Codex

by Megan Fatheree

  “Think about it this way.” Eadric folded his arms behind his back. “If I was so mortally wounded, would I have been able to carry you inside like I did?”

  Okay, so he had a point there. Amorette thought back to the maze. Unbidden, her cheeks flamed. She pressed her hands against them to stop the embarrassing redness.

  So, he carried her. That didn’t mean anything. Anyone would have carried her with the way she collapsed after trying to walk. It was the close proximity of his face that had her embarrassed. She would admit to being momentarily distracted by the pretty tilt of his lips, but she got over it fast enough. Chalk it all up to shock or stress. That solved everything.

  “I see you remember it quite well.” Was that a smirk she saw starting?

  Amorette narrowed her eyes at him and stuck her tongue out again.

  Eadric chuckled, a deep, dark sound that spoke more than any words. “Rest well, Amorette. No getting up for a few days. Call one of us if you need something.” He tapped a finger on the ice pack. “Keep this on until it thaws. Doon or I will switch it out in the morning.”

  “I don’t need babysitters.”

  “You do need babysitters, apparently. This week, alone, you've been mugged, lost in the park, and almost eaten by my dogs. I think we should keep a keen eye on you, don’t you agree?”

  “I was not lost!” Amorette bristled at Eadric’s sarcasm. Did he think her a child? She could handle herself in a lot of situations. Growing up around her step-mother meant learning to survive. Amorette could be scrappy if she needed to be, and she was more intelligent than she let on. “Doon told you that, didn’t he?”

  “He said you went to the park together.” Eadric arched a brow. “You seemed... unlike yourself when you arrived home.”

  “This isn’t home.”

  “And your last house was?”

  With a snap, Amorette closed her jaw. He had a point. Even when she had her own room, tuition, and food, Amorette never thought of her father’s house as a home. Not since her mom left. Not since her dad stayed away for the majority of the year. Definitely not when her step-mother used her as a live-in housemaid.

  Amorette didn’t understand the trepidation she felt around Professor Blakely, either. He was a nice person, but a small part of her brain seemed to recognize him. Impossible, she knew, but something about him bothered her.

  “I think I’d like to be alone now.” Amorette pulled the blanket over her good leg and nestled a pillow to her chest.

  She had a journal to read. One that apparently belonged to the man who took her in. One that would, hopefully, provide answers to questions she couldn’t voice out loud. She had to know. She wanted to know now.

  A soft sigh floated from the other side of the room. Amorette didn’t have to look to know whose lips it fell from.

  She looked sideways to Doon instead. “I’ll eat alone, but thank you for the company. And for the food.”

  Doon grinned as if he knew she wouldn’t send the food back just because she was upset. “I’ll come back for the tray.”

  “You don’t have to. Grab it in the morning when you switch out ice packs.” Amorette shrugged.

  Doon laughed and stood to his feet. “I’ll be back for the tray,” he repeated. Doon hustled Eadric out of the room before Amorette could protest.

  Amorette leaned her head back and blew out the breath she’d been holding. Why did Eadric’s presence unravel her and anger her all at once? It made no sense.

  EADRIC CLOSED HIS BEDROOM door and leaned his head back against it. It made his head ache, trying to figure out why she decided to leave the house in the first place. Amorette had a free soul, a wild spirit, but she was no idiot. With the exception of her friendship with Hunter.

  No matter how he tried, Eadric couldn’t like the younger man. Something in his eyes or behind his too-perfect smile twisted Eadric’s gut in knots. Being near Amorette seemed to ease the new-found anxiety, but she sent him away. Again. Probably for the better, before she figured out his secret.

  If only he had anticipated her inspection of the dog bite. He would have prepared better. Bandaged it. Done something to mask its healing process.

  Footfalls above his head broke the mental boxing match Eadric found himself in. He closed his eyes to listen better.

  They didn’t belong to Amorette. They would stumble more if they did. Doon definitely said he would be in the kitchen. Which left...

  Eadric’s eyes flew open. “That sneaky punk.” He spun, his hand on the doorknob before he took a minute to think.

