Page 70 of At the Mercy of Midnight
Aurora seemed disappointed, frowning into her teacup, but said nothing.
“What?”
Silas shifted his gaze back to Amelia, nodding. “I don’t know exactly what they contain, but it’s something. We need them.”
“You have them? Let me see.”
Silas gestured at Aurora. “She has them, I haven’t seen them yet.”
“You can get them to us?” Amelia asked.
Aurora set her jaw but gave a sharp nod.
Amelia pushed away from the table and stood, hands on either side of her plate as she looked at Silas. “Great, we’ll take them with us to Ivory City.”
Silas stood also, shaking his head. “We need to be here. All the research has been done in my lab, we need to—”
“I need myownbooks and myownresources. If you need anything else from here, you can send for them, but your week isup, Finley. End of story.” Amelia narrowed her eyes, daring him to argue with her.
Argue he would.
“You are so infuriatingly stubborn,” Silas seethed. “You want to have your own way so badly that you would compromise our research, even when our lives are on the line.”
Her eyes flared. “We are compromising our research by being stuck here with the same resources and texts. We need to expand our knowledge base and—”
“For pity’s sake.” Silas pushed himself away from the table with a frustrated growl. He had a sinking feeling that leaving Lunarian would be a mistake. He half-turned back, shaking his head at her. “Can’t you ever find a scrap of compromise within you?”
“Compromise?” she said, laughing humourlessly. “That’s what this was!” Amelia’s arms flew out wide, gesturing aroundthe large room. “Me being here this weekwasa compromise, you utter ass!”
“Obedience, then,” Silas said, temper flaring. “Perhaps you could find a little bit of that within you, to just do as you’re asked for once in your life.”
Something shifted immediately. Amelia’s posture became rigid, eyes widening, fingers slackening at her sides. She just stared at him, like he was a stranger.
Silas stood, uncertain what was so bad to elicit that reaction. He had flung worse insults at her over the years that this felt like a childish argument in comparison.
Amelia swallowed, blinking her gaze away. She turned stiffly, walking hurriedly for the door.
He took a step towards her retreating form. “Winslow—”
She was already around the corner before her name managed to pass through his lips.
Silas stared at the doors, wondering how he had messed up so terribly as to have her make a hasty exit.Again.
He swore under his breath, turning to find Aurora standing at the head of the table. She looked at him with raised brows and an expression that was both unimpressed and curious.
“That was…interesting to witness.”
He blew out a breath. “Nothing out of the ordinary for us, but…she usually gives it back instead of storming off.”
“What do you think did it?”
He shrugged, genuinely confused. “I couldn’t say. I’m certain I’ve given her flack for disagreeing with me before.”
Aurora sank slowly back into her chair, pulling her teacup forwards for a dainty sip. She set it back down with a clink.
“Father’s journals are in my cottage, south,” she said.
Silas rolled his eyes, resuming his seat before spearing angrily at his sausage. “You’ll send for them.”
