The Stars Over Bittergate Bay

Chapter 8

8

S idney put his clothes back on before they’d made it to the marina, and didn’t say anything to Jonas as they got off the boat and into the truck.

Sidney was mortified. He’d let his fantasies get the better of him. Again. Jonas wasn’t Mark. He hadn’t crafted some perfect persona specifically meant to woo Sidney. He was Karolina’s brother. A real person who didn’t deserve to be mauled because Sidney couldn’t control his urges. It was a relief, primarily to Sidney’s ego, that his business with Jonas Rookwood was done.

Except. Except, if Sidney was going to research these other celestial skies, Jonas Rookwood’s library seemed like the most logical place to begin. And if he was really going to try and build his dissertation around what he’d charted, he would need a better understanding of these different realms and what they meant. And, well, Jonas had kissed him back.

The thought of it, the way Jonas’s hand had felt in the back of Sidney’s hair, the heat and the hunger of it made Sidney’s heart beat faster. He stared out the passenger side window as the sky turned a darker shade of grey over the bay. Sidney swallowed.

“You said there’s a phone at the big house?” Sidney’s voice was rougher than he’d anticipated.

“Yes.” Jonas sounded perfectly even. Unbothered. Maybe this sort of thing happened to him all the time. The thought made Sidney blush all over again.

“Do you mind dropping me off?” Sidney asked as they rattled over the hill. “I need to make a call.”

The foyer of Elmmond House was long and imposing. The floor was striped with light from open doors and hallways that sprouted off in all directions. A tall set of stairs was made of dark wood and lined with plush navy carpet that flooded down to the front door like a river. A grand tapestry in deep blues and greens hung above the mezzanine, where Sidney briefly thought he heard footsteps, though he saw no one.

“The nearest phone is in the first parlor on the right,” Jonas had said, as Sidney hopped out of the passenger seat. “Verne’s the head butler. Just tell him you’re a guest of mine, if you see him.”

There didn’t seem to be anyone there, and Sidney was a little surprised that the front door had been unlocked. He found the parlor easily enough: a quaint room, all done up in various shades of sage. Along the same wall as the door stood a telephone table, matching stool tucked beneath it. The window directly across from Sidney had a lovely view of the garden cottage, and Sidney watched as Jonas parked the truck.

When Sidney lifted the receiver, the operator picked up almost immediately. There was a soft electrical hum while they connected Sidney to the Holyworth College Astronomy Department, the extension for which Sidney thankfully knew from memory.

He waited, wondering if he was about to make a colossal mistake. He was done in Hindry. He had his answer. He ought to go home.

Before he could hang up, the Astronomy Department secretary picked up the phone, cracking her gum in Sidney’s ear twice, before agreeing to see if Karolina was available to take his call. The hold music was a particularly awful recording of the marching band playing “Hail the Holyworth Heroes,” and Sidney lowered the receiver to his shoulder, stepping back as far as the cord allowed to grant him a better look at the adjacent bookcase.

“Hello?” Sidney lifted the phone to his ear, relieved to hear Karolina’s voice.

“Karolina.”

“Sidney. Is everything alright?” He laughed before he could stop himself.

“There are other realms, Karolina.” A pause. Sidney’s fingers closed around the phone cord. He watched Jonas walk around the side of the cottage toward the garden.

“He told you then?”

“You could have told me.” Sidney tried not to think too much about the embarrassment that might have saved him. “You didn’t tell me you had a brother.”

“It didn’t come up! And he’s far more invested in the scholarship of it than I am. You know what my field of expertise is.”

“Well, he’s certainly not telling me everything.”

“There’s a bit to it, Sidney.”

“I’m beginning to see that,” Sidney huffed. He could almost hear her smile.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Sidney said honestly. She was flipping through papers.

“Why don’t you stay until the Ascension, at least.”

“The Ascension?” Sidney frowned. “What’s that?” She hesitated. Sidney rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me to ask Jonas.” Karolina sighed.

