William arrived back with a parcel in his hand.
“What is it?”
“Our Deep Purple boxed set from Amazon.”
“Great,” said Duncan. “Put it on.”
The Douglas-MacPhees had never stopped liking the seventies heavy rock they’d grown up with. Duncan studied the box while William put on the music. “I remember stealing their first album.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “Must have been back in 1970. Saw them in Glasgow too. Great gig.”
Rhona scowled. “I wanted you to take me, but you wouldn’t.”
“You were an annoying brat when you were young.”
“You should have taken me along.”
Duncan looked pained. “How could I? Who goes to a gig with his baby sister? The other werewolves would have laughed at me.”
“So? You could still have taken me. I wanted to see them.”
Duncan raised his arms hopelessly. His younger sister had an annoying habit of bringing up events from their childhood that always cast him in a bad light. He hated it when she made him feel guilty. “All right, I’m sorry. I made up for it afterwards, didn’t I? I’ve looked after you since then.”
“I suppose so.”
It was true. Duncan had looked after her. Rhona was pacified. The Douglas-MacPhees turned Deep Purple up loud, nodded their heads in time to the music, and wondered if Marwanis might find out which college Kalix was attending.
Chapter 130
Kalix withdrew to her favorite clump of bushes in Kennington Park, where she could be alone. Studying last night had been both stressful and tiring, and she was she fed up with all company.
“I’m going to lie here all day,” she thought, “and not speak to anyone.”
“Ow!” came a cry from nearby, quite unexpectedly. “I’m stuck on a thorn!”
It was Vex.
Kalix gritted her teeth.
“Hey, Kalix, I’m stuck in the bushes! I need help!”
The young werewolf sighed and made her way reluctantly through the bushes to find Vex struggling vainly with the thorns that were tangled up in her extremely baggy jersey.
Kalix looked at her with disdain. “Can’t Fire Elementals do anything? How about burning your way out?”
Vex grinned. “Aunt Malvie doesn’t like me using fire on Earth. She thinks I’ll have an accident.”
Kalix helped Vex to free herself then demanded to know what she was doing here.
“I came to find you.”
“But I came here to be alone.”
“I know. I thought you might like some company.”
“Why would I want company if I want to be alone?” Kalix was exasperated. Vex looked at her with interest. Kalix had enough experience of the Elementals to be suspicious. “Are you reading my aura?”
“No. I know you don’t like it. I wouldn’t study your aura just for instance to see if you slept with Decembrius.”
“Of course I didn’t sleep with Decembrius! He slept on the floor.”
“I know. I saw it in your aura. So, what are we doing now? Staying in this clump of bushes? It’s a bit cold. Should we go to the café?”
“I’m not doing the exam,” announced Kalix.
Agrivex reeled in shock, a mannerism reminiscent of Malveria. “What do you mean? You have to do it. Otherwise you’ll be thrown out, and then Aunt Malvie might not let me go to college anymore.”
“I don’t care. I’m not doing it.”
“But your mother won’t pay your rent. We’ll all go broke. Everything will be in chaos.”
Kalix was resolute. She’d decided to abandon college. “My mind is made up,” she said, rather grandly. “I’m not going back.”
“What about your assignment?”
“I’m not doing it either.”
“You have to!” declared Vex. “I won’t let you give up.”
“There’s nothing you can do.” Kalix noticed that Vex had begun to glow very faintly, as if the fire that comprised her being was heating up. It was unusual for Vex.
“Why do you want to leave?”
“I never wanted to go in the first place. Anyway, I can’t pass the exam, so there’s no point. What’s the matter with you? Is that a flame coming out of your finger?”
A tiny spout of flame was indeed flickering from one of Vex’s fingers, which was quickly joined by another. “You can’t just leave,” insisted Vex. “You’ll ruin everything. I’m depending on you. How can you be so selfish?”
“I’m not being selfish!”
“Yes, you are,” cried Vex. “Aunt Malvie will make me leave too, and I’ll have to go back to that stupid boring palace. You’re ruining everything. You never think about anyone else! You just do exactly what you want all the time!”
Kalix was taken aback by Vex’s vehemence. “Well, what about you? You do exactly what you want as well. Did you ever think about anyone else?”
“I do things for other people all the time! I got you the werewolf comics, didn’t I?”
“I hate these stupid comics.”
Vex looked hurt. “You should have said before that you didn’t like them.”
“I did say before! You just never listened.”
“Well, at least I did something to try and cheer you up! Have you any idea how miserable you are?”
“College isn’t going to make me any happier!” roared Kalix. “And while we’re on the subject, could you stop going on about gold stars, cheerleading teams, and all your other delusions? Can’t you get it into your head it’s just some pathetic little institute for stupid people? It’s not the nation’s number one university!”
“I know that!” shouted Vex.
“You do?”
“Of course I know. I’m just trying to make the best of it. I was trying to make it fun. Did you ever think I might be trying to encourage you by pretending it was a great place to be?”
Kalix hadn’t. The strange idea that Vex was actually aware of the true nature of their college came as a surprise. They looked at each other in the bushes for a few moments. The flames that flickered around Vex’s fingers spluttered and died. She looked ruefully at her hand. “My fingers are sore.”
