyrus Johnson’s voice nearly dropped her on her butt again. She caught her balance on the glazed blacktop and glared at the vague outline standing next to her. Even the guide’s brilliance appeared milky under the overcast sky.

“Go away, Cyrus.” She scanned the area, searching for black fur among the gray stones and white ground.

“My baby’s gonna have no means of support if you don’t do something about my case.” Even though she couldn’t clearly see his eyes, she would have sworn she could feel the heat of his wrathful stare.

“You’re dead, Cyrus. It’s not your case. Have you seen the dog that was with me last night?” The snow-covered grass would give her better footing than the ice-slicked asphalt. The frozen crust crunched beneath her boots as she stalked further into the cemetery.

A snort of disgust filled her ear. “Why did I even expect you would help me? You can’t even take care of your own pet.” Of course, Cyrus followed and harassed her.

“He’s not mine, but he saved my life. I need to return him to his owner.” She left out the fear the two monsters that had attacked her and the children would find the dog alone and tear the poor thing to bits.

As she cut across the lawn, a hint of movement drew her toward Marcus’s grave. She rounded a tall monument to find a man crouched next to the headstone, his bare right palm flat against the frozen ground where the snow had been brushed away. Her own hand automatically reached for the small of her back. Shit! She’d left her knife under her pillow in her panic over the missing dog.

Worry over Marcus overrode her common sense. “What are you doing?” The words came out harsher than she intended.

The man stood, leather shifting across broad shoulders, and turned. Porter. The bouncer, not the dog.

She couldn’t stifle her gasp and took an involuntary step back.

Hazel eyes lit up, and a slow smile spread across his features. “I could ask the same of you. Billie, isn’t it? Kyra’s friend?” When her tongue remained firmly glued to the roof of her mouth, he added, “Or would you prefer I call you Wilhelmina?”

“No!” Her tongue couldn’t form the proper sounds after the initial rush of anger at someone using her hated full name. “I-I-I mean, Billie’s fine.”

His gaze swept the length of her body. Heat followed the path of his eyes to the point she began to sweat despite the freezing temperatures. The odd sense of déjà vu didn’t help her discomfiture around this man.

She swallowed hard, determined to regain some sense of control over her own reactions and the situation. If she couldn’t get rid of him, she would have come back and rouse Tommy or Sarah Jane and have them check on Marcus for her. “What are you doing here?”

Something harder, dangerous even, replaced the glimmer of humor in his eyes. She didn’t feel threatened though, more like protected. Like she had last night when the black dog came to her rescue. His gaze flicked to her left before his attention returned to her. To her left. Where Cyrus and the guide floated. Damn, could he see or sense them? “I heard something in the cemetery last night.” He shrugged. “Thought I’d check it out.”

Fear prickled her spine. Had he witnessed her fight? “W-what did you hear?”

His eyes narrowed. The examination he gave her felt nothing like his earlier semi-erotic perusal. In fact, it reminded her of her own behavior when she had a witness on the stand, her sixth sense ferreting out the truth.

Instead of answering, he threw out his own question. “What are you doing in the middle of a cemetery on a freezing Saturday morning?”

His question brought to mind her original mission. And it seemed a much safer topic of conversation. “I’m looking for my dog. My crazy landlady let him out the front door instead of into the back yard to do his business.”

A dark eyebrow rose on Porter the man’s handsome face. “Really?”

Heat flooded her cheeks despite the icy wind. “Okay, he’s not really mine. He’s a stray I found, but he’s smart and trained. Someone must be looking for him. I was going to put up flyers today.” A grimace tugged her lips. “Except my landlady let him out this morning, and he took off. I’ve got to find him before Animal Control takes him away. He doesn't have any collar or tags.”

“Well, I haven’t seen your dog.” He drew out the last two words as if questioning her story. “But I did find this.” He held up her missing left glove.

She reached for the bright red accessory, not intending to touch him again, but his fingers curled around hers anyway. Breath caught in her lungs. That weird sense of knowing, of familiarity, sent a rush of heat through her body.

Cyrus Johnson’s raspy voice ruined any budding rapport with the sexy bouncer. “Jesus Christ, woman! Can’t you get your hormones under control long enough to help me?” A cocky grin filled Porter’s face, but he couldn’t have possibly heard Cyrus. Could he?

“If this dog is as smart as you say, I’m sure he can dodge the authorities. I wouldn’t worry about him. I’m sure he’ll show up. Maybe I should walk you home.”

Panic ran through her. She just wasn’t sure whether it was worry over Porter the dog or anxiety about Porter the man. “Thanks, but—”

His large hand grabbed her elbow, not hard enough to hurt but firm enough to guide her in the direction of the back gate. “It’s too damn cold to be arguing about this.” More warmth seeped through her coat and sweater and sent another flurry of desire through her. As they walked, he mumbled something under his breath.

As they crossed the graveyard, the transparent figure of Cyrus Johnson stepped in front of her. “Hey, what about me?”

She gritted her teeth and accepted the shock of cold when she passed through him. Her determination didn’t stop the shiver that passed through her body.

“Bitch!” But the insult didn’t hold much bite since Cyrus was too busy keeping his essence intact. The guide bleeped in protest.

Billie swallowed her own smile. Most ghosts learned not to repeat that little trick. Something about her disrupted their cohesiveness. But Cyrus would be back. She was sure of that one fact.

A warm, masculine chuckle tickled her ears. “Next time wear your long johns.”

She didn’t correct Porter’s assumption about the cause of her shivers. Nor did she protest when his arm encircled her shoulders, his body heat, and his presence, far more comforting than she’d admit out loud.

They were silent for the walk back to Nettie’s house. As much as Billie wanted to blame the lack of conversation on the noise of the occasional city truck spreading salt on the ice, she had no frickin’ clue on how to talk to this guy. Okay, most guys.

She chewed on her tongue trying to find a decent topic to start. “So, how’s the funeral business” didn’t sound like a polite opening line, but nothing else sounded right either. Besides, why would he possibly be interested in anything she had to say? Before she could come up with a reasonable topic that didn’t involve the weather, they were standing on Nettie’s front porch.

Porter slid his arm from her shoulders and held out his hand her key. Before she could decide whether to be pissed at his chauvinism or touched by his manners, the door flew open.

Kyra stood in the frame, a smirk on her face.” I thought you said you were coming home last night.”

Queer Eye for the Super Guy (888-555-HERO #11) - Chapter 5

Sorry I'm late posting the latest chapter of Queer Eye for the Super Guy. I'm still recovering from this dang cold, and the brain fuzz has been extreme. On the plus side, it is definitely not COVID-19 according to our doctor. Yay for small favors!

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Jeremy whistled. “I take it the kid hasn’t said anything to you about the show.”

“She has the right to have additional representation.” But there was an edge to his foster sister’s tone.

“Or maybe she and Aisha are talking again?” Jeremy ventured. “That would be a plus.”

Molly had been rather put out Aisha and Rey hadn’t asked her to go to Paris with them as Mitch’s nanny. In fact, the Franklin-Garcias had tried to encourage Molly to go to school and do something with her life than just superheroing. Especially since her twin sister had moved out of their grandmother’s house and was attending classes at a local automotive servicing school.

“Aisha would have said something to me if that were the case,” Harri murmured.

“Oh, geez, woman! Are you still jealous Aisha has the people skills?” Jeremy complained. Harri was a brilliant attorney and a good person, but her E.Q. was practically nonexistent.

“No, it’s…” Slurping came over the receiver. “I trust Ultra to look out for themselves. Molly can be a little naïve.”

He knew exactly where Harri was going with this, and he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“No, no, no. I revamped her costume and look. I am not going to babysit Nix for you.”

“She’s not going to listen to me if I try to talk her out of joining this reality show,” she said.

Jeremy pinched the bridge of his nose. “Her whole life has revolved around rebelling against female authority figures.”

“That’s because her mom abandoned her,” Harri snapped.

“Oh, and Rue Liberty’s overprotectiveness had nothing do with it?” Jeremy immediately regretted his mocking tone. At least, Rue fought for her granddaughters. None of his extended family would have anything to do with him after his parents kicked him out.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But make sure she’s actually going to be a judge on this show before you freak out. Producers sometimes dangle big names to land other suckers, and Nix is a big name thanks to you and Aisha.”

“You’re not going to take any responsibility?” Harri mocked.

“I was trying to be a little gracious here,” he shot back.

“All right, all right.” Harri’s sigh whistled over the receiver. “Let me talk to Molly and have Susan and Aisha look over your contract.”

“And I want more money if I have to babysit Screaming Orgasm again.” Jeremy grinned at Harri’s groan of despair. She and Aisha worked hard to convince Molly the moniker she chose to piss off her grandmother wasn’t doing the kid any favors.

“Fine.” Harri chuckled. “Then I’m claiming one of the dinners at La Churro’s you owe me for tonight.”

“You have to pay for your own husband this time,” he shot back, though he knew he’d pay so Leonardo didn’t give him grief about being cheap. Besides, he rather liked lording it over Harri’s ex-billionaire husband.

“Fine. How’s seven sound?”

“Don’t let me forget some takeout for my own husband. He’s stuck at the salon until closing.”

“I’ll leave mine at home, and if I have news, I can pick up dinner as a business expense,” Harri said.

Jeremy laughed. “You’re incorrigible, sister of mine. I’ll see you at seven.” He pushed back from his desk, grabbed his coffee cup, and headed for the kitchen.

Leonardo sat on a stool, bent over the breakfast island and intent on something. The rough scratching of pencil on paper came from the same direction.

Jeremy brushed back his husband’s electric blue-highlighted hair and kissed his neck.

Leonardo jumped and slammed his notebook shut. “Quit trying to sneak a peek!”

“I wasn’t. I swear.” Jeremy circled the island and reached for the coffee pot. “What did Elaine say?”

“About freakin’ time.”

Jeremy paused in pouring his coffee and eyed Leonardo. “Excuse me?”

“That was a direct quote.” Leonardo grinned. “I told you she needed to be promoted.”

Jeremy leaned his elbows on the granite surface of the island. “Maybe I didn’t want to replace my one and only.”

