Kelly Drake and the Tears of the Dragons

Chapter Three - Amanda and Stephanie

One by one, the council members went, after expressing condolences to Amanda and Michael, Stephanie, Jordan and Kelly, and with unease over the future. They will be back each day, in rotation, to assist in the preparation and protection of Michael. The moonless night added to the feeling of gloom and foreboding; it was like standing on a seashore before a ferocious hurricane makes landfall.

"Stephanie, can I discuss something with you before you turn in?" Amanda whispered after sending Jasper off.

"Whatever it is can wait until morning, Amanda," she said dismissively.

"No it can't."

"Oh, let her speak, mother," Jordan chimed in. "She wants to convince you that I'm not the right person for this job. Am I right, Amanda?"

"Stop prying into my thoughts," Amanda hissed. "Why can't I block your incursions? I can check off everyone, even William."

"And that, my dear, is just one reason why Jordan has been assigned the delicate task of training your son," Stephanie said. "Weren't you listening earlier? She is one of the best, maybe the best. Even I have to concede that. Michael is in great hands. Besides, you did give her your vote of confidence. Surely you have no plans of reneging on that."

"Looks like our dear mother-in-law has made up her mind, Amanda. I guess I'll leave the two of you to catch up while I get some rest. Long days are ahead of us, well, for some of us. Please make sure Michael's at the Clearing at 3 a.m. on the dot for his Presentation. And tell him to bring his father's clan ring." Jordan walked away and caught up with Kelly at the top of the stairs, who had just said goodnight to her brother.

"Very well, let's talk," Stephanie told Amanda. "I suppose William's study remains the room of choice for discussing private matters?"

"Yes, it does."

--- 0 ---

Amanda rarely entered William's study after they finally moved into Fischer Hall from California. She was initially reluctant because she loved the American lifestyle and wanted to rear Michael on surfing and sunny beaches, hotdogs and baseball and Hollywood. But Glasgow's gloom and the Fischer Manor's charm eventually grew on her, especially since it meant spending more time with William.

Ah, William and his secrets. He had insisted from the day she stepped into their new home that the library was his private space, and she respected his wish. Members of the clan or council that visited would meet William in his study – if not in the Reading Room or the Clearing – which apparently was what they had been doing whenever William left the States (if he was not visiting his "other family"). She was curious about the other life of her husband, but try as hard as she might to eavesdrop on such meetings, Amanda could barely make out a sound when the doors were shut. Whenever she asked him about the visitors' business, he would only say that they were Valon issues, no cause for concern, that many things have a way of resolving themselves. And, of course, to ensure that what was said in the study always stayed in the study, a powerful spell had been cast upon it long before William was even born, or his father Jason, for that matter. As a result, the study was impervious to practically all forces of man and nature, including sound itself, making it the safest place in Fischer Hall – a virtual, mystical panic room. Amanda had always wondered why the portal wasn't placed there.

What would William say if he were here today? He could probably come visit, but maybe it's too soon for him. These were extraordinary times, after all, and change was heavy in the air. Over the years, they had grown closer to each other – going beyond the physical and deeper into the emotional core of their being – even without the benefit of a union, in spite of William's mysterious responsibilities, and despite avoiding Michael's edification. Now, a woman whom she once idolized but later came to regard more with disdain than respect had returned and taken charge of their lives. Amanda's trepidation was heightened by the sudden appearance of the Drakes. She sensed hostility the moment she saw Jordan at the council table, sitting right next to Stephanie, no less.