  It sounded like the footsteps were pacing. Four toward Amorette’s door, four away. Four toward, four away. As if the kid couldn’t make up his mind what to do.

  “Don’t overreact, Eadric.” Eadric blew out a breath and held still.

  Hunter must be nervous about something, or unsure what to say.

  Eadric would never understand why Doon put them on the same floor. He said the boy could stay in the house, not two doors down from Amorette. No telling what mess the two of them could get into alone on the third floor.

  Minutes ticked by like hours. Hunter’s stuttered steps paced a while longer, hesitated once more, and then retreated. Whatever he meant to say to Amorette, he must have decided it could wait.

  Eadric’s heart slowed to a normal beat, a rhythm that settled undetected in his chest. Why did he ever invite that kid into his house? If this desperation and confusion kept up, Eadric would have a premature heart attack.

  If only death were that easy.

  Because he wouldn’t deal with these tormenting thoughts any longer that night, Eadric grabbed his tablet and set to work on the newest game launch. A mindless activity would erase the inhabitants of his home from his mind.

  Or so one would think.

  [Episode 10]

  Moving Day

  AMORETTE WOKE WITH a stiff neck and shoulders. She groaned and pried her fingers from around the book in her arms.

  Things seemed a little clearer after reading a few entries, but the puzzle pieces remained scattered in her mind.

  Why did she never remember what she read the next morning? Did she fall asleep that easily?

  The bells on her door jingled along with the knock.

  Amorette shoved the journal under her pillows and pressed up onto her elbow. “Come in.”

  Doon opened the door with a grin on his face. “Good morning, princess. I came to retrieve the tray and switch out ice packs. Is it still swollen?”

  Amorette shrugged. Why would he ask her something like that? She didn’t know. How did he expect her to know anything when she woke up not five minutes ago?

  “Okay, so you're not a morning person.” Doon stooped beside her bed to lift her discarded tray. “What do you want for breakfast?”

  “Can I go downstairs for breakfast?” The words croaked in her throat. That’s what she got for not keeping water beside her bed. Morning throat.

  “I’ll help her.” Hunter’s voice came from the doorway.

  Amorette looked up with a brief smile. Even if she was still angry at Hunter for a number of things, she liked knowing her friend was still around. She relied on him more than she liked to let on. He helped her out in a tough spot, took her in when she had nowhere else to go.

  Then again, so did Eadric. Except Eadric was far more annoying than Hunter, for the most part.

  “You can help me instead.” Doon held out the tray toward Hunter.

  Hunter rolled his eyes. “Your hands are already full. Just let me help her downstairs. No one’s going to die because of that.”

  “You don’t know that.” Doon pouted. “Mr. Hawkmore may kill me if I let you carry her or assist her or touch her in general.”

  “I’ll attend your funeral.” Hunter jogged into the room and settled on the side of Amorette’s bed. “Come on, Mi Amor. Hop on.” He patted a hand against the back of his shoulder.

  Amorette didn’t have the strength to argue. She wanted food and television. In that
order. If attaching herself to Hunter’s back could get her downstairs faster, so be it.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and finagled her legs around his torso.

  Hunter stood up and hiked her higher. “Come on, Doon. Let’s go get her some breakfast.”

  “Mm. Food.” Amorette smiled and laid her cheek against the back of Hunter’s head.

  “We’re all going to die.” Doon sighed heavily as he trailed the duo out of the room. “Rest in peace. May the world forget we all existed and never repeat this travesty.”

  “Shut up, you’re so dramatic,” Hunter called over his shoulder.

  Amorette slapped a hand against his chest. “You shut up. You’re louder right now. No one talk. Just take me downstairs and feed me. I need nutrition.”

  “You seem awake enough to me.” Hunter started down the stairs. “That was a lot of words.”

  “Humor me, I’m injured.”

  “Injured, my foot.”

  “Actually, it’s my foot. Now shh.” Amorette cuddled against him again and closed her eyes.

  This whole not having to walk thing was nice, she’d admit that much. It was the bickering that she hated.