Leonardo narrowed his eyes. “The only place I’d object to being replaced is in your bed, love boy.”

“I’d never dream of anyone else with me between the sheets.” Jeremy took Leonardo’s hand in his and kissed the back. “When I said forever, I meant it, baby doll. By the way, what do you want me to bring you from La Churro’s?”

Leonardo laughed. “Harri’s collecting again, isn’t she?”

“It depends on if she has news about the TV deal for me by seven.”

“I was teasing this morning,” Leonardo said. “Are you really going to do this? Months in California?”

“Bernhardt let a few things slip in his email to Harri.” Jeremy repeated the tidbits his sister found in the first two pages.

Leonardo whistled. “I admit I feel better about shooting the series here, but Burnhardt really has no idea that you and Lady Jaye are the same person?”

“Oh, he’s done his research, all right.” Jeremy shook his head. “He knows Jeremy Harkness is Lady Jaye, but he doesn’t know Jeremy Harkness is Mel’s designer.”

Leonardo frowned. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I don’t like the idea of a supervillain finding out who I am.” Jeremy tapped his fingers on the countertop. “If one of those bozos decides I’m worth kidnapping, or worse goes after you or the sibs, to try to force me to give up my client list—”

Leonardo exhaled gustily. “But Harri wants you to keep an eye on Molly if she really is a judge, doesn’t she?”

“The kid is sweet, but there’s a reason the other Canyon Pointe supers make sure she’s teamed up with one of them when stuff happens in the city.” Jeremy rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry about the money crack I made earlier,” Leonardo said. “I know you wouldn’t risk me or your foster family.”

“It’s okay.” Jeremy leaned across the island and kissed his husband. Maybe they were still in the throes of being newlyweds, but he was so damn lucky to have Leonardo in his life. “You’re right. I have been obsessed with money the last twenty years. I need to get over myself.”

“But you’re still going to do this reality show to make sure Molly doesn’t get in trouble, aren’t you?” Leonardo asked.

“I won’t if you tell me no, darling,” Jeremy replied.

Leonardo shook his head. “I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

“But—” Jeremy drawled.

“I know you’ll do the right thing.” Leonardo made shooing motions with both hands. “Now, go change so we can have lunch with Elaine.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jeremy winked before he strolled to their bedroom. Leonardo was right. He would do the right thing, and the right thing was to keep the naïve Nix from getting herself into big trouble.

A Hint of Thief - Chapter 5

Here's your last little sneaky peek of A Hint of Thief before Monday!

With any luck, Invasion! will be live on the same day!

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Knocking on our cabin door woke the five of us who were sleeping. Long Feather rose from the table where he had been writing in a small book. I reached out with my senses before he answered the door. Captain Titus stood outside. Long Feather stepped out on the deck. Male voices hummed, and Long Feather stepped back inside.

Luc sat upright next to me. “We’re all awake. What does the captain need?”

“Sisters Jade and Jasmine have arrived with a message. Lady Shi Hua’s trousseau is ready, and since the chief justice paid for everything, she needs to inspect the dresses and sign for them.”

I groaned. “What is the hour, Warden?”

“Approximately a half candlemark past Second Morning, m’lady.”

“Three periods of sleep is better than nothing.” I rubbed my eyes. “Has he informed Lady Shi Hua yet?”

“I don’t know, m’lady.”

I concentrated. Shi Hua?

I’m on the pier. Sisters Jade and Jasmine are here. They said they are delivering a message from the dressmaker to you—

Captain Titus delivered their message. Give me and the wardens a chance to dress and we’ll meet you on the pier.

Shi Hua’s laughter tinkled like the bells on a Love priestess’s veil. I will tell Reverend Father Biming to meet us at the Temple of Balance a few moments before First Afternoon.

She definitely gave the impression she wanted to speak with Biming privately as she withdrew from my thoughts. Things had definitely changed between them. She was no longer the bodyguard of the third in line to Jing’s Dragon Throne or a sister of Light. I doubted Biming expected his prized pupil to outrank him at such a tender age. The former sister would soon be the Empress Consort.

The first and most prominent spouse.

A title Quan’s mother hadn’t granted to her one legitimate husband.

It made me wonder if that was the real reason her husband joined the renegades. Had he or his family hoped to take over Jing through his marriage? Such a desire made the nobles’ resentment of Quan as the eldest child logical.

Jonata and I quickly dressed while Long Feather fetched Mateqai. Long Feather had been acting as Yin Li’s warden for the duration of our voyage as Mateqai had been acting as Shi Hua’s. Even though she had been granted dispensation to leave Light in order to marry Quan, Mateqai had stayed by her side. He almost seemed relieved he was coming with me to the market district of Naha instead of remaining onboard the Mars Tranquilus.

In addition, Captain Titus assigned two of his sailors to accompany us. “Just in case,” he said. I’d become well acquainted with Sea Wolf and Little Squirrel during the course of our voyage across the Peaceful Sea, and I welcomed their presence on our jaunt across the city.

There was a definite sense of unease in the air as we walked down the gangplank. Jade and Jasmine’s muscles tensed beneath their exposed skin, the rush of blood through their vessels obvious to my queer sight. Even my non-talented wardens and sailors shot furtive glances left and right in their attempts to suss out a potential threat.

The two Ryukyuan Thief priestesses brought their own wardens with them this time, though the sisters dressed as wealthy merchants and the wardens as their mercenary guards.

“I hear everyone in the city is concerned about another demon attack,” I said, foregoing any formal greeting.

“There is also much concern over your return from the demon realm,” Jade spat.

“What do you wish to know?” I said as evenly as possibly.

Jade stepped closer to me, an ugly expression on her face and her hand on what appeared to be a ceremonial knife. I doubted the knife was merely decorative. I also doubted it was the only weapon on hers and Jasmine’s persons.

“How did you survive? No human who entered one of their portals has ever come back.”

“I survived because I never made to the demon domain.” After all my fear and anxiety I would never make it back to my home world, to have everyone question my integrity was irritating. But I would act with similar suspicion for the same reason if a different priestess returned with the same bizarre story. “Somehow, my magic interacted with demon magic. It resulted in us landing near Death’s domain. She took me and the other women trapped in the between place she called Otherwhere to Balance who returned me to Naha.”

It would only make things more confusing if I tried to explain that the Grey Ladies were another aspect of Balance. They said they would have to place me a few hours after I left so I wouldn’t step into the middle of the battle in front of the Crimson Palace. They wanted me alive. I still didn’t understand why, nor did they care to inform me of their reasoning.

I prayed my new friends were also back at their homes. Both women had spouses and children they’d left behind. While I technically had neither, I would have been devastated never to see Luc or my squire Nathan again.

“You may have convinced the Reverend Mother of Balance of your innocence,” Jade hissed. “But Thief is not so easily fooled.”

I glanced at Sister Jasmine. Her expression was as placid as a cow’s. So, her partner initiated the personal attack while she watched for weaknesses. Fine. I could play such games, too.

“Obviously, the Ryukyuan Temple of Thief can be fooled,” I said dryly. “Or were you instructed to keep me occupied with Lady Shi Hua’s trousseau so I didn’t accidentally see the skinwalkers prior to the attack at the Crimson Palace?”

Sister Jasmine suddenly appeared nervous. “Are you accusing our Temple of assisting the renegades?”

“No, I’m accusing members of your Temple of being renegades.” I sighed with an exaggerated air. “Your clergy wouldn’t be the first to be seduced by their promise of power, but I also know what happens to their allies. My birth mother, who was a High Sister of Love in Issura, turned herself into a skinwalker in quest for power.”

At my words, Sister Jade stopped her verbal attack. “What?”

“My birth mother has been trying to kill me since I was in her womb.” I stepped closer to Jade. “I excel in survival. I’ve been lucky to evade numerous plots to kill or convert me. And for whatever Their reasons, two of the Twelve want me alive and helping the Temples. And so far, that service has involved rooting out renegade sympathizers within the clergy.”

“And given that I’m on the top of the renegades’ list in the contract they have with Assassins Guild, my guess is Light wants the chief justice to keep me alive.” Shi Hua’s baleful glare was enough for Jade to step back from me.

“We are here to serve, Lady Shi Hua, Chief Justice Anthea,” Jasmine murmured with a bow. “We did not lie. The trousseau is ready.”

“I, however, don’t appreciate being tested in this manner,” I snarled.

“We’ll explain things at the dress shop, Chief Justice,” Jasmine said in Issuran.

The Ryukyuan clergy were full of surprises.

I just hoped I could keep up without landing myself in yet another trap.

Death in Double Mocha - Chapter 5

Here's the last sample chapter for Death in Double Mocha! I had just finished this chapter and written the first couple of paragraphs for Chapter 6 the night before my own mother passed. Finishing Chapter 6 was incredibly difficult, but I did. I'm working hard to finish this book and get it out to y'all!

Next week, I'll start posting samples from Invasion!

And for those of you in the U.S, don't forget to VOTE! Election Day is November 8th!

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Dani looked over her shoulder. Mark had given Heath his extra water soaker. While her son had relaxed at the sight of Wila, suspicion marred Heath’s face.

The ding of the toaster oven interrupted Dani’s introductions. After locking the front door, Wila followed the rest of the Elante clan into the kitchen. Since she wore her paramedic uniform, she must have been on the way to work when either Penny or Francine called her.

“You didn’t have to come over,” Dani said while Heath pulled their treats out of the toaster oven.

Wila shrugged. “After the meltdowns Penny and I had when our relatives showed up on our doorsteps, Francine was a little worried about you. Especially since you got a two-fer tonight.”

Dani crossed her arms. “You mean you guys were worried I couldn’t tell the difference between my husband and the Prince of Hell.”

“Have you checked him?”

“Checked me for what?” Heath said.

Dani glared at Wila.

“Checked me for what?” Heath repeated.

“Checked to make sure you had your soul,” Mark offered. “Mom and Wila already know you’re not possessed because they can see the demon under the human, but they don’t like looking for someone’s soul because that person can see theirs, too.”