“You shouldn’t catch fire,” said Kalix. “You’re not used to it. You’ll hurt yourself.”
There were a few more moments of silence.
“Okay, I’ll do the exam. But you know I’m going to fail.”
“No, you won’t!” cried Vex. “We’re both going to pass!”
They walked out of the bushes and through the park, heading for the small café on the outskirts.
“Did you really hate the werewolf comics?”
Kalix suppressed a sigh. “No, I think they’re great. Thanks for buying them.”
Vex was pleased. “I knew you liked them really! We have to look for more. You only need four to complete the set. It’ll be like a treat for passing the exam.”
“I can’t wait,” said Kalix. “It’ll really make it all worthwhile.”
Chapter 131
While the barons and the rest of the council members gorged themselves on venison after the council meeting, the enchantress ate almost nothing and attempted to leave as soon as she politely could. Though she tried to slip out unobtrusively, she failed to make it past her mother.
“Thrix, you’ve hardly touched your food,” said the Mistress of the Werewolves.
“I’m not really hungry.”
“Couldn’t you at least try some of the venison?”
“I’m fine, really.”
Her mother looked at her with disapproval. Werewolves were hearty eaters, particularly in the security of their own castle. The Mistress of the Werewolves had always felt disgraced by Kalix’s refusal to eat as a young teenager, knowing that it would be gossiped about. The common feeling among the clan was that if a werewolf wasn’t eating properly, there was something badly wrong, possibly with the parents. Having endured this with Kalix, Verasa didn’t want anyone to start whispering about her other dau
ghter.
“I had a large meal last night. I’m really not hungry,” insisted Thrix. “Stop looking at me like you’re trying to judge my weight. I’m fine.”
“Are you depressed?”
“Not at all.” Thrix was far from depressed. She was happy after last night’s encounter with Easterly, though she didn’t intend to explain this to her mother. The argument they’d have about that would come soon enough anyway, when Thrix brought Easterly to the fundraising event.
Thrix excused herself and walked swiftly through the dark stone corridors. Her pleasure over the success of her relationship hadn’t banished her other problems from her mind. She was heading for the combined library and museum, where Beatrice took care of the archives, both books and historical artifacts. Thrix didn’t know Beatrice that well and was surprised at how eagerly the young werewolf greeted her. “Thrix! It’s so good to see you!”
“It’s good to see you too, Beatrice.”
Thrix didn’t entirely approve of Beatrice’s outfit, and her hair, while an attractive dark brown, could have been styled better. She was pretty though, pretty enough to keep Markus interested, apparently. Thrix guessed that Beatrice’s pleasure at seeing her might be connected with Markus. “Please don’t ask me about Markus,” she thought.
“I need to talk about Markus,” said Beatrice.
“Oh…well, I’m quite busy just now, I’m looking for a book written by Minerva MacRinnalch, I need to check on some—”
“I’ve been seeing Markus for months now,” said Beatrice, showing no interest in searching for a book by Minerva MacRinnalch.
“And?”
“Is he seeing someone else?”
“Why do you think that?”
“He doesn’t pay me as much attention as he used to.”
“Of course,” thought Thrix. “Markus flits from one lover to another and always will.” Not wishing to upset Beatrice, she kept the thought to herself. “I really need to see Minerva’s book, it contains information I can’t find anywhere else.”
“So Markus is seeing someone,” said Beatrice.
“I never said that.”
“You didn’t deny it!”
“How would I know? I live in London.”
“You’re his sister,” insisted Beatrice. “You talk.”
“No, we don’t. I’m really not that close to Markus.”
“I think he’s going to leave me,” said Beatrice, and her voice broke. She began to sob behind her book counter.
“Well, that’s great,” thought Thrix. “This is just what I needed.”
Thrix was saved by the unexpected arrival of Dominil.
“Looking for a book?” asked Thrix.
“I had read the entire contents of this library by the time I was ten. Why is Beatrice crying?”
“Markus.”
“I wouldn’t waste your tears,” said Dominil. “Thrix, I need to talk to you about this Surmata woman right away.”
Thrix felt a little guilty at abandoning the tearful Beatrice and rather wished she could emulate Dominil’s total lack of empathy.
“I believe you may be in danger.”
“We always seem to be in danger these days.”
“True. However there’s something very suspicious about this fashion blogger. Her name, principally. Do you know any Finnish?”
Thrix was bewildered at the idea she might know any Finnish and shook her head.
“I picked up a little at Oxford during a comparative study of mythology. So, about Susi Surmata. Susi is the Finnish word for wolf.”
“I suppose that’s just a coincidence…”
“It might be. But I felt there was something familiar about the word Surmata too. I’ve just checked. It translates as kill, or slay. If you turned Susi Surmata around, and read it as Surmata Susi, it might be translated as ‘slay the wolf.’”
The enchantress pondered Dominil’s words. “Is this really significant?”
“That a fashion blogger you’re involved with has a name that could mean ‘slay the wolf’? I’d say so.”
Thrix wasn’t sure and still felt it might be a coincidence. “She might not have anything to do with Finland.”
