Smoke and Ashes: Dream Walker, #4

By Michelle Miles

Anna begins her quest for the Holy Grail, the most sacred of the Holy Relics promising eternal life.

 

★★★★★ "This is a fast-paced, action-filled series, populated by fully fleshed characters, that offers interesting concepts, and it is entertaining and satisfying as your favourite fantasy adventure movie." ~ Reader Review

 

But as with all divine pursuits, nothing is ever easy for her. Lucifer has a score to settle with her and sends every weapon in his malevolent arsenal to impede her. He demands Anna hand over the Relics, including the grail cup, if she wants her adopted mother to live. To make matters worse, vampiric religious zealots track Anna down insisting she return their property.

 

As if that's going to happen.

 

With enemies old and new hot on her trail, she must place her faith in Kincade, the one and only person who can keep her out of the dark lord's hands. Kincade must use every power within him to keep her soul from Lucifer's control. He enlists the help of an unlikely ally—a dream walker with the gift of foresight and divine power.

 

But will it be enough to keep Anna alive or will she be lost to him forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dusty Tome Publishing
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201213152

Michelle Miles

Michelle Miles believes in fairy tales, true love and magic. She writes heart-stopping urban fantasy, epic fantasy and paranormal romance with an action/adventure twist that will leave you breathless. She is the author of numerous series that includes everything from angels and demons to fairies, dragons and elves. She is married with one son and a black cat named Sir Dexter. A native Texan, in her spare time she loves reading, listening to music, watching movies, cross-stitching, drinking wine and taking pictures of her cat. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Goodreads. Your Adventure Awaits

Book preview

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Prologue

Royal Palace of Madrid, Spain, mid-January 2039 A.D.

Iam not a particularly elegant person. I’m a mess on a good day. I’ve walked around in clothes soaked in black demon blood smelling like a sewer and looking like something the cat dragged in off the back porch. I’ve had blood crusted under my fingernails and never blinked an eyelash. I’ve been to Hell and back—literally. I’ve killed more demons with my jade-handled dagger than I can count.

The fact I was at a glitzy gala in Spain dressed in an elegant ball gown and upper length satin gloves with my black hair done in a fancy chignon and makeup on my face, well, it made me question a lot of things about my life.

Kincade stood to my right. He was decked out in an expensive tuxedo complete with a perfectly tied bowtie. I was trying super hard not to admire how good he smelled or how hot he looked. His black Ferragamo shoes were polished to a high shine. His black pants were pressed with a perfect crease down the front of each leg. The sides hosted a shiny pinstripe in glossy black. His waist coat had tails, for crying out loud. His white shirt was neatly starched. He even had silver cufflinks.

And he was clean shaven.

No, I did not want to notice how hot he looked.

Or how hard my heart pounded as I stood next to him. I was thankful the gloves covered my hands because my palms broke into a sweat. I resisted the urge to rip them off and toss them to the floor, ruin my impeccably coifed hair and run screaming from the royal palace.

The diamond and emerald necklace around my neck weighed heavily on my chest. I tried to ignore it. That and the cold-hot perspiration beading the back of my neck. Matching chandelier earrings completed the ensemble. I could not remember the last time I wore so much jewelry, much less something worth more than my first car.

Pretty sure I was going to be in debt forever for how much this get-up cost.

The ball gown I wore had a hefty price tag. But I had to admit it was stunning. The skirt sparkled with what seemed like millions of emerald Swarovski crystals winking in the light as I moved. Tiny handmade appliqué roses dotted around the waist then swept up the tight-fitting bodice making a lovely lattice across my bosom.

It was strapless, which I hated. But thankfully I had dark green gloves that went all the way past my elbows. I strapped my jade-handled dagger to my left thigh. A lot of good it would do me, though. I’d have to dig through miles of skirt to get to it. But I’d learned to never leave home without my weapon. Though I had the ability to hide it in the cloud, it gave me comfort to have it on my person.

As a backup, I had my uncle’s sword hidden in the cloud. I could draw it down if I needed it. I didn’t bother to tell Kincade I was armed, even though he was. The tell-tale bulge of his demon-killing gun was at the small of his back.

I took a deep breath as I looked out at the ballroom with all the beautiful rich people and tried not to feel like an utter fraud.

Kincade’s overbearing presence helped.

I feel ridiculous.

