Stories under the Velvet Sky

Chapter Twenty-One: A Beginning, Middle, and End

“I’ll be leaving for a week.” Adrian announced suddenly from his spot next to me at the dinner table, squeezing my hand for some reason. He’d been gripping it tightly all evening after he’d dragged me indoors when the weather had taken a turn for the cold, dark, and gloomy. A solemn, brooding expression crossed his face, accompanied by a tight lipped frown.

Um, what? “Why?” I asked him curiously, wondering what could be so important that he’d have to leave. “Did something happen?”

My uncle looked just as surprised as I felt. Adrian hadn’t told him anything about this either it seemed. “Giovanni found something?”

OK, I knew I hated conversation with other people, but being left out of the loop was far more irritating.

Adrian nodded. “Yeah. I’m going to go check it out. It’s not a huge lead, but it’s something. I’m hoping we’ll be able to find more than a cryptic piece of paper this time.” He said, pushing his plate aside. “We’re leaving tomorrow, and should be back by Sunday.”

What were they talking about. “Anyone care to explain what’s going on?” I squeezed his hand back, trying to get his attention. Attention that seemed to be focused elsewhere at the moment.

Eric shook his head. “It’s nothing you should be involved in, Kathryne. As much as I hate to say this, you’d only get in the way if we did tell you.” Well, at least someone was paying attention.

“I don’t want to get involved. I want to know what’s going on” I argued, glaring at my uncle. I knew I would only get in the way. I didn’t have the experience or knowledge to help. I just wanted to know where the idiot I may or may not have been falling in love with over the past year was going to. “Should I be worried, or not?” If I made it simple, maybe they’d tell me more.

Adrian let go of my hand, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Just searching for remnants of an old friend. Nothing dangerous.” He answered, smiling slightly. His brows were drawn together with worry. Was it for me?

At least his answer was plausible. “See? Was that so hard?” I wondered, poking his side. “Then I won’t worry about it. Just take care of yourself, OK?”

“I’m more worried about what you’ll be doing when I’m gone. Who’s going to drag you around without me?” He waved out his other arm dramatically. “You’ll be all by your lonesome, no one to talk to…”

I scowled. “Shut it. I’m sure my classmates will be more than happy to talk to me now that my little guard dog is gone.” Ha, I’m kidding. It was the other way around. But maybe...just maybe they might want to talk or something…

I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

Eric snorted. “I thought you were protecting him from the rabid fangirls, not the other way around.” I couldn’t get away with anything when he was around, could I?

Damn it.

Rolling my eyes, I brushed off Adrian’s hand and pulled away from the table. “Whatever. I’m going to sleep. Good night Uncle.” I waved as I hobbled back towards the stairs. I was really sleepy. It had been kind of a long day, or it felt like it.

I’d been getting more sleep, and the nightmares had been gone for some time now, but I still suffered from the exhaustion that had come with losing so much sleep. I’d taken to going to bed earlier to try to catch up, but it didn’t seem to be helping very much. Though the exercise Doctor Giovanni had told me I needed to do, and that Adrian was making me do, to help my leg and wrist probably wasn’t helping me stay awake.

I’d gotten halfway up the stairs when Adrian decided to come up from behind me. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he picked me up, carrying me the rest of the way to my room. “Are you upset?” He asked quietly, letting me wobble the rest of the way into my room. Trailing after me, he took the chair from my desk and plopped himself down on it, watching me intently.