Page 62 of Soothsayer

“I’ll go make some calls.” This promise, at least, I could start to fulfill immediately.

Chapter Thirty-One

Two months later

Sören’s plot of land ended up being about two hours outside of Lubbock, West Texas, in the shadow of a red sandstone stump that looked like a mountain had started growing and then abruptly abandoned its course. There was a spring, just a little one, but enough to replenish Sören’s lake, which—holy shit, the logistics involved in transporting that much liquid across state lines, not to mention the structure to contain it and the little grove and the boulders?trains got involved, okay? Big-ass trains and probably a fair amount of bribery.

But now he was here, and he seemed content. There were a few local scrub bushes that Sören said he’d have no problems incorporating, decent soil to keep his grove alive and, most importantly, no land spirits. I’d gotten Bobby’s word on that when he came to help settle Sören in the ground.

“It’s a good spot for him,” Bobby assured me for the tenth time, once things were done and Sören was too busy basking in his new landscape to pay either of us much attention. “The land could use some decent energy?it’s completely empty. I’m surprised the mountain is still standing.” He glared out into the distance like he could see the oil pumps working and shame them into stopping. “No need to worry for him.”

“Good.” That was probably the only thing I didn’t have to worry about, although it wasn’t all bad. Marisol had reappeared, mad as hell about what had happened to her shop. The last time we’d talked, I’d given her Jakob’s personal number. I then received a long and expletive-filled message from him, but he was paying for repairs, so that was something. Jakob was doing his absolute best to stay on Sören’s good side, and mine, since he had no direct leverage over the vættir anymore. Ólafur’s sacrifice had bought Sören’s forgiveness, but tribute was what would stem the tide of madness. Jakob hadn’t been bothered by any berserker fits yet as far as I knew, at least. Phin was around to help Marisol out. Andre wouldn’t respond to my emails, which?fair enough.

I’d done my best to repay Roger and Annie for all of their help, but I knew it would take years. At least they were willing to work in installments.

Or, as Annie put it, “Honey, we don’t need a pound of flesh. Honest sweat is better than blood any day of the week.” They’d given me easy jobs so far, just surveying to help locate the best spots for new wells while saving them the expense of exploratory drilling. I was convinced that the honeymoon period wouldn’t last, but I’d take advantage while it did. I’d talked them into putting a dinky mobile home out here and even installing a windmill power system to generate electricity for it.

Of course I was living out here. Where else would I go, now that I was tied to Sören through our bargain? The only personwho could have torn me away from him was my mother, and I still had no idea where she was. Two months, and we hadn’t been in contact. She hadn’t contacted anyone, actually, not even Marisol, who’d gone up to look for her.

“The cards are…well, they just aren’t telling me much,” she said apologetically. “I wish I had more for you, honey. I don’t see her in immediate danger, if that helps. Just?laying low.”

Fine. She was laying low somewhere and couldn’t be bothered to get in touch with her only son? It wouldn’t be the first time. I’d learned long ago to try not to let myself be hurt by anything my mother did. She was as much a slave of her gift as I was. Telling myself that didn’t always make it better, but in this case, I had something more concrete to help me get over the hurt: my mother’s puppy.

Her neighbors had shipped the little thing across two continents to get to me, thanks to Marisol’s meddling. I’d never had a dog before. I knew my mother liked them, but pets?honestly, they seemed like more trouble than they were worth. Still, when the puppy was brought out to me in a travel kennel by one of Roger’s more unflappable employees, I couldn’t just turn it away.

It was small and ridiculously fluffy. I’d have to trim a lot of that hair if this dog was going to be comfortable in the heat of Texas, but for now, I had an air-conditioner that worked, water to cool her off with, and an ache in my heart that welcomed something that wouldn’t judge me for my innumerable mistakes. Her tag read “Lady,” so she was my lady, and my only company once Bobby left.

Yeah, Sören still wasn’t talking to me. Or rather, one of them wasn’t. The landvættir loved to talk, but as the project got closer and closer to completion, his focus had shifted, and now that everything was finally in place?well,blissfulwas what I’d call him. And preoccupied. Which meant I’d spent the last weekpretty much alone in the little trailer, except for Lady’s energetic company. I was used to being alone?that was something I could usually handle pretty well?but I wasn’t used to beinglonely. And even with my mother’s puppy wriggling into my side and chewing gently on my fingertips, I was lonely now.

Rap-rap.The trailer had a thin door, and knocking on it rattled it in its frame. I was a little surprised. Sören never bothered with knocking. Usually, he just came right in when he wanted something.

“Yeah?”

The door opened slowly, and Sören stepped inside. He glanced around my little home like he’d never seen it before, which?hell, it wasn’t like I’d redecorated. I didn’t have much beyond a few suitcases worth of clothes, secondhand pots and pans for the tiny kitchen, and a tablet for mindless entertainment.

“What?”

“Cillian…” he began sheepishly, and then I knew.

Oh. Oh mygod. I sat up in the tiny bed so fast Lady tumbled off my stomach with a disgruntled yip. “Sören?”

He shut the door behind himself and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Fuck.” It had been so long since we’d spoken I’d almost forgotten the timbre of his voice. I’d missed him, god, I’d?“Um.” I was a terrible host. “Sit down?” Except there were no chairs. What kind of savage was I? “Here?” I gestured toward the bed, and he nodded, took off his shoes—how polite—and sat down on the end of the bed. Lady immediately pranced over to him, and he smiled as he stroked over her soft crown and scratched behind her ears.

“She’s sweet.”

“Thanks. She’s my mother’s.”

“I know, I’ve been?I mean, it’s kept me informed, you know?”

“Oh.”Ooohkay. “Good.” This was off to a fantastic start. What had Marisol told me, the last time I’d bitched to her about this? Ihad to be willing to extend the olive branch. Despite the fact that I didn’t really regret the way things had worked out—scratch that, I was fucking ecstatic at how things had worked out—it had still upset Sören, and that had never, ever been my goal. “Look, I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“For manipulating you.” That much was true. “I hated hurting you. I swear that wasn’t what I wanted. But my hands were tied.”

He nodded. “I know.” He kept his gaze on Lady. “You’re clever, but you can’t work miracles. I should have seen it coming. It’s my own fault that I was disappointed.”

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