Midnight Soul (7 page)

And then Valentine had assured him she would
find him a position in New Orleans and he was all for that. A big
adventure where he didn’t have to worry about reporting for duty,
any cases he’d left open, nothing.

Then afterward, a new place, new job, new
start.

And the good news was, Circe would be there
because she lived in New Orleans, so he’d have someone to hang
with.

Valentine lived there too but Noc didn’t see
that woman hanging with anyone. Though he suspected if they found a
place that made good martinis, she might stoop to throw a couple
back with them.

Queen Aurora (and Frey, and when Noc kept
refusing, the kicker, Cora) had insisted he take a small bag of
those ice diamonds and a small chest of gold. And with his
adventure in this crazy place, that was all he needed. More than he
needed (Circe had taken more but she’d had a seriously fucked-up
life, was trying to make a go of it in NOLA as an office manager of
a towing company, and after all she’d had done to her, she deserved
some cush and the means to spoil herself).

And that was what he was going to get, what
he was going to do, what was up next for Noc.

The beautiful, but grieving, Franka Drakkar
with her pretty mouth didn’t factor.

“So she’s your type,” Cora said, taking him
back into their conversation, “But you’re not gonna go there.”

Noc shook his head. “She’s from here, I’m
from home. I’m
going
home. But it isn’t even about that,
babe. Tor got you back. Frey got Finnie back. Won’t go on because
you were there, you know. Franka didn’t get her man back.”

“Don’t say that in front of Apollo,” she
whispered. “Maddie suggested that and it pisses him off. He thinks
she’s incapable of any emotion, much less love.”

“You four couples aren’t the only ones who’ve
known love, Cora,” he returned. “Not bein’ a dick, but that’s the
way it is. And she’s stone cold on the outside, babe, but inside
the woman is in some serious pain. She’s capable of emotion, just
like you and me, and I know that because I saw it.”

What he didn’t share was that Franka Drakkar
might be capable of more of it, with the pain he saw in her eyes,
the guilt that seemed to visibly weigh on her at what she’d
done.

She just, for some reason, wouldn’t allow
herself to let it show, even maybe fully feel it.

That reason was a mystery and Noc was a cop.
Cops were big on mysteries. Solving them, to be precise.

Fuck.

Another reason he had to steer clear of
Franka Drakkar.

Cora nodded. “I think your perception of her
is right, at least the way she is with you, for whatever reason she
gave you that particular Franka. What concerns me, honey, is that
it seems to mean so much to you.”

That was what concerned him too.

“Woman’s in pain, she gave me that, she gave
me time,” he tried to explain it. “Tomorrow, she’ll be gone and
eventually she’ll be just another memory of this place. But you
spend hours with a woman drinking whiskey and watching her face
light up, the pain she’s trying to hide clearing clean away because
she’s never seen a phone before. We’ll just say that’ll be a memory
I won’t forget.”

“I’ll bet,” Cora replied, the concern
shifting out of her expression, understanding replacing it.

Noc grabbed his knife and started cutting
into the tender, moist, perfectly-cooked steak on his plate.

Cora changed the subject.

“I can’t wait to show you my world, Noc. It’s
gonna be
awesome
. You’re gonna
love it
.”

He looked to her, meat in his mouth and
chewing and smiling he said, “Can’t wait either, babe.”

Her face lit up too.

And seeing it, Noc knew that’d be another
memory he wouldn’t forget that he’d take home from this crazy
world.

There it was.

They were having dinner and Franka wasn’t
invited.

Tomorrow morning, she’d be leaving.

So she was a memory of this world.

A mysterious one.

A sad one.

But just a memory.

And Noc had to live with that.

What he wouldn’t admit was that he didn’t
like it.

Endure

Franka

I sat curled in an armchair by the fire in
my room wearing my silk nightgown, my lacy-knit wool shawl held
tight around my bared shoulders, staring at the fire, thinking that
Kristian’s home was an eight-day sleigh ride from Fyngaard, where
the Winter Palace was located.