Heath set the plate of cinnamon toast slices on the table. “Why wouldn’t I have my soul?”

“So far, all the resurrected have them, but with Satan running around Oakfield, we’re extra cautious,” Wila said.

“Would you like some cocoa, too, Wila?” Mark asked. “And we have plenty of bread to make more cinnamon toast.”

“No, thank you, but I’ll take you up on it the next time you and Derek have a sleepover.” Wila smiled gently at the pre-teen. She’d mellowed quite a bit since Crucifer’s death. Dani knew her sister Horseman would never admit she developed feelings for the fallen angel, but it was very obvious his loss had affected her.

“Maybe cinnamon toast is what we should make for my party instead of cake,” Mark suggested.

Dani’s heart lurched. Mark’s birthday was next month. He’d officially be a teenager. Maybe Heath came home to them just in time for Mark to become a man.

Wila leaned close to Dani’s ear. “I’ll examine Heath if you don’t feel comfortable.”

“No. You’re right.” Dani sighed. There was a time when she hadn’t been so easily distracted. “We have to know for sure, but I’ll do it.” She rounded the table and looked up at Heath. “I’m sorry.”

“You had my heart and soul from the first day I saw you.” He took her hand and smiled.

She twisted her focus.

And relief flooded her. His soul glowed with the same intense blue as his eyes. Energy threads of the same color connected his soul to his body. He was her Heath.

She blinked the tears from her eyes, and her vision returned to normal.

He tightly hugged her. “I knew your soul was beautiful. I never dreamed it would look like what I imagined.”

Mark joined them in a group hug.

Wila chuckled. “Thank you for making sure, Dani. I’ll leave you folks to your night.”

“I’m sorry Francine and Penny made you come over.” Dani released her husband and son. “But you’re right. I needed a bit of a reality check.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“As long as my mother doesn’t knock out any more demon hunters, I’ll count my blessings.” Dani smiled.

She walked Wila to the front door, hugged her friend, and locked up before she returned to the kitchen. Her family sat at the table and munched on cinnamon toast.

Her family. Another wave of joy rippled through her. Her family was together again.

Heath eyed her. “So, Mark tells me that’s War. I was picturing her in armor, not an Oakfield paramedic uniform.”

“That’s her day job. The only thing worse would be me all boney while I’m trying to sell a life insurance policy.”

Mark chortled, but Heath obviously didn’t find her joke funny. She wouldn’t have either if she just crawled out of her grave.

She slid into the chair next to Heath’s. The mini marshmallows had congealed into a gooey layer from the heat of her hot chocolate. She took a sip from her mug and licked the sweet fluff from her upper lip.

“When did you meet her and the other Soccer Moms?”

Of course, he was curious. She had a totally different set of friends when he was alive. None of whom knew how to deal with a twenty-eight-year-old widow.

“The day Mark returned to school, I went to Java’s Palace after I dropped him off.” She tore off part of the crust from one of her slices. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have a job. I didn’t know how I would finish my degree—”

Heath’s eyes widened. “What about the life insurance? Or the Victorian we were restoring?”

“I wasn’t thinking straight at the time, honey,” she said gently. “Penny owns Java’s Palace. She noticed me and sat down at my table. We started talking. She and Francine helped me get our finances in order.”

Dani swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “I’m sorry, but I had to sell the Victorian. I used the excuse it was the money, but I couldn’t bear walking inside that house without you. Wila’s son Derek is the same age as Mark, so she watched him a lot while the other two helped me deal with all the paperwork. You have no idea how much paperwork is generated when someone dies.

“I started working at the insurance agency. It was supposed to be a temporary thing while Marty took over the day-to-day operations so Dad could retire. But almost seven years later, I’m still there.”

Heath whistled. “Chuck was okay with you working for him? No offense, honey, but Chuck can be a, um…” Apparently, Mark’s presence sunk through Heath’s fresh-from-the-grave brain, so he aborted whatever not-so-nice thing he was about to say.

“It’s okay, Dad,” Mark said. “Mom knows Papa is old-fashioned like Justine’s Grandpa Edward.”

“That wasn’t what I meant,” Heath protested.

“Yes, it was. And Mark’s right. Dad wouldn’t have let me work at the insurance agency if you were still around.” She sipped her hot chocolate.

“But Uncle Marty can’t handle everything without Mom,” Mark stated.

“That’s not true.” Even as she said it, she wondered if that was the real reason Marty kept giving her raises so she wouldn’t quit and go back to school. Granted, numbers weren’t his strong suit. He was a lot like Francine’s husband Neal. Sales were both men’s superpower. And she had learned a ton about money matters from Penny and Francine.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Mark pseudo-whispered to Heath.

“Mark!” she snapped.

“Mom, when you had the flu last year, Uncle Marty called every ten minutes, and that was after I got home from school.”

She lowered face into her hands. It had been a very long day before Heath showed up. Wila’s technique of counting to ten in a foreign language. Chinese through a phone app helped. Once she was a hair calmer, she looked up at her son.

“Mark, whatever happens between me and my brother—”

There was a sharp, rapid knock on the front door.

She pushed to her feet. Wila probably left something here.

Dani marched into the living room and checked the peephole.

In time for Penny to beat on the door again.

Dani jerked it open. Mom rushed into her arms and grabbed her tight. “Daniella! Your father needs to burn in Hell!”

War in White Chocolate - Chapter 5

This is the last unedited sample chapter of War in White Chocolate I'll post. I promised a new, free short story in April, and I want to get that finished and posted for next week. That way you all will have something to read while I finish this book and get it edited.

Thanks again for taking a peek at my writing!

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An hour later, Wila pulled into the parking lot of Saint Michael’s Church. She didn’t like leaving Gammy alone at the house, but she had to trust the sigils Penny’s father-in-law Edward instructed her to paint over the doors and windows would keep any demons out of her home. It would explain why the demon waited until they entered the Arrow department store this morning before it confronted them.

But then, things had been changing so much in her life Wila hadn’t had a chance to take stock of it all. Such as the weird mix of older vehicles and rentals constantly parked at Saint Mike’s without an event scheduled. She pulled into the spot next to Father Perez’s tiny red hatchback. Since the demon hunters started pouring into Oakfield, a group of the parishioners had posted parking signs along the row closest to the church buildings. However, the signs were humorous labels for the people living and working at the little Catholic complex over the last month.

Most of the signs literally read “Demon Hunter”. Then there was “Kick-Ass Nun”, “Current Priest”, “OG Priest”, and “Mary, Wife of Jesus”. But the best were the four marked with “Soccer Mom”.

Wila pushed the button to turn off her vehicle, but her minivan/horse rumbled her displeasure via her engine.

“Baby, I told you before—” Wila stroked Scarlett’s steering wheel. “—if they put up a sign saying ‘Horse’, some idiot will leave their animal here. You’re so much better than a regular horse. Do you want some idiot animal taking a dump in your spot?”

A puff of steam floated from under the hood, and the engine stopped. Apparently, Wila’s crass point mollified Scarlett. For now anyway, but her horse would raise the issue again the next time they came to the church. Scarlett thought the Soccer Mom signs should be replaced with hers and her sister mares’ names along with their designated rider.

Wila slid out of the driver’s seat. She didn’t bother to lock the minivan anymore. If some dirtbag was stupid enough to try to jack her ride, Scarlett would deliver said dirtbag to the police.

Again.

And that was assuming said dirtbag could get past the patrols of the demon hunters and recruits guarding Saint Mike’s. Speaking of which, Lucas Manewell and Brother Giuseppe approached her.

“Buongiorno, Signora Guerra.” The former demon hunting monk bowed. For someone born in Italy during the Renaissance, he was adapting damn well to twenty-first century life in America.

“Is there something wrong, m’lady?” Lucas frowned. He’d been one of the vigilantes Francine ran into at the Oakfield Cemetery the day the dead starting rising. She had been forced to reveal her Soccer Mom persona of Famine to keep the idiots from shooting the newly resurrected folks. Unfortunately, that was when she was filmed as both human and Soccer Mom, and it ended up on the news later that night.

Lucas had recognized what Francine was, and it spurred him to volunteer his assistance at Saint Mike’s. The demon hunters took him under their wings, and in turn, Lucas had recruited his vigilante friends to be trained by the demon hunters. Subsequently, the former vigilantes assisted the local law enforcement and the Vatican demon hunters with protecting the public places where the resurrected were staying, like the other places of worship and the high school.

“No emergency yet, guys.” Wila grinned. “This is a fact-finding mission.”

Both men nodded and continued on their patrol. Lucas didn’t presume he could answer her questions, and Brother Giuseppe didn’t know enough American English to answer though he probably had the knowledge. A misunderstood fact about demons due to a bad translation could be disastrous.

Out of manners, Wila entered the church itself to let Maria Cordero, the church’s administrative assistant, know of her presence at the facility. Her husband’s name was the reason for the signage for Maria’s parking space. Jesus coached Derek’s soccer team, the Tiger Sharks.

It didn’t help that Derek had been making cracks about Coach Cordero being the Second Coming. However, that idea was a step too far for Wila to deal with right now. If it weren’t for the dead starting to rise from their graves three weeks ago, she and the rest of her sisters would be in matching straightjackets.

Gammy was right. She was tighter with Penny, Dani, and even Francine than she had been with her brother Watende.

Wila popped the memory back in its little box with the rest of her past. It hurt too much to think about his and Mom’s deaths. The irritating shrink the VA had set her up with said the trauma of the loss of her immediate family was twined with what she went through in Afghanistan. Maybe she needed to get a referral from Penny’s husband Gene. The stress of being a Soccer Mom of the Apocalypse may be the proverbial straw that finally broke her.

She knocked on Maria’s open office door.

Maria stopped typing and looked up from her monitor screen. “Hey, Wila!” A frown immediately marred her pretty face. “Sorry, I didn’t hear the motion detector go off.” That may have been Wila’s fault. Yet another new ability popping up with no clue of what she did or how to control it. But that wasn’t any reason to scare the crap out of poor Maria.

