Free Fragile Destiny (The Aether Chronicles) by Suzanne Lazear Page B

it? Not that it mattered right now.
    “Why don’t you wait for me in Elise’s room? I’ll get it and change in James’ room.” He ran into his room, grabbed his suit out of the closet, and went into James’ room. Steven kicked things out of his way. How did James function in such a mess?
    He pulled on his suit. It didn’t quite fit. Perhaps no one would notice.
    Steven found Noli in Elise’s room, which was still a mess from when Elise had fled in haste. She was sitting on Elise’s bed reading a book, and looked up and frowned as he entered.
    “That looks dreadful. Didn’t you just wear it not long ago?”
    He looked down at it, then back up at her. “I guess.”
    Setting the book on the bed, she came over to him and ran her fingers down his face. “I know you age differently. Did someone use magic to make you look, well, more like us?”
    “Um, yes, when we came to live in this realm. I was disappointed that they made us so … young. That’s partially why everyone thought I was so smart. Father figured it would be better, that it would give us more allowances in adjusting. He used the magic in such a way so that James and I would be adults at about the same time here as we would in our realm. Why do you ask?” He stood inches from her. Steven liked being close to her without having to worry that Jeff or Vix would interrupt.
    “You look … different today. Different than you did yesterday. You’re much taller, and you … ” A blush rose on her cheeks. “You look more … like a man. I’m not sure how and why, but you do. I guess with your father being … gone, the magic he used is wearing off.”
    “Oh, that makes sense. Magic generally undoes itself when the user passes on.” He brought his face closer to hers, his dear, sweet Noli. “I really am almost an adult in my realm, so it won’t be too much of a difference when it wears off completely. James, neither. Elise … no, Quinn’s with her. She’ll be fine.”
    “Elise is older than you pretend she is, isn’t she?” Noli’s voice held no judgment.
    “The matter of Elise is … complicated.” Actually, she was younger.
    Noli rolled her eyes as she adjusted his suit. “Like she thinks her mother is dead, and I’m not supposed to notice that she has the same sort of magic as you-know-who?”
    Steven froze; he hadn’t realized she’d figured out the similarities between Elise and their mother. “You can’t tell a soul.”
    “I won’t. She’s naïve even for a little girl. It would be so easy … ” Noli shook her head.
    He knew exactly what she was thinking.
    “Quinn will protect her with his dying breath, but finding her is very important. With Father gone, the family is my responsibility.” He was failing at this right now, and it galled him.
    She wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, it is. Now, does James own a suit? You simply can’t wear this tomorrow.”
    “Noli, why are you stuck on this? Missy Sassafras is nothing compared to you.” He ran his hand through her unbound hair. “She’s not very smart. She probably has never read Aristotle or Shakespeare. She wouldn’t know a Dutch Golden Age painting from a Baroque one. She can’t fix an engine and probably grows lousy roses.”
    “But she makes superior scones.” Noli glowered.
    Steven leaned in until his lips brushed her ear. “I don’t actually like scones. Now, what if I tell you what I’ve found regarding the staff?”
    “It’s bad?” She frowned.
    “It can be terrible, depending on who wields it, but yes—according to what Quinn found, the circumstances leading up to the Bright Lady breaking it were quite dire.”
    “I see. So we absolutely need to protect the pieces.” Noli looked solemn. “Even with all these things we need to do, I think we should still apply to universities for next fall. I don’t care where we go … I … I just want to go. Jeff says he’ll help me pay for it if I don’t get a scholarship. Which I probably