Where she goes from here
The three of us entered the Chicago city limits and were still about 20 minutes from Harry's castle that he'd acquired (reacquired?) from Marcone. Maggie still hadn't let go of my hand, and Mouse had started to nap in the back seat.
I never imagined I'd have the trust of that temple mutt, I thought, looking in my rearview mirror. Then again, I never imagined I'd take up a holy coin and go to battle against a Denarian to protect a human child.
Looking down at Maggie, I saw peace in her eyes that hadn't been present an hour ago. She sighed and looked at the road ahead. Panic still left its scars on her heart. Hell, at this point, I imagined Maggie had a lifetime's worth of emotional scar tissue in her chest. But as long as she clutched that hand, it seemed like she'd be alright. She was like her father, enduring one fight after the next while learning how to live in the spaces between each conflict.
What a rough way to live, I thought. I wish I could spend some ungodly sum of money and take that fate from her. But she's the daughter of Dresden. It's the path she walks not by choice but by birthright.
For the first time on the ride home, Maggie spoke up and asked, "So what happens now?"
I cleared my throat, having not expected her to say anything before I handed her back to Harry.
"I take you back to Harry, and you. . . probably get whatever you want for dinner. Then I imagine you'll be homeschooled from this point on," I said.
Mouse was snoring now in my backseat. I could hear the dog over the noise of the roaring traffic. But snoring was preferable to shitting. Given that fugly Beetle Mouse used to ride in with Harry, he probably recognized a nice car when he sat in one.
"What will you do now?" Maggie asked.
I shrugged and said, "Probably go home and take a very long bath."
Maggie looked out the window, and the car fell silent again. But once more, she broke the silence.
"You know. . . we have baths in the castle, really nice ones," Maggie said.
"That's good. I'm sure you could use a nice soak after today," I said, keeping my eyes forward.
And while I expected the car to fall silent again, Maggie didn't let it.
"I don't want you to leave," she said, looking at me again, her grip on my hand tightening.
I tensed and looked over at her. She gave me a gaze that I suspect was reserved for folks whose names ended in either "Dresden" or "Carpenter." Not "Raith."
"I don't want to intrude on your father's evening. I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you safe and sound," I said.
"Stay for dinner. I'll ask him to order whatever you want. I promise I won't let him try to cook for you," Maggie said, squeezing my hand even tighter.
Further tensing my shoulder, I looked at her desperate face and tried to figure out what made her so insistent.
"Maggie, you won't need me to protect you in the castle. I'm sure your father has that place warded to Kingdom Come by now," I said, immediately sensing that wasn't what the young Dresden wanted to hear.
My phone buzzed, and Maggie grabbed it from the cupholder.
"It's your sister," she said.
"I'll text her back later," I said.
Mouse sneezed in his sleep, scratched up my rear passenger seat a little, and rolled over before snoring again.
"He's an exciting sleeper," I sighed, looking in the rearview mirror again.
"Try sharing a bed with him," Maggie said, and we both laughed for the first time in hours. Maybe days for me. And it wasn't an immediate laugh. Maggie's snarky comment just penetrated my exhausted emotional defenses in a way I didn't expect, and I giggled a little. Then Maggie snorted. Before long, we were laughing so loud that Mouse woke up to see what all the excitement was about.
While Maggie patted his head, she got a little more direct with her conversation and what she wanted from me.
"Dad told me after dinner that I could ask for anything, and you'd probably move Heaven and Earth to give it to me," she said with sudden confidence I hadn't expected from her.
This wasn't the same girl who'd been taken to be executed at Chichén Itzá. Somewhere between her dad dying and today, Maggie had grown an inch and learned to stand tall now and again. I suppose now was one of those moments. Lucky me.
"He told you that, did he?" I said, fighting to roll my eyes. It sounded exactly like something Harry would say because he knew I saw a young Thomas when I looked at Maggie. And he was slowly teaching her to milk that for all it was worth.
"That wizard has a way of trying my patience," I said, gripping the steering wheel tighter with my other hand.
Maggie giggled at that.
"I think you must like him some, Lara. You wouldn't have rushed to protect me today otherwise," she said. And then she made the car emotionally uncomfortable by squeezing my hand even tighter and saying, "Thank you for saving me."
I did everything I could to avoid staring into her eyes full of gratitude and sighed, losing the battle. Looking back at the young Latina sitting in the seat next to me, I just nodded. And after some more quiet seconds, I added, "I came to help today because of you, not Harry. And Mouse did most of the work."
Mouse touched his nose to my elbow as if to say, "Cut the bullshit. We're not buying it."
Doubling down on having an emotional moment, Maggie said, "I know you've had to spend centuries being a fierce and indestructible White Court vampire, but one of the reasons I want you to stay with us is so you can finally put that burden down and have space to rest."
Who is this girl with the emotional wisdom of an enlightened sage? I thought. She did not get this from Harry.
"I'm not sure I can–" I was cut off by my step-daughter, something I didn't know she was capable of.
