Protector(100)

“Uh…not exactly,” Caitlin managed, and sent a beseeching look in Luz’s direction. It was clear she didn’t know the best way to handle talking about what had really happened to her friend.

“If your head is hurting, then let’s try some iced tea,” Luz said in soothing tones. “Just come on into the living room….”

They both went out, and Alex led Caitlin into the kitchen. “Do you want some tea, too? Or lemonade?”

She lifted her shoulders, looking so exhausted that he went to her at once and folded her into his arms, holding her close. At first he was worried that she was about to start crying, but she was very still as he held her, and only laid her head against his chest and breathed in deeply. A minute passed, and then she said,

“I wish I could have something stronger, but that’s just me being a coward.” She stepped away from him, gazing up into his face. Her eyes glittered, but he somehow knew the tears that swam there would never fall. “I need to call my mother. Maybe I should be calling my Aunt Lysette directly to tell her what happened, but I know I don’t have the guts for that. Besides, my mother’s her sister-in-law, and an elder. Maybe Lysette will take it better hearing it from her anyway.”

“You’re probably right,” he said, trying to sound as comforting as he could. “It’s the sort of thing your mother should handle.”

She nodded. “I think I’ll take that lemonade now.”

Alex went to get it, and right afterward, his mother came into the kitchen. Her troubled gaze immediately settled on Caitlin.

“Danica’s sitting down and seems calm enough. I can’t tell for sure, but it seems as if she remembers very little of what happened to her over the past few days.”

“Good,” Caitlin said immediately. “I hope she forgets all of it. That would be the best for everyone.”

Still looking worried, Luz went to the cupboard and got out a glass, then filled it with ice and poured tea from the pitcher in the refrigerator into it. “I’ll get this to her, but we need to call her parents as well. Do you have their number?”

“I did, but the phone that had their number stored in it is gone. I’ll have to let my mother know Danica’s here and safe, and to pass the word on. I’m sure Connor must have her parents’ contact information.”

“That will do just fine,” Alex’s mother said. “But I’ll need to get this out to her, and then I think it best you make your call as quickly as you can, so that you can come and sit with your friend. I’m a stranger to her, and she’s in a strange place. She will feel better if you are near.”

Caitlin nodded. “I’ll call right now and be out as quickly as I can.”

Luz offered her a reassuring smile, then took the glass of iced tea and headed back to the living room. After she was gone, Caitlin turned to Alex, her expression troubled but resolute.

“I guess I’d better make that call now.”

He wished more than anything that he could do it for her — hadn’t she been through enough? — but he knew this was her responsibility. “I’ll get the phone for you.” The cordless sat on a table in the hallway, so he went to fetch it, then handed it to Caitlin. She took it as reluctantly as if it were crawling with the Ebola virus or something. Seeing the way she hesitated, he asked, “Do you want me to be here with you while you call your mom, or would you rather be alone?”

The look in her eyes told him she’d rather have his support, but she surprised him by replying, “I’d better do it alone. I’ll be fine.”

There didn’t seem to be much point in arguing, so he nodded and slipped back into the hallway while she stayed in the kitchen to make the call. Even so, he wasn’t so far away that he couldn’t hear bits and pieces, heard her reassuring her mother that she was fine, and Danica was safe, too. A long pause, and then finally she passed on the news about Roslyn, following it up as quickly as she could with the information that at least the warlocks had all been caught, and so now it was a matter of clan justice.

When Caitlin emerged from the kitchen and gave the phone back to Alex, he could tell she’d been crying. Not a lot — her makeup looked more or less intact — but her eyes were red, and she kept sniffling.

“My mother is going to let everyone know what happened, and she’ll call Danica’s parents, too. It sounds as if Angela and Connor will be contacting your mother soon as well. They’ll — I guess they’ll have a lot to do.”

That was an understatement. He held his breath, waiting to hear if there was more. After all, so far Caitlin hadn’t said one thing about what she planned to do next. It was Friday, the last day of her spring break. He was pretty sure she was supposed to go back to school on Monday. Only…would she, after everything that had happened this week?