Elfhome

That afternoon, when he pulled to a stop in front of the school, she had walked away without saying goodbye or if she would be back. He’d figured last night had been a thing born of alcohol and too much pain to bear alone. A momentary lapse of reason not to be repeated.

Perhaps from her perspective, one afternoon apart wasn’t enough time separated to warrant a goodbye. Last night, in his apartment, seemed a lifetime ago for him. Since she was hundreds of years old, though, maybe the day had passed in a blink of an eye.

Which made this — what? A continuation of last night? Or was this more than a one-night stand on epic scale? Could it ever be more than that since he was just human? Did it matter? Honestly, he wanted her there in his arms, strong and fierce and painfully vulnerable.

The sex had all the slow glide of lovemaking and afterwards she pressed a tear-damp cheek to his shoulder as they lay wrapped together.

“He never understood,” she whispered mysteriously. “But you do.”

He was afraid that if he asked what she meant, she’d realize that she was mistaken.

18: Repercussions

Esme walked into Lain’s without ringing the ancient hand-cranked doorbell. Tinker stood on Lain’s porch, shocked. She’d been taught to ring and wait for Lain to come to the door. Only uncivilized heathens simply barged into people’s homes.

“Lain!” Esme’s voice drifted back as she went down the hallway.

Then again, Lain usually dead-bolted her front door, which required ringing the bell to get in. It was odd that it was open in the middle of the night — although all her astronomer neighbors would be awake.

Tinker glanced to Pony. He nodded, his face mirroring her concern. She cocked her fingers into the summoning and they followed Esme through the dark house.

Lain was all the way back in her dimly light lab, a pitcher of lemonade and a platter of sugar cookies waiting beside her microscope. “I don’t know why I thought that the two of you together could do anything in a timely fashion. God forbid you hurry because someone is waiting.”

“Things got complicated.” Tinker said in their defense. She signaled to her Hand to stand down.

“Did you tell her?” Lain asked.

Esme laughed at the confusion on Tinker’s face as she tried to connect the question to the last six hours of dealing with illegal DNA collection and cremation of dead children. “Yes, she told me.” Esme caught her older sister in a hug. “God, you sound like mother. You look like her too.”

Lain scoffed. “Mother wouldn’t be caught dead without makeup.”

“That’s true but you shouldn’t be so old.”

“I’m lucky to be old,” Lain said. “It means I’m still alive.”

Which made Esme hug Lain harder.

“Oh, stop that. I’m still angry with you for going off and nearly getting yourself killed.”

“I only wanted you safe and happy, Lain.”

“Like I could be happy knowing you’d sacrificed yourself for me.” Still, Lain relented and hugged Esme back. Tinker felt an unexpected stab of jealousy. Lain kept everyone but Tinker at arm’s length. It was surprisingly hard to know that someone else would be receiving her affection. “You’re still on my shit list for any number of things.”

Esme laughed. “Now you sound like Nana.”

“Stop making me older than I am!” Lain held Esme at arms length and studied the whiskers on her face. “Do I want to know?”

“I had to practice my technique for getting DNA unnoticed before trying it out on the unsuspecting.” Tinker unpacked the messenger bag of the swabs.

Lain eyed the growing pile with uneasiness. “How many samples did you get?”

“How many swabs did you give me?”

Lain shook her head. “I should have known you wouldn’t do it small. Good thing I only gave you a hundred. You do know who you tagged?”

Tinker nodded. “I kept a list.” She found the list of names connected to the swab numbers. Between the elves long names and the need to quickly scribble down the information, she had used a code instead of writing out the full names. “It’s kind of cryptic at the moment.”

“Cryptic is good.” Lain looked torn between glee and worry. “Are you sure you’re not going to get into trouble for this? I studied the treaty; if we destroy these without testing, we’re in the clear.”

Esme laughed. “Oh, none of them seemed to know what hit them.”

Tinker scowled at Esme. “The treaty is the least of my worries and no, don’t destroy them. No one seemed to be the wiser.” Riki seemed suspicious; he knew better than anyone how much she could pull off in front of witnesses. She doubted, though, that he would talk to the Wyverns about anything he suspected. The tengu needed her safe and sound and protecting them.

Esme continued to smirk at her.

“What?” Tinker asked.

“You just…” Esme made a slight crashing noise and motioned with hand to indicate something being plowed over. “Go right through people. I think it’s very funny.”