“You’re right on time,” Nox said as he took Howard’s coat and reached to close the door. “Clancy made scones and they’re just about to come out of the ov—” He paused when he noticed all the crows on the brick wall surrounding his property and scattered on the front lawn.
“I was just about to ask if you had noticed them!” Howard whispered as he peeked around Nox. “Did you summon them?”
“No…” Nox shook his head slowly, enthralled by the sight of so many beautiful black birds. “We should get Merlin to take a look but I think it’s a good omen.”
“Oh, yes! We’d know by now if they meant any of us harm,” Howard said before he dashed off to find Merlin and get a second opinion.
Nox didn’t need one. He feltlovedand infinitely larger than himself. Each set of eyes and wings and each tiny heart was an extension of Nox and he had a legion awaiting his instructions.
“Please, help me find Nelson or…help me find Dùbhghlas and put a stop to his crimes before it’s too late.”
He closed his eyes, returning their love and vowing his eternal devotion. When he opened them, he was startled by achorus of caws and a storm of flapping wings as all the crows took to the air at once.
“What was that?” Merlin asked as he stepped out onto the stoop with Nox. “Good heavens! I’ve never seen so many this close to the city.”
Nox grinned as he leaned and watched them spread in every direction. “Very good heavens,” he murmured, even more reassured than before. He didn’t need any more signs that he was favored and Dùbhghlas’s time was nearing its end. “Hang on, Nelson. We’re coming.”
Chapter Fifteen
Damn you, whoever you are, and your exceptional taste in quality wood furnishings.
Nelson was beginning to wonder if someone was healing the chair he was sitting in. No matter how many times it had been knocked onto its back or its side with the full weight of a man in it, the thing had yet to snap or even offer an encouraging jiggle. And Nelson was not a small man. He was six-foot-two and had weighed approximately one-hundred-and-eighty-five pounds before Dùbhghlas abducted him.
He was in the best shape of his life because he’d been eatingwelland you couldn’t find a better full-body workout routine than satisfying a living god. But no matter how many times Nelson bucked against the back or pushed and pulled at the armrests, nothing budged. He had even hopped and twisted as hard as he could, only to end up winded and sweating profusely under the hood.
“Seriously? What are you made of?” he asked it, throwing himself back in disgust.
The chair was his primary focus because it was the only tangible thing he could use to defend and free himself, and he wasn’t going anywhere until he defeated it.
“Why. Won’t. You. Break?” he slammed against the back of the chair with each word, then paused to catch his breath and considered tipping onto his side again.
The downside was that he’d be stuck on his side until someone came to feed or beat him. Nelson reasoned that he had nothing better to do and he might learn something new while he was on the floor. His mind made up, Nelson began to rock from side to side, building up momentum. It took several moments and Nelson was panting by the time the chair’s feet started to lift. Encouraged, Nelson threw more of his weight into each swing of his body, picturing a pendulum and ignoring his burning wrists and aching ribs.
Eventually, the chair started rocking in earnest and Nelson was thrilled at the soft creaks he heard. They were new and the first sign that the joints were beginning to loosen from the repeated strain. He swayed harder and faster and let out a surprised “Ha!” when he felt it tip and crashed onto his side.
“Fuck!” he mouthed once the pain in his right arm and ribs subsided.
Now what?
He tried to use his right hand and foot to scoot him closer to…anything but the weight of his body and the chair were too much. Momentarily defeated, he brushed his pinkie against the wooden floor and tried to see if he could discern anything from the texture or the temperature. It was real wood and had been recently stained, the finish was consistent and smooth, and the board was cool to the touch.
This wasn’t a rustic cabin with worn-out furniture and neglected floors. Nelson closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the wood and sniffed slowly, searching for the cabin’s native scents beneath the death and sulfur fumes. He caught a whiff of orange oil and a sweeter smoke and felt homesick. Orange oil was so ubiquitous in homes with lots of wood andantiques and so were scented candles, but for a moment Nelson cherished how much it smelled likehishome.
Another pleasant memory was triggered, lulling Nelson into a hazy, lazy morning with Nox at the cabin.
“Looks like we have to stay in bed. It’sreallystarting to rain and I don’t foresee it stopping for hours.” Nox patted the bed next to him, summoning Nelson from the window. “I know how to keep you entertained.”
Nelson wasn’t sure why he kept returning to the guest room in the cabin at Coudersport. They had shared a few magickal mornings there because the weather wasn’t right for glamping but they preferred having a tent to themselves by the lake. Why the guest room instead of their bed in the townhouse? He treasured every morning with Nox but their bed chamber there was Nelson’s idea of Heaven on Earth.
So far, their conversations hadn’t yielded any clues as to why this morning andthisroom were so important but Nelson was paying close attention as he slid under the quilt next to Nox.
“Is that your doing?” Nelson accused playfully but leaned back when Nox hesitated. “Is it?”
“Probably not?” Nox grimaced sheepishly. “I was thinking about how nice it would be if it did rain and we had nothing to do but stay in bed all morning. But I would never do that on purpose. I think… That wouldhave tohave consequences, right?” Nox asked and looked sincerely uncertain.
“It was probably a coincidence but to be safe, justask meto stay in bed with you next time. We don’t want to flood some poor farmer’s crops just because you wanted to get off again.”
Nox pretended to be offended, pressing a hand against his chest and letting his jaw hang. “That is not what I had in mind,” he said and ducked when Nelson gave him a flat, dubious look. “It’s not theonlything I had in mind,” Nox amended and offeredhis lips. He cheered when Nelson leaned in and they shared a slow, soft kiss.
