Page 6 of Frederick
“That’s the issue. I went to talk to Dominic, but when I arrived at his suite, he shut the door on me when he saw that it was I who was there.” I turned towards Dante in question. “Do you know anything about Dominic? I know what is in his file but you’ve been here for some time, do you know anything on a more personal level that could help me understand why it is that he wouldn’t want to talk to me?”
“I’m sorry, Frederick. I am unsure as to why he would behave in such a manner. Dominic has always been incredibly kind and open whenever I have seen him.”
That response just added to my own frustration. I looked over at Carrington and was going to ask if he had any suggestions, but then remembered that he was unmated. “I’d ask you for suggestions and pointers, but you haven’t met your One yet either,” I told him.
“Sorry, no. Perhaps Master Arthur can help you? I cannot even in good conscious give you general relationship advice. It has been entirely too long since I’ve been in a relationship, andat this point, I’m more of a hook up type guy when I feel the urge.”
Dante snorted. I looked at the warlock and he shook his head. “I am not your man. I know nothing about relationships as I’ve never been in one.”
I sighed once again while nodding. “I understand. Do you by chance happen to know where Master Arthur might be?”
Dante narrowed his eyes at the wall before nodding slowly. “If he’s not in his office or the dining hall, check the atrium. This time of day it isn’t unusual for him and Patrick to be found in the atrium with Edric.”
I looked over at the wall that Dante had squinted at and saw there was a clock on it. “Can you not see the clock?” I asked.
“I can see perfectly fine. I was trying to remember Master Arthur’s schedule. Because Patrick is pregnant again, I would look for them in the Atrium before I would in the dining hall. He doesn’t seem to have too bad of pregnancy sickness from what I’ve picked up on, but I’m not exactly in his inner circle and I may be completely wrong about that. But I have picked up on the fact that they haven’t been visiting the dining hall like they used to.”
That was good to know. I nodded at Dante before turning and doing the same to Carrington. Thank you for all of your help and insight. I will go and search out Master Arthur and hope that he can offer some help with regards to Dominic.”
After I them goodbye, I left the office and made my way back down the long hallway. It had been many years since I had spent any real amount of time at the manner here and the last I remembered the atrium was around the stairs behind it. I couldn’t imagine it being anywhere else, but we were warlocks and we could easily renovate a building as well as completely relocate a certain room.
I did indeed fine the atrium right where I had remembered it being, but it was nothing like the atrium from the past. Gone was the gorgeous collection of greenery and flowering plants. In their place were tables, chairs, a long sofa, and several young children. As I peered farther into the room, I saw that there was a large play place and even more children.
This certainly wasn’t the atrium from year’s past. In fact, aside from the glass walls and ceiling, one would not know that this room used to be full of plant life. I was certain that Master Arthur and Patrick weren’t here, until I spotted them across the room. They were talking to another adult, and I took the opportunity of them being engaged with him in conversation to cross the room and hope that at least one of them would be able to spare me a moment or two.
Patrick noticed me before Master Arthur did, and when he turned my direction and smiled, Master Arthur noticed and whatever he had been discussing with the other man stopped. Now that I was close to them, I realized he wasn’t a warlock at all, but an alpha.
“I do not mean to interrupt,” I said when the warlock I didn’t recognize looked at me as well.
“You aren’t. Frederick, this is Theo. He’s Grantham’s One.”
I smiled at Theo and held out my hand in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you, Theo.”
“Same here,” he said as he took my hand and shook it. “Master Arthur and I were just discussing the festivities planned for an upcoming celebration for our coven. Are you going to be here for them?” He asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t believe so, no. My team is only supposed to be here for a few days at most,” I said before I refocused on Master Arthur. “When you have a few moments, I wished to discuss certain things with you regarding our earlier conversation,” I told him. I didn’t exactly know Theo, and Ididn’t want everyone in the coven to know I was struggling with my One. As far as I knew, almost everyone in the coven was happily mated.
Master Arthur raised an eyebrow at me, but nodded. “I can be available once I finish with Theo and I escort Patrick back to our quarters.”
I glanced at Patrick who I realized no longer looked as if he were feeling the best. “Of course. I appreciate it. If you are needed by your One, I understand and it can wait.”
“I’m fine,” Patrick said. “Arthur worries about me. He’s just being over protective since we discovered I was expecting again.”
I smiled at Patrick. “I understand completely.” I looked at the others. “Theo, it was nice to meet you,” I told him. I nodded to Master Arthur and Patrick before I turned and left. The children were all running around and playing at the moment, and although I loved children, I discovered that they could become incredibly loud when there was a larger group of them gathered together in one place. I was certain I already knew that, but it had been some time since I’d been around so much children all at once.
I didn’t know exactly how long it would take Master Arthur to return to his office, but I had nowhere else to go so I trudged my way back down the hallway. His office was the first door on the right, and although the door was open, I felt uncomfortable with entering and waiting. I used magic to procure a comfortable chair, and simply sat in the hallway and waited. While doing so, I pulled out my phone and sent off a text to Sebastian.
Me: So I met my One. But he doesn’t seem too eager to have met me. Any suggestions as to what to do to win him over?
It only took moments for Sebastian to reply.
Seb: Are you being serious right now? Did you really meet your One?
Me: I did. He’s one of the warlocks from the Italy coven that the council is investigating.
Seb: Wow. Okay. Well, first, congrats. The only thing I can think of is to suggest you talk to him. Find out what you can about him on a personal level and go from there.
I sighed. Of course I should talk to him. Except Dominic didn’t want to talk to me. Sebastian didn’t know that though.
