Page 129 of The Shade of Things
I placed my hand on the small of his back.
Emmett and Tatiana had identical wide-eyed blinks but for very different reasons.
Laurent touched his ring finger. “She died. She was enthralled and two months pregnant. I didn’t know until afterward.”
“That’s awful.” Emmett studied his folded hands, his tone subdued. “I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” Laurent said.
Tatiana and I exchanged surprised glances at that emotionally honest interchange, then we both stiffened and looked away.
“I mention it now,” Laurent said, “because if I can be honest, you can too.”
Tatiana glared at her nephew. “I liked you better when you were stoic and angry.” She threw up her hands. “I didn’t hire you, Miriam, because you were Banim Shovavim,” she said testily. “Not entirely. All those other reasons were still true. You were the first Banim Shovavim who seemed capable of earning my trust enough to confide in about the Ascendant.”
“Aww,” Emmett said. “That’s sweet.”
I rounded on him. “No, it’s not.” Glaring at Tatiana, I ticked items off on my fingers. “I extricated us from a murder charge. I saved you from a death curse. I proved myself again and again. What the hell else were you waiting for?”
“I would have asked soon.” She popped a cube of cheddar in her mouth, making a big point of chewing and being unable to speak further.
Everyone in this room sucked. Her most of all. She hadn’t uttered a single word of remorse for her murder attempt.
“What were you going to do with the amplifier, ma chère tante?” Laurent said.
“I don’t know.” When we all stared at her incredulously, she rolled her eyes. “At first, I wanted vengeance. After Delphine, well.” She shrugged. “When I spoke to Calvin Jones, he let it slip that he was planning to sell it to someone else, but he died before I could find out who.” She sounded annoyed that her torture had prematurely ended her interrogation.
I sat forward. “Could that person still be alive? They might be the one that killed McMurtry.”
“Doubtful,” she said. “I always wondered why Jones had waited that long before lining up a buyer. If he was worried about Arlo’s disappearance, that was more reason to get rid of the Ascendant right away.”
“His competitor had vanished and then his subcontractors were dead.” Laurent spread his hands. “I’d have laid low with the artifact too.”
“In which case, Jones didn’t kill Mom and Dad, and the buyer wasn’t a part of this.” I gave a cruel smile. I might still get my vengeance.
“Your parents, your problem,” Tatiana said. “I have no issue with their killer.”
I tensed.
Laurent placed a hand on my thigh. “The amplifier involves both of you so we will all work together to get to the bottom of every last mystery concerning it. No more secrets. Yes?”
It took a while to get past all the resentment floating around but eventually we all agreed.
“I’ll drive Emmett and Tatiana home,” Laurent said.
“I never said I’m living with her again,” Emmett protested.
“Then I’ll drop you and your suitcase off on the corner of your choice,” Laurent said. “I packed it and put it in my trunk.”
“You’re as mean as she is,” the golem grumbled.
Tatiana and Laurent made identical snarky faces.
“Apologize to Marjorie,” I said.
“Destroy the Human Race,” Tatiana retorted.
“The game,” I specified, “not the—”
