“Normally, each species minds its own business. And normally we wouldn't even talk to each other, because you're a Quatura, and I'm a Senseque.”
What a poor excuse. Here I was being pigeonholed again.
“First of all, I'm not one of them.”
He laughed.
“What?” I asked demandingly.
“It's just funny how we both don't want to belong to our species. And believe me... Life here can really suck. Once you belong somewhere, you have duties to fulfill.”
The last thing I wanted to do was fulfill any duties for this sect.
I wondered whether such a wolf pack also functioned like a cult, whether they had their own temple and also performed such rituals at the full moon. I wondered if they howled at the moon together.
“Do you transform on the full moon?”
Julian's expression became more serious. “Normally, we do. I don't.”
I raised my eyebrows questioningly.
“There's a plant that was originally used against us by the Quatura that weakens us. Wolfsbane. If you use it on a regular basis, you won't have to turn.”
The Quatura had used it against the Senseque? What was going on here that they hated each other so much?
I sighed. “It's a good thing I'll be gone soon and won't have anything to do with all of this.”
“You're not leaving.”
“I will.”
Julian raised both eyebrows. “You're so stubborn.”
“I'm an ungifted,” I said firmly.
I didn't belong and would soon forget everything.
“You don't smell, which is extremely strange, but you have gifts.”
“I don't smell?” Stunned, I looked at him. “You sniffed at me?”
Maybe he would remain my strange neighbor after all.
“No!” He raised his hands defensively. The grin was back. “We can smell everyone, even from hundreds of meters away. But there are so many species in Blairville that it's sometimes confusing.”
I relaxed a little. “And I don't smell like...witch?”
“No,” he said. “But that doesn't mean anything, apparently, as long as you have a gift. It's just unusual to me, because normally one can be recognized by his scent.”
So, their senses were very heightened and even nuanced... But I didn't quite understand about the gift.
Julian seemed to want to say something, but left it at that.
“Okay, one last question...” I changed the subject. “What's keeping you here?”
Julian swallowed and looked at his hands again. “My family.”
And that opened up so many more questions for me to ask. But he was just my neighbor. And I shouldn't be so rude as to pester him with all these questions.
“Julian!” Mr. Bardot's voice came from the garden. “What are you doing there again? The girl can hardly get a break from you.”
Julian's father gave me a friendly wave, and I greeted him back with a grin.
“Tell your mother that we'll do a bit of work in your garden later.” I nodded before looking at his son. “And you come down now and eat something. I hardly ever see you at the dinner table anymore.”
Then Mr. Bardot disappeared around the corner of the house again.
“Listen to your father,” I laughed, and Julian ran his hand through his hair with a grin.
“I'll see you in the morning,” he said and stood up. Then he jumped down from the window onto the ground and disappeared into the garden.
I shook my head.
That man...
Tomorrow, he would drive me to university again.
Mum hadn't managed to get me there yet, let alone pick me up. She worked very long hours and seemed to be absorbed in it. And I was beginning to wonder what exactly she was working on...