Wila smiled. “It looked like you were pretty intent on whatever you were doing. Are Fathers Perez and McAvoy here? I had a weird experience with a demon this morning, and Penny sent me over to run it by them.”

Maria’s shoulders sagged. “Another one? Those things are worse than cockroaches.”

“It’s been a week since the last nest was cleaned out,” Wila said. “One was bound to pop out of the woodwork sooner or later.”

Maria picked up the receiver and pressed a button on her phone set. “Father? Wila’s here with some questions.” After a slight pause, she added, “She says she had a weird experience with a demon.” Another pause. “All right, Father.”

She hung up the receiver. “Father Perez will be here in a moment. He hopes you don’t mind a walk back to the rectory. Father McAvoy injured himself on Saturday.” “Let me guess.” Wila grinned. “The O.G. tried to keep up with his old team?”

Maria chuckled. “He may have been the youngest member at one time, but Fathers Mbaye and Lambert as well as Laura Hudson have died and been resurrected. Father McAvoy sprained his knee, and the only reason he’s staying off of it is because Sister Joan threatened to tie him to his bed.”

“You really shouldn’t be gossiping, Maria.”

Wila turned at the familiar masculine voice behind her. It was damn shame Father Perez was a priest. He was hot and kind. Things Dani needed in abundance. The girl hadn’t even dated since her husband Heath died in a car accident six years ago. Heck, she even refused when Wila offered to set her up with Ramon, a fellow paramedic who was attracted to Dani.

“It’s not gossip when the Soccer Moms need to know who’s available in a fight, Father,” she said. “Not to mention, he is the senior living Vatican taskforce member here. We need his brains and his English skills right now. What I don’t need is McAvoy getting himself injured or killed trying to prove he can keep up.”

She looked back at Maria. “Did he go to a doctor?”

The administrative assistant shook her head.

Wila faced the younger priest again. “Then as your resident EMT, I’m going to check out his knee while I tell you guys what happened this morning.”

“Actually, I’d be grateful if you did,” Father Perez said with a rueful expression. “He’d listen to you about seeing a doctor.”

Wila rolled her eyes. “You men are all the same.” She waved at Maria. “See you at the soccer game tomorrow night?”

Maria smiled. “I’ll be there.”

Wila strode down the back hallway of the church beside Father Perez. They’d have to pass through the community center to reach the rectory.

“How’s the rehoming going?” she asked.

“All the parishioners who can have taken in the recently risen.” He shook his head. “We still have dead folks trickling in though.”

“Has the Vatican figured out the rhyme or reason for the order of the dead coming back?”

Again, the priest shook his head. “They’ve called in some of the top mathematicians in the world. It seems to be totally random. Can I ask why?”

Wila sighed. “Dani was stressed about her mom or her husband showing up on her doorstep at first. Now, she’s feeling a little left out.”

“As long as the dead continue rising, we don’t have to worry about the Sixth Seal,” he said.

“Do we know that for sure?”

“No,” he said grimly. “I believe, but I never thought I’d see the end times.”

“It ain’t over yet, Padre.” She grinned.

The community center wasn’t as busy as it had been, but a glance at the gymnasium showed it was still about a third full. Francine had been turned into a liaison between Oakfield’s city and county governments, the local religious institutions, and the regional Red Cross office. And she was damn good at it, too. She’d been getting a ton of kudos through the city while she helped manage the crisis.

Which was driving Courtney Lasser, the president of the Oakfield Parents Association, absolutely crazy.

Metal clashed in the kitchen, and a female voice called out orders with military precision as Wila and Father Perez passed by the entrance.

She glanced at the priest. “Should I ask who took over cooking duties?”

“Sister Flavia.” He smiled. “She’s a force to reckon with, but she’s one heck of a chef.”

“I can’t believe how many women worked for the taskforce when they didn’t have rights anywhere else in the world,” Wila remarked.

“Is this going to be another rant about the Mother Church?”

“Sorry, Father.” She shot him an apologetic smile. “It’s more a rant about men. My ex-husband freaked out last night about my dead grandmother living with me. Or rather, he’s freaked she’s in the same house as his son.”

“Not everyone has welcomed the resurrected people back like you Soccer Moms have.”

She shook her head as they passed the classrooms that had been turned into nurseries for the risen children. “It’s one thing to see my Gammy again, but why would God force these children back to earth after they had such horrible deaths?”

“I wish I had an answer for you.” Father Perez pulled open the door into the rectory.

“Deke!” someone shouted.

Wila exchanged looks with Father Perez before they took off at a run through the house. When they reached the sun room, demon hunters and priests gathered around someone lying on the floor.

“EMT! Move out of the way!” Wila shoved past the unhelpful observers to find the person on the floor was Father McAvoy. His friend Father Mbaye knelt next to him. McAvoy spoke, but his words made no sense.

The resurrected priest originally from Africa stared at her with panicked expression. “He’s possessed!”

A Measure of Knowledge - Chapter 5

I apologize for not posting the new chapter yesterday. I've got two books coming out in ten days.

And DH and his eldest sister had to make the tough decision to move my father-in-law to hospice today.

So it's been a little difficult around Casa Harden lately. If I fail to post, I'm probably up to my neck in other deeds. Like rushing through unpacking the remaining boxes from the move still sitting in our living room so we can temporarily store FIL's apartment furniture.

On the other hand, I hope you all have a glorious Cinco de Mayo or Revenge of the 5th, whichever holiday you celebrate. Here's your last sneak peek before A Measure of Knowledge drops on the 15th.

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When the final peal of the bells died, the five of us joined hands. Both Shi Hua and Quan’s hands were clammy to the touch. In any other circumstance, I would have teased the ambassador about his nervousness, but I couldn’t this time. Not with his family’s lives at stake.

Luc and I gently fed energy into the young Jing priestess. Talbert and Quan focused on their desire to speak with Reverend Father Biming. Shi Hua launched her thread of magic westward.

The main problem was the Reverend Father was a quicksilver like Talbert. Someone who essentially was undetectable by those of us with mental talents. If the Reverend Father wasn’t deliberately listening for Shi Hua, she wouldn’t be able to communicate with him. Our unspoken hope was the demon attack meant he was listening for her.

Assuming the demons hadn’t killed him.

Shi Hua? The masculine silent voice wasn’t Biming. Nor was it Brother Jian of Light. From the feeling of two beings in one mind, he was a Wildling.

Fa? she asked. Are you all right? Is Mei Wen alive? She said there was a demon attack in Chengzhou. Where’s Reverend Father Biming?

Just a moment, Fa said. The link still existed, but his attention was split. After a breathless moment, he returned. I sent one of my wardens to fetch the Reverend Father. He assigned me to listen for you.

Brother Fa, Prince Po is with me, Shi Hua said. As are Chief Justice Anthea and High Brothers Luc and Talbert.

Your Highness, Honored Seats. I hope you don’t mind, but Reverend Father Biming was adamant that he speak with you tonight. He will be here momentarily. The Jing priest hesitated a moment. I can say a healer was already at the home Temple of Balance. The last report indicated Justice Mei Wen is alive. His worry filtered through the link despite the young priest’s best efforts. Shi Hua had told me that she, Mei Wen, Jian, and Fa had been close when they were novices in the Jing Capital.

How many justices did you lose, Brother Fa? I asked. What assistance can Issura render?

As to your first question, I do not know. Clergy and wardens are still searching Balance, m’lady. The young priest’s weariness tugged on our link and I poured more of my own resources into Shi Hua. As for your second, the Reverend Father can answer that question better than I can.

The smooth essence of Reverend Father Biming entered our link. Sister Shi Hua, are you all right? I was told you were in contact with Justice Mei Wen when the demons attacked Balance.

I’m fine, Reverend Father, she reported. Chief Justice Anthea absorbed the brunt of Justice Mei Wen’s pain.

Can we drop the titles for now, Biming? I said. We have a multitude of questions, and I don’t want to wear out Shi Hua more than necessary.

I understand, Anthea, but may I please speak with Prince Po privately first? Biming said.

My brother and his sons are dead, aren’t they? The tsunami of Quan’s grief drowned all of us for a moment.

The empress as well, Your Highness. I am so sorry. Biming’s love and affection for his prince swirled around us all.

How? I bit out.

One of the imperial concubines was replaced by a skinwalker. Biming’s simple statement tore at me. When I first learned Shi Hua was Temple, she asked me how I was able to see demons. My strange sight that allowed me to see demons and skinwalkers resulted from an accident when I tried to bestow human sight on myself in my efforts to escape service to Balance. Shi Hua had hoped to replicate my spell, but according to my own Reverend Mother, all efforts to duplicate my accident had failed.

If I understood what I’d done wrong, I could have reproduced my eyesight in someone else. The emperor’s little boys wouldn’t be—

Anthea! Luc snapped. You can wallow in guilt later.

My apologies. I struggled to breathe evenly. From the anxiety irritating my nerves, I would need to visit High Sister Mya of Child before I would be able to sleep tonight. Both she and High Brother Ben of Vintner had been adamant that I couldn’t rely on soma tears for sleep.

You must come home, Po, Biming said. You are now the crown prince. The heads of the Temples know I’m speaking with you. We will keep the peace until you return.

How bad is your situation? Talbert asked.

Biming gave a stark recitation of what he and the other Temple heads had pieced together over the last two candlemarks. The actual attacks matched Quan’s analysis of quick, surgical strikes at the human institutions the demons considered their chief opposition. At the extent of the losses, I feared the almond pastries I’d eaten would make a reappearance.

Everyone of the Jing home Temples and their schools of philosophy had casualties. Of course, Light was more heavily targeted, but Balance and Death were as well. Which meant somehow the demons who survived the Battle of Tandor managed to get word to the other demons in our world before our own Crown Princess Chiara and the Issuran army hunted them down and killed them.

The School of the Dragon and the Phoenix suffered the most casualties. According to Quan, they were an offshoot based on the more esoteric teachings of Balance and Light. His own father had been a master of the school and its representative in the imperial court until he was struck with a scourge designed to resemble the disease known as the Child’s curse.

