Page 76 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
“I’m not so sure,” I replied, getting a sense that this was deeper than any of us were understanding.
Astria, like Amice, had been showing signs of knowing things she shouldn’t.
“Goblin?” Stratton seemed fixated on Astria’s pendant. “She has a fuc—um—rry…furry…yes, furry goblin in that thing?”
Drest nodded. “She does. And as luck would have it, it likes to be furry whenever possible. Long story. Has a thing for marking its territory too. Heads up. Serious gas issues too.”
Astria giggled. “He is furry! But he isn’t who will come.”
“A goblin of the lesser order, I hope.” Stratton put an arm around Astria as if to shield her from danger.
“What’s that mean?” she asked.
“Uh, not bad?” Stratton shrugged.
Astria appeared to mull over what he’d said. “He’s not bad. Well, sometimes he’s a bad boy and gets me in trouble. Like this one time he wanted to bake me a cake but he don’t know how to bake so good and got flour and sugar all over the kitchen…and the living room, and the dining room, and the stairs, and my bedroom. I had to take a time-out. Daddy was very mad. Aunt Rachael wasn’t. She baked me a cake that night. It was my birthday.”
I had to fight to keep from laughing. The event she spoke of had been something of an ordeal, especially with how pregnant I was.
“So, he’s good to you?” asked Stratton.
Astria smiled wide. “He’s my bestest friend in the whole world.”
“He is?” asked Stratton.
She touched her pendant. “Do you want me to ask him to come out to play? He likes to play, but Daddy hasn’t let him out since Mommy went away. But don’t go making that ring glow none, or else he’ll try to eat you. He doesn’t like what you are.”
“What am I?” asked Stratton.
“Hunters. Like the ones who put him here,” she said. “Want me to have him come out and play?”
“No, sweetheart,” replied Stratton. “Let’s not summon the goblin right now.”
I stood there, taking in the sight of my niece finally opening up to someone. My hormones were all over the place, and it was taking all of me to keep from crying, especially as the conversation continued.
After a rather surprising light show from Stratton’s ring, which apparently had been fueled by Astria, of all people, I was about two steps away from full-out sobbing. I needed a good cry. Between Amice’s passing and everything happening with Henry, I was a ball of nerves.
Banging from the basement began again, this time accompanied by thuds and trampling up the stairs. I braced myself, knowing Henry was about to make an appearance. He was going to be irate when he saw I’d brought Hunters in to help.
He came through the basement door, wearing a long black apron and a pair of old-fashioned goggles that were pushed up on his forehead.
Henry’s gaze snapped to Drest. “I’m not due for another inspection for three months. The inspectors werejusthere a little over a month ago. Go away.”
“Henry,” I pleaded. “They have the right to come and go here as they please. You know the rules.”
“The rules are ridiculous,” he snarled. “Our family has a right to do what we want in peace.Theyare not followed around nonstop and given watchdogs, and the Nightshade Clan has far more death on their hands thanwedo. And this one,” Henry said, glaring at Drest, “is breaking all the rules his people put in place and he well knows it. Anyone who doubts as much has only to look at the state you’re in, sister.”
I took a deep breath.
Drest groaned. “Henry, I’m not doing this with you again. This debate is getting old. You know the rules. Don’t push me. I really do not want to have to haul you in. Especially not with your wife’s recent passing. Amice understood how things worked. She never gave me any trouble, and she wouldn’t want this—you and I arguing. Especially not in front of—”
Stratton kept Astria near him.
Henry curled his lip as he looked at his daughter. “Amice is gone. I don’t have to pretend to like it.”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Stratton shot up and went at Henry, stopping just shy of touching him. “Byityou mean your daughter?”
