Page 62 of First Snow
“Okay, fine,” Annikki relents. “What’s your clever plan, boss?”
Jareth sighs. “There are no clever plans this time. I’ll have to keep Arttu imprisoned here until I find Lord Briar. Once Briar is eliminated, you must pretend to find Arttu locked in my bedroom and help him escape. After that, I’ll have to disappear for some time, and I trust you’ll manageThe Worshipin my absence.”
Annikki rests her head against his shoulder. “That’s the worst plan I’ve ever heard from you. You have to talk to Arttu.”
“He won’t believe me. He thinks I’m some kind of serial killing cult leader who has drugged him.”
“Something makes me think that you haven’t really tried to convince him yet,” Annikki says softly. “But how about this, I’ll find Briar while you sort this mess out?”
Annikki is an incorrigible optimist.
“Sometimes things are beyond salvation, I’m afraid.”
“Promise me you’ll try at least, you idiot,” Annikki says fondly.
“Okay. I’ll also activate the network and find out if anyone has heard about Briar. Do you have anything on Lemaire?”
“He took a flight to Copenhagen yesterday. I’m pretty sure it’s a diversion. He traveled alone.”
“Okay, then. Take a nap before you go. Make sure Arttu doesn’t see you.”
Annikki embraces him briefly before she gets up.
“It’s going to be alright,” she promises.
If Jareth could just believe her.
To avoid startling Arttu, Jareth slips into his bedroom on silent feet. He puts down a tray on the coffee table and rekindles the fire in the hearth with a wave of his hand. He has brought Arttu a peace offering: freshly brewed coffee andkorvapuusti, Finnish cinnamon buns.
It’s early afternoon but Arttu has crawled back into bed. He’s fast asleep. Jareth can’t blame him. It’s probably the most sensible way to deal with all the weirdness unfolding around him, for his system to shut down. Watching Arttu lying there, sheets rumpled around him and a golden cuff wrapped around his ankle, Jareth’s chest constricts. How is he supposed to fix things between them? After everything that has happened, Arttu is never going to trust him again, and rightfully so.
Not daring to touch, although he longs to, Jareth squats down next to the bed. What he would give to cuddle up with Arttu in the cozy warmth, to hold him close and spoil him. But he has to make do with what he is given. Protecting Arttu should be more than enough for him.
Waking with a start, Arttu flinches away from Jareth.
“Wha-What are you doing?”
“Bringing you coffee.”
Blushing, Arttu takes in Jareth’s appearance.
“Still not done with the ridiculous costume, I see.” Arttu’s voice drips with venom.
Jareth hates to see him like this, agitated and scared.
“I’ll leave you to take your meal in peace.”
He stands up. So much for his promise to Annikki to talk things out…
“What happened to the girl? Did you just leave her body for the bears?”
“You saw what happened to her body, Detective Inspector Palosaari.”
Arttu shakes his head in denial, but seeing as his face loses some of its color, it’s obvious he remembers vividly how the bone fairy’s corpse withered and dissolved.
“You drugged me,” Arttu accuses, although he doesn’t sound as convinced as before.
“Tell yourself that.” Jareth’s guilt is drowned out by anger. How could Arttu have been so reckless? How could he betray Jareth like that? “She was a bone fairy! A malevolent spirit from the Kingdom Beyond. You’re lucky that I found you in time.”