“I prefer Harri. Val in the bedroom?”
“Yes.” He closed the door then fell in step beside me. “See if you can talk some sense into him, will you? He won’t report this to the police. Bedroom is to the right.”
“Directions are somewhat superfluous given all anyone has to do is follow the sound of the dramatic sighs.”
Bryan chuckled. “Yeah, he does rather like them. Would you like a coffee?”
“That would be great, thanks. White with one.”
Walking into my brother’s bedroom was like walking into the past. And it wasn’t only the scents of orange and sage that swirled through the air, but also the color. He’d painted the room pastel pink, and offset it with lime green furnishings—the very same colors he’d had in his bedroom when we were both kids.
Val was propped in the middle of his king-sized bed, wearing a yellow nightshirt that clashed something shocking with the lime green sheets and comforter.
“Be still my heart,” he said, clutching at his chest. “A voluntary visit from my sister! I don’t know if I can take the shock.”
Despite the bravado, someone had very definitely worked him over. Bruises were beginning to appear down the left side of his face, and his left eye had already closed over. There were cuts across his knuckles and raw looking scrapes visible through the open neck of his shirt. More serious was the cut across his neck. It was a good two inches long, though shallow. Someone had held a knife to my brother’s throat.
Anger swirled, but I held it in check and sat on the edge of the bed. “What happened?”
“Walked into a rather large troll, didn’t I?” He sighed heavily. “Now, if he’d been large and gay, I wouldn’t have minded as much, but he wasn’t.”
“Just tell me what happened. Bare bones. No dramatics.”
“You do take all the fun out of it, darls.” He sniffed. “Bare bones, then. I was walking home with an arm full of groceries, and the fucking troll jumped out at me from the shadows two doors down and thrust a knife against my throat. Said if I so much as thought about trying anything funny, he’d slit it.”
My gaze went to the wound again. Bastards. “So he knew you were a magician.”
“Yes. So I did what any sane and normal person would do in that sort of situation—I fainted.” He raised a hand, studying it intently. “I chipped three nails, too.”
I snorted softly. Only my brother would worry about nails when his throat was in danger of being sliced. “What happened then?”
“I woke up in here, tied into a chair. I mean, normally I wouldn’t mind, but with trolls-”
“Val, I do not need or want to hear details of your love life,” I said patiently. “Bare bones, no embellishments, remember?”
He grinned. He may have been beaten up, but he certainly wasn’t beaten. “You’re so straight, sister dearest, it’s sometimes scary.”
I gave him the 'look'. His grin widened. “As it turns out, the troll wasn’t alone. There was a man—human, I think—with him. He started smacking me around to wake me, but the troll was to one side, knife at the ready should I try an incantation. I didn’t bother.”
“Wise move.”
“I thought so. Anyway, when the human saw I was awake, he asked me if I remembered seeing anyone arguing in Mona’s apartment. When I said I did, he smacked me. Needless to say, I caught on pretty quick.”
“And once you told them what they wanted?”
“They asked about the sketches I did for you. I’m afraid I handed them over.”
“If you hadn’t, I’d be smacking you.”
“Be careful, Harri, or I might think you actually care.”
“Well, you are the only brother I can stand for more than a few minutes.”
“Which is not exactly a compliment.”
I grinned. “What happened after they got the drawings?”
“They patted me on the head and said that as long as I didn’t remember, I’d be fine.”
“You able to draw their images?”
“Way ahead of you, darls.” He reached across to the bedside table and grabbed the two rolled-up pieces of paper sitting there. “Here you go.”
I unrolled the sheets. The human was bald, with thin, almost gaunt features, pock-marked skin and beady blue eyes. The troll was the Goliath who’d attacked me. Obviously, the police hadn’t held him for very long.
I folded them up and tucked them into my purse. “You can’t stay here.”
“Which is what I’ve been telling him for the last few hours,” Bryan said, as he walked into the room. He handed me a coffee, placed one on the table beside my brother, and sat down. “Those men are still out there, and I wouldn’t like to trust the fact that they won’t come back.”
“But they got what they wanted-”
“For now,” I cut in. “But you’re still a witness, and they might just decide it would be easier all round to get rid of you.”
