Boundary Crossed (Boundary Magic #1)(65)
As soon as I thought that, my whole body went cold with fear. “Lily . . . we have to keep this between us. Itachi can’t know that I can use animal death-essence to fuel magic.”
Her eyes narrowed as she thought through the implications. “You think he’ll force you to start sacrificing things,” she concluded. “Pets and stuff.”
I shuddered. “That would be bad enough, but no. I’m afraid he’ll force me to sacrifice people.”
Lily went still. “Do you think that would work? That you could pull the death-essence from humans?”
I looked her in the eye. “I am never, ever going to find out.”
Chapter 28
After Lily left, I hobbled out to the living room, trying to keep my weight on the edges of my feet without rolling my ankles, and collapsed on the couch. Within thirty seconds, two dogs and a cat had piled onto my lap. “Hey, guys,” I said with a laugh. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
Petting the animals with one hand, I called John at his office to beg off babysitting Charlie that night. I hated to do it, but as much as I loved the kid I could hardly chase her around when I wasn’t supposed to walk. More importantly, I didn’t want my mom or anyone else to know I’d been injured again. So I told my brother-in-law that I thought I might be coming down with a cold and didn’t want to give it to Charlie.
After I talked to John, I called my mother to let her know about the change in plans. Luckily, she was too distracted with last-minute party preparations to question me closely. I was just hoping my feet would heal enough in the next twenty-four hours for me to still go. I was their only child now. It wouldn’t be right to miss the party.
“Okay, hon,” she said absently. “Hang on a second.” She half covered the phone to holler out a question about centerpieces to someone else in the room. Then she was back. “You picked up your dress from the dry cleaner’s, right?” she demanded, suddenly very focused on me. “And the shoes from your dad’s office?”
“Yes and yes,” I said, grateful that I’d had the presence of mind to run errands that morning before my magic lesson. “Shoes and dress. Check.”
“What about jewelry?” my mom inquired. “I have some lovely pieces that would complement your gown—”
“No, thanks,” I broke in quickly, before she could start listing every necklace she owned. “I’m covered, Mom, I promise. Is there anything you need help with?”
“No, you take a day and rest that cold. I’ll send one of your cousins over with some chicken soup and cough drops so you’ll be good as new before the party.”
“That’s not really how colds work, Mom.”
“It is now.”
I listened to her chatter on about party preparations for a few more minutes; then she added, “Oh, before you hang up, honey, your Aunt Violet happened to ask me who you’re bringing as your plus-one. Is it that young man from . . . um . . . your job?”
I rolled my eyes. I occasionally palled around with a couple of the male Depot employees, although less since I’d stopped going to bars. It wasn’t a romantic thing; I just missed having camaraderie with a group of guys, like I’d had in the army. But I’d once made the mistake of bringing one of them to a family barbecue. I knew he was coming as my friend, he knew he was coming as my friend, but of course my whole family had assumed we were on the brink of getting married and having babies. “No, Mom,” I said now. “He’s seven years younger than me. I think he’s dating a sorority girl from Topeka.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” she said vaguely, but I didn’t miss the relief in her voice. “Who are you bringing, then?”
“Um, no one, Mom,” I said uncomfortably. “I don’t have a plus-one.” I hadn’t sent a formal RSVP to the party—why would I, when I was the one helping my mom update the guest list?—and I had just assumed they’d realize I wouldn’t be bringing anyone. I’d thought I only needed to mention a plus-one if I was bringing a plus-one. Apparently I’d had that backward.
There was a silence on her end, which stretched on for long enough for me to attempt to fill it myself. “I’m sorry, I guess I didn’t think it was that important whether I brought a date to my dad’s birthday party.”
She sighed. “It’s not that, honey, it’s just . . . we’re doing this for your dad, you know, because he does so much for the family. He’s been talking about you girls a lot lately, and I know he worries about you.” I found myself nodding along with her, which was stupid for a couple of reasons. “It’d just be nice if he could see you happy and dating, even if he’s not the love of your life. Maybe a guy friend?”
I knew she was manipulating me, but I couldn’t really fault her for it. My dad was the cornerstone of our whole family, and it wasn’t like she was asking for the moon. “I’ll ask around, okay? If I can find someone, I’ll bring him. But no promises.”
“Thank you, sweetie.” The gratitude in her voice made me grimace.
When I was off the phone, I leaned back on the couch, idly scratching Pongo’s wrinkled bulldog cheeks. Who the hell could I ask? I immediately thought of John, but that would be a mistake. My family knew that we were friendly, even friends, but showing up at this thing on his arm would come off as a Statement.