Chapter Nine
I pulled to the curb and shut my car off, looking at the street around me. Getting out of the car, I looked at the array of charming little shops and boutiques that lined the street. Couples strolled along hand-in-hand, families walked together – it was an idyllic little neighborhood.
And then it hit me.
I had no idea what it took me so long to make the connection or how I'd forgotten that key piece of information I'd gleaned from interrogating the Shongtal fighter, but for whatever reason, it had slipped my mind. And I was kicking myself for it.
I was standing on Fluker Street – the place the Shongtal said he'd seen this woman, this key. And the woman had been a curvy redhead with pale skin. Could this key to their plans be – Astrid? Could that explain the instant connection I'd felt to her? Could that explain the enigma that she was?
My mind was spinning with the connections and the possibilities. With the ramifications of what was happening. Checking the address for the bookstore on my phone, I hurried down the street, keeping a sharp eye out for the Shongtal. If they knew who she was, where she worked, it would only be a matter of time before they moved on her.
And I wasn't going to let that happen. I wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
The Attic was located about halfway down the block. From the outside, it looked absolutely charming – and seemed to fit with Astrid's personality. It was low-key, unassuming – sort of shy, in a way.
The whole street had something of an old-time feel to it, like a street from a quieter time of life. It was all red brick and there was no neon or garishly lit signs to be seen. The street wasn't filled with modern trappings and sort of looked like Main Street somewhere in Smalltown, USA.
An awning hung out over the front of all the shops and tastefully decorated wooden signs hung above the doors, announcing the name of the shop inside. It was quaint. Somewhat subdued. And I really liked it.
As I approached the door, I felt that nervous flutter in my stomach again. I cursed myself under my breath. Astrid had quite the profound effect on me. Maybe Alynna had been right – she was turning me into a teenage girl.
Mentally kicking myself once more, I opened the door and hurried through, before I could get a case of nerves and run back out again. A bell above the door tinkled as I stepped inside and I made sure to close the door behind me.
I breathed deeply and smiled. I'd always enjoyed the smell of bookstores. The air always had a certain quality you never found in any other store. To me, it smelled like knowledge. Passion. It was a heady aroma that I would never get tired of. I often sat in my library at home, just to enjoy the scent of the air inside.
I froze and felt my stomach turn a flip-flop when Astrid came out of the back room. Her hair was down, spilling over her shoulders like a waterfall of fire. She wore a loose fitting white top – I thought I'd heard it called a peasant blouse before – and a flowing blue skirt that hung to her ankles. It was quite the contrast to the Astrid I'd seen all dolled up that night at my restaurant, but she was no less stunning to me.
She froze and looked at me with wide eyes, as if unsure if she should approach me or run away screaming.
“H – hi,” she said. “Quint. It's – nice to see you again.”
I took a breath and let it out slowly, quietly, trying to regain my composure. Alynna's voice echoed through my mind and I used it to steel myself. To remember who I was. I wasn't some gangly, awkward teenage boy. I was a warrior of the Fire Clan. A Warden. I was fierce. Battle hardened. I was a fighter.
With fire and a renewed sense of confidence surging through my veins, heating me from the inside, I looked at Astrid and smiled.
“Hello, Astrid,” I said.
She looked at me curiously. “W – what are you doing here?”
I gave her a small smile. “Would you believe it if I told you I was looking for something to read?”
A small laugh escaped her. “No,” she said. “I wouldn't.”
“Fair enough,” I replied. “Actually, I'd been hoping that you'd call. That we could go out for dinner sometime. But then I thought that perhaps it was a little presumptuous of me to expect you to call, so I thought I might stop by and ask you again in person.”
She looked at me, fear and confusion warring in her eyes. “A – ask me what?”
I chuckled. “To dinner,” I said. “I'd like to take you to dinner. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?”
She looked positively terrified – but I got the sense that there was more to it than my invitation. I opened my senses and tried to get into her mind. To see what it was that was causing such fear and anxiety within her.
“Are you okay, Astrid?” I asked.
She looked at me, her eyes widening. “What do you mean?”
“You just look – frightened,” I said and then pitched my voice lower, looking meaningfully to the back room. “Is there somebody here? Somebody who's threatening you?”
She looked at the back room she'd just exited and then looked at me. As comprehension dawned on her face, she let out a loud guffaw of laughter.
“Oh, God, no,” she said. “I'm sorry. No, there's nobody back there. It's just the two of us here right now.”
I cocked my head, trying to figure out if she was putting on an act or not. I couldn't be sure, so I walked past her and headed for the back room to see for myself.
“Hey,” she said, her laughter dropping off immediately. “You can't go back there.”
“If it means protecting you, I can and will,” I called over my shoulder.
