Vance Abernathy – Arietem House
Hearing his name, or a familiarly butchered approximation thereof, Vance drew to an immediate halt. The young Beauregard’s way with words (he remembered Hardy once remarking that it was more like Lee had his way with words, rather than a way with them, and the very faintest of smiles twitched to life on his full lips) was unmistakable. He glanced over his shoulder, locking his pernicious green gaze on Lee, and then cocked his head in the direction of the exit he’d been about to take.
”Please join me, Lee. There’s something we must discuss.” As always, his tone was as chilled and aristocratic as wine in a Venator cellar. He didn’t wait any longer than that, instead simply facing forward once more and continuing his stride where he’d left off. Perhaps I should get a leash for him. His nose wrinkled just slightly. No doubt, Lee would take that brand of gift in utterly the wrong way. While he wasn’t moving particularly fast, he didn’t slow either, leaving it to Lee to catch up with him.
When Lee inevitably did draw up alongside him, he pressed his lips into a thin smile directed at the younger wizard. He’d grown a bit over the summer, but still looked decidedly boyish, Vance noted. That coupled with his behavior made Lee eminently hard to take seriously. He wasn’t aware of anyone who did, at any rate. It was exactly what he was counting on. That, and the sort of unswerving loyalty predicated upon teenage lust.
”How was your summer?” he asked breezily, still bound for the Arietem common room. They could dispense with pleasantries along the walk. The real purpose of their conversation could wait for a bit more privacy. His hands were still clasped behind his back, one pallid flesh, the other covered in gleaming black scale. If Lee gave Vance the same post-summer inspection he’d gotten, he’d likely note the same hint of sullenness that Myra had. Tricky though it was to see in the Abernathy’s aloof demeanor, something had changed in the interval between school years.