And before I could finally go to sleep, I was interrupted by a physical knock on my door, loud enough to make me jump. The camera revealed Evan and Evelyn standing on my doorstep. Evan looked happy, but a bit concerned, while Evelyn clearly did not want to be here at all. I was exhausted, but this man had just saved my life and my soul. I couldn’t turn him away.
Lydia popped into the gray, and I reluctantly ushered them in.
“I hope it’s not presumptuous to say I’m proud of you,” Evan said. “But first, are you injured? I would encourage you to visit a hospital as soon as you’re able, even if you think all the damage has been healed. Then please visit the potion shop, and let Cecilia check you out. Make sure there are no lingering curses or scrying anchors on you.”
I had forgotten about the potion shop. I should have gone straight there. I had played the fantasy in my head a thousand times, charging through her door like a conquering hero and sweeping Denise up in my arms. But now the victory was real and there was a… slight complication, perched invisible on my wall.
“Evan, can you talk to Denise and her mother for me? Tell them they can let Veazey go but see if they can keep an eye on him. And Denise… Shit. Tell Denise I’ll come and see her in a day or so, after I’ve had a chance to rest. And tell her… please let her know I could not have done this without her.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“And Evan, did I manage to do all this without attracting official attention? Please help smooth over any rough edges with Newbury and the cops. I’m sure I forgot something. And I’ve got to check on Judy. Shit. I lived, so I have to call Judy. Fuck. I’ll do that tomorrow, once I can think straight again.”
Evelyn was staring daggers at me, prompting me to remember what she had done, and what she had almost done. I glanced at her, then back to her boyfriend. “Hey Evan, thanks for not killing me. If you ever have a problem that requires punching, I’m your guy.”
Evan Coleridge reached out and shook my hand. The magic inside him tasted like fire. Before he broke contact, he leaned over and whispered, “Hide her very well, Mister Kovak. Don’t let them take her from you.”
“You know a lot more than you let on, don’t you?” I gestured at Evelyn. “And not just from her.”
“Don’t worry,” Evan said. “I’ll keep your secrets. And maybe one night, after a few glasses of brandy, maybe I’ll tell you a few of my own.”
Evelyn scowled and spoke to me for the first time. “I’ve seen your futures, Kovach. There is one narrow path where you’re not a monster, and the man I touched in that chair was not strong enough to walk it.”
“Yeah, that’s what women like you will never understand about guys like me. Sometimes, after we hit rock bottom, and everybody else has given up on us, sometimes we grow up.”