Hunter's Season (Elder Races #4.7)(33)

“I know what’s good for me,” Tiago said to the general out of doors.

Xanthe appeared, her back ramrod stiff. Her clothes were as neat as she could make them, and her braid was not quite immaculate, but really quite well done given the circumstances. She murmured, “Your grace, sir.”

She was almost, but not quite, perfectly expressionless. Aubrey couldn’t stand it. He walked over to her and put an arm around her. She just looked at him, her lips white. He was not altogether convinced that she was breathing.

We need to rip this bandage off right now, he thought. He said aloud, “Xanthe and I have just decided to continue seeing each other when we return to the city. We don’t need your blessing, but we would very much appreciate it.”

“Of course you have it,” Niniane said immediately. She gave Xanthe a warm smile. “I couldn’t be more delighted. I really mean that, Xanthe.”

Aubrey felt the tension in Xanthe’s shoulders ease, although she glanced at Tiago again. He did too. Tiago’s eyebrows had raised, but other than that, for all intents and purposes he appeared to be watching birds.

“How is the investigation going?” Aubrey asked.

Tiago looked over one massive shoulder at Niniane who nodded. The Wyr lord said, “The investigation was over within twenty-four hours of your attack, with all arrests made.”

At first the words didn’t make sense. His arm fell from Xanthe’s shoulders and he ran his fingers through his hair. “Wait a minute,” he said. More like growled. “That would mean everything was over with the first time you came with supplies.”

“That is correct,” said Tiago.

Xanthe strode forward quickly, “Who did it?”

“Naida’s father, Grove Ealdun, was behind it,” Tiago said. “We have the people he hired too.” He met Aubrey’s gaze. “Your secretary, Sebrin, is a little battered around the edges but all right. Sebrin gave himself away when he went digging. Ealdun had captured him but hadn’t yet killed him. When he realized you were responsible for sending Sebrin, he tried to have you killed, in part for revenge. In part, too, because he thought you were going to try to have him prosecuted for the false evidence. The ironic thing is that I don’t think any of us would have bothered with prosecuting for the false evidence, but now of course it’s attempted murder. The whole thing was pretty simple and straightforward, in a Dark Fae kind of way.”

“You said there were complications,” Aubrey snapped. He glared at Niniane, “You ordered me to stay here.”

Niniane bit her thumbnail. She looked worried as she replied, “Neither one of us said there were complications with the investigation, Aubrey. We only said that there were complications.”

“What does that mean?” he roared, fists on his hips.

Tiago gave him a warning look, but he ignored it.

Niniane gave Xanthe an apologetic glance then said to him, “The night you were almost killed, I—saw something, Aubrey. I saw just how much you meant to Xanthe. So when Tiago tore through the investigation in record time, and he threw everybody in prison, well—you were here at the cottage anyway, so we just left you. This last year has been so hard on you both, each for your own reasons. I just wanted you to have a little time of peace and quiet together. I thought—I hoped you might find things to say to each other. I also knew neither one of you would say a word to each other outside of polite niceties in any other environment.”

Xanthe said incredulously, “You were matchmaking?”

“Maybe,” said Niniane. She offered them a smile. “A little. Plus, I know you, Aubrey Riordan.” She shook a finger at him. “If you had been home, you would have started back to work much too early, despite doctor’s orders. So I made you stay here with lots of fresh air, good food and nothing more strenuous than a few games and some good books.”

Aubrey scrubbed his face with both hands. After a moment he started to laugh. “Okay,” he said. “Okay.”

“Are you mad at me?” Niniane asked. “I can’t tell.”

“I don’t know,” he said. He dropped his hands and looked at Xanthe, who appeared to feel about as uncertain as he did. “I don’t think so. Mostly I’m grateful. As long as you don’t mind,” he said to Xanthe.

She shook her head. “I’m grateful too.”

“See, I told you it would all work out,” Niniane said to Tiago.

“You are, as always, perfectly right,” Tiago told her.

Tiago and Niniane stayed for a supper of grilled steaks, baked potatoes, salad greens and fresh pastries, and red wine. “You can come back home now, if you both want,” Niniane said. She told Aubrey, “But if you do, you still can’t go back to work for at least another sevenday.”

He looked at Xanthe. “If I stay here, do I get to keep my nurse?”

Glee fizzed in Niniane’s face. “Of course you do—that is, if she wants to stay too.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” said Xanthe, her lovely eyes smiling at Aubrey. “I would love to.”

Niniane nodded. “Then that’s settled.”

Xanthe asked her, “How’s Mouse, by the way?”

A shadow passed over Niniane’s face and Aubrey frowned, bracing himself for bad news. “She’s doing really well,” Niniane said. “Her real name is Rachel. Her aunt and uncle have come to collect her, and they left for home yesterday.”