Lachlan doesn’t want distance.He wants to take that vacant room in the Cove so he’s always nearby, but it makes more sense for Blaire to have it.
The last childminder’s contract wasn’t renewed in September.
His research into Paranaturals, orBrightlingsas they apparently prefer to be called, doesn’t yield anything definitive at first.There is no universally agreed-upon answer about whether or not this whole thing is, at its core, a spiritual movement or something more solid.An evolutionary expansion that needs time to settle, just as electricity seemed like witchcraft hundreds of years ago and is now widely accepted as science.
He uncovers tracks that lead to well-hidden military experiments.A few senators tend to group Paranaturals in with other minority groups when whipping up fear-based prejudice to drive polls.
But beyond that, there’s not much in terms of concrete data from a shallow search.He dives deeper, goes into forums.Less factual but more enlightening.
Some of what he reads is pure trash.
Wildly outlandish claims of “magical powers” ranging from controlling the weather, dreams foretelling the future and small-scale telekinesis all the way to people who claim they can see the future, erase memories, alter reality and even claim advanced healing abilities.
One user in a forum catches his eye.
A mother asking about her son, clearly worried.She says that it seems like he’s able to control electronics in a way she can’t explain.Small things he can do like change channels without touching anything, turn devices on and off remotely, locate a device without it making any noise and always knows when someone’s phone is about to ring.
In the comment section, people ask more and she answers.
Some of what she says resonates with Lachlan’s curiosity.
She says his touchscreen device turns on before he’s touched it, that for some reason theWi-Fiin their house is always clearer when close to him, even in the self-proclaimed “dead zone”.Lights flicker when he’s stressed and sometimes phone signals drop out entirely when he’s angry.
These are the parts Lachlan rereads twice, not because they match Jules precisely, but because he feels like there’s something scientific beneath the fear of it being modern witchcraft.Other posts lead to similar examples, some of which match up with uncanny accuracy.
But ultimately, it’s not enough to go on, and Lachlan knows when to drop a lead once the evidence thins.His curiosity is relegated to the back of his mind for now.He’s satisfied Fenwick was talking shit.
PTSD and the weight of this place.It’s nothing more than that.
There’s enoughreal-worldrequirements to focus on, besides.
Jules’ nineteenth birthday, for example.
?
Lachlan’s not surprised Jules doesn’t want a big party.
But he’s equally unsurprised that Alistair ignores his wishes completely.Two months plus change seems to have been more than enough for him to “reset the energy”, so it’s back to once-a-week meetings via technology and asking if Lachlan has selected a head of household yet.
Each week Lachlan says, ‘Not yet, sir,’ because he knows it should be Blaire, but Fenwick and Clara are ashes in the basement, and he can’t bear to risk her.He’s equally torn about bringing someone in from the outside, knowing it’s a likely death sentence down the road.
Three days before Jules’ party, the decision is made for him.
Penhalyx goes around Lachlan to select Carrigan, who accepts and makes clear to Lachlan that she can handle herself.She frames it well when they discuss it, says this is a chance for her to move sideways.Lachlan can’t help but think,into the furnace, but Priscilla Carrigan is highly capable, so he takes her at face value and congratulates her.
Unfortunately, Carrigan being the new head of household means the loss of Lachlan’s number two and, while he likes and trusts Rook, he needs him running Control.
Bennett would have been an option, but he died protecting the Cove.
Lachlan will have to hire from the outside, something he’s dreading but it’ll have to wait until after Jules’ birthday party.
Without Penhalyx here, the Estate is blissful.
The kids have schooling for four hours each morning until afternoon, Mimi included, and then they’re free for the day, which is theirs to command.Meals, games, earthworms and mud pies.Mimi’s slow determination to map each element of her penknife.Jules’ growing friendship with Vasily.Lachlan’s renewed control over the domain which is his to protect.
It feels liketheirworld.
But the return of Penhalyx for the party is something Lachlan is resigned to.He now knows exactly how these parties operate, how bad it can get, the gaps, the weaknesses, thepeopleand the fucking trouble they can cause.He also knows how to manage them, and how best to protect Jules.
