Free Thread of Death by Jennifer Estep

at Mab’s coffin.”
    “What do you mean?” Owen asked again.
    Instead of answering him, I just smiled, my blue eyes as cold as his were. “She really is something. I look forward to getting to know Gin better in the future. It’ll be here sooner than you think.”
    Owen’s knuckles cracked as his fists tightened that much more. He took a step forward, but I turned my back on him, walked over to the car, and got inside. I’d just shut the passenger door behind me when Blanco hobbled into view, covered with blood. Owen glared at me a final time before hurrying over to her. I watched him put his arms around her, and I almost felt sorry for the poor bastard. He had no idea what was coming, but I did—and I was going to be ready for it.
    “Phillip?” Antonio asked.
    “Let’s go,” I said. “I’m done here.”
    My friend put the car in gear and drove out of the cemetery. I looked in the passenger-side mirror, getting a final glimpse of Owen and his new love before we rounded a curve and they disappeared from sight.
    I sighed. Maybe Owen wasn’t the only fool here. Maybe I was, too, for still caring about him, for still wanting to protect him from what was coming. I wondered if Gin felt the same way—and what she’d do when she learned the truth about me, Owen, and our checkered past together.
    A past that was going to come to light soon—very, very soon.

Gin Blanco
     
    I left the dwarves’ bodies where they were and slid my bloody knife up my sleeve. Now that the funeral and fight were over, the black coffin seemed smaller than I remembered, its surface looking dull and tarnished.
    Still, I couldn’t help but think of the irony of the situation. The remains of my mortal enemy were in that coffin. I’d thought my battle with Mab was finally over with, but I’d just added three more bodies tothe cemetery’s count—and the Fire elemental hadn’t even been buried yet. Maybe it was fitting that I’d had to fight for my life at Mab’s grave site, just like I’d been battling her these last few months.
    So I lowered my head once more, paying my last respects to the woman who had been such a big part of my life for so long.
    “Good-bye, Mab,” I said. “It was a hell of a fight while it lasted.”
    The sunburst rune on the side glimmered at me a final time, almost like it was blinking in agreement, before I turned away from the coffin.
    I slowly hobbled through the cemetery, wincing every time I put my weight on my left foot, and trying to come to terms with my feelings. I guess part of me had foolishly hoped with Mab dead that I could just go back to my quiet life as Gin Blanco, restaurant owner. But after today, I knew that wasn’t going to happen—not after everyone had gotten an eyeful of me at the funeral, chasing after the sniper and then getting him out of the tree. No, unless I’d missed my guess, I’d just brought myself a whole lot of unwanted attention. All that remained to be seen was how it played out, but I was willing to bet it was going to involve me fighting for my life.
    Over and over again.
    Finally, I made it back to the car. To my surprise, Owen wasn’t alone: Phillip Kincaid was with him. Worry spiked through me. Why would Kincaid be talking to Owen? I quickened my steps, and I started to palm one of my knives when Kincaid turned and walked away from my lover.
    Owen stared after him a moment, a troubled look on his face, but he must have spotted me out of the corner of his eye because he turned in my direction. Owen did a double take as he realized I was limping and just how bloody I was—again. He hurried over to me, meeting me in the grass.
    “What was that about?” I asked. “Why were you talking to Phillip Kincaid?”
    He shook his head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. Are you okay? What happened?”
    I shrugged. “Someone decided that sniper wasn’t enough. The three dwarves who were supposed to dig Mab’s grave wanted to put me in it with her. But I took care of