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"Two. Kind of. Trust me, it will make sense once you read." He looks like he wants to say more, but instead of voicing it, he goes back to his own research.
I shake my head. Why are guys so confusing? It's taking all my brainpower to keep up with him and the others and all the things they want. Life is so much simpler single.
When it doesn't seem like Caspian is going to say anything else, I turn my attention to the book he's brought up for me. At least if it is for kids, it won't take long to read. And anything is good if it means I can put off starting the massive tome in front of me. There may only be a couple of pages on sirens, but it'll take me several hours to decipher it all. What I need is some kind of sirens for dummies, like the simplified Shakespeare they gave us to study in school.
I swipe through the pages on my tablet in quick succession, drawn in by the story they're telling. I can't explain the writing style. It's somewhere between a how to guide, a non-fiction book, and a fairy tale. And it's fascinating. I want to talk to Caspian about it and find out what he thinks about some of it, but I don't want to interrupt him. He's bent over his notepad scribbling down something that I assume is notes for his own project.
Instead of interrupting him, I read on.
How to recognise another siren.
You may not always notice another siren straight away. But if you're around them for a significant amount of time, you'll find yourself drawn to watch them. Particularly the way they walk. You might also notice that their words have a musical note to them, even if they're not saying things that are pleasant to hear.
Hmm. Is that relevant to my project? It's certainly interesting. But only if I think there's a siren around me. Is there something Caspian is trying to tell me something about himself? Or about someone else? I'll have to think about that one. But I'll certainly be keeping more of an eye out on the people around me, particularly those who also know him.
Chapter Nine
"When were you going to tell me about these?" Daphne asks, tapping the top of the books Thomas left in my room.
I should get him to come pick them up. But that'll probably involve an awkward conversation about Caspian, and I don't think I'm ready for that.
"I should start locking my door," I mutter to myself. I dump my bag on the desk and take a seat on my bed. It's good to pretend I have no other choice than to end up there, instead of pretending like I'm going to sit in the desk chair Daphne is occupying.
Daphne scoffs. "Like that will stop me. I'll magic it open and get in to play with the kittens anyway."
"Then I'll take the consequences of putting some kind of charm over the door frame," I throw back. "Then you won't be able to."
"Is that a challenge, Mona Black, because I'll accept it." There's a sparkle of mischief in her eyes that allows me to relax.
"If you want a challenge, then I'm sure we can find one."
"Like working out why you have books about black magic in your room?"
"Shh." I glance around, worried about who might overhear us.
Luckily, the only thing of note is Isla sticking her nose out from under the bed, trying to be sneaky as she eyes up the toy mouse Romeo is trying to give to Ginger. Which is nothing new.
"Sorry, books about you-know-what."
"Thomas left them here," I admit.
"Are these the ones you found the stuff about the Unleashing in?" She's leafing through the books before I can even say anything. I chuckle, and turn my attention to the kittens again. Daphne will entertain herself and probably discover even more than Thomas and I have just by reading through them. It's one of her talents.
I should probably get ready for my date with Caspian. He'll be coming to pick me up in about ten minutes, and I doubt I can get away with sorry-I'm-researching-black-magic excuse without having to explain a few things. I'm glad he's agreed to a date with me again, even if he is under the impression he's sharing me with Ryan and Thomas. No one seems to have given a thought to how I feel about that particular situation.
Isla creeps out from under the bed, flat on her belly as she crawls towards the other two kittens, her eyes fixated on the mouse. I don't think she's even realised I'm watching. Or that I'm not the only one. Seth has perked up from the pile of blankets he's surrounded himself with to see what's going on.
The only beings in the whole room who are oblivious to Isla's adventures are Romeo and Ginger, who are still purring and preening over the toy between them. Lovesick kittens are the funniest to watch, Rhubarb is just as bad around Aspen.
I glance over at Daphne, checking she's still happily digging into Thomas' books and doesn't need me for anything. I don't think she even notices me looking.
Isla has crept even further forward, and is now level with Romeo's tail. If she's not careful, he's going to flick it and her cover will be blown. I'd help, but then I'll lose my entertainment.
She darts forward, her tiny multi-coloured paws clamping around the tail of the mouse and pulling it towards her. Romeo let's out a hiss, but doesn't do anything to try and get it back. He's just being a little scaredy kitten.
Despite myself, I let out a small giggle. They're fun to watch. It's almost impossible to feel angry or sad when they're around. It's something I'm grateful for most days given my situation.
"Interesting," Daphne murmurs. "It doesn't seem that the Unleashing is all that bad."