I shifted from one foot to the other. The list of times I’d worn a dress this fancy was zero and never. I pushed a tendril of hair off my forehead, the three-inch wide diamond and emerald bracelet on my right wrist glittering in the light of the overhead chandelier.

He leaned close to me, his heated breath whispering over my exposed ear as he spoke. You look magnificent. Stop fidgeting.

My cheeks warmed. The blush crept up from the depths of my soul. Kincade was not one to hand out compliments, so I was flattered.

Thanks, I muttered.

I wanted to tell him how wonderful he looked but everything sounded so ridiculous and silly. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words aloud.

He held out his elbow to me. I glanced up, saw a twinkle in those green-gold eyes that threatened to buckle my knees.

Are you ready? He punctuated that with a cocky grin.

It was in that moment I knew my feelings for Kincade went beyond anything I ever had for anyone before. My heart fluttered. My stomach bottomed out. Heat flashed through my entire body as I slipped my satin-encased hand on his tuxedoed arm.

As I’ll ever be.

But, deep down, I wasn’t.

Into the fire we go.

He wasn’t wrong about that. It certainly seemed like we headed into a fire pit. He took the first step into the room, pulling me with him. And for a moment, I thought I might hurl.

Instead, I took the steps with him, my slippered feet silent on the floor. He propelled us into the room, melding with the other guests as though we were meant for that place. But we both knew better.

On one side of the enormous room, a small six-piece orchestra played a familiar classical tune. After the dancing, all would enter the even larger banquet hall for dinner where a long table was set for sixty guests. Everyone was dressed in their best most expensive attire. The King of Spain’s Sixtieth Birthday Gala was a high-class formal event that included royals and heads of state from other counties, as well as some of the wealthiest and elite in Spain. I did not belong here.

But Kincade and I weren’t there to dance the night away and moon over each other. We were on a mission to recover the Holy Grail, which was the latest relic in our quest for the remaining Holy Relics. We’d started searching in Valencia, but that didn’t exactly pan out.

I needed to find the Grail because it was the one thing that could save the woman I called mother for the first thirteen years of my life. I thought of Grace lying in a coma back in Walker Manor. It was hard to ignore the worry gnawing at me as we melted into the crowd. Knowing Darius, the warrior angel, stood vigil over her gave me comfort.

Kincade said nothing as he stepped onto the dance floor. I sucked in a sharp breath through my nose.

Are you crazy? I said it through gritted teeth. I don’t know how to dance.

Just follow my lead.

With his catlike movements, he took me into his arms. He planted one hand firmly at my waist. I tried hard to ignore his heated palm through the material of the gown.

Hand on my shoulder, Anna. His voice was low so no one else heard.

I flushed hot again as I reached up and placed my left hand on his broad shoulder. He pulled me close and I was thankful for the wide skirt to give space between us. The pulse in my neck pounded so hard, I was sure he saw it. He held my right hand in his left and then we were on the dance floor, my eyes plastered on his feet.

Chin up, he said. Or everyone will know.

I tilted my head and met his gaze. Something twisted deep in my gut. I understood why dancing was so intimate and how a woman could easily get swept off her feet. I suddenly felt all swoony in Kincade’s arms as he moved me at will around the dance floor. I stumbled over every other step.

You really are bad at this, Anna.

A hint of a smile flickered over his face.

And you’re perfect, I blurted. Oh, hell. Where did that come from? I hoped he took it as sarcasm.

He raised an eyebrow. I do try.

You’re also cocky.

And you’re maddening, he retorted.

Still, he had that little smile. His gaze flickered to my lips. Panic welled inside me as my heart fluttered. I was all too familiar with that look. He lifted his eyes again to mine. Even so, desire flashed through me so hot, I wanted to faint.

The way he regarded me, the way he held me as we danced, the way he looked in that five-thousand-dollar tuxedo made me wish and wish hard he would kiss me.

And I hated myself for that.

I did my best to resist him. To ignore the growing feelings I had for him as we gallivanted across the globe searching for these Holy Relics. He had my back. I had his. He saved my life. I saved his. He was there for me at every tragic moment these last few months. He was my guardian. The one man I fully trusted with my life.

No, I did not want to acknowledge these amorous feelings bubbling deep inside me.

He pulled the hand he held close to him, clutching it against his chest. The wild pounding of his heart nearly did me in.

Fuck all.

Anna… He said my name on a breath.

Yes? I whispered.

His gaze dropped again to my lips. And I wanted to shout for him to do it already.

