Free The Legacy: A Custodes Noctis Book by Muffy Morrigan Page B

you two.” He heard the catch in his voice as he said it. Weight settled on the bed beside him and a warm arm was placed over his shoulders.
    “Galen?”
    He looked up at his brother. Rob’s eyes were a little red around the edges. “Yeah?”
    “I…”
    “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Galen said softly.
    “A little.” Rob smiled. “I left you some hot water.”
    “How are you feeling?” Galen ran his eyes over the bruises still coloring his brother’s face.
    “Sore, but mostly okay. Of course, you know that,” Rob added with a laugh.
    “Yeah.” Galen sat quietly for a moment longer, aware of the warmth resting on his shoulders. With a sigh he stood up. “I’ll be right out.”
    Rob was waiting for him when he finished, standing in front of the pictures of their father and uncle. His brother smiled at him and they headed down to the shop. Galen stopped to look out the back door. “Always have to check, people leave things out there sometimes.”
    “Things?” Rob asked as they walked through the shop.
    Galen shrugged. “Yeah, things.”
    “Like?”
    “Oh, you know, people, animals…” Galen smiled. “My shop functions as a clinic, sort of…I can stitch a wound and things like that, people come here sometimes.”
    “Or drop the victim off outside?”
    “Yeah, that too,” Galen said, opening the front door. “I need coffee, you?”
    Rob laughed. “Do I have to have it cut half with milk?”
    Galen laughed too, remembering the indignant protests of his brother when he had been allowed coffee, but only lattes. “No, I think you can have real coffee if you want.”
    Galen led the way thought the shop and out to the espresso stand. “Morning, Becci,” he said as she slid the window open. He heard his brother’s little intake of breath.
    “Good morning, Galen, your mocha’s almost ready. What does your friend want?”
    Galen looked over at Rob. “Well?” When he received no answer, he gave him a discrete nudge. “Coffee?”
    “What? Oh, Americano, thanks,” Rob said, smiling at Becci.
    “Okay.” She started the coffee, then turned back looking from one to the other. “You two look alike.”
    “Rob’s my brother,” Galen said, grinning.
    “You never mentioned a brother,” Becci pouted, “never once.”
    “We haven’t seen each other in awhile. Rob’s been…” He stopped, unsure what to say.
    “Traveling,” Rob stepped in smoothly. “I was traveling a little before I finished grad school.”
    “Grad school? Wow, both of you? I’m impressed,” Becci said, leaning out of the window to hand them their coffee, her precariously taped scarf shifting a tiny bit. “Oops.” She straightened it up. “New idea, theme days. Today’s scarf day, what do you think?”
    “Nice,” Rob breathed. Galen gave him a little kick.
    “Great idea, Becci.” Galen turned and walked back to the shop, stopping to turn on the open sign on the way in. Rob walked behind the counter and sank down on one of the stools. “Grad school?” Galen set his coffee down on the counter and grabbed the dust cloth.
    “Yeah, finishing up my Master’s, just have the thesis left.”
    Galen felt the slow smile spreading on his face. “Really? That’s fast.”
    “Psychotically fast, or so I’ve been told.” Rob grinned. “I got to college a little early, so I was ahead of the others.”
    “Yeah? Subject?”
    “History and Lit, specializing in the sagas of Northern Europe. I thought, well…” He shrugged, a smile on his face. “It’s part of the tradition, isn’t it? I guess I’ve clung to the idea I was Custodes Noctis all these years. The sagas seemed a natural thing to study.”
    “Nice.” Galen finished dusting and picked up his coffee.
    “You?” Rob asked. Galen shrugged. “Before you deny something, Galen? I saw the doctorate on the wall.”
    “Oh, I found that in a box of cereal.” Galen laughed. “I just filled in my name.”
    “Yeah, right. Subject?”
    “History—of