Blue Flames

Chapter 39

Passing out and waking up to new realities was turning into a habit. I needed to break out of it.

"I really can't," I told Amanda, widening my eyes, "I really, really can't."

Unfazed by my puppy eyes, Amanda shoved the plate at me, her expression firm.

"You haven't eaten in one hour and thirty five minutes," she said, "that is not acceptable. You've burned a tremendous amount of energy-"

"Which the phoenixes provided."

"-and you have just been poisoned! You mustn't take your health lightly."

I sighed and stabbed a piece of chicken on the plate. Amanda nodded to herself and picked up the tumbler of water. The phoenixes who had saved my life had flown away hours ago, after taking a little nap in Arthur's gardens. I still felt the bond to the three birds I'd saved. They were far away, but if I reached out, I could call them. At least, that was what it felt like.

"I'll be right back," Amanda said and left the room.

Kat, who had been silently sitting in an armchair near the fireplace, glanced up from her book. Her expression tightened infinitesimally before looking down to her read. Apparently she was here to keep an eye on my magic.

I chewed on my food. Kat was a quiet woman, at least around me. I didn't have a problem with that. But I felt as though she didn't like me much. 

Normally, I wouldn't have cared a flying rat's ass about that, either. But she was one of Arthur's most trusted people, part of his inner circle. We were bound to work together, or at least be in each other's company for years to come.

Of course, not everyone liked me. I was fine with that. I could work with Charles just fine even though he didn't like me. I was fine with Jesse, her brother, hating my guts. 

The thing is, Charles and Jesse actually voiced their opinions of me. I respected that. On the other hand, I felt as though Kat didn't want others to think she didn't like me.

But maybe I was being unfair. Maybe I just didn't know her well enough.

"So, Kat," I started, "have you ever been in France before?"

She didn't look up. "Yes."

I waited. Nothing further.

"How long have you worked with Arthur?"

Her features twitched just a little before she replied, "Five decades."

"That long, huh?"

No reply. Oh, well. Subtle was never my forte, anyway. "Why don't you like me?"

She froze, then slowly raised her head to look at me. She had lovely eyes.

"Why should I?" she asked.

Hmm, that didn't take long. "We'll be working together a lot in the future."

"That doesn't mean I have to like you," she said, "you work with Charles just fine and he doesn't like you."

Touché. "Yes, but Charles is very vocal about hating my guts. You, on the other hand, seem to be going to great lengths to hide your dislike," I told her, "I don't really care, either way, I just want to put it out there. If I'm doing something that you don't agree with, if I've ever done something that hurt you, tell me so we can work through it. If you don't like me just because you don't... well, I guess there's nothing we can do about that."

Her eyes remained focused on me with no change in her expression. "You did nothing wrong."

I blinked. So she didn't like me just because. Okay, then.