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“Martin Gallagher may try to cross the veil at Samhain, to bind the spirit of the Ferox Cor and take it to the afterworld.”
The implications of that made Rutger blink, and honestly, I blinked too. After Margaret and I had to fight for every bit of information, here Rafe was giving it away.
On the other hand, Samhain was tomorrow. Secrets were a luxury we no longer had time to keep.
“The Ferox Cor?” Rutger’s confusion was short-lived. “And Martin? Isn’t he your father?”
“He’s not, and if he tries to cross the veil and fails to get back across, he’ll be trapped here, bound to the Cor, a source of unending evil.”
“Christ.” Rutger fisted his hands on his knees. “How do we stop him?”
“The Ferox Cor is tied to an amulet. I must find that amulet and destroy it. That’s the only way.”
“I can see why you need help.” Rutger might claim to be a ritual master, but his real skill was in organization. The wheels were turning in his head, and before long he’d be barking out orders. “Let me think. I can probably lay out a screen to prevent him from crossing, or even a small labyrinth to trap him in.”
Della gave a grudging nod, though Rafe sat unmoved.
“Thank you, Rutger,” I said. “I knew you could help us.” Though we all needed rest before any of that happened. “Let’s have dinner and bunk down for the night.”
“Why?” Rutger protested. “We can’t afford to wait.”
I didn’t raise my voice, but still I took control of the situation. “Why? We should eat because Della was kind enough to cook for us, and you should sleep because you’ve spent hours fighting a deadly storm, and so have Margaret and Rafe. Tomorrow we can start at first light.” I didn’t add that Rafe had been searching for the thing for weeks, if not longer, and the odds of finding it before dusk on Samhain were painfully low.
“He’s right,” Rafe said, his tone so definitive none of us argued with him.
Rutger looked from one face to another. He didn’t agree, but he was adept at recognizing the common will. “All right. Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious, Mrs. Gallagher.”
Della served up five bowls of stew. None of them were overflowing, and she reminded us that the supply boat wouldn’t arrive till tomorrow. “Didn’t really expect two of you, let alone three.”
I was in the process of thanking her when Margaret pointed out that the supply boat might not reach us due to the storm. That killed my appetite. When my offer to help clean up was rebuffed, I decided that sleep was my best option.
“You can have the small bedroom, Rutger. I’ll bunk with Rafe.”
In the moment of silence following that announcement, I had time to gauge everyone’s reaction. Surprise from Della and Margaret, amusement from Rutger, and grumpy satisfaction from Rafe.
“The workshop’s not as fancy as in here,” he said, which had me biting back a sarcastic reply. I knew it would be uncomfortable, and I didn’t care. One way or the other, my time here would be ending soon, and I wanted as much of Rafe Gallagher as I could possibly get.
Chapter Twenty-Four
We retired soon after that. Putting my wet overcoat back on took some self-discipline, but it was only a short distance between the house and the workshop. As soon as we were both inside, I stripped it off, shivering hard. Rather than fuss with an oil lamp, I sent two witchlights to the ceiling. Margaret might scold me for upsetting the atmosphere in China, or thereabouts, but these were exceptional times.
Rafe knelt in front of the small grate, clearing the ash from his last fire. Water droplets sparkled in his dark hair and his sodden black cloak hugged his frame. Despite the cold, I could admire the breadth of his shoulders and the way his muscles shifted as he stood.
“You need to get out of those wet things.” I tugged on the edge of his cloak.
He smiled past me. “As soon as I dump this and bring in some coal.”
There was a box of coal next to the ash pile, against the house’s rear wall. “Be quick.”
While he was gone, I struck a taper and started the fire with kindling, blowing on the crackling pile of dry branches. I’d never admit it to him, but I hoped Rafe and I would have some quiet time together, though sleeping here wouldn’t be as luxurious as the bed at the hotel. There were still things I could show him. Many things…
I was smiling when Rafe returned with the coal. He knelt down next to me near the small grate. I eased onto my heels and he began setting chunks of coal on my merry little blaze.
“Mother scolded you good.”
With his attention on the flames, his expression was impossible to read. I ran the day’s events through my mind. “Oh, about the telegram? I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”
“She gets more worked up than I do.”