A long, cold ride for me and Josette, but as
much as I wished to get to my brother, I would savor it, for it
would likely be the last time I’d sled over my Lunwyn.

Over a lonely day and a lonely dinner, I’d
made my decision.

I was going to Airen, across the Green Sea.
I’d heard the sky city was marvelous. Dark and austere, but it
opened onto a bay with stunning views, and the Sky Citadel was made
of the glinting black stone that could only be found on that
continent, but I’d heard it was extraordinary.

And I’d heard Firenze had barely taken its
first steps into the civilized world, but their city of fire, and
the barbarians who lived there, might be to my taste, if only to
see one (or several).

Not to mention, there was the magical
sisterhood of the Nadirii, who lived shrouded by enchantments, a
warrior class of women who dwelled solely amongst their own, using
males only for purposes of procreation…and pleasure.

I was no warrior. But I had other attributes
and no need for male companionship. Not anymore. I’d never been
good at being a member of the sisterhood. But facing a new life and
new adventures, it was worth a try. Perhaps they’d allow me behind
their enchantments.

Therefore, even if I couldn’t talk Kristian
into going with me, I was going.

And perhaps I could find a way to dull the
pain through adventure.

Before I left, however, I’d give my brother
plenty of jewels and coin to make him safe. He loved his wife, his
son. He might not be as sharp-witted as most of the Drakkars (a
boon for him, for without that sharp wit he also did not have sharp
claws, and that was something of a lovable anomaly for our
House—none of this, of course, I’d ever told him, or ever would),
but he’d definitely desire to have the means to keep his family
safe.

I’d sent a bird to share I was arriving so
he’d know and could prepare.

I just hoped the bird made it.

I didn’t like communicating by bird. It
obviously took much less time to do so than sending post by land or
sea. But it was easy to intercept a bird, or other things befell
the creatures, and half the time they didn’t make it to their
destination.

And alas, for Kristian, after what had
befallen him when he’d helped me with my traitorous plans, my
arrival would not be a pleasant surprise.

Therefore I decided to send another bird
prior to my departure in the morning, just in case.

The door to my dressing room opened and
Josette moved through it.

“All’s packed and ready for our departure on
the morn, milady,” she said, moving toward me.

“Thank you, Josette,” I replied.

She stopped several feet in front of me. “Is
there anything you need?”

I shook my head, turning my attention back to
the fire. “No. You may seek your bed.”

To my surprise, moments passed and I didn’t
feel her presence leave.

I turned back to her.

“Is there more?” I asked.

“He’s alone, back in the morning room.”

I knew to whom she was referring and at the
thought I felt a warmth hit my belly at the same time a cold chill
slid over my skin.

“I think…well, milady,” she went on
nervously, “I think he might be there waiting for you.”

Providing Josette with an elevated salary was
not only because she was very good at doing what she did. It also
didn’t solely have to do with the fact she did the job of three
lady’s maids.

It was because no one knew what was happening
in a house better than the servants.

For years, Josette had been my eyes and ears
in places I’d never be privy, providing information I’d never have
without her, much of it of great use.

She was not the only lady’s maid who offered
these services. Indeed, I suspected they all did if they were any
good at their jobs.

But she made a point of ascertaining all I
might need to know (and some I didn’t but it didn’t hurt to hold
the knowledge) and sharing it with me.

Yes, she earned her elevated salary in a
number of ways.

Therefore, it was not surprising that, even
though I didn’t share with my maid what had transpired with Noc the
night before, she would know.

However, now, as I gazed up at her, I did not
see the usual. A petite, pretty, plump, ash-blonde girl with blank,
hazel eyes looking down at me and awaiting my response because she
was doing her job.

I saw a pretty girl with kindness and concern
in her hazel eyes, looking down on me, knowing all I’d lost and
that I had not one, single true friend in the world.

