Oculus

by S. E. Akers

  “Yes,” I admitted shamefully. “I meant —”

  “That’s all right,” he assured. “If I need them, I know where they are.”

  “Okay,” I replied, still unsure of how he truly felt. His deadpan look didn’t give me the slightest inkling either way. Whatever. But there was something odd about his stance. He seemed painfully rigid for someone whose muscles should be good and loose from such an extensive swim. Possibly a little tense? Maybe a shade guarded? Something was definitely up. Oh, I could tell.

  I dipped my spoon into the pint, slowly raking it across the creamy surface. “Is something wrong?” I probed and then slid the bite into my mouth.

  Tanner gripped the pint and angled his spoon. “No. Why do you ask?”

  I focused on the ice-cream ribboning into the well of his spoon. “Because you’re back early, for starters.” A distressing thought surfaced. “Is it Olaf?” Making sure Malachi’s bodyguard was still under the delusional effects of the amber had to be high on his list of To-Dos while he was there, regardless of where the “after-party” ranked.

  “No. He’s still very much clueless,” he assured and then slipped the hearty bite past his lips.

  “That’s good,” I replied, relieved, though I still felt there was something he was holding back. “Are you sure there is nothing else going on?”

  Tanner nodded briskly, having just downed another bite.

  “I don’t know . . .” I pondered suspiciously. “You still seem kind of pent-up to me.”

  From the way the Amethyst Talisman started choking on his last spoonful, I’d say my gut feeling had him dead to rights.

  “And I think I know why,” I said with a prickly rasp.

  Tanner placed the ice-cream down on the counter. The look on his face appeared hesitant. “You do?” he questioned, his eyes fixed and throbbing.

  “Yes,” I nodded.

  “Then by all means, enlighten me,” Tanner rustled.

  It pained me to even bring up the subject, especially since he’d so graciously swept it under the rug by not mentioning a word about it at breakfast, but this was something that needed to be addressed. “Because of what happened Friday,” I sighed.

  Tanner’s peculiar expression relaxed immediately. “Any particular part?”

  His ambiguity was only making this harder. I shoved another bite into my mouth. “You know what part,” I mumbled.

  Tanner’s stare fell towards his chest. The last thing I wanted was a rehash via one of his lectures, so I quickly spoke up. “The chimera,” I said. I could tell he was thinking about the seriousness of the incident from the far away look glazing his eyes, which only made my next admission all the more difficult to say. Pulling my own teeth with a string tied to a doorknob would have been more of a treat. “I know how close I came to . . .” I stopped, unable to let the word cross my lips. Knowing what could have happened was nightmarish enough, but saying it out loud made it so irrevocably real. “Thank you for saving me.”

  “Shiloh,” Tanner began, “I think you—”

  I averted my stare. “I really don’t want to talk about it anymore. What I did was reckless and stupid . . . and I just wanted you to know that I’ll never do something like that again,” I vowed.

  Tanner pressed his lips together, obviously fighting off his need to add more. Hopefully it wasn’t anything about me refusing to use the amethyst. That was another reminder I didn’t need right now.

  I couldn’t stand the awkward hush wafting in the air a second longer. “I’m taking your silence as an unspoken pact,” I smiled and scooped out another helping.

  Tanner shook his head, humoring my decree. “So what did you get into while I was away?”

  My mouth held on to the spoon for as long as it could. Though I was happy the conversation had taken a detour, I didn’t expect to be faced with avoiding a bumpy pothole so soon.

  “Just some reading in the library,” I said innocently and handed him the ice-cream.

  He dipped his spoon into the pint. “Is Silas still alive?”

  “Yes,” I laughed.

  “And the two of you played nice?”

  I nodded, thinking about the house steward’s charitable ass-saving. “He was extremely gracious,” I beamed. “He even prepared me a very festive dinner.” I tilted my stare to his. “But something tells me that I have you to thank for that.”

  “Possibly,” he grinned. “I thought it would suit your palate.”

  “It was perfect,” I said.

  “I’m pleased to hear it,” he replied with a smile so electric it was getting hard to think straight.

