Page 1 of Wonder
KNOYDART PENINSULA, SCOTLAND – MARCH, 1946
“My king, the Guards will arrive with the prince this afternoon.” I put my right fist against my chest and gave a half-bow.
Some of the tension in his face eased. “Thank you, Sìomon. Sending him to Canada during the war was the correct decision for his safety, but I have missed my son. Even so, I’ll be relieved when he is insaoghal breithwith his mother.”
I doubted Prince Nicol felt the same way. He’d lived on Earth all twelve years of his young life, since the king and queen had not wished to be separated from him, though the human war had caused that to happen anyway.
But Earth had become too dangerous for people from our dimension, so the king had made the decision to permanently close the portal between the two worlds. Over the next few months the Elves, plus myself and the Royal Guards, along with any Wonders who wished to accompany us, were heading home tosaoghal breith.The queen, pregnant with Nicol’s younger sibling, had already left, but King Domhnull and his advisors would stay to make sure everyone who wanted to go home got through the portal before it was closed.
“Your Majesty, here is the final list of Wonders who have asked to cross.” Adair, King Domhnull’sdèideag dìonand closest advisor, handed him a short stack of typed pages.
The king thanked him before turning to me. “Sìomon, please bring the prince here as soon as he arrives.” He made a wry face. “I have no doubt he’ll want to express his opinion regarding leaving Earth, and I’d rather have it out with him here before he causes his mother undue stress at home.”
I smiled. “Being a parent is not for the faint of heart. I will bring him to you straight away.” I bowed again and turned to leave the receiving room.
Before I’d taken two steps, the king cried out, and I whirled around, claws at ready, looking for the threat. King Domhnull clutched his chest, his face ashen.
“My king!” Adair and I rushed forward as he started to collapse, but I didn’t reach him.
My magical core recoiled as my connections to several of the Guards were cut, and I doubled over myself. “The Guards with the prince!” I staggered upright even as more connections were ripped away. Desperately I clung to my connection with Ciorsdan, determining her location before she too was killed. My colleagues, my team. Some of them my friends. I clamped down on my grief and anger. When I could speak, I addressed King Domhnull, “They were approximately twenty miles north of Glasgow. I will be on my way as soon as I can gather a team of Guards.” He knelt on the ground, his face in his hands. I dared to reach out and touch his shoulder. “I will find out who did this. It will not go unanswered.”
CHAPTER 1
RENO
Tia Esperanza’scar was in my driveway when I got home, and I wasn’t proud of how much swearing came out of my mouth as I pulled in next to it. And of course she’d already gone inside.
I hauled myself out of my SUV, feeling every one of my forty-six years as I stood up. All-night stakeouts were no fun, especially when the person you were following didn’t leave their lover’s apartment until late morning. I leaned across the driver’s seat and grabbed my backpack. After I got rid of Tia—in the gentlest, kindest way possible—ate something and slept, I’d write up the results of my investigation and send the report and photos to my client. Unlucky bastard.
I pulled open the door, and the unmistakable smell of tamales hit me. “Tia?”
“In the kitchen!” She said something else I couldn’t make out, and then I heard laughter. Fuck. All three of them were here. Too bad I hadn’t slept last night; I might’ve had a vision to warn me they were coming.
My phone chimed with a text, and the muscles in my back tightened with irritation. It could wait, along with the others I’d missed while I was driving. If a situation was urgent, they’d call.
I dropped my backpack on the couch as I walked through the living room. When I could see the kitchen island, I stopped cold. Tia and her two best friends, Rosita and Soledad, were all frowning at me, shaking their heads andtsking.
Normally I would’ve gone over and kissed their cheeks, but I’d learned at a young age to stay out of reach when elderly women were pissed at me. Especially when they were holding kitchen utensils. “What are those looks for? And why are you cooking here? Is something wrong with your stove?”
They were in the middle of the assembly stage, which meant they’d been here for at least an hour, maybe more if the chicken and shredded pork I could see hadn’t already been cooked before they arrived. It was barely 11:00 a.m.
Tia snorted. “There’s nothing wrong with my stove.” She pointed a damp, droopy corn husk in my direction. “But you’re in big trouble.”
I frowned. “Did I forget to do something?” It wasn’t her birthday.
She threw up her hands, the corn husk flapping in the air. “Yes! You forgot to tell me you were nesting!” Rosita and Soledad exchanged disappointed head shakes.
My mouth dropped open, and I blinked. “Huh? I’m not nesting.” No way. Even if I’d wanted one, I was too old to have a mate dumped on me.
She threw the corn husk onto the counter, where it landed with a pronouncedthwack, then she pointed toward the door on thefar side of the living room. “You told me you’d rearranged your office. You added another desk and two bookcases.”
I rubbed my forehead, wishing I’d slept before this conversation. “I rearranged the office to add a table, yes. I wanted room to spread out evidence or photos.”
She held up her right hand, her pointer finger aimed toward the ceiling. “The office.” She extended another finger and gestured with her left hand toward the living room. “A new coffee table. With storage inside. Empty.”
It was more of an ottoman, but whatever. “Yes? I haven’t gotten around to filling it yet.” I didn’t know what would go into it, but it’d been on sale, and more storage was always a good thing.
Tia glared at me and extended a third finger. “You put furniture in the attic.”
