Ink & Quill

Chapter 3

~ Jaxon ~

"How long does it take to find out if a rumor is true or not?" Sylas complains. "It's been three days already."

He sits across from me at the table. I'm eating breakfast—fried eggs, buttered toast, and a healthy dose of coffee. Sylas is fretting. He says nerves ruin his appetite, but he's barely eaten a full meal since Yumi announced my brother's unconfirmed wedding plans, and—as he just pointed out—that was three days ago.

"Relax," I tell him. "Yumi's on it."

He frowns and massages his fingers—an anxious habit—and makes the same argument he's been making for the past three months.

"Lyssa's my only family, Jaxon," he says. "My little sister. I can't just do some yoga and be fine."

I could tell him what I think: that, as much as he's done for her, Lyssa's been taking care of herself for a long time; that she's grown up fast; that she's a selfish bitch, and that the familial love and loyalty is one-sided on his part. But I don't. I suspect he knows it already, even if he hasn't accepted it yet, and saying it out loud won't change his mind.

"If the rumor's true, we'll know soon enough, regardless," I point out. "Marcus isn't the sort to settle for a low-key, city hall ceremony. He'll want the whole shebang—hundreds of guests, the best of everything—it'll be a million-dollar affair, and everyone who's anyone will be invited. In the meantime..."

I sigh. I know 'relax' is among the least helpful suggestions to offer someone experiencing anxiety. Something to do, on the other hand, is more constructive.

"In the meantime, I've got a case for you," I finish. "A student up at Harbor City College."

He looks up, a glimmer of interest in his strange, blood-red eyes. "What kind of case?"

I answer around a bite of egg and toast. "Love spell with unforeseen results."

He slumps, obviously disappointed. "Oh. Well, that's better than nothing, I guess."

I know he's frustrated. He wants to test himself, and to use his skills to help people, and I know he chafes at the way I control his work. I don't like it either, but for the moment it can't be helped. A single mistake could be catastrophic, and I won't risk it.

I also know that feeling powerless isn't helping his anxiety, so I do my best to strike a balance.

"Nic said the request came in yesterday. Top priority," I say. "Some kid looking for a spellbreaker, and wants it kept 'discreet.' Probably just some freshman too embarrassed to go to a registered Crafter, given the nature of the problem. But, it's up to you. If you don't want this one, Nic can pass it on to someone else."

Sylas clears his throat and takes a sip of water, which is the only thing he's consumed so far this morning. "No," he says, as we both knew he would. "I'll do it."

I nod. "Good. There's a condition, though."

He frowns, as if he can already guess what I'm going to say. "Which is?"

"You gotta eat something," I say, confirming his suspicion. "No Crafting, or un-Crafting, on an empty stomach."

"I'm not hungry," he snaps. "You already control what I do, Jaxon. I don't need you controlling my diet, too."

I say nothing. He knows better than to think that's really my intention.

After a moment, he stops bristling. "Sorry. I guess you're right." He sighs. "I'm a bitch when I don't eat."