His gaze slid down my body, and his expression got serious. “They did that?”“Yes. And I’ve been threatened with death if I do anything that could destroy career aspirations. So, if he’s willing to go that far with me, his daughter, then he’s not likely to be concerned about doing the same to you.”
“Who is this ‘he’ we’re talking about?” Bryan asked.
“It’s better you don’t know,” Val said, before I could. “Let’s just say he’s rich, well thought of, and extremely unpleasant.”
“Then you definitely need to get out of here,” Bryan said.
I glanced at him. “Could he stay at your place?”
“That has already been suggested,” Val said. “But tell me, why can’t I stay at yours?”
“Because they’ve already hit my place twice, Val.”
His gaze scooted down my length again, and just for a moment, I saw fear in his eyes. Not just for himself, but for me. He knew as well as I did just what Bramwell was capable of.
“Okay,” he said eventually. “Bryan’s it is. But it is the most boring shade of beige I have ever seen. My light will definitely fade if I stay there for too long.”
I snorted softly. “I doubt there’s ever a chance of that happening. You, brother, are garish to the core.”
“I know. And you love it.”
I rolled my eyes and glanced back at Bryan. “Have you got time to take him there now?”
He glanced at his watch, then nodded and rose. “I’ll start locking up. How long do you want him staying?”
“Hopefully, no more than a couple of days.”
“I think we can both survive that.”
“Not in a beige environment I won’t,” Val muttered, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. “Any other orders while you’re bossing me about, sister?”
“Yeah, make like a wallflower and stay away from the clubs. If you have to go out, make sure you have someone with you.”
He eyed me for a moment, amusement fading. “You be careful too, Harri. You’re the one in the firing line, more so than me.”
“I know, and I will.” I squeezed his hand, then rose. “You want me to pack some clothes for you?”
“No, it’s faster if I do it.” He waved his hands, muttered a few words, and pointed at his drawers. His clothes became mini missiles that flew across the room and jumped into an overnight bag.
“Next time I decide to go on holiday, remind me to get you over to pack for me.”
He grinned as he climbed out of bed. “We both know that will never happen—a, because you don’t take holidays, and b, because you’d be too scared I’d pack all the garish things.”
“I don’t own garish things.” Which wasn’t totally true—I did own a few rather bright dresses. I just didn’t get to wear them anywhere these days.
I hovered close as he began to dress. Despite his bravado, he was obviously weak—a fact born out by his choice of clothes. A red sweater and ochre pants was rather dull plumage when compared to what he normally wore.
“What about dinner tomorrow night?” he said, grabbing his bag from the nearby chair. “Is it still on?”
“If you’re feeling up to it. If not, we can wait a week or so.”
“Darls, even if I was half dead and in hospital, I’d still drag myself there. We both know if it’s delayed it may never eventuate.”
Which wasn’t exactly a fair statement—I had given my word, after all. But I didn’t say anything, just stepped back and waved him past.
“Everything is locked up,” Bryan said, coming to the bedroom door and taking Val’s bag from him.
I followed them out. As Bryan locked the front door, I said, “Is it worth putting a transport spell on the door?”
Val’s sudden grin was decidedly wicked. “I like your thinking. Suppose we send them to the local police station, huh? Let them explain that one.”
“Brilliant idea.”
“I do get them occasionally.”
“Emphasis on occasionally,” Bryan said, voice dry.
Val gave him a whack on the arm and Bryan grinned. Just for a moment, regret stirred through me. I’d once had a relationship like that—a relationship filled with warm teasing—and I so wanted to find it again.
Once Val had set his spell, we walked down the stairs and across the road to Bryan’s car. Like everything else about him, it was a conservative dark blue Toyota sedan. It had to be love, I thought with a smile. Normally Val wouldn’t be caught dead in something so...normal.
“What time tomorrow?” Bryan said, over the top of the car.
I shrugged. “From six onwards. There’s no rush.”
Bryan nodded, then climbed into the car. I watched the pair of them drive away, then resolutely dug my phone out of my purse and rang the bastard otherwise known as my father.