  Doon popped up by Hunter’s free shoulder. “Are we sure it’s a good idea to carry her down the stairs like this? You could fall. Something could happen. Mr. Hawkmore could see.”

  “Why are you so concerned about him seeing? We already talked about this. It isn’t as if she belongs to him or anything.”

  “Technicalities...” Doon muttered, so quietly Amorette almost missed it.

  She turned her head to study the man she almost trusted. “What does that mean? Technicalities of what?”

  “It’s a long story. Let’s get you fed first.” As quickly as he appeared, Doon sprinted down the last flight of stairs and disappeared toward the kitchen.

  “He’s weird.” Amorette yawned and laid her head back down.

  Of all the times for Doon to bring up something important, it had to be right now. In Hunter’s presence. Somehow, Amorette felt it was something she should hear about alone, not with Hunter looking over her shoulder.

  Hunter chuckled as they made it to the ground floor. “He is strange, but I can’t say I dislike him. I just don’t agree with him sometimes.”

  “About what?” Any desire to fall back asleep fled in the wake of Amorette’s aroused curiosity.

  Hunter glanced over his shoulder at her. “It’s nothing. Where are we going? The living room?”

  “Yes, please.” She kicked her good foot lightly, finally coming awake.

  If the guys had things to do today, she could watch whatever she wanted. One perk of being injured, Amorette supposed. Besides that, if they left her alone—though not likely—she could raid the refrigerator without supervision. That sounded fun.

  A deep, irritated voice interrupted her visions of peace. “What are you doing?”

  Hunter spun so fast he almost lost his grip on Amorette.

  Amorette squealed and gripped Hunter's neck tighter. Her eyes squeezed shut in fear of being dropped, but she didn’t fall as expected.

  Hunter managed to save his grip and hike her higher on his back again.

  Amorette peeked one eye open.

  Eadric scowled from his place on the bottom step. This time his gaze focused on Hunter instead of Amorette.

  Relief flooded her.

  Hunter took a step backward. “What’s it look like we’re doing? Mi Amor wanted to come down for breakfast and television.”

  “Set her on the couch, then.” Eadric’s gaze narrowed dangerously.

  Amorette had seen the look last night, too. Once before he jumped in front of his dog, and once when Hunter tried to take her upstairs. She didn’t understand the expression, but she wanted to explore it. To learn more about how Eadric’s mind worked. If she watched closely, she could figure out why he seemed so aloof all the time.

  Hunter obeyed Eadric’s command with little resistance. Who would resist, with the way Eadric growled and glared? He must have spent years perfecting his angry exterior.

  Amorette found she couldn’t quite look away. Eadric was too fascinating, too hard to figure out. Amorette had never been good at resisting puzzles or mysteries. Eadric and that journal he claimed belonged to him both qualified as such.

  Hunter took extra care settling Amorette on the couch, going so far as to gather the throw pillows and tuck them around her.

  Eadric lifted Amorette’s foot onto an ottoman and marched to the kitchen. Seconds later, he returned with an ice pack, which he settled under her ankle.

  Hunter wrinkled his nose and brushed Eadric’s hand aside. “I’ve got this. I can take care of her, too, you know. I was doing it long before you even thought about it.”

  “Oh, really?” Eadric shrugged a shoulder. “Then I’ll be off, I suppose.”

  Off? Amorette jerked her chin up, meeting his gaze. In a quick turnaround, she narrowed her gaze in suspicion. Eadric hadn’t done anything by accident so far. So why did he give up so easily this morning?

  “Someone around here has to work. Besides, I have an important meeting in...” Eadric consulted his watch, “...twenty minutes. I’ll be back later. Doon!” He waited until Doon’s head peeked around the kitchen doorway. “It will be you and Amorette here, so take care of her for me.”

  Doon saluted and disappeared again. The sizzle and pop of bacon filled the awkward silence.

  “Where are you going?” Amorette queried.

  Hunter shook his head at her. “He has an appointment, Mi Amor. Let him go.”

