Our Mother the Mountain

15. Winters Lodge

"You really do like when I laugh?"

"I do."

There was a moment of silence, and Ethan quipped, "Sounds like you're practicing vows." His cheeks instantly flamed. Why t h e f u c k had he said that? Ethan's eyes widened in horror and he wrenched away the beer, chugging it.

"Maybe I am."

The glass went slack in his hand and Karl plucked it away from him, finishing the last drops and licking his lips. This gesture was done in a more-than-playful way, but Ethan had a serious question.

"Would you....consider. One day." He already regretted asking, when Heisenberg looked away, laughing, his eyes reflecting the rain and the oddly purple clouds. "In the future, obviously...I mean...uh, with the right person, just in general, would you ever..."

Karl finally tilted his head back to Ethan, putting his thumb over the blond's lips. "Sure, one day."

—------------------

Ethan's Journal

October 22

Well, I've decided on a name. I thought Karl would laugh at me like he always does but he was sweet about it. He smiled and said it was perfect.

Winters Lodge.

That isn't too cheesy, right? The name isn't about ME–I was thinking about Rosemary. Evie, too. (I haven't asked her if she wants my last name...but I will soon.)

Eva found Alcina's documents in her quarters, she gave everything left to her, to the girls. I can't believe that two kids now own a castle. Or will, when they're older. I figured anything we build should also be considered theirs. They're everything to me.

So I had to choose what to do with the money Karl spent on the land. A lodge is a perfect idea. Nothing too flashy, and it will make good use of the cabins they're planning to build. Once Miranda's gone we can open up the road and let people come enjoy nature. Salvatore was on board immediately. He wants to be in charge of stocking the river for fishing; he knows all about the local permits. I don't think I've ever seen him so excited, not even after he finished the Notebook or when we found halloumi cheese at the store.

Karl wasn't sure about the idea until I reminded him how it would piss Miranda off to know he'd built a place for strangers to stay, safely, in her former territory. Obviously I wouldn't even consider opening until we know she's gone for good. We're closer than ever.

But it's been pretty crazy to watch the construction; there's work on the sluice and work on the buildings, like they're trying to outpace each other. Alina said they're working fast because they're terrified of the things they hear at night. They also seem to think I'm in a relationship with Moreau too, which isn't funny to me, but he thinks it's hilarious. I can't even go down there without him calling me honey really loud in front of the workers.

I've been working with Alina and some of the others in our little mini-village down in the valley. They want to sell their art and crafts mostly, but some of them want to share culture on social media, and have a place for online community. I think it's a great idea. (Karl made a noise and walked away, which I expected.)

It feels great to get back to work, in a way–none of this is for a profit for me, I'm just trying to help them. We started having meetings a few times a week where I teach them the basics. Jochen likes those too, he is fascinated with computers. I've built a few starter websites for them. Of course, the foreman heard about that and started asking me if I could help him start his own construction business (presumably so the state can't tell him to go work around a bunch of vampires and werewolves.)

I should probably print some business cards soon.

Ethan closed the journal and chewed on the pencil eraser until Eva's singsong voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ethan? Dinner!"

"Be right there," Ah shit , he'd meant to help her cook-he was in the middle of learning a new recipe, but when he started writing about the plans for the lodge, Ethan lost track of time. She appeared in the doorway moments later. Ethan meekly shrugged at her raised eyebrows. "I'm so sorry. I was gonna come and help."

"I think we have managed," she teased, and then paused in the doorway. "I have been wondering."

Ethan stood and yawned, crossing his arms as he made his way toward her. "Sounds dangerous."

Eva's giggle was fairylike. She seemed endlessly amused by the 'new' Ethan.

That is, the Ethan who carried a part of the Black God within him, and also single handedly reversed a century old curse on the lake that he'd stepped into (like a moron) months ago. That Ethan was very cocky, energetic, and assured. Though Ethan didn't know she had the frame of reference, his recent demeanor reminded Eva of how his stored consciousness was. In the Mold realm. A younger Ethan, before Dulvey. Very ambitious, close with nature, perhaps a bit incapable of keeping his thoughts inside his blond head.

He leaned in the doorway, facing her. "Wondering about...?"

"The voices." She tilted her head. It had been some time since they spoke of their connection. Since Jochen's abrupt arrival into the world-having two Heisenbergs around was as loud, chaotic, and distracting as everyone imagined it would be. Maybe even worse. So time to talk had been scant.

"They seem different, do they not? Perhaps more voices, but more...meandering. It is as if they cannot agree or speak as well as they could before."

"I don't know, I mostly hear them when I sleep," Ethan confessed, and raised an eyebrow. "They don't talk as much with this uh, thing, in me." His fingers trailed across his ribcage as if he could pet it.

"Interesting. I wonder if it was so with my mother. If the Black God drowns out the collective consciousness."

He had no answer to that, but Eva pressed, "We never figured out why they wanted us to go to the crypt! I have asked, but received no answer. I thought it was for the crystal buried there, but it was..."

"Not there," he finished. "I don't know what that was about either. Maybe they just wanted us to bury the body?"

"But why?"

He shrugged. She ran a finger over her lips. Slowly, a smirk made its way onto her face, which made Ethan smile in return. "What? You're thinking something. You're thinkinggg..." he closed his eyes. "You're thinking we go to that secret area in the castle where Miranda worked with Alcina. The religious library you told me about."

Her tiny clap did not stave off his exaggerated eye roll. "Of course."

"But perhaps, in the daytime."

"You don't want the workers to miss out on the chance to see another dragon?"

"I believe we er...ended the one she had the ability to summon."

"Fair enough. Tomorrow morning?"

"It's a date."

Ethan sighed in loud, mock annoyance, and put his arm around her shoulders as they exited the room, moving toward the kitchen. "You're going to make my hair as grey as Karl's."

The voice replied from the parlor, where Eva had forced him to move his current project. "It's called the silver fox, Winters, an' yooou wish."

Eva had another burning question. "How is Zoe?"

"She only sent me three angry texts today. She's coming around to Evie."

"Oh! That's good. I......think?"