Chapter 18 Aurelie
Aurelie
Aurelie read the letter from Uncle Leo again, praying that the words would rearrange themselves and tell her something different.
That he wasn’t remaining with his friend until after Yule. That she wasn’t going to spend the rest of the year on her own.
Uncle Leo was profusely apologetic, but that didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t leave his friend’s side. In fact, he
spoke about him so tenderly that Aurelie knew they must be more than friends. Uncle Leo loved this man, deeply. And while
she felt quite sorry for herself at the moment, all she could do was write to him and tell him that she understood entirely.
She’d spend the holiday with the Morels. She’d be perfectly fine without him.
For the most part, it was the truth. She’d fallen into a routine these past weeks, spending less and less time in her lab
as she began working on Everard’s portal in earnest. She was exhausted from staying up later than usual, and she had to be
extra vigilant when Mr. Willoughby, the guard who’d checked on Aurelie the night the somnia chased her, was on duty. He’d made it his personal mission to ensure she was safe, and his spontaneous visits kept her from
falling into complacency. The knowledge that someone could walk in on her at any moment forced her to take all necessary precautions,
ones she’d have to continue with when Uncle Leo did eventually return.
But building the portal was exhilarating in ways she couldn’t have predicted. She had never faced such a large challenge, and between the runes and the puzzle of the metal plates, she went through dozens of pieces of parchment working on her schematics.
Before the metal plates arrived, she procured wooden blocks of a similar size and attempted to connect them without using
any other metal, as instructed. She’d considered that if the frame were perfectly sized, she may be able to slot them into
place without any additional means of connecting them, but one slight shove and they all collapsed onto the floor. It would
have to be an adhesive, then, but one that could work on metal, which opened up an entire other world of research.
When the metal plates were finally delivered in several large wooden crates, Aurelie nearly squealed with joy. She pried one
of the crates open with a crowbar as Mephisto peered over the rim next to her, then promptly left when it realized there were
no cockroaches inside. She lifted one plate reverently. It was as bright and shiny as polished gold, without a single scratch
or blemish. As she turned it on its side, she noticed that there were already engravings there, smooth lines and notches that
must be the key to connecting the plates, though they weren’t provided in any particular order.
Another puzzle for Aurelie to obsess over. It felt like she’d tried a thousand different combinations before she finally discovered
that there was a complex pattern at play. She had cackled maniacally at the discovery, startling even herself.
It was Professor Sheldrake’s tacit approval that helped buoy her when she began to question herself, or worse, when Kiara did.
And though he never worked with her directly on the door, he was indeed mentoring her, aiding her with her studies when she was falling behind.
She’d slept through one class for the first time in her life, but her professor had allowed her to complete the experiment with Professor Sheldrake instead.
Yes, they’d accidentally conjured a small verita when Professor Sheldrake decided to change the experiment around, just for fun, and she’d been convinced they were done for
when it got loose and was spotted by the campus guard.
But Alastor had quickly chased it down, puncturing it with his iron-spiked collar. Seeing Des so publicly humiliated was a
nice perk, although the sight of him had caught her off guard. She’d nearly forgotten how imposing he was, how his physical
presence did strange things to her body.
After he had stolen the drawing, she had spent an entire week in terror, waiting for him to come in and arrest her. Then,
when no arrest came, she’d decided to fish for information instead, or provoke it, if necessary. If Des hadn’t turned her
in, she needed to know why. And if he had, she needed to know why no one had acted on it yet. Daisy had responded to her letter
right away, proposing they meet at a small café close to the university today at five o’clock.
Now, she set the letter from Uncle Leo on her desk and sighed. It was early in the winter for snow, but snow it had, for three
days. Aurelie pulled on thick wool tights under her dress and swathed herself in a knit cardigan before bundling herself in
her coat. She let Willoughby know where she was heading and when to expect her back, then let herself out of the university
gates.
It was just ten days until Yule, and the streets were more crowded than ever.
Children sledded down any slope they could find, including the middle of the road.
Aurelie couldn’t help smiling at a boy pulling his sister on a toboggan while she threw snowballs at his back, urging him to move faster.
A dog sporting a full-body snowsuit with fluffy white trim trotted after them.
The café was just several blocks away, tucked onto a side street that Aurelie had never noticed. She entered to find Daisy
already sitting at a small table at the back, where she waved to Aurelie.