The teams of clergy and talents who acted as the imperial family’s personal bodyguards had been killed by the skinwalker, as had a number of the imperial harem. The skinwalker killed as many of the civilian troops guarding the imperial palace as it could before a cook warded it in one of the kitchens until Temple assistance arrived and ended the threat.

All the guilds were ignored by the demons except for the Healers Guild. One master, a journeyman, and a handful of apprentices survived at their headquarters, but in the demons’ focus on the main guild house, they missed the personnel who’d taken up residency at the Temples to assist with the multitude of babes the breeding edict had produced.

I wondered if the demons targeted the Healers Guild because it spawned off from the Temple of Death. Balance was the only one of the Twelve Temples that didn’t have a guild cleave off from the order over the last century.

The demons also ignored the nobles. If Jing were like Issura, the nobles had few of their members with any talents. Our enemies needed to take out the Temples, the guilds, and the schools of philosophy. Everyone else could be eaten at their leisure.

Quan let out an audible sigh before he said silently, It’s the midwinter, and Issura has been beset with storms since the solstice.

We may not be able to get you a weather sorcerer, but we can petition the duke for a weather oracle, Talbert said.

If Anthea and I ask, the duke may be willing to loan us Captain Titus and the Mars Tranquilus, Luc added. She’s a nimble ship with an excellent crew, and no offense, Quan, but she can handle a winter storm better than your ship can.

Quan chuckled, but the effort sounded forced. You have no argument from me on that score.

In the morning and if it’s all right with you, Quan, Shi Hua and I can contact Queen Teodora, report Jing’s situation, and petition for additional aid, I said.

If it’s all right with you, Anthea, I’d like to be involved in that conversation, he replied.

The renegade’s spies are expecting you to go back to Jing, Talbert said. There’s going to be ambushes along the way.

In the middle of the Peaceful Sea? I said.

Yes, my dear Anthea, Quan mocked. They are called pirates.

We have to assume they will strike before you leave Issura, Luc said. I strongly suggest you stay here for your own safety.

I concur, sir, Shi Hua said.

No comment, Anthea? Quan teased.

Only if you say no to a common sense precaution, I replied. You already know those from Thief will not be as direct even though they agree with me. Biming’s laughter pealed like a bell through my mind. It sounded like he needed the emotional release.

We’ll discuss our preparations further tomorrow at the same time, Biming said. I’ll send Jian and Fa with a Temple group I trust to meet you in Ryuku. Is that acceptable, Shi Hua?

The sister had come to Issura as Quan’s bodyguard. It said much that Biming trusted her to get their new emperor back to Chengzhou safely.

Yes, sir, she replied without hesitation. It hadn’t registered yet that her new assignment meant leaving her son Chao behind, possibly never seeing him again. In all my jealousy over the other Light and Balance clergy given permission to bear children, the thought of leaving my child behind hadn’t occurred to me.

Mya never called me self-centered during our talks involving my emotional repair work. She should have. Maybe I would have understood sooner.

Be careful, Biming, I said. Renegades may still be hiding in and around Chengzhou.

We will, Anthea. Weariness filled his mental voice even though it was fairly early in the day for Jing, but a demon attack will exhaust everyone when the initial adrenaline charge fades.

Shi Hua dissolved the link with Biming and Fa. She blinked a few times to reorient herself. “Shall I inform your concubine to have your concubine order the embassy household to pack, Your Highness?”

Quan nodded absently as he played with the beads on his moustache. “Wait.” He gestured sharply. “Hers and her son’s belongings. Sufficient clothes and weapons to sustain me during the voyage. Have Mistress Yin Li select four guards to accompany us. No more, no less. Tell her about—” He choked on the word while he did his best to be the world leader he thought he should be. “—about the imperial family, but neither of you are to say anything to anyone else. Understood?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” She nodded.

“It’s going to be difficult to keep this news quiet, Po,” I said softly. “Not with the clergy from all Twelve Temples present tonight when the demons attacked Chengzhou.”

“I trust the seats of Orrin to keep their silence and to ask those of their Temples to do the same.” He flashed me a brief smile. “At least until I can leave Orrin.”

“I’ll ride up to the duke’s estate.” Luc grabbed his crutches and stood.

“Tonight? I thought I was the one with the lack of manners,” I teased.

“Luc’s right.” Talbert pushed to his feet as well. “We need to work fast to get the new emperor out of Issura alive. I’ll inform the other seats of what’s happening.”

“What about me?” I was a little nonplussed the two high brothers had taken the jobs I would have preferred.

“You and I will put together a list of requirements I may need from your Teodora,” Quan answered. “We both need to be prepared for tomorrow morning. Would you mind if the chief justice and I use your dining room for a little while longer, High Brother?”

Luc nodded. “Our facilities are at your disposal, Your Highness. And I’ll have Edberth brew you two some more tea.”

Quan was correct. We did need to be prepared for speaking with the queen. But what puzzled me was the surprising lack of jealousy from Luc for once over me spending time alone with the future emperor of Jing.

Maybe Luc was simply happy Quan would soon be out of his hair.

In my case, I simply didn’t like change, and I’d had far too much of it over the last two winters.

And some instinct deep in my spirit said Balance wasn’t done flinging more challenges at me than She already had.

A Very Hero Wedding - Chapter 5

Here's the unedited version of Chapter 5!

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Aisha walked out of her office to grab a soda as Tim charged into the reception area, carrying a sandwich on a plate and a dark scowl on his face. She didn’t have to ask who caused the latter.

“What did she do this time?” she asked.

Patty twirled around on her chair to watch the fireworks.

“It’s nothing,” he muttered. But he stopped in front of the door to the basement and turned back to Aisha. “Why does she think she can run everyone’s life?”

Aisha and Patty exchanged looks before they both looked at Tim again.

“I’ll get the stash.” Patty jumped up from her chair and headed for Arthur’s office.

“What do you want to drink?” Aisha asked.

Tim blinked. “Drink?”

“You know…” She waved her hand in the direction of their breakroom. “Coffee, tea, soda, water, milk, juice?”

His shoulders sagged. “Can I have water without anyone bitching at me about it?”

“Sure.” She grinned. “Go have a seat in my office. We’ll be there in a minute.”

Aisha strode into the breakroom and collected a bottle of diet cola for herself and a bottle of water for Tim before she heated milk for Patty’s hot chocolate. She carried all three drinks to her office. Patty ran in behind her and quietly closed the door.

“The phones?” Aisha asked.

“Aren’t you the one who keeps telling me to let calls roll over to voicemail during my lunch hour?” Patty arched her right brow.

“Just don’t let her catch you,” Aisha muttered.

Tim’s eyebrows rose when he caught sight of the boxes in Patty’s hands. “Where’d you get Girl Scout Samoas this time of year?”

“You know the subzero freezer you have downstairs?” Patty grinned.

“I keep medical samples in that freezer!” Tim leaned away from the boxes she sat on the coffee table.

“Chill, Canyon.” Aisha set Patty’s mug on the table before she handed the bottle of water to Tim. “She’s messing with you. We have a small chest freezer in Arthur’s first floor workshop. It’s the only cookie hiding place Harri hasn’t found.”

“Yet,” Patty grumbled.

“So we’ll share as long as you can keep your mouth shut,” Aisha said. “Otherwise—”

“I’ll chip in when you restock,” Tim offered. “I didn’t even get one cookie out of the three boxes I bought last spring.”

“Exactly.” Patty nodded as she ripped open the first package. “I learned my lesson back in our City Hall days. I made the mistake of sharing my Thin Mints. I started charging her. She’d pay me and inhale them just the same. But will she order them for herself?”

“No,” Aisha said in sync with Tim.

“She did the same thing with me and Jeremy when we were undergrads,” Aisha continued. “I thought it was some weirdness about not being able to afford them back then. Nope, she still did it when she interned for Judge Reeves. I thought his bailiff was going to kill her after she ate his four boxes of Tagalongs he stashed in his bottom desk drawer.”

“I was hoping it was some crazy relationship thing.” Tim took a couple of cookies out of the package Patty held out to him. “She does her best to drive me away, but when I accede to her wishes, she comes up with some new demand. I thought her weird push-pull behavior was why she ate all my cookies.” He took a bite of one of the treats, ignoring the ham and Swiss sandwich on the plate in front of him.

“Don’t take it personally.” Aisha grabbed two cookies from the package Patty held out to her. “I think Jeremy and me are the only people in her life she hasn’t driven away.”

“That’s not for lack of trying.” Patty shoved a whole Samoa into her mouth and chewed loudly.

“Unfortunately, my life choices are probably what’s driving her little trip to Crazytown today,” Aisha admitted.

“There’s no probably about it,” Patty grumbled around her mouthful of cookie.

“Wait a minute.” Tim cocked his head. “Where’s Grace?”

Patty swallowed her cookie. “Arthur took her to the electronics supply warehouse with him. It’s not the park, but it gets her out of the building. And nice try in changing the subject.”

Someone knocked, and they all froze with guilty expressions on their faces.

“I didn’t lock the door,” Patty whispered.

The knob turned, and the door swung open. Susan wore a puzzled expression until she spotted the two boxes on Aisha’s coffee table.

“You bitches,” Susan hissed before she closed and locked the office door. “I can’t believe you dug into the stash without me.” She laid the paperwork she carried on Aisha’s office chair and grabbed the seat on the couch next to Tim. “Gimme.”

Patty slid the open package across the table.

“Are we dishing about the battle royale this morning?” Susan grabbed a cookie and took a bite.

“Sort of,” Aisha admitted. “Now she’s taking her pissy mood out on Tim.”

“This is getting ridiculous,” Susan mumbled around the chocolate, caramel, and coconut. “She can’t force you to stay in the United States while your husband is in France.”

Tim shook his head. “I’m still trying to figure out why you agreed to taking on a new client when you’re overloaded already.”

“What new client?” Aisha’s back and neck tensed. Not even her superpowers kept her muscles from contracting due to stress. Unfortunately, she could no longer go to her regular masseuse for any relief.

“Shit.” Tim closed his eyes. “I didn’t mean to spring this on you.”

Susan stared at Aisha. “Is she deliberately trying to tank the firm?”

