Page 47 of Aleko
“I’m not sure she knows what she wants either,” said Lia. “She just woke up from what was probably at least a millennia-long nap. This world is going to look pretty insane to her.”
“And unfortunately, that makes her dangerous,” said Alex. “We can’t afford for her to take her insanity out on us. We need to be prepared for all eventualities.”
Lia tried not to flinch at that and instead reached for her water glass.
“Well, I’m sure I can put you to work somewhere,” said Luca. She saw that he had loaded his plate with at least as much food as any of the Shifters. She didn’t know how he stayed so rail thin if that was how he ate all the time.
“Well, since I don’t know Egyptian, I was going to start on the…” she glanced at Sebastian, “German log book?”
“Ah, of course. Good idea,” said Luca, smiling even more expansive. “My German is limited. I am sure you will be faster.”
Lia smiled back, trying to figure out why her head was buzzing oddly. She looked around for any ghost-ridden objects, but there was nothing in the room that hadn’t been there before.
“I will be happy to have your help,” Luca added.
“Certamente,”said Lia, looking at Luca again. It was odd, but Luca didn’tfeelItalian to her. Not the way Sergio had. Being around Sergio had always given her the urge to speak Italian, but with Luca, she didn’t feel that impulse. English was still the first language in her mind.
“Bene grazie!”he said.
And Lia smiled and shrugged. She didn’t know what else to do.
Episode 27
The Truth
Eliandra
Hours later, Lia climbed the stairs from the basement up to the kitchen, her head still buzzing with all the odd things she had read and the background throb, which she was coming to think was the feeling of magic coming from the bits of the sarcophagus.
“Geiá sou!”said Pellos cheerfully as she entered the kitchen. Lia immediately found herself smiling. Pellos had ditched the suit for shorts, a t-shirt, and an apron. “It’s my turn to cook dinner,” he said in answer to her look at the pots and pans. “Nothing fancy. Salad, a roast. Hummus and everything. You’re all right with meat, yes?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding. She didn’t add that she couldn’t usually afford meat. A cheap street gyro was usually her best bet for protein.
“Good, because the wolves need it, so we tend to eat a lot of it.”
“That makes sense.”
“How did the translating go?”
“Um… I’ve made it through most of the book. The entries are quite concise, and I’m not sure I’m really getting anything anyone will be interested in. The German captain of theStrumwolkewas a very boring diarist. All the interesting stuff he merely alludes to. Although he doesnotapprove of thehexenmeister,so at least he has that going for him.”
“Thehexenmeister?”asked Pellos, laughing.
“That is German for warlock. Captain Otto Willenbrock did not like them. He thought they were ungodly, that no good would come from dealing with them, and that having themaboard a ship was unlucky.”
“Well, that turned out to be true,” said Pellos.
Lia looked around the kitchen. She didn’t see anyone else. “Pellos, I don’t think Luca really wanted me there,” she said quietly.
Pellos made a murmuring wolf noise of disapproval. “Ignore him. Luca can have all the thoughts he wants, but it isn’t his opinion that counts. Alekos wants you here, and so do we. We’re two men down with Hudson and Killian out of the country, and we need the help.” By process of elimination, Lia had identified Killian and Hudson in the family photos on the wall, but she still wasn’t sure which was which.
“And you’d really rather have me than Luca?” asked Lia.
Pellos paused mid-chop on a carrot, then continued with a hard crack. “I didn’t say that. I’m saying that maybe Luca doesn’t give us the help we want in the time we want it. He works his own agenda. And that’s fine. He’s not part of the pack. But it periodically causes friction. And as I believe someone said this morning, you’re here to do a job.”
“Alekos didn’t like that I said that.”
“He doesn’t want you to think of him as a job.”
