Page 31 of Serpent and Shadow

“Are you going to tell me why the old man was here?” Alaric asked, his voice light, but with a tauter undertone. “Or what it is I saw on your floor before you threw it into the fire just now, evoking what looked like the skeleton of Malefic himself?”

I grimaced at his words. “You saw that?”

“I did.” His voice grew a touch alarmed. “You weren’t summoning him, were you?”

“No.” I looked at him. I considered putting off telling him until after we’d eaten, but that felt like more effort than simply telling the truth. “I was using the ring I gave Bones. For Yule.” Seeing the understanding flicker in Alaric’s eyes, I clasped my hands between my knees. “Forsooth was here because I wanted to tell him what I saw, and where Bones is now.”

Silence greeted my answer.

I hesitated, then added, “He probably ordered you food in the hopes you’d stay here with me for a while.” At Alaric’s raised eyebrow, I shrugged. “He asked a few times if I’d be alone tonight. I got the feeling he wasn’t too happy with my answer.”

Thinking about that, I let myself feel the first real flicker of gratitude.

“Thank you for bringing Wraith,” I said. “I really want to talk to Miranda, but I know it would be a disaster if I tried to do it now. But I really wanted Wraith here.”

“He was in Frumpy’s with me,” Alaric said. “I went to get him when the Praecuri took you away. I waited for you to come out of the northeast tower, but I must have missed you. A bunch of us where in Frumpy’s when they announced tonight’s Carnival had been cancelled… due to inclement weather.”

He scoffed lightly.

I glanced at the windows. “Well, they weren’t lying, were they?”

Alaric followed my gaze. “I suppose technically not, although they usually use spells for that kind of thing. They also mentioned classes would start on time, despite everything, but that there would be a memorial for the fallen students.” He gave me a crooked smile. “I don’t suppose you’ll be wanting to go to that?”

“Not really, no,” I said, imagining just how unwelcome I’d be.

Alaric studied my face, and now his expression verged on tentative. “You don’t mind really, do you? My being here?”

Looking at my cat, who was watching me with wide, plaintive eyes, I shook my head, and held out my arms.

I could see Alaric’s guilty reluctance as he let go of her.

Once released, Wraith leapt into my waiting embrace.

I cuddled her against my chest and pressed my face against her soft fur. She purred loudly, kneading her claws into Bones’s dark grey jumper. She continued to purr like an idling motor as I rubbed her ears and face and cheeks with my fingers. I knew I must look like Alaric did when he first got back to Malcroix at the beginning of winter break.

Wraith eventually slid off my arm and curled up into my lap.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” I said, still rubbing her ears. “For a lot of reasons, Alec. And I’m beyond relieved that you’re okay. And that your friends are all okay.” I glanced up at him, a little apologetically. “But I also need your help.”

A flicker of nerves touched his eyes, but he barely hesitated.

“Of course,” he said. “Of course. Anything at all, dearest. Anything.”

I might have teased him at a different time, or warned him to be careful what he promised me, but I didn’t have it in me to pretend lightness right then, even for him.

Besides, I knew him. Alaric meant his words.

He also knew exactly why I was asking.

For the same reason, all I could feel is grateful.

8

Defiance

“This isn’t a request.” The tall, silver-haired praecurus stood motionless outside the gate.

His dark purple uniform cape rippled feebly in a damp wind, as did the ends of his iron-straight hair. No other part of him moved. A pearlescent mist coated the grounds, rendering much of the landscaping invisible, yet somehow making the tall black tower before them look even more imposing.