The Raven's Reflection

Chapter 23 - Suspicions

As the sun shone in the window and roused Cerno, he smiled as Kinsley laid curled up in his arms. Her body always fit up against his like a perfect puzzle piece. Nestling his face to the back of her neck for a few more moments of rest before he went off to relieve the pressure building in his bladder, he soaked in how warm her body was. He focused on her calm, rhythmic breathing as her chest expanded and contracted under his arm, and the slow pace of her heartbeat in the side of her neck as she slept. It was comforting and reminded him that home wasn't a house to him. It was her.

"Get up with sure movements, kind of like turning over in the middle of the night," Kurt whispered seeing Cerno slowly trying to move to keep Kinsley from stirring. "Slow movements over a longer amount of time will wake her for sure. Natural movements will cause her to turn and go back to sleep."

Cerno chuckled. Sure enough, he pulled his arm out from under Kinsley as if he was just repositioning himself and was able to carefully slide down to the end of the bed without waking her. "Thanks."

"No worries. Years of practice."

"Shh," Vanessa hushed sleepily.

Cerno chuckled as he walked into the bathroom. After relieving himself and washing his hands, he walked back into the room and quietly got dressed.

"Where are you going?" Kurt asked quietly as he watched Cerno put on his shoes.

"I'm going to go talk to Sam. Will you watch over Kinsley for me?"

"Sure. Be safe, man."

As Cerno approached his house, he could see a pile of broken wood sitting out front next to Samuel's black sedan, but there was already a new front door hung. As he stepped inside, most of everything was already cleaned up and it was impossible to tell that there had been an attack. "Sam?"

"In the bedroom," he answered.

Walking into his bedroom, Cerno saw Samuel sitting on the chair in front of his desk as two Creation users finished up clearing the carpeting of the blood. He realized Samuel looked perturbed.

"Why do you still have this?" Samuel asked, holding up the small black vial as Cerno walked in.

Cerno looked over to his desk and saw the middle drawer pulled open. He sighed. "To remind myself why I'm not drinking it," he answered truthfully.

"That's exactly why you should get rid of it."

"If it's not dangerous, what's the problem, Sam?" Cerno asked, confused.

"I just don't like seeing it," he replied with a heavy sigh.

Cerno laughed. "Then don't go nosing through my drawers. You won't see it."

"Get rid of it, Cer," Samuel replied, setting it back down on the desk. "As you can see, everything is cleaned back up, you and Kinsley can return here tonight. You should bring Kurt and Vanessa here to stay with you."

"Not a bad idea. We only have a week and a half left."

"By the way, why didn't you tell me it was a study week?" Samuel asked.

"What's the difference if we're learning in a classroom, or in our living room?" Cerno chuckled.

"Protection, for starters."

"We have plenty of protection here," Cerno joked.

Samuel deadpanned at Cerno.

Cerno instantly stopped laughing at Samuel's sudden unenthusiastic gaze.