Keeper: Chapter 39

The evil plot monkies have been made to see reason. v
Chapter 39.


Jamie made his way back through the woods. He lost his way a few times on the nearly invisible path but finally stumbled out into the clearing near the road. He left the woods in a different place than he had entered them but as he was still near the gate and in the clear he didn’t worry too much.



“It isn’t as though I am going to have to pass a survival skills training course,” he muttered. Now that he was free of the woods he tugged some of the remaining strings from where they had become caught up in his clothes.



“Starting with the ones around my neck,” he said. Several times the loose threads had caught on branches and pulled, threatening to choke him. He was certain he would have some marks around his neck from the experience. He let the strings fall to the ground as he walked back to the house. His thoughts were dark he found that he was just as angry with himself as he was with the fairies. He realized that they had send three pretty little things giggling smiling and flirting with him and he had just followed them off into the dark woods.



“At least they didn’t offer me candy,” he said sourly. He rubbed the marks on his neck as he climbed the steps to the porch and let himself in. Del stepped into the kitchen doorway.



“That took longer than I thought it would. Did Mr. Evers get his car taken care of then?”



“Yeah,” Jamie said. “Jim got off okay. I had a run in with some fairies trying to stage a coup.” Jamie entered the kitchen and watched as Del set a bowl of dough in a warm spot away from drafts to rise.



“A coup?” Del asked, not seaming very concerned.



“Yes apparently Janerous wants to overthrow the Queen.”



“Janerous?” Del snorted a laugh as he wiped flour from his hands with a clean towel. “He’s wanted to over throw the Queen for generations. He’ll never get the support for it though. Did they ask you to throw in with them?”



“No I think they asked the gederan to throw in with them.”



“The gederan?” Del asked. He frowned and then his face cleared into something resembling shock. “You mean they...”



“Yup,” Jamie said. “But luckily they didn’t secure their ropes.”



“If Genivia ever found out about it things could go badly.”



“Well she did find out about it actually. She and her merry band took Janerous and his people into custody.”



“And I just thought the tow truck was late,” Del said shaking his head. Jamie patted him on the shoulder.



“And I learned that I shouldn’t go into the woods with strangers, no matter how small and pretty they look,” Jamie said ruefully.



“A good lesson, that.”



“I think so.” Jamie frowned and looked over to Del. “Janerous said something after he captured me.”



“Oh?”



“He said that they would have to wait for six weeks for a blood test for Michael.”

“How long to blood tests normally take?” Del asked. Jamie shook his head.



“I have no idea but it sounded like Janerous didn’t think they could administer the test for six weeks and that sounds odd. I’m pretty sure there is a full moon before then.” Jamie caught the odd expression on Del’s face. “What?” he asked.



“What does a full moon have to do with a blood test?” Del asked.



“Well if he is infected with something that would make him change into something wouldn’t a full moon...” Jamie trailed off as he realized Del was trying hard not to laugh.



“You mean like a werewolf?” Del said, his laughter almost escaping him. Jamie felt the heat crawl up into his face.



“Maybe,” he said feeling slightly ridiculous.



“Like in the movies,” Del said. The edge of laughter was stronger and his cheeks had turned red.



“Oh go ahead and laugh,” Jamie told him. Del let his laugh loose.



“I don’t think you will have to worry about werewolves,” Del said once his laughter had calmed into a chuckle.



“But why six weeks then?” Jamie asked. “I know when you catch a cold it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to show but I’m sure you could still find traces of the virus before the sniffles begin. And what is it that he could possibly have?” Del’s chuckles stopped at Jamie’s question and he frowned.



“I don’t know about a cold virus but there are several things he could have been infected with, depending on what attacked him and if it was natural or not.”



“Natural?”



“The fey are just as natural as humans,” Del said with a shrug. “But with that nasty set up we found in the woods, I’m not so sure we can count on natural.”



“You mean the place where we found the bubbling vat of ooze?”



“That would be the one.”



“IO suppose they could have done more than just make a human suit there. I suppose I could ask the High Talbot about that as he is investigating it. I also have to set up a meeting with a representative from each of the houses, Gederan and Federan so they can state their cases for the use of the Lustan during the Lune Merdos. Perhaps I can ask them during their interviews. I don’t suppose the books I ordered as replacements came in yet?”



“Not yet,” Del said. “I believe they are supposed to be in tomorrow morning.”



“Then I suppose I’ll have to see if I can find any back up information,” Jamie said thinking of the storage room, in particular the mirror and the dream that had come after. “I have the feeling this has happened before.” He didn’t know that the destruction of the older house and the death of that keeper were tied to the Lune Merdos but the coincidence was too much to ignore. “Are House’s defenses fully functional?” Jamie asked.



“Yes,” Del said. “Burr managed to fix everything so that it is in working order.”



“Including the basement?”

“Well yes I suppose. What do you need to go down there for?” He asked. “There really isn’t much down there.”



“Maybe not but according to the notes the basement was a part of the house before this one. I’d kind of like to see it.” Jamie didn’t add his hope that like the mirror it would spark a dream that might help answer some questions. After the werewolf comment he didn’t feel like sharing. ‘After all,” he thought. “Being laughed at twice before lunch might be a bit more than I can take.”



“Well shouldn’t be a problem with the defenses up,” Del said with a shrug. “But you might want to take a light with you. No one thought to run the electric down there.” He eyed Jamie for a moment. “The stone is a bit chill as well so I doubt a jacket would go amiss.”



“I’ll grab a flashlight and jacket then,” Jamie said with a smile.



“Keeper,” Del said.



“Yes?”



“You might want to bear in mind that if either the Federan or the Gederan know details of a possible infection, they might use it as leverage during negotiations.” Jamie frowned at Del’s words.





“The thought had crossed my mind,” Jamie replied. “I’ll just have to come up with something better than rubbing alcohol and paint before it comes to that. Not sure what that would be exactly.” Del reached under the sink and pulled out a large flashlight and checked to make sure the batteries still worked. They did and he handed the flashlight to Jamie.



“Just so long as you know,” Del said. “Have fun in the basement.”