New World

Chapter Twelve

'A long talk' was an understatement. Bronte cancelled half her sessions simply to talk about different kinds of DNA, and he made her eat lunch with him, and he made her stay back for two hours after school. In short, he wasted a lot of Savi's time, forced her to cancel her study date with Cerulean without a reason because it was apparently 'top-secret information', leaving him thinking she'd found some new friend who she liked better than him.

Not that they got anywhere.

Bronte was silly for telling her not to jump to conclusions, because he sure did a lot of that. He even took into consideration that Keefe might have the DNA of a gremlin, which didn't seem to fit in with anything Savi knew about her father. She just sat there, open-mouthed, listening as Bronte listed different possibilities, each one more ridiculous than the first. Finally, she had to put her foot down. She told Bronte flat-out that listing all the animals in the Lost Cities and testing Sophie and Keefe for DNA was ludicrous and a waste of time.

"It's not a waste! We will then know what DNA you were built on!" Bronte snapped. "You do know that your father registered before we realized what Lady Gisela did to his DNA. That means that he and Sophie may actually be a bad match, have too many mixes of DNA... like I said, it could have been what caused William's illness. And you may have terminal illnesses as well. It'll be hereditary. And we'll have to stop you and your sister from having any children."

"Oh," said Savi. "That's it? No kids? Okay, that works."

Bronte looked at her a little oddly. "Savannah, someone would be very shocked if you tell him that you can't have any children."

Savi's mind instantly flashed to Cerulean, since he was the only male elf her age that she knew. "Nah, Cerulean's not interested in me."

Bronte sighed but didn't push it. "Fine, you may go. Your parents were already notified of your absence."

"If they hadn't been, I'd be pulling out your hair right now."

Bronte's eyes narrowed. "That wouldn't be wise."

"Of course it wouldn't, but who cares?"

Bronte let her go without any further argument, and she light leapt home only to find Sophie at the doorway with a very cross-looking Cerulean.

"Cerulean?" Savi asked uncertainly. "I thought I said I couldn't make it for..."

"You cancelled it," Cerulean said furiously. "You promised me you wouldn't."

She had. She'd given him hope too many times. She'd cancelled their study dates too many times to count, due to family messes, other accidents, and many other things. And he'd sat by patiently.

"It was..."

"Savi. This is what, the fifth time? Are you avoiding me? Have you been at someone else's house? Sophie doesn't know anything about it, apparently."

"Don't you know why I wasn't here?" Savi asked Sophie.

"No," Sophie said. "Keefe just hailed from work saying you'd be home late."

Savi sighed. She wished Keefe would tell Sophie why, but apparently Sophie hadn't bothered to ask.

"Cerulean..."

"I want an explanation," Cerulean demanded. Then his eyes took on a more pleading look. "Please. If you don't want to be friends with me, that's fine, just... tell me." She was pretty sure it wouldn't be fine, so it was a good thing that wasn't what was going on.