Jessica
Stepping into Galhad’s office came with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Even though the fire was burning brightly in the fireplace, something about the room felt dimmer than in their previous meetings. After the chiefs had concluded their deliberations, though the meeting went on for ages, they decided to postpone their official negotiations until tomorrow. Mica instructed Jessica, Damien, and Abby to wait in Galhad’s office while she went to fetch Nathan and Isla.
“I don’t envy being Mica right now,” Abby murmured, blowing out a stressed breath as she closed the door to the office behind them.
Jessica nodded. Since Mica was the village’s captain, she would act as interim chief until the next leader could be decided. That alone had to be a lot of weight on her shoulders, especially with the suddenness of Galhad’s death, but she also had to process the truth of Talbot’s treachery and Supai’s presence in the village so she could convey it all to everyone else.
I hope you know the impact you had, Jessica thought as she rested a hand on Galhad’s desk, thinking of the stern, stoic chief. She was sure Supai had intended for Galhad’s death to be the final push the goblins needed to start another civil war, especially since Felix had wielded the knife. But the respect that the chiefs and soldiers had had for Galhad also allowed his death to have the opposite effect. After hearing what Jessica and Abby could share, listening to the eyewitness testimonies from the soldiers who’d witnessed Supai’s demise, and a lot of arguing, it seemed that everyone had agreed no village should be left to face such a threat on their own in the future. None of them wished to be caught off-guard the way Galhad and his soldiers had been, a point that Mica had conveyed very convincingly. Jessica knew negotiating the terms of their communication agreement would be a harrowing task — one she was happy not to be a part of — but at least they could agree the need was there.
Turning her back to the desk, Jessica looked at her friends. “Did you hear what Supai said right before he died?”
Damien nodded, as did Abigail. “It sounded like he was asking someone to save him, and they refused,” Abby said, in a quiet voice. “I think that proves we were right about Supai having an ally, but it sounded more like this mysterious other person had control over Supai, not the other way around.”
Nodding, Jessica crossed her arms over her chest. He called them the devil. The thought that there was someone out there more dangerous than Supai made her uneasy, to say the least.
“There’s still so many unanswered questions, though,” Abby pointed out, her face pouted in frustration. “Like why did this person devise to have Supai summoned in the first place, and as a demon instead of a god? Maybe that’s how this mystery person was able to control him.”
Jessica unfolded her arms, running one hand through her ponytail. “Summoning Supai as a demon could have been an accident.”
“Do you believe that?” Damien asked. Though his posture was relaxed, his hands casually in his pockets, his dark-eyed gaze was tense.
Shaking her head, Jessica gave him an apologetic look. “Obviously nothing is for certain right now… but I would bet on Abby’s theory that this mysterious person was more the brains behind the operation. And we can be confident that whatever they’re planning, they’re thinking several steps ahead.”
“So what now?” Abby asked. She held her hands in front of her chest, where Jessica knew the historian wore the Lupatus Stone under her sweater. “Clearly this is about much more than just artefacts. How can we be sure where this person is going to strike next?”
Or with whom, Jessica thought. Whoever this person was, they were clearly keen to use others as a means to achieve their goals. Supai may not have been the only puppet at their disposal.
“We continue to Spain,” Damien said firmly. “We still need to ensure the Lupatus Stone can’t fall into the wrong hands. And the elves may be able to help us find the man behind the curtain.”
Jessica nodded. “If we leave early enough tomorrow, we should be able to make it to Valencia in a day.”
“Do you think Mica will give Isla the option to stay?” Abby asked nervously.
“Hard to say,” Jessica replied, leaning her back against the desk. “I was surprised Thornlowe agreed to leave the decision up to her.”
“He just lost his brother,” Damien cut in, his eyes focused on the tapestry of the two goblin founders of the Grieves clan. “He’s got greater things to think about right now.”
Abby and Jessica shared a look, and Abby nodded before stepping back toward the door. “I’m going to grab those books I left in the meeting room. I really need to put those back.”
Once she was gone, Damien tuned to Jessica with a raised eyebrow. “Subtlety is not her strong suit.”
Jessica smiled, comforted by the familiar sarcasm, and held his eye as he approached. “How are you feeling?”
“I should be asking you that,” he pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest with a disappointed look on his face.
