Blackbird Broken (The Witch King's Crown #2) - Keri Arthur Page 0,86
revealing pert breasts unchained by a bra. A woman not afraid to flaunt what she had—a woman after my own heart, I thought with a smile. Luc caught my eye when I offered him the tongs and then wiggled one finger back and forth between Mary and me. Suggesting, I suspected, that the two of us were as bad as each other. Or that I’d be her in a few years time.
I didn’t mind either.
“What are we going to do about it?” Mary continued. “Other than talk to the old grump—if he deigns to grace us with his presence, that is.”
“Right now, we need to chase down Uhtric’s ring—”
“I don’t think his ring would be worth finding these days—not considering how long he’s been in the ground,” she said, a devilish glint in her blue eyes.
I just about choked on my bacon. Mo tsked softly. “Mind out of the gutter, Mary. This is serious.”
Her amusement fell away. “How serious?”
“End of the world, main gate into Darkside opening serious.”
“Well, fuck. There goes my plan to spend summer in Paris.”
“You’ve been there before.”
“Not in this lifetime.”
“It hasn’t changed that much.” Mo scooped up a last bit of bacon and then leaned back with a contented sigh. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything on the grapevine about the coronation ring, have you?”
“There were some undefined whisperings about Windermere Lake a week ago, but I suspect you already know about that. If his mob don’t have the ring”—she pointed with her chin at Luc—“then there’s two options—Mryddin or the arcane.”
“Was Mryddin active after Uhtric’s death?”
“I believe so. He also woke after Aldred’s victory.”
“Do you know why?”
Mary shook her head. “I was on the point of passing.”
“Damn.” Mo picked up her teacup and took a drink. “Any idea how best to find the coronation ring, then?”
Mary pursed her lips. “I’ll ask the ancient ones tonight, but I can’t make any promises. They’ve been very uncommunicative of late—no doubt because of what you said about Darkside and the sword.”
“Let me know either way,” Mo said. “And use the alternative channel—it’s safer at the moment.”
Mary nodded. “If Elysian’s been claimed, what’s the king currently doing?”
“We’re not entirely sure the sword on King’s Island is Elysian—that’s why I want to talk to Mryddin.”
“You think he’s done a switcheroo?”
“Possibly.”
Mary frowned. “He wouldn’t have done it without a good reason.”
“I know.”
Mary glanced at her watch. “You’d best be getting along, then. It’s a bit of a scramble to get to the cave, and the tide will be coming in again soon.”
She immediately rose and walked away. A woman who didn’t dither and who had no time for those who did, I suspected.
I grabbed my last bit of bacon and munched on it as I followed the two older women out of the kitchen.
“If you do manage to wake the old bastard,” Mary said. “Remind him he owes me a drink and that I expect him to pay up.”
Mo laughed. “I wouldn’t. He was never one to honor his debts.”
Mary opened the door and ushered us out. The devilish glint was back in her eyes. “It depends entirely on the debts and whether the payment was monetary or physical.”
Mo shook her head. “I’ll never understand your attraction to the man, Mary.”
“Looks are a poor second place to bed prowess, as you well know.”
Mo laughed again. “We’ll talk later tonight.”
“After midnight. The ancients get antsy if I wake them too early.” Mary’s gaze fell on me. “I see your strength in her, Moscelyne, and damn, she’s going to need it.”
“Everyone will if we’re to survive what’s coming.” Mo’s tone was grim. “But more so those of us who’ll be on the front line.”
“Wasn’t it ever so?” Mary sighed and slammed the door shut.
“Well, that was an interesting experience,” Luc muttered. “I gather she’s another mage?”
“No,” Mo said. “She’s what I call a soul soldier—a soul destined to be reborn into a new body in times of great darkness, be it a Darkside, human, or witch-based catastrophe.”
“Is she only ever reborn in times of need?” I asked. “Or is it a continuous cycle?”
Like Luc and me, I wanted to add, but thought better of it. He still really hadn’t accepted the possibility, and I wasn’t about to say anything that might jeopardize our recent agreement.
“She only ever enters new flesh as needed, and it is ever her destiny to die on the battlefield.” Mo gestured at Luc’s motorbike. “Climb aboard your steed, Blackbird. We need to get moving.”