The Way of the Sword and Gun (24 page)

Tommy brushed his fingers along Owl's cheek, and for a fleeting second, Owl thought the boy meant to stay. But Tommy turned to Malja and took her hand. He clung tight as if he feared somebody might force them apart.

Owl bowed to Malja once more, this time as a sign of respect. "As it should be," he said.

"I know you meant well," Malja said, "with the best intentions. But Tommy and I won't be split up. We're family."

Owl jolted straight in shock. "Oh, no. I can't believe I forgot," he said. "Fawbry, please forgive me. With all that's been happening I never explained how I found you in the first place."

"It doesn't really matter," Fawbry said.

"But I found all of you in Corlin because I ran into Fawbry's family."

"M-My family?"

"Your parents. They've been worried about you. Hoping to find you. You must go see them. Please. I promised I'd get you to them."

Malja must have noticed the same apprehension Owl had detected for she laughed. "Don't worry. I'll see that he meets them."

Malja

From the moment they entered the low-ceilinged house, Fawbry's parents never stopped nagging. They were upset that Fawbry had taken so long to come home. They thought his colorful robe looked weird — not like that of a respectable young man. They worried about his safety, especially considering the stories they had heard about
that woman
and the deplorable condition of the sweetest, darling little boy the mother had ever laid eyes on since her own Fawbry had grown up.

Malja ignored as much as she could. She chuckled at the thought of
sweetest, darling
Tommy — these folks would petrify in fright if they ever glimpsed that little boy's power.

The rest she swallowed down without comment. Because as annoying as this old couple was, Malja couldn't help but warm at the way they fawned over Fawbry. Even as they picked on his every step (or misstep as they would see it), they saturated him in kind attention. The old woman baked his favorite sweet rolls and hummed a tune she said was his favorite as a little boy. The old man listened to tales of the little towns Fawbry had helped out and with a lascivious wink, asked about the women.

The big surprise was Galba. Fawbry's parents had arranged for him to marry this lovely but awkward girl. Apparently, as far as they were concerned, Galba was his girlfriend.

"Mother, I don't even know the girl." Fawbry paled and looked to Malja as if begging her to take out Viper and slash through his family so they could make an escape. Malja just shook her head and enjoyed the couple's banter as they talked up the girl — about the only time they weren't nagging their son.

"Don't look so," his mother said. "Trust us. We picked good for you."

"That's right," his father said. "Galba's a good cook. She works hard. And she's got a healthy bosom on her too."

"And excellent birthing hips. I want some little ones from you two. That's the right of a mother."

"You'll be a grandmother, dear."

"Not if my boy keeps gallivanting in the company of
that woman.
"

* * * *

That night, Malja tucked a blanket around Tommy and watched him sleep in an actual bed. She wasn't sure she could sleep on such a soft mattress, but Tommy's slumber came swift. He had slept heavy every night since defeating Salia, and Malja worried this might be a side-effect of all that magic. Not that sleep itself was so bad. But if this was a permanent side-effect, then what other damage might have been done?

Except he really hadn't displayed any significant sign of damage. He never did. That bothered her even more.

The bedroom door opened a crack, and Fawbry poked in his head. "Can we talk?"

Malja followed him downstairs to the kitchen. Sitting at the wooden table, Fawbry looked terrified.

"Take me with you," he said. "I can't stay here. They'll drive me insane. And while I'm sure this girl they want me to marry is wonderful, I don't want to be married."

Malja frowned. "I've been upstairs looking at Tommy and thinking about family. It's strange what that word means. He and I, well, we've just got each other. We need to stick together; otherwise, we're just empty."

"That doesn't mean this part of my family is the important part. They raised me, but Jarik and Callib raised you."

"They kept me alive, but they weren't family. They used me like an experiment. And, don't forget, they threw me away, left me in the forest to die. Did your folks try to kill you when you were ten?"

"No," he said, picking at a splinter in the table.

"I look at you here with your folks, and I see a loving mother and father. I know they annoy you, but trust me, you wouldn't want them gone. If I truly believed in the brother gods, I would beg them to bring back my Uncle Gregor."

Fawbry shook his head slowly. "I know all that. I suppose you're right. I just . . ."

"What?"

"I just thought you and Tommy were my family, too."

Moonlight peeked around some clouds, casting its pale light into the kitchen and across Fawbry's face. Malja thought he might cry. And she felt a tug inside her chest unlike anything she had ever experienced in life.

"I didn't realize," she said. "I mean, we are your family."

"You are? You feel that way too?"

She didn't know. But she considered how Tommy would answer, and that much was easier. "Yes," she said. "You're part of our family."

Fawbry rubbed his eyes. "Thank you."

"But you've got family here, too."

"No," Fawbry said, hitting the table harder than he intended. "I mean, yes, I do have my family here, but I can't stay here. Not after all I've been through with you and Tommy. How could I live a life of being a husband and working a farm or whatever job my parents set up for me? I can't do that. How do I do that after Queen Salia, after Jarik and Callib? I've seen too much to just go back."

