The Sight

Chapter 7: We act like normal people

Elin's mother lives in a cottage far outside Exeter, on what I'm sure is a beautiful heath or forest or something but now it's all dark. We all packed into the Porsche leaving the hummer for the tow people. Zara insists we can all fit and we actually do I don't know why Freddy keeps crying. We are all worse for the wear, and carrying deadly weapons, and in party clothes. Zara tosses us all gum since we've all had a drink. In retrospect the fresh gum breath is probably obvious.
The front light is on, and a middle aged woman steps out, wrapped in a robe. She's got long dark hair and I'm immediately struck by how much Elin looks like her. Elin immediately walks up to embrace her mother, sword casually on her back.
"I'm so sorry, we were at fancy dress then took a few wrong turns," Elin explains, quickly.
"Of course come here don't be silly," her mother hugs her back tightly, then she surveys the rest of us. We all look like a very pretty version of travelers from hell, complete with some smoke damage. But her eyes rest on me. I don't know why Zara's dressed in body paint.
Say you're a cousin, Lucidity hisses, Now. Last time I help you.
"I'm a distant cousin, Damian," I lie quickly. Elin shoots me a quick look like 'why' and then goes with it.
"Yeah, we're all in school, this is Zara, and Freddy, and you've met Flynn," Elin says, quickly.
"Of course," she looks at me one more time, "Why don't you all come inside?"
"Thank you so much ma'am, we're exhausted. It's all my fault last time I trust google maps," Zara says, smoothly, naturally charming.
"You're no trouble at all, I'm glad you called me rather than wait by the road," she says, leading us inside.
I knew Elin's mum was a professor at Oxford, I didn't realize it was in art. The tiny cottage is full of decorative pieces, mostly paint on canvass, abstract, but there are many water colors as well. It's simply set up, with a comfy sofa and older TV. A few clear signs of Elin's presence, there's two chairs set up, and a recent photo propped on the counter. I can tell it was taken at Stack Rock, but it's made to look like a school photo. Prominently hung on the kitchen wall there's a photo canvass of Elin and her dad. Elin is maybe four, grinning and giggling, as her father hugs her to his chest. He's got his face half hidden in the little girls' hair, clearly adoring, his bare arms, folded around the little girl, are covered in full sleeve, rainbow water color tattoos. I'm surprised a little at the sentiment of keeping the photo, and of the image. They do look very normal.
"Elin, I put a cot in your room and then the guest room has two beds, I've got pizza's coming," elins' mother says, going to the kitchen to get out some cups for us.
"You did not have to do all that," Elin says.
"There's also excedrine in the cabinet. Now the bathroom's all set up and should have enough towels, go ahead and get changed I'm sure you want to get out of those things, if one of you wants you can take the couch in the study," she says.
"Do you three need to be separated?" Zara asks, pointing at me and Freddy and Flynn.
"No," Freddy says, snarkily, "I'm sure the roommates will be fine I'll take the sofa."
"I'm fine, Flynn can use a break from me," I say., holding up my hands. I want to watch for the dragon.
Elin nods a little at me, conceding that one of us should.
"I can sleep anywhere," I add, when Flynn frowns.
"I'll get you some pillows,' Elin's mom says.
She somehow materializes with more bedding, and ushers us off to get changed and out of our party things. Elin lends me a spare shirt and boxers she happens to have, so that's me sorted. The others are going to make do and Zara had clothes.
We take turns showering, I offer to go last since I'm in the living room anyway. The pizzas come and we all eat like we've never seen food before. Elin's mum is surprisingly calm about us descending, jsut making polite conversation and ensuring we all have what we need.
"I don't think Elin's ever mentioned you, Damian, I thought I knew all her dad's family," Elin's mother asks, politely.
"He just transferred it, it's like distant we just figured out we have the same—great grandfather," Elin lies smoothly. I wasn't going to do that well.
"Oh of course," she says, but she looks at me critically again. I tug on my sleeve wondering if she got a glimpse of my scars. She must have.
That puts me on edge. I don't need someone calling the cops and the real cops showing up. I can't have the hallucination end.