“Her blog is called ‘I Miss Susi.’”
Thrix nodded. She’d thought it was an odd name.
“Imisusi is Finnish for werewolf. Which, apparently, she wants to slay.”
“Are you suggesting she’s a werewolf hunter?”
“It seems quite likely,” said Dominil. “You’ve managed to hide yourself well with your sorcery. But fragments of information still filter through to the guild. I’ve seen snippets that suggest they know there’s a werewolf involved somehow with the fashion world. What if this is a way to draw you out?”
“But the damned woman keeps avoiding me.”
“Maybe that’s just a clever way to force you to confront her.”
Thrix puckered her lips in anger. “If the blogger I’m relying on to review my clothes turns out to be a werewolf hunter, I’m really not going to be pleased.”
“Now I’ve warned you, you can take steps to make sure you don’t encounter her.”
“Are you crazy?” said Thrix. “I really need that review.”
“If you try to meet her, you might just find yourself walking into a trap.”
“I’ll deal with that when the time comes. One way or another, Susi Surmata is going to review my clothes.”
Chapter 132
Moonglow elbowed her way awkwardly into Kalix’s bedroom with a tray in her hands.
“I’ve brought you some tea and biscuits.” Moonglow beamed. “It’s so exciting having a study group in our house!”
Daniel and Kalix were far less enthusiastic than Moonglow, though they were grateful for the tea and biscuits. Daniel had offered to help Kalix prepare her assignment, and they’d been joined by Vex, who did seem to be enjoying the proceedings. Moonglow, to her regret, had been banished. According to Daniel, normal people couldn’t study in the presence of such an educational enthusiast. It would put Kalix off. Moonglow felt some resentment but acknowledged her presence might distract Kalix. The young werewolf hated displaying her lack of education.
“How is it going?” Moonglow asked.
“Great!” cried Vex, bouncing to her feet. “My report on Tokyo Top Pop Boom-Boom Girl is fantastic! Look, I’ve stuck pictures in this book, and I’ve listed all her secret powers and everything! And I’m going to start off by singing the theme song! Daniel recorded the music for me.” Vex, still quite ignorant about technology on Earth, had been thrilled when Daniel presented her with a recording of the theme song and had been singing along with it ever since.
Moonglow smiled. She appreciated Vex’s enthusiasm, even if she was slightly dubious about doing a report on a cartoon. Moonglow instinctively felt that a book would be a more proper subject. However, she understood that the remedial college probably needed to broaden their remit to encourage their students. Kalix and Vex could do their assignment on anything they chose.
Like Vex, Moonglow had also suggested that Sabrina the Teenage Witch might be a suitable subject for Kalix, as it was her favorite program, but the young werewolf had rejected this. She feared she’d look stupid in class if she turned up with a report on a children’s TV show. So she’d decided to write about Curse of the Wolf Girl and now struggled to complete the project. With her limited vocabulary, bad handwriting, and poor computer skills, it was an arduous task.
“Kalix has a lot of great ideas,” said Daniel, encouragingly. “I’ve been helping her get them in order. Do you want to hear them?”
“Yes!” said Moonglow, much too enthusiastically. Kalix shrank into her seat, immediately embarrassed.
“Kalix has a few trenchant criticisms.” Daniel read from his notes. “The author knows nothing about werewolves and should be arrested for writing such rubbish. The comic is highly prejudicial against werewolves and portrays them as mindless beasts who just kill people all the time. Wer
ewolves really don’t kill people all that often, unless there’s a good reason, and you can’t blame them for that. It’s not werewolves’ fault if hunters keep on chasing them. It’s the hunters’ faults, so why don’t you pick on them instead? The artist has no idea what a werewolf looks like and should be forbidden to draw anything ever again, and also sent to prison. The editor of this comic is obviously mentally defective for letting such rubbish go into print. The story is the most stupid story ever written, and the heroine, Arabella Wolf, is the most annoying person ever. She should be punched in the face. Also, it’s not true that werewolves eat children. Very few children have ever been eaten by werewolves. Maybe one or two, but it’s not a big werewolf problem. The comic should be withdrawn from sale before it poisons people’s minds.”
“So Kalix doesn’t like it?”
“She hates it.”
“It’s really stupid,” said Kalix, quite vehemently, “and all the characters are ridiculous and unbelievable. Apart from Arabella Wolf’s boyfriend. He’s an astronomer who does kung fu. I quite like him.”
“I thought she killed her boyfriend in issue three,” said Daniel.
“She got another one in issue four. But then she killed him as well in five. She got another one in issue seven.”
“What happened in issue six?”
“She was quite lonely.”
“I can see why.”
Vex burst into song again, while Daniel studied the comics, and Kalix continued to complain about the general anti-werewolf tone of the work.
“I’ll leave you to it,” said Moonglow. “Just shout if you want more tea.”
Chapter 133
Dominil called the twins from the castle. “I’ll be back in London the day after tomorrow, after I’ve checked the venue in Edinburgh. I hope you’ve been practicing. You’re playing in one week.”
Beauty and Delicious had been rehearsing with the band, or claimed they had, though Dominil wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that they’d spent their time in an alcoholic stupor.
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