Page 11 of The Demon's Discovery
As though she’d been waiting for us, a woman appeared at the door of the kitchen with a tray of drinks.
“Welcome! Are you thirsty? Traveling always leaves me parched. I’m Grace.” She reached out her hand for me to shake.
“Greta.”
“Pleased to meet you. Vassago mentioned you’re a chemist?”
“Yes, I practice the sciences. Though I’m not sure I’ve earned the proper titles—I’ve been learning about them since I was a child, but I’m certainly no expert.”
Vassago raised an eyebrow at Grace, and she winked back at him. They clearly had an interesting conversation going without saying a single word, not to mention how casually she greeted him. I suddenly felt strange, like I might be witnessing a couple flirting with one another as I glanced between them.
“Well, I hope you enjoy your visit.” Grace set the tray on the closest table and turned to Vassago again. “Might I borrow you for just a moment? I have a… situation I need your assistance with.”
Vassago blinked. “Oh. Yes, of course. If you’ll excuse me?”
Grace gave what looked like a tense, private smile as she hurried off into the kitchen with Vassago right behind her.
I wandered slowly up the row of tables, admiring the detailed animal carvings. A hot blush crept into my cheeks as a series of muffled noises came from behind the closed door. My stomach twisted as I heard some kind of furniture thumping, then Grace’s higher pitch squeal and a growl that could only have come from him. The noises made my ears burn and my hand rose to my mouth. I contemplated running for the door in mortification, but I hesitated too long. Cheeks hot, I could only watch in stunned silence as he emerged from the kitchen, disheveled and flushed.
“I’m so sorry for the interruption. Are you ready to continue?” Vassago asked, straightening his vest.
Emotions swirled within me as I struggled to form words. Had I just heard them…? I couldn’t even make myself complete the thought I was so stunned. Had I been so mistaken by the attention he’d paid to me at the manor? I knew my naivete was surely showing, but I felt like I’d wandered into a situation I had no preparation for.
“Greta” he asked, eyebrows drawn together. “Are you feeling alright?”
Embarrassment settled in, making me feel raw inside. I inhaled deeply, wishing I could fall into a hole somewhere. I couldn’t understand how we’d gone from the lovely moment where he’d given me the flower to here.
My cheeks were intensely hot as he studied my face. His eyes seemed to change color moment to moment, which left me feeling further unstable. I already couldn’t find the words I wanted to say, but his eyes glittering like rubies pushed me even more off balance, introducing some fear to go with the anxiety. I wanted to tell him that maybe I should go, because saints knew I felt like running away just then. That I appreciated his kindness, but clearly had misinterpreted several of his seemingly sweet gestures. How having lived at the manor exclusively had clearly stunted my understanding of relationships, and perhaps I needed a gentler introduction to the outside world.
His frown intensified, and he pressed the back of his hand to my forehead. “You really are quite flushed. Perhaps you should sit down for a moment.”
He guided me to the nearest table, hands scorching through my clothing as he held tight to be sure I didn’t fall. My mind twisted itself up in knots as he plucked the lavender flower from my clenched fingers and dropped it into the glass of water still sitting on the tray. The other, the one I’d already drunk from, he set securely between both of my hands.
“Sip slowly. Perhaps you became overheated outside?” he put the back of his hand on my cheeks as well, gauging my temperature. Concern etched into his handsome features as I carefully drank.
I fidgeted with my skirt, face blazing hot as he settled onto the wooden bench next to me. He smoothed his hair andadjusted his clothing, causing another wave of confused emotion to wash through me.
Grace burst through the kitchen door again, a sack held as far out in front of her as possible. Her hair was similarly mussed, her face pinched in disgust.
“I’m terribly sorry for interrupting your visit, Greta. Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Feland. That has been an issue for longer than I care to think about.” She shook the bag as she went, something heavy shifting inside. Stunned, I watched her leave the dining room, the whole scene replaying in my mind. My confusion only compounded on itself.
Several swallows of the cool water later, I straightened, pulling my pride down over me like a shield. I rotated my left shoulder several times, the tension there having become bothersome again.
“I’m alright,” I said.
“If you’re sure.” I nodded, and he took the empty glass from my hands and set it aside before getting to his feet. “Let me take you down the main hall. Perhaps we can head up to the observatory after, if you’re feeling up to it.”
Vassago led me out of the dining room and through several stone classrooms. I delicately touched the edge of a candlestick here, peered into the contents of a bookshelf there. Everything appeared incredibly special while also being completely utilitarian. I worried that I was responsible for driving us into awkward silence as we came to the end of the corridor and a set of stairs.
“Your brother? He’s an archmage?” I asked.
His gaze went flat. “Yes. What about him?”
“Your eyes…” I stared at his face, perplexed at how the eyes I knew to be gold looked red again. A chill of warning tingled up my spine, but I couldn’t look away. His dangerously cold tonefelt like jealousy, which was just as confusing as everything else had been since we’d come inside, but at least I could relate.
“My brother is on holiday with his wife,” he said, glancing away. When he looked back, his eyes were the same golden hue I’d known them to be, making me doubt what I’d seen. “He’ll be back before the next term starts.”
“Oh? How nice. It’s just… I’ve been educated only from books, so I thought it might be helpful to speak to him about what I’m doing wrong.”