"I'd feel much safer with you and Mouse with me. Besides, if dad is going to homeschool me as you say, I'd rather you teach me than him," she said. "I love my dad, but I don't think he exactly got a chance to finish high school."
"I hardly have a degree in education myself, you know?" I said as we turned into the neighborhood with Harry's castle.
As we came to a stop outside the large structure, Maggie moved her face closer to mine and said, "I'm not going in until you agree. You're not the same person you were when Harry met you, Lara. And while I don't know to the full extent what's changing inside of you, I do think living in the castle with me and dad will help facilitate it. Just try it for a week and see."
I'd once negotiated my way into two corporate mergers on the same day. I'd convinced heads of state to sign treaties they all knew were to their disadvantage. And here I was, outmaneuvered by a girl. . . and her dog.
"A weekend," I said.
"A week," Maggie said. Then she started to tear up. "I know I'll probably never get the chance to see my mom again. And what few memories I have of her are bundled in trauma and fog. You'll never replace her. . . but if someone was going to try and fill her role, even a little bit. . . I'd want it to be you.
Now a solitary tear escaped my emotional defenses and slid down the cheek faking Maggie. She continued, "So please, just for a little while, try and put aside Lara the vampire. Be here with me, Mouse, and Dad as Lara the protector, the teacher, the person that'll help try and fill one of the many holes I have in my life."
And what else could I say to such a plea? I took off my seat belt and pulled the crying child in for a hug, the first honest-to-god hug I'd given in decades.
Dammit. Harry was right. I would move Heaven and Earth to give this girl anything she asked for. I thought. What the fuck is happening to me?
Maggie sat there crying for another few minutes, and at some point, I sensed her outpouring of emotion shift from begging me to stay to all the pent-up fear and trauma she'd endured at school today during the Denarian attack. So I held her a little tighter.
"Okay, child. You win. I'll stay," I said. "I don't know how well I'll do at all those things you mentioned. . . but I'll try."
A few minutes later, a confused Harry Dresden was holding a sobbing Maggie as I stood behind her with Mouse at my side.
She did her best to relay what'd happened, and Harry did his best to remain calm. After about 15 minutes, he had Maggie in a hot tub soaking with Mouse by her side, as she tried to scrub the blood and dust off.
Without a word, Harry motioned for me to follow him, and we wound up in a private dining area that was bigger than two bedrooms put together. In the center was a regal-looking pinewood table draped with a red tablecloth Harry had already managed to stain. I imagined this was where he, Mouse, and Maggie ate their meals together.
A chandelier above us provided a surprising amount of light as Harry walked across a hardwood floor over to a corner where he'd plugged in the tackiest little monkey fridge.
He walked over to the table I took a seat at and put a can of Coke in front of me.
"Got anything stronger?" I asked, wearily.
"No wine here, I'm afraid. Marcone took all the good liquor with him. I think there's still a can of Mac's brew in the back of the fridge," he said. "You drink beer, Lara?"
"I'll drink anything right now," I said, closing my eyes and putting my face in my hands.
Harry nodded and came back with Mac's last beer in his fridge. The man had raved about Mac's brews and steak sandwiches for years. Guess it was good to know I was worth him handing over the last one to me.
I cracked open the can and took a — there was no better word to call it than guzzle. The taste of bitter citrus and hops filled my mouth, and it was one of the better tastes of today.
We sat quietly while I finished the beer and sighed in relief. I wanted about 12 more.
"Lara, there aren't any words to thank you for what you did today," Harry said.
"Mouse and a Knight of the Cross did most of the work, Harry," I said, not looking at him.
Harry grinned at that.
"Faux humility doesn't look good on you, Lara. You saved my daughter from a fucking Denarian," he said, his tone turning angry.
I looked at the man now, his eyes full of a rage that ran deeper than any river. I'd once heard of a lake in Oregon that ran 2,000 feet deep. It was the result of a collapsed volcano. And the hate I saw in Harry's eyes could probably fill two of three of them, which sent a shiver down my spine.
That was a Harry I'd thrown at an enemy now and again to make them disappear. It was the Winter Knight, the predator, the man who wouldn't just get even. He'd break the whole goddamn set of scales tipping them in his direction.
"There's a prison cell on the island next to Ethniu with Rosanna's name on it," he growled, crumbling his empty can of Coke.
I didn't want to interrupt his plans for revenge, so I just sat quietly until Harry stewed and calmed back down.
When he was calm once more, Harry got a second can of Coke and looked at me with an analytical eye.
"You're not the same as you were when we had dinner, Lara," he said. "Something has changed on an inner level for you. I feel the same type of presence or energy from you that I experience when Butters or Sanya is near."
So I sighed and said, "Ran into a friend of yours. I believe you call him Mr. Sunshine. He offered me a coin. I wasn't going to take it until I needed its power to save Maggie."
Harry smiled at that.
"You sought out a greater power to rescue my daughter? Welcome to the club," Harry said. And I smiled at that, unable to stop.
