Hollyn wiped the sweat out of her eyes and rose to her feet, dropping her sponge in the soapy bucket next to her. Her body ached from being on her hands and knees for a solid hour, scrubbing the floor of Yumia’s grand ballroom, which looked an awful lot like a giant, underwater cave. In fact, the whole dwelling was a series of caves. The only good thing about the whole set-up was that they seemed to be in some sort of air pocket, so Hollyn never had to go to the surface to breathe. Unfortunately, that also meant she never got a break from Yumia’s long to-do list.
She didn’t quite understand why she’d had to use a sponge and scrub by hand. A mop would have done just as well, and Hollyn might not be feeling the strain of so many chores right now. The to-do list had included painting Yumia’s bedroom, putting together her IKEA PAX/FORSAND wardrobe, and reading Yumia’s 24, 572 unanswered emails. To be honest, Hollyn didn’t see the point. It felt like she’d wasted three days. What had she learned in that time?
She still couldn’t use her magic, and she needed to get back to the surface. She had people counting on her to save them. Shedidn’t need to be wasting time lost at sea with a woman who might or might not have her best interest at heart. After all, she had admitted to being the one to teach Grigori. What if Yumia was working with him? What if she was keeping Hollyn down here with busy work until Grigori was ready to come and collect her?
Hollyn slammed her fists on her hips and stared toward the door behind which Yumia hummed that familiar tune. Hollyn needed answers, and she needed them now.
With determination in every step, Hollyn marched toward the door and flung it open without even knocking. She stepped over the threshold and asked, “When are you going to teach me how to use my magic?”
Yumia, tip of her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth, didn’t look up from the Sudoku puzzle she was working on. She continued to stare at the page as if Hollyn hadn’t even entered the room.
“Well? Are you going to answer my question?”
With a heavy sigh, Yumia lifted her gaze to meet Hollyn’s. “Yes.”
Hollyn stood in confusion. “Yes? Yes to what?”
“Yes, I’m going to answer your question. It’s yes.”
“What’s yes?”
“Whether or not I am going to answer your question. That’s what you asked, and I answered. Yes.”
Hollyn felt like her head was about to explode. She shook it to try to erase her confusion. Instead, she changed tactics. “You said you taught my father.”
Yumia nodded once. “One of the worst students I ever had. He couldn’t find his way out of a scrub bucket to save his life.”
Frustration with a tinge of fury began to build in Hollyn’s mind. “What the hell does a scrub bucket have to do with learning how to use magic?”
“If you don’t know, you haven’t scrubbed long enough yet.”
Hollyn was ready to explode. “Are you working with him? Is your plan to distract me long enough for him to show up and claim me?”
Now it was out there. Would Yumia admit to a plot in collaboration with Grigori?
Instead, she laughed, long and hard, until she held her belly as if she were in pain. As she wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened, her giggles began to fade. She pulled in a steadying breath and said, “I wouldn’t help that man if he were the last man in the ocean or on the face of the earth. He can kiss my ass…twice.”
Yumia shook her head as her laughter faded. “If you’re done in here, the guest bathroom needs a good once-over. Oh, and I would love a kelp salad for dinner tonight, thank you.”
Guest bathroom?Kelp salad?Who was this woman?
“Get a lot of guests, do you?”
“You’d be surprised.”
Hollyn held her tongue once more as she followed Yumia out of the large space where she’d spent one of the worst hours of her life, down a hallway, around a corner to a decently-sized bathroom. It looked more like a master bathroom with a walk-in shower, double sink, and two doors, one of which Hollyn assumed the toilet was behind.
“Cleaning supplies are under the sink. Give everything a wipe down and a rinse. I’m expecting company tomorrow, so I need this place to shine.”
Who said that to their student?I need this place to shine.This was getting ridiculous, but again, Hollyn held back her response.
Yumia seemed to be waiting for something, but after a few silent moments, she shrugged and walked away, leaving Hollyn to complete another frustrating task.
After a few minutes, Hollyn sighed and headed toward the cabinet under the sink where Yumia had told her she’d find sprays and scrub brushes. Yet, when she looked at what was there, she saw a bottle of vinegar, some baking soda, and a tooth brush.
“What the fuck?”
“Something wrong?”
