Neither (The Noctalis Chronicles 3)

“How could I forget?” In fourth grade we did a unit on Colonial Living. Of course I did mine on the herbs and edible plants the colonists grew, but Mom also sewed me a costume complete with a muslin shirt and wool skirt. It was hot as hell, but I got an A.

“I am not wearing that stupid cap again.”

She fluffs my hair. “Oh come on, you looked adorable.” Tex had also laughed about that hat for weeks afterward.

“Is Peter coming over?”

“Don't think so. He's got finals to study for, too.”

“What a good boy,” Mom says.

“He is.” Too good sometimes.

***

I take a little nap before our meeting, but it seems like seconds later Peter is gently shaking my shoulder.

“They are here.”

“Okay, I'm up.” I slept curled on his chest, but somehow I twisted my back so I have to stretch to get my spine back in line.

“Give me a jolt,” I say, holding out my hands. He gives me a happy zap and I instantly feel better. “Dude, you could sell that stuff on the black market. Thanks.” I flex my hands and roll my way into a standing position. I hold out my arms and he scoops me up.

“Anytime.”

“Are the lights off downstairs?”

Peter looks out the window. “Yes.”

He walks out on the roof, wings out. Normally he runs down the edge of the overhang and takes to the air, but we're going straight down.

“Ready?” he says.

“More or less.”

He steps off the roof and for a second we hang in the air before falling to the ground. Everything inside me screams that this is wrong, that I'm going to die, but then there is a thump and we're on solid ground.

“You can open your eyes.” I do and we're good. Peter sets me down, but makes sure I'm steady before he starts walking.

I hear a weird sound that reminds me of a wounded bird.

“Nice try Tex,” I say.

“What? I thought we should have one of those signals. You know, to say that it's safe and all.”

“Safe from what?”

“You're no fun, Ava.”

Finally they come into view. Tex is cross-legged on the ground, Viktor is leaning against a tree and Helena is sitting in a tree on a branch that doesn't look like it is going to support her weight.

“A gavel! We should have a gavel,” Tex says, snapping her fingers. “I now call this meeting of humans and noctali to order.” She slams her hand on the ground. “First order of business: What to do about Jamie and his new friend.”

“If I may have the floor?” Helena says, dropping out of the tree without a sound. “I think we should let them be for now. If she thinks that we're suspicious, which she already does, then she's going to run. Or do something rash. She's young and impulsive, and if she panics, something could happen to him. So, I will watch them and see what else I can learn. My parents are also going to keep an eye on her and see what they can find out.”

Speaking of Rasha and Kamir... “Where are they?” I ask.

“Around,” she says. Oookkaaayyy.

“What have you learned so far?” I ask.

“That he is attached to her, and she is very protective of him. I know that she was trying to lure him with the story about being broken down on the side of the road. She's here for something, but I don't know what it is yet and she's not talking.”

“Oh my God,” I say, having an epiphany. “Di. She's here because of Di.” How has this not occurred to me immediately? It's so obvious.

“The bind we made said she could not send anyone to harm you.”

“Right, but we didn't stipulate harming people I love!” How could we have been so stupid? Di could hold my entire family hostage if she wants to. “What if Cal's watching us right now?” I look around frantically. Peter takes my face in his hands so I'll stop moving. “Oh, God,” I say, sinking to the ground. “She's going to kill him.”

“If she were going to kill him, she would have done it already.” I said the exact same thing to Peter when we first met.

“How can you be sure? Maybe this is all part of her evil plan,” I say.

“I don't think so,” Helena says. “I did a little fishing, and as far as I can tell, she doesn't know who Di is.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I am good at spotting lies,” she says. I bet she is.

“You are absolutely sure?”

She holds up her hand. “I would promise if I could.”

“God, Ava. Freak out a little,” Tex says, leaning back on her elbows and squinting at the stars. “You are really getting paranoid.”

“I have to be!” I say, a little too loudly. Peter clamps his hand over my mouth and we all freeze, glancing back at the house to see if the lights will go on. They don't so we all relax.

“See? You need to take a chill pill.”

It is so easy for Tex. Like a game. She doesn’t have a crazy jealous immortal out to kill her. Then she'd be singing a different tune.

“So is the consensus that we do nothing until further information has been gathered?” Tex says.

“I think that is the wisest course of action. We will watch her and Jamie and act if we have to,” Helena says.

“Don't let her kill him or Claim him, please. That's all I'm asking,” I say.

“We will do our best,” Helena says. “And with that, I should get back to my guard duty. See you tomorrow.” She blows us a kiss and is off.

“So we're doing nothing. Again. That is not a course of action,” I say.

“We shouldn't scare her. New noctali can be volatile, much like newly Claimed humans,” Viktor says.

I give Tex a look.

“What? I'm not volatile.”

I roll my eyes. How quickly she forgets. “You punched Jamie when he said he didn't like Dirty Dancing.”

“You threw those boxes this afternoon, and there was that customer as well,” Viktor says, and Tex smacks him on the arm.

“You weren't supposed to say anything about that.”

“I am sorry.” He definitely isn't.

“Well, now you have to tell us,” I say, grateful for the non-serious turn of conversation.

Tex goes on to explain that there were some boxes that weren't cooperating with her, so she went on a rampage and chucked them all around the stock room, and when a customer was snippy with her, she lunged and almost throttled them.

“Luckily this guy was around, so I didn't do it. Mom would have had a litter of kittens. Speaking of moms, how is yours? I heard everyone talking about it today.”