Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

M ick and I were up and out in an instant, desperately trying to douse the flames with our combined magics—better than fire retardant and many times faster.

Except, our powers had no effect. The shed burned merrily, the stucco falling away, the wood and bricks melting in the inferno.

"Nitis," I whispered.

Our bikes would be toast, but I was more worried right now about the body of Nitis, whose funeral Elena and I had discussed last night. She'd given Grandmother a dose of something to make her sleep, and Elena and I had quietly debated what to do. We'd concluded that we would put him on a pyre—maybe Elena had chosen to jump the gun?

But no, Elena hurried out in a bathrobe, distressed, with Grandmother, even more upset, in her wake. Grandmother had switched to her plain walking stick, which thumped rapidly as she made her way toward the shed .

Gabriella and Colby raced onto the scene, followed by Carl. I heard guests inside demanding to know what was happening and Cassandra's smooth tones telling them to stay put.

Two of the guests, my father and Gina, had refused to obey her and hurried out. Dad, once he saw we were all right, stopped Gina at a safe distance from the flames.

"Who would do this?" Grandmother demanded. "Who?"

Mick had released Blue from her cage, in case she needed to fly to safety. The tiny dragon fluttered about, minuscule streams of fire emerging from her mouth. She moved to me, squeaking in bewilderment.

I spied movement near the railroad bed. Gritting my teeth in fury, I jogged that way. Mick noticed and followed.

Blue bounced in the air behind us. I heard Grandmother also start to walk after me, ignoring Elena who advised her to wait.

"Did you do this?" I yelled at Coyote before I reached him.

In human form, Coyote lounged against a boulder, fully dressed in jeans, button-down shirt, and cowboy boots. "No."

His quiet word quelled my ire. "You weren't trying to release Nitis? Save him the indignity of lying dead in a box?"

Coyote shook his head. "I had nothing to do with this, Janet. Just be glad I happened along when I did. I put your motorcycles over there for safekeeping."

He nodded at the railroad bed. I couldn't see our bikes, so they must be on the far side.

There was no way he could have waded into that burning shed and out again with a motorcycle, twice. He was a god, but though he might not have been burned, our bikes would have been. Or the gas in their tanks would have blown up.

"Did we do this?" I demanded. "Was it a fuel spill or something?"

"Janet," Grandmother snapped at me. "Hush." She gazed at the fire, her face glittering with tears.

I hated to see her grieving like this, but then I realized she wasn't crumpled with loss. She was crying with hope.

The last of the shed collapsed in on itself. The fire licked the final pieces of board, and then winked out. Not even glowing embers remained.

Wind stirred the pile of ash the shed had become.

"We should go inside now, Grandmother," I said gently.

Grandmother refused to move. She was staring intently at what used to be our shed, her focus sharp.

Within the ashes, something moved. Nothing living, my brain told me. Nothing could have survived that conflagration, whose heat lingered in the air.

The cinders swirled, picking up speed. As we watched, they spun faster and faster, a tornado-like wind forming in the destruction of our insignificant shed. Darkness streamed upward from the ashes like grains of volcanic sand. Those grains spun in the gale-force wind and coalesced into a giant shadow.

A whump of wings sent a huge downdraft across the land, tearing at our clothes and sending my hair dancing. Blue zipped around us, chattering shrilly.

Black feathers beat the air, lifting the body of a giant crow from the powdery ashes. White and black down decorated his head, and his black eyes glinted with power. The crow cocked us a glance then shot heavenward, blotting out the stars.

He circled the desert far out beyond the railroad bed. Blue zinged after him, easily keeping pace.

The pair of them returned while my heart tried to remember how to beat correctly, the crow receding in size as he circled the remains of the shed.

He landed on the ground with a graceful thump, and then rose into the form of a man. Wind tugged his black hair threaded with white, and starlight gleamed in his eyes.

Grandmother cried out in joy. She ran for Nitis, jubilation making her limber.

Nitis smiled at her, spreading his arms. Grandmother reached him, drew back … and whacked him across the middle with her walking stick.

Nitis let out an "Oof!" Then he laughed. The sound was filled with gladness and humor, and I laughed with him for the pleasure of it.

"All right," I said to Coyote as Grandmother and Nitis embraced, Blue dancing around them. "How did you do that?"

Coyote gave me one of his blank looks. "I keep saying, I had nothing to do with it. Nitis isn't your ordinary crow."

"Well, duh." I glared at him. "What is he, then? A god? How did he do that?"

"Not a god," Coyote answered quietly. "A Firebird. Some cultures call him a phoenix."

"Rising from the ashes," Mick said in fascination. "I never knew that was real."

Coyote gestured at Nitis, who'd picked up Grandmother and was spinning around with her. Her voice rose in her usual scolding. "Apparently, it's real," Coyote said .

I saw, superimposed on the two, Grandmother as Ruby, her young self. Nitis flickered red and black, both a glowing feathered being and a handsome man.

