Page 7 of Leviathan's Song
“Is that so? I heard you were making a stone golem for someone else. My boss would be very disappointed to hear you’re not interested in his offer. I don’t think you would want to disappoint such an important person. I’ve heard suppliers don’t like to sell to shops that disappoint people like him. Sometimes things even happen to them.” His voice was soft, beseeching, a sharp contrast to the menacing look in his eyes and the implication of his words.
This creep was threatening me! For some crag-faced rock-golem! The only person I knew of who had asked about a stone golem was Harrington. So, now I had this guy’s attention thanks to that pompous, slack-jawed, cretin,Val Harrington?Maybe I’d build one for myself just to stomp the two of them! It looked like I needed a sentry of my own anyway.
Raising my chin and mentally seizing the gems I wore capable of inflicting any kind of damage, I answered in a voice that was steady enough to surprise me.
“I wouldn’t make a golem for Harrington for all the gold in South Danton. I’mnot interestedin selling constructs. Have a good night, sir.” I tried to shut my door, but he was faster than me and got his arm against it, forcing it open.
Sheer panic blasted through my body as I poured more energy into a ring on my right hand, but before I could use it a piercing, deafening shriek had us both stumbling back.
Above us and to the left, a loud thump sounded as a blur of white feathers and claws landed on the edge of my roof. The harpy was large enough that, when she leaned down to scream again, she was right in the man’s face. He shouted and tumbled down the three stairs to my front walk before scrambling up and darting off into the early dusk. My neighbor dropped heavily from the roof to the brick railing of my porch, never taking her eyes off the retreating figure of the man.
I took a shuddering breath, trying to calm my nerves, but my heart was pounding, and my ears were ringing.
“Thank you, Isadora,” I said faintly. She didn’t turn to look at me, still hunched forward, with her wings slightly raised like she might leap into flight and chase the man down. I didn’t think I could possibly be more grateful for her as a neighbor in that moment.She can eat all the cats she wants.
Chapter 3
“I’mgonnakillthat asshole, Harrington. Just stick a knife right in him and gut him stem to sternum.”
I flinched. “I don’t think that’s how that saying goes,” I muttered.
As soon as I’d calmed down enough to deadbolt the door, I’d sent for Sidney. She’d made it to my house in twenty minutes. From the state of her glistening skin and overheated cheeks, she’d flown most of the way. It was a good thing she had the foresight to stash extra sets of clothes at my house, because there’s no way she’d fit in mine.
She ignored my muttering. “So, was he running his ignorant mouth about golems in public, or did he feed that info to other people specifically? Does that blowhard think at all?” After her arrival, I’d filled her in on my visitor and subsequent rescue by Isadora. She’d been stomping around my kitchen, making threats about Harrington and the man at my door ever since.
I was trying to distract myself by being productive and was seated at the table with my materials spread out in front of me, working on a gem set that doubled as a hex against people wielding blood magic. Needle-nosed pliers in one hand and silver findings in the other, I busied myself with my work while her anger worked itself out.
Was I angry? Yes. Was I scared? Absolutely. But I couldn’t concentrate on it or I’d panic, and panicking didn’t help. I’d called in reinforcements; I knew when I was out of my depth.
“I kind of want to send Isadora a gift basket,” I grumbled, mostly to myself. “What kind of gift basket does someone send a harpy?”
Sidney stumbled, apparently startled. “Um... fancy rats? I don’t have any idea.” Her anger evaporated in the face of her confusion. She covered her forehead with her palm and leaned back against my kitchen counter.
“Describe him again. Bald head and looming stature aren’t a lot to go on. Did he have any tattoos? On his face or hands? Crossbones on his bottom lip or a windrose on his left hand?”
I shook my head. “I would have noticed a facial tattoo, I think. I didn’t look at his hands though.” I raised one shoulder apologetically, and she sighed.
“Okay, let’s think this through. We’ve got anything from possible mobsters to general grifters sniffing around, wanting giant melee weapons for whatever little schemes. We’ve got a soft target who has zero street smarts—”
“Hey,” I frowned.
“—and no protection. They didn’t want to come to the shop, either because they’d draw too much attention, or they thought you were too protected there. So, they came to feel you out here, at your house, where you’re more vulnerable. We need to remove your vulnerability.”
I held up my gem set. “Working on it.”
“Okay, but that’s just against blood magic,” she huffed. “What if they send a different guy next time? Or a number of different guys?”
I frowned, ceding the point.
“Do you have any extra heartstones?” she asked.
“What, like full blown heartstones? No. I’ve got some chips and shards but nothing big. I can’t go walking around north Seattle with a golem stomping along behind me! Are you crazy? Like four people in knownhistorycan animate a golem that can function in the Void, and I’m one of them. Do you realize how much attention that would attract?” I looked at her incredulously.
“What about an actual guard?”
I gave her my crazy eyes. That sounded delightful: a living, breathing stranger following me around everywhere I went. Every introvert’s dream come true. Not to mention the cost. Ihatedthat idea.
“Talk to me about the shards,” she said.
