I talked to Da last night about your trouble with Beauclaire and Coyote, Tad said unexpectedly. The mirror still isnt a good idea, but the old fae has a few tricks up his sleeve that none of the Gray Lords know about yet. I told him that you havent had much luck finding Coyote.
Did he have any advice? I asked. It was unlikely that Zee would know how to contact Coyote, but I was ready for any help I could get. Today was Friday. I had two days left.
He did, Tad told me. He said that if you hadnt managed anything better by tonight, I was to tell you that youve been overlooking any number of avenues open to you in a way that is very unMercylike. He smiled. His words.
What am I overlooking? Id called in all my markers. Id even called Charles this morning, who had unhelpfully suggested I try a vision quest. Vision quests require fasting, which I could manage, but also a centered focus that I was never going to achieve with Christy in my home. Hed promised to call some shaman priests he knew, but warned me that, as I already knew, Coyote was elusive and mischievous. Searching and calling for Coyote was likely to result in exactly the opposite outcome.
Charles had been my last hope.
Youve been concentrating on Coyote when you should have been also looking at Beauclaire. Tad held up a finger. Without you, it is unlikely that Beauclaire will ever see the walking stick againand he knows it. Two fingers up. Two: That means that you have a bargaining chip, and it also means that Beauclaire loses if something happens to you. Da also said youve been making Beauclaire the villain when he is more comfortably the hero. Beauclaire is honorable, as fae understand the word, and he has spent a human lifetime as a lawyer; hell understand compromise. If you can convince Beauclaire that you will sincerely return the walking stick to him when and if you see Coyote, he will probably grant you time to do so. Time, Da also asked me to remind you, is less precious to a Gray Lord like Beauclaire than it is to you.
My jaw didnt drop because I had it locked tight.
Tad grinned at me. He said youd probably figure it out on your own if you got desperate enough. Then I told him about Christy, and he gave me permission to talk to you tonight if you hadnt worked it out already.
I dont know what expression was on my face, but Tads gentled. Dont feel too bad. Da knows Beauclaire, and it gives him an advantage. Youll still have to bargain hard and fastand be diplomatic. And, Da said, whatever you do, dont mention his name, or all bets are off. Beauclaire knew that someone was going to have to take out Lugh. He was, apparently, girding up his loins to do just that when Da took care of it. That didnt mean he didnt swear vengeance.
I shook off my chagrin and gave Tad a fist bump. Thank you. I feel like a lead weight is off my back. Ill keep looking for Coyote, but more time means that I might not be responsible for the Columbia rising up and out of its banks and wiping the TriCities from the face of the earth.
Anytime, he said. My duties dispatched, I am off to home. Good luck with Christy and remind her that we work tomorrow, even
though it is Saturday, so well need something tasty to get us through the day. And you need to start eating, or your plan to pretend she doesnt bother you will be revealed to anyone who looks at your ribs.
I locked up after Tad and set Adams security system, Tads last words ringing in my ears. I started to get my purse out of the safe when I stopped and went back into the bathroom and peered into the mirror.
I looked just like me. Native American coloring, mostly Caucasian features inherited from my mother. Except, now that I knew to look at them, the shape of my eyes was like Gary Laughingdogs. I tried to visualize Coyotes face, but I didnt know if I was imagining that his eyes were the same or not.
My hair was in the braids I usually wore to work in order to keep it out of the way so it didnt get covered in grease when I pushed it out of my face. And Tad was right. My features were sharper.
There was no question that not eating the food Christy made was making me lose weight.
There was still a brake job I could do tonight. If I stretched it out, Id miss dinner. That would give me an excuse to pick up some highcalorie fast food on the way home, food that didnt taste or smell of Christy. I didnt want Adam to notice I was losing weight because it would hurt himmy husband took care of the people around him. I didnt want Christy to notice because shed know she was getting to me.
I put my overalls back on, pulled on the sweatinducing gloves, and hoisted the 94 Passat up on the lift, so I could pull the back tires and take a look.
I was working on compressing the caliper and had just got the sixsideddice (also known as a piston tool, but only at auto parts stores) to engage the caliper when my phone rang. Id set my phone on a nearby counter, so I didnt have to let go of anything to check the display.
Adam. Three days ago Id have answered immediately, but the day before yesterday it had been Christy asking me to pick up a dozen apples and some butter. Real butter, no saltmake sure not to get the salted version because everyone eats too much salt.