Malja got up and paced the kitchen. She understood exactly how Fawbry felt. But she had worked out the next several steps for her and Tommy, and it seemed wrong to take Fawbry where she planned to go. But it also seemed wrong to sentence him to a life of boredom with a nice girl he didn't really care for. Didn't seem fair to the girl, either.

She placed her hands on the table and leaned in with an intimidating glare. "Listen to me," she said and proceeded to tell him of what she saw in the portal — the man in an identical black assault suit, the way he reached through the portal for her, the final look on his face. She then gestured to the kitchen and said, "You have more than a family. You have a home here. The people here are like you. They understand you. I don't have any of that. I want to find my home."

"Then go back to the Order. Use the Library and—"

"I won't risk destroying this world — that's something I could never live long enough to pay honor for. I have a plan though, and if it works, I'll use the maps Tommy copied and I'll find my world. And I'm taking Tommy with me."

Fawbry looked at his stump. "Through a portal? How?"

"I'll find a way. I'm not losing another family."

Then Malja saw something that astonished her. Fawbry swallowed hard, stood, and put out his good hand. "Me neither. I don't care what you say. I'm coming. We're family. And, besides, you always need me."

Malja chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Fawbry. She let the hug hold long enough for him to know she cared but no more. That kind of affection still always felt awkward.

Sighing with relief, Fawbry said, "So, now what? You want to have Tommy open a portal?"

"Never. That's the kind of magic that's hurting him now. Maybe you and Owl are right that magic isn't all bad, but portal magic isn't any good that I can see. No, I think we've got a lot of traveling to do."

"Good. The further from here the better. I've had it with girlfriends."

Malja wrinkled her brow. "That might be a problem."

"Wait, now," Fawbry said, suspicion leaking into his voice. "If we're not going to use magic to open a portal, then—"

"I only know one person who's smart enough and crazy enough to try to build us a portal without using magic."

Fawbry's face dropped. "Don't say it."

"I'm sorry, but if you're going to come with us, we've got to go see your old girlfriend — Cole Watts."

Fawbry let out a short laugh. Then he flopped into his chair and howled laughter until tears rolled down his cheeks. "It's never dull with you," he said. "But that's how I like it."

"Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow, we set out."

"As a family," Fawbry said.

Malja placed her hand on Fawbry's shoulder and thought of Tommy. "As a family."

Afterword

Thank you for reading 
The Way of the Sword and Gun.
 I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed returning to Malja's world.  If you did, I ask a little favor.  Please go back to wherever you purchased this book and leave an honest review.

Reviews have an enormous impact on an author's success, and the few extra seconds it takes you really helps us authors out!

And if you're looking for more great reads, check out the next section!

Also by Stuart Jaffe

Find out how it all began in the action-packed post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure,
The Way of the Black Beast

"I was hooked from the opening line, blown away by the detail and mesmerized by the characters ... I think I found myself a new favorite author!" - Brandi Salazar,
Fictitious Chronicle

In a world destroyed by the abuse of magic, one woman fights all odds to survive and find the answers behind her mysterious past.

Despite the challenges - crazed magicians, guitar-playing assassins, mutated beasts - she pushes on with a single-mindedness that may destroy all she holds dear.

"... an unusual and powerful novel of betrayal and revenge, loss and redemption. With a unique and compelling protagonist, a world of darkness and wonders, and a narrative that is both swiftly-paced and unpredictable, THE WAY OF THE BLACK BEAST is sure to entertain." - David B. Coe, Crawford Award-winning author of the
Lon Tobyn Chronicle

To purchase or sample The Way of the Black Beast, simply click here.

* * * *

Want an all-out survival tale on a mysterious alien planet? Want another kicking heroine? Action-packed science fiction fun is waiting for you in 
After The Crash

"A good, solid story" - Robert A. Metzger, Nebula-nominated author of Picoverse.

The job is simple - land illegally on the unspoiled planet Cicora, drop off two aliens and a human, collect the pay, and go home to life as a tourist pilot. Oh, and ask no questions. But when Fiona Quinn's ship crashes, she is stranded on a strange planet with a gorruff, a mahtree, and a man. And all she has is questions.

To purchase or sample After The Crash, simply click here.

Acknowledgments

As always, no book is written alone. Whether the help is direct or indirect, countless people have aided in making this book happen. Among them: my editor, Kim Sheard; my wonderful friend, Lynn Perkins; cover artist, Jeff Dekal; all the great people on the KindleBoards for advice and support; editor, writer, friend, and lunchtime pal, Ed Schubert; fellow indie writer, John Hartness; my good friend, Melanie; and my closest and dearest, Glory and Gabe. And of course, none of this work amounts to much without you, the reader. Thank you.