“It’s so nice to see you again,” Daisy said as Aurelie removed her coat and hung it on a nearby hook. “How are things at the
university? Nearly finished with your studies?”
“It’s always busy this time of year,” Aurelie said, perusing the menu. “I have a few papers to write before the term ends.
And you? It seems that things have calmed down, demon-wise.”
A man approached their table, asking to use the third, empty chair. Aurelie was about to give him permission when Daisy replied,
“Sorry, we’re waiting for a friend.”
Aurelie’s stomach did an odd maneuver that felt similar to a cartwheel, though she hadn’t moved. “We are?”
Daisy grinned in what Aurelie suspected was meant to be a sheepish way, but she looked more mischievous than sorry. “I invited
Des.”
“What? Why?” Aurelie glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the giant in question enter the café, looking as miserable
and uncomfortable as ever.
“Over here,” Daisy called, though he was already walking toward them.
“Why would you invite him?” Aurelie hissed. “He probably hates hot chocolate as much as he hates people.”
Daisy didn’t respond. Instead, she rose to greet Des, and Aurelie felt obligated to do the same.
“Hello, Aurelie,” he said, and all at once she was back in Uncle Leo’s office, with Des’s hand on her forehead and her heart
in her throat.
“Hello, Des,” she squeaked, then immediately regretted it. They shouldn’t be on a first-name basis. Not after what he’d done
to her.
“I read your letter to him, and he insisted on joining us,” Daisy explained.
“That’s not . . .” Des trailed off, apparently accepting that there was no use arguing with Daisy. “Hello, Aurelie,” he said
again.
Aurelie found herself at a loss for words. How was she going to ask Daisy about the drawing now? Was that why he’d come? So
that Daisy couldn’t reveal his plans? He had a lot of nerve showing up here as though he hadn’t attempted to seduce and then
rob her, the lousy thief. She especially hated that he looked so nice with longer hair, which was dark and curling from the
melted snow.
He removed his coat and hung it next to Aurelie’s. She almost laughed at the difference in size.
Des took the seat between the two of them, his legs so long they nearly brushed Aurelie’s. He murmured an apology, and Aurelie
wasn’t sure if his cheeks were rosy from cold or embarrassment. She selfishly hoped it was the latter. He should be embarrassed, for using his masculine wiles against her.
“Let’s order,” Daisy said, waving a waiter over. “Three hot chocolates, extra whipped cream and chocolate buttons, please.”
She winked at Aurelie. “Trust me. Can we also get some of those lovely cream biscuits? Ooh, and lemon curd, if you have it.
That should do for now. Thank you!”
“Daisy’s sweet tooth rears its ugly head,” Des muttered, attempting to sink lower in his chair. Aurelie glanced around and noticed that he’d caught the attention of several patrons, who whispered behind their hands and giggled.
“What?” Daisy asked, all innocence and cheer. Aurelie wanted to smack her on the back of the head. “It’s not like we get sweets
at the barracks. I have to make up for it whenever I get the opportunity.”
Aurelie rolled her eyes and turned so she couldn’t see the people fawning over Des. Yes, he was handsome, but there were plenty
of handsome men in the world. Why must people make such a fuss?
She shook off her annoyance and focused on Daisy. “Do you come here often?” she asked. She knew the Iron Guard had Mondays
off, for the most part, but she had expected them to spend the time resting or visiting friends, not eating chocolate buttons.
“Oh, once a month or so. Des prefers to spend his days off moping around the fort, but I like to remind myself there’s a world
outside the walls.” Daisy drummed her fingers on the table, seemingly unable to sit still. “So, Aurelie. Tell us what you’ve
been studying lately.”
“Chemistry,” she said, her eyes sliding to Des, only to find him staring at her. She immediately looked away. “I’ve been working
with a new mentor. Professor Sheldrake. He’s a bit unusual. We nearly blew up his lab the other night,” she added with a laugh.
“But I’m enjoying it.”
She turned even farther toward Daisy, deliberately knocking Des’s knees with her own. “And you, Daisy?”
“I’m training a new recruit. She’s not particularly good at demon hunting, I’m afraid. But that’s what happens when all orphans have to become demon hunters.”
“Not all orphans,” Des said, his eyes once again skating to Aurelie.