The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Eighteen - Part One

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

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Ethan and I left The Bakery soon after our transactions were complete, each carrying a small bag leaden with Claudia’s purchases. My nose was already itching at the heady smells of all the herbs, and Ethan’s eyes were red and watering. We were happy to shut the trunk on the bags, but I was also considerably more optimistic about the adventure itself. I was one step closer to clearing my name of Tidus’ supposed ‘future death’, and hardly a wish away from resolving the situation with Eve.

“Thanks,” I said as Ethan shut the trunk of the car, catching sight of the suddenly odd look on his face. “Hey. You ok?”

But when he looked back at me, suddenly it was as if we were strangers and he didn’t recognize me at all. He was here, but he wasn’t really with me right then. He was someplace else it seemed.

“Mimi…” he said, trailing off and sagging suddenly against the trunk. “I’m gonna have kids one day. And a wife.” he said, sagging suddenly against the trunk. “That’s what she told me, that’s what she said. Do you like kids?”

“Don’t even go there,” I said automatically. “There are no kids in my future, Ethan Tyler Raines.”

“I didn’t say that,” he said quietly, with an eerie reverence that frightened me. “I just asked if you like them, that’s all.”

“No, I don’t like kids, even though most kids have always liked me. But I could learn to love yours, though – if your future wife lets me. I could be Auntie Mimi.” I joked, jostling his shoulder with mine as I came to stand beside him. “And I’ll babysit for you too, and change diapers, and host birthday parties. But does that mean I’d have to learn how to cook?”

Ethan chuckled and gave a little half smile, staring off into the distance.

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, you probably should… I didn’t do anything with her, ya know? She really did just read my palm. That was it.”

I said nothing but gave a polite smile and shrug. What more could I could say to him? He was only my Champion. Nothing more.

“You know what?” Ethan said, drawing me from my thoughts. “I was thinking, maybe there’s more to what the triplets were saying about you back there.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, looking away from him uncomfortably.

“Mimi, you’re a Werewolf with an all-white coat, and yet, somehow, you can still manage to transform into this… incredible-looking girl. And you also have a note warning you not to let anyone see you shift. I think someone else knows what you are and is trying to protect you. I don’t think any of this is a coincidence, do you?”

Ethan looked to me in demand of answers, but all I could manage to do was give a weak shrug.