But I knew exactly why he was staying by my side. I carried Lavius’s bite, the only concrete link we had to him. I was as close to Ben by one degree of separation, closer than anyone else in town.
It was both intelligence and instinct on Jame’s part. And while I could admire that, it still made me uncomfortable to have his life, probably literally, under influence of my every action.
Even this love, one of friendship to Jame, of community, was the big stuff.
I knew we’d find Yancy in his office at the community college, which was built just across the road from the town’s only six screen movie theater.
I parked and twisted in my seat so I could see Jame better. “We’re going to go in and see if he can give us an idea about where Ben is, or when we will find him. Any glimpse of the future that will help us. You can stay here if you want.”
Jame’s eyes slit open. They were hot with pain and something else. Anger, I presumed. “Where you go, I go.” He uncrossed his arms and opened the door.
It was hard to watch him pause, then hold his breath as he hauled himself out of the back of my Jeep. I wanted to help, but he wouldn’t let me, and wouldn’t appreciate me showing attention to his weakness.
“If you pass out, Jean and I are taking pictures so we can add it to our ‘too stubborn for their own good’ list on the station bulletin board.”
He was walking toward the school, his steps slow but steady. “Bite me, Reed.”
It was good to hear his growl, even if it was a bit breathy. Jean and I came up beside him and did our best not to look like we were making ourselves available to catch him if he fell.
Thankfully, the walk was short. Both door handles were covered in multi-colored yarn wraps. Someone had crocheted a cozy cover for the handles, with a little gold crocheted key hanging from the bottom of one. A bright red crocheted rooster, about the size of a walnut stood proud on the curve of the handle.
Art project? Class mascot?
I pulled the door open, the yarn soft under my palm. It was cooler inside and smelled a little of rain and honey.
I took over the lead, wending down the hall to Yancy’s office, just a few doors over on the left. I paused for Jame and Jean to catch up, then knocked.
“Come on in.”
I pushed on the door.
“Delaney, please sit down. Jame, perhaps you’d like the couch there? I’ve pulled out a blanket if you need it.”
Yancy was exactly what I’d imagine a career advisor would look like. Friendly, thoughtful, earnest. His soft brown eyes and patient smile fit perfectly with the bright blue sweater he wore over a collared shirt. The tight black curls of his hair had just a few strands of silver running through them, and I knew once he went fully gray, it was going to look amazing against his deep brown skin.
He didn’t look at all surprised to see the three of us. But then, I had never once surprised our resident seer.
Jame walked in and collapsed onto the couch, tugging the blanket over his chest, his eyes immediately closing. His breathing went heavy and slowed.
Yancy had known we were coming. It was nice of him to make sure Jame would be comfortable.
I put the donut box near his computer mouse and sat in one of the two swivel chairs across from his desk. “We brought you donuts.”
“Wonderful!” He really did seem pleased. “I do love donuts,” he said to Jean as if he’d heard our conversation at the bakery, which, maybe? He was a seer. I had never gotten a definitive answer as to the limits of his abilities. “Thank you.”
“We brought you this too.” Jean placed the wrapped package on the box.
His eyes lit up and laugh lines crept out from the corners of them. “A gift? Thank you. Is it for me?”
“It’s for you, but I thought you might want to give it to students who need it?” Jean settled in the other chair.
He opened the little package and grinned in delight. “They’re lovely. Worry stones. Certainly appropriate for my line of work.” He placed them in a tidy row in front of him, the smooth thumb curves facing upward. One of them was a soft rose quartz that I was immediately drawn to.
Then he opened the donut box and shifted it sideways so the open lid wouldn’t be in the way.
“Perfect. And I just so happen to have a carafe of fresh coffee. Would either of you care for a cup?”
“No thanks,” I said. Jean shook her head.
