Bubble-grams were expensive. A difficult form of magic, to say the least. Lovell used them like tissues, but that didn't change the fact it would've taken a significant amount of money to send one to Silus out here where Kit's parents lived. It meant that the Terrorling really had something to say.
Silus cleared his throat and stood rigidly at the railing of the porch. His snakes hugged close to him, coiling in on themselves and pressing to his skull. His back itched from the stares the others gave him. He couldn't blame them of course, having ordered them around as he just did but he wished he could be listening to the message alone. He knew it was going to get personal.
He stretched out his finger and popped the bubble.
Lovell's face appeared, semi-translucent, painted on the curtain of water molecules hanging in the air where the bubble exploded. He looked pleased with himself, if a little sickly. His eyes were bloodshot.
Silus supposed it was optimistic to hope the chocolate killed him.
"You may have sent your resignation on that cake, but you can't get away from me, Silus," Lovell sneered out with a wicked chuckle crackling in his throat as his eyes pinched at the ends, coming to a finer point.
Silus knew the words now that would get cut against the Terrorling's fangs on their way to him. He was about to tip headfirst over the railing when Lovell spoke them.
"I've stolen your heart from the Place Where Important Things Go, you see."
"No," Jude gasped from behind.
"Shh," Silus begged him, though he appreciated the show of concern. His hands felt jellied. His snakes felt like gummy worms instead of living serpents. The worst of it all was that he had to keep listening.
"As soon as I figured out that's what you were after, chasing that Bell Spirit you were clearly sweet on, I used my own means and took your heart away from its hiding place. And I took your brother's sculptor too. I figured I would need some collateral to get your attention again."
"What do you want?" Silus murmured under his breath. Lovell couldn't hear him. Bubble-grams were recorded. But Silus needed to push against the message.
"I want you to know I'm coming for her. And I'm coming for you too. I know where you are and by the time you get this, I'll be closer than you would imagine. I suggest you think about where you want to stand by the time I get there."
The image evaporated, the colored tiny particles tucking themselves neatly into the air and disappearing. Silus exhaled shakily. He heard footsteps coming near him, knew it was Kit, and intentionally dashed down the porch steps to get away from her.
Hiding his face and his heart and his mettle, Silus called back as he walked away, "everyone should get inside. I'm going to make preparations for Lovell's attack."