“She’s fine, Wan.” The Doctor said. “You lost consciousness, but we got the stuff off you quickly.”
I frowned, looking at the sunlight pouring through the windows. “How long was I out?”
Wan darted a glance at the Doctor. “Doctor McDougall saw fit to cast-”
“I bespelled you. We needed to move fast, and I didn’t have time for arguments. More coffee?” Doctor McDougall rose, supreme in his overblown confidence, and disappeared behind the couch.
Wan stood there, clutching his tail.
I relented, and patted the cushion next to me.
Wan removed his sword, and set it on the coffee table. He sat next to me, his tail reaching out to wrap around my wrist. I was never going to get used to that. But he’d spent a thousand years practicing.
“I feared for you, honorable lady.” Wan’s warm fur rubbed against my arm. “This man removed the spell on you, then scooped you up in his arms, demanding I follow.”
“What about the possum?” I asked. “Did you get him?”
Wan shook his head. “He escaped, along with the remaining rats.” He leaned closer, his ear twitching. “Can we trust this man?”
“Do you have a choice?” Doctor McDougall stood over us, coffeepot in hand. I opened my mouth, but he shook his head as he poured. “Eat first. Argue later.”
I glared at him over the rim of my mug. “Shower first. I can eat and argue at the same time.”
“I’m not surprised.” The Doctor replied mildly.
“I will assist you, Kate.” Wan sprang up, taking his sword and pulling the strap over his head.
I let him help me up, still clutching my precious caffeine, and the blanket. The Doctor preceded us, turning on lights and getting towels. What a surprise, the bathroom was huge, with a walk-in shower and spa tub. I leaned against the sink for a minute, just taking in the glory of the room, trying not to drool.
“I’ll leave you to it,” MacDougall said as he left.
“Kate,” Wan said softly.
I turned, setting the mug down by the sink, the blanket twisting around my legs. I smiled at him. “It seems so odd, to look you in the eye.”
“The spell will not last much longer, or so he said.” Wan hesitated, then gave me a deep bow. “I wish to offer my humble apologies. I have brought danger upon you, honorable lady, and I am deeply shamed.”
“Wan,” I reached out and touched his shoulder. “I don’t know what MacDougall said to you, but this is not your fault.”
He straightened, shaking his head to negate my words. I could see the pain in his eyes, beady though they might be. On impulse, I reached out and hugged him, sliding my hands under the sheath of his sword.
Wan hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his paws… arms… around me and buried his face in my hair. His fur was warm and soft, and I could feel the strength in his arms. Paws. Whatever.
“I will defend you with my life,” he whispered.
I tightened my arms around him, then released, making sure my blanket stayed up. “Go eat. I’ll be quick, and maybe then we will get answers.”
“Take your time, Kate.” Wan said. “We are safe within this home.”
I closed the door behind him, and turned to look at myself in the mirror. Lord, I looked like hell. I started the shower, and sank down on the toilet to let it warm.
Could we trust McDougall? Hell if I knew. I mean, points for saving my life and all, but…
On the other hand, we didn’t have a lot of alternatives. Seems the public library was a tad short on information about “possums, the use of magic by.” We had to get some information from somewhere. McDougall was a place to start.
But as I shed my blanket and stepped into the shower I reminded myself of one thing: Wan had some explaining to do of his own. He hadn’t come clean, and apologies aside, he damn well better.
To hell with it. For the next few minutes all I was going to think about was soap and hot water. I poured half a bottle of shampoo in my hand, and started scrubbing.
I was enjoying the second rinse when the door of the bathroom opened.
I froze, as the cold air swirled around the hot steam and made me shiver. “Wan?”
“The spell wore off,” McDougall said quietly. His voice echoed in the tiled room. “I found some clothes for you.”
I couldn’t see him through the shower wall, but I knew he was there. I covered myself, feeling very naked and vulnerable, suddenly convinced that he had X-ray vision. It occurred to me that I was naked, in a stranger’s house, a stranger that threw lightning and had talked about mucking with my head. With only a mouse-sized mouse as a protector.
“How do you like your eggs?”
Er… it took a moment to wrap my head around that question. “Scrambled.”
“Cheese?”
Okay, it was hard to be suspicious of a man offering to cook for me. “Sure.” I paused for a minute, but he didn’t move. “Thank you, Dr. McDougall.”
There was a longer pause. “My name is Sean. But I go by ‘Mac.’”
That seemed to require a response. “Thank you, Mac.”
The door closed, and the steam started to build back up again. I turned off the water, and stood there dripping for a moment, feeling like I’d somehow missed an important part of that conversation.
“Magic exists.” Mac said.
My forkful of eggs poised in midair as I glared at him. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to tell us?”
“Yes. More toast?”
I stuffed the eggs in my mouth and glared at him. They were perfect, light and fluffy with just the right amount of cheese. I can’t cook an egg to save my life.
“That seems unfair.” Wan was sitting on a small chair in the center of the table, sipping tea from a tiny cup. His sword hung on the back of the chair. “We need to know-”
“You don’t need to know,” Mac said. “Kate is mundane. Normally I’d be telling her that she’d had a fever dream or was hallucinating-”
“Lovely,” I muttered through my eggs.
“I need to know more,” Mac replied. “And consult with my colleagues. I will take you home, and ward the house. That will keep you safe for now.”
I rolled my eyes, and slipped Itty and Bitty each a piece of toast. They were at my feet, taking anything they could get and begging for more.
“But first,” Mac said. “I need to know what you protect.”
“I don’t know what you are talking-”
“Not you,” Mac said, staring down at Wan.
Wan tilted his head to the side, and set his cup down. “How is it that I must speak when you remain silent?”
“I came when you called.” Mac said.
Wan studied him for a moment, then gave him a nod. “So be it.” He stood, and pulled a white paper napkin from the holder. He spread it out on the table, and then turned to retrieve his sword.
Mac and I reached out to clear away the butter, jam and other items, leaving the table clear. Wan walked to the middle of the napkin, and knelt down. He set the sword down in front of him, and then bowed, knocking his head three times three, moving with great dignity.
He lifted the sword then, and removed the red tassel at the base of the hilt. He set that to one side, and rapped the sword down three times on the table.
The hilt sprung open.
Mac and I leaned forward to watch, almost bumping heads.
Wan removed a small bundle wrapped in white silk from the hilt, and set the sword aside. He placed the bundle before him, and again, prostrated himself before it. Normally I would have been impatient, but I was caught up in his approach to that bundle. To Wan, it was worth his life.
Wan raised his head, reached out and pulled the cloth back. There, on the white silk, lay a necklace. Putting his
