“Thanks,” he said gruffly. “Wel … I’ve kept you talking long enough. Cal me if you need me. By the way, as long as we’re talking about relationship stuff, do you know why Kennedy’s mad at Danny? She’s been snapping at everyone.”
“Danny’s keeping some kind of secret from her, and she’s afraid it’s about another woman.”
“It’s not?” Sam knew al about my telepathic ability.
“No, it isn’t. I don’t know what it is. At least he isn’t stripping at Hooligans.” One of us had talked, which was inevitable, and the story of JB’s second job had gotten a lot of comment in Bon Temps.
“She didn’t think about just asking Danny what he was doing?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Children, children,” Sam said, as if he were in his sixties instead of in his thirties.
I laughed. I was in a better mood when we hung up.
Dermot came in about half an hour later. Normal y, my great-uncle was at least content in a low-keyed way. Tonight he wasn’t even approaching happiness; he was actively worried.
“What’s up?”
“Claude’s absence is making them restless.”
“Because he has such charisma that he keeps them al in line.” Claude had as much personality as a turnip.
“Yes,” Dermot said simply. “I know you don’t feel Claude’s charm. But when he’s among his own people, they can see his strength and purpose.”
“We’re talking about the guy who chose to stay among humans rather than go into Faery when it was closing.” I just didn’t get it.
“Claude’s told me two things about that,” Dermot said, going to the refrigerator and pouring a glass of milk. “He said he knew the portals were closing, but he felt he couldn’t leave without tying up his business affairs here, and he never imagined that Nial would real y stick to his decision. On the whole, the gamble of staying here appealed to him more. But he told the others, al the assortment of fae at Hooligans, that Nial denied him entry.”
I noticed that Dermot was admitting, though not explicitly, that he didn’t have the high opinion of Claude that the other fae did. “Why’d he tel two stories? Which do you believe?”
Dermot shrugged. “Maybe both are true, more or less,” he said. “I think Claude was reluctant to leave this human world. He’s amassing money that could be working for him here while he’s in Faery. He’s been talking with lawyers about setting up a trust, or something like that. It would continue to earn him money even if he vanishes. That way if he wants to return to this world, he wil be a rich man and able to live as he wants. And there are advantages, even when you live in Faery, to having financial assets here.”
“Like what?”
Dermot looked surprised. “Like having the ability to buy things that aren’t available in Faery,” he said. “Like having the wherewithal to make trips out here occasional y, to indulge in things that aren’t … acceptable in our own world.”
“Like what?” I asked again.
“Some of us like human drugs and sex,” Dermot said. “And some of us like human music very much. And human scientists have thought of some wonderful products that are very useful in our world.”
I was tempted to say “Like what?” a third time, but I didn’t want to sound like a parrot. The more I heard, the more curious it seemed.
“Why do you think Claude went with Nial ?” I asked instead.
“I think he wants to become secure in Nial ’s affection,” Dermot said promptly. “And I think he wants to remind the rest of the fae world what an enticing option they have cut off, since Nial closed the portals and guards them so rigorously. But I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’m his kinsman, so he has to shelter me and defend me. But he doesn’t have to confide in me.”
“So he’s stil trying to have it both ways,” I said.
“Yes,” Dermot said simply. “That’s Claude.”
Just then there was a knock at the back door. Dermot raised his head and sniffed. “There’s one of the troubles,” he said, and went to answer it.
Our cal er was Bel enos the elf, whose needlelike inch-long teeth were terrifying when he smiled. I remember how he’d grinned when he’d presented me with the head of my enemy.
Our new visitor had bloody hands. “What you been doing, Bel enos?” I asked, proud that my voice was so even.
“I’ve been hunting, my fair one,” he said, and gave me that scary grin. “I was complaining of being restless, and Dermot gave me leave to hunt in your woods. I had a wonderful time.”
“What did you catch?”
“A deer,” he said. “A ful -grown doe.”
It wasn’t hunting season, but I didn’t think anyone from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was going to fine Bel enos. One look at his true face, and they’d run screaming. “Then I’m glad you took the opportunity,” I said, but I resolved to have a private word with Dermot about granting hunting privileges on my land without consulting me.
“Some of the rest of us would like to hunt here, too,” the elf suggested.
“I’l think about it,” I said, none too pleased at the idea. “Long as that hunting was restricted to deer, and you stayed on my land … I’l let you know soon.”
