Chapter 194: A Visit to the Sloane Estate
Under more than a few curious looks from other students, Cyrus Calder and Audra Sloane walked out of St. Alder together.
Standing side by side, the two of them had a strangely natural balance.
Their temperaments were not exactly the same, but both carried a quiet distance that made them look unusually well matched when they walked together. More than one student glanced over as they passed, and a few conversations nearby clearly changed direction after people noticed them leaving campus together.
Audra ignored all of it.
Every so often, she looked up at Cyrus beside her.
His handsome face remained as calm as ever, without enough emotion for her to guess what he was thinking.
For some reason, Audra found herself wanting to see more expressions on that face.
She had already seen glimpses before.
Especially during the earlier incident involving the glamourkin ring, when his usual composure had slipped and he had been forced into a far more vulnerable state.
The thought surfaced before she could stop it.
Audra immediately pushed it away.
She did not need the ring to make Cyrus show her more of himself.
If they became close enough naturally, then one day she would see those expressions without needing an artifact to force anything.
That would be better.
Walking beside her, Cyrus noticed Audra suddenly shake her head slightly.
A few strands of dark hair moved across her shoulder.
He glanced at her but did not ask.
Whatever she was thinking did not seem important enough to pry into.
They reached the school entrance and continued toward the waiting car.
Mr. Fowler opened the rear door for them.
Cyrus followed Audra inside.
The black sedan looked relatively understated from the outside, but the interior told a different story.
The seats were individually shaped and far more comfortable than anything Cyrus normally rode in. The cabin was quiet, spacious, and finished with the kind of materials he had learned were expensive even when they were designed not to look flashy.
Cyrus settled into the seat.
This might actually be the first time he had ridden in one of the Sloane family’s cars.
As Grayhaven slowly moved past the windows, Cyrus noticed Mr. Fowler looking toward him through the rearview mirror more than once.
The driver eventually broke the silence.
“Miss Sloane, may I ask who your guest is?”
Audra answered calmly.
“He’s a friend from school.”
Cyrus gave the man a polite nod.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Mr. Fowler seemed to realize that his earlier glances might have been a little obvious.
“My apologies for staring. Miss Sloane has never brought a male friend home before, so I became a little curious.”
Cyrus shook his head.
“There’s nothing to apologize for.”
He glanced toward Audra almost automatically.
A trace of helplessness appeared in her expression.
She leaned a little closer and lowered her voice.
“Mr. Fowler is a good person. He’s only curious.”
Cyrus nodded.
“I can tell that already.”
Audra moved back to her own side of the seat.
Only after she did did Cyrus notice the faint fragrance that lingered between them.
Mr. Fowler had seen the entire exchange through the mirror.
He said nothing more, but a quiet satisfaction entered his eyes as he focused on the road.
About twenty minutes later, the car slowed.
When Cyrus stepped outside and looked at the property ahead, surprise finally appeared in his eyes.
The Sloane estate was much larger than he had imagined.
He had always known Audra’s family was wealthy.
He simply assumed that meant something around the level of Faye’s townhouse, only larger and more expensive.
Apparently his imagination had been severely limited.
The detached residence in front of him looked closer to a private estate than an ordinary house, with broad grounds, carefully maintained landscaping, and enough space that Cyrus had to wonder how many people actually lived there.
Money really was useful.
Cyrus felt a brief stab of envy.
Only a brief one.
His current life was already comfortable enough that he did not feel miserable comparing the two.
Besides, if he truly became free someday, there was no reason he could not work toward owning something like this himself.
Maybe not something this large.
A smaller house would be fine too.
Cyrus was not greedy.
As long as nobody else controlled the doors, he would be satisfied.
He and Audra stepped away from the car.
Before they reached the entrance, Cyrus noticed someone approaching.
An elderly man was walking toward them.
Calling him elderly felt slightly inaccurate.
The man had white hair and a kind face, but his body was broad and powerful, and his height forced Cyrus to lift his head slightly as the distance between them closed.
He had to be close to six and a half feet tall.
Cyrus could not remember ever meeting a taller ordinary human.
Then the older man laughed.
“So you must be young Mr. Calder.”
His voice was deep and energetic.
Cyrus responded politely.