I slipped my hand under my jacket and touched the hilt of the curved silver dagger I carried. I pushed open the door and stepped quickly inside, scanning the room and finding – nothing. There was a small wooden table, chairs, a sofa against one wall, and a coffee maker on the counter. But there was no Shongtal fighter lying in wait. The most threatening thing in the room was a box full of donuts.
Astrid jumped in front of me, a look of anger upon her face as she put her hands on my chest and tried to push me backward, out of the room.
“Who do you think you are?” she snapped. “You can't just barge in here like that.”
“I – I'm sorry,” I said. “I thought there was somebody back here. That you were in danger.”
“Well, there's not,” she growled.
“Again, I apologize,” I said. “Sincerely. I was just – concerned.”
She stopped and looked at me. “Why would you be concerned?”
“Because you seemed scared or upset in some way,” I said. “I could see it in your eyes.”
She looked away and bit her bottom lip. There may not have been some murderous figure lurking in her back room, but there was something going on with her. Something had her plenty spooked. It was as plain as day to me.
“What is it, Astrid?” I asked gently. “What has you so frightened?”
She looked at me and I could see that she wanted to tell her story. To unburden herself. To have somebody listen to her. But I could also see that she was frightened to say anything at all. Maybe for fear of sounding crazy. Maybe out of fear that I wouldn't believe her. I didn't know. All I knew for certain was that Astrid was terrified. Down deep in her bones, she was petrified.
She sighed and her eyes shimmered with tears. Stepping back into the room we'd just vacated, she poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a chocolate sprinkled donut out of the half-empty box. She took a big bite, chewing deliberately, and washed it down with a swig of coffee.
“Sorry, I tend to stress eat sometimes,” I said. “I'll tell you, but you're going to think I'm nuts.”
I laughed softly. “I somehow doubt that.”
“Yeah, well, we'll see,” she said softly. “For the last few days, there have been these guys. They – watch me. At first, it was a homeless guy and a tall black man. But then it was a woman and a teenage boy.”
“Have they hurt you?” I asked. “Approached you in any way?”
She shook her head. “No, and that's the crazy part. They just stand there. Like statues,” she said. “They don't speak, they don't move. They just stand there and stare at me with these creepy as hell, blank expressions on their faces.”
The Shongtal. Dammit. Which meant that Astrid was indeed the key they wanted for their plan to seal the Doors. Why they hadn't snatched her yet, I didn't know. What I did know though, was that they would be coming for her. There was no question in my mind about that now. Whether their plan was actually viable or not, they wanted to use her in some way to attempt to seal the Doors.
Which meant that I needed to get her out of there. Sooner, rather than late. Somewhere safe. Somewhere I could protect her. But I also didn't want to scare her, either. I needed information. More information than I had at the moment, anyway.
I gave it a little bit of thought. If they hadn't grabbed her, it meant they weren't ready to launch this plan of theirs. Maybe they had their own doubts that it was going to work. I needed to talk to some people, but I didn't want to leave Astrid alone and unguarded. I perhaps had a little time, but with the whispers on the streets growing louder, I knew I didn't have much.
Whatever the Shongtal had in mind, they were getting closer and closer to pulling the trigger on it.
“You don't sound crazy at all, Astrid,” I said. “They sound like some disturbed people.”
“They look pretty disturbed.”
“Have you contacted the police?”
She nodded. “Yeah, they said they'd send a few more patrols around, but said that if no crime is actually being committed, there is nothing they can really do.”
“Figures,” I said and ran a hand through my hair. “Never around when you need them most. But you're okay?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “Yeah, I'm fine,” she said. “I mean, they haven't done anything. It's just – creepy.”
I nodded. “I can imagine,” I said. “Listen, I know this is terrible timing and all, but I have an appointment I need to get to. Can I please take you to dinner later on?”
She looked at me, a soft smile touching the corners of her mouth. And when she spoke, she surprised me.
“I think I'd like that.”
I did my best to not look at her with wide eyes and a shocked expression on my face – and wasn't sure if I'd managed to pull it off or not.
“You would?”
She nodded and smiled wide. “Yeah,” she said. “Why not?”
I gave her a smile and handed her my phone. “Would you mind giving me your telephone number, Astrid?”
She took my phone and keyed in her number. “So, can you do casual?” she asked, giving me a small smile. “Or is it always suit and tie with you?”
“We can do whatever you'd like,” I said. “I can be just as casual as the next guy.”
She gave me a cryptic little smile. “Great,” she said. “Call me later.”
“I'll do that.”
I gave her another smile before turning and walking out of her shop. I took great care in scanning the street, opening up my senses to see if any of the Shongtal were lurking out there. But I saw nothing, I felt nothing. So far as I could tell, the street was clear. The question was, how long would that continue to be the case? And when would they move on Astrid?
I was going to have to protect her – without her realizing it. I got the sense that she'd be a little offended if I had a contingent of guards outside her door.
I was going to protect her though. Whether she knew – and liked it – or not.