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(a visit from Gabriel Lightwood and cannibalistic ducks)
FIVE DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE LADY BELCOURT'S visit, she'd come twice since then to coach Tessa, to improve her stature and form. One of her two visits had lasted well into the early hours of the morning and I could only dread how it must've felt for Tessa to collapse into her bed as dawn broke, her bones frail and weary, only to experience the entire experience all over again.
Camille had a penchant for barking out commands. She was used to summoning her way with a simple snap of her fingers. Human minds didn't work like that, I'd wanted to yell at the foul vampire. You can't control them upon a whim.
The fragile truce that the two of us had formed back in the Sanctuary had not lasted. No one had expected it too. Will said an hour, Jem two and Tessa a day. Charlotte and Jessamine refused to place a bet deeming it improper for ladies to gamble. Needless to say Will's pocket had been full of coins by the end of the day.
I'd convinced him too give me a quarter of the winnings, after all it was I the bet was placed upon. Taxation at it's finest I'd told him.
Now as Tessa, Jem, Will and I stood- or more accurately as Tessa, Jem and Will stood, I sat atop the piano- in the library, both mine and Will's pockets clinked gently. As Camille had chosen to not pay call upon the Institute today Jem had suggested we'd help Tessa. After all, we'd been in Lady Belcourt's company long enough to note how she sat, her cruel sneer, the way she stood.
''You point your feet out too much.'' Will remarked as Tessa demonstrated her walk. ''Camille walks delicately like a fawn in the woods. Not like a duck.''
''I do not walk like a duck!'' Tessa cried stubbornly.
''I happen to be rather fond of ducks.'' Jem said with a small smile. It morphed into a devilish grin as he shot a look at Will. ''Remember when Darcie tried to convince to feed poultry pie to the mallards in the park? To see if we could breed a race of cannibal ducks?''
I cringed at the memory and how easily the boys had agreed. Even when we were younger I'd had them wrapped around my little finger.
''They ate it too.'' Will said, a look of disgust forming on his face. ''Bloodthirsty little beasts. Never trust a duck.''
Tessa abruptly stopped walking, annoyance evident. ''Do you mind?'' She snapped. ''Because if your not going to help me you three might as well leave. I only asked Jem to help me and you two decided to tag along. It was the two of you who distracted him by nattering on about ducks!''
''If I remember correctly Jem was the one who brought up the poultry pie-'' I added.
