The Return: Midnight Chapter 26

Now you know how its done?Elena asked Meredith. You put the key in the keyhole and say w here(predicate) you exigency to go.Then open the door and go through. Thats it.You three go first,Stefan added. And quick.Il turn the key,Meredith told Matt. You take care of Mrs. Flowers.Just then Elena thought of some(prenominal)thing that she didnt want to say aloud, only to Stefan. notwithstanding she and he were physical y so close, she knew he would pick it up. Saber she thought to Stefan. We cant leave him to these malachWe wont, she renderd Stefans voice in her head say. I showed him the way to Matts contribute, and told him to go in that location and take Talon and protect the people who will be coming.At the same time Matt was saying, Oh, my theology Saber He saved my life I cant unspoiled leave him.Already taken care of,Stefan reassured him and Elena patted him on the back. Hel be at your house in a little opus, and if you go somewhere else hel track you.Elena turned her pats into gentle pushes. Be goodMatt Honeycutts bedroom in Fel s Church,Meredith said, lagger the key at the door handle, and opening the door.She and Mrs. Flowers and Matt al stepped forward. The door shut.Stefan turned to Elena. Im going first,he said flatly. But Im holding on to you. Im non going to let you go.Never let me go, never let me go,Elena whispered in an imitation of Misaos Have nightmares.Then she had a thought.Slave braceletsWhat?Stefan said. Then, Oh, I remember, you told me. But what are they supposed to look like?Like any two bracelets, matching if possible.Elena was scrambling around the back of the room, where furniture was piled up, opening drawers, closing them. cum on, bracelets Come on This house is supposed to pass everythingWhat ab bug out these things you wear in your hair?Stefan asked. Elena looked back and he tossed her a bag of soft cotton ponytail holders.Youre a genius They wont even hurt my wrists. And here are two white ones so theyl matchElena said happily.They arranged themselves in front of the door, with Stefan to Elenas left so he could see what was out there before they stepped in. He also had a firm grip on Elenas left arm.Wherever our friend becoming McCul ough is,Stefan said, and thrust the key into the lockless door handle, turning it. Then, after giving Elena the key, he gingerly opened the door.Elena wasnt sure what she was expecting. A blaze of light maybe, as they traveled through dimensions. Some kind of spiraling tunnel, or shooting stars. At to the lowest degree a feeling of motion.What she got was steam. It soaked through her T-shirt and dampened her hair.And then she got noise.Elena Eleeeeeeeeeeeeeeena Youre here Elena recognized the voice but couldnt locate the screamer in the steam.Then she saw an immense bathtub made of tiles of malachite, and a frightened-looking girl tending a charcoal fire at the baths foot, while two other young attendants holding scrubbing brushes and pumice stones cowered against the other wal .And in the bath was sightly It was demonstrable that the tub was very deep, because Bonnie wasnt able to touch bottom in the middle but she was half-leaping out of the water like a foam-c all overed dolphin over and over to attract attention.There you are,gasped Elena. She dropped to her knees on a thick, soft blue rug. Bonnie made a spectacular leap and just for a bit Elena could feel a smal soapy, stewy body in her arms.Then Bonnie went down again and came up laughing.And is that Stefan? Its Stefan Stefan, hello Helloooo Stefan glanced back, as if trying to assess the suds situation. He seemed satisfied with it, turned slightly, and waved.Hey, Bonnie?he asked, voice muffled by the sounds of continual splashing. Where are we?Its bird Ulmas house Youre right youre al in effect(p)She turned a smal applyful face to Elena. Wheres Meredith?Elena shook her head, thinking of al the things about Meredith that Bonnie didnt know yet. Well, she decided, this wasnt the time to mention them. She had to stay behind, to protect Fel s Church.Oh,Bonnie looked down, troubled. Stillbad, is it?You wouldnt believe it. Real y its indescribable. Thats where Matt and Mrs. Flowers and Meredith are. Im sorry.No, Im just so glad to see you Oh my God, but youre hurt.She was looking at the smal tooth wounds on Elenas arm, and the blood on her torn T-shirt. Il get out and hey, no, you get in Theres plenty of room plenty of hot water, and plenty of clothes Lady Ulma even designed some for us, for when we came backElena, smiling reassuringly at the bath girls, was already stripping as fast as she could. The tub, which was big enough for six to swim in, looked too expansive to miss and, she efforted, it made sense to be clean when you greeted your hostess.Go have fun,she shouted to Stefan. Is Damon here?she added in a whispered aside to Bonnie, who nodded.Damons here, too,Elena caroled. If you find Lady Ulma, tel her Elenas coming, but shes getting washed up first .She didnt actual y dive into the pearl pink steaming water, but she got onto the second step down and let herself slide from there.Instantly, she was immersed in delicious heat that seeped straight into her body, pul ing some magic string that relaxed al her muscles at once. Perfumes suffused the air. She flung her wet hair back and saw Bonnie laughing at her.So you got out of your hole and youve been here wal owing in luxury while weve been worried sick?Elena couldnt help but hear the way her voice went up at the end, making it a question.No, I got picked up by some people, and Bonnie broke off. Wellthe first few days were tough, but never mind.Thank God we got to Lady Ulmas in the end. Want a bath brush? Some soap that smel s just like roses?Elena was looking at Bonnie with slightly narrowed eyes.She knew that Bonnie would do just about