11. Bricriu
Chapter 11
Bricriu
MONDAY
I loathed the class already.
Nothing like going to Ceremonial Magicks and finding out our entire grade would be based on one semester-long project. There would be check-ins along the way, but we would have to do some kind of presentation and ceremony in front of the entire class.
My topic was necromancers and the formal ceremonies they conducted. Why I would need to know any of that shit was beyond me, but it seemed they didn’t really care about that.
I sighed in frustration, knowing that I would be spending the majority of my time in the library researching a bunch of dead guys to figure out what they did. The only necromancer on campus was President Thatcher, and I’d rather walk through campus for a day with no sunglasses than willingly talk to him. He was a creepy ass motherfucker, and I’d always gotten that vibe from him.
“Bricriu, I see you’re already here for research. Dare I ask what class it is for?” The calm voice broke the silence of the library.
Turning around, I could make out the familiar shape of Julian Hellsing, the lead librarian. He was average height for a vampire, just over six feet, and he made just enough noise so I knew he was approaching, a courtesy since he knew I didn’t see that well.
The hint of leather, pine, and some kind of spice that was just him surrounded me as he came to a stop near me. It took more self-control than I cared to admit to not breathe in deeply. I’d known Hellsing since my first week at Greywood, and we’d grown from acquaintances to something more than a little complicated. Complicated… What an understatement, but that wasn’t going to help me focus on work right now.
“Ceremonial magicks,” I replied with a frustrated sigh. “I’m already dreading doing this fucking presentation, but I figured I could start now and limit how much technology I’ll have to use for this.”
“Meaning a computer?” he asked with dry amusement. “I’m sure someone can help you set that up so it’s not a big strain on your sight.”
“Yes, along with all the commentary on the font size so I’d be able to read it like last year.”
“Maturity is slow for some,” Hellsing replied after a brief pause. “We do have some new e-ink screens that you could use. It reads more like paper and ink and isn’t as bright as normal computer screens. It won’t change the fact that the font size will need to be enlarged, but it will be easier on your eyes.”
My fingers twitched, the craving for a smoke sharp. Hellsing so easily brought up an alternative to me using a computer. He acted like it was no big deal, normal even, to accommodate my needs, and it was off-putting. Really, it wasn’t just that. Everything Hellsing did could throw me off kilter.
“I’ve heard about those, but I’ve never used one,” I replied, a lilt of interest in my tone. “Are any set up yet?”
“Not yet,” he responded with what looked like a slight shake of his head. “But they should be ready by the end of the week. In the meantime, I can help pull the books you need to start your research.”
After filling him in on my assignment and a brief thank you, we parted ways. He moved further into the stacks while I slowly made my way toward the tables.
There were a few whispers that stuttered into strained silence once they noticed my appearance. It would usually irritate the hell out of me, but this time I had something else to focus on.
A familiar husky voice mumbled to the left of me, and I glanced over. She was a fuzzy blur, just like everything else, but I saw dark hair and just knew it was her. She seemed annoyed as she messed around with something indiscernible on the table.
Ambrose’s warning flashed through my mind, making me grin. I couldn’t wait until he heard that I was with Isla again. The rage that he would feel was fucking intoxicating to even think about. Of course, that paled in comparison to my need to be around her. Something about Isla was calling to me, and part of me feared it as much as I craved it.
Not letting myself linger on those conflicted feelings, I made my way over to the table. Sure enough, it was her.
“Well, if it isn’t Isla Hallowes,” I crooned.
She jolted a bit, but then I could just barely make out the smile filling her face.
“Bones,” she answered with a breathless chuckle. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“From circulation. Hellsing is pulling books for me,” I told her as I dropped my bag on the table and carefully settled down in the open chair beside her. It wasn’t easy to comfortably fold my seven-foot frame in any chair, especially these small study tables, but after a little bit, I finally got semi-comfortable.
She had a laptop in front of her with a bright screen that made me want to squint even with my glasses on. Besides that, she had two open books, but they weren’t close enough for me to make out what they said.
“Studying already? Aren’t you a good student.”
Isla rolled her eyes at my teasing. “Familiar Care is going to be tedious. We have an essay due the second damn day of class, which is the complete opposite of my self-defense class where the professor didn’t seem to give one fuck about introducing anything. He just wanted to get out of the classroom. I think I’d rather have that than this essay.”
“Ah, Professor Falke.” I nodded a few times. “Gruff but a good teacher. Remember you said you wanted another teacher just like him after you’ve done the first week of real classes with the man. He’s a very talented educator but brutal at times.”
“I can take brutal over these damn essays,” she muttered before she repositioned herself to face me. “What brings you here? Are you also being a good little student or just following me around campus?”
Snorting at her frustration, I had opened my mouth to reply when a throat cleared behind me, interrupting our small talk.
“I think it goes without saying it should be quiet in a library,” Hellsing softly chastised, but beneath the words was a steely warning. “At least manage a whisper, Bricriu.”