After a beat, he said, "Uriel's kinda shorter than I expected an archangel to be."
I flashed a grin at my fiance and said, "He really is, isn't he?"
Then silence pulled up a chair and sat at the table with us. Neither knew what to say next.
"Maggie tells me she asked you to move into the castle," Harry finally said, clearing his throat. This was an awkward topic for him to broach. I was having flashbacks to the other night of us in Burger King discussing trust. God that seemed like an eternity ago.
"I told your daughter I'd try it for a week. . . with your approval of course," I said, getting up, walking over to the fridge, and getting my own Coke. Harry's last Coke.
The wizard looked at my bruises and battle wounds before saying, "You're not the only one who Maggie has wrapped around her thumb. If she wants you to stay, there's nothing I'm going to do to stop that. I swear she gets that from her mother. Susan had this swarthy charm she could use to get damn near anything she wanted out of me, Harry said laughing.
I smiled and took a moment to appreciate the softer expression from this battle-hardened wizard. When he talked about his former love, there was a deep nostalgia and pain there. And I knew that pain would remain even if we got married and stayed together for 200 more years.
But that marriage. . . was months away. And I'd learned in the last 48 hours to take anything associated with Maggie and Harry day-by-day. It was the only speed at which they knew how to live. And if I was going to be part of their lives, I'd have to adjust to that speed as well.
"Well, you'll have your pick of 16 different suites to stay in. I don't exactly have any wait staff as you do at Raith Manor. Food and everything else is self serve. Hope that's okay," he said, trying to cover his previous emotional reveal with that chummy Harry guise he carried everywhere else.
"Engaged and living together in less than two weeks. I wonder if your queen could have foreseen that," I said, taking a sip of my Coke.
Harry just shrugged.
"I try to avoid guessing at her predictions. Too much of a headache trying to peek at her chessboard," he said, drinking his Coke. "What will you do now?"
That was becoming the question of the day.
"I guess I'll inform my sisters there's been a change of plans. The Beacon of Light keeps my inner demon bound and growing constantly weaker. I won't be able to keep my father in line anymore. I'll have to have one of my sisters do that," I said, sighing.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"You think Elisa will go for that? Or Natalia?" Harry asked.
I nodded slowly.
"I'll offer to split the head of the court position three ways with them, an equal partnership," I said, taking another sip of my soda.
Harry slowly said, "Then you'll. . . move in here." He loosened his collar with his finger as he said this, and I wanted to press and make him even more uncomfortable. But I showed mercy. New me, apparently.
My fiance cleared his throat and said, "Lara. . . our relationship has been a roller coaster. Frenemies to fiances to wherever the hell we are now."
"You should be a poet, my beloved."
Harry did his best to ignore that and continued, "I was more than apprehensive when the boss made this marriage between us. I think we both were. But so much has happened in the last couple of days, and after this morning, with you risking everything to save Maggie. . . I'm starting to feel like you wouldn't be the worst person in the world to put a ring on my finger."
I made a grand gesture of swooning and said, "My darling, that's just what every woman wants to hear."
Harry chuckled nervously and said, "Hey, cut a guy some slack. I don't. . . have these kinds of talks with many women."
The wizard had opened his heart to say all that gibberish, so I sighed and spoke my thoughts as well, "I'd be lying if I said you hadn't always intrigued me on some level, wizard. But, knowing the real you, your weaknesses, your family, what you stand for, well it's enough to make a girl think. . . think that I could certainly do a lot worse than ending up married to a titan slayer and Maggie protector."
Harry laughed and said, "I have no idea how on Earth she got so attached to you, Lara. She was downright terrified before dinner started. And now, I don't think she can picture her life without you in it in some capacity going forward. She saw your heart as you took beating after beating from that Denarian, all in the name of saving her. And Maggie has this thing where. . . when she knows someone values her highly, she clings to them. I think there's a magic in the bond you two have forged, even if it was unintentional. And I think that's a good thing."
I stopped, unsure of how to match such an emotional output of honesty and affection from a man I once viewed as a tornado in a jar.
"I. . . don't have the words to describe my feelings toward Maggie. But I'd kill to keep her safe. I'd drown anyone in an ocean of blood if they hurt her in any way."
Harry nodded, and then slowly asked, "Do. . . you have words to describe your feelings toward me?"
Points to the wizard for having the guts to ask such a pointed question, I thought.
Taking a deep breath, I said, "I think we're beyond trust at this point. I. . . care about you, Harry. I care about your daughter. I might even care about your dog. I don't think I'm ready to call it love, but my feet might be on that path, wizard."
Harry nodded and said, "That's a good way to describe how I feel as well, on the path."
I held up my can of Coke and said, "Here's to moving beyond trust, then. To. . . wherever the hell we end up."
Smiling and clanking his can against mine, Harry said, "To wherever the hell we end up."
We finished our drinks, and Harry said, "I'm sure my other daughter will come to like you as well."
I nearly fell out of my seat and said, "Your what?!"
