“I’ll tell the others,” I added.
“And you can start calling me by my name, Draven. I’ve heard some of you still referring to me as ‘the Druid’, which I’ve begun to find mildly irritating.”
I wanted to laugh at that—he’d just this second referred to Jovi as ‘the werewolf.’
“Okay,” I replied, “Draven. And the werewolf’s Jovi, by the way.”
“I know.”
I shrugged, leaving him standing in the hallway. So, it looked like we were on first-name terms now…I wondered if that was the way to get the answers we needed: to start treating the Druid—Draven, I corrected—as a friend and ally, rather than our enemy. He didn’t exactly make it easy by being so shut off every waking hour, but with a little time, and a little patience, perhaps we could wear him down.
Vita
I had slept for ages, and when I woke up it was dusk outside. Aida was fast asleep next to me in the bed, her limbs sprawled out across the mattress. I felt groggy, in need of cold water and yet another shower. I wondered where Serena was, but figured she’d be off somewhere reading the diary or with Jovi and the rest of the boys.
Realizing I was starving thanks to a loud rumble coming from my stomach, I showered quickly and changed back into my pajamas. I decided to wake Aida. I didn’t want her to miss out on dinner, partly because she’d need it, and partly because all our lives would be a nightmare if she went without food, and she’d be the first to admit it.
“Aida?” I shook her awake.
“Eugh,” she groaned, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “What time is it?”
“Evening. Dinner time, hopefully.”
“I’m starving,” she replied, sitting upright on the bed and swiftly moving off to go and get herself freshened up. “Have you seen the others yet?” she asked at the bathroom doorway.
“No. I guess they’re downstairs somewhere. I’ll wait for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll be quick.”
She shut the door and I heard the sounds of the shower running. I stuck my head out of the window, enjoying the slightly cooler evening air on my face.
A couple of minutes later, we both headed downstairs, making a beeline for the dining room. Serena was hovering outside the doorway.
“Serena?” I asked, wondering what she was doing.
A look of relief passed her face.
“It’s just Bijarki and Draven in there. I didn’t want to go in alone,” she replied, laughing at her trepidation. I didn’t blame her. I would have done the same in her position, though it surprised me that Serena felt the same way. Normally she was bold—sometimes too bold. It wasn’t like her.
“Come on,” Aida instructed. “I’m starving. We can make awkward conversation till the boys get here—are they still upstairs?”
“I think so.” Serena nodded. “They’re not outside.”
Aida pushed the door open. The Druid and Bijarki had obviously been deep in hushed conversation, but when we entered, they both closed their mouths. Bijarki rose to his feet, moving the chair next to him back from the table and gesturing for me to sit down.
“Bijarki,” the Druid bit out. It was a warning, and I moved around to the opposite side of the table, pretending I hadn’t seen the proffered chair. Aida and Serena sat on either side of me, Serena closest to the Druid, and Aida closest to the door.
“What have we got tonight?” Serena asked as a joke, lifting the warming plate to reveal the same meal we’d had every night since we’d arrived.
The Druid semi-smiled, drinking from his glass.
“You’ll get used to it,” he replied dryly. I looked over at his place setting. As usual, there was nothing there. It struck me as very odd that we hadn’t seen him eat once since we’d arrived. It wasn’t like he was wasting away—his broad form must have needed some sustenance, and the idea that he chose not to eat in front of us unnerved me. Serena glanced over at his absence of food.
“Not eating again?” she asked.
“I’ve already—”
“You’ve already eaten, right,” she replied, finishing the Druid’s sentence with a frustrated sigh. “Another mystery that you won’t give us an answer to.”
“Did you speak to your friends about the clothing?” the Druid replied, ignoring her comment.
“Oh, no.” Serena turned to us with an apologetic shrug. “There are more clothes in the attic, if either of you want them.”
“That would be good,” Aida replied, pulling at her tank top. “Be nice to wear something other than pajamas for a change.”