Page 71 of Ashes and Lilies
Why was my face so warm? But maybe he could help. Mr. Weaver hadn’t gotten back to me yet. “That I could find my birth family.”
He gazed down at me, expression blank. “Why?” he asked after a long moment. “The Griers adopted you.”
“Ah…” I let him go and stepped back. Who did he think he was, questioning my motives? How did he even know? “…Before that…” I began but stopped. It’d make no sense to him. “I was curious to know why my birth family didn’t want me.”
“I… what…” Bryce looked past me as he touched his tie. Then he began again, “You’re a female born into a culture where extremely few survive. I highly doubt that your birth family did not want you.”
I shook my head. That made no sense.
“Anyway—” There was something wrong with his voice. It made it almost too difficult to understand him. “Go to class and tell everyone that we’re done for the day. Then you may leave. We’ll see you later tonight.”
What?
“But...” I began, but he ignored me. Before I could even explain why this power was outside of my jurisdiction, Bryce had turned his face and walked away.
15
With class cut short,I now had extra time before Julian was meant to pick me up. I decided to head to the library to do my own research. However, instead of being able to concentrate, my thoughts drifted. Even though our agreement had been ironclad enough, I still couldn’t get over the rest of my lingering doubts.
I had gotten used to their constant affection. Our strange, supernatural bond probably played a lot into this because it had taken years for me to allow Finn to hold my hand. Yet, there was a growing concern in the back of my mind—something I probably should have addressed last night, but I hadn’t been quite sure how to bring it up.
Titus’s actions when he gave me my gift, Damen and Miles’s touchy-feely behavior. Julian had even kissed my forehead this morning.
Did they truly understand? They did, right?
I tried not to dwell on my doubts and instead focus on my research. I was alone—outside of the long-haired guy in a cubicleacross from me—and I had much to learn from this summoning chapter.
“Miss Brosnan?”
The sound of my name startled me, and I slammed my hand down, breaking the point of my pencil as I turned in my seat.
“Ms. Protean!” Why did I sound so nervous? “What can I do for you today?”
“Hello,” Ms. Protean said, eyeing the pile of books beside me. She touched her half-moon glasses and studied me as if she were about to make a monumental decision. “I’ve been looking for you. You see, I’ve received a memo from my colleague, Joseph Kohler, stating that—on top of my original purpose for seeking you out—you might be a subject of interest for me.”
“Oh,” I replied. I wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean, but the detective had told me something similar. “Why?”
He was Julian’s grandfather and an Elder Proxy—I could trust him, right?
“Why, indeed?” she asked, nostrils flaring.
“What—” I began, and my throat went dry. Why was she still looking at me so rudely? “What was your original purpose for seeking me out?”
“I heard you’re looking for information on Aine Hamway’s place,” she replied, squeezing her fists over her cane. “When you have a moment, would you please drop by my office?”
“I-I guess I can,” I told her.
I wanted to talk to her—to find out what she had to say so badly that she kept seeking me out. But to be alone with her—and Cécile, aka the cat that could kill a person—was entirely different.
“In the meantime,” she said, placing a folded piece of paper on top of my stack of books. “Why don’t you and Mr. Abernathy begin here?”
What did she mean?
I grabbed the paper and opened it. In neat cursive was the name of a nursing home and the nameGrace Cole.
“Who is this?” I asked her.
“Grace is my older sister,” she said, looking away. “She’s probably one of the few you can speak to about this, but you must be careful. If not, you’ll risk ending up like Caleb. Maybe you’ll have more luck on it than I ever did.”
