Page 30 of Serpent and Shadow

I nodded, too tired to know how to process that information either.

I should probably wait and think about these things tomorrow.

“Maybe it’s good,” Alaric offered next. “I’d be worried Malefic could get in here otherwise. He got in before.” He studied my eyes. “I know he doesn’t own the buildings in the school anymore, Leda. Cal does. But he’s still connected to the two of you. It’s probably not a terrible thing to have someone else keeping an eye out.”

When I only nodded, too tired to argue, Alaric cleared his throat.

“I could help you reinforce the chimaeras, if you like? We could play around with a few things. I don’t like the idea of you being at the mercy of whatever the King’s people and the Praecuri put in place. Particularly if they decide you’re a threat.”

I felt another tightening in my chest at his words.

Still, it made me realize Alaric understood more than I’d assumed.

“Yes,” I nodded. I wiped my eyes, aware only then that I was crying for some reason. “Yes, I agree. Thanks, Alaric.”

He released my hand, going back to stroking Wraith’s head. “I won’t leave you alone with this, Leda,” he added softly. “I’ll stay here with you. As long as you want. Or at least until we have the chimaeras locked down enough that you’re safe.”

I nodded, but I was still struggling with my throat, so I didn’t speak.

“There’s food,” he said next.

Alaric motioned towards the low table beside the couch. “It’s set for two. I take it you ordered from the shower and already planned to invite me to dinner?” He smiled at me hopefully. “Or were you expecting someone already? Someone other than me, I mean?”

I let out a low snort, in spite of myself.

“Forsooth,” I said simply. “He ordered the food. Since he clearly saw you heading my way, I have to assume the second portion is meant for you. Or me,” I added, after a thought. “He seemed to think I was too much of a disaster to feed myself properly.” My eyes found Alaric’s. “He saw me before the shower. It wasn’t pretty.”

“We’ll order more,” Alaric promised.

He adjusted his tall frame in the leather, making it squeak.

I couldn’t help noticing he wore some of the most casual clothes I’d ever seen him wear. He still managed to look like he belonged in a glossy advertisement in a human magazine. His dark green trousers matched shards of color in his hazel eyes, as did his brown crewneck. He wore leather dress shoes and I saw he’d left matching gloves on the kitchen counter.

Remembering he’d come from Valarian, I glanced out the window and saw the wind had risen again. It drove the snow sideways across the tall, iron-framed panes.

My eyes found the smeared ritual circle I’d left on Bones’s floor and I grimaced. I needed to clean that up before I ate. I rose to my feet, drawing magic down from my sun primal and through the monocerus as I murmured a spell to close the circle formally and gather up the remaining ingredients. I’d basically left a portal open on my living room floor.

Sloppy, sloppy, Leda.

The shards of bone and monocerus horn and crushed amethyst were the first things to lift from the inner ring. The feathers and scales rose next, along with my blood, and a trail began to form from that segment of stone floor and the fireplace, which wasn’t perfect but the only clean way I had of disposing of the magical remains.

The flames flared purple and green, reminding me of Blackstone’s spell earlier.

The salt rose last, as that was the protective ring.

I sent that into the fire as well, and it crackled and popped on the hotter pieces of wood, turning the flames briefly blue.

I imagined I saw a face in those flames, gaunter than Bones, with long black hair and silver eyes, but I told myself I was imagining things.

Maybe it should have made me feel afraid.

Instead, it made me angry.

When all the remains had vanished, I walked back to Alaric, and sank down next to him on the couch, sitting closer to him that time, and right next to the low table between the couch and the fire. Two trays sat on that table. Each had a burnished silver cover and I could see the faint, bluish glow of a preservation spell around the entire plate and tray holding each.

I very belatedly shook my head at Alaric’s last comment.

“I doubt I could eat more than whatever Forsooth sent,” I said. “One plate should be more than enough for me, but you’re more than welcome to order whatever you want.”