Wraithsong
Page 24
* * *
Once inside the house, we climb the stairs and enter Anthony’s room. He offers me one of his soccer t-shirts and some way-too-big shorts to change into. After I get changed, I head into the rotunda in his room and look out the window. The lake mirrors the full moon and it hangs low and golden in the black sky. It’s a spectacular view—so beautiful it nearly takes my breath away. The blue light in the pool below moves with the water and reflects onto the column pillars that uphold the veranda. I notice that a swan has made its way into their white gazebo on the deck. The poor swan is probably stuck.
“You left this here the other day.” Anthony lifts up the scroll as he sits down in the same seat he sat in the other day.
“Well, I don’t want it anymore.” I look at him. “When did you realize I was a Huldra? Wait, did you come to my school knowing that you were looking for me?” I sit down.
“One question at a time, please,” he says. “I didn’t know that you went to Sarasota High School, no.”
“So was it all just a coincidence that you found me? It doesn’t seem like your way of doing things…Maureen wouldn’t have left finding me to chance,” I say.
“She never brought it up to me until…” Anthony stops speaking and then his face goes blank. He looks at me for a moment, before his eyes trail off into the distance.
Did she use him? No, it wouldn’t make sense. He knew he was supposed to spy on me and bring me to his house, so surely he knew. He was part of Maureen’s plan. “When did you know she was after me?” My voice is unyielding.
Anthony looks upset. “Let’s get some rest. I think we’ll both need it tonight.” He stands up.
“I need an answer to my question.” I rise to my feet—determined.
“I—”
“Are you telling me you’re stupid and didn’t know that Maureen has been using you for a long time?”
His eyes flash and he storms out of the rotunda, slamming his fist into the doorframe as he exits.
“What should we do about school?” I yell after him.
He turns around. “Go and act as if everything is normal until we hear from Maureen and what she wants me to do with you.”
His words frighten me and I gasp a little. Is he going to do what she says? Is he lying to me and going to bring me to Maureen?
Anthony says, “I won’t actually torture you, if that’s what you’re freaking out about.”
His words, though meant to calm me, do nothing of the sort. “Won’t Olaf come after me?”
“No, he’ll be leaving for Wraithsong Island shortly, too, if he hasn’t already, but there may still be someone else guarding your house, so we can’t go there right now.”
There’s probably more to the story than he’s telling me, but I’m so tired and overwhelmed, I let it go. I feel safe enough.
“Listen, I know this is all overwhelming, but I’ll make things right,” he says.
“Will you?”
His eyes darken. “I will.”
I can tell he’s at least trying to make the best of our bleak situation, and I want to believe him, but it’s far too frightening. “I’m not going to pretend everything’s all right when it isn’t.”
“Well, your mother’s life is at stake so I’m sure you can manage,” he says distantly and walks off.
I’d have to say I agree with him since I don’t have any other choice.