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“Mmm, I’m fine. I was about to study,” I said. “My parents have just gone out to dinner.” I added, because I wanted him to leave as quickly as possible.
“Can I come in?” Clay asked.
I never got to give him a reply and internally sighed as Clay and Yuri breached the threshold of my home and stood watching aghast as they both strode into the large hallway and through to the lounge.
“Your father asked me to check up on you whilst they are out having dinner.”
“They only left ten minutes ago,” I said. I knew how long it had been because I gave myself ten minutes, just in case my parents ‘forgot’ something. Which was typical of them and really was an excuse to check I was not sneaking out.
Clay took a seat on the sofa, and Yuri sat on the single chair by the window.
“How long are you staying?” I asked. “I’m not feeling very well and need to get on with my college assignment.”
“I’ll get you a drink of water,” Clay said.
“I’m fine... I can get one once you leave.”
“Lacey, let me help. You look a little pale.”
“Really?” I gasped because I was only feigning illness. I took a quick glimpse of myself in the mirror over the large open fireplace.
Clay left the room. I glanced a quick smile to Yuri. He gave me a tight smile back.
“Are you okay, Yuri? You seem quieter than normal.”
“I’m fine, Lacey. I’m working,” Yuri said, but I didn’t believe him. He was usually happy, smiling and talkative... yes, he was definitely strange tonight.
“Here...” I turned to Clay as he pushed a glass to me. “Have a drink of water, you’re probably dehydrated.”
I sighed to myself and took the drink to keep him quiet. “Are you leaving once I drink this? I’m going to bed, anyway.”
Clay blew out a long breath. He looked pretty pissed at me now I thought about it.
“Yes Lacey, once you’re tucked up in bed. I’ll go home.”
I closed my eyes to smell the liquid. My father had taught me how to use my senses to check for invisible enemies, poison and the likes. We’d honed my skill so wonderfully I could now detect non-smelling toxins.
I didn’t know why I felt the need to check this water—but I did it, anyway. But there was nothing about the drink that pricked my senses, nothing about it that made me think it was anything other than water.
I took a sip.
“You’ll need a little more than that to feel better,” Clay said.
I huffed at him and knocked back the whole glass. “Satisfied,” I hissed, I was getting annoyed because Carter would wonder where I was. It was getting dark outside and soon it would be too dark to go to him.
Did Clay know about my relationship with Carter? That’s it. He was waiting for it to get too dark, because he knew I didn’t like the dark. Because as much as I could fight the best fighters the kingdom had, including the boy that looked at me so intensely I still thought about him, but going outside in the dark frightened me like nothing else could. Maybe blood—I hated the sight of blood, too.
“How are you feeling, Lacey?” Clay asked.
“Fine, just tired. Are you leaving now?” I responded with a smile and a fake yawn.
“How are your studies going?” Clay asked, ignoring me. “Take a seat and talk to me for a couple of minutes. I leave as soon as I think you look okay.”
And now I was going to have a conversation about college. Smiling that he’d be leaving soon, I took a seat, but instead of talking about my studies, I talked about ballet.
“Are you going to miss us when we are in New York?” I asked. Clay had found out and secretly I knew he was fuming.
Clay swallowed. Obviously, he was going to miss us. Maybe I didn’t realise how much. He didn’t answer, only giving a tight smile.
