Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 41: Non-Hostile Allies

I was relieved to be returning to Serge's house.

I had not known it until I had been forced to stay with Doctor Fischer while Serge had recovered, but in the six weeks since Serge had cursed me, this place of terror had also become my refuge, my home away from home.

Matthias and then Karen had brought me whatever I needed, but it was not the same as being here.

The curse raged against my realization, but I pushed it to the back of my mind and ignored it.  The irrational fears of magic were just that, a perception that affected me, but not the world around me.

It did not like that thought, either, and I felt a rush of magic over my skin before it dived into my flesh.

Serge exhaled deeply as he opened the door.  I could tell my non-hostile ally was happy and I was glad.  He seemed less beaten down now that the challenge was over.  It had to hurt that the majority of his people voted against him, but it was better for everyone that he had won whether they knew it or not.

I had not seen Landon since Matthias and I had followed in the wake of the rush to get Serge to Doctor Fischer's clinic, but he loomed in my mind like the dark shadow of a predator stalking its prey.

Even if Landon was to cause no more trouble, I still felt unsettled as I made my way to my room.  He was the personification of the troubles of the Trifecta, of which I was firmly lost in the centre.

I put my bag on the bed and unpacked my things and put them away neatly, then I sat down and shot off a couple of texts to my dad, and then I finally sent one to Ruth.

Hey, Ruth.  Could you tell Matt that I'm home now?  Does he still want to hang out this Saturday?  Thx

I dropped the phone down beside me and I lay back on my bed.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

Karen came over shortly after we got home.  She knocked on my door lightly.

"Come in," I called.

She pushed open the door.  "How are you feeling?" she asked, like she had every day since Serge had been challenged.

"I'm fine," I told her.

"I'll be around a lot again until Serge is back to one hundred percent," she told me.

I nodded.  I did not want to attempt cooking and burn down the house just yet.

"Let me know if you need anything," she said as she swept out of the room.

The rest of the day went by smoothly and I went out for an evening run in my wolf form.  It felt good to resume tracing the familiar path around Serge's house.

I had gone outside a couple of times around the doctor's home, but I had stayed close due to my fear of ranging too far and seizing up.

I ran hard and felt exhilarated under the chains restricting my emotions.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

My pounding heart greeted me when I woke in my familiar bed the next morning.  I was glad to be there as I greeted the anxiety of a new day.

I pulled on my robe and made my way to the kitchen.  Coffee and pancakes met my nose and I greeted Karen without looking at her.

"Good morning," she said.  She had shed her concern now that the challenge was over and sounded like her old self again.

I took my usual seat and Karen handed me my medication and a glass of milk and then finally a plate of pancakes.  My hand trembled as I poured syrup and I set to eating my breakfast.  It tasted bland, but good.