The Curse of the Wolf Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

seemed to be favored by the MacRinnalchs. Kalix was now almost eighteen, but since she’d regained her health, she looked younger.
* * *
     
    Kalix stood hesitantly on the doorstep, looking up at Dominil, who was tall for a MacRinnalch woman. Though she liked Dominil, Kalix was a little nervous of her. Besides, Kalix was not the sort of person to stride confidently into anyone’s house. She’d faced too much rejection and hostility in her life to feel confident about her welcome. They looked at each other without expression. Kalix was too shy to smile, and Dominil rarely did. The awkwardness continued as they walked through to the twins’ living room.
    “You’ll notice that the twins’ liking for mess hasn’t changed,” said Dominil.
    Kalix nodded. She knew the untidiness offended Dominil. No doubt it was partly for this reason that the white-haired werewolf had chosen to stay at the apartment provided for her by Verasa rather than with the twins. Kalix didn’t know where Dominil’s flat was. Possibly no one did, apart from Verasa. Dominil wasn’t forthcoming on personal details.
    “Have you organized any more gigs?” asked Kalix, in an attempt to make conversation before coming to the real point of her visit.
    “Not yet. I could, but first I’d like to introduce some order into their chaotic lives. I’ve put their website up with some music for people to listen to. I’ve got an agent interested in them, which will help us get more gigs.”
    As always, Kalix was impressed by Dominil’s endeavors. When Dominil had first arrived in London, she’d been displeased to find the sisters even more degenerate and disorganized than their reputation suggested. Despite this, Dominil had swiftly managed to galvanize their careers. She’d managed to reunite their band and get them on stage in the space of a few weeks, something none of their many acquaintances in Camden would have thought possible. The gig had been a success. Unfortunately it had been followed by a ferocious battle during which many werewolves died. Still, the twins had played well.
    Dominil fetched a bottle of whisky from a cabinet. The MacRinnalch malt, distilled on the clan estates in Scotland, was an exclusive drink, available only to the clan. The MacRinnalchs used it as a traditional token of hospitality towards guests. Kalix accepted a glass of whisky gratefully. She’d been drinking the MacRinnalch whisky from a young age. Too young an age, even by the standards of the MacRinnalch werewolves, which were not quite the same as those of their human neighbors.
    “Sit down,” said Dominil.
    Kalix sat down.
    “What did you want to talk to me about?”
    Kalix looked at her feet, and felt uncomfortable. She noticed that her boots were in a poor state. She supposed she could buy a new pair if she kept on accepting the allowance from her mother, though her mother would stop sending her money if she left college.
    After a pause of only a few seconds, Dominil spoke again. “Please get to the point quickly. I have things to do.”
    Kalix flushed. Rather unwillingly, she dragged an envelope from the pocket of her long overcoat.
    “I got a letter,” she said. “It’s from Gawain.”
    Kalix fell silent.
    “And?” asked Dominil.
    Kalix’s face went bright red with embarrassment. She stared down at the floor.
    “I take it you are unable to read the letter?” asked Dominil. She rose and plucked the letter from Kalix’s hand.
    Kalix continued to stare at her feet, intensely ashamed that her reading skills were so poor. Though she’d made some progress in recent months, the close handwritten script of Gawain’s letter had completely defeated her. Kalix was unwilling to take this problem to either of her roommates. It was too personal. She’d much rather not have shown it to anyone, but after agonizing over it for days, she’d realized that she had no choice. Either she asked someone to read it to her or she’d never know what was in it. At least