Aeromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 3)

“Son of a bitch.” Lann rested his palms on the desk. “I should’ve dealt more harshly with her. She made my life hell with her incriminating articles.”

“What’s her motive?” Joss asked.

Lann shrugged. “Money? Fame? Maybe Richardson promised her exclusivity on cracking the case.”

“Jealousy?” Maya asked, her smile smug.

Lann regarded her for a second. “Maybe.” Vanessa had hit on him, and he’d blown her off.

“If she’s the source,” Clelia said, “why aren’t there any articles about the info she allegedly leaked to Richardson? Why didn’t she write about Lann landing himself a fertile woman?”

“She did. She just hasn’t published it yet.” Maya called up another hologram.

Lann scanned the headline and byline. “Fuck. Not even I had access to this information.”

“She’s biding her time to publish this,” Maya said.

Clelia frowned. “So, why hasn’t she?”

“She must be waiting for proof, or the newspaper could be liable for damages,” Joss said.

“That’s my guess too.” Maya looked at Lann. “As soon as Richardson blows this open, she’ll have what she needs to bury Lann, and that trail will lead to all of us.”

“How do you want to deal with this, Josselin?” Clelia asked.

Joss poured himself coffee from a flask on the desk. “We’ll need to confront her.”

Lann didn’t like the way this was going. Every time they seemed to make a breakthrough, they only uncovered another layer of deceit.

“Isn’t there a way of investigating her without her knowledge?” Clelia laid her hand on Joss’ arm. “I’m worried if we alarm her, we’ll also scare her source away, and that’s who we’re really after.”

“We don’t have time,” Joss said with a regretful expression.

He was right. They couldn’t waste time with an under-cover operation. Lann considered the options. Finally, he said, “I’ll call her.”

Joss got to his feet. “I’ll inform Cain. When is a good time?”

“This afternoon. The midwife is arriving soon. I’d like to meet her before I deal with Vanessa.”

“Marie-Paul is a wonderful woman,” Clelia said. “I’ve known her all my life. She’s good at her job. You don’t have to worry.”

“I appreciate that,” Lann said. “What has Richardson been up to during the last few hours?”

“He returned to the States,” Maya said. “He hasn’t tried to contact Kat, but he did try to track her number.”

“Did you send him off course?” Lann asked.

“Of course. He thinks she’s still in Paris.”

The intercom for the property gates buzzed. Joss pressed his finger on the dial. “Yes?”

“Marie-Paul.”

“Come on in.” He pressed the button to open the gates.

“I’ll go meet her,” Clelia said.

Lann only nodded tightly.

The midwife was a woman with weathered skin and stooped shoulders. Her gray hair was thin, and her body seemed fragile, yet her grip was strong when she shook Lann’s hand in the lounge where he and Katherine waited. Her brown eyes were lively and observant as they swept from Lann to Kat.

Of course, they’d checked her out to made sure she was safe and trustworthy, but Lann always trusted his gut. The Breton woman seemed like someone who could guard secrets.

After they’d taken a seat in a sunny spot of the lounge, Marie-Paul turned to Katherine. “You have a lot to learn. First, we’ll do some exercises that will teach your husband to help relax you, and to assist you when the time of birth comes. Then we’ll start preparing you mentally. All of what you’re going to do is completely natural. Knowing what to expect will make it easier. We’ll do some acupuncture to let you get accustomed. I’ll use it to ease the birth pains.”

Lann was taken aback. He hadn’t expected the old lady to be quite so holistic, maybe even modern, in her approach.

He took Katherine’s hand and asked respectfully, “For how long have you been doing this?”

She chuckled. “All of my life. I started when I was sixteen, assisting my mother. I’ve been catching babies for sixty-four years.” She patted his hand. “You don’t have to worry.”

Katherine cleared her throat. “Madame, you know this is not a normal baby, right?”

Marie-Paul gave a solemn nod. “Please, call me Marie. That’s what all the villagers call me. And yes, Joss told me about the baby.”

“So you know what to expect?” Katherine asked pointedly.

“Yes.” Marie met Katherine’s eyes. “You will die.”

Lann’s chest constricted. His ribcage became too small for his heart. Breathing hurt. The movement of air around Katherine stilled to a soft vibration, as if her lifeforce was already declining.

He stroked his thumb over Katherine’s palm and said in a hard voice, “Maybe it isn’t necessary to be quite so direct.”

Marie turned her wise gaze on him. “Oh, quite the contrary. It’s very much needed. The more you both face it now, the easier it will be to handle reality when the time comes.” She reached across the coffee table and took Katherine’s other hand. Her expression was gentle. “I’m not only going to prepare you for the birth, but also for your departure from this world, and for setting both your husband and your child free when you do so, but more importantly yourself.”