sleep better at home,” Mack said.
I thought about it. On the one hand, it felt like running away, but on the other hand, I had been burying the morning events deep in my mind all day and tonight they were bound to come gushing forth. Maybe home was okay, at least for one night. Caeco sure wouldn’t miss me.
“Okay. I’ll drive separate, though. That way, I can be here when Miss Berg draws the matches tomorrow,” I said.
“Grand, grand. I’ll make ye one of your favorites for dinner,” Ashling said. I nodded, caught a shoulder clap from Mack and then walked away, ignoring all the faces pointing our way.
Chapter 38
Even surrounded by my own room, lying in my own bed, I didn’t really get any sleep. The image of that strung-out witch, staring at me through her unwashed bangs, was burned into my eyelids—except when it was replaced with the slow-motion timbering of her body and the crystal shattering of her skull.
Luckily, I could distract myself with memories of my girlfriend hanging on every word my sadistic survival instructor uttered. That was helpful. On a good note, Sorrow had managed to stay quiet.
At least by being home, I didn’t keep Mack awake. I crawled out of bed early and took a long, hot shower, my second in less than twelve hours. Something about not having to share a bathroom with a bunch of sloppy, loud, obnoxious dudes.
When I entered the apartment behind the restaurant, I found Darci cooking breakfast. A quick review of the newspaper headlines found no mention of the apocalypse, so I must have been looking a bit confused when she glanced over at me.
“Plot twist. The tough but beautiful deputy uncharacteristically demonstrates her sophisticated culinary skills to her favorite step-nephew,” she said with a grin, shoveling runny scrambled eggs and overcooked bacon onto a plate for me.
I kissed the top of her head, which both pleased her and simultaneously pissed her off. Her mock growl failed to scare me.
“Just because your center of gravity is a mile off the floor and your most vulnerable parts are in easy punching range is no reason to get cocky,” she said.
“Thanks Darci,” I said, both for the food and the banter. “Where’s Aunt Ash?”
“Hey, sensitive and savvy, that’s me,” she said to the first. “She’s out making sure everything is in place for the restaurant tomorrow. She’s gotta big gig at that fancy new college facility, ya know.”
My aunt would run the finals of the tournament tonight. The finalists would be decided today from among Caeco’s Commandos, The Burlington Brawlers, Dellwood’s Wolver-machines, and team Witch Slap. Miss Berg would run this morning’s event.
“So, how you doing?” she asked in an imitation Brooklyn accent.
“Eh,” I said, digging into the eggs and discovering melted cheese mixed in. Cheese can fix lots of cooking errors.
“Ash said you had girlfriend issues on top of the self-defense incident,” Darci said.
“Caeco thinks I want to be with Ryanne and I’m of the opinion that she’s crushing on our survival instructor, Mr. Jenks,” I said.
“Ah. Jealousy mixed with hot for teacher. Classic. Listen, Declan. Caeco’s a great kid, which despite the whole engineered-for-combat thing, is what she is. Same with you: you’re just a punk-ass eighteen year old, despite the being the Goddess’s gift to witchkind. You’re both kids and this is the first real romance for both of you. So the emotions are sharp and pointy at both ends of the spectrum. But this is just the beginning for both of you. If it ends, and who knows… it might not, then treasure it for what is was and let it help guide you in your next relationship.”
I didn’t want to think about next relationships. I didn’t feel like there would be any next relationship.
“Now, any issues with defending yourself and your friend? Any second doubts about preventing two homicides by someone who, for reasons outside your control, attacked you with intent to kill?” she asked, her voice shifting to a more professional tone.
Only the idea that if I tried to get rid of Sorrow, it would find another witch and do the same thing all over again. I kept that to myself, as I had already kept quiet about Sorrow’s appearance. No part of me could see how involving others would help me with my book problem.
“No. I spent the whole night thinking about it. You know, wondering if I could have done anything different and kept her alive. Like that,” I said.
“And?”
“She was kicking