Val rubbed a shoulder. “Yeah, that too. Let’s not talk about it right now. You need to focus on your appointment with the counselor.”
“It’s okay, Val. I’m doing better,” Liam told her. “My sessions aren’t as taxing now. That’s why I said I could drive myself.”
“Hey, I said I’d drive you, and I’m sticking with it.” Val grinned. “You’re doing great, but it’s emotionally exhausting. Who wants to deal with driving through Brooklyn traffic after a session like that?”
Liam grinned. “I’m not complaining about my weekly spin in a Mustang Mach 1.”
Genevieve revved her engine as they accelerated across the intersection.
“Excuse me.” Liam inclined his head. “The Mustang Mach 1.”
Val laughed nervously and kneed Genevieve firmly in the dashboard. The Mustang grumbled.
“I heard about the fight at the brewery yesterday,” Liam added. “Blair mentioned that they could have burned it down.”
“It was a screw-up,” Val growled. “They almost set the place on fire. We have to worry about arson now, as well as the threats against Blair and Yuka, and the NYPD still can’t tie BrewCorp to the gang. They’ve been after that gang for years. They’ll never catch them.” She slammed a hand on the wheel. “I can’t let Blair and Yuka live in fear for the rest of their lives!”
“I can’t believe the cops haven’t found a connection to BrewCorp. We all know that’s what’s going on.” Liam grimaced. “This has to be stressful for you, too. I bet you feel like you want to split yourself in half between the brewery and its owners.”
“I’ve improved security at the brewery,” Val explained. Liam didn’t need to know that meant she’d placed wards and amulets around it. “It’s still frustrating, though. Blair and Yuka don’t deserve this. They’re just trying to run a small business and make a good life in this city.”
“I’m with you. It’s absurd.” Liam frowned. “There has to be a paper trail. BrewCorp must be paying the gang to take out the Anvil Brewery.”
“Yeah, but without actionable evidence, the cops can’t get access to BrewCorp’s records.” Val jabbed the gas pedal with unnecessary force as she completed a turn. “They need proof before they can get proof. How screwed up is that?”
“Privacy rights matter,” Liam reminded her, “but in this case, I wish someone would hack the records at BrewCorp.”
Val tilted her head, considering his words. “Even if those records would be inadmissible in court, it’d give the cops probable cause for their warrants.”
Liam nodded.
Val turned into a parking garage near the tall building that housed Liam’s counselor. “You’re good at computers, right?”
Liam’s head snapped up. “Oh, no. Don’t look at me, Valerie Stonehold.”
Val braked in a parking spot. “C’mon, Lee. Who else do I know who could help us with this?”
“Assuming I had that kind of skill—” Liam began.
“You use computers for work. I’ve seen you do some fancy stuff with them,” Val interrupted. “I don’t have to assume. I know.”
“Thank you for acknowledging that, but flattery won’t work.” Liam folded his arms. “I’m not hacking BrewCorp. It’s illegal.”
Val reclined her seat. “You’re too smart to get caught.”
Liam eyed her. “It’s the principle that matters.”
Val pulled her phone out. “Is it?”
Silence hung in Genevieve for a few long seconds.
“Okay, fine,” Liam grumbled. “I owe you one, first of all, but most importantly, you’re right. BrewCorp is in the wrong, and they’re ruining Blair’s and Yuka’s lives. If there’s something I can do to get justice for them, I’ll do it.”
Val grinned. “Cool. Don’t tell your counselor that. I’ll be here when you get back.”
Liam rolled his eyes. “You’re trouble, Val. Do you know that?”
“Proud of it,” Val yelled after him as he strode across the deck.
She kicked back to scroll through her phone, grinning.
Obsidian sparkled in the palm of Val’s hand. She tilted it left and right, allowing the forge fire to catch the facets of the expertly cut stones. The gems were not ordinary obsidian. Most came from the volcanic fields of the Deep, where lava swirled and froze at the whim of the giant crocodilian dragons who swam in the molten rock.
Val flicked through her memories to call up what she knew about this semi-precious stone. Like many magic crystals, it had unremarkable physical properties. It was simply lava that had cooled fast. Its medium hardness and translucence were not unique.
However, Its power when it came to magic was breathtaking.
Val removed a gemstone from her palm and held it to the light. The lava dragons made much of the most precious obsidian in Avalon, yet this was even more precious. The largest stone she had was so rare that it was priceless. Holding it made her heart thunder.
No lava dragon had formed this stone. It had been cut from the eggshell of a hatched dragonet. The shell had split on a moonlit night at Tintagel Castle when Queen Julia received the spirit of Luna. The dragon who sprang from its fragments was Lady Eglantine, the ruler of all dragons and the Great Lady of the Deep.
She was also best friends with the queen, which explained how Her Majesty had laid her hands on this obsidian. Usually, even the wealthiest and most powerful fae would have difficulty finding anything like it.
“Dad will have a coronary when I tell him about this,” Val whispered.
She was tempted to take a photo, but it seemed irreverent. She gently secured the thumbnail-sized stone in a small vice. Her amulet throbbed, responding to its power, as she drew her dagger and laid it on the workbench behind the vice.