Sacrifice , he'd said. He'd done exactly what Cesnia had—let his death come so that those he loved would survive. He'd given Grandmother, me, and Gabrielle, a chance to defeat our enemy and live.

Had Nitis known he'd come back? Or was that the chance he'd been willing to take?

"The second one, I think," Coyote said, as though he'd been reading my mind. I hated it when he did that, but I had to agree with him.

As Blue circled the spinning pair, Grandmother's berating words became the hoarse caws of a crow. The figures of Nitis and Grandmother shimmered, and then two crows rose from the place they'd been, soaring into the sky.

The crow with black and white crown feathers skimmed away into the night, with the second crow shot after him, cawing all the way.

I laughed through the tears stinging my eyes. "If they end up in Many Farms, it will be a noisy night there. Good thing Dad and Gina slept here."

Mick sent me a knowing smile. "If they make it that far."

"Shit, Mick," I said in alarm. "I meant them arguing. Don't put that into my head. She's my grandmother. "

"So? I'm two-hundred and fifty years old and change." His blue eyes heated. "Age doesn't erase passion."

To be fair, he was right. But such things were different when it was your own family you were discussing.

I knew what Coyote's off-color opinion would be, but when I turned to warn him not to express it, I found empty air. Coyote was gone, nothing left of him but a far-off yip in the night.

Elena was already heading for the hotel, the others following her. Dad had his arm around Gina, but he turned and smiled at me.

Lights flicked off inside, Elena and Cassandra ordering everyone back to bed.

Blue circled the pile of ash then fluttered down to land heavily on my head.

The mysteries of the world could wait. I took Mick's hand, and we returned to our comfortable nest, Blue burbling sleepily all the way.

I would like to say that all was well that ended well, but in the morning, the Horribles were still there. They filled the lobby after they returned from breakfast at the diner, shouting snide comments to one another that contained far too much information for the rest of us.

It had been otherwise quiet when they were out. Colby and Gabrielle had departed after they'd eaten Elena's breakfast, returning with Dad and Gina to Many Farms. Gabrielle's team had the semifinal rematch game tonight. Gabrielle was certain they'd make the finals, and then get all the way to the state championships for their division and win those too.

I sent them all off with embraces and many thanks, promising Gabrielle that of course, I'd be there for the games. I held my dad a little longer than the others.

"I love you, Dad." I thought of how Cesnia had given up her existence to make sure Blue was safe. My father, in his quiet way, had given up his entire life for me.

Dad started when he heard the words, but he squeezed me back. "You too, my daughter. You keep well."

I wiped my eyes as I released him. Gina smiled at me in understanding.

Then they were gone, Dad's truck sending up a plume of red dust before he turned onto the paved highway.

Mick had retrieved the motorcycles from beyond the railroad bed and was now checking them over and tinkering with them, as he liked to do. Blue hovered around him, pretending to help.

We'd have to build a new shed as well as fix the saloon window. I also needed to replace Fremont's custom bowling ball and bag. I'm sure Nash's truck was well insured, but he might try to ding me for the deductible. This spring had already become expensive.

When I entered the now-noisy lobby, Cassandra, behind her desk, beckoned to me, her expression pained. "They've decided to stay for the whole summer," she murmured, indicating the Horribles. "I explained that the rooms were already booked, but they said they'd stay in tents in the back if they had to."

"Great." I let out an exasperated breath. "Time for drastic measures."

I marched through my hall and out the back door. Blue eagerly flew to me when I whistled. She perched on my shoulder, her scaly snout warm as she nuzzled my cheek.

I walked with her back into the lobby. "All right sweetheart," I told her in a low voice while I scratched under her chin. "Why don't you fly around and wreak a little havoc?"

Whether Blue understood my words or only their intent, she launched herself from my shoulder in exuberance. She sped to the rafters above the staircase and circled the large lobby, screeching her small dragon cries.

The Horribles ceased calling to each other and jerked their gazes upward, jaws sagging as they beheld the small dragon. Blue darted from corner to corner, fire erupting from her mouth. She started to dive-bomb the family, first one then another, sending them scrambling for cover with window-rattling shrieks.

Carl emerged from the saloon, coffee in hand. He chuckled as Blue chased the family from one side of the lobby to the other. The lot of them ended up by the stairs, shielding themselves from her attack.

I whistled again, and Blue broke off, flapping back toward me in triumph.

The Horribles emerged from where they'd cowered beside the staircase, shaking themselves out, and regarding me with expressions of … delight?

"Is that real?" Allie demanded. "Mom, is that thing real? Can I have one?"

The others chimed in. "How did you do that?" "Is it animatronics?" "Oh, he's so cute ."

Cassandra regarded me in dismay. I opened my mouth to explain that Blue was not only real but could be terrifying and destructive, when Carl upstaged me.

He walked into the middle of the group, dumped his coffee down the front of his shirt, and started gibbering.

The front door opened at this point, but my attention was arrested by Carl, as was that of the Horribles.

"Ew," Yvonne said. "What is the matter with him?"