  I saw my opportunity for a distraction and pounced on it. “I see you’re wearing your larimar,” I remarked and lifted it off his chest, drawing him closer. My thumb had barely grazed the face of the sensory-boosting gemstone when it started to glow. Again I found myself completely mesmerized by the blue-green hues melding together as they swirled throughout the stone.

  “So did it work?” I posed. “Did it help you feel more tonight?”

  Tanner turned breathlessly quiet. My eyes ascended to his curiously. Something was hiding behind his words that seemed to want to escape. And right now I needed something to shoot out of there. Anything to keep me from prying it out with my tongue.

  “Too well, in fact,” he muttered and then cupped his hand over mine. The sweetest jolt coursed through me as we sat there. His eyes weren’t going anywhere, and neither were mine.

  We both jumped when Silas suddenly charged into the kitchen, practically snorting out his, “Why Professor Grey, I had no idea you were home.”

  “I just got back,” he said candidly, barely turning his head.

  “I’m surprised I didn’t hear the chopper,” Silas remarked.

  “I chose a different route,” Tanner replied.

  The house steward noted his lack of attire with a flippant sweep. “Yes . . . so we see,” he sang.

  No telepathy was necessary. I’d become quite the aficionado of Silas’ critical eyes. “Terry loincloth” flashed in them like a tacky neon sign.

  “Your robe should be on its last tumble in the dryer. I’ll fetch it for you,” Silas insisted and then hurried out the door.

  I hopped down off the counter and tossed the empty container into the trash with a defeated “thump”. As disappointed as what I was about the house steward wrecking whatever moment we were in the middle of, I couldn’t find it in me to be mad at him, not after covering my tracks earlier. I rinsed off the spoons, still feeling just as grateful.

  Silas strutted back into the room like a mother hen with her wings stretched. “Here you are, Professor,” he said, draping the bulky robe around his shoulders and officially setting the sun on my picturesque view.

  “I found your shredded clothes in the trash can,” Silas said. “It seems you had quite the exciting evening.”

  Tanner roused a grin as he tied off his robe. “Just the last leg of my swim,” he assured. “How was yours?” he asked Silas.

  “Not as eventful as yours,” the house steward confirmed and then discreetly passed me a pacifying glance.

  I boomed a secret sigh of relief. Screw his cheek. I could kiss his feet right now… Socks on, of course.

  “Although my cleaning did take a smidge longer than what I’d anticipated, everything on my list got a check in the end,” Silas added.

  The undertone of that cheeky remark was unsettling enough, but the look I spied glinting in his moss-green eyes rocked my warning bells with one heck of an alarming “ping”.

  I pressed my lips together to stave off a few heated breaths. No… He wouldn’t. He just wouldn’t.

  “Why’s that?” Tanner asked.

  “Oh, it wasn’t anything really. Just a mere problem that arose.” Silas gave his hand a stagy wave. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

  “In the dungeons?” Tanner questioned.

  Silas shook his head. “Heavens no,” he assured with a hearty laugh.

  Th
e lines furrowing Tanner’s brow relaxed immediately. “Good.”

  The house steward directed his glare to me. I eyed him back with my most fervent stare. Don’t say it… Don’t you DARE say it!

  “It was in the library,” Silas revealed with a casual air, never taking his eyes off me for a second.

  Confusion clouded Tanner’s face. “The library?” he remarked. “It didn’t need cleaning.”

  “It did after the faeries had their frolicsome free-for-all in there,” Silas huffed.

  My brain fired off every curse alphabetically in five-seconds flat. And that was with me parking at the F’s for three of them.

  “What FAERIES?” Tanner blurted.

  “The one’s Ms. Wallace summoned,” Silas revealed. “Were you aware she claims four of the little buggers?”

  I was surprised Tanner’s head didn’t snap right off his neck the way it whipped towards me. He didn’t have to ask me a thing. My shame had already generously tattooed “GUILTY” on my forehead for him.

  “Why didn’t you TELL ME?” Tanner demanded.

  I couldn’t think of anything to say to him, especially since I had it on good authority that my red-suited fast-talker had gone totally AWOL on me. My mentor may have given me a free pass on the chimera and the amethyst, but he wasn’t letting this one go.

