Into the Flames

Chapter 16

“So what time did you guys get home?” asked Adam during breakfast the following morning.

            Dylan shrugged, shooting a spitball out of a straw that stuck to Adam’s argyle sweater. “I don’t check time. Neither does Jenna, so don’t bother asking her.”

            Adam delicately picked the wad off his sweater with a look of distaste, before shooting it right back at Dylan. He hissed when it hit him, dramatically leaning backward over the arm of his chair, moaning.

            Falkner watched him over the morning’s newspaper, before calling him an idiot under his breath and turning his attention back to the news.

            “Please don’t do that, Dylan,” said Margaret politely, before biting into her toast.

            “Your maturity fluctuates more than the Gens’ stock market does,” said Gianna pointedly.

            “I’m going to take that as a compliment,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. Jenna couldn’t help but smile at his abnormally good mood.

            “We all got our money for this month,” said Margaret. “Jenna, I wrote to them about you and you even got allowance. They usually give the people who aren’t officially a verified Guardian a little less until they say their vows, but they gave you the same amount as everyone else.”

            “How much?” asked Jenna, eating French toast.

            “Five-hundred dollars.”

            Jenna almost choked on her toast after hearing the large sum of money. Gianna thumped her on the back. “That much?” asked Jenna with watering eyes.

           “Well, yes,” said Margaret with a small frown. “As I said, you’ll get more after you go to Ignis. Everyone’s money is in the box in the kitchen. I’m going to take the money I need to buy food from everyone; is that alright with you, Jenna?”

            She nodded her head, still slightly in a daze. She’s never possessed this large amount of cash. Dylan balanced a sausage on Boss’ nose, laughing when he gave him the signal to eat it.

            “What’s gotten you in such a good mood this morning? You’re usually as sullen as Boss before he gets baths until after you eat breakfast,” said Adam, also noticing Dylan’s excellent mood.

            “I’m not in a good mood this morning. I’m in the mood that I’m always in.”

            “No you’re not.”

            “Yes I am.”

            “No you’re not.”

            “Yes I am.”

            “Goodness, you’re like a five year old,” said Gianna. Dylan smiled at her and batted his long eyelashes at her. When she rolled her eyes, Dylan shot a quick wink to Jenna, causing her to fumble and drop her fork. She quickly caught it right before it hit the ground, glaring at Dylan as she emerged from under the table.

            “It’s nice to be eighteen,” he said to no one in particular.

            “This is the almanac of basically everything of some significance in the Guardian world,” said Gianna. “It shows every monster ever discovered and its strengths and weaknesses. It also shows plants that can heal and kill; we grow those in the greenhouse. And it shows a lot more.” She dusted off another huge book. “And this one is the history of Guardians. It explains everything from the very beginning, starting with Diana.”