“Seriously, if it’s a problem, we can just avoid getting together as a group. It’s not a big deal.” Finn adds on.
“It’s fine. Thank you, but, uh, we’ll see how it goes after he and I catch up.” I don’t sound at all confident in my announcement.
“You’re meeting him? When?” From his enthusiasm, I worry Kai is going to offer to join us.
“Uh, hopefully tonight? After the staff meeting. I sent him a message, but I haven’t heard back.” Out of reflex, I check my phone, but there’s still no response.
“He’s in class for another hour or so, I reckon.” Finn nods at my phone, and a little something unlocks in my chest. Among everything else, I didn’t realise how anxious I was about his lack of reply.
“Well, hopefully he texts back soon. We need to get ready for that staff meeting.” Kai slaps his thighs and stands up.
I can’t muster the same enthusiasm as him. “Oh,yay.” I pout.
“Let me guess, it’s another stop on the Nikolo Apology Tour?” Kai laughs, which only gets louder when I raise my middle finger at him. “Ah, it’s gonna be a good night. Who’s getting humbled now, Nikki-boo?”
I add the middle finger on the other hand this time, but he just ignores me, dragging Finn to the bathroom with him. Whatever it is they’re about to do, they’re probably going to be loud about it, and I can’t even be mad. I’m just happy that I got through the first round unscathed and with a little hope for my catch-up with Willan to boot.
WILLAN
The Rusty Nailis a small cafe in the unofficial vampire district of Osneau, close to Bloody Temptations. Dingy, dirty and lit in the brightest, most offensive fluorescent lighting, it manages to shock away the last of the light sleeping brew I took to get some sleep.
It was one hundred percent necessary.
I got Nikolo’s message in the middle of a lesson for a group of fae looking to expand their magical skills. It’s a class we rarely ran before, but since the lost city of Tathys hit the news, we’ve been completely overrun with beings looking to expand their skills.
On the one hand, it’s been exhausting, and all our instructors have been working to maximum capacity, not only to facilitate the expanded class range but to extend our own learning and find out all we can about the city and their advanced magic.
On the other hand, it’s been a great way to distract myself from checking my phone every thirty seconds ever since earlier in the week when Egbert said he’d give my number to Nikolo.
He must’ve sent the message when he first woke up, but by the time I got out of class and replied, I was still left with hours of anxiety before we were due to catch up.
The sleeping brew barely took the edge off my worries, and they managed to creep into my dreams, leaving me with stressful dreams I can’t quite remember anything of. Except the lingering feelings of dread.
Not that Idreadmeeting Nikolo. But it’s not exactly like he was receptive to anything I had to say before, and I’m not sure I’m up for any more of his cutting looks or dismissive barbs like at Hearts Gate. Especially not this early in the morning.
As I find a seat, my palms begin to sweat. All of the many,manyspeeches I’ve prepared since I first discovered he was here in Osneau have disappeared from my brain. I’m tongue tied, and he’s not even here yet.
It’s three forty-five in the morning, and I’m dying, so when the waitress comes by and asks what I’m after—giving me a lingering look because I’mreallyout of place here—I go with a can of energy drink. It’s a month expired and flat, but it still looks better than whatever's going on with their coffee pot. Plus, the place has a vague smell of too fresh meat, which, along with everything I’ve touched so far being just a little bit sticky, going with something bottled feels like the safest choice.
It’s really hard not to think the choice of location is a message. And not a great one. It does nothing to ease the anxiety clawing at my belly.
By four thirteen I’m about ready to call it a morning and head home with my tail between my legs, maybe get started on some sort of charm box to lock all these feelings inside of (as only the most healthy magically gifted would do). But then… in strolls Nikolo, carefree as you please, baggy black jeans slung low on his hips, studded belt gleaming in the lights. His top has been cropped to flash the strip of tattooed skin at his waist, and there’s two birds on his shirt, over either pec, and the words “nice tits” printed between them. Because it’s nearly freezing out, he’s wearing a coat, too. An incredibly ostentatious tealfur thing. I think it’s real fur, too, though I’m not sure what incredible creature it’s come from.
He looks around, like I don’t stick out like a glowing beacon of ‘doesn’t belong’ before greeting me with an up nod of his head. His boots must have chains on them because they rattle with each step.
“Hey.” He doesn’t really look at me as he sits down, making a big fuss about taking off his coat and laying it on the back of his chair. Noticing his arrival, the waitress comes to take his order right away. She’s roughly seventy-five percent nicer to him than she was to me.
While he gets himself settled and his blood ordered, I drink in the sight of him. It’s obvious he’s nervous, too. I mean, on the outside he’s projecting nonchalant chill, but it’s forced, too rigid to be as relaxed as he’s acting.
And it feels familiar from years and years ago.
He and my brother were in trouble over some dumb thing they got up to—honestly, it happened so often it was hard to keep track in the end. And as usual, Nikolo was being reamed by the adults while my brother got off with a minor rebuke. The whole time Nikolo had sat there with the most forced bored look on his face. The parents wereropeableby the end and they had to send him to time out in my brother's room so they could calm down.
I snuck away to spy on him to make sure he was okay. The door was locked, so I went outside to peek through the window. He didn’t begin to cry until he was safely stuffed under my brother's bed. I don’t think he ever knew that I heard him.
Our parents weren’t terrible. Not individually.
My brother, well. My brother's gifts are what make him a great leader for our clan. They’ve helped him rise quickly through the ranks of the council.
