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“I cannot. I cannot speak, not now. Trust me, it’s for the best. As we descend further into war with Myst and her people, there will be more secrets and hidden agendas and we’ll have to get used to gathering our information in bits and pieces. For now, let’s make Luna welcome, and Leo better not frighten her off, is all I can say.”
Rhia followed me into the kitchen, where Peyton was starting dinner. Luna was helping her, dicing herbs and vegetables for soup as Peyton browned cubed beef.
“Did Peyton tell you I’m deathly allergic to fish?” I asked. “No fish at all—even shellfish—allowed. So never, ever bring any into the house, please.”
“Does that extend to never giving you a hug if I’ve just eaten a tuna sandwich?”
“If you give me a kiss I could go into anaphylactic shock. Hugs probably aren’t the best idea after a tuna sandwich or crab cake.” I pulled out my EpiPen. “I have to keep one of these around.”
“Then I’ll start eating chicken or egg salad.” She smiled, and I wanted to hug her for understanding. So many people acted like it was such a big hassle for them to skip eating tuna for the day when they wanted to see me. Over the years, I’d gotten used to snide comments about how I should just “get over it,” and I’d learned to just brush them off, but they still irritated me.
We cooked side by side, at first Peyton directing the preparation, the three of us punctuating the silence with get-to-know-you comments and questions.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” I asked, after a moment.
Luna paused, then shrugged. “No, not right now. I had a boyfriend, but he left me two years ago and I’ve been nervous about trying to meet someone new. I’m not quite what the fashion mags order up for a date, you know.”
“You’re gorgeous,” Rhiannon burst out. “I can’t believe you don’t see that. You look a lot like Jane Russell.”
Luna laughed then, her voice clear and ringing through the kitchen. “I’m about forty pounds heavier than she was, but yeah, I can see it.”
“You wear the weight well,” I said. “Here, the tomatoes are diced. What should I do with them?”
“Slide them into the skillet with the mushrooms, onion, and bacon. Then when they’ve sautéed we’ll put them into the soup base.” She stirred the broth containing the beef—already browned—and potatoes. A heavenly aroma rose from the pot and I found my stomach grumbling.
“How long till this is done?”
“About half an hour. Enough time for us to make biscuits.” Luna took over the kitchen the way Rhiannon took over the herb garden. We were suddenly at her bidding, fetching flour and butter and baking powder and greasing pans as she rolled out dough and cut it into rounds with a cookie cutter.
By the time Leo, Chatter, and Kaylin came trudging in, we’d found out that Luna had two sisters that she hadn’t seen in years, that her parents lived in New York, that she’d come to New Forest because of her love affair with West Coast culture and her ability to get a job teaching music at the New Forest Conservatory, and that she had once sung on stage at Carnegie Hall.
We also found out she hated living alone and that her roommate had recently vanished without a trace. She’d reported the incident, but the cops—as usual—had merely nodded, then said they’d take a look for the woman and never bothered to get back to her. When she called to check on the case, no reports had been filed, no action taken.
Leo greeted her politely enough, but I could tell he wasn’t all that delighted about another person in the house, although his interest picked up markedly when he smelled the soup and bread. But his possessiveness over this place was starting to get to me. The Veil House was Rhiannon’s—not his. And after Rhiannon, it would be mine. He was a guest here and it was time he started acting a little more gracious.
Kaylin, however, had noticeable eyes for Luna. From the moment he took her hand, I could see that he was attracted to her. She seemed to sense it, too, and I could almost see the sparks of interest flare between them.
As we sat down to dinner, I wondered if there was any way I could get away without Leo finding out about my impending visit to Geoffrey, but as always, he seemed two steps ahead of me when it concerned the vampires.
“I heard you’re due out at Geoffrey’s tomorrow night. You need a ride?” He glanced over at me, and for the first time in a couple of days, his voice sounded friendly.
I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’ve got one already.”
He shrugged. “Whatever, but if you want somebody to go with you, I’m there.”
I wanted to make some nasty retort, considering how he’d behaved lately, but then he pushed back his plate and gave me a soft smile.
“I really am sorry, Cicely. Geoffrey got wind of our argument. I don’t know how, but he swears it wasn’t you, and I have no choice but to believe him. He dressed me down something royal. I apologize for the way I’ve been acting, about you—and about Grieve.”
For a moment I panicked. “You didn’t tell him that I planned to break in and steal the antidote, did you? Because that plan has . . . gone by the wayside.”
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t say a word.” He let out a long breath. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but damn it, I feel like I owe you one. I overheard Geoffrey and Lainule talking. They’re working on a plan to rescue Grieve.”
The light in his eyes didn’t look as friendly as the words falling out of his mouth, but I chose to let that go. His ego was probably still smarting from the dressing-down Geoffrey had given him.
“Thank you,” I said, feigning surprise. It occurred to me to warn Geoffrey to watch his back as far as eavesdroppers went . . . but then, if I did that, it would expose Leo to trouble. “That’s wonderful! But don’t let anybody else know—please. Not just yet.”
Leo gave me a sharp look. “You’re excited, right? Grieve will be back with you.”
