Thaddeus's lips twisted sardonically. It cast his features into sharp prominence, giving me a brief glimpse of the handsome man he would become. "My body developed slowly. Not my mind."
"So you'll be starting college soon. Any idea which one you wish to attend?" I asked.
"I've been accepted into both Harvard and Yale," he said quietly. "Mom and Dad were so proud."
"That's an amazing opportunity," I forced myself to say. "If you wish to go, I'll pay for your tuition. You could come to New Orleans on vacations and during the summer."
"That's generous of you, but Mom and Dad already put enough away in my education fund to cover everything. I haven't decided yet where I'll go. We'll see."
That night, if some of us heard a few sniffs, a few half-muffled sobs, we didn't comment on it.
Thaddeus was up at noon the next day, his quiet movements downstairs drawing me from my own bed. I silently dressed in the jeans and T-shirt I had reverted back to, and slipped out the room, leaving Tersa and Rosemary still fast asleep.
Thaddeus's eyes were grim and reddened and the skin around them puffy, but his voice was steady as he called and made arrangements to have his parents' bodies transported to a local funeral home. He arranged to meet with the funeral director in an hour to discuss funeral and burial arrangements, contacted the family attorney and scheduled an appointment with him several hours later. There were numerous other details to take care of and he handled them all with a confidence and maturity far beyond his years. He gathered information on how to obtain copies of the death certificate that he would need from the hospital, typed up a moving account of his parents' lives and accomplishments, and faxed it to the funeral director who in turn would pass it to the local newspaper to use in the obituary notice.
Remembering my promise, I awoke Amber and Gryphon and let them know Thaddeus and I were going out. Amber accompanied us while Gryphon remained behind with the others.
We swung by the medical center to pick up the copies of the death certificates first, then went on to the funeral home. Thaddeus chose the most expensive coffins and plots, and decided upon a closed-coffin arrangement. I he memorial service and burial were to be held the day after tomorrow. When the solemn-faced funeral director discreetly inquired about payment, Thaddeus pulled out a credit card and paid for everything in full.
"You didn't really need me," I murmured back in the car.
"It helped having you there, as well as the big guy. One look at him and nobody's going to try and take advantage of me just because I'm a kid."
Amber stoically ignored Thaddeus's comment.
The visit to the lawyer's office was just as efficiently handled. Mr. Compton, an attorney who specialized in estate planning, was a short, portly older gentleman, his lined, wise face one you instantly trusted. He had a copy of the Schiffer's will. To no one's surprise, it left everything to Thaddeus.
Thaddeus read and signed the various papers the lawyer put before him.
"A wise man, your father," Mr. Compton said, his fingers laced precisely on top of the will he had just read. "He had his affairs nicely in order. The house and car are paid off and your parents both had current life insurance policies and healthy retirement portfolios, all of which name you sole beneficiary. I'll just need ten copies of the death certificate before I can get started on the paperwork allowing you access to these funds and submit the claims to the life and car insurance companies."
Mr. Compton expressed no surprise when Thaddeus quietly handed him the copies of his parents death certificates.
"Efficient like your father," the lawyer said gruffly. "The government will take a sizable chunk out of your inheritance with the death tax, but not nearly the amount it would have taken, which would have been half, had your father not had the foresight to plan things. He came to me, you know, when he first adopted you. You made him—both of them—very happy."
Tears welled up in Thaddeus's eyes and only by sheer dint of will did not overflow. "Thank you, sir."
"You have access to a joint checking account in you and your father's name, do you not?" Mr. Crompton asked.
"Yes."
"Let me know if you need more," Mr. Crompton said. "It'll take several months for probate to clear."
"That's very kind of you, Mr. Crompton, but I have more than enough to meet my needs for now."
"Thaddeus."
"Yes, sir?"
"Your father was a friend as well as a client," the lawyer said with kind sincerity. "If you need anything, call me."
The moon was round and full, hanging like a pale globe in the sky as the ebbing day flowed like silver to the west. The others were already up and about when we returned, the men dressed and fully armed.
"Holy Christ!" Thaddeus exclaimed as Amber returned from the library with his own very long sword dangling at his side. "Is that a sword?"
"It's a Great Sword."
I wasn't sure if Thaddeus was more surprised by the weapon or by the fact that Amber had finally spoken to him.
"Can I get one of those?" Thaddeus asked.
Amber grunted noncommittally, heading for the kitchen.
"Was that a yes?" Thaddeus asked me.
"I think it was a maybe," I said, hiding my grin.
Aquila and Amber slipped quietly outside the back door.
"They're going to patrol the neighborhood and secure a good area for Basking tonight," Gryphon said, answering my silent query.
"Will you and Amber Bask, now that you no longer need to?" I asked.
"We no longer need to, but we would like do," Gryphon replied softly. "It is a joyous feeling when the light enters you, is it not?"
"Yes," I answered. But inwardly, frustration and worry seethed within me at the importune timing. It was as if even the very elements were conspiring to show Thaddeus how different we were, how foreign, how other. Even the moon.
How would Thaddeus react to the Basking? With wonder or fear? Would he feel left out? For that matter, how did Tersa and Jamie feel watching others experience what they would never know? Thaddeus might, one day, if his power grew, if he no longer suppressed it.
There was so much I hadn't told my brother. Our mother, for one thing. Wisely, he hadn't asked, perhaps sensing that if there had been anything good to tell, I would have told him already. I also hadn't mentioned the demon dead to him. There were enough frightening wonders Thaddeus had already witnessed in this short period of time.
"Can we? Can we, Mona Lisa?" Jamie asked, pulling me from my reverie. Thaddeus and Tersa were beside him, their eager, young faces all turned to me.
"What? I wasn't paying attention," I said.
"Chami agreed to instruct Thaddeus and the rest of us in the proper handling of a dagger if we had your consent," Tersa informed me. She spoke so rarely, much less asked anything, that I hated to deny her.
I looked to Thaddeus. "I'd hate to scar up the floor or damage anything in the house."
Thaddeus waved the objection away. "We'll practice in the living room. It's carpeted. And we'll be careful."
He looked so eager. "Very well…"
They whooped.
"… if you all promise to be very careful."
"Don't worry, little mother," Chami said, leaning like a slender shadow against the doorframe. "I'll take good care of them."
"I'll watch to ensure you do," I replied.
"Good. Maybe you'll learn something as well," Chami tossed cheekily over his shoulder.
I snarled and trailed after the excited kids.
"It's not just cut and slash, but an art," Chami lectured, as serious as any professor of academia once we were all assembled before him. Rosemary had been persuaded to join us as well, without too much protest. Tomas and Gryphon sprawled lazily on the sofa beside me, silent observers.
"You will be going up against warriors who have had basic knife training, years of experience behind them, and greater strength. The only way you can hope to defeat them is by being better. You must go beyond basic techniques and become masters of the blade," Chami told his enthralled students. "Fortunately you have a rare master artist up to the task, and at your disposal."