“Take your time,cher.” He lifted a cookie-laden tray. “She’s not the only one who’s been heartbroken.”
A flush warmed my cheeks as I rushed out, almost sliding past Lucia before remembering my manners.
“I need to run down to the crypt. I won’t be too long, I don’t think.” I hefted Badb. “We’ve got ourselves a bit of a situation here. She got into an open beer, so I’m off to find a hangover cure for crows.”
“Let me show you to a room.” Jean-Claude stepped up to Lucia. “You can shower and rest until dinner.”
“That would be great.” She plucked at her shirt. “I was in Sudan when I got the call, and you know how sand is.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He chuckled softly. “It gets in all the cracks.”
While Jean-Claude escorted her to one of the few vacant guest rooms remaining, I stepped into the elevator.
I sucked in a fortifying breath before the doors slid open then approached the crypt, heart in my throat. Nothing had been disturbed in the garage, convincing me the protections on the crypt remained secure. Ears perked for signs of movement, I let myself in the crypt and found Kierce exactly how I had left him.
As much as I wanted to sit cross-legged and let him rest his head on my lap, smooth my fingers across his forehead and press my lips to his skin, I couldn’t be selfish. Not when jostling him would only make the faint twitches and grunts as the magic projectile tore up his insides that much worse.
Our next steps would have to be taken at a run if we wanted to end his torment before it broke him.
With my toes pressing against the air mattress, I still had to stretch to reach the cat bed and deposit the unconscious crow in the center. I wobbled as I straightened and threw out a hand to catch my balance. I must have caused enough commotion for Pedro to notice, as his pale-blue outline shimmered into view.
“He’s been resting soundly,” Pedro assured me, drifting over to inspect Badb.
“Good.” I drank in the sight of him. “Crazy how I still miss him when he’s right there.”
“Ah,mija, love shouldn’t hurt so much, but that’s what makes it sweet.”
As much as I tiptoed around theLword where Kierce was concerned, I couldn’t find it in me to argue the point when it felt like a chunk of my heart had been ripped from my chest and thrown on the floor at my feet.
Berchem.
He was Berchem.
And he wasn’t mine. Not for much longer anyway. Not once he discovered my origin.
“Our friend here helped herself to an open beer. Do you think we have anything to worry about?”
I would have Googled, but my phone was fried until I got my hands on a new one. I could have asked Jean-Claude to check for me, but I had been too eager for any excuse to get back to Kierce to think of it in the moment.
“I’ve seen stories on the news about crows getting drunk then picking fights. They’re aired as humorous segments, so I can’t imagine it hurts the birds. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but maybe ask Matty to go online and check? Just to be on the safe side.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that. I’ll bring her some fluids and a bready snack later.”
That ought to help absorb anything left in her and flush out the rest.
“Of course.” He faded back to where he had come from. “I’ll be here.”
Unable to help myself, I knelt at Kierce’s head and pressed kisses to the backs of his eyelids.
They barely fluttered under the touch.
Chest aching, I rose and let myself out. I hit the elevator and entered the living room at the same time as Jean-Claude stuck his head out of the kitchen. Probably for an update on Badb. Adjusting course, I asked him to bring her food and a drink. Newspapers might be a good idea too in case she needed a bathroom. I doubted she would leave Kierce even for that.
And since Lucia was nowhere around, I took that to mean I had a moment to fact-check a few things.
I found Vi standing in the middle of her bedroom, waiting for me, her shoulders back and head high.
“I did it for your own good.”
