A Castle Of Crystal

19. Travel partner

The sheer anxiety I'd felt earlier in the day faded the moment I walked into his apartment. I'd changed into Alchemian garb after our visit this morning since I'd been practically ambushed in the parking lot and imagine my lack of surprise upon finding one lurking around his complex. I'd left the merkabas as spares in case he ever lost his own again; I had Jules' stash if I ever needed another one so it's not like I was too entirely concerned.

What I couldn't get over was how warm and welcoming his home felt, even with such a small space compared to the house. The brick wall behind the kitchen and the constant presence of noise, whether it be from the boys bickering or the music and TV was something I'd dearly missed. Beyond that I don't think I'd ever actually had a meal here I enjoyed so much and while I had been far from fond of Jude at first I started to come around. He and Kane were good for each other and it was a relief that he'd been able to at least make one friend that stuck around.

"Well look at you all dressed up with nowhere to go," Jules hummed as I walked inside, listening to Scylla's excited gurgles from the coffee table.

"I did have somewhere to go actually and I'm glad I did, Kane had two Nox on him," I told her while I slipped my boots off, "his apartment is lovely, I wish I could get something like that out here so I wouldn't be bothering you constantly."

"You don't bother me," she scoffed, an intense curiosity burning in her gaze, "you went to Kane's?"

"He invited me over this morning to talk after I brought the coffee, since visitors weren't supposed to stay long."

"Visitors can stay as long as they want, he probably shooed you out of there so that Anderson wouldn't come over and start creeping on you like he does to me," Jules' cackle echoed in the home as I took a seat beside her, shaking my head while my face flushed.

"I'm thankful for that at least. He's coming over to the house tomorrow, we made the discovery that he has some innate magical aptitude. I believe someone in his family tree was Alchemian, which would also explain why he could Travel at such a young age."

"I was surprised to hear he made it over that at eight, I had to have my parents help me until I was almost fifteen." She nodded, a playful smile crossing her face. "Can I come? I've been dying to break out my old dresses."

"Do you even have to ask? Beatrice and Dom will be elated to see you."

"Home!"

"Yes Scylla dear, we're going home," I hummed as I took her horn in my hand, "Asher's going to meet us out there on the twenty-third to bring her back out."

"You've got to be extra careful once she does come back," she said with a more serious tone, "I know it's Scylla, but even with one of the Sisters the same rules still apply with familiars, don't they?"

"They do. I'm lucky the first death wasn't as damaging as it should've been— then again, I was thirteen," I admitted with a less chipper attitude, "two chances left Scylla. Let's make sure they don't get those chances."

"That's if they can even catch the Cornu Ruby."

•••

I awoke the next morning in a far better mood than I had the day before and while work wasn't where I wanted to be right now, I knew I'd have my chance when I was done with the day. Jude's snoring echoed through the door and I kept quiet to let him sleep, knowing he needed his days off so he wouldn't lose his mind on someone at the diner when the eventual asshole came around. Nova's words from last night echoed though and while I typically wasn't the one to bring a knife anywhere around here I slipped it into my jacket along with the radio.