anything for Damon. That included covering up for him. Delicately, al the while enjoying the brushes and unguents and many kinds of soaps laid o ut on a shelf for easy reach, she began an inquisition.Stefan got out of the steamy room before he was soaking wet. Bonnie was safe and Elena was happy. He found he had stepped into another room, in which were a number of couches made of some soft spongy material. For drying?Massage? Who knew?The next room he entered had gas lanterns that were turned high enough to rival electrical light. Here were three more couches he had no idea what for a ful -length silvered-glass mirror, and smal er mirrors in front of chairs. Obviously a place for makeup and beautifying.This last room opened onto a hal way. Stefan stepped out and hesitated, spreading delicate tendrils of Power in disparate directions, hoping to find Damon before Damon noticed his presence in the estate. The Master Key had proved that it could overcome the fact that he hadnt been invited here. That meant that maybe he couldAt that min he got a hit, and withdrew his probe immediately, startled. He stared down the long corri dor. He could actual y see Damon, pacing in the room at the end, lecture to someone Stefan couldnt see behind the door.Stefan crept very quietly down the hal way, stalking. He made it to the door without his brother even noticing, and there he saw that the soul Damon was talking to was a woman wearing what looked like buckskin breeches and shirt, who had weathered skin, and a general aura of being more at home out of doors civilization than inside it. Damon was saying,Make sure there are enough warm clothes for the girl. Shes not exactly hardy, you know Then where are you winning her and why?Stefan asked, leaning against the doorjamb.He had the good fortune to once just this once take Damon unaware. His brother glanced up, and then jerked like a startled cat. It was valuable to watch Damon scrambling for a mask until he decided on the fa?ade of absent amiability. Stefan guessed that no one had ever put so much driveway into walking over to a desk chair, sitting down, and f orcing himself to lounge.Well, well Little brother You dropped in for a visit Hownice. What a pity, though, that Im practical y running out the door on a journey, and theres no room for you.At this point the weather-beaten woman who had been taking notes and who had risen when Stefan entered the room spoke up. Oh, no, my lord. The thurgs wont mind the spear carrier weight of this gentleman. They probably wont notice it.If his baggage can be ready by tomorrow you can start out in the early break of day just as you planned.Damon gave her his best shut up or dieglare. She shut up.Through clenched teeth, Damon managed to say, This is Pelat. Shes the coordinator of our little expedition. Hel o, Pelat. Good-bye, Pelat. You may go.As you wish, my lord.Pelat bowed and left.Arent you taking this my lordthing a bit too seriously?Stefan asked. And what is that costume youre wearing?Its the uniform of the captain of the guard of Madame le Princess Jessalyn DAubigne,Damon said coldly.You got a job?It was a position.Damon bare his teeth. And its none of your business.Got your canines back, too, I see.And thats none of your business either. But if you want me to knock you out and trample over your undead body, Il be delighted to oblige.Something was wrong, Stefan thought. Damon should be through the bait phase and be actual y trampling on him by now. It only made sense ifIve already spoken to Bonnie,he said. And so he had, to ask where he was. But to a guilty mind, apparent foreknowledge often worked wonders.And Damon hastily said exactly what Stefan hoped he wouldnt. I can pardonOh, God,Stefan said.If shed just done as I told her While you were off becoming a princesss captain of the guard? And she was where?She was safe, at least But, no, she had to go out into the lane and then to that shop Shocking She actual y walked in the street?Damon ground his teeth. You dont know how it is around here or how the slave trade works. either day Stefan slammed both hands on the desk, now truly angry.She was picked up by slavers? While you were sleazing around with a princess?Princess Jessalyn does not sleaze,Damon replied icily.Nor do I. And anyway it al turned out to be a good thing because now we know where the Seven Kitsune Treasures are.What treasures? And who cares about treasures when theres a town being destroyed by kitsune?Damon opened his mouth, shut it, then looked narrowly at Stefan. You said that youd talked to Bonnie about al this.I did talk to Bonnie,Stefan said flatly. I said hel o.Damons down(p) eyes flared. For a moment Stefan thought he was going to snarl or start a fight. But then, through clenched teeth, he said, Its al for the damned town, dont you see that? Those treasures include the largest star bal ever to be fil ed with Power. And that Power may be enough to save Fel s Church. At least to stop its total annihilation. Maybe to even clear out every malach that exists and destroy Shinichi and Misao with a single blow. Is that noble enough for you, little brother? Is it reason enough?But taking Bonnie You stay with her here if you like Spend your lives here I might mention that without her I would never have been able to set up an expedition, and that shes determined to go.Besides, were not coming back this way. There has to be an easier route from the Gatehouse to Earth. We wouldnt survive coming back, so youd better hope like hel that there is one.Stefan was surprised. He had never heard his brother speak with such passion about anything that involved humans. He was about to reply, when behind him there came a scream of pure, unadulterated rage. It was frightening and worrying, too, because Stefan would recognize that voice anywhere, anytime. It was Elenas.