A/N: In light of finishing my exam (woohoo!), I wanted to post an EXTREMELY early update :) Enjoy! Remember, if you are enjoying the story, please comment and vote. I love hearing what people think and it motivates me to post quickly.
Happy Holidays!
As soon as I woke the next morning, I replaced the shield so that I could have time to digest everything I'd discussed with Zachariah before he intruded on my dreams once again. After that was complete, I jumped in the shower and got ready for school, only perking up a little by the time I went down to the kitchen to meet Calin and Mrs. Renaldi for breakfast.
"If you ever have supper at the Manor again, I'm slipping sleeping pills into your dinner so that you finally have a good sleep," Mrs. Renaldi said as soon as she saw me. "You look like you managed an hour of shut-eye."
Calin, who was standing at the kitchen table, turned to face me, and I pressed my lips into a thin line as if to say, "Don't ask." Thankfully, he didn't, and I focused on Mrs. Renaldi, forcing a too-bright smile for her benefit.
"Onyx was hogging the bed." I shrugged. "I can't sleep when her fur clogs my airways."
"Hush. Don't blame that sweet little creature." Mrs. Renaldi laughed, and I shrugged, turning back to Calin with a real, although much more subdued, smile.
"Can we stop for coffee?"
"Of course!" Mrs. Renaldi answered for him, and we both looked at her. "I've made breakfast sandwiches for you since you are always in such a rush. Bacon, eggs, and cheese all on a nice little biscuit."
"That's perfect!"
"I know." She bobbed her head to an invisible tune and finished preparing the sandwiches on the counter. With a flourish, she put the tops on the biscuits and wrapped them in a paper towel before handing us each one. "There. Now I don't have to worry about you eating crumbs for breakfast."
"Toast isn't crumbs," I mumbled around a mouthful of food.
"Well, you need energy, so eat. I'm going to make extra so you can have some in the freezer to nuke on the weekends."
I rolled my eyes around another mouthful of food and mumbled goodbye as Calin and I exited the kitchen. We went out to my car, once again leaving Calin's behind, which meant we were picking up Maible. With how tired unbinding her made me, combined with the dream with Zach, I wasn't in the mood.
"Let's stop at Celestial Java first," I said as I buckled my seatbelt. I leaned back in my seat. "I want the biggest cup or... two." I nodded. "Can you run in so it's faster and grab me two coffees? With espresso shots?"
At least that way I could claim distraction when Maible peppered me with questions and I was too busy to answer because I was drinking my coffee before we reached Grimas.
*****
"I haven't been able to do anything," Maible complained, throwing the bun from her burger onto the tray as she began to eat the patty. "It's like my abilities are teasing me! First, I don't have them, then I do, and now I can't use them again! What the eff, guys?"
Calin glanced at me and raised his eyebrow, and I shrugged.
"You probably just need practice," I said.
"You think?" For as smart as she was, Maible hadn't figured out why her powers would work and then stop.
I nodded.
Surprisingly, Maible didn't mention anything about her powers until we were all seated at a lunch table. I was grateful for the morning reprieve, but that didn't mean I wanted to dissect it now. As the day dragged on, I became more exhausted, if that were possible. After eating the pickles from my burger, I pushed my tray away and leaned back in my chair.
"Are you okay?" Calin asked, ducking his head so that no one at nearby tables overheard.
"Fine." I pressed my lips together.
I raised my feet to rest on the metal support under the table and crossed my arms, darting my eyes around the room to see that most of the students still stared at me. It was worse when I was with Calin, though I was thankful that Duvessa had stayed true to her word and wasn't here. At least, with her absence, the overheard whispers I caught weren't as mean. Now, all I picked up was how awesome what I'd done was and how everyone wondered what else I could do.
It reminded me why I didn't want to accept my abilities before.
Now, I didn't know if I wanted to live without them.
"I'm just tired," I said, sighing as I turned back to Maible and Calin. "Unbinding people is tougher than it appears, you know."
"I'm sorry, Nora." Maible sat up straight. "I forgot to tell you how grateful I am and now all I'm doing is whining, which you don't deserve. Whenever you're ready to study, let me know."
Finally. I shook the thoughts from my head, knowing that wasn't why I had helped her, though it felt good to hear her appreciation instead of her despair. "You're welcome."
"Do you want to go for a run?" Calin asked.
"No. I want to go back to the Manor."
They both looked up and Calin asked, "Really?"
I nodded. "I'm tired and afternoon classes are pretty much a wash for me right now, so yeah. I want to go and sleep."
"Okay, let's go." Calin stood and pushed his chair out of the way, holding his hand to help me up.
"Are you coming back?" Maible asked quickly.
"I can run home," I said, taking Calin's hand, and he furrowed his brow as he shook his head as though it was a stupid suggestion.
"I have your car, Nora," he said. "You aren't running home. I will drive you, pick up my car, and be back in time for class. Easy."
