The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 5)

There was no real consensus. Talk had centered around taking it back to Micah’s realm, but, in the end, it stayed locked in the vault. If anyone asked Carrick, though, he’d have to be truthful and admit he had been thinking nonstop about how to use it to grant Finley immortality.

It’s what he was pondering now as he looked out the window. He thought about it so much that he was becoming a bit obsessed.

The phone on his desk chimed once, breaking him out of his thoughts, and a woman’s voice came over the intercom, “Mr. Byrne… Miss Porter is here to see you.”

Smiling, Carrick turned his chair back to his desk. He pushed the button to respond. “Send her back. Also, will you please tell Miss Porter she doesn’t need permission to come to my office?”

The receptionist laughed. “I’ve tried time and time again, but she’s stubborn that one. Insists on ringing you each time.”

In the background, he heard Finley join the conversation. “That’s because Miss Porter is, above all else, polite.”

Carrick laughed and disconnected the call, rising from his desk chair and moving to his office door. When Finley turned the knob and pushed it open, he snatched her arm and pulled her in fast. She yipped and then went silent as he kissed her hard.

Letting her up for air, she looked a bit dazed when she asked, “Now that’s a greeting.”

And to his relief, she moved into him and kissed him back.

For several days after Zora’s death, Finley had been lost to him. She hadn’t completely curled into herself, but she was pretty mired in her grief.

But his woman is strong.

Slowly, she started to rise from those depressive depths.

And as Carrick talked to her over and over about what happened, she even came to have such respect and admiration for her twin that she was able to focus on what a hero Zora had been to the world. That was the first time Finley had smiled after Zora died.

Now her smiles were easier, her kisses more frequent, and she was getting out of the condo and moving on with life. Her scars were still there but they were healing, and he’d be there every step of the way to help make them disappear.

“You ready to go?” Finley asked.

“Ready and willing,” Carrick replied, moving from her to grab his suit jacket. She was out shopping with Rainey today and had been dropped off to ride home with him. “Want to go grab an early dinner somewhere?”

“It’s five o’clock, grandpa,” she teased, and it made Carrick’s heart happier.

That she was teasing.

“But no,” she continued. “Zaid is making some famous feta and tomato pasta that he got off a viral video that was going around.”

“He is a master in the kitchen, so let’s go see how it tastes.”

Carrick then took Finley’s hand and led her out of the office.

* * *

Zaid had outdone himself with dinner, but that was no surprise. Carrick would always want Zaid to be a part of his life, his cooking not being the most important thing about him.

But it was important.

As usual, the kitchen nook table was ignored, and the formal dining table was eschewed in favor of their favorite spot.

The kitchen island.

It was feeling bigger these days with fewer people sitting around it. Maddox was off doing god knows what and to god knows whom. Carrick had tried to talk to him about Zora, but Maddox blew it off. He appeared more concerned about Finley’s grief and held himself out like he was fine.

But Carrick knew his brother better than that.

Boral was a sad spot left open, and Rainey and Myles were off doing their husband-and-wife thing.

It was just the core family now—Carrick, Zaid, and Finley.

When the last bite was finished, Zaid popped up to clear the dishes, but Finley shooed him back down. “Let me,” she said, grabbing the plate from in front of him. “You sit and relax.”

“I don’t know how to relax,” Zaid grumbled, but a look from Carrick quelled him. He needed to let Finley do normal things and not be waited on. She needed to be productive.

Zaid pivoted with a tip of his head. “By all means, you can clean the kitchen. But I’d like to talk to you about something first.”

Finley’s expression slackened in concern, and she set his plate back down before taking her stool again.

Zaid had the oddest expression on his face, almost a shyness if Carrick were to put an emotion to it. His gaze dipped for a moment before meeting hers. “I decided to take your advice.”

“And what advice is that?” Finley asked, but Carrick could tell by her voice she knew exactly what Zaid was talking about.

Carrick had no clue as Finley didn’t tell him all her secrets.

“I’m going to find my mother in Faere,” he explained, then looked to Carrick sheepishly. “That is if Carrick will take me there.”