Carl shook his head from side to side, letting his eyes grow glassy. "Where am I? Who are you? Is there anything to eat?" He stared blankly at Allie and let drool ooze down the side of his mouth.

"Ick." Allie quickly hid behind her mother. "Get him away from me."

Elena chose that instant to stalk in from the kitchen. She observed the scene, then stepped forward.

"That's enough, Mr. Jones. It's time for your medication."

Carl tilted his head alarmingly to one side. "Don't need no medication."

"You know you do," Elena said. "He's not always violent," she assured the Horribles. "Though sometimes …"

Cassandra and I watched the performance in a daze. Carl continued to act the stereotype of witlessness, with Elena telling him firmly to come with her.

"Excuse me." A gravelly voice tugged at my attention.

I looked down to find a small man and woman, who'd slipped in during the drama, standing beside me. They had squat bodies, gnarled faces, and thin threads of gray hair on their heads. The man wore a suit that fit his minute stature well, with the woman in a blouse and skirt. She clutched a handbag between her plump fists.

I recognized the pair right away and beamed them a wide and sincere smile. "Welcome back. I thought you weren't returning until your anniversary."

Mr. and Mrs. Goblin, as Cassandra and I called them, had spent some time at our hotel last September. In spite of the crazy danger that had occurred, they'd vowed to visit us again to celebrate their special occasion.

Mrs. Goblin answered me. "We enjoyed it so much we decided not to wait. We can always come then too. "

Cassandra regarded them warmly. "Of course you can. We're a little short of rooms, but I'll see what I can do."

"We'll make the best of anything," Mrs. Goblin said. She turned to study Carl, who continued to taunt the Horribles. "Is that young man all right?"

"He's trying to encourage some tiresome guests to go," I whispered to them. "Not that I like to throw guests out," I assured her quickly.

"Why not? If they've overstayed their welcome." Mrs. Goblin beckoned to her husband.

They glided toward the clump of people trying to evade a persistent Carl. None noticed the diminutive Goblin couple until they were in the very midst of the family.

Abruptly, the wrinkled but harmless-looking Mr. and Mrs. Goblin swelled and grew until they were snarling, slavering, massive rocklike creatures. Where their clothes and Mrs. Goblin's purse went, I didn't know, but nothing remained of our polite couple.

They penned the Horribles between them, roaring like beasts from hell. Mrs. Goblin—I think it was her—flailed out with a clawed hand.

Elena didn't change expression. " This is what happens when Mr. Jones doesn't get his medication," she announced.

Allie screamed. "I'm getting out of here." She broke free of the group and ran, her sisters after her.

Their three husbands had already bolted, reaching the front door ahead of their wives. The six of them tumbled out into the bright parking lot, bumping into each other as they raced for their cars. The parents of the family hurried after them, the mom turning back at the doorstep.

"You people should be shut down," she scolded us. " You're getting one-star reviews from us." She streamed out, shouting at the others to wait for their father.

The dad also turned back, he more hesitant than the others.

"We'll send your things on to you," Cassandra told him with a pleasant smile. "And email your receipt."

He fled.

Carl doubled over with laughter. He straightened up, marched to Elena, and kissed her on the cheek. "You're perfect."

Elena frowned at him. "And you're more trouble than my good-for-nothing nephews." She humphed and strode back to the kitchen, but I noticed that her face had softened as soon as she'd turned from Carl.

The Goblin couple, restored to their usual guises, handbag and all, laughed with Carl.

"Very good, young man," Mrs. Goblin said. "Can we join you for coffee?"

"Won't say no." Carl led his two new friends into the saloon, calling to Flora to pour three fresh coffees—his grandson would pick up the tab.

Blue did a victory lap around the now-quiet lobby before landing on top of Jamison's coyote sculpture. I worried that she'd scratch it, but Blue perched daintily, as though knowing how much I treasured it.

I accepted a coffee Cassandra obtained for me and gazed around the hotel as I sipped from the mug.

Inside the saloon, Carl and the Goblin couple babbled and chuckled as they got to know each other. I assumed Carl would remain here for a while, and I welcomed him. The Wiccan couple occupied a table near the cracked window, looking relieved it was quiet at last .

Cassandra returned to her laptop, her efficient serenity restored. Blue dozed on top of the coyote statue. Outside, Mick whistled as he tinkered with the bikes, the sound warming me thoroughly.

I'd marry him in June. So much to do, but for now, I was content to have Mick near, where we could breathe in peace.

There was the question of the legend Nitis had told us about, where Blue might grow up to battle Mick, the dragon lord. But that was something we'd have to work through. Legends and prophecies didn't always come true, or at least, not the way we expected.

Two crows cawed hoarsely at each other in the juniper at the edge of the parking lot. In the kitchen, Elena growled something as her knife began its tapping on her cutting board.

The mirror, in the saloon, started screeching a crooner song, way off-key.

I smiled. Everything was normal at the Crossroads Hotel, all as it should be.