His head dipped. I was ready. His mouth was close to mine. So close.

And then, all hell broke loose.

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Chapter 1

Somerset, England, Early January 2039 A.D.

Ihave a crush on Kincade.

I lifted my pen and stared at the words I’d written. My heart beat a wild, chaotic beat. Thinking it was one thing. Putting it down on paper was quite something else. Like it made it real.

I didn’t want to have a crush on Kincade any more than I wanted to admit it. But there it was. Written by my own hand.

Being in the same house with him is a challenge. Avoiding him has become more and more difficult. Ophelia is determined to push us together almost as much as my uncle was determined to push us together. It’s not like we have a future together. He’s a Watcher and I’m—

I stopped writing again.

He was a Watcher. Divine. Immortal.

I was a dream walker. Divine. With the Godlight. Immortal?

My uncle once told me we—as dream walkers—lived longer and didn’t age as quickly as others. Who the others were to which he referred I didn’t know. Other humans, perhaps.

I closed the leather-bound journal with unnecessary force, squelching the impulse to rip out the pages I wrote. I didn’t want to deface the journal Grace, my adopted mother, gave me for Christmas. That seemed like sacrilege. I shoved aside the book and flopped onto my back on the bed. I stared at the ceiling trying to decide what to do about Kincade.

Honestly, there was nothing to do about Kincade. He was tall, broad shouldered with these mesmerizing green-gold eyes and short-cropped sandy hair. He had this annoying internal lie-detector, so he always knew when I lied. He also had dream walking abilities and this really freaky way of moving so fast he was nothing but a blur. He wasn’t the touchy-feely type, but he still made me want to swoon. He’d changed Azriel’s demon-tracking butterfly tattoo on my left shoulder into gorgeous angel wings to eradicate the fallen angel’s ability to track me.

He had been a general in the Brotherhood of Watchers. They were once guardians of the Knights Templar. They fought against Lucifer’s spreading evil darkness, protecting them and their holy relics until their bloody massacre in the late thirteenth-century in Acre, Israel. He gave up his place for me, though he never gave the admission. We had a common enemy—Azriel, the fallen angel and high lord in Lucifer’s army of darkness. We both wanted him dead.

As I thought of Kincade, I fingered the angel pendant he’d given me. A belated birthday present he picked up in Jerusalem. We recovered the Staff of Moses in that city in an underground chamber known as the Holy of Holies under Temple Mount.

That seemed like ages ago. In truth, it was a few weeks ago.

The last few weeks of the previous year had been a nightmare. My uncle died. I discovered I had the Godlight, which made me divine. I learned the truth about Kincade—that he was in Acre in 1291 and had confronted and killed my ancestor, Ezra. The one who betrayed the dream walkers and used the Holy Relics as weapons to terrorize the world.

I pressed my hands against my closed eyes, trying to push thoughts of Kincade out of my head. It was impossible, though. He was deep in my mind. Deep under my skin.

Damn him.

I rolled off the bed to my feet and stood, looking toward the balcony door. A shiver ran up my spine as the cold skittered up my bare legs. Flannel shorts and an oversized long-sleeved shirt was my favorite sleepwear of late. I padded toward the balcony door and pulled it open. Cold air and morning gray skies greeted me. At least it wasn’t raining.

I clutched my elbows against the chill. Maybe I could freeze Kincade out of my mind.

Who was I kidding? I wasn’t getting him out of my mind. Or out of my life.

With a sigh, I shut the door. As I turned, the sight of a winged man in my room startled me. I yelped surprise, my heart pumping fast. Taking a deep breath and squeezing my eyes shut, I pressed my hand against my chest.

I wish you angels would learn to knock.

Sorry, dearie.

I froze. My eyes flew open as I stared at the angel in my room. His silvery wings were threaded with gold and spread behind him in a brilliant display. He was simply dressed in dark pants and a matching button-down shirt. He peered at me with familiar dark blue eyes. My knees buckled as sudden tears clotted in my throat. I fell to the floor, my cold fingers pressing against my lips.

Is it you?

He reached for me, placing his hand on top of my head. They call me Cashiel now. My Seraphim name.

A Seraphim. My uncle, Edward, died and became a Seraphim.

I suppose I wasn’t surprised because Edward, after all, was connected to everything and everyone, angelic or otherwise.

Rise and let me gaze upon your face.