That look only made me feel warmth.

Touch her hand
, mon ange,
show her
what her compassion means to you
.

Antoine’s voice sounding in my head made me
blink and lose focus.

“Lady Franka,” Josette called, and I forced
my attention from waiting to hear more in my head from my dead
lover to my maid. “I’m happy to assist you back into your
gown.”

Noc sitting alone in the morning room very
well might mean he was waiting for me. That he’d enjoyed our time
together (which I knew he did). That he wanted more before I was to
leave.

Or perhaps it meant he wanted an explanation
of what transpired earlier in the queen’s study.

Either way (especially the latter), I would
not go to him.

It would be better he leave this world when
he eventually did with nary a memory of Franka Drakkar of the
midnight soul.

It was better anyone was not touched by that
blackened spirit.

Now I’m just feeling sorry for myself,
which is dire as well as boring
, I thought.

What I said to Josette was, “We have a long
ride ahead of us on the morrow. We should both get a good night’s
rest.”

She looked disappointed before she covered
her expression and nodded.

“Would you like another sleeping draught?”
she inquired.

I didn’t need to sleep twelve hours again
(although I actually did). I needed to be up, as I’d instructed
Josette to wake me, at half past five so we could see to my
toilette and be away before the palace woke and became bustling.
This meaning (I hoped) we’d be away without running into anyone I
didn’t wish to see.

And one of those primary “anyones” was
Noctorno Hawthorne of the other world.

Therefore I shook my head.

Josette nodded again and she seemed to be
moving to leave before she hesitated and turned back to me.

“You’ll sleep?” she pressed.

I studied her, noting she couldn’t quite hide
her feelings of worry…for me.

Thus I continued studying her, thinking,
Gods, did she actually like me?

I’d never been cruel to her. I’d never been
overtly kind. I respected her talents, demonstrated that in more
ways than monetarily, but never told her so.

Perhaps that was just her way. I wouldn’t
know, for outside her sharing gossip while she was attiring me or
doing my hair, or I was giving her orders, we didn’t speak very
much. But there were many, for reasons unfathomable, who were
thoughtful and benevolent to just about anybody.

It appeared my maid was one of those
many.

I didn’t know what to do with this. Outside
Antoine—and Kristian when I allowed him to do so—no one had ever
shown concern for me.

Or kindness.

Not in my life.

“Yes, Josette, I’ll sleep,” I felt safe in
assuring her.

To my surprise at this juncture I endured my
lady’s maid studying
me
, seemingly to determine if I spoke
truth, before it became clear she approved of what she saw. When
she did, she nodded again and made her move to leave, this time
following through.

“Goodnight, Lady Franka,” she said as she
walked to the dressing room door.

“Goodnight, Josette,” I replied and watched
her open the door, move through it, but she gave me one last, long
look before she closed it behind her.

The instant I heard it click, I turned back
to the fire and whispered, “Antoine, are you there?”

I waited. I listened.

I heard nothing. I felt nothing.

I studied the flames dancing in their grate
and came to the understanding Antoine was not coming to me as a
spirit to keep me company in the only way he could.

It was just my conscience.

Gods, my conscience came to me in Antoine’s
voice.

I supposed it would considering I’d never had
one before him.

I sighed and uncurled my legs from under me,
putting my bare feet to the thick rugs on the floor.

The morrow heralded the beginning of an
eight-day ride to my brother through cold and snow.

Even though it might be, after having had a
good sleep the night before, having been given chests of gold and
jewels, new trunks filled with the finest furs, the safety wealth
provided me, a plan for the coming days, months, years, that I
would sleep, I was not counting on it.

So I might as well get down to it.

Whether it bring victory…

Or what I’d grown accustomed to.

Defeat.

* * * * *

Attend your father.

The hiss sounded in my ear and my eyes flew
open.

I saw nothing but a dark room cut only by the
faint dancing of firelight from the grate.

Attend your father!