Page 82 of The Shade of Things
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Laurent wasthe first to depart.
I walked him to the door, trying not to stare at where his shadow should have been. “Do you want to wait for Juliette?”
Eli had phoned Deputy Chief Constable Esposito to update him, who in turn was corralling Tatiana and Juliette.
“I can’t take that much concern right now,” he said.
“Your Ohrist magic will return. This isn’t like last time.”
He gave me a wry smile. “My head knows that, but after everything that happened in the game? I’m not…” Laurent tapped his temple. “I’m jumbled.”
Me too. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m not sure I’m up to it yet.” He took the first step and paused. “But thank you for saving me. I mean that.”
I caught his arm as he turned to leave, certain that if he departed on that note, I’d never see him again. “Laurent.”
He waited expectantly.
“I— Will you call me when your magic returns? Please?”
“Yes.” He pressed his lips together, then blurted out, “What did you see in the gym?”
“See?” I was thrown off by the abrupt change of topic. “Nothing. It was darkness to the end of time. Why? Did you have visions?”
His brow furrowed, his eyes growing distant. “Yes,” he said softly. He paused and licked his lips nervously.
I rolled onto the balls of my feet, positive he was about to tell me what they were, but shaking his head, he took a step back.
“I’ll call you,” he said.
Crestfallen, I nodded, my hands clasped tightly behind my back.
He brushed a lock of hair that had escaped my ponytail away from my face. “I promise.” With that he headed down my front walk.
I watched him until he turned the corner and was lost to view. I was about to shut my door when I had the strongest sensation I was being watched. Peering in both directions on my quiet street, I found nothing to cause alarm, though the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Since I was safe behind my wards, I forced the maelstrom of emotions in my chest down and returned to the living room, determined for my daughter’s sake not to look as messed up as I felt.
In a flurry of concern, Jude had done what all Jewish mothers do best: feed people. She’d ordered enough pizza and pasta to feed a small army, hovering around the Sapiens and making sure they ate something.
Daw still wasn’t responding, and she certainly wasn’t eating, but she’d been made as comfortable as possible, and she hadn’t started laughing again. I wasn’t sure that was actually better.
Teresa seemed to be bouncing back after her ordeal. On the surface at least. She chatted with Sadie about the theater program she was in and ate a couple slices of pizza, while Okeyo remained quiet, pushing his pasta around his plate before managing a couple of bites.
He asked to use my phone to call his family in Kenya, and I gave him my cell, directing him upstairs for privacy.
Tatiana showed up soon after with Juliette.
Eli and I were whisked off to be examined, and our bruises and minor injuries were healed. The psychological scars would take time, but we had a good Ohrist therapist we were already seeing.
When Okeyo returned, he was more animated than before. Talking to his wife and kids had helped immensely, though he had no idea what to tell them.
“Tell them you were kidnapped for political reasons,” I said.
He nodded sadly. “It might be the easiest lie to swallow since it’s not uncommon in my country. I just wish I had someone I could talk to.”
“Ask Tatiana and Juliette.” I nodded toward the women. “Between the two of them, they’ll be able to track down a therapist with magic in Kenya who will believe you.”