Everyone else finally finishes and Elin and her mother say goodnight. Then she disappears off to show Zara their room. I pretend to get the couch comfy, then go to the kitchen cabinets, once everyone is gone. Not only does she have alcohol, but she has scotch. Nice, an old bottle but I'm not a chooser.
I do one shot, then put it back. Just need to take the edge off after tonight. And the warmth of alcohol then standing under the warm water finally relaxes the knot in my neck.
I get scrubbed up as best I can with borrowed soap, and then dress in Elin's clothes. That leaves my legs and arms showing scars but no one should be up.
I tip toe back to the kitchen, it's all dark. Good.
I do one more shot of scotch, then go back to the living room. That should at least get me to sleep after this awful night.
"Back of the medicine cabinet?"
I jump a little. Elin's mum is sitting in an armchair in the living room, watching what looks like home videos. I realize after a moment it's of Elin. She's a baby lying on a twin bed, her father is lying next to her clearly putting the baby to sleep.
"Sorry?" I say, slowly.
"Scotch. Back of the medicine cabinet. Figured you'd find it," she says, smiling a little. She's clearly not cross. "Need to take the edge off?"
"Parties aren't my thing," I say, not denying or confirming.
"Nor mine," she says, looking back at the video.
"I didn't mean to distrub you—thank you again," I say, holding up my hands a little.
"You didn't. I just was proving something to myself," she says, looking back at the video. The volume is down low. The camera person is approaching them sleeping on the bed. Elin's father says something, looking up. The water color tattoos go all the way up his arms, I see as he tips a hand to pretend to move the camera. He laughs, shaking his hair from his face.
I don't know what to say. I wonder if she's drunk, engaging in the melancholy memory. Or just reminiscing because her daughter came home with friends from a grown up party?
"She wanted to leave. Because everyone was drinking and doing drugs. So that's why we left—like that," I simplify, "She's a good kid. I'm the one from a troubled childhood who sneaks other people's booze."
"I kept that there because her dad left it before he died. Didn't move it. Just like I keep his coat he left the first time he came over. We hold onto things sometimes, even if we don't mean to," shee says, "I'm glad she left the party. Someday she might not."
"That's not her. She hates loud noises even—I wasn't having fun either really. I—was in foster care," I might as well tell her I stole the booze she knows, "—one place was pretty bad. I couldn't sleep anxiety, fear, anyway If I did a shot before bed. I'd at least pass out. It woudln't hurt for a while."
She nods a little, still looking at me, as she gets up and switches the TV off, "The scotch did you more good than me. Like I said I don't drink it. I'm glad you're friends with El. Looking out for her."
"Her probably more than me sometimes. Like I said she was being responsible, wanting to go," I say.
"I didn't know she was at a party even. She doesn't always tell me things. Neither did her father. That's all right. I don't need to know everything to care about them," she says, patting my shoulder. She turns over my wrist to look at the scars.
"Old. I should have them covered," I say.
"Ink helps. I have a friedn who does my designs. If you're ever interested let me know," she says, letting go of my arm, "Nice axe you had, by the way."
Oh my god she said I'm a nice axe I'm so happy.
"Fancy dress," I say, shrugging.
"Of course," she nods, "Get some sleep. I'm sure you need it."
"Yeah," I say, quietly.
She leaves quietly, disappearing into the dark of the house. And I'm left wondering what that conversation meant. It was like she knew something—that we're not normal students? Something feels abnormal about us? Aside from the lethal weapons we're doing a very good job of acting normal.
I go to the den and flop down on the sofa. I'm exhausted after our night and the alcohol definitely helps lull me to sleep. I'm not even surprised now that I have bad dreams. Dreams of fire, of the boy with the dark eyes, of the woman standing in the flames. Always the flames.
I wake with a jolt. To the smell of coffee and distinct relief that I'm here. The doorbell rings again, and I realize that that's what woke me in the first place. I get up and stumble to the door, Cryptfiller in one hand. Whoever woke me up had better be an intruder I can hack to death with my axe.
It's not.
Locke Castle looks much worse for the wear, very wind blown, like he's developed three new nervous habits, so clearly hasn't changed since last night. Even better, his dragon is flopped on the front lawn looking at a dandelion or something. I realize the normal people can't see that but still.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, leaning in the doorway.
