UNSPOKEN: Undone Realms Book 3

Ch. 18: Floatation Device

(5 years, 2 weeks, 6 days into the Ban)

Avie shines her flashlight onto the pool, its smooth surface broken by a dark mass floating at its center. 

Has it really ended like this? 

The last several weeks have been intolerable.  Dark Storm wears out his welcome at the hotel in about three hours, but the days pass and he doesn't make another move.  No check, no mate.  He rents the room next to Troi's and spends most of his time following him around pretending that it's not weird.  She knows Hiram's his superior officer, but in truth, he acts more like a tag-a-long, as though Troi is the cool kid who's just invited him to sit at the popular table.

There is more to the dynamic, of course.  Avie's no fool; where Troi is dangerous, Hiram is deadly.  She's read his emails—this tag-along act is a front.  Under the surface, Hiram has a loaded weapon and the psychology of someone who needs to prove himself.

One morning while Avie is on desk duty signing guests out of the hotel, Hiram swaggers into the lobby, then leans himself across the counter.  He waits until an older couple exits the room before turning to her with a smile.  "You may be a stranger, but I have the most wonderful news, and I just have to share it with someone.  I hope you don't mind."

Avie smiles back.  "Not at all."

"Well, my friend, the one who's staying here—Troi.  He's been engaged to my sister for some time."

So that's it—Hiram is Gillian's brother.  This makes perfect sense, come to think of it.  One mystery solved.

"They finally set a date.  Next month!  It's just so gratifying to see such a patriotic young couple decide to commit, you know?"  Hiram leans in a little closer.  His eyes scan Avie, and to her horror, he licks his lips.

Avie's smile never wavers.  It can't.  Not if she wants to continue to delude herself into believing that she's keeping her head down.  "That is good news.  Give Mr. Onslowe my congratulations, won't you?"

She turns her attention to her computer screen, but Hiram isn't ready to let the matter drop.  "I bet Troi would love to bring her here on their honeymoon.  He's so fond of this place, Lord knows why.  No offense."

"I know we're not exactly providing luxury accommodations, but we'd love to have them." She taps her computer, bringing up her account information so she can reconcile the week's expenditures.  The best thing she can do, she figures, is act remotely interested in what he's talking about and be polite. 

"Of course." He pulls back from the counter, only to walk around and prop himself on the edge of her desk.  He eyes her laptop as if hoping she'd be stupid enough to have it open to some illicit realm work website.  "Or maybe you have some other ideas."

Avie drops her hands from the keyboard.  "Other ideas?  And please, guests are required to stay on the other side of the counter."

Hiram ignores her. "I thought, being in the business you're in, that you might have some notion of where a young couple in love might want to journey."

Journey.  That's a strange word choice.  Was he fishing here?  If so, he wasn't being very subtle.  "Well, I guess I'd recommend Grisholm Lodge up in the North Cascades.  I've never been there, but several guests have noted it over the years.  It offers a real old-fashioned experience—live moose on the slopes, dead moose mounted above each fireplace, scenic vistas, lots of trees.  Very nostalgic and romantic, if you like that sort of thing.  It might make a nice get-away for your newlyweds."

Hiram hops off of the desk and walks backwards, his eyes never leaving hers.  "I'll have to mention that to Troi.  Thank you for the suggestion."