Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 42: Humourless Magic

You're probably overly worried for that leader of yours, but you don't need to be and not just because you'll be free now if he does kick it.  He won't though, he's a tough SOB.  Instead of obsessing, take care of yourself.  You know your father's as constantly worried as you are.

Speaking of worrying, Sarah and Beth keep asking me how you're doing.  Beth gave me her new sat number, maybe you could text her so they'll stop harassing me.  (Check the envelope, I'll throw it in.)  It's hard enough I can barely eat breakfast without one of my family breathing down my neck lately without the girls trying to talk about feelings.

Maybe it does help to know that everyone's really worried about you.  I don't think I'd have so many people asking about me if I were in your shoes.  It's just something about you that everyone loves.  I know you can't see it yourself, but trust me, it's there.

So there's your dose of feelings, if you needed them.  On to more important matters.  I'm going to buy that bike off of Ivan next week.  I was seriously tempted to grab that new game instead, but I held out this time.  Actually, you'd probably prefer that I get the game over the bike, but I'm getting the bike and you can't stop me.

I'm just saying whatever now, so this is the end.  Sorry my letters are so whatever this is.  I don't know what to say, but maybe this helps you so...  wth?

Bye,

Matt

The part about Serge made me feel uneasy as the curse ran down me, but I ignored that, and I skimmed through the part about our friends.  I did text Beth and I had been harassed with a million texts since.

My eyes stopped on the line where he told me there was something about me that everyone loves.  Everyone loves, was he including himself in that group?

The curse started beating away at every part of me.  It clearly did not like the idea that I might be loved by anyone.  I waited for it to subside before I read the line again.  I knew he cared, but in what way?

It was not possible that he felt something for me, was it?  We were friends and he hated the comments.

I chewed on my lip.  There was only one thing to be done.  I had to ask him about it, next time I saw him, even though the curse raged at me again.  I bit harder, trying to will it away.  It made me want to never speak of it, but I had to do the opposite of what it wanted.  I had to fight my fight, wiggle my toes again.

We would talk about this, if there was a this to talk about.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

After Serge was done work, we headed back to his home.  We ate a hearty soup that Karen had left in the crock pot and bread, with only the sounds of our spoons clinking against our bowls.

Serge broke the silence.  "Do you want to go for a run?" he asked me.

I nodded.  I had been planning to go, but if he came with me I could leave the loop around the house.  I tried to smile and hoped that he could see it.

Once we had finished eating, we both went outside, transformed separately, and then came together.  Serge's grey and white fur looked silver against the slowly darkening evening and he was easy to follow with the corner of my eye.

As always, he kept his tail high and his ears erect in an unconscious show of dominance.  The sight aggravated my curse, but I did not blame him and simply kept my head lowered and my tail low as we ran through the forests where I could not go without him.

The wind through my fur and the earthy smells of the wider forest calmed my spirit as we ran and I was disappointed when we circled back to his house.

I dressed and returned inside and headed to my room.  It was another busy day tomorrow and I would need my rest.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

In the morning I woke to my usual pounding heart and forced myself out of the cocoon of my covers.  I went out to an empty kitchen and got myself some cereal.  Serge walked in a moment later.

"You're up early," he commented as he began to move around the kitchen.  A few minutes later I smelled coffee as it began to brew.

"Yeah," I agreed.  The curse had made me the queen of inane responses.

The humourless magic sent fear down my spine.  I rolled my eyes and it stabbed them, too.

"You alright?" he asked.

I probably looked ridiculous.  I felt a tiny jolt of embarrassment before the curse swallowed it whole.  "Y-yes," I agreed.  "Just s-sassing the c-curse."

"I see," he said, but he sounded a bit amused.

See?  My master likes it, you joy sucking entity, I told it.

More ice, but the thought was worth it.

Still, I had to eat, so I picked up my spoon and determinedly set to work emptying my bowl.  I had to get ready to go.  Hopefully today would be a good day.  I would get to see my father and then see if the geeky historian pastor I barely knew had any useful information to add to my ordeal.

Once I was done I rinsed my plate and went to my room.  I showered and dressed and packed everything I thought I might possibly need in my backpack.  I threw in my journal too so that I could maybe take notes, just in case this was not another wild goose chase.

I met Serge in the living room when I was done.  We got on our shoes and headed out the door.

The drive into Austin's territory was a bit longer than the ride between my current and former packs and I spent the whole ride with a feeling of bone deep dread.  Whether it was because I had been a bit too combative, going to an unfamiliar place or because going along with Serge to the interpack meeting and trying to find a way to dislodge the magic was getting out of line again; I did not know which.

All I knew was that I could not stop shivering.  And I knew Serge could tell, because he kept glancing over at me and he turned up the heater in the truck.

It helped a bit, but he was probably really uncomfortable.  "I'm o-okay," I lied to a new bout of shivers.

He probably did not believe me, because he left the heat on and the air flow pointed at me.

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