Katherine rubbed her sore wrists where the metals cuffs used to be, as her and Max strolled the long corridors to the font exit of the Council building. She wondered how she was able to break them off without actively trying, perhaps it had something to do with the magic Dorian had given her. As soon as Dorian's magic had entered her blood, her body absorbed it making it her own but there had to be something more to it. Its advised not to share magic with someone who is not of the same blood, as magic can become more stable, or unpredictable making it harder to control causing serious damage to the witch and those near by. But the magic outburst she had in bathroom hadn't harmed anyone, and it worked in her favor removing the cuffs from her wrists.
Max hadn't said a word to her since she touched his face after collapsing on to him. Katherine's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment over her actions, she should have been more careful the last thing she needed was someone walking in on them and misunderstanding the situation.
Her trial would be the least of her worries.
Katherine and Max stepped out of the building greeted by the crisp evening wind atop of the steep stone steps leading out to the street. The gray clouds that had covered the sky had parted and scattered leaving behind little wisps that curled around the waxing crescent moon like smoke. Katherine closed her eyes taking in the cold stings of the air on her face, when Max broke the silence.
"I have a something to ask you," Max began with serious look on his as he rubbed his chin in thought. His calmness made Katherine's palms sweat, she couldn't figure him out, in the bathroom his demeanor had darkened in seconds, she had to keep her guard up at all times around him.
Max turned toward her completely, taking a deep inhale. When she turned toward him she could have sworn she had seen the corners of his mouth twitch upwards.
"Your place or mine?" Max asked tightening his lips as he tried to contain his smile but was unsuccessful letting out a boisterous laugh that echoed into the quiet night.
Katherine rubbed her temples in frustration, no wonder Sebastian had pawned him off on to her it was like babysitting a child. She wondered how far away she could stay from him before the tether ripped them apart as she started to descend the stone steps.
"Katherine!"
Katherine turned to the voice calling out behind her to see Mabel run out of the Council Building toward her.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," Mabel panted as she jogged passed Max not sparing him a single glance, "Geez you look like shit."
Katherine rolled her eyes at her sisters comment, she knew she looked haggard from her magic exploding half the bathroom but that didn't mean Mabel had to comment on it. Mabel snapped her fingers as she approached Katherine, healing the small punctures on Katherine's face from where her nails had dug into her skin.
"Thanks," Katherine mumbled awkwardly, it wasn't often Mabel healed her without inflicting a degree of pain first.
"Mother wishes to speak with you in the car," Mabel hesitated then continued, "Alone, obviously. I'll watch the dog."
Katherine slowly nodded her head, as she sighed internally making her way down the stairs to where the black car was waiting for her. She took one last glance behind her, Mabel hadn't moved from her place on the stairs and motioned with her hand for Katherine to keep going. Something was going on, Katherine was suspicious of how much her sisters seemed to have changed. Mabel racing her in the halls of the manor, and Adelaide hesitating over every word that exited her mouth. Marianne hadn't seemed all that different but Katherine couldn't shake this feeling of uneasiness she got whenever Marianne was around.
Katherine opened the back door to the long black car and slid herself onto the leather seat across from her mother. Sophia sat with her legs crossed and back straightened waiting patiently for Katherine to close the door.
"I have an errand for you," Sophia explained as she held out a piece of paper for Katherine to take, "I have a package waiting for me at this address, I need you to pick it up for me"
Katherine looked at the address on the paper and her eyes bulged. Her mother must have taken one too many strolls through the poppy fields because no way was she going all the way to the Human Realm to pick up her mothers' mail with a wolf tethered to her.
"This is the last chance you'll have to freely move between this realm and the human one," Sophia continued to look down on Katherine, "Why else would I convince Nikolai to move up your trial?"
Katherine didn't dare respond or move, she knew she didn't have a choice but to obey what her mother was asking of her. She just hoped Max won't try to stop her when she tells him they have an errand to run for her mother.
"You have until midnight before your papers are flagged, you have plenty of time to go there and come back," Sophia said taking out a circular compact mirror to put on a fresh coat of red lipstick, "The wolf shouldn't cause any problems, he seems simpleminded enough."
"Where should I bring the package once I have it?" Katherine asked bravely as folded up the paper and slipped it into her coat pocket.
Sophia stopped admiring herself in the small compact mirror to give Katherine a small glare.
"The Manor, of course, where else would you take it," Sophia asked condescendingly with raised brows.
Katherine didn't want to ask about Max coming on to the property but she also didn't want to deal with the coven coming after her if she brought a wolf into the neighborhood without approval. Katherine picked at her lip out of nervousness not knowing if now was the right time to ask.
"I gave my instructions now leave," Sophia commanded.
"Um… the wolf," Katherine mumbled, not able to formulate a whole sentence.
"Ugh I have to do everything myself ," Sophia complained, "Marianne was supposed to explain this all to you. You and the wolf may enter from the backside of the property through the forest. For exactly one hour the tether will weaken making it possible to be more than 50 meters apart, but only when you are on the Deighton property. The wolf is not allowed anywhere near the house, and he is to stay in the forest until you both exit."
Katherine exited the car without another word, stepping back out into the cold night. She was not looking forward to traversing the forest at the back of the property, at least she would have another person there with her. Katherine scrunched her face at the memory of her and Max meeting in the Seabright forest. She internally cringed at the thought of him on her dining table when she healed his wounds. Katherine turned toward the stairs where she had left Mabel and Max, but her eyes narrowed when she finally saw them.