Page 58 of Eat. Prey. Love.
I roll my eyes when I click the button on my ear and Banjo grins at me. “I find it hard not to remind them how much longer Aubrey and I have survived this world at times, eh?”
Holliday makes a snorting sound, then signs, “It’s similar to when people speak slowly and make weird faces to try to ‘assist’ me with understanding them. Very annoying, but also amusing, that they believe being deaf makes me profoundly stupid.”
“He’s quite good at convincing people not to pay attention to him because of it,” the quokka says. “Holliday is like a ninja because of dumb assumptions.”
Laughing softly, I nod. “Yes, my stone form is useful that way as well. We are well matched,mes amis. Let’s get these spots takencare of, then we will continue looking for the creature I sought to begin with.”
Hopefully, I was right that they are not currently in their nests; I’d like to sneak around.
By the timewe reach the graveyard on the back edge of the school, we’ve found three other star-shaped patterns. Four in this wood alone is concerning, but not nearly as concerning as the huge structure outside of the ancient burial grounds with buttoned-down windows. It looks as though it was created to house a groundskeeper, perhaps, but is now abandoned. However, the fact that its upkeep is pristine, and the wilderness around it is pruned back rather than taking over tells me there’s life in this building.
Or something passing for it.
“This place is trying very hard to appear deserted,” Holliday signs as he sniffs the air. “But it is not.”
“You are correct,mon ami.” I stand at the edge of the cemetery, looking at the structure analytically. “I think it is more than one level. Perhaps it has subterranean levels where the younger coven members live until they can join the elders.”
Banjo frowns, which looks odd on the perpetually happy-looking quokka. “It is very dark. They’ve blocked every possible place for light to get in, Monsieur. How will we find out without entering? The Raj was very adamant.”
I chuckle, winking at him. “What the puffed up tiger cub doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
My companions get sneaky looks on their faces and the spirit that got them to join up with a rogue like the Captain shines through. Banjo pulls his rifle, tucking it under his arm as he salutes me. “I’m ready, Glorious One. Would you prefer Holliday to stay back for the long range cover?”
I nod at the armadillo, and he salutes, then scurries off to find a vantage point. “You know that will only help us if we get back outside, right?”
Banjo shakes his head. “Oh, no, Monsieur Renard. He has infrared scopes. He will have our backs above ground. We must be cautious below, though.”
Damn these dudes are like having Sibbie SEALS along for the ride.
“The Captain takes shit more seriously than I knew,” I mutter and Banjo chuckles. “Alright, let’s head for the east side of the building since it’s getting late in the afternoon. The sun will be brightest on the west side.”
We slink out of the forest, keeping low as we move along the fence of the old graveyard toward the large cabin. Banjo follows without a word, obviously used to shit like this. It makes me wonder what the hell the Captain has them doing on the regular, but that’s a conversation for later. Right now, we need to keep away from the sightline of the house. The windows are covered, but we have no idea if those coverings can be moved.
Hell, we don’t even know for sure what powers these assholes might have.
“If anyone shows their face, Banjo, shoot first and haul ass,oui? I do not have enough information on what they are capable of to allow compassion.”
“Aye, aye, Glorious One. No mercy.”
When we reach the porch, I peek over the edge, noting it’s immaculately clean. “Okay, we’re going in.”
Banjo and I move around the stairs, then up to the door. I pause to listen, gesturing for him to be ready when I open it. He stands with the gun in hand, looking like a caricature from a shifter warmovie. Grabbing the knob, I turn it and swing the heavy wood out to reveal a dark, empty room.
“There’s no one here, Monsieur.”
Sighing, I nod as I walk inside with the quokka following behind me. The furniture is surprisingly modern and comfortable looking rather than Gothic and stereotypical. In fact, the entire room looks… annoyingly normal.
This place has to be hiding something; I just know it.
TheSleeping Beauty, Suite, Op. 66a, Rose Adagio
When everyone got backto the library, we used the map Chessie had made for the board to mark all the individual spots each team thought needed further exploration. It’s a good list for next weekend, and since we’re halfway through February as it is, we’ll be able to focus on one spot going forward. The school year goes through the end of May and the Council decided not to extend it, so we know how to allocate our time. I’m worried about how we’re going to get through all the fucking schoolwork, the spring break week, and the end of year juries without an incident, but that’s because our new ‘enemies’ seem prone to attacking during the most vulnerabletimes.
Not fun Monday morning thoughts for certain, but such is the life of the unwilling ‘chosen one,’ I suppose.
“Madamoiselle Drew,faites attention?1! Yourgrande adageis not crisp enough. Again!”
Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from spitting a retort back atla prima, I nod and return to the back of the line to do another pass. Myadageswere not messy, but the aging swan shifter was a world renownprimaballerina, so she’s more demanding than almost every dance teacher I’ve ever had before. Her standards are so highshecan’t meet them anymore, and her family is well connected. They are not on our suspected Society list, but they definitely hang with the people who are.