I got to my feet and, without thinking, I hugged him hard, fighting back hot tears of joy. He barely hesitated before he reciprocated the embrace. After a long moment, he pulled back and held me at arm’s length, looking me over with those familiar blue eyes, contemplation creasing his face. I shifted from one foot to the other, self-conscious.

Well? Do I pass inspection? I asked.

A smile tipped the corner of his mouth. You look tired. Have you been sleeping?

The truth was, I hadn’t. Since the whole ordeal in Acre and Jerusalem, I had sleepless nights. For the last few weeks, I’d dreamed of my mother. My biological mother. I had no explanation for that other than Edward’s final words in his letter still haunted me. I memorized them and thought of them often.

You were right about Natasha. I believe there is a good chance she is your mother. My dearest sister. Find her. Help her.

I spent most of my days avoiding Kincade like he carried a communicable disease. Aside from that, I had constant worry about the next relic and how I was going to find it. The last postcard I received was for Valencia, Spain and the Holy Grail.

The relics I’d already recovered—the Horn of Gabriel, the Spear of Destiny, the Staff of Moses—currently resided in the library vault. Hidden away from prying Fallen eyes. Kept safe from the outside world for when I needed them. Whenever that was.

I’m great, I lied.

He pressed his lips together in that all too familiar expression. That one that said I was lying, and he didn’t like it. It gave me an odd sense of comfort. At least that part of my uncle wasn’t gone forever.

I’m glad you’re here, I said before he chastised me. And that you’re… I paused, trying to choose my words.

I’m Seraphim? he asked.

I grinned. Yes, actually.

I was getting used to the idea of being looked after by a higher power. Joachim was a messenger angel I hadn’t seen in a while, which was fine by me. He was the one who started me on this quest for the Holy Relics to begin with. Then there was Darius, the warrior angel. I managed to save him from the demon poison destroying him with the Staff of Moses, something for which Ophelia was eternally grateful. Even though she hadn’t told me, I was aware she had deep feelings for the angel. And who could blame her? Darius was hot.

And then, finally, Sariel. As an archangel, he popped up quite a bit in my life. I never figured out why, but I wasn’t one to complain.

Uncle—

I’m not. Not really. I’m something else entirely.

I pondered that a minute. I suppose you’re right, but you’ll always be my uncle.

Fair enough. He gave a nod of his head as though in agreement to my stubbornness.

There’s something I need to know. Something that happened to me when you… My words drifted off. I bit my lower lip. Having him here was almost as though he hadn’t died. Almost as though I got him back in my life, even though my rational mind understood I hadn’t.

Died?

I blew out a breath. Yes.

It’s still hard for you to accept.

It was not a question, but I nodded as though it were. Hot tears pricked my eyes. I blinked them back at a furious rate to keep them from falling. I pressed cold fingertips against my lips.

I miss you.

It was an admission I never thought I’d have. His face softened as a small smile creased his lips. I’m still a part of you.

Sariel said something similar to me the day Edward died. That he lived on in me. It brought me back to my question.

When I…when you… I had trouble saying it out loud. Almost as though putting words to it again would bring back that horrible day. That day I pierced his heart with my dagger.

When I died, he said.

Yes. There was…a light. I don’t remember much after that because it knocked me unconscious.

He nodded. My power transferred to you.

I blinked, staring at him as though he’d grown a second set of wings. Huh?

When you pierced my heart with the dagger, it eradicated the demon poison. The power residing inside me was released. That was the punch of light you felt when you were knocked unconscious.

I continued to stare at him. I wasn’t sure how to take that. Was that why I was able to understand and speak Hebrew? Because he could speak the language? All his knowledge and power came into me? And if I possessed his knowledge and power, then…what did that make me? I sank to the edge of the bed, clutching my elbows, shivering.

This is a lot for you to take in, he said. But please understand, Anna, there was no time to tell you. I didn’t know myself until afterward.

Afterward…? When he went to the afterlife? When he was resurrected as the angel, Cashiel? How did that work? On second thought, maybe I didn’t want to know. Less information was better.

Why?

I wasn’t even sure what I was asking. Why what? Why did I get his power? Did he have to die for me to receive his power? Why me?

Because you are extraordinary, Anna. I would have thought by now you understood that.

I scoffed. There is nothing special about me.

"I think you understand, deep down, you are special, he insisted. You’ve been denying it far too long. Accept you are the one to lead mankind out of darkness."

