Page 87 of Research with Rivals
I pulled off my boots on my way toward the moat surrounding the tavern.
Luna squealed with glee, flipping off her slippers as she chased after me.
Seraphina removed her shoes as well and sat on the water’s edge, letting her toes dip into the water while she played with the dirt on the bank. “What’s going on, Evelyn?”
I didn’t even know where to start. I must have said so aloud, because Luna replied, “What weighs heaviest on you?”
It was an interesting question. An answer slipped from my lips with little thought. “I think Ambrose and I are more than colleagues.”
Maybe I would deal with this particular fact tonight. I didn’t think I’d realized how much I was tying myself in knots over it. I was too good at pushing away my wants, but it made sense the more I thought about it. My feelings for Ambrose were inherently linked with the outcome of our contest. Both things I wanted were tied up together, and I didn’t know what to do.
Luna squealed again with glee, but Seraphina’s cool reserve urged me to continue.
“All the time together … it showed me another side of Ambrose. The more I learned, the more I was drawn to him. We realized the magic that connected us had no hold on our emotions. So, the things we felt for each other were our own. And, I don’t know … things escalated from there.”
Seraphina shook her head slowly before Luna could explode with joy at my statement. “And…”
She always knew. I didn’t know how, but she always did. “Our feelings for each other don’t change the fact that we both want the Vesten historian position. We’re both qualifiedin different ways, and while we were gone, one of Ambrose’s outstanding papers was approved for publication.”
They glanced at each other, clearly unsure of the last part.
“It means he has a single mark ahead of me in our academic records. The Vesten Point only gave us our blood magic project as a tiebreaker, so to speak. The approval of Ambrose’s paper means the tiebreaker is unnecessary. He is going to get the position.”
They both nodded as if they understood. I wasn’t sure they did. But I had more on my mind. “I found my father while we were at Compass Lake. He’d been searching for us just like Mom always said.” I tugged at my braid. This part of my trip had been tucked into a neat little box in my mind. With Seraphina and Luna standing here, the truth pushed free. “I couldn’t believe it. His insistence on finding me and Mom was even what pushed Carter to fill the Vesten historian position to begin with.”
Luna twisted one of her white-blond strands around her finger. “Are we calling the Vesten Point Carter?” she asked hesitantly.
Seraphina glared at her. “Not the most important part of that story.” Her attention returned to me. “This is good, right? You found him. You can ask him the questions you wanted to?”
I shook my head, tears rimming my eyes. Luna reached for my hand and held it with a steady reassurance. It wasn’t like when Ambrose did it, but it was reassuring regardless. “I saw him shift. Our animals are not the same.” I let out a heavy sigh. “He can’t help me.”
“I see.” Seraphina nodded.
“That is a lot.” Luna squeezed my hand again.
I wasn’t even sure that was all of it. There was still whatever Carter had been trying to tell me about the tree on Vesten property. The fact that he’d shared so much about the Vesten Point position with me … it was something that few knew.Did that mean anything regarding my chances at the Vesten historian position? Did I want it to? I had so many pieces of information collected, and none of them made sense.
“What’s next?” Seraphina asked, practical as ever.
“Next?” I sighed. “Tomorrow morning, Carter arrives. We’ll finish the project, and then he’ll make his decision.”
They both nodded. “Do you want to do something tonight?” Seraphina offered. “I can kick everyone out, and we can hang in the empty tavern like we used to.”
I sighed and shook my head. “No, if you don’t need me to work, I should go see Mom. I sent Stephen—that’s my father—to find her. I’m sure he arrived before me. I need to see how she is.” My smile was watery when I glanced between them. “Thank you both. For dropping everything. For consulting. For listening.”
Both females smiled like they wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
Finally, I glanced at Seraphina. “How about you? Do you still need to consult? Or have things cleared up for you?” She had been quite upset before I left, but we’d spent all our time talking about me. I wasn’t sure if she’d spoken to Luna about it.
Seraphina’s hand went to her pocket, as if to reassure herself that something was there. She didn’t look at either of us when she replied. “It’s not better, but I’m taking care of it.”
Luna dropped my hand, moving hers to her hips. “Seraphina, what is going on?”
She waved away Luna’s concern. “It’s nothing, just news from home. They’ll find something new and shiny to focus on eventually. I have to wait them out.” Luna’s brow furrowed, but Seraphina stood. “We should get back in there. Evelyn, I don’t need you tonight, but I do think there is someone in there waiting for you.”
I glanced at the tavern, unsure of what she meant. As we put on our shoes and went back inside, I searched the room. Ambrose wouldn’t have come here, would he?
My gaze landed on a table in the back—Mom’s and my usual spot. She was there, and she was not alone.