Jessica resisted the instinct to roll her eyes. “I’ll be fine in a few hours. Soul magic is costly, but it regenerates quickly.” She still felt woozy, but the strength had come back to her legs, so at least she felt confident standing again. Her biggest concern was making sure she didn’t catch a cold on the way down the mountain. “But you can’t avoid the question,” she added.
Damien’s expression softened. To her surprise, he opened his arms wide. She didn’t hesitate to step into his embrace, and she let out a relieved sigh as he rested his cheek against the top of her head and squeezed her gently.
“There was a moment,” he admitted, choosing his words carefully. “Can’t say I’ve ever used a spear before, but as soon as I grabbed it, the knowledge was there as if I’ve wielded it all my life. A voice started to creep in, something contradicting my choices as I moved, but I kept it under control.”
Jessica leaned back far enough to look into his dark brown eyes. The little scar she knew was on the top of his lip was getting harder to see through the beard that was growing in.
“Do you think whatever it is that’s in your head recognized Supai? Like maybe that’s the reason it’s coming through so strongly now?”
Damien shook his head immediately, tension tightening the corners of his eyes. “I’m certain it didn’t. It was spurred on by Supai being a threat, but there was nothing up here” — he temporarily freed a hand to tap his temple — “that made me think it knew Supai.”
She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed the edges of his budding scowl. “I was just curious,” she assured him. She scoured her memory for any clue that might explain what Damien could possibly be dealing with. The more Damien revealed about this strange sentient intuition, the more it confused her. She made a mental note to call her Nonna when she had the chance. Not that she was very keen to tell her grandmother she was romantically involved with a witch hunter. Jessica cringed internally at the thought.
“Well, the elves have massive libraries full of historical records. If we’re lucky enough to get their cooperation, maybe we can spend some time looking into your new … talent.”
Damien kissed her forehead, which made her blush and sent warmth rushing through her. His voice was soft as he said, “I don’t want this to worry you.”
She almost laughed at the concern in his voice, at how he could have such a secret soft side. “I hate to break it to you, witch hunter, but worrying about you is kind of part of the package deal. If we’re going to do this,” she said, giving him a squeeze, “then I’m going to worry.” Their lives were so intertwined now that she would feel this way even if they weren’t romantically involved. “But what worries me the most is that you’re going to try to keep it to yourself and not ask for help until it’s too late. And I—” Her voice cracked with an unexpectedly strong surge of emotion. The memory of him lying motionless on the ground after the fight with Supai in the caves struck her like a slap to the face. She took a breath, steadying herself.
Damien leaned closer. “I don’t want to lose you, either,” he whispered, finishing her sentence.
Jessica smiled. “Exactly. So don’t go losing yourself now to whatever this is,” she said, pulling a hand free to gently make her own tap on his temple. “I need that big brain of yours in tip-top shape.”
“I knew you were using me for something,” he teased, a light chuckle shaking his shoulders.
“Among other things.” The words slipped out before Jessica could think to censor herself. She leaned in and kissed him quickly, just because she could, pulling back before she fell too far.
“Good things, I take it?” Damien asked, a cheeky half-grin on his face.
“Of course.” Jessica let him go and patted his bicep. “These muscles are great for fighting monsters. They’ve come in handy.”
Damien’s half-grin became a full one, and it made Jessica’s heart warm to see the shadows in his eyes chased away. “As long as I get to be brains and brawn,” he chuckled.
And so much more, Jessica thought. Damien was an intriguing mystery and a familiar comfort at the same time. It still made her heart rate kick up. I’m really falling for him. The realization felt like an out-of-body thought, as if she were observing her own life for a moment. And the panic that bubbled in her gut couldn’t overshadow the relief she felt at having him by her side. For the first time in a long time, Jessica felt excited by the unknown — though she knew there were consequences still to come.
The click of the door reopening interrupted them, and Jessica stepped away from Damien, trying not to blush. Abby had returned, with Mica close behind her.
“They’ll be here in a minute,” the captain said curtly, and everyone moved to the meeting table. Books Abby had pulled earlier were spread out there for review — some slated to be reshelved, but others ones Mica wanted to read for herself. Not long after, the door opened again, revealing Nathan holding it open for Isla.
The petite goblin froze on the threshold, and Jessica’s heart sank a little in her chest. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for Galhad’s death, and she vowed to protect Isla in the way she’d failed to protect the chief. No matter what came next.