Page 46 of Wings of Deception
The slate rings again, vibrating from somewhere behind us, and I watch all the joy drain from Raphael’s face.
21
“Whatisit?”
Hayliel watches me, her brows drawn together. She sits up, pulling my head from between her legs. With her on the bed and me on the floor, we’re almost at eye level.
My slate rings a third time, and I wince.
Hayliel places her hands on my cheeks, cupping them gently. “Raph … What’s wrong?”
My heart speeds up, but as much as I want to dance around the room in utter joy that she’s finally using that name, I can’t shake the dread that always accompanies thoughts of my family.
“It’s nothing,” I hedge, hoping to ignore it, but the answering glare from Hayliel spurs me on. “Really, it’s nothing. Just my mom calling, most likely. She’s not known to give up until I answer, unfortunately.”
“Oh.”
She says only one word, but it sounds like much more.
“You can answer. I really don’t mind. I can step outside if you’d like some privacy?”
“No. Stay, please.” I lean forward and place a kiss on her lips. She wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a hug as if she can tell how much I need one.
When we pull apart, Hayliel moves to the head of the bed and begins propping pillows up against the wall, making a cozy place for us to sit.
I reach my slate just as another call comes through. I don’t even need to see the wordMomflash across the screen to know it’s her. The incessant nagging tells me enough already.
With Hayliel here, I consider not putting the call on speaker like I usually would in my room, but brush that thought off. I want her to know me, family shit and all.
Holding my slate, I make my way back to where Hayliel sits on the bed and join her there, the two of us curled up beneath the blankets. I’ve barely answered the call when my mom’s voice rings out.
“Raphael, I thought we talked about this. It’s rude to make your mother wait so long.”
“Mother. It’s a pleasure to hear from you, as always. Sorry for the delay. I’m in the middle of midterm prep with a friend. We were working on a rather troublesome question when you called.”
Hayliel’s eyes dance with laughter, and she brings a hand up to cover her mouth.
“Oh, how splendid! Was Theo able to help you solve the problem?”
“Theo is preoccupied at the moment, but Hayliel and I managed to get it right. Speaking of, we should really—”
“A girl! How delightful. Is this Hayliel with you now?” My pulse hammers in my ears as I consider what to say. Do I want my mom talking to Hayliel? I know how awful she can be, but that’s usually only directed toward me.
Before I can decide, Hayliel speaks. “I’m here, Mrs. Adams. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise, my dear. I hope tutoring my Raphael isn’t too much trouble. He can certainly be a handful.”
I fight the blush rising to my cheeks. Why must my mother talk about me like I’m an ignorant child she’s annoyed with? Of course, she never would have considered thatImight be the one doing the tutoring.
“Actually, it’s Raphael who’s helping me. If it weren’t for him, I’m not sure I’d get through midterms.”
“Oh, really? How very interesting. When he was younger, Raphael always struggled with basic subjects. His brother, Raduriel, helped him work through most of it. It’s nice to see some of that has stuck.”
And there it is. I wondered how long it would take before she brought him up. Less than ten minutes. How unsurprising. Already done with this conversation, I don’t bother letting Hayliel or my mother say more.
“We really should get back to studying. Midterms will be here before we know it.” I’m not really in the mood to study anymore, but if it will get me off this blasted call, I’ll do anything.
“Yes, yes. Go study. We’ll chat later, Raphael. Your brother is visiting us soon, and we want to make sure his trip is perfect.”