Yeah, no pressure or anything. I pressed my lips together in a thin line. Despite everyone cheering me on from the sidelines, I still felt like a fraud.

You can do this.

That’s what everyone keeps saying.

And everyone is right. Kincade, too.

To my chagrin, I blushed to the roots of my hair upon hearing his name. Still trying to push us together, uncle?

He lifted an eyebrow at calling him uncle.

I sighed. It will take some getting used to calling you Cashiel.

I understand, of course. He nodded as though punctuating the thought. Your next quest is the Holy Grail.

A tingling of fear skittered up my spine. Yes.

You have doubts.

Yes, I said again and nodded.

Only those who are worthy will find the Grail. Only the divine will retrieve it. His piercing gaze bored into me. As if to say I was both worthy and divine.

When I retrieved the Staff of Moses in the Holy of Holies, only the divine were allowed to enter the chamber. Even Kincade wasn’t allowed in.

Should I remind you of the Godlight inside you?

No, you should not.

His last words echoed back to me yet again. Be the light of the world, Anna.

I frowned. And he wondered why I wasn’t sleeping.

You are afraid, but you have no reason to be. Remember that, dearie. Now, I must take my leave of you. He extended a hand to me. I took it. His fingers wrapped around mine and squeezed. Be strong, Anna. You can defeat this evil spreading through the land. And you will.

I wish I had his confidence.

Before I formed a response, he was gone, leaving my empty hand hanging alone in the air.

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Chapter 2

After my uncle, now Cashiel, left, I sat on the edge of the bed as gooseflesh skittered up my bare arms and legs. I shivered as the chill pressed through me. I glanced toward the balcony door to make sure it was closed. It was. Perhaps the chill I experienced was finding out the truth about that punch of light that knocked me out when my uncle died.

I had his power.

What did that mean, though? What power? How much power? He taught me the secret of drawing down and hiding weapons in the cloud. But what else was there?

I reached up and fingered the pendant Kincade gave me. A girl kneeled in prayer with a guardian angel behind her. Why did I have mushy feelings thinking about him picking out the pendant for me? I wasn’t dense. If I was honest with myself, I understood why it made me mushy. His gift to me was symbolic. We both knew he was my guardian angel, even if neither of us wanted to admit it.

My stomach rumbled, reminding me I was low on coffee and food. I pushed off the edge of the bed and padded to the bathroom to shower and dress.

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I dressed in my usual all-black attire—cargo pants, tank top with Henley over it, pink combat boots. I tucked the angel pendant Kincade gave me under my shirt. The jade-handled dagger was secure at my waist. There weren’t many days I didn’t walk around without it.

With a yawn, I opened my bedroom door and headed downstairs. A commotion in the parlor caught my attention. I paused in the doorway to peer inside to see what was up. Ophelia and Darius were playing Twister.

Huh.

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again to make sure I wasn’t imaging things. Nope. The warrior angel with his beautiful now fully white wings spread out behind him while he had one foot on red, another on yellow, a hand on blue and a hand on green. He faced the mat while Ophelia had somehow managed to wedge herself under him facing him. She giggled, her face flushed and happy, her lips damp from…

I took a step back, cleared my throat loudly, and then moved past the door, pretending I hadn’t seen a thing.

Anna! Ophelia was on her feet and skipping toward the door. She grabbed my hand and dragged me inside the parlor. Join us.

Uh, no, thanks. Games aren’t really my thing.

Darius had moved to one of the chairs. He perched on the edge to make room for his enormous wings. I swear they were bigger than I remembered. He leaned one elbow on his massive thigh. I gave him a pointed look.

She talked you into this, huh? I waved a hand toward the Twister mat.

He flushed for a brief moment before regaining his composure. She thought it would help me, ah, heal.

Sure, sure, I said with a nod.

It’s cold outside and there’s nothing else to do, she said.

Well, you could start taking down all the Christmas decorations. You might finish by the time next Christmas comes around, I chided.

She punched me in the arm. You love them, and you know it.

Maybe I did, but I didn’t want to admit that. My stomach rumbled again. You kids behave.

Anna, wait. Ophelia placed a hand on my arm, and I paused. What is the next quest?

I narrowed my gaze. Why do you ask?

She shifted from one foot to the other. I think we all have a little cabin fever around here.

