Bonds That Blind (Daughters of Anubis) Page 2

  It was smaller than my dorm room yet somehow had more furniture. Shelves were hung on three of the walls, stuffed full of books, periodicals and various knickknacks. Directly across from the door, there was a window propped open with a piece of lumber. A small tweed-covered sofa sat underneath the window with a blue and white afghan strung across the arm as if he’d thrown it off from a nap the last time he’d sat in it.

  Professor Cane sat at the rolltop desk, which was pushed against the wall so that if he were seated at it, he would also be facing the wall. His chair was wood and the sort that could spin in any direction, with wheels on the feet. There were two more chairs, though they were both covered with papers and objects. He gestured towards the sofa.

  “I’d clear a spot for you on one of these chairs but take my word for it when I say the couch is much more comfortable.”

  I did as he suggested. The sofa smelled of damp and cats. As I sat on the cushion, I caught a whiff of what smelled like a cat who had played in the rain. Now that I was facing the door my attention was drawn to the wall space surrounding it. It was covered in corkboard and photographs were neatly fixed to it with pushpins. He followed my line of sight and began to speak.

  “Ah, you’ve noticed my collection. I’m something of an amateur photographer, and I enjoy taking photos of historical sites. Maybe I could take you and some of your classmates to one or two sometime.”

  “Maybe,” I said, uncomfortable with his offer.

  “You’re probably wondering why I’ve asked you here.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We have a friend in common. I understand that you know Anu.”

  “Yes, sir.” I tried to mask my surprise.

  “I’ve known Anu for a long time. He was a neighbor and mentored me in my youth. He contacted me when you applied here and asked me to look out for you.”

  “He did? That was nice of him.” It made me bristle to know that Mr. Anu was having him keep tabs on me. On the other hand, I’d never been away from my family before, and maybe a little guidance wouldn’t hurt.

  “Yes, it was. Few students have a faculty member watching out for their best interests. It can go a long way.”

  I folded my hands in my lap and studied the floor. I glanced over to a braided oval rug with a stain on it that might be spilled coffee.

  “So, let me just tell you that if you have any trouble at all, you can let me know and I’ll be ready to assist. And I hope you find your roommate agreeable. I picked her myself. You’ll find you have a lot in common with her. In fact, you’ll find that there is a fairly large population of . . . the sorts of people that you will have a lot in common with.”

  “Show me your teeth,” I said, looking up from the floor.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Your teeth. Can I see your canines?”

  He smiled, but not wide enough to reveal them. “I see your meaning. Yes, I am like you, Iris.”

  “You’re Anubian?”

  He nodded. “I am.”

  “And Mr. Anu mentored you. When you were my age?”

  “I was a little older than you. I’d finished high school and I was drifting between jobs. I found that my differences made it hard to relate to an employer. When Mr. Anu told me why I felt different, it was a great relief. He encouraged me to go to school and become a professor so that I could help others like you and me excel.”

  I frowned. Mr. Anu had said that there were no others with the ability to assume their alternate form besides me and Jacob. Did Professor Cane have an alternate form? I waited until he looked away, to still my thoughts and prepare my form to change. My coat felt confining with clothing on, but I sat still and ignored the urge to scratch. I only wanted to see his reaction.

  He did a double take, then leapt from his chair and shouted. “Help!”

  I darted around him and put a hand on the door to block it. Then I slid back into myself. “It’s all right,” I said. “I was just checking something.”

  “Holy—what—how did you do that?” He tried to keep a distance between us, but it was difficult in such close quarters.

  “Everything is fine.” I returned to the sofa and smoothed the lap of my skirt, which had rumpled with my change. “Mr. Anu is helping me to reach my full potential, is all.”

  “He did that to you?”

  “To me and my boyfriend.”

  “Good God. It’s . . . but you looked like a wolf.”

  “I think most humans call it a werewolf.”

  He stumbled back into his chair and fished a handkerchief out of his pants pocket. He studied me as he wiped his forehead and crumbled the handkerchief into his fist. “Your full potential. Those are the words he used?”

  I nodded.

  “I never understood what he meant by that.”

  “Did he tell you that you had reached yours?”

  “Yes. No,” he said as he shook his head, pressing the handkerchief to the back of his neck before returning it to his pocket. “He said that I’d reached the fullest potential that I was capable of, that my age prevented any more.”

  “The ceremony has to take place before full adulthood.”

  “There’s a ceremony? That’s fascinating. Do you think maybe sometime you could give me an account of it?” He put on a pair of reading glasses and began shuffling through papers on his desk until he dug out a pen. “I bet that I could draw some parallels to ancient days. This could be the seed to the sort of research that propels me to an ivy league faculty.” He seemed to draw into himself, his lips moving as he imagined the possibilities.

  “Mr. Anu asked us not to tell anyone the specifics.”

  “Oh.” His shoulders drooped. After a moment he gave me a forced smile. “You can hardly blame me for trying.”

  “No, sir.”

  “Back to the purpose of your visit, then. I’m here to help you anytime you need it. Please don’t feel that you have to make an appointment, my office hours are always the same year round. Eight to nine, right here, every weekday.”

