“Then don’t buy the stupid expensive burgers,” Jack said. “No one makes you go to Five Guys every time it’s your turn.”
Phil grimaced, like Jack’s reply was pure blasphemy.
Jack sat in front of me on the floor, and I leaned forward to drape my arms over his shoulders, pressing the side of my face to his. He scrolled through the app on the TV to find the film we’d picked out: some obscure sci-fi release he’d had his eye on. They’d agreed to watchIt, but with me joining, horror was off the table. I’d have to make sure I didn’t crash every single film night so they could still get their spooky fix.
As the opening credits started, I finally let myself settle into the sofa and into the moment. If this was my new normal, I was more than happy with that. I only hoped it would go as well with his family the next day.
But I wasn’t left to revel in my satisfaction for long.
“So, what was that at work earlier?” Chloe asked. “With Aaron?”
My stomach dropped.
“Everything okay with the gala?” Jack asked from the other side of me. “Aaron being unhelpful again?”
Over the last few weeks, Jack had become intimately familiar with the logistics for the gala. He knew about every drawing, every spreadsheet, and every vendor conversation; venting to him had, I was pretty sure, been the only thing keeping me sane.
“Yeah, he’s fine,” I said. “I mean, well, no, he’s still hugely unhelpful. But that’s not what was happening.” I pleaded with Chloe with my gaze to change the subject, but we’d always been terrible at telepathy.
“Then what was?” Chloe asked. “He seemed excited about something, and I haven’t heard him willingly talk about anything but his unborn child in months.”
I had my back resting against Jack, but I felt him look down at me. There was no good reason not to tell him. It was weird that I hadn’t told him already, even. But something in the back of my mind knew that it was a can of worms.
“Well…” I started, grateful I only had to look at Chloe. “He’s leaving, actually. And Simone says I can have his job if we hit our goal next week.”
Chloe shrieked and clapped for the second time this evening; she almost spilled her drink down me in the process. “That’s so great!” she said. “That’s a killer promotion!”
“I know,” I said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than I felt, “but nothing’s official yet.”
“Still,” she said. “That’s amazing you’re being considered. I’m so jealous. And only mildly annoyed that I’ll have to keep covering part of your call list.”
I finally mustered the courage to look up at Jack, who was smiling; of course he was. Because he thought this meant more than it did.
Suddenly I was grateful we had a film to watch so I couldn’t find out why.
Chapter34
Captain Morgana Silversword
It took some persuading, but Lord Arnault finally agreed to see them in his chambers. They waited for hours at the palace gates – Morgana had never had to wait for admittance, and she was frustrated at being waylaid – before he sent for them to be brought to his study.
Lord Arnault was a slight man, with a chin puff beard long enough to touch his chest. His face was gaunt, implying an age beyond his actual years, and Morgana had always wondered if that added to his air of authority. He’d certainly curried favour with the Queen unusually quickly, ousting several other advisors in the process.
“I take it you have succeeded on your mission?” Arnault asked as the party walked into the room. He didn’t gesture for them to sit opposite him at the large desk, nor did he offer them any refreshments after their travels and their long wait.
“We have,” Yorick said, “but we have some questions for you.”
“Very well.” Arnault smiled wide, and the expression looked unnatural on his face. “What are your questions?”
Yorick looked back at Thrormir, and Morgana could see him readying the spell. But when he went to cast it, he just frowned. He exchanged glances with Morgana and with Yorick, shrugging, a confused look on his face.
“That won’t work in here,” Arnault said, standing up. He was almost as tall as Gorlag, and he moved around the desk with an otherworldly ease. He rapped his knuckles on the wood-panelled walls. “I have very specific protections in place. But if you’d like to ask me a question, you may.”
“Great,” Calamity said, breaking from the plan. “We wanna know what you’re gonna do with it.”
Yorick smacked her leg and jutted his chin out at her; he was usually the one to do the talking, and for good reason. But Calamity could be persuasive when she wanted to.
“Great question,” Arnault said, perching on the edge of the desk closest to the party, who all took a half-step back unconsciously. “I take it that means you’ve learned what the Sphere does?”
