Now Dario is intrigued, too. “How come?”
“It’s Aurelia’s cat,” he says.
“Titan?” I blink. “You still don’t know where he came from?”
“No. Aurelia and I have been researching this for a year now, and your mom is on it, as well.”
“Wait, Mom doesn’t know either?” Dario asks. “Then it’s weird!”
“I agree, after all, your mother is,“ Arden pauses, his voice trailing off. “Your mother knows everything,” he corrects himself. I wonder what he was about to say. There are many mysteries surrounding Mom; she and Dad barely talk about them, but when it’s about something mystical, Mom usually knows what’s going on.
“Whatdoyou know, by now?” Dario asks. “I am sure you know something.”
“Well, we assume that Titan is a demon in cat-form,” he explains. “That much we can say for sure.”
Dario and I nod.
“We also know he isn’t from this world and that there is at least one other ‘pet’ roaming around. A dog who belongs to a pack member of Liam’s pack.” He pauses. “Everything else is just assumptions. We are trying to find out where these two came from and if there are more demons roaming around.”
“Do they all have an animal form?” Dario asks. “I’ve only seen Titan in his demon form once, but it was still more an animalistic creature than a humanoid one.”
“We don’t know if there are demons in other forms, too,” Arden groans. “It’s so frustrating. I have already skimmed through the whole library that the Council here has to offer. But nothing. Now I need to reach out to Paris again and see if they can send me more books.”
“Why is it important to know?” I ask. “Sorry, that’s probably a stupid question.”
“Not at all,” Arden says. Despite being a genius, he never makes me feel like an idiot. He is a great guy! “It’s important because we don’t know if other demons cross over, and if all of them are as peaceful as Titan. We don’t know what it meansthat they leave at all. To evaluate the situation, we need to know more.”
I think his words through before I nod. “That makes sense.”
“If there is any way we can help, tell us any time,” Dario offers.
I nod to underline his words.
“Thank you, that’s a great offer,” Arden says. “I probably will when I know where and how to research next.”
That’s another great thing about him. He never dismisses us for being the youngest of the family! Arden stretches his limbs before getting up. “Time to see how I can help my hot mate.” Dario and I grimace at the same time, making him chuckle. “See you later, guys.”
For a moment, I wonder if I should ask him to help me with studying for my next exam or with writing the paper that is due in two weeks, but then I don’t. He has enough on his plate already, and I don’t want to bother him. Usually, Dario helps me, but I shouldn’t bother him either.
Which brings me back to the same old problem.
“Enough,” I say.
Dario blinks. “What’s enough?”
“Nothing,” I say. “I was just thinking aloud. I am going to see which of our friends will go to the beach party.”
“I hope you have tons of fun,” Dario says. “Oh! You could ask Gisela. I bet she would be up for some party action.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?” I ask carefully. I sometimes feel like he might be crushing on her, and I would never even look at a girl my brother likes. Granted, Gisela is a friend, so she is on my blacklist of possible dates – I don’t date my friends.
Dario looks confused. “Why would I?”
“Just asking. I am not interested in her, you know? If she joins me, it will be all platonic.”
“Okay,” Dario says, still looking slightly confused. “Felix?” he calls out before I can leave his room.
“Yes?”