  “That’s very kind of you, sir.”

  “Oh. And,” he shuffled the papers around again until he discovered a sheet with a hand-written list on it, “this is a list of groups and activities on campus that tend to attract Anubians. It’ll help you to feel more at home. Accepted.” He held the paper out to me. When I reached out to take it, his hand started to shake.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “I think you’ll do very well here, Iris. Your transcript up until last year is impeccable, and your entrance exam score was top of your class.”

  I frowned. The orientation was obviously for the lesser students. “I’m sorry, sir. But I have to ask. If I’m such a great candidate for the school, why am I here now?”

  “It’s just the policy for home-schooled students. Some rules simply can’t be circumvented at an institution such as this.”

  I nodded and folded up the paper. He held up a finger.

  “One point, if I may. I’d like you to keep in mind that very few if any of the Anubians here are aware of what they are. You might want to keep your knowledge to yourself.”

  “That would probably be a good idea,” I said. I tucked the paper into my school bag.

  “All right, Miss Hond. I’m very glad you had the time to speak to me. It’s been most enlightening.”

  “Thank you for your time, sir. I’m sure I can say the same.”

  * * *

  I returned to my dorm, dumping my things on my roommate’s still empty bed. There was an envelope on the floor, and I stooped to pick it up. The paper was stiff and felt substantial. I turned it over to read the front as the scent of home wafted up to me. I didn’t even pause to see who’d sent it; I ripped it open.

  The handwriting was feminine. Tessa. I set the letter carefully on the desk and went to the communal kitchen to make a cup of tea. I was going to sit down and read this letter properly. Tea in hand, I returned to my room and snuggled up on my bed with the letter.

 
; “Dear Iris,

  I hope this letter finds you well. I thought you might appreciate some news from home, as you are probably feeling lonely without a roommate. Kal told me that only the resident assistant is living in your building. On the other hand, perhaps you are enjoying the quiet.

  Everyone here is fine. Though I am concerned for your parents. Your mother confided that she’d written to a number of friends hoping to turn up some work for your father and nothing came of it. I suspect that they are nearly out of funds. Today he went to look in Shelby, and though it is a much further drive, maybe he will find work there. I still find it reprehensible that his employer fired him for being jailed when he clearly never committed a crime.

  Mr. Anu sends his love, and also the enclosed envelope. He asked me to tell you that a wise person always saves for a rainy day, and that you should set a little aside and do what you think is best with the rest.

  Kal is continuing with his apprenticeship. He doesn’t have much to say when he is around the farm, and I am wondering if he’s becoming restless. Mr. Anu says that even though he hasn’t undergone the ceremony as you have, if he doesn’t find a partner in the next year or two, he may always be alone. My heart aches for him because he has always wanted a family.

  Jacob is leaving for school this week and I know that he and Kal are planning to stop to see you before he moves in. Jacob has been quite surly without you.

  With no students to tutor, I’ve started looking for another job myself. People in town have associated me with Mr. Anu and don’t seem willing to hire me, though there were few positions available for someone with a college education. I’ll begin making queries around Shelby, soon. Maybe I can work out a carpool with your father.

  I’d be interested to hear how your first weeks at school are going. Take care of yourself and remember to study first and enjoy the social life second. All the best.

  Yours,

  Tessa”

  I opened the small envelope that she’d enclosed from Mr. Anu. It contained twenty-five dollars. I rubbed the bills between my fingers. How much would books for my classes cost? Would this be enough to cover it? I had money that I’d saved from working on the farm, though Mother and Daddy had insisted that Mr. Anu stop paying me after we’d lived there for a few weeks.

  On the day that I’d been accepted to Garfield, he’d sat me down and asked if I was sure that a college education was what I wanted. Thinking of how forcefully I’d responded made me smile.

  “Mr. Anu, ever since we met, I’ve been going on and on about going to college. What makes you think that I would’ve changed my mind?”

  He shook his head. “But you’ve acquired your alternate form.”

  “Yes, and an education will help me to use it to its best advantage.”

  “I don’t know. I thought you might stay here and learn from me.”

  “I can do that over the summer, or after graduation. I’ll still come home.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Mr. Anu, I’ve never been so positive about something.”

  “All right. I do not think this is the right opportunity, but if it is what you want then I will support it. You understand that as my disciple, I feel responsible for your wellbeing?”

  “Your ‘disciple’?”

  He shrugged his shoulders in an uncharacteristically casual motion. “If you prefer, you might call me your mentor.”

  “All right. And you feel responsible for me?”

  “Yes. That is why I’m going to pay for you to attend Garfield. You will go to school there and have the best experience possible because you will not be concerned about the cost. The bill will come straight to me and you nor your parents shall worry over it.”

  It was an extremely generous offer. An offer that only an idiot would reject. Though, when I’d told my parents their pleasure at not having to pay such a large bill had seemed tempered at best.

  I checked my watch. It was half past twelve already. I was going to be late for lunch. I tucked the money into a shoe box at the bottom of my closet, grabbed my bag and headed off to the dining hall.

