Part 5 (2/2)
”They had on the border guard uniforms and asked to see our papers.”
”It is important for you to understand this.” Maynard dropped to one knee so he was level with them. ”The EIA did not try to kill Lord Windwolf.” ”The EIA did not try to kill Lord Windwolf.”
”They were too big to be wearing stolen uniforms,” Tinker said. ”They were taller than you, with lots more muscle.”
”Whether they were truly EIA or not is yet to be seen. I doubt very much that they were my men. If they were, they were not acting under my orders. they were not acting under my orders. It is It is very very important that no rumors to the contrary start. Me sanctioning a murder of Lord Windwolf would mean war. Perhaps war isn't a strong enough word. It would be genocide. The elves would rid Elfhome of humans.” important that no rumors to the contrary start. Me sanctioning a murder of Lord Windwolf would mean war. Perhaps war isn't a strong enough word. It would be genocide. The elves would rid Elfhome of humans.”
Had he ordered it? Tinker considered what she knew of the man. Everyone had something different to say about Maynard-some of it insulting. No one called him stupid, though, and sending men in uniform would be the height of stupidity.
”Okay,” Tinker said. ”You had nothing to do with it. So, I guess this means we won't get our papers back.”
”I will see you are issued replacements,” Maynard said.
”We had reports that Windwolf and his guard had been attacked by wargs just before Shutdown. His guard had been killed, and he disappeared. We had no idea if he was in the city or still on Elfhome. We were hoping he made Elfhome. Apparently he didn't. How did he end up with you?”
”The wargs chased him into our sc.r.a.p yard at midnight last night. I was there alone. They were temporary constructs, so I was able to disrupt them with our electromagnet. They reverted to dogs, and Windwolf shot them.”
”And you've been sitting on him the last twenty-four hours?”
Tinker explained about Jonnie refusing to treat Windwolf and about taking the elf n.o.ble to the Observatory.
Maynard cursed softly. ”None of them thought to call the EIA?”
”No,” Tinker admitted. ”What could you have done?”
”The hospitals don't treat the elves because the elves are worried we'll take blood samples in order to study their genetics and use it to tailor spells and germ warfare. You took a member of the royal family to a conclave of scientists while he was helpless. Do you have any idea what this might mean to our peace treaty?”
”We told him the choices. He agreed to it,” Tinker said. ”Besides, we gave him our word of honor. No one took samples.”
”You know that for certain? You were with him every second?”
”When I wasn't with him, Oilcan or Lain was with him. We didn't leave him alone.”
”Who is Lain?”
”Doctor Lain Skanske; she's a xen.o.biologist. She did the first aid on Windwolf. He asked her first if she understood the treaty and would swear to abide by it.”
Oilcan nodded. ”Tinker vouched that Lain could be trusted, and Windwolf said that was good enough for him.”
Maynard looked at her in surprise. ”He trusted you to vouch for someone?”
Tinker shrugged. ”I suppose. I saved his life. He saved mine. He defended my honor. I helped st.i.tch him together. I got into bed with him. It was one h.e.l.l of a twenty-four hours, okay?”
”I see.” Maynard continued looking at her, but she couldn't read his expression.
”Are we all free and clear with the EIA?” Tinker asked.
Maynard sighed. ”We need you to describe the men who attacked you the best you can. We'll get someone in with a composite sketch program. I know you've been through a lot, but we need to nail these men.”
He gave them no chance to say no. Standing, Maynard motioned to one of the human guards to go make his wishes reality.
”If Windwolf is out of danger, can I see him to say good-bye?” Tinker asked.
”I'll let his staff know,” Maynard said. ”They'll decide.”
With that, he swept out of the room, apparently to start the search for the mysterious a.s.sa.s.sins. The cousins were left, once again, under the joint guard.
A police officer with a datapad showed up. They worked through sketches for the three big men. Oilcan proved to have a better memory for their faces, despite the fact that Tinker had interacted with them longer. The cousins were provided with forms to fill out and turn in later to replace their lost citizen papers.
As they finished up, an elf came and announced something in fast High Elvish.
”Windwolf is sleeping,” Oilcan translated for Tinker. He had had the patience to learn high tongue where Tinker had not. ”He left word that our desires be met.”
”Can I see him?” Tinker struggled through the request in High Elvish, earning a surprised look from Oilcan over the top of his chai.
”Batya?” The elf asked. Now? Now?
Tinker stood and did a formal bow. ”Shya. Aum gaeyato.”
The elf returned her bow and led her to a door flanked by two stunningly beautiful elves elegantly carrying swords and automatic rifles. She ducked between them, feeling as scruffy as a junkyard dog.
They had worked serious healing magic on Windwolf. All his wounds were mere puckered scars. While he slept deeply, his breathing was regular and easy. All in all, he looked better than she did.
She took out the circuit paper, unfolded it, and looked at the glyph. Now or never. Now or never.
Could she really lean over his battered body and place the glyph on his forehead? Cast the spell and hope for the best? Play magical Russian roulette with his life? She flashed suddenly to the weight and shape of his pistol in her hands, and shuddered at the thought of pressing that steel barrel to Windwolf's temple.
Never.
She dropped the paper into a wastebasket next to the bed. Bad as her luck was, she'd rather trust that Windwolf would outlive her by centuries than risk killing him by accident. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed Windwolf good-bye lightly on his bruised perfect lips. Perhaps in another five years, some monster would chase him into her life again. Strangely enough, she would miss him this time.
2: In the Eye of G.o.d
Time seemed to crawl by. The cousins went outside and found it was dawn. Someone had pulled the flatbed out of the way and locked it up. The keys needed to be found. Once they managed to get into the truck, they discovered that they'd made the break across the border on fumes. Oilcan dug out a fuel can and went off in search of gasoline.
Exhausted, Tinker bolted the trailer door, then stripped out of her day-old clothes and pulled on clean panties and her hoverbike team s.h.i.+rt. Curling up on her worktable where Windwolf had recently lain, she tried to sleep. Her torn left hand hurt, but she was too tired to check under the bandages that Jonnie had put on her. It wouldn't help to look anyhow; she'd killed all her first-aid supplies dealing with Windwolf. Jonnie had said that she would need to check into a hospital, she thought as she drifted off. When Oilcan came back, she'd have him drop her at Mercy.
A banging on the trailer door woke her. She felt cold and weak as she half fell off the worktable. She put out her left hand to catch herself, and the pain made her cry out; she curled tight around her hand, cursing. Whoever was at the door stopped beating on it.
The flatbed jostled oddly. Tinker squeaked in surprise as she suddenly found herself being hauled up and backward. Windwolf swung her up and sat her on the worktable.
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