Page 67 of Dark Angel

“What did you want to talk about at,” he checks his pocket watch, “seven in the morning?” Will asks, taking a sip of his steaming tea.

“It’s nice having you back in London.” Clarence admits to his uncle, not answering his question immediately.

Will nods, swallowing his mouthful of milky liquid. “It’s good to be back.”

Clarence lazily runs his fingertip along the rough fabric of the armchair. “I know Kora missed having you around. I can’t believe Robert sent you away for seven weeks this time.”

Will looks at his nephew for a second with a flash of perplexity. It’s replaced quickly by cool indifference. “We had a lot of business to attend to.” He replies flatly.

“Right, yes,” Clarence continues, leaning forward onto his elbows, “tell me, though. What did that business entail?”

His uncle straightens his spine, his jaw visibly tightening. “Why are you suddenly so curious, Clarence? You never once asked me about my work before.”

“Since I am twenty-one and old enough to work for the Ascendancy, I thought I should be more invested. I should know more about what it is you do for Robert.”

Will shakes his head, a smile forming on his lips. “When you get to my position, you don’t discuss your work with anyone besides the leader.”

“Is that because it’s a secret?” Clarence asks, leaning closer to his uncle, “or because you’re doing something that you shouldn’t be?”

His uncle’s murky eyes narrow on his. “That is none of your business, Clarence. And if I were you, I wouldn’t question my work or what it is I’m doing.”

“Was part of your work going to see someone in Farringdon during the soiree at the Bladesmith manor?”

Will flinches, “Who told you about that?” his voice angry and gruff.

“What were you doing in Farringdon, Will?” Pestering him further, not wanting to stop until he gets an answer from him.

“You shouldn’t dig for information that you know nothing about, Clarence. It will just have you hurt.”

Clarence leans closer, his elbows digging into his knees. “What were you doing there?”

Will’s jaw ticks worriedly. “Stay out of this, Clarence, for your own good. I mean it.”

“Was it something that will get you into trouble?”

His uncle brings his clamped hands to his lips, the knuckles white with how tight he’s bracing them. “I had to see someone. About something Robert doesn’t know about. I didn’t want to be followed or questioned, so I went while everyone else was busy at the soiree. I just needed to speak with an Elemental about things I overheard in Ireland. That’s what I was doing.”

Clarence’s eyes shutter on Will’s, not entirely believing him. “Is this about my parents again?”

Will nods his head. “The Elemental had nothing useful though, it was just a suspicion I had, but it turned out to be wrong.”

“And why couldn’t you touch the blade?”

His face stills. “What blade?”

“Kora’s blade. It burnt you.”

“I told you, sometimes it chooses its owner.”

“I don’t believe you. Kora can touch it. I can touch it. Why can’t you? What are you not telling me?”

Will exhales deeply, his leg beginning to shake with anxiety. He stands from his chair. “I was wounded in Ireland. That’s why I came home early. I had demon poison in my system still. But I didn’t want Kora to worry about me, so I said that so she wouldn’t question me about the attack.”

Clarence stares at his uncle. He wants to believe him, but deep down, he can’t. Something isn’t sitting right in his chest.

“All right,” Clarence breathes out after a long minute, “if that’s what happened, then that’s what happened.”

He stands himself, facing Will, who seems agitated.

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