Arabesque: A Wings Companion

Chapter Thirty-Four

The forest was still dark when Tamani pulled into the driveway of his empty house in Orick. He hadn't slept, but that seemed unimportant as he leapt from his convertible, slipped around the house, and headed down the trail into the woods, sprinting for the gate to Avalon with Lenore following close behind.

"I'm not ready to see the queen yet," he told Lenore, gaze focused on the path ahead, wanting so badly to be back with his loved ones. "I have to see my family first. Talk to Laurel. You can go straight to Yasmine, or go see your mother—the choice is yours."

"You'll have to see her for at least a few minutes," Lenore said.

Tamani hesitated. He really was tired—he'd failed to guard his tongue. But he truly wasn't ready to see Yasmine yet. He needed to talk to Laurel, get her advice; she was often so much wiser than he. "No, I won't," he said softly.

He interrupted whatever Lenore might have said next when he waved to the sentries guarding the tree that masked the gate. For several minutes they waited in tense silence as the sentries assembled, got into formation, and the transformation of the tree unfolded before them. Once the gate had appeared, the sentry captain asked if Yasmine would be coming to open the gate for him.

"I've already contacted the queen," Tamani lied.

As he and Lenore walked forward the sentries faced away, ever vigilant against dangers ancient and new. This gave Tamani the few moments he needed to pull out his key. He stared hard at Lenore, who glared unblinkingly back. "You're going to be trusted with a great many secrets in the future, Lenore."

"Are you questioning my—"

"No," Tamani said, cutting her off. "Merely informing you that this is the first."

Lenore nodded sharply, but still looked confused.

Tamani turned to the gate. He could call Yasmine, but if he did, he'd have no reason not to take the time to debrief her. But he longed to be with Laurel. With Sharlet. With his family. At this moment he would rather trust his best friend's daughter with the greatest secret in Avalon than postpone his visit with his partner and child for even that small amount of time. Marion was right; family made you do things you could never otherwise justify.

Tamani pulled the chain up through the neck of his shirt and, with Lenore looking on, unlocked the gate into Avalon. Lenore gave a quiet gasp, but said nothing until they had stepped through and the gate was closed and dark again.

"Where did you—"

"Even here we don't talk about it," Tamani whispered. "Ever."

Lenore straightened and nodded.

"You were excellent tonight, Lenore. Your father would be proud."

"No one will know, will they?"

"What you did? No. It's safer that way."

Lenore smiled sadly. "I always hated that no one ever knew the great things my father did."

"I knew."

"But more importantly, he knew."

Tamani laughed softly and nodded.

"I saved a lot of lives tonight, Tam."

"Millions," Tamani agreed. "If not billions."

"It feels good. I don't need anyone to know." She was silent for a long moment, then shrugged. "I guess he didn't, either."