The Lost Mage (22 page)

Dude, if there’s one thing cats can do, it’s read emotions. We may not choose to act on it, but we usually know when something’s wrong.

“And you say Nora is sad? But she smiles and jokes around with people, especially at work.”

Nah, I’m talking about the kind of sadness that’s really deep inside.

Darakin sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about Mrowley’s words. Had something tragic happened to Nora? He looked at the cat, who had put his head down and closed his eyes.

“I’m ashamed that I didn’t notice. I can’t ask her about it unless it comes up, but I shall have to be more attentive.”

To what?
Mrowley lifted his head.

“To Nora’s emotions.”

Why?

“Because she’s sad.”

Oh yeah. Now that you mention it, I have noticed that she seems sad.

“Mrowley, you’re the one that told me. I didn’t realize it.”

I did? Oh yeah, before my nap.

“Nap? You just closed your eyes! You couldn’t possibly have slept yet.”

Really? Well, then that explains why I’m so tired.
Mrowley put his head down again.

Darakin shook his head thinking that cats were even harder to understand than women. He opened the door when he heard Nora’s footsteps in the hall and gave her a big hug when she entered.

“What’s this for then?” she asked in surprise.

“Just to thank you for taking care of me.”

“You’re welcome.”

He kept his arm around her as they went to the living room. “Do you want to, I mean is there time to, you know?”

“To go to the bedroom, you mean to ask? What about your spell? How long will that take?”

“It can keep ‘til tomorrow. I don’t know how long it will take anyway.”

“In that case,” she turned to face him and began walking backwards toward the bathroom pulling him along by the shirt, “what we should do is take a nice, hot shower. Together.”

Darakin allowed himself to be pulled into the bathroom, closing the door behind them with his foot.

Out in the living room, Mrowley lifted his head at the slam of the door.
Wha…
he started to ask, but his eyes had shut again before his head was back down on the cushion. He didn’t even notice when the pair ran past him on their way to the bedroom.

***

Nora ran her fingers over Darakin’s strong chest, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Aye. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Just making sure.”

She rested her head down next to his. “I’m fine, love. Except that I have to go back down to the laundry room and get our clothes.”

“Now?”

“Aye. If you leave anything down there too long, you may not find it there when you return.”

“People will steal your laundry?”

“Perhaps. Some just hide it because they’re mad that the machine is taken. You never know. Besides, it’ll be time to go to work soon anyway.”

“Okay,” Darakin said, admiring her movements as she slid out of bed and dressed.

Nora returned with Darakin’s dry jeans, and with some reluctance, he tugged them on.

“I really don’t understand why your society insists on wearing such binding clothing.”

Nora smiled at the cut of his figure in the denim jeans and thought to herself that she knew why, but she said nothing.

As the pair stepped out of her building to walk to work, they were relieved to find that the torrential downpour had lightened to a gentle drizzle. They walked to the bar hand in hand.

Once inside, Nora headed off to grab an apron and Darakin sidled up next to Sean. “Can I ask you something, Sean?”

“Sure, lad. What’s on your mind?”

“Well, Mrow … I mean, I noticed that Nora seems to have some sort of deep sadness. Do you know what that’s about?”

Sean looked around to make sure Nora wasn’t close by and said in a low voice, “Well, it’s not really my place to share what she’s kept hidden.”

“Please, Sean, I feel like she doesn’t think I understand her – which I kind of don’t, but I want to.”

“Okay, but you didn’t hear it from me.”

“Hear what?”

“What I’m about to tell you.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Just a few years ago, when Nora was still living in the auld country, there was a terrible accident. Her father and all six of her brothers and sisters were killed.”

Darakin gasped. “And she escaped harm? What kind of accident?”

“Well, she was a young woman and thought herself too old to be going on family outings. She fought with her father and stayed home. That’s why she was spared when the bus hit her family’s car.”

Darakin shivered at the thought of one of those monster mechanical beasts he kept riding uptown with Nora hitting one of the smaller beasts.

Sean continued, “Anyway, she decided she was too sad to stay there.”

“What about her mother?”

Sean shook his head. “Her mother died in childbirth with the youngest of her siblings. There was nobody there for her. She didn’t even wait to get a legal visa. That’s why she’s here illegally, although I hope she’ll apply for a green card one day.”

“Green card?”

“A permit that allows immigrants to live and work here while they apply for citizenship.”

“Ah.”

“You might consider it, too, Darakin. It would make your life a whole lot easier.”

Darakin wasn’t sure that trying to maneuver the bureaucracy of this society would make his life easier at all, but he said nothing.

Nora came over, tying the apron around her waist as she walked. “What are you two on about, then?”

“Nothing, lass. Just telling Darakin here that he might consider getting a green card.”

Nora choked a bit at Sean’s words.

“Are you all right, Nora?” Sean asked in concern.

“Aye, it’s just that he doesn’t have any proper ID from his homeland. I don’t know that he’d be able to fill out the application.”

Sean glanced around to make sure nobody was within earshot. “No Id? Well, if you ever decide to fix that situation, I may know someone who can help. It is a bit dear, though.”

“What does a deer have to do with anything?” Darakin was thoroughly confused.

“He means expensive, Darakin. Thank you, Sean, We’ll think on it.”

“All right then, lass.” Sean and Nora went on to discuss the drink specials for the evening.

Darakin spent the evening watching Nora as she waited tables and moved gracefully around the bar. Now that he looked at her, he saw that Mrowley was right. The smile on her face never quite reached her eyes and when she turned away, the smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. H couldn’t believe he needed a cat to make him see that and swore to be more attentive to her needs from that moment on.

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning, Darakin awakened early to start his scrying spell. He went to the living room with the supplies he’d bought from Ravenwynd.

What’re you doing?
A sleepy Mrowley had followed him out of the bedroom.
I’ll eat now, if you want.

“I was going to start a spell.” Darakin looked at the cat and knew that he’d never have any peace if he didn’t fill Mrowley’s bowl first, so he went to the kitchen and opened a can. Mrowley jumped up to the counter and head-butted his hand.

“Mrowley? You’re not supposed to jump on the counters, remember?”

Huh? Oh, okay. You only have to ask.
Mrowley leapt to the floor as Darakin put the food bowl down.

“I
have
asked. A number of times.”

The cat ignored him as he ate the food.

Darakin retrieved the black scrying bowl he’d bought and filled it with water. He placed it on the floor in the center of a circle marked by a candle at each direction.

With the bowl in place, he went back to the kitchen to get a book of matches from the drawer where Nora kept them. He returned to the living room to find Mrowley dipping his paw in the bowl in small, frantic spurts.

“Mrowley!” he yelled, louder than he’d intended. He lowered his voice to a loud whisper. “What are you doing?”

Light bugs.

“What?”

Dude, you have light bugs in your water.

“What in the hells is a light bug?”

Wait, just watch, you’ll see.
The cat stared intently at the bowl for a few seconds before stabbing at the water with his paw again.
Did you see it?

“See what?”