Page 118 of A Dead Man's B-Side
On the other hand, Rain wasn’t as occupied with the progress of Scott as she was with my, as she likes to call it, day-of-death. Which just so happens to be today.
I’d already gone over this with the Society once, but it seems more rehearsing was in order.
“What will you say if he asks about the board?”
I sighed, the words coming before my mind could catch up. “Wouldn’t you know more than me? Considering your father holds a seat?”
“And if he asks for your reasons for joining?”
“I’ve a newfound passion for art, namely, theatre.”
Rain nodded, pleased with my answers, before her browns dipped again. “I’m not sure.”
Wolf threw his hands up and turned away in exasperation. Reaching his limit faster than even myself.
Watching Wolf and Rain even slightly acknowledge each other was always uncanny, even more so when those slight acknowledgements turned into curt conversations. They seem to be at an impasse now, unable to relax further in each other’s presence, yet having warmed up enough to dispel any alien tension from the room.
Paris laid a hand on my shoulder, as if to vouch. “He’ll be perfectly fine. Callum may hold power under the umbrella of his name, but we know very well why his father hadn’t appointed him to the Society. I’m sure he feels it as well.” Paris leaned over to meet my eyes and said, “Use that. However, don't be blatant.”
I nodded, heeding her words as valued ones before turning my attention back to Rain. “Cleared your conscience?”
Rain didn’t speak for a moment, letting her silent concerns fill the room before parting her lips. “Hmm. We’ve yet to see.”
I stood and straightened my uniform jacket, shooing the seven out of my dorm. “I’m not letting you all roam freely while I’m gone.”I clapped Wolf on the shoulder with a well-concealed smirk that he was sure to sniff out. “Perhaps Wolf will allow you all to take up residence inhisdorm.”
He grumbled away the insinuation and quickly scurried back to his dorm, shutting the door with an answer in his gesture, as we watched him like a safari tour animal.
That damn dorm.
Paris scrunched her brows and looked to Rain. “Was it something you said?”
Rain shot her a glare before exiting through the door he’d left open, the click of her heels fading down the hall.
Slowly, thankfully, as the nerves I’d been ignoring came back with the lack of distraction, the rest filtered out.
Ajax groaned up from where he’d made a home on my bed with August sitting on the edge. The two, suspiciously quiet, left without so much as a goodbye.
For a brief moment, I wondered if this peaceful meeting was due to their last outing in regard to Scott Kensington.
Perhaps King was smarter than Rain had anticipated.
I stopped that thought before it could develop. King, as Rain had confirmed, would not stick his neck out for his brother to any concerning extent. For now, we should only focus on deteriorating the poor boy’s sanity.
Her network stretched far, and even now, I didn’t exactly grasp the full extent of the Abbot Council. As if shadowed knights at theirqueen’s beck and call, and despite my cynicism, I placed my faith in them.
Preparing to head out, I told myself to check in on both of them when I was finished, already anticipating another unofficial meeting.
“Alexandr?”
I paused under the threshold at the soft voice, turning to find the easily concealable Marigold Walter still inside my dorm. My shoulders would have tensed had I been sure that everything of importance was well-hidden. I tilted my head back. “Goldie.”
The nickname rolled off my tongue since Paris uttered it a week ago.
She smiled, albeit her lips stretching in a slightly strained manner. “I just–… Callum trusts Coldwell. I think you should work on replacing him first before focusing on Callum.”
I blinked at her words–not that she was completely useless. No, Marigold reminded me of the words:say something useful or do not say anything at all.
But they were few and far, so much so that I’d often forget they were ever said.
