Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 23 - Like Father, Like Daughter - VI

  It took Natalie an hour to calm down. The place was quiet in the meantime. She could vaguely hear Quinn's parents talking, and Quinn was in his room. She thought about listening in, but she felt like that would be a betrayal of trust. They'd let her in, even though she hadn't managed to tell them anything. If she spied on them now, that'd be more fuel for the fire.

  She could still tell when the front door opened and closed, though. The air in the whole place changed a little when that happened, and her new ears were picking up a lot more sound than they used to. Even without using any magic actively, she could tell that everyone had left.

  But no one said anything to me...

  She waited for a long time, but no one came back. Natalie reversed her spell on the door again, wincing as the wood cracked a little shrinking down to normal size. She inched it open, peering out into the hallway.

  No one was home.

  She looked around. On the table, a piece of paper was folded into thirds, so that it made a triangle propped up, with her name in big black letters so she'd spot it easily. Well, not my name, but still. Natalie made it fly over to meet her as she plopped down on the couch, curling up with the blanket she'd left there the night before.

  Jenny,

  We'll be out for a couple hours at church. Help yourself to anything in the fridge (or cupboard) if you're still hungry. There's some bacon left too. Just heat it up in the microwave. (or the oven if you want it to taste good)

  We'll be back around 12:30. Make yourself at home! (but don't go in Quinn's room, it's a nightmare in there)

  -Annette (and Damian, the evil half of the household)

  P.S. Here's my number, if you need it (and mine, because she can never find her phone)

  The asides were in a different handwriting. Clearly, Damian had gotten ahold of the note afterward and added a few touches. Natalie smiled and folded it back up, tucking it into her bag. They really did seem like good people, and she really wanted to stay there.

  Natalie finally got out her phone again—the same phone her father had bought her for their eleventh birthday. The week she'd awakened. The week she'd finally gotten him to open up and come to Jenny's house for dinner. The week he'd met Robert Harrison.

  She quickly opened up Rachel's website before she got too lost in memories.

  As expected, not a word from Kendra or Lily. Natalie wasn't even surprised anymore, and didn't bother sending anything to them either. Hailey had finally replied, with a long-winded apology and an explanation that was so vague Natalie didn't even finish reading it. There were a few warnings about the book from Josh and Cinza, but it was too little, too late really. Natalie already knew what was coming. Nothing from Alden or Hector either, since Alden was off on some crazy mission and Hector was who-knew-where.

  Nothing from Rachel.

  Natalie sighed and put her phone away again. She took a shower, imagining it was washing away all the invisible guilt hanging on her. Afterward, she did another quick ritual, almost rushing it. The moonstones rattled ominously before she remembered that it wasn't supposed to be as easy as it seemed for her.

  After some consideration, Natalie had decided she could reverse her hair back to her natural brown. She could say it was just temporary color. The ears and the eyes had to stay though, at least for now. Looking in the mirror, Natalie realized that the tips actually poked out of her hair just a little, and more whenever she turned. They had to have seen them, just like her new eyes.