Chapter 24 #3
Where the hell did Dana get one of my dad’s sticks? I thought.
More importantly, why did she retain it? Pluck fizzed. She couldn’t have known we needed it. We didn’t know until yesterday.
Benedict noisily pulled a stool closer to me and sat down. “That’s lucky. I don’t think there’s another stick on campus that is shod in silver. It’s probably your dad’s.”
Herm bobbed his head. “Agreed. Petra, your dad was my best friend, but he was an odd duck for sure. Those symbols don’t do a damn thing other than making it obvious they’re a set.”
Marty was still looking at my dad’s sticks, and remembering how she had regrouped all the scattered sticks in the front room of the records building, I twitched my foot to touch Pluck. She had more skill than she knew. Enough to be of real help. More help than me, probably.
So I wasn’t surprised when Marty picked one up and took a step back, spinning it like a baton to gauge its weight and rough dross level. “Yeah, that feels the same,” Marty said as she set it down. “Your dad made this? It’s beautiful.”
One stick, two sticks, three, four, five. Stand them straight to stay alive. The poem echoed in both Pluck’s and my thoughts as my ankle cramped with cold, and I held a hand down in invitation, dabbling my fingertips into his tingling concern. If Thoth knew her real strength…
Benedict took a bite of his burger, jaw moving slowly as he chewed. “Why would Dana have one of your dad’s sticks?”
“I’ll ask her.” Herm sighed at his flattened burger, then took a bite.
“I’ll help.” Benedict slid from the stool, his fatigue becoming more obvious.
“I’d like a word with Dana myself.” I upended the fry folder to get the last of the salt.
“Hold up, campers.” Herm chuckled. “I like the enthusiasm, but if Dana has one of your dad’s sticks, I will get it. You’re both staying here.”
“Hey! I can steal stuff,” Benedict complained, and Professor Brown laughed.
“Duly noted, Professor Strom,” Herm said dryly. “But you and Petra are wanted for questioning.”
I slumped, not pleased that I was trashing Benedict’s career along with mine.
“No, you will sit tight with Petra and Pluck in the shadows where they belong,” Herm continued. “Practice using the sticks in tandem. Lev has a light touch, and I wouldn’t mind bringing in Cameron’s expertise, either. Five sticks need five handlers.”
In the shadows where they belong? I wasn’t sure what to think about that, but Pluck fizzed happily at the idea.
Professor Brown patted his front pocket as if looking for something. “Herm, your situation isn’t that secure, either. I’ll ask Dana,” he said, finding his keys. “Give me until ten tomorrow. You should be safe here until then.”
Herm eyed him sourly. “I have been ostracized before, Steven. I know what I’m doing, and you asking Dana about the stick is a bad idea.
If she has it, then it’s because she knows its value.
You asking about it will only tell her you’re involved.
” Herm shoved the last bite of his burger into his mouth.
“Lev, Cameron, and I will liberate it tomorrow without her knowing,” he said around his chewing.
“Fine,” I muttered, and Benedict put his elbows on the table, clearly disappointed.
“Okay, then.” Professor Brown jiggled on his feet, then swooped to his desk.
“I will defer recovering the last stick to you.” Head down, he shuffled through his top drawer until finding a thick Sharpie and pad of paper.
“Keep the lights off,” he said as he began to write in big, bold letters.
“I’ll put a note on the door in case one of my students tries to get a foot up on next week’s classes, though that would be highly unlikely.
” He ripped the paper free and straightened.
“Petra, you and Pluck are getting a raw deal. It’s obvious that Dana doesn’t care who pays for it as long as things go back to normal.
I’m going to make a few inquiries. See who thinks Dana is being criminally shortsighted.
There may be support out there that you don’t know about. ”
Herm slid from his stool, shaking his hand as the man prepared to leave. “Good luck,” Herm said, smiling. “I never found the knack to get the university board to admit they were wrong. Thanks, Steven.”
My old instructor beamed confidently. “My pleasure. I’m headed home. Let me know if you need anything.” He smiled fondly at me, then nodded to Benedict. “Strom,” he said, as if parting with an equal, adding in a lighter tone, “Pluck, Marty, good to meet you. Petra, take care of yourself.”
Pluck flicked an ear, delighting the professor, and I dangled my fingers into the shadow. “You too,” I said, not happy that everyone I cared about was likely going to take a hit if we could pull this off.
We had to pull it off.
Professor Brown chuckled ruefully as he headed for the hall.
“I never should have let you drop that class,” he said as he walked out and closed the door.
His silhouette before it hesitated as he taped the note, and then it was gone.
“A shadow wrangler,” came faintly from the hall, and then even the sound of his steps vanished.
Focus distant, Benedict unwrapped a second burger and took a bite, jaw moving slowly. “Shadow spit, I’m tired,” he said, then glanced up at Marty. “There’s lots here, Marty. Dig in.”
She lifted her nearly empty cup and jiggled it to make the ice shift. “I’m good. Not hungry this time of night.” She looked at the blinds. “Or is it morning now?”
It was closer to morning, and I yawned as the first hints of fatigue began to steal into me.
Marty glanced at the couches, really nothing more than long benches with a thin layer of foam on them. There were only two, but I felt awake enough to stand watch.
“I do not want to cut up one of my dad’s sticks,” I said, and Herm grunted, wadding up his burger’s paper and throwing it away.
“You won’t have to. We’ll get the last one.” He beamed at Marty as she went to a couch.
“I would bet my life it’s the same.” Marty hesitated. “Ah, should we look for more couches?”
Herm waved her to have at it. “I’m standing watch.”
“Me too,” I blurted before Benedict could.
“No, you need your sleep,” Herm said, and Benedict’s coming protest faltered. “I need the time to plan out how to get in and out of Dana’s apartment.” He reached for his phone, his thoughts already on it. “Two of you can share a couch. It’s big enough.”
Marty immediately claimed a couch, stretching out with her face to the wall. I could hear her sigh from where I was, and Benedict looked from the other couch to me.
“It’s not your queen, but I think we can manage,” he said, and a smile quirked my lips.
Shadow spit, Pluck grumbled, and his presence faded from mine as thoughts of Benedict pressed up against my length flooded both our minds.
“Mind if I have the inside?” I said as I gathered up the trash, and Herm chuckled, sighing in what might be a fond memory.
The couch was indeed as hard as it looked, but as I curved into the shelter of Benedict’s body, I decided that for having started this night with a cinder-block wall between us, this wasn’t bad.
Not bad at all.