He looks hurt, folding his arms like he's pouting, "I must speak with the Elderblade."
"Yeah fuck okay," I close the door in his face. I can't explain his ass on a normal day let alone now.
I go to wake up the important people with not at all delicate knocks on thier bedroom doors.
"Hey, Locke's here," I say, slamming my fist on the door, "Get out here, decent."
Then I go to make us all coffee. Elin's mum's kitchen is surprisingly easy to navigate, and I have coffee brewed by the time my friends stumble from their respective rooms. All four look flustered, unnecessarily so, so that's nice for them.
"I left Locke on the porch, coffee?"
They all glare at me a little, except Elin who is mature.
"Thank you—what do you mean you left him on the porch?" Elin asks.
I shrug because that was self explanatory.
"I'm going to be ordering us actual coffee through this debrief, El what's your mom drink?" Zara asks.
"She doesn't drink coffee she's healthy or something I don't know—he won't answer you he takes black coffee," Elin says, pointing at me, as she takes a cup from me anyway.
"Should we let him in?" Freddy asks, gesturing at the door.
"No let's talk to him outside, COMING LOCKE," Flynn calls.
"Shh, don't wake up my mum," Elin says, herding us all out the door.
Locke is waiting miserably on the porch, I do hand him a cup of coffee which he holds for comfort. Elin sits down in one of the free chairs and I lean behind her to glower at Locke.
"I've been following that dragon all night," Locke says, raising his hands, cup of coffee clutched precariously in one.
"And?" Elin asks, "Where did it lead?"
"My house!" He cries, incensed.
"What?" Flynn says, for the rest of us.
"I'm shocked. I probably won't get over this shock," Zara says, with absolutely no emotion.
"It was Dante, one of my father's dragons. I recognized him after we cleared the clouds then I followed him on principal," Locke says, clearly incensed, "I thought for perhaps a moment that my father didn't know and Dante was just playing—,"
"PLAYING?!" Freddy looks ready to strangle Locke right here and now.
"But no. He knew. It was completely intentional," Locke snarls.
"Okay—okay why?" Flynn asks, holding up a hand.
"Because apparently he's 'glad I'm making friends' and Dante 'didn't hurt anyone' and he 'figured everyone would have a fun time' because it's 'better than some stupid party'," Locke accurately imitates his father's unique vampire accent.  
"I'm going to need a lifetime of therapy and he thought we'd have fun?" Freddy seeths.
"I don't think I've stopped sweating that was horrible that's not a joke! Nor is it funny!" Flynn says.
"I mean it also feels illegal but I don't know that in this country," Zara says, still clearly ordering coffee.
"I know. I know. I told him it is never at all fun to buzz someone with a dragon never do that again also I do have friends just because I can't name any off the top of my head. And that that was horrifying, and we did not enjoy ourselves," Locke says.
"No we're all really upset—oh my god you two can agree at any time," Flynn looks at Elin and I who have been looking at our coffee.
"I mean—," I wince, "I think we all knew I was going to find it thrilling because I'm mentally unbalanced. We all know that about me."
"It wasn't—not fun--oh my god you guys I slay dragons like that's my thing of course I had fun," Elin winces. We're making the exact same expression of innocence and immediately stop as Freddy and Flynn glare at us.
"Okay I'm getting dragon-boy dragon fruit because I find it funny and nobody ordered. So am I right is that illegal?" Zara asks, putting down her phone.
"I mean—," Flynn shrugs.
"Yeah you're not supposed to send dragons after people but I'm not going to do anything. It didn't hit us with fire so that's really more in the line of practical joke," Elin says.
"I so need to get better friends," Freddy groans.
"I'm really sorry I did know he was like this and this bad but I thought he was doing a better job of hiding it I really did," Locke says.
"He's not," Freddy says, icily.
"I do know. I've told him, verbatim 'no it wasn't funny quit laughing I don't care how much you enjoyed it don't ever do something like that again'."
"Thank you for follow it and—yelling at your dad," Elin says, dryly, "But that leaves us back at square one? We still don't know where the feral dragon is."
"No we don't, and we have no real way of finding it either," Flynn says, gently, "Do we?"