“Yes, sir. It’s nice to meet you.”
Audra stood beside him.
“This is my grandfather.”
Warren Sloane looked between the two students.
The more he looked, the more obvious his amusement became.
They really did look good standing together.
He wisely chose not to say that aloud.
Instead, Warren asked, “Neither of you has eaten lunch yet, have you?”
Cyrus answered first.
“I haven’t eaten yet.”
Audra shook her head as well.
Warren smiled broadly.
“Perfect timing. Lunch was just finished. If you don’t mind eating with an old man, come join us.”
Cyrus gave a small nod.
“Thank you for having me.”
Warren laughed again.
“You’re a guest in my home. There’s no need to be so formal.”
He turned and headed inside.
Cyrus and Audra followed a few steps behind.
Audra leaned closer again.
“My grandfather might look intimidating at first, but he’s very kind.”
Cyrus glanced toward Warren’s enormous back.
“I can see that.”
Audra seemed to be making a deliberate effort to remove any possible awkwardness from his first visit.
Cyrus appreciated the intention.
It was probably unnecessary.
Large houses and wealthy families did not make him especially nervous.
People were still people.
Some simply owned larger dining rooms.
Soon they entered the main part of the estate.
Cyrus had barely finished looking around when his attention was captured by the dining table.
There was far too much food.
Several dishes covered the table, ranging from meat and seafood to vegetables, soups, and smaller sides.
Cyrus’s eyes moved from one plate to another.
For a moment, the size of the house became much less interesting.
The meal looked excellent.
Only three people actually sat down to eat.
Warren, Audra, and Cyrus.
Cyrus quickly discovered why the amount of food had not concerned the household staff.
Warren ate enough for multiple people by himself.
Cyrus silently looked at the older man’s height and build.
That explained a lot.
Then he remembered how many staff members he had seen since arriving.
For a family living like this, preparing more food than necessary probably did not register as unusual.
This was simply what wealthy people considered normal.
The Sloane family apparently preferred quieter meals.
There was little conversation while they ate.
Only a few casual remarks passed between them.
From those scattered exchanges, Cyrus learned that Warren had returned only recently after spending a long period traveling.
Warren also openly expressed that he was happy Audra had made another friend.
Cyrus could understand why.
Audra did not seem like someone surrounded by close relationships.
He was also glad that the two of them had become friends.
His reasons were not entirely sentimental.
The glamourkin ring mattered too much for him to pretend otherwise.
Cyrus took another bite, then unexpectedly looked across the table at Audra.
A thought occurred to him.
If Warren was away for months at a time, and Cyrus obviously did not normally visit, did Audra usually eat alone in this enormous house?
The dining area itself felt larger than his entire apartment.
Eating by yourself here every day sounded strangely dull.
Cyrus imagined Audra sitting at this oversized table with no one else around.
Maybe wealthy families had their own kinds of inconveniences.
He wondered what it would feel like to suffer from those someday.
Cyrus decided he would gladly try.
Once lunch ended, Warren invited both of them into his study.
Cyrus followed without hesitation.
The room was lined with bookshelves.
Some shelves carried ordinary books, while others held journals, field notes, old volumes, and objects Cyrus could not immediately identify.
Warren walked to one shelf and casually removed a familiar book.
He opened it as though the choice had been random.
“From what Audra told me, you already know a little about rare-bloods.”
Cyrus nodded.
“I know some things.”
He did not see much reason to hide that anymore.
Warren looked at him.
A faintly thoughtful expression passed through the older man’s eyes.
Cyrus was having a similar reaction for a different reason.
He knew that book.
He had borrowed it before.
More importantly, he remembered the author’s name printed on it.
Warren Sloane.
Cyrus looked from the book to the man holding it.
Audra’s grandfather was Warren Sloane.
The author was also Warren Sloane.
That was probably not a coincidence.
Cyrus had wondered before who possessed enough knowledge and access to write so extensively about rare-bloods.
Apparently the answer had been sitting much closer than expected.
Audra watched the silent exchange from beside him.
She did not interrupt.
Instead, she stood and walked toward another shelf.
From among the carefully arranged objects, she took down a small box marked with unusual patterns.
Cyrus’s attention shifted immediately.
He recognized the kind of object this conversation was truly about.