  Tanner’s arms locked into a stringent fold. “What possessed you to summon FAERIES in the first place?”

  “I don’t know,” I said uneasily. I knew that one wasn’t going to cut it before it crossed my lips.

  “You don’t know?” he repeated.

  “I guess I was kind of . . . lonely,” I finally admitted.

  “Lonely?” Tanner parroted. “You rang up four mischievous troublemakers like you were ordering a pizza because you were lonely?”

  I bit my lip and nodded.

  Tanner turned to Silas. “How BAD?”

  “Well, there was a lot of rearranging,” Silas began, tapping his finger to his chin. “A good bit of frolic . . . Some waterworks . . .”

  “WATER?” Tanner interrupted gruffly.

  “Be glad there was, Professor,” Silas insisted. “It helped keep the fire at a minimum.”

  Tanner lowered his head pointedly and pressed his hands against the counter, fighting off a fierce buckle.

  Silas patted his back. “Not to worry, Professor Grey. I’ve already taken care of everything.”

  My mentor took a deep breath and then turned the brunt of his appalled stare straight to me. “Of all the reckless—”

  “Ah, ah, ah, Professor,” Silas quickly interrupted. “Before you get too worked up, I must say in her defense that she didn’t touch a single bite of her dessert. Apparently she used it to bait the faeries.” Silas sighed. “I’m afraid that’s what incited their friskier behavior.”

  Tanner’s rigid stance now bore more of a cagey appearance. And being the guilt maven that I was, I could have smelt the sin he was emitting a flippin’ country-mile away.

  I immediately turned to my savior-turned-traitor in search of some clarification. “Tell me, Silas . . . Why would me not eating the pound cake make a difference?” I probed.

  “Why because of the amethyst elixir Professor Grey had me add to the icing,” Silas shrugged.

  “WHAT?” I snapped.

  “Though I must say in his defense, Ms. Wallace, you’ve been so out of sorts lately . . . Professor Grey thought it would lift your spirits.” Silas shook his head. “He didn’t know you would use it to hop-up a pack of faeries like little crack-heads.”

  I turned to Tanner. “Tell me he’s joking. Tell me I didn’t just hear that you tried to drug me into a better mood.”

  Tanner may have been standing there in silence, however his staunch and steely expression didn’t cave to even an ounce of shame.

  Silas positioned his frame between the two of us. “If I might interject an assessment,” he began, raising his finger high in the air. “I may be merely a humble keeper of this home, but in my opinion the tally of these shenanigans sounds very even-steven to me.”

  The focus of our fury-fueled glares shifted towards the prying house steward immediately.

  “Not even close?” Silas posed with a wince. Though neither of us offered him the first verbal response, he had to have felt our disagreement scorching his skin like a pig turning on a flaming spit.

  “Oh well,” Silas sighed and shook his head. “It seems my helpful attempt to mediate your impasse has fallen upon deaf ears. I think it’s best if I adjourn to my quarters, seeing how the two of you have some issues to hammer out.” He reached between our heated huddle and snatched the cast iron skillet off the pot rack hanging over the island.

  I rolled my eyes. So much for someone having a private thought.

  “Good-night,” Silas grinned as he tucked it under his arm and then strutted off to bed.

  “Was him taking the pan necessary?” Tanner questioned gruffly.

  “I’ll answer that after I’ve heard your apology,” I grumbled.

  “Don’t hold your breath,” he advised smoothly, sliding his arms into a tight fold at his chest.

  I breathed out a huff. “You knew how I felt about your blissful intervention when I didn’t take your offering last night, and you tried to force it on me anyway!” I argued.

  Tanner stepped closer. “And you’re very much aware of my feelings with respect to practicing spells without my supervision,” he countered. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you not just promise that you wouldn’t do anything reckless or stupid ever again?”

  “Yes, I did, but—”

  “But what?” he interrupted. “Summoning faeries doesn’t count because you were lonely?” he asked. “Or because you didn’t think you would get caught?” I started to respond when he added, “Either way, they’re both childish excuses.”