"You sure?"
He nodded and placed his hand at the small of my back as we started out of the cafeteria. Maible said a quick goodbye as we left, though I didn't respond. Right now, I didn't want to. Perhaps it was because I was overtired, but Maible seemed... ungrateful. It was like the more she received—rides to and from school, secretly unbound powers—the more entitled she became. Again, I couldn't tell if that's how I truly felt and decided I shouldn't think about it until I had another eight hours of sleep in me.
"You're sure you're okay?" he asked when we got in the car.
I nodded.
"Do you want to try call Nancy?"
I shook my head and then leaned it against the cool pane of the passenger window as I stared outside. "No. She's in class. I really just want to go to the Manor and get some sleep."
"Okay." He nodded, keeping his eyes on the roadway. "I talked to my mom. She'll help, but she has some business to attend to over the next few days. After that, we can go to my house."
"That sounds good." I closed my eyes.
*****
Three and a half hours later, Onyx licked my face until I stirred because she had to be let out and I'd forgotten to leave the door ajar. After taking her to do her business, I laid on my side on the floor and played fetch with her favorite toy for another forty-five minutes.
Finally, still in my pajamas, I left my rooms for scarier terrain.
Devland was already seated when I entered the dining room, and I took a seat at the other end of the table instead of the one at his side like I'd done so many times before despite how the place settings had been laid out. The only indication he gave to show he noticed my arrival was a slight pause as he ate, and he darted his eyes my way.
Then, as though I didn't exist, he resumed.
I shrugged and picked up my fork, thanking Gerard as he set a plate of Greek salad topped with grilled chicken in front of me. The tension built as neither of us said a word. All I could hear was the tap of metal on china as our forks scraped against our dinner plates and the rhythmic click in my jaw as I chewed.
My stomach turned heavy.
After half my food was finished, I was done.
Just as I was about to get up, Gerard came back into the room. He went straight to Devland and whispered in his ear. After listening, Devland nodded and put his napkin on his plate. He stood and, without looking at me, crossed the room and left.
My mouth opened and then snapped shut. I glanced at Gerard as he started to clear Devland's setting away and then pivoted in my chair to look over my shoulder through the dining room door where Devland had disappeared.
What was that?
"Thank you for dinner, Gerard," I said and stood. "As usual, it was delicious. And my favorite."
Gerard raised his head and nodded at me.
I pushed my chair back into place and left the dining room, pausing at the doorway. After a moment, I turned to the left and slowly crept by Devland's office, which was left ajar, hoping to catch a word of whatever conversation he might be having.
Was there news of the missing boy?
Did they find him?
Did he lose his powers like the girl who had been missing before him?
Silence was all that I heard, and I sighed with disappointment.
Backtracking, I made my way back to my bedroom, wondering if I could help find the boy. My mother had. Since talking with Zachariah again, I couldn't help but wonder if I could do as she did. I mean, if what Zachariah had implied was true and I could sense magic even when the user wasn't using it, why couldn't I sense someone's essence like Aiden had described?
The only problem with trying was that I didn't know how. It was one thing to sense something in someone standing in front of you. How was I supposed to sense something that belonged to someone I had never met?
Onyx met me at the door when I entered my suite. I patted her head as I passed, going straight into the bathroom to fill the tub with warm water and bubbles. Before it was done filling, I was got in. Once the water reached my shoulders, I turned off the taps and sat back, sinking into the bubbles and letting the questions run free through my thoughts. Every time I discovered something new, a million more unknown factors were presented. Logic simply didn't apply.
There was so much I didn't know.
It would be easier to sort if I made a list.
Mentally, I began to organize what I would include.
After a half hour, I stepped out of the tub and dried myself off. I took my hair out of its high ponytail and shook it loose, then pulled my large terrycloth robe around my shoulders. Walking back into my bedroom with my head down, I tied the robe shut at my waist.
"Nora." Devland stood from the edge of my bed where he'd obviously been waiting, and I jumped in surprise.
"Wha—What are you doing?" I asked, bringing my hand up to clutch the V of the robe at my neck closed.
Onyx ran to my side from the bathroom and lowered her head, glaring at Devland, though I was proud she didn't growl or bare her teeth. At the same time, I kind of wished she had. Maybe it would force Devland out and give me my sanity back. I felt exposed with him waiting like this.
"We need to talk. Now."
"I'm not even dressed."
I looked into the bathroom and back to Devland. What was left to discuss? I knew where he stood, and he knew I didn't care. The end.
"Now, Nora," he said again and crossed the room. "I'll wait in the sitting room for you to get dressed."
The door slammed behind Devland and, once again, I jumped.
What the hell was his problem?
I looked at Onyx and mumbled that she was supposed to protect me, then went to my closet through my bathroom. If I didn't do as Devland asked, he would just come back, and I preferred to be fully clothed when talking to him.