“The sad part is I don’t think it’s deliberate.” Aisha shook her head. “Damn, every time I think she’d gotten this insecurity crap out of her system, it blows up in my face.”

“I can’t be looking for a new job right now,” Patty wailed. “Grace isn’t ready for preschool yet.”

“That’s assuming you can ever send her.” Aisha sank back in her couch and rubbed her forehead. “This is getting freakin’ ridiculous.”

“Can I amend my statement, counselor?” Tim wore a rueful grin. “In all fairness, she only agreed to talk to this person because Jeremy begged her.”

She groaned. “No, it does not make me feel better. Jeremy knows how overwhelmed we are. At least, Patty and I are handling the daycare. I don’t think she’s made one damn call to find us an associate we can train.”

“Why don’t I stay in Canyon Pointe?” Susan said. “I’m not related to Martin like you and Harri are. I can start the associate search and weed out the unacceptable candidates before you guys get back from Atlanta.”

“Maybe I should stay here with Susan. It’s not like I’m family either.” Patty nibbled on her lower lip.

“That’s just exchanging one crabby woman for another.” Aisha smiled. “I’ll never hear the end of it from Aunt Queenie if you, Arthur, and Grace don’t come.”

“You mean, if Grace doesn’t attend the wedding.” Patty made a face.

“She’s looking forward to spoiling both of our babies along with LaShun’s kids. And she can throw a hissy fit to rival one of Harri’s. Please don’t make me suffer through both of them at the same time.” Aisha popped the Samoa she’d been holding in her mouth and licked the melted chocolate smears from her fingers. She was definitely going to need to raid the stash of cookies in order to survive this entire damn wedding trip.

A Hand of Father - Chapter 5

This an unedited sample chapter of the upcoming edition of the Justice saga, A Hand of Father.

-----------------------------

We gathered in front of Light shortly before First Morning. Any hope I had of keeping this diplomatic party small flew south with the migrating birds. Duke Marco insisted on sending his sister Lady Alessa to advise me in the subject of trade, which meant she brought a handmaid and two guards. Magistrate DiCook insisted that four peacekeepers escort us to augment the wardens.

High Mother Leocadia couldn’t leave because she was still dealing with the aftermath of her predecessor. However, she insisted her personal chef Ademaro, the one she brought with her when she was assigned to Orrin, accompany us.

Add in to the mix two clergy and two wardens each from the Love, Conflict, Thief, and Wildling Temples. To top everything off, High Brother Ben waited until late last night before he told me he was volunteering himself and one of his priestesses to our party. Which meant two more wardens as well. Ben’s excuse was that he owed Luc and me for breaking the mind control spell Gerd had cast upon him.

In an effort to find some peace in the midst of the pandemonium, I entered the Temple of Light. Gina followed me inside, and she surprised me by sitting beside me on the bench. A few citizens looked at us curiously, but otherwise, they withdrew into their own thoughts.

The clergy of Light entered the sanctuary, their voices raised in song. Sister Shi Hua’s soprano elevated the morning prayer-song to a new level of harmony. The loveliness made me wonder what the dawn services in Jing sounded like with the blend of voices.

Luc had no problem using his crutches to kneel before the statue of Light and the eternal flame that burned at His base. However, Brothers Jeremy and Garbhan assisted Shi Hua to her knees. The young woman had entered her final trimester of her pregnancy, and I swore each day her middle was a handspan larger that the day before.

Unlike Balance’s severity, Light’s image welcomed anyone and everyone. He reminded me of my maternal grandfather Kam. Not in appearance so much, but His carved smile matched Kam’s good humor. I missed him, and I often wondered if this last year would have turned out differently if he hadn’t taken a poisoned knife met for me.

The service turned to call and response. Mine and Gina’s voices joined the other worshippers’ in Light’s warm embrace. Even when Death takes us we would still see Him again.

The Reverend Mother may have been playing games with my emotions by telling me there was a prophesy about me and by setting me up to bond with the Light priest assigned to my circuit. However, Luc was everything to me Light promised. Joy. Illumination. Truth.

And most of all love.

However, Balance and Light didn’t have so much tragedy weighting Them when They first came into existence. Did I really think I was better than the Twelve Themselves? That I could overcome all the problems set in my path.

Yes, we can.

An open hand was in front of me. I looked up at Luc. Then I looked around the sanctuary. Most of the civilians had left. The few who remained were asking for personal blessings from the other Light clergy.

I released the air caught in my lungs, but I couldn’t speak, out loud or silently. Taking Luc’s hand, I stood, squeezed his fingers and released them. Together, we left the Temple of Light.

And for some strange reason, my nerves danced under my skin the same way they did the night we sailed out of the harbor for Tandor late last winter. I didn’t bother praying for guidance from Balance. The one time she spoke to me, she told me to jump off a cliff.

* * *

As we traveled south on the National Road, I could see the damage to the cobblestones and surrounding vegetation from the passing of the queen’s army on its way to our rescue. Normally, the duke would have repaired the road, but there was no reason to waste the money and effort.

No merchants traveled along this section anymore. Not with the loss of Tandor in Issura and Rambla in Cant. There was simply no place for the merchant caravans to restock their personal water supplies even if they used camels as their beasts of burden.

I patted Nassa’s neck as she plodded along the road. The oases through the Valley of the Lost were well marked. We should be fine. I don’t know what I was worrying about.

“May I ask what you’re fretting about?” Claudia said. She and Sister Migina of Conflict flanked me while we rode. Claudia had removed her veil now that we were several leagues from the city walls, probably to enjoy the warmth of the sun on her skin.

“Everything,” I answered. “I can’t stop worrying about everything.”

“What specifically?” Migina asked.

I eyed first Claudia, then Migina. “You two sound suspiciously like High Sister Mya.”

“With all due respect, Chief Justice, do you really believe you’re the only one who has ever sought Child’s help?” Migina shook her head.

“Everyone in Orrin knowing my personal business is one of the reasons I was on the edge of madness,” I complained.

“It’s not like the citizens are watching your every bowel movement,” Migina said.

“No, that’s the wardens,” Claudia jibed. The two priestesses roared with laughter.

“To answer your original question, Sister Claudia, and to change the Twelve-forsaken subject,” I said. “I was thinking about the lack of repairs on the National Road.”

“It is troubling,” Claudia murmured. “However, Duke Marco wasn’t expecting to support the queen’s troops and an entire city’s worth of refugees.”

“Unfortunately, the losses of Tandor and Rambla also leave a huge gap in Issura and Cant’s defenses.” Migina pursed her lips. “Restoring the settlements on the Anacapa Islands won’t be enough if another cache of demon eggs are brought to our shores.”

“You fear demons may have more somewhere?” I asked.

A wry smile tilted the Conflict priestess’s mouth. “Of course they do, but I’m more worried about what may be lurking in the Valley of the Lost. I read the reports from my order who were with you in Tandor.”

“Where would we put a new fortress?” I asked.

“I don’t know if it would have to be a fortress,” she said. “There just needs to be water facilities.”

“But where would we dig wells?” Claudia asked. “That close to the coast, any well is likely to be contaminated with sea water.”

“A good portion of Tandor’s aqueduct is still intact,” I mused. “We can check it as we head east.”

My statement launched a conversation of possible ways to capture the water from the mountains that was probably pouring onto the sands of the desert for the last six months.

* * *

Rather than making camp for the night, we continued at an easy pace. We would stop at the last watering hole before the National Road curved out into the desert and spend the day there. Traveling through the Valley of the Lost during the sunlight hours, even in the autumn, was not wise.

With the moonless night, Claudia, the Wildlings, and I took point. I linked with Sisquoc and Farrah as they scouted ahead. I didn’t need conventional light to see, so I called out holes and uneven stones for the mounted members of our party. Claudia and her steed matched mine and Nassa’s pace.

The sister of Love seemed determined to keep an eye on me. Part of me wondered why. The other part didn’t wanted to know. However, the curiosity won out. “Sister, why are you trying so hard with me?” I asked softly.

She exhaled. The green cloud of her breath dissipated rapidly in the dryer air. “I’m not sure that is a subject we should be discussing during this diplomatic mission.” She glanced behind her. “Nor should we be discussing this subject with other ears around.”

What about silent speech? I asked.

Claudia’s laughter jingled in my mind like the silver bells on her robes. All right. The issue is I admire you. You swooped in as if you were Balance Herself and rescued us in Love from a horrible situation.

Her esteem teased its way through my guilt and jealousy. I didn’t know how to respond to that.

All of us assumed Gerd lied about you and Luc. She sighed, and this time, the guilt I felt wasn’t mine. I was honored to conceive a child with a brother of Light, but I swear to Love neither the high sister nor I would intentionally hurt you.

I know. I tried to swallow my own anguish. You tried to tell me that more than once. It was never you I was angry with. It was Gerd. She hated her birth parents so much she literally let it destroy her.

Nassa whinnied at the pressure of my knees against her ribs. I forced my thighs to relax and patted her neck.

High Sister Mya made me realize I was following Gerd’s path. I resented her so much for taking my sight, and then my ability to have children that I let that resentment spilled over in my regard for you. I swear to Balance I never wanted to see harm come to yours and Luc’s son. And I most definitely never wanted you to suffer my fate.

So how do we go forward from here if none of the issues between us was our fault? Claudia asked.

Mya is right about one thing, I said. It’s going to take time for all of us to heal from the destruction Gerd wrought over the last couple of years.

True, but I’d still like to be friends.

I’ll work on it, I said. I’ve never had anyone want to be my friend before. Can you be patient with me?

Always.

Pestilence in Pumpkin Spice - Chapter 5

This will be the last chapter for this novel. We're at roughly twenty percent which is the max I can post without repercussions from the retailers. Too much is going on this summer to mess with taking down posts later.

I would appreciate it if you'd let me know what you think in the comments.

Next week's post will be a status update. Lots of stuff is happening in the land of the Angry Sheep!

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Penny sat up in her hospital bed when Doctor Hudson strode into her room. After all the tests over the last twenty-four hours, she was beginning to feel like a guinea pig. Even worse, no one could tell her what was going on with her staff or her customers.