  My eyes flared. “I could say the very same thing about your need for control,” I blasted back. I could feel the heat from his last remark racing along my fuse. I knew the situation had nowhere to go but downhill from here, but the smartass inside me wouldn’t let me leave without letting a little more air out of Mr. Honesty’s tires.

  “Do me a favor,” I requested, sharpening my glare. “The next time you need to run off and set sail for another party in the Hamptons, just give me a pass to visit Katie. That’ll put a smile on my face quicker than any of your amethysts!”

  I stormed off to my bedroom after that, reeling with betrayal. Silas throwing me under the bus… Tanner trying to drug me… Though I honestly didn’t feel as harshly towards my faeries anymore, not after learning that their feisty behavior was actually from being blissfully coked-out on a purple crystal. Now I wished Tanner could have seen the damage they had caused in-person.

  I wasn’t sure what came over me when I arrived at my bedroom, but I ended up whipping of Tanner’s boxers there in the open doorway and then flung them straight across the hall. A “ding” blared in my head as I slammed the door.

  Nice shot, I noted with a curt nod. You know where they are now!

  CHAPTER 12

  The coming of a full moon always proved as faithful a sight as the emergence of its foreseeable lunar effects. It evoked wonderment and held mystical abilities capable of swaying a being’s body and mind. It could heighten one’s guard or soothe their darkest path. It could even stir a soul’s innermost desires to the point of sheer pleasure or utter madness. And in this case, its dawning was powerful enough to quash the committed offenses of two ticked-off Talismans without the need for any humble expressions of regret.

  Though for the record, mine was merely an unfortunate accident. The intent behind his could have filled the Grand Canyon. And I wouldn’t have been the first one to apologize anyway.

  Tanner issued the existing wards protecting the house a much-needed boost the next morning, most likely triggered from his under-the-sea run-in last night. An hour hadn’t passed before Lorelei unleashed her latest attempt. Considering the sea-bitch still
couldn’t physically pass through the spell’s bounds, the supernatural opted for a more natural course of attack. The Weather Channel called it one for the books — the tiniest category five hurricane that never yielded the first storm surge and just hovered off the coast of Tanner’s house battering the air and dumping rain. Poor Jim Cantore. I’d never seen him look so wet & wind-whipped. Oh well… Tanner finally had to sneak outside and spell his butt to go home, because that headstrong hide of his sure wasn’t going anywhere. We both feared that Lorelei might resort to using him as bait to lure me out. Good thing the storm-chasing guru came armed with a weapon to keep an ancient supernatural on their best behavior — plenty of TV cameras and a live news feed.

  It was a typical training session that following Tuesday afternoon. Tanner had me working on my visual-spatial aim, hoping it would move my bow shooting along. Of course hurling daggers and shurikens were still nowhere near as tricky as getting a daggone arrow to hit its mark.

  Damn, Federo. If I’d known how hard old-school archery was going to be, I would have fished his flaming-butt out of the lava and killed him myself. Who knew the true value of a “can’t miss” turquoise?

  I was skillfully slinging away when Silas strolled into the chamber sporting the jauntiest of airs.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Professor, but there is a delicate matter that requires your immediate attention,” the house steward announced. He sounded as bubbly as he looked, so whatever it was couldn’t be bad.

  Tanner’s eyes remained solely on my efforts. “Go ahead.”

  “It seems company has come calling,” Silas declared.

  Curiosity put the brakes on my throw. Any guests here would have to be of the supernatural persuasion.

  Tanner motioned for me to continue, unfazed. “Who would that be?” he posed.

  “Why it’s Beatrix’s sisters,” he spouted proudly.

  Upon hearing Silas’ reveal, my proverbial rug was completely yanked out from under me. The timing couldn’t have been worse. I was releasing my latest shuriken and inevitably lost my focus, right along with my aim. I ended up accidently pinning my mentor’s left thigh with my slip-up. My muscles shirked into a thorny cringe as soon as I heard the angry steam whistle’s bellow. Good thing that particular throwing star wasn’t infused with anything too crippling — merely the venomous sting of a thousand bees (their swell too).