  Chapter 3

  “Iris! You’re a sight for sore eyes. This bum has been unbearable since you left.” Kal jerked a thumb at Jacob, who was scowling at Kal as he wrapped me in a bear hug. “I missed you, little sis.”

  “I missed you, too,” I said. I opened my arms to Jacob, who hugged me as well, though I could feel the tension in his shoulders. When he pulled away, he caught my hand and held me close to him.

  Kal strolled past us, into my room. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” He looked around, though there wasn’t much to see. “You need some color in here. Some curtains, posters or a rug or something.”

  Jacob squeezed my hand and I smiled, though I was looking at the floor. Something about the way we stood hand-in-hand made me feel shy.

  “We thought you’d like to get away from the dining hall. How about we go get some lunch?” Jacob asked.

  “Okay.”

  We piled into Mr. Anu’s truck, with me in the middle, Jacob never letting go of my hand. Which was okay because if he had let go, I wouldn’t have released him.

  “Where to?” Kal asked, starting the truck.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I haven’t left campus.”

  “No problem.” He ground the gears as he set the truck in motion, trying not to hit me in the knee with the gearshift. “I saw a place not far out,” he said.

  “Tell us about school,” Jacob said, lightly squeezing my hand. He’d nestled it between us, out of Kal’s sight.

  “I’m bored out of my mind in the orientation work. They’re teaching us to take notes and memorize facts, even how to write an essay. It’s been nice getting to know some of the other students, though.”

  “It has?” Jacob slid a sideways glance at me, and his voice rose as he asked it, ending in a crack.

  “Sure,” I said. “Most of the students are pretty neutral. There are a few that have already grouped together, and I know to avoid them. But others seem willing to at least be polite.”

  “Hmph,” Kal said as he tapped his thumb on the steering wheel. “And you were worried she’d be an outcast.”

  “There are other Anubians here. Or there will be,” I said.

  “How do you know that?” Jacob asked.

  “The orientation professor took me aside and told me. He knows Mr. Anu and says that Mr. Anu asked him to look out for me.”

  “That’s weird,” Jacob said.

  “There aren’t any here yet though. At least none that I’ve met. Besides Professor Cane, that is.”

  Kal parked the truck in front of a small restaurant. We got out of the truck and walked to the door. Inside, a pretty waitress pointed us to an empty booth. I slid in on one side, allowing room for Jacob. He still hadn’t released my hand, though he tried to keep his body positioned so that Kal couldn’t see. Kal sat across from us.

  “You know, I know you two have a thing going,” he said, reading from his menu. “You’re terrible at hiding it.”

  Jacob let go of my hand. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  Kal rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid. You were holding hands until just a second ago. And you’ve been mooning over her since she left. And you can’t stand it when I hug her.”

  I hid a smile behind my hand and looked out the window.

  “All right. Fine,” Jacob said, bristling.

  Kal laughed. “Okay.”

  A different waitress interrupted, asking what we wanted. Her uniform was ill-fitting, and she seemed uncomfortable in her own skin. I bowed my head over the menu while they ordered realizing I hadn’t even glanced at it yet. When she came to me, I asked for a turkey sandwich. She collected our menus, giving the back of Kal’s head a longing look, and walking away.

  Jacob snorted. “How is it that you attract humans, and I can’t even get a human to be civil to me.”

  “Easy, brother.” Kal leaned forward and smil
ed. “Animal magnetism.” He winked at me and settled back into his seat. His expression turned serious. “Iris. I know this is kind of a personal subject, but . . .” he trailed off and Jacob picked it up.

  “We thought you should maybe be warned about something.”

  “Warned?”

  “It’s nothing bad, or dangerous.” Hearing the worried note in my voice, Jacob put a hand over mine. “Mr. Anu offered your parents a job.”

  “Really? But that’s great news. Why would you need to warn me about that?”

  They exchanged a glance across the table. “Mr. Anu has properties other than the farm. All over the world, in fact. Apparently, he’s got a lot of money.” Jacob squeezed my hand. “He asked your parents to travel to some of them and oversee updates he’s having done.”

  “Okay,” I said. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “They’re going to Europe for six months, and then the Caribbean for six months after that,” Kal said it quickly like he was trying to rip off a band-aid.

  A quiver of fear lit up in me. They were leaving me here alone? For a year? What if I needed them? I tamped the fear down with a firm touch. You’re an adult. You can handle it. “Mother must be thrilled,” I finally said.

  “She is, as a matter of fact.” Kal smiled. He had a tiny note of sadness in his eyes. He knew I was feeling abandoned. He should know what it’s like to feel that way; their parents had died in a car accident when they were young. And though their parents hadn’t chosen to leave, it must’ve stung just the same.

  “She’s always wanted to go to Europe. Especially Paris.” I toyed with the paper napkin that was wrapped around my knife and fork, shredding off tiny pieces of it. “When do they leave?”

  “They’re just waiting for their passports,” Jacob said. “Though Anu wants them to go to Florida to check in on something there while they wait.”

  “So, they’ve already gone?” My chest contracted.

  “No. They’re still at the farm. They’re just trying to wrap up some things before they go.”

  “Oh.” I let out a breath.

  We all fell silent when the waitress returned with our drinks.