Hearts and Stones - Robin D. Owens Page 0,48

make it a sharing experience. Fligger.

The scrybowl chimed like clashing daggers. Holm jerked upright, the sound of a call from The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon in Druida City. Either his G'Uncle Tab who owned the place, or Holm's brother Tinne, who would have taken over that business if he hadn't now been promoted to GreatLord T'Holly's heir.

Stupid for his heart to leap, for him to think Tab or Tinne scried because Holm's father wanted him back as HollyHeir, but that notion hit his emotions and his brain first.

Then pain struck, because GreatLord Holly would not admit any error. He'd been a wonderful father, until that last irreconcilable difference, shocking Holm.

And now Holm had to definitely change. Had he thought his father would come around? Perhaps. Thought more that his Mama would work on his father to revoke the disinheritance of his first son and heir? Yes.

Even after weeks, he'd believed that. Fooled himself.

Continued to think with his heart and his gut instead of his brain.

Striding over to the scrybowl, he circled his finger around the edge of the bowl to accept the call. G'Uncle Tab's face formed in the water droplets hanging over the bowl. "Greetyou, Holm Apple," he said.

Holm's abs tightened, though he didn't think his expression changed. And, yes, G'Uncle Tab would understand Holm continued to hope his status as a disinherited son would change, despite everything.

"Greetyou, Tab Holly."

His expression hardened. "You call me G'Uncle Tab, you hear?"

"Yes, sir."

A headjerk of agreement. "Now, I went back and figured out how much I could pay you for your help in The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon this year."

"You don't need to—"

"I know I don't need to, but you worked for me, and I paid your father for your services." Tab's face creased with a grim smile. "I told him I wanted my money back." Tab chuckled. "I insisted. It warn't me who disinherited you. I presented him with an accounting of what you'd cost me for the whole year, since Samhain last."

"Nearly ten months," Holm choked.

"That's right. He bills me yearly, so I asked for your fees and got them." Another smile, this one almost cherubic, an odd look on a tough, old warrior. "And I billed him for the absence of services of his new HollyHeir owed me—"

"Tinne!" Holm's brother.

"Who was my heir who T'Holly took away from me. I had to use cuzes to fill in all the classes and private lessons and whatnot, and I still don't have an heir yet." Tab stared penetratingly at Holm.

"I ... I can't." He swallowed. "I don't think T'Holly would allow that, either."

"I am the master of The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon," Tab said. "But it would be awkward ... right now. Gotta tell you, though, I don't think your disinheritance will last." He lifted a hand. "Holm senior is very hardheaded, and I anticipate that breaking their Vows of Honor—always a terrible thing—will work on him and your mother, so you might be looking at some years there in Gael City. But eventually, he'll come around."

Hope hurt too much. Hope, then crashing betrayal of that faith hurt more than anything else in the world. Holm didn't want to hope. Didn't hope with his head, and his heart would learn soon enough and stop the cycle of pain.

"Anyways, I sent payment to ya through T'Reed's bank there in Gael City, and they'll be holdin' the gilt for ya."

"Enough ... enough to coat a wall of mirrors with an anti-breakage shieldspell?" Holm would like Tab's view on the deal Holm had negotiated.

"How big a wall? Tab asked.

"About four meters tall and a quarter of the length of the main fighting area of your salon."

Tab nodded, "For sure." Another cool smile. "You were a highly paid commodity. Excellent fighting skills."

"Thank you."

"So the check is large."

"Nice to have some gilt," Holm said.

Tab chuckled, just as Lark had. "Yah. Prob'ly never thought about gilt a'tall, did ya? Not like the rest of us who've worked for our livings outside the Family."

"That's right." Holm tried an easy smile and didn't think it formed too oddly on his lips. "Hell of a shock."

"Imagine so." Tab scrutinized him. "You'll do, Holm Junior. You got grit enough. You and Tinne showed that when ya walked from the northern mountains back to Druida City." Another firm nod. "And ya grew enough to find and claim your HeartMate. You'll do well."

"Thank you."

"And how is your Mayblossom Larkspur Bella Hawthorn Collinson Apple—" all the long names