EverChange

Chapter 30

Therapy was twice a week. Once was singular, the second visit was together to see their progress. Donovan felt like the divide was merely getting wide. Sam didn't need to be coddled, and her need to be touched (or not touched) seemed to be the baseline for all halted progress. What was he to do? With the information he had from Hyacinth and Sandexon? With no real leads as to who or how they were targeting Sam, because of his folly?

What had he done that was so atrocious as to target his fiancee, and Clan members?

He was deep in thought, staring at the chess set that was in the lobby of the Psychiatric Ward. He didn't have a session scheduled, but Sam did. The player had moved their Rook, and had taken one of his knights. They had pushed their pawned across the board, and anytime he took one, they took one in turn. The game had spanned over days, because neither had been in the room when the other had made a move. The board could only be reset when one player admitted defeat, or won. The pieces locked to the board, so there could be no cheating or interference.

If he took their Knight that settled at the end of the row, that left his Bishop. His Bishop would be taken by their lone Rook, and that would put him in Check because of his Queen. If he didn't take the Knight, it would prolong his losing by a few more moves, if his opponent chose to actually move their queen, he could take his own Bishop and Check them.

There were pawns sprawled across the board, but they didn't seem to draw either side's attention.

Donovan opted to move one of his opalescent pawns, and the board locked until his opponent returned. As if on queue, Sam and Dr Park walked down the hall to greet him. He expected one of them to move a piece, maybe Santiago or the Secretary (Sophia LeGrande, affectionately called Sophe by the Doctors and patients alike), but to his disappointment no one moved while in his line of sight.

The next time he came in for his session, his opponent had moved their knight, taking his pawn. When he settled into his seat to study the board, he noticed an envelope tucked underneath.

"Opal King." it read on the outside in scrawling cursive. "Don't think about it too hard. You're doing fine."

Donovan had lived a couple hundred years, lives with his Clan, family that he accumulated, alliances he had made himself-- and yet he was in therapy at a complete standstill and emotionally constipated as he tried to keep everything together. Cosma and Alister were holding their... truce of Buchanon and Malinda.

It was week three of the game, and he sat on the couch, a palm cradling his chin as he stared at the board. Aurora and him had met, and with both of them meeting for different Therapists, they seemed to be making a better impression.

"What if you just went on the offensive with your Queen." she asked, sitting next to him and staring at his pieces as well. Her usually messy short do, was gelled and pinned in a neat pompadour, side burns and fringe framing her face.


She was a healer of some sort and was taking care of some peoples off campus, so she had to look presentable. Her wings looked better, fuller and the radiant reflective surfaces looking flush with new feathers.

"If I move her," Donovan reached out and tapped the knight that was across the board, "I'll get check because my King will be in the direct line of sight."

Aurora hmmed, then shrugged, "I'm no good at these strategy games."

Donovan and Aurora looked at the game. It shouldn't have been that big a deal. He'd lost games before. Or won them accordingly. But this? Several times a week, and neither side had won yet. He reached for a Rook and took his opponent's Knight.

Satisfied with the move, Sam and Dr Park arrived and that was that for the day.

*~*~*~*~*~*


The following visit he finally caught her. "You could have had me in check." she said, leaning forward with her head in her hands.

"I could say the same to you." Donovan settled into the couch across from the woman. She looked like she was from one of the upper branches, maybe someone from accounting or the literary department. He hadn't been in the Academy walls for a minute, so the uniforms all looked new to his eyes.

Ash grey nylons, a high waisted pencil skirt with a white button up blouse that looked simple enough. The collar was pointed, with a little chain pin that had little golden bees on each point. She wore gloves that were the same color as her nylons, with a floral print across the knuckles.
When he looked up, he caught her eyes looking at him. They were the same color as the little bees on her collar. Her lips pulled in a line, and while holding eye contact she moved a piece across the board.