“Well, Doc?” Penny asked hopefully. Gene squeezed her left hand trying to reassure her, but after the scene at Java’s Palace, she wasn’t sure she’d be okay again.

Doctor Harold shook her head. “There was absolutely nothing abnormal on your MRI.”

“But she’s been having these headaches all week,” Gene protested.

Doctor Harold eyed Penny. “You said they started on Tuesday.”

“That was the first one,” Penny admitted. “Between the thunder storms and butting heads with Justine, I chalked it up to stress and the change in barometric pressure. But after a good night’s sleep, I felt fine the next morning.”

Doctor Harold pulled the stylus off the tablet and jotted some notes. “Tuesday was also when you both said Justine came down with that stomach bug.”

“Yes,” Penny said.

“We followed the school guidelines and kept her home Wednesday,” Gene added.

“And you haven’t felt any ill effects?” Doctor Harold asked.

“None,” he replied.

The physician turned back to Penny. “But you had a headache Wednesday night?”

“Yeah, but it was nothing like Tuesday’s or Thursday’s.” She shrugged. “I never even finished my chocolate martini.”

Doctor Harold poked at the nosepiece of her glasses. “Did you have any alcohol the other two nights?”

“No.” Penny slumped against her raised bed. “And I only had half of the martini Dani made for me.”

Doctor Harold’s brunette ponytail waved back and forth as she shook her head. “None of this makes sense. None of it.” She stalked back to the door, closed it, and turned back to Penny and Gene. “We need to have a frank talk, folks.”

Penny exchanged looks with Gene, who appeared as confused as she felt. She faced the physician again. “What do you mean?”

“Have you imported any unusual foods or drinks from out of the country?” Doctor Harold asked while she walked back to the bed.

“None that didn’t go through my usual suppliers,” Penny said. “The only new thing I had on the menu was starfruit smoothies this summer, and I made sure to warn customers that if they can’t eat grapefruit because of the drugs they take, they shouldn’t be ordering the smoothie.”

“Hold on,” Gene said. “Why are you insinuating my wife did something illegal?”

“I’m not saying that.” Doctor Harold leaned one hand against the foot board of Penny’s bed. She stared at the floor for a moment before she eyed Penny again. “None of the people brought into the ER are exhibiting the same symptoms. And except for Justine’s stomach bug and your migraine level headaches, all of the symptoms point to diseases that aren’t common in the U.S., much less Illinois.”

“Symptoms like what?” Gene said.

“I can’t break HIPPA—”

“You can talk to a fellow doctor when you want a second opinion,” he asserted.

Doctor Harold sighed. “And you’re going to tell Penny if I consult privately with you, won’t you?”

“It won’t leave this room.” Penny crossed her heart over the ugly blue-striped hospital gown she wore.

“Nobody has the same symptoms.” Doctor Harold started ticking diseases off on her fingers. “One person presented as Dengue fever when they arrived. Another as African sleeping sickness. A third as Hantavirus. The only one we’ve confirmed through bloodwork so far is malaria, but before we could administer treatment, the patient recovered. The second set of bloodwork showed no sign of the parasite.”

“You sure it came from the same patient?” Gene said.

Penny could see hackles rise on the physician, but Doctor Harold forced them back down.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said more calmly than she obviously felt. “Not one person from Java’s Palace has the same disease. We’re still waiting for results on the rest, but everyone seems to be responding to non-treatment.” She gave an uncomfortable chuckle.

Penny could feel her heart dive into her stomach acid. “You’re not letting any of us go tonight, are you?”

Doctor Harold shook her head. “Not until we figure out what the hell happened. Can I please have a list of your suppliers?”

Penny grabbed her phone from the overbed table. “What’s your cell number?”

She punched in the number the doctor rattled off and texted the document containing the master list of her suppliers to the physician.

Doctor Harold’s phone beeped. She looked at it and nodded. “Thank you. Someone will be in to take another blood sample shortly.” She strode out of the hospital room, closing the door behind her.

Penny looked at Gene and reached for his hand again. He took it and squeezed it.

“Don’t worry, sweetie.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Once the health inspectors’ took their samples yesterday, I called a cleaning service.”

She scrunched her face. “Norah?” Norah Ackles had been Penny’s cleaner since she opened the coffee shop. While Valerie and the staff kept up on the day-to-day stuff, Penny liked having Norah and her crew come in and do an even more thorough deep clean.

Gene sighed. “No, Safety Clean.”

“What?” Penny shrieked. “They’re a crime scene clean-up crew!”

“They also specialize in biohazardous waste removal.” A hurt expression crossed his face. “Given the circumstances, the place was more than Norah and her girls should be handling.”

“I know Matt threw up but—” Penny began.

“Sweetie, he wasn’t the only one.” Gene lowered his voice. “Mrs. Langston and couple others in her knitting group vomited blood.”

“Oh, my god.” Penny stared at the ceiling. Once this got around Oakfield, would she even have a business left? That thought reminded her of Courtney’s strange comment.

Penny looked at Gene. “Did you pick up the mail at the shop?”

“Sweetie, you need to rest.”

“No.” She jerked her hand from Gene’s grip. “Right before everyone got sick Courtney was at the shop.”

“Are you suggesting—”

Penny shook her head. “She’s not intelligent enough for bio-terrorism. Bu she’s vindictive enough to let something slip about the land Java’s Palace sits on being sold.”

He stood. “If you promise me you’ll take a nap, I’ll run by the post office and pick up your mail.”

“I promise I’ll try.” She smiled up at him.

He kissed her forehead and left the room. She wasn’t sure what she’d do without him.

She plumped her pillow and returned to staring at the ceiling. None of this made sense. How could starfruit make people sick months after she’d used them up? Did any of this have something to do with Dani’s heart stopping Wednesday night?

Penny checked her texts. Everyone sent a message asking how she was doing. Even Francine. Penny took a deep breath and texted Dani first.

U still in hospital?

A minute later, Dani replied.

Home. Want me to sneak in milkshake?

Penny grinned and sent the thumbs-up emoji. She answered Wila and Francine’s texts before she set aside her phone. Maybe together, she and her friends could figure out the weirdness that targeted them this week.

A Virtue of Child - Chapter 5

I had Garbhan take the lead on putting together a hunting party made up of clergy and wardens. If he wanted the experience and responsibility, I was more than happy to give it to him.

Once I finally settled in my office at Balance and drank my first pot of Jing black tea of the day, I summoned both Gina and Little Bear. From both of their expressions, Gina had warned my chief warden of my conversation with Brother Garbhan and Magistrate DiCook.

“May we simply address the reason we are here without the social niceties?” Little Bear grumbled.

“I find that odd considering you are usually the one lecturing me for not adhering to them.” I stared at them both for a moment before I added in a more gentle tone, “Is it as bad as people are telling me?”

Gina snorted. “Actually, it’s worse. He’s not even leading dawn services anymore.”

Little Bear shot her a warning look, but Gina raised her chin and said, “She needs to know as the seat of Balance. This isn’t about their relationship.”

Little Bear dropped into one of my visitor chairs. For him to breach decorum in that manner meant he was truly disturbed. “You need to go visit him, m’lady.”

“And do you propose I do that?” I waved in the direction of my bedchambers. “The tunnels are shut down, and we’ve disabled the Temple entrances to prevent anyone, human or demon, to get inside the city again.”

Except I made a new passage in my quarters to hide the demon grimoire I’d confiscated from my mother after I beheaded her. The voices in the back of my mind encouraged me to make the passage bigger. Then I could create a new passage into Light so I could visit Luc whenever I wanted. He owed me after all the time he spent with Claudia in his bed—

With a deep breath, I ignored the voices. I really needed to focus on getting Light functional again. Garbhan couldn’t do everything, no matter how much he believed he could.

“You might want to try the front door,” Gina said dryly.

“I did,” I snapped. “He refused to see me.”

Though honestly, Luc’s head of household Istaqa was rather embarrassed when he asked me to leave the four times I traipsed across the boulevard to Light last month.

“Chief Warden Nicholas will hold Istaqa out of the way if you wish to try again,” Little Bear said.

“Nicholas disobeying a direct order from the high brother?” I shook my head. “Another demon attack is far more likely than that.”

“Not this time.” Little Bear grimaced. “He showed me the empty wine skins and bottles. He’s worried. Shi Hua is bedridden. Jeremy’s frightened for her and still having nightmares from the loss of Tandor. Garbhan is the only functional Light priest we have at the moment.”

“And it’s probably not a coincidence this creature is killing humans when we are low on light capable clergy,” Gina added.

“So you are expecting me to fix the high brother? He needs someone from Child, not me.” If Luc blamed me for my mother killing his child, so be it. Our relationship was illegal prior to the new edict anyway. Besides, the bitch tried to abort me. She was the reason I couldn’t give Luc a child anyway.

I blinked to clear the extra moisture from my eyes.

Gina placed her hands on the back of the other visitor chair. “I understand why the two of you are uncomfortable around each other. But you’re also taking your uncomfortableness out on Sister Shi Hua. You haven’t even tried to visit her in the last two months. She can’t come here, and she needs all the support she can get.”

“The ambassador and his concubine have been—”

“But Yin Li can’t be there all the time, and—” Gina shot a glance at Little Bear who gave her a slight nod.

She sucked a deep breath and continued, “Justice Yanaba is restricted to Balance until she delivers.”

I jerked to my feet. “Is she all right? Her baby’s not in danger, is she?”

“Calm down, m’lady.” Little Bear gestured for me to resume my seat. “She’s quite well, and so is the babe. This is a precautionary measure.”

“This is because I asked for her help this morning, isn’t it?” I slammed my fist onto the top of my desk. “Devin was furious she helped me with the rewind spell, and this is his revenge.”

“No, m’lady. This has nothing to do with the Healers Guild, though Master Healer Bly was not happy that Yanaba exerted herself this morning.” Little Bear sighed. “After the incident with Sister Claudia, the chief wardens met concerning protection of the remaining three Light pregnancies.”

“Three?” I feigned innocence.