“Just catching up with a new acquaintance,” I told him, not the least bit put out by him calling us out. “Wanted to see if she needed any help with her lessons. Though I will say that you’re on your own with Familiar Care. You can keep that witchy bullshit to yourself.”
“That makes sense for you ,” Isla deadpanned. “I’d hate for animals to think I was a chew toy. Pity.”
I choked just as Hellsing roughly coughed behind me. A breath later, he maneuvered around my chair to place a stack of books on the table in front of me. Once his hands were free, the librarian shifted his attention to Isla, inclining his head at her.
“A bold joke, witch. You’ll do well here. But you both must whisper, or you’ll be studying in your own rooms.” Isla nodded at his last warning then watched him walk away.
“Is he always like that?” she whispered seriously, obviously taking his warning to heart.
“Yes. Do you always make inappropriate jokes and give odd nicknames?”
“Yours isn’t odd,” she huffed softly. “You’re a bone fae. Bones makes the most sense in the world.”
“Doesn’t mean most would call me that. We are a feared type of fae, after all. People willingly give us parts of themselves.”
“Humans,” she corrected me. “I don’t know how they do the whole tooth fairy thing... Seems foolish to give away any part of my body to anyone, much less one of the fae.”
I blinked slowly at Isla. Not many people knew much about bone fae or the fact that tooth fairies were connected to us. Granted humans created a rose-colored version of the nasty creatures but most didn’t realize they were real. What kind of run-ins with the fae has this witch had?
“You do have some sense of self-preservation then. I wasn’t sure,” I whispered back.
“I could always call you Bricriu if you wish.” She tilted her head before clicking her tongue. “But I don’t think you mind the nickname at all. I think you just complain about it as a reflex.”
“No comment,” I replied haughtily, more than a little disconcerted that she could call me out after just a few interactions. Most people didn’t bother to get to know me well enough to be able to call me out on anything.
She chuckled at that before looking at her computer screen, her keys loudly clicking in the hush of the library. Not wasting any time, I cracked open the books Hellsing had selected for me. I grabbed my large hands-free magnifying glass and carefully placed it over the book, shifting it until the words became clear enough for me to read them.
I waited for the inevitable snide remark or teasing, but Isla just typed away, not the least bit concerned with what I was doing. Slowly, my body relaxed, tension draining from my shoulders as I leaned close, reading through bits and pieces of the books.
It felt... odd.
Nice.
Safe.
I wasn’t sure that I liked it. I’d only felt this way once before, a fleeting moment, and it had ended in disaster.
Feelings were a complication that I had no time for, but I didn’t get up and move away from her. If I could, I would blame some type of spell, claiming it was pulling me to her, yet it wasn’t that simple. Something about her drew me in, and despite our short time together, I found myself searching the blurred world around me for a simple hint of her.
Notes of almond, vanilla, and jasmine teased my nose when I leaned a bit closer to her, trying to adjust how I was seated. Discreetly, I took a few deep breaths pretending that I was frustrated with my work, but I just wanted to savor her scent.
It was a one-sided interest though, and that was all it would ever be. Even if I did develop anything beyond a surface interest in the woman, it would mean nothing. I was an outcast according to my family, my court, and my species. She would see that I was a liability soon enough. My inability to see was really only the beginning of my deficits, or so I’d been told frequently and with much detail.
I need to fucking focus.
Wrangling my thoughts, I managed to start focusing on my books. Isla quietly typed on her laptop with a few muttered curses here and there about something the computer was doing. I kept my attention on the book in front of me, only moving to carefully shift the magnifying glass every time I needed to flip the page. It was an annoying process, but this was the only way I could read the books. What they really need are damn audiobooks.
Almost an hour passed before Isla groaned in frustration and shut her laptop with a sharp slam. She laid her head on top of it without saying any actual words. Suppressed laughter made my lips twitch, but I forced my smile back as I considered her.
“That bad?” I asked innocently, keeping my eyes on my book. She rolled her head to look at me, and I was close enough that I could see the hazel of her eyes when she pinned me with a glare.
“Yes, Bones . It’s boring. It’s about the basic care of familiars, which was covered fucking years ago when I was in academy,” she replied in hushed tones, likely remembering Hellsing’s warning.
“How about a break then?” I offered, stretching my arms above my head. “I could use some fresh air and a damn smoke before I keep going.” I wouldn’t be able to read for that much longer anyway, but she didn’t need to know that.
She studied my face like she was silently debating her options before a small smile curled her lips. My heart thudded in my chest when she reached out and took hold of my hand.
“I’d like that,” she answered as she stood up and urged me to do the same. “Lead the way.”
I hoped to hell that the witch couldn’t tell how surprised I was by her easy acceptance or the casual touch that she was offering, but everyone around us definitely noticed. A wave of whispers followed in our wake. It would only be a matter of time until the whole school knew about us hanging out, and I hoped like hell that was all she heard. Of course, my hopes were dashed the moment the door closed behind us.
“Well, if it isn’t the freak. Taking a midnight stroll to kill another girl for parts? At least take her to dinner first.”