Read Online Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachel Caine
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formula youâve already created.ââ What Amelie meant, in that queen-cool way, was that if Claire spilled the beans, sheâd end up dead. Or worse.
ââYes,ââ Claire said faintly. ââI understand. About my parentsâââ
ââThey are safe enough,ââ Amelie said. That wasnât the same thing as saying they were safe. ââYou will not see Mr. Bishop for the time being. If you happen to see his two associates, be polite, but donât fear; they are well in hand.ââ
Maybe by Amelieâs standards. Claire was a little bit more worried. ââOkay,ââ she said doubtfully. ââIf anything happensâââ
ââDiscuss it with Oliver,ââ Amelie said. ââCuriously, I find the differences between us lessened dramatically once my sire paid a visit. Nothing like a common enemy to unite squabbling neighbors.ââ She paused for a moment, and then said, almost awkwardly, ââYou and your friends? You are well?ââ
Weâre doing small talk now? Claire shivered. ââYeah, weâre fine. Thank you.ââ
ââGood.ââ Amelie hung up. Claire mouthed a silent Oooo-kay, and pocketed the phone.
As she was leaving, she saw Eve at the barista station, staring blankly at the levers as she worked. The happy glow hadnât returned. In fact, she looked grim. And scared.
Dammit. Why did I ruin her day like that? I should have just blown him off, the little psycho.
Claire checked her watch, snagged her backpack, and jogged off to her lab class.
When she met Dr. Mills later that afternoon, she did it at the hospital, in his office. He was a medium sort of guyâmedium tall, medium age, medium coloring. He had a nice smile, which seemed to promise that everything would be okay, and despite the fact that Claire knew it was total fiction, she smiled back.
ââHave a seat, Claire,ââ he said, and indicated one of the blue club chairs in front of his desk. Behind him were floor-to-ceiling bookshelvesâmedical references in matching bindings, with some newer off-brand volumes thrown in for variety. Dr. Mills had stacks of magazines and photocopied articles on one corner of the desk, and a teetering set of patient files on the other. A framed photo faced away from Claire, so she couldnât see if he had a family. He had a wedding ring, though.
Dr. Mills didnât speak immediately; he leaned back in his leather chair, steepled his fingers, and looked at her for a while. She fought against the urge to squirm, but couldnât keep her fingers from restlessly picking at the fabric of her jeans.
ââI knew you were young,ââ he said finally, ââbut I admit, Iâm even more surprised now. Youâre sixteen?ââ
ââSeventeen in a few weeks,ââ Claire said. She was getting resigned to having this conversation with every single adult in Morganville. She ought to just record it and play it back every time she met somebody new.
ââWell, from the notes that Amelie has provided to me, you have a very solid grasp of what youâre doing. I donât think Iâll be so much directing your research as helping you execute your experiments. Where I see opportunities to add some value, I will. Obviously, the labs here at the hospital have much more sophisticated equipment than I imagine you haveâwherever you developed your initial crystals.ââ He flipped through the large folder open in the center of his desk, and Claire saw photocopies of her own neat handwriting. Her notes, which sheâd provided to Amelie. ââI took the liberty of making up a set of crystals based on your formula, using the facilities in our labs. I found that if you accelerate the drying process with heat, you can increase the strength of the dosage by about
ââYes,ââ Claire said faintly. ââI understand. About my parentsâââ
ââThey are safe enough,ââ Amelie said. That wasnât the same thing as saying they were safe. ââYou will not see Mr. Bishop for the time being. If you happen to see his two associates, be polite, but donât fear; they are well in hand.ââ
Maybe by Amelieâs standards. Claire was a little bit more worried. ââOkay,ââ she said doubtfully. ââIf anything happensâââ
ââDiscuss it with Oliver,ââ Amelie said. ââCuriously, I find the differences between us lessened dramatically once my sire paid a visit. Nothing like a common enemy to unite squabbling neighbors.ââ She paused for a moment, and then said, almost awkwardly, ââYou and your friends? You are well?ââ
Weâre doing small talk now? Claire shivered. ââYeah, weâre fine. Thank you.ââ
ââGood.ââ Amelie hung up. Claire mouthed a silent Oooo-kay, and pocketed the phone.
As she was leaving, she saw Eve at the barista station, staring blankly at the levers as she worked. The happy glow hadnât returned. In fact, she looked grim. And scared.
Dammit. Why did I ruin her day like that? I should have just blown him off, the little psycho.
Claire checked her watch, snagged her backpack, and jogged off to her lab class.
When she met Dr. Mills later that afternoon, she did it at the hospital, in his office. He was a medium sort of guyâmedium tall, medium age, medium coloring. He had a nice smile, which seemed to promise that everything would be okay, and despite the fact that Claire knew it was total fiction, she smiled back.
ââHave a seat, Claire,ââ he said, and indicated one of the blue club chairs in front of his desk. Behind him were floor-to-ceiling bookshelvesâmedical references in matching bindings, with some newer off-brand volumes thrown in for variety. Dr. Mills had stacks of magazines and photocopied articles on one corner of the desk, and a teetering set of patient files on the other. A framed photo faced away from Claire, so she couldnât see if he had a family. He had a wedding ring, though.
Dr. Mills didnât speak immediately; he leaned back in his leather chair, steepled his fingers, and looked at her for a while. She fought against the urge to squirm, but couldnât keep her fingers from restlessly picking at the fabric of her jeans.
ââI knew you were young,ââ he said finally, ââbut I admit, Iâm even more surprised now. Youâre sixteen?ââ
ââSeventeen in a few weeks,ââ Claire said. She was getting resigned to having this conversation with every single adult in Morganville. She ought to just record it and play it back every time she met somebody new.
ââWell, from the notes that Amelie has provided to me, you have a very solid grasp of what youâre doing. I donât think Iâll be so much directing your research as helping you execute your experiments. Where I see opportunities to add some value, I will. Obviously, the labs here at the hospital have much more sophisticated equipment than I imagine you haveâwherever you developed your initial crystals.ââ He flipped through the large folder open in the center of his desk, and Claire saw photocopies of her own neat handwriting. Her notes, which sheâd provided to Amelie. ââI took the liberty of making up a set of crystals based on your formula, using the facilities in our labs. I found that if you accelerate the drying process with heat, you can increase the strength of the dosage by about
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