Chapter 18 Lukas
Lukas
“Honey, I’m home,” I yelled as I let myself in through the front door of Noah’s house.
The bland and grey house I used to know was now long gone.
In its place was a much cozier version, with warm browns, dark greens, and more lamps rather than harsh overhead lights.
Henri had certainly made this cold place feel inviting.
I walked to the kitchen, where I heard my friends' chatter. Henri looked up from the pot she was stirring with a smile, dropped her utensil, and moved toward me. Noah sat at the island, a slight smirk on his face.
“Oh, Lukas!” Henri beamed as she looked at the bouquet of flowers in my hand. “They’re beautiful!”
“They’re not for you, Henri. They’re for Noah, of course.” I swerved past her and took them directly to Noah, narrowly missing the swat of the hand towel Henri had picked up. The three of us laughed as Noah took the flowers and moved around the kitchen to grab a vase.
“For you, darling,” Noah said softly as he offered the flowers for her to smell. I looked away at the moment that seemed private—with the flowers that I had brought.
Rolling my eyes, I took a seat at the island as well, knowing better than to offer Henri any help.
In the few months since the potion attacks, Henri had spent an increasing amount of time here with Noah. From what Noah described, the two of them had settled into a pleasant rhythm together. Henri loved to cook, which surprised Noah, and he loved to eat whatever she made him.
Though one time he said she’d made a new cookie recipe and he’d forced himself to eat all of them, despite how terrible they were.
Tonight, I was lucky enough to catch an invitation to a dinner she was cooking. The flowers were the only thing I could contribute.
“So, Lukas,” Henri began, checking on whatever was cooking on the stove. Something was boiling, and by the smell in the room, there was also something in the oven. “How are things with Elsie?”
Henri and Noah were the only two I’d discussed Elsie with. But even now, I didn’t feel the desire to talk about her because I’d messed things up.
“Well, we haven’t spoken in a few days. I think I’ve ruined things.”
“That didn’t take long,” Noah commented jestingly. I glared at him.
“What happened?” Henri asked with a serious expression on her face.
“Well, we’ve been meeting after many of the court sessions, and after the witness got sick last week, I took her to Spaghetti Square. I was actually beginning to believe she was opening up a bit more with me, so I asked a stupid question.”
I ran a hand down my face, wishing I could take the words back.
“What was it?” Henri focused solely on me, cooking forgotten.
“Well, when we were leaving the courthouse, she was frustrated about the witness being sick and mentioned she was ready for justice. So I asked her if something happened during the love potion…”
Henri remained quiet, and Noah just shook his head.
“I didn’t pry or anything, and when she didn’t answer, I tried to change the subject, but then she ran out of the restaurant and said she was sick, so I took her home. She has sent me one text response since then.”
I shook my head, looking down at the marble counter for too long. When the silence ensued, I lifted my gaze to Henri, who was looking at Noah with an odd expression. One of question and sadness.
“What is it?” My question went unanswered as Henri and Noah continued sharing whatever telepathic communication they seemed to have. Henri shook her head slightly and sighed.
“Do you know something?” I asked, wondering why Henri was being so weird about all of this. To my knowledge, Henri had barely ever spoken to Elsie.
“Well…” Henri hesitated, fidgeting with her hands.
“I sat next to her during Faulkner’s witness questioning.
And—” her eyes cut over to Noah, who gave her a nod.
“While he was talking about the sexual assault that would occur when the love potion was in effect, she started crying. I think…I think she was about to have a panic attack just hearing him talk about it.”
The words confirmed something I’d wondered for a while and elicited a burning rage within me. Just the idea of someone hurting Elsie was enough to make me want to go find her and ask who it was. To then find that person and ruin their life.
But I couldn’t do that for a few reasons.
One of which was that it wasn’t even truly that person’s—whoever it was—fault.
The fault all fell on Aster.
And whoever she was working with.
Despite the entire prosecution team not seeming to believe there was a second person, I still knew there had to be someone else.
I hung my head in my hands, devastated to think that something could have happened to Elsie. And that she was showing up at court to watch the case unfold.
My heart yearned to call her, to find her, and to comfort her. To promise her that Aster would be put away and stripped of her magic.
But I couldn’t. Wouldn’t. It obviously made her uncomfortable last time, enough to put this distance between us.
Henri’s hand rested upon mine, and I looked up to her empathetic brown eyes. “Don’t worry. Aster will receive due justice.”
I nodded to assure myself. Because there was no way she could get away with this, right?
“Help me set the table,” Noah said, tapping my arm. I shook out whatever lingering anger and sorrow I felt, following Noah with the stack of plates, bowls, and cutlery.
This dining room used to be furnished with nothing but a long black dining table and matching chairs.
Now, there was a large black-and-white abstract painting on one wall, a black china cabinet on the other, and plants scattered throughout the room to give it life.
Henri really was the best thing that ever happened to Noah.
Silently, we set the three spots on the table. Noah knew I needed a few minutes to gain my composure, so he didn’t say a word.
When we returned to the kitchen, Henri was pulling a large dutch oven out of the built-in oven, and Noah rushed over to help her.
Shortly after, we were all seated at the table with full plates of beef roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and vegetables.
“This is my formal request to eat here for dinner every night,” I said as soon as I had eaten my first bite of the roast.
“You wish,” Noah teased, giving Henri a wink.
“This is delicious, Henri. Thank you. Sorry about your selfish boyfriend, who doesn’t want to share your cooking.”
Henri laughed and thanked me as she ate.
“How are you feeling about going on the witness stand next week?” I asked, and immediately regretted it as both Noah and Henri tensed.
Henri cut a sharp glance toward Noah, who clenched his jaw. Somehow, I hit a sore spot.
“Well, someone wants me to drop out of that.”
“What?” I gave Noah a confused look, which he returned with anger.
“But Henri is the most vital witness! She is the only witness who heard the confession from Aster!” My mind raced as I considered all the evidence against Aster and whether it could do the job without Henri’s testimony. I balled my fists.
“He’s completely overreacting. As per usual,” Henri stated, glaring at Noah again before looking at me. “He thinks that there is some kind of curse being cast upon the witnesses who got sick.”
“I don’t know why you think it’s such a far stretch, Henri. Aster literally spell-cast a love potion on our entire campus. Do you really think it so improbable that she is cursing witnesses?”
“She doesn’t even have magic right now!”
“But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have someone else doing the dirty work!
” Noah leaned back in his chair with great exasperation.
Though the topic was serious, I could almost laugh at the scene before me.
For more than eight years, they fought and bickered just like this as two people who loathed each other.
Now they do it with love. “It’s not that inconceivable! ”
“Both sicknesses were completely different. Not to mention, the court had both witnesses tested for traces of magic or poisoning. And found none. You’re just being too overprotective.”
Noah sighed in exasperation, reaching for his drink.
“Sorry I brought it up,” I muttered, a low chuckle in my throat. Noah shot daggers at me with his eyes.