  Amorette wrinkled her nose at Hunter, but she couldn’t argue with the logic. Appointments were important. She should honor the fact that this man had a job to do. No matter if she was injured or not.

  “Yes. Well.” Eadric nodded once to Amorette. Before she could ask a single question, he retreated.

  Amorette watched his back with a new-found interest. Strange, that he wouldn’t tell her what was going on when he seemed to want to linger. She would investigate this further. Right after breakfast.

  At least, that’s what she told herself. For now.

  Hunter tapped a finger against her temple. “Hello? Earth to Amorette. Good morning, sleepyhead.”

  Amorette moved just her eyes to look at him, a soft pout formed on her lips.

  Hunter knew better than to interrupt her thinking time. She could have figured out something important, but no. Hunter decided it was time to be an attention hog again.

  “What?”

  Hunter arched a brow. “Okay, ouch, first of all.” He draped his arm over his knee. “Secondly, I have to go to class today. Will you be okay here with Doon? I won’t be long.”

  Amorette nodded once. If the guys left, she could sort some things out. She needed that desperately.

  THE STORE SMELLED AS musty as Eadric remembered. The scent of ink and ancient parchment. He inhaled deeply.

  “Welcome to The Nook, how may I help...” Melodia glanced up from her novel and scowled. “Oh. It’s you.”

  “Did I make such a terrible impression the first time?”

  Who was this woman that she thought she could get by with treating her customers in such a degrading way? Eadric straightened his shoulders, prepared to do war for what he wanted. A strategy would be nice.

  Melodia shrugged a shoulder. Her book snapped shut. “Not really a bad first impression. More like... too mule-headed? Sometimes you have to take no for an answer, big guy.”

  Big guy? Eadric resisted the urge to wince or rub his aching head. Instead, he took a moment to step back and evaluate the situation.

  To Melodia, he was nothing more than a customer. She didn’t know his connection to Amorette. She didn’t know his connection to the entire situation. Ideally, he would keep her in the dark, but he needed her help this time.

  “Is there a specific book you’re looking for today? I still don’t have that journal you asked about last time.” Melodia slammed her book on the
counter. “Hurry and tell me. My employee is missing. I don’t have time for this.”

  “About that.” Eadric stepped up to the counter beside Melodia. “She won’t be coming in today. She injured her ankle and is on a strict resting regimen.”

  “And how would you know this?” Melodia arched a brow.

  Eadric grinned at her. This was the strategy he needed. The opportunity knocked, and he would be a fool not to answer. “Because Amorette is staying at my home.”

  Realization dawned in Melodia’s eyes, far more intelligent than Eadric originally thought.

  Melodia turned to prop her hip against the counter behind them. “Oh, so you’re the CEO benefactor. Interesting.”

  “Is it?”

  “Of course. The man Amorette described doesn’t seem a thing like you.”

  “How did she describe me, then?”

  “Mysterious. Aloof. Lonely.” Melodia smiled. “But really, you’re not that hard to figure out.”

  Either Melodia had incredible skills of perception, or she had a completely different view of the world. Eadric didn’t know how to respond to the news that he was, in her eyes, simple.

  Many people had used many colorful words to describe him, but he never heard the word simple before. He made a great effort to remain complicated. The average mortal being didn’t want to waste their time trying to deconstruct a thick-skinned and mysterious man. It was safer for all if people stayed away from Eadric.

  Yet, somehow, a whole flock of them seemed to congregate around him recently. It would be better not to delve into details.

  Eadric set his jaw grimly. “I have a proposition.”

  “For me? Oh, how exciting.” Melodia sounded anything but excited.

  “Move your store into Hawkmore Tower.”

  Best to come right out and say it.

  Leaving Amorette alone and without security, halfway across town, didn’t suit Eadric. He would do anything to contain this situation before it got out of hand.

  Eadric straightened his shoulders. “Name your price. I’ll buy out the store if I have to.”

  “Let’s start at the beginning. First of all, you’re offering me space in Hawkmore Tower? The most sought-after sub-contracting space in the city?”