“When the planets in three celestial skies fall into alignment, the barriers between realms become thinner, and in certain places portals open up.”

“What?” Sidney demanded. “Portals?”

“I’m not sure I can be much clearer than that. You ought to ask?—”

“No. Wait.” Sidney held up a hand as though Karolina was in front of him and took a breath. “What you’re telling me is that the planets in other celestial skies can come into alignment with the planets in our sky and they have some concrete impact on life here on earth?”

“Uh, I suppose. But it’s not that big of a deal. It happens every year.”

“Jonas knows about it, then?” Sidney pressed.

“It would be hard for him not to. There’s a big house party held at Elmmond every year to celebrate.”

“I see.”

“Did he not mention it to you?” Karolina didn’t sound surprised. She did sound tired. Sidney let his silence speak for itself. “Look, try not to take it personally?—”

“I wouldn’t, if I hadn’t asked him that exact question last night, and he shrugged and said ‘I dunno.’”

“Jonas has his reasons,” Karolina said simply. “Look, if it’s going to help your dissertation to be there and use his library, do it. I can cover your classes until the Ascension. It’s not far off. A week, I think.”

“I don’t think he wants me here. And I don’t want to be an imposition.” And we just kissed!

“Ignore him, Sidney. Do your research. See if you can find something salvageable in the project. You know you won’t be able to let it go if you don’t try.” She was right, of course. Likely, she was the only person Sidney knew who thought of his stubbornness as a good thing. “Alright?”

“Everything I’ve read says interdimensional studies aren’t taken seriously.”

“Well, if anyone can change that, Sidney, it’ll be you.”

It was a nice sentiment, even if it didn’t help much. Sidney said goodbye to Karolina and slid out of Elmmond House just as quietly as he’d slid into it. Until halfway down the steps when Delilah appeared in front of him out of thin air. He screamed and nearly fell down.

“Christ alive!”

“Sorry!” Her apology was at odds with the width of her smile. “What were you doing?”

“Making a call,” Sidney said. He took a breath to steady himself and started for the cottage. Lord. Magical creatures. Sidney glanced at Delilah, who seemed content to float along at his side. If she was going to hover around, then perhaps she might be open to a conversation.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” she said merrily.

“Are you magic? Or were you magic?”

“Ghosts are a bit of a grey area, no pun intended.” Delilah cringed exaggeratedly. Sidney chuckled. “We do gain strength from interacting with humans, which is also how other magical creatures get their magic. Fae like to make deals and do tricks and the like. Demons have their crossroad dealings and soul sales. Ghosts remain earthside through the consistency of their interactions with other humans.”

“So, if you stopped talking to people, you’d pass over?” Sidney asked. Delilah shrugged.

“Likely so. But I don’t know. I’m still having a bit of fun here.”

“You must’ve died quite young,” Sidney observed. Then he winced. “Sorry, was that rude?”

“Maybe, but I don’t mind. I was nineteen. In way over my head with the magical creatures. It’s a sordid tale, really.” They’d reached the front steps of the garden cottage, and Delilah looked up at the window on the second floor. Sidney followed her gaze. It was on the opposite side of the house from the guest room, but he couldn’t see anything remarkable about it. Delilah smiled at Sidney.

“Has Jonas shown you the big telescope yet?” Sidney ignored the heat that immediately colored his cheeks at the thought of Jonas’s big telescope and shook his head.

“What big telescope?”

“Like that bitty one you’ve been using, but much larger, and with far more of those colorful lenses that make the sky look different. It’s on his balcony upstairs. I can show you if you like.” The last thing Sidney needed was to sneak around in Jonas Rookwood’s bedroom. At the same time, he was a little annoyed with the man for lying to him the night before.

“Shouldn’t we ask Jonas first?”

“He’s out in the garden still, and he won’t care a bit. You really ought to see it before you go.”

“I’m not sure I am going,” Sidney replied. He stepped forward and opened the door of the cottage, letting Delilah glide through first. She giggled.

“Such a gentleman. Come on, then.”