“Nice try.” Sarcasm laced Gina’s words. “It’s a matter of time before Cedar Grove starts showing. And after your rather bold announcement of Lady Katarina’s condition, we all know you can see a pregnancy before the mother’s even aware.”

I grimaced. My congratulations had put a crimp in the duke and his wife’s relationship since she hadn’t told him. It hadn’t been one of my finer moments in manners and etiquette.

After clearing my throat, I asked. “So what precautions have you wardens put in place?”

“We’ve put together plans for getting all three priestesses out of the Temples if there’s another attempt on their lives. And it’s on a need to know basis,” he added sternly.

“But Yanaba is my responsibility,” I protested.

Gina chuckled. “High Brother Xander said the same thing. Neither of you are asking the young justice’s opinion.”

I swore under my breath. “This is about the price on my head.”

“We can’t give the Assassins Guild two easy targets in Balance,” Little Bear said, confirming my fears.

“Like having Yanaba preside in court,” I murmured. “She’s going to think I’m punishing her.” Maybe she deserved to be punished. She made no secret the Reverend Mother sent her here to spy on me, and if necessary, replace me.

I rubbed at the ache in my temples. I was obviously too tired if I were allowing petty thoughts like that to cloud my mind. Except the voices confirmed that I was right to feel the way I did.

My stomach rumbled. I had broken my fast far earlier than normal this morning. And maybe the ache in my head would go away with a decent meal. It was only logical to take advantage of Light’s hospitality and their cook’s excellent cuisine during the midday meal.

“I’ll visit with Sister Shi Hua now, and attempt—” At my wardens’ pleased expressions, I held up my right palm. “—attempt to speak with the high brother. I make no guarantees.”

“Even an attempt would sooth Nicholas’s concern,” Gina murmured.

“I don’t think I will miss your nagging when you leave with Chief Justice Elizabeth,” I snapped.

Gina merely grinned. “I’ll miss everyone here as well, m’lady.”

* * *

Wardens Daniel and Ahiga accompanied me to the Temple of Light, even through it was quite literally across the street from the Temple of Balance. Ever since the Assassins Guild’s attempt to slit my throat on the steps of Light, my wardens wouldn’t let me travel outside our Temple walls without them. Since the renewed demon attacks, I could barely go to the privy without one of them either.

The Light warden guarding the main doors inclined his head to me and my escort. He didn’t bar me from entering the Temple itself.

My escort and I strode into the main sanctuary. Except for the crisp scent of incense from the dawn services and the orderly benches, it was empty. Not even one of the private consultation rooms were in use. The eternal flame at the base of the statue of Light glowed with its blinding white light.

One of the attendants entered the sanctuary and bowed to me. No doubt Istaqa sent his staff member out to meet me because the Light head of household was tired of dealing with my demands.

“I beg forgiveness, Lady Justice, but the high brother—” he began.

“I’m here for a social visit with Sister Shi Hua,” I said. “I regret I have been remiss in allowing my duties to interfere with our friendship.” My stomach rumbled again.

“She would be most pleased if you would join her for the noon meal.” The attendant bowed to me again before leading the way to Shi Hua’s quarters. It wasn’t like I didn’t know where they were, but caution reinforced the Temple protocols.

Warden Mateqai stood at attention beside the priestess’s door. He inclined his head and knocked on the lacquered wood.

“Yes?” Shi Hua called out.

Mateqai opened the door a crack and peered inside. “The chief justice is here to see you, m’lady.”

“Anthea! Come in!”

Mateqai turned to face me with a barely suppressed grin. “Sister Shi Hua will see you now, Lady Justice.”

I entered the priestess’s bed chambers. The tingle of light balls caressed my skin. Shi Hua herself was propped on a multitude of pillows on her bed to the extent she looked like a child’s doll. Her hair was loose and cascaded over her shoulders. Instead of a uniform tunic and leggings, she wore a cotton shift that accommodated her growing belly. Her bright smile lifted my own spirits.

“How are you doing?” I crossed to the bed and hugged her.

“I’ll be better,” she said. I released her and sat down in the chair next to her bed. She glared at Mateqai. “Once all the nosey wardens close my door.”

He promptly obeyed her, and her wards sprung up in the room the instant the door shut and latched.

I pushed back my hood and cocked my head. “Is that really necessary?”

She groaned, leaned her head back against the pillows, and closed her eyes. “You have no idea, Anthea. I never dreamed kindness could be used as a torture device. They treat me like a total invalid.”

“They’re concerned about your welfare and the babe’s,” I murmured.

She opened her eyes and glared at me. “If you’re going to nag me, too—”

“This is a social visit.” I waved in the direction of the door. “But aren’t you worrying your wardens unnecessarily?”

Shi Hua sniffed with contempt. “You think I haven’t had to do this before? The bedrest is bad enough, but the constant harping of every man here!” She shook her head. “They act like this is the first baby ever conceived!”

“Well, it is the first pregnancy for any clergy of the Orrin Temple of Light,” I retorted.

We both laughed long and loud.

Shi Hua wiped her eyes. “Thank you. I needed that. I’m assuming Garbhan shared our worries with you.”

I sighed. “The magistrate volunteered his two coppers before Garbhan did. However, I am remiss in not visiting you over the last several weeks.”

“Pfft.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ve had your own issues to deal with.”

“That’s no excuse.”

“Anthea, your mother consorted in demon magic, and you beheaded her.” Shi Hua reached over and took my left hand in her right. “Even for children raised in the Temples like us, that affects your spirit. If I was forced to do the same to my aunt or cousin in order to protect my child—” She shuddered and rubbed her swollen belly.

“The difference is you care about your birth family,” I muttered.

She shook her head. “I don’t need a truthspell to see you’re lying, Anthea.”

The voices murmured that they could take my pain away. For an instant, I wanted to believe them. I needed to change the subject before my emotions overtook me.

“If it’s any consolation, Yanaba is restricted to Balance as well.”

Shi Hua squeezed my hand. “Is that why you look exhausted?”

“I am not exhausted,” I snapped.

“Mm-hmmm.” She gave me a wry grin. “Why does the skin under your eyes look like you applied a thick layer of kohl?”

“All right.” I stuck out my tongue at her, and she laughed. “I didn’t sleep well last night, and I finish a rewind not long ago. I’d really love to take a nap, but—”

“You’ll just have more nightmares,” she said softly.

“Yes, but—”

Shi Hua’s warding spell muffled the knocking on her bedchamber door, but I definitely recognized the masculine roar of anger.

“Now, what’s got his small clothes in a wad?” I couldn’t help the thick layer of sarcasm in my words.

“Garbhan and the wardens won’t tattle on me, but Jeremy or Istaqa would,” she said sourly. “They all get angry if I ward my room for a little privacy.”

“I bet a silver on Istaqa tattling.” I grinned at her.

“I want a cocoa cinnamon pastry from the Meca place on Bakers street if it’s Jeremy.” Shi Hua’s expression lit up.

More pounding was followed by another roar of fury. There was a time when it would take far more than someone warding their bedchamber to anger Luc.

“Let me guess,” I said as I rose from the chair. “Istaqa has you on what he considers an appropriate diet for the child.”

Shi Hua groaned. “And the high brother threatened to lash Mateqai if he snuck anymore pastries into the Temple for me.”

That statement blew off the lid of my own rage. Mateqai would never do anything to harm Shi Hua or her baby. As long as he didn’t tell anyone the treat was for Shi Hua, it would be perfectly safe. And I couldn’t see him be anything but protective. Twelve blast it, he had been acting as her taster since the Assassins Guild tried to poison me.

At my nod, Shi Hua dropped her wards, and I yanked the door open. Sure enough, a guilty looking Jeremy stood behind his high brother. And Luc’s skin glowed a brilliant pink.

“What in Balance are you barking about?” I shouted. “Not every priestess wants to share every intimate detail of her body with a bunch of fishwives like you lot!”

Luc jerked back from the door and lowered his fist. The foul mix of unwashed body and alcohol fumes emanating from him made my eyes water. But even with my odd vision blurred by burning tears, I could see his blue hair stood at wild angles and blue stubble covered the lower half of his face. The only time he’d gone unshaven, a demon army laid siege to Tandor, and the city’s water supply had been cut off.

Behind him, both his wardens and mine tensed. However, Nicholas had a slightly smug look on his bearded visage.

“I gave her a direct order not to ward her room from the wardens,” Luc growled. “If a demon gets in disguised as—”

“Me?” I poked him in the chest. “The entire city knows you’re furious with me over the death of your child, but you’re taking it out on everyone else in this damn Temple. Enough is enough! Get a bath and sober up, or I will call a convocation on charges of dereliction of duty, High Brother.” I slurred his title into an insult.

“How dare you,” he breathed. His color flared to a deeper pink. “How dare you!”

“What are you going to do about it?” I stepped closer despite his awful smell until we were nose to nose. “Challenge me to a duel right at this moment?”

The muscle along his right jaw trembled. I didn’t need to touch his mind to know he was embarrassed I’d backed him into a trap. He was in no condition to fight me, even if he still had his left foot. He didn’t have any weapons on him. And he was barely upright on his crutches as it was.

“Are you going to draw steel on the chief justice, High Brother?” Nicholas asked. Given the circumstances, doing so would be a good way for Luc to lose his head.

Instead of answering either me or Nicholas, Luc turned and staggered back down the hallway. Mateqai and the new Light warden, whose name I couldn’t remember for the life of me at the moment, let him pass.

I glared at Luc’s second. “Jeremy, might I suggest that if you ever hope to share the sister’s bed again that you stop tattling on her? The high brother’s order against warding her own damn room is ridiculous, and you know it. Do we really want to cause a diplomatic incident with Jing?”

“No, m’lady.” The younger priest’s face glowed a brilliant crimson. Whether at my tongue-lashing or the fear he’d irreparably damaged his relationship with Shi Hua was up for debate.

I turned to Nicholas. “Chief Warden, please do everyone a favor.”

“Of course, Lady Justice,” he replied.

“When the high brother passes out, please get him into his bathing pool.” I shook my head. “Before his stench chokes all of you to death.”