Ah, so that was it. She was ready to get back out and kill demons. Truthfully, I hadn’t thought about that much. I was too preoccupied with trying to figure out how to stop thinking about Kincade every second of every day.

Yes, Keeper, Darius said. We are ready.

Are you? I lifted a brow as I looked him over. After I healed him with the Staff of Moses, his feathers turned from black and gray to snowy white in a matter of days.

I am. He sounded strong and sure.

Well, the next quest is going to have to wait. I have a promise to keep to Killian, I said.

Shame trickled through me. With the hot and sexy Kincade taking up most of my head space, Astrid, Azriel’s half-sister, hadn’t crossed my mind much. Azriel kidnapped her off our front lawn and took her back to Hell, no doubt to punish her for breaking free from his clutches in the first place. Killian was her Fae lover who had disappeared back to the hidden forest to wait for me to make good on my vow to rescue her.

Ophelia drew her brows together. That insane promise to get Astrid back from Hell?

Yes, I said with a nod.

Are you sure about that? She folded her arms over her chest as though a challenge.

There’s no talking her out of it, so don’t try.

Kincade’s voice vibrated through me. I sucked in a sharp breath, trying not to let him know he startled me. Even so, I stood a little straighter as my spine tingled. Damn. I never heard him walk up. Was the man in stealth mode or what?

I looked at him over my shoulder. He leaned against the door jamb with his massive forearms crossed over his equally massive chest. He wore a navy-blue t-shirt that stretched across every muscle, black cargo pants and scuffed black boots. Those mesmerizing green-gold eyes were fixed on me and no one else.

Are you sure that is a good idea, Keeper? Darius asked.

I didn’t miss the flicker of annoyance in Kincade’s gaze as he looked at Darius and then back at me. The strife between the two of them was dense as London fog. Something I didn’t quite understand and probably never would. Sometimes I thought Kincade had a hint of jealousy for my relationship with Darius. Other times I thought he just didn’t like the warrior angel, even though he had offered to bring one of the Watcher healers to remove the demon poison coursing through Darius’ veins.

I made a promise, I said. I never go back on my word.

But Azriel took her to Hell, Ophelia pointed out.

I know where he took her. And I’m going to find her. Just as soon as I figure out the way there without anyone’s help.

Told you, Kincade said.

Oh, you hush up, I snapped and gave him a death glare.

He smirked.

Darius got to his feet and moved to stand by me. He put a hand on my shoulder. Behind me, I sensed Kincade stiffen, ready to pounce like a feral cat.

You must be careful, Keeper. It’s a very dangerous place for you now more than ever.

I’m aware. I assumed he referred to the fact I’d killed two of Lucifer’s favorite demons—the Prince of Greed, Mammon, and the destroyer angel, Abaddon.

She’ll be fine because I’m going with her. Kincade’s voice was right behind me now. He must have moved from the door to stand behind me when Darius decided to approach. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.

You are? I asked, giving him a sideways glance over my shoulder.

He narrowed his eyes as he glared down at me. I am.

That was a new development.

He lifted his gaze to Darius then, who dropped his hand from my shoulder.

Men. Always a pissing match with them.

Well, then. I best figure out my game plan and get on with it.

I skirted around Kincade’s hulking form, my heart skipping a beat as I inhaled his signature sandalwood scent. God, he smelled great.

Stop it, Anna.

There was no time for that.

The only destination I had in mind was the kitchen because my stomach rumbled again. Kincade’s booted footsteps fell in stride with mine. I suppressed a groan of annoyance.

You knew this, of course, he said, referring to the fact he would be my accompaniment on my little foray into Hell to retrieve Astrid.

I did.

What, no argument?

What’s the point? I asked. You’re still going to come no matter what I say.

You disappointment me, Miss Walker.

Sorry, bucko. I’m too hungry to argue about it right now. I flashed him a grin.

Too bad. He flashed me one back.

Our verbal volleys had become a new pastime.

I paused in the dining room, but he continued on through the kitchen. No doubt headed to the gym to work out. That was the way he kept in prime shape, after all.

A pile of bacon was heaped on a serving plate in the middle of the table. Wheat toast on one side of that. Jam, butter, a carafe of coffee. After my uncle died, I insisted we start having coffee. I needed it sometimes more than whiskey. Edward was a tea drinker and loved to ring for tea. Mostly I think that was because he liked the little lemon cakes the kitchen staff prepared.

I piled my plate with bacon, a few pieces of toast, poured coffee,