"Not really if that wasn't even it," Elin says.
"How was the party of we left?" I ask.
"Neath is pissed he left I guess to come and get you. Freddy, your dad is really mad that you left," Locke says.
"Yes. That would be because I've been ignoring his calls," Freddy says, pleasantly.
"Is there a reason he's mad you actually tried to help your Elderblade or is this some on going thing you should be in therapy for?" Zara asks, looking up from her phone.
"Second one, he probably thinks I should have told him I don't know because I did mention this—I'm ignoring his calls," Freddy says, holding up his phone as evidence.
"Right that's my message. I need to go home to be disappointed with my dad some more," Locke says.
None of us argue with that, and we pack him off on his dragon with his coffee, just in time for Elin's mum to wake up. She's more normal this morning so I'm going to assume my concerns last night were my mental dysfunction and maybe her a little nostalgic. Zara ordered her scones and thanks her profusely for the night's stay, as do we all as we try to back out the door. She's remarkably okay with this. We're all back half in our party clothes from last night and still definitely groggy, but we want to be going. I don't know if Neath texted Elin or not, but she seems a little surprised when he just shows up.
He's also still dressed from last night, and definitely looks like he hasn't slept. The barely concealed rage is obviously present, I assume that he knows what Locke did about Orpheus' dragon being the one to chase us.
Elin's mum isn't surprised to see him so maybe she called him. He shows up with an SUV big enough for all of us so that's probably a relief.
"You didn't lose an of 'em? Damn," Neath says, hugging her tightly.
"No, do we need to talk?" Elin's mum asks.
"Absolutely not I'll call you!" Neath says, pleasantly.
That concludes their interaction. I know she thinks, or knows rather, Neath has full custody of Elin but it's nice she still wants to be concerned a little bit, and here if Elin needs her.
We thank Elin's mum again, very politely, before packing into the SUV with obvious relief.
"I'll call you," Zara says, mostly to Elin, as she goes back to her Porsche. Neath brought a can of petrol so she can make it back to wherever she's staying.
"Thanks for the lift,"I call, cheekily, because of course we got her chased by a dragon. She flips me off affectionately.
"Cool get in the fucking car," Neath says, shoving me in because I wasn't.
"Shotgun," Elin says.
"all of you had better be glad I'm still glad you're in one piece," Neath growls.
"What, are you mad we chased the dragon or something?"
"No, I'm not mad," and despite that statement Neath spends the next forty five minutes lecturing us for chasing the dragon without back up. This lasts all the way into a cafe in Exeter, which he pulls into I guess in order to glare at us all at the same time.
"I didn't know we were supposed to be smarter than that," I say.
"Shut up, Damian," four people.
Neath does express that he's glad that we went to Elin's mum's and did tell him right away but his point is we never should have left ourselves. Elin and I nod like she wasn't hanging out of a speeding SUV and I wasn't helping her. Freddy and Flynn apparently have some loyalty because they don't tell him.
Our necessary lecture over, Elin finally grills him for what he knows. Which is annoying as it happens.
"Oh I knew the whole time. Orpheus locked me, Roy, and a couple others he knows would help, in a room and then finally admitted his dragon was probably chasing you, then I get your text. His best excuse was he wants his pathetic kid to have friends," Neath says, still clearly pissed, "And that you'd be fine and in fact probably have fun—no don't confirm it I have nightmares as it is."
"Where is Roy?" I ask, becuase otherwise I'll wind up confirming it.
"With the helicopter making sure it hasn't been tampered with in the name of 'fun'," Neath says, disgusted.
"That's fair. Look we're fine, it was—a little fun—oh go on you know you'd have said the same," Elin says.
"It was terrifying," Freddy says.
"Yeah I don't know how we're actually going to fight a dragon," Flynn says.
"Worse, we're right back where we started. I really thought we'd gotten a lead," Elin says.
"Look, we'll get a lead, and you'll get to fight the dragon. Properly. I promise, but for now let's just go home," Neath says, "All right? Get all of you out of those ridiculous clothes?"
"Yeah all right," Elin says, smiling a little for him, "Lucidity agrees with you."
What?
Shit.
I black out.