Chapter 20 The End Of A Vigil #2
A hard ball formed in my stomach whenever I pictured the night before, me sprawled over his lap, mouth open and likely snoring while they talked over all the serious matters of what he’d been doing and how he’d escaped without me.
That image didn’t make me calm. It simultaneously enraged me and made me feel exceedingly stupid. And, okay, probably more than a little used.
I didn’t blame Varya.
I knew she’d only heard the story for the first time herself last night.
I knew some of my difficulty in processing everything emotionally had to come from my feeling drained and exhausted and sensitive and overly connected to him and whatever other symptoms I was dealing with from him nearly dying.
I could feel all of those things, the exhaustion amplifying my feelings of anger and betrayal, not to mention my discomfort with being in such an intimate situation with him and his family, while being cut out by Forsooth, Blackstone, Valor, and Bones himself.
I knew all of that, and I hated it.
It was maddening that I could know and still be unable to control it.
It didn’t help that Professor Blackstone arrived back at the Tower that morning before I could make my way upstairs, nor that he made it clear my presence wouldn’t be required.
It’s not like Blackstone made it a secret that he disapproved of my presence here at the Tower, but he was more dismissive than usual that morning, so that rankled, too.
Bones’s mother, who had been nothing but kind to me, but who made me uncomfortable for other reasons, had followed Blackstone upstairs, but she, at least, seemed to feel guilty about it.
And now Varya just told me that Blackstone already gone back to Malcroix.
As usual, that dead-eyed prick left without bothering to talk to me.
Forsooth hadn’t so much as left me a note, which shouldn’t have surprised me either, but managed to sting more than the snub from Blackstone.
Varya hadn’t mentioned anything about Forsooth coming back, so I’d likely have to write him a letter if I wanted to know anything more from him, and he wouldn’t put anything sensitive in a letter for obvious reasons.
He’d brought me to the Tower via four different mirrors after I agreed to help.
He introduced me to Varya, explained that I was Bones’s “friend” and that I was there to help him replenish his magic.
Then he’d bid us both goodbye, and walked back through the mirror in the Tower’s main foyer without a second glance.
I hadn’t talked to him in person ever since.
I had no idea if the new magiphysician, Brigid, was scheduled to come that day either, because, again, no one had really told me anything, other than what Varya explained to me over eggs and toast while I made myself smile to keep from venting at her in frustration.
Tunis.
Bones had been in Tunis that night.
Apparently he’d broken into a Dark Cathedral stronghold there, somehow getting past whatever security measures they had in place.
While using a cane (a remnant from the last time he’d nearly died), he’d wandered into a series of magical catacombs so he could witness one of their dark rituals and report back.
At some point, he’d been caught, had his magic temporarily hobbled, and had been forced to make a run for it.
According to Varya, Bones spent hours with Blackstone and Forsooth the night before, describing every detail of the ritual he’d seen.
When I’d asked for more information about that, however, Varya sidestepped me by saying Bones would prefer to talk to me himself when he got up.
Which apparently he had, hours ago, but again, not around me.
I really should just leave.
Would Varya let me go back to Malcroix if I asked?
Just how offended would she be, if I insisted she needed to be alone with her son for the remainder of the holiday, and that the last thing either of them needed was having me here?
Again, I forgot how much alike Varya was to her son.
“You’re absolutely staying for dinner,” the older witch said, turning around to face me.
Her face was stern, her lip trembled, and I immediately felt guilty when I saw the emotion in her eyes.
She gripped a pale violet dress in her hands, nearly the color of moonstones. Walking up to me briskly, she held the dress to my body to compare it against my size, and her mouth firmed, her eyes holding a fiercer light.
“We are getting dressed up for Yule, and I won’t hear another word about it.
” Her grey eyes sparkled brighter as she looked at me, and for the first time, she looked actually angry.
“If you’re remotely correct in thinking that my son doesn’t want you here, then he will eat in the garden with the monoceri and the gnomes, and he will get his present after you leave…
which you may do tomorrow, if you still feel this way. ”
I snorted a little, but I didn’t argue with her.
“It’s not you,” I said only. Thinking about that, I admitted, “It may not even be him. I’m just tired. And I can’t help feeling like an intruder.”
“I know you are tired,” she said, her voice still fierce.
“You’re exhausted and you need time to recover.
Which is why I would prefer to take care of you here.
I don’t want you going back to that school alone.
On a holiday. Without any family of your own.
I have a huge affection for Alaric Greythorne, but I would not trust him to keep a cactus alive without supervision. ”
I thought about that, and felt a ripple of nervousness about Wraith.
I’d sent messages to him, Luc, and Nyx when I left. Between the three of them, someone would be feeding my cat, and making sure she had water.
“Caelum will behave appropriately or he will hear about it from me––”
“He’s fine. Honestly,” I said, now embarrassed for an entirely different reason. “Really, Mrs. Bones, don’t take anything you feel off me seriously right now––”
“Varya,” she insisted.
“Varya,” I corrected. “Honestly. You don’t need to say anything to him.”
She gauged my face for a moment, then smiled, her forehead and features smoothing back to her calmer, more polished expression.
She held the opalescent dress up in front of me, and that smile widened.
“Yes,” she said decisively. “This one. You will wear this tonight.”
I didn’t dare argue.