I had grabbed the ComMirror after only a few notes of 'Weird Science' played.
"Hi Dad," I greeted as my father's face came into focus. "It's good to hear from you!"
"It's nice to see you looking better Serafina."
I waved my hand dismissively. "I'm sturdy. Where's Mom?"
He looked amused. "Your mother should be back in a moment, tell me about this trip you went on today."
"There's not much to tell. I went to a museum and saw some stuff that some dead people owned."
"How delightfully mundane."
"Most of it was pretty boring. There were a few glowing things."
One thing in particular stood out in my memory. But how to bring it up with Dad? Or Mom for that matter.
"Your mother is getting restless waiting for that parent weekend."
I laughed, "It's shaping up to be an interesting time. Between the uh…family reunion element and the whole Dragon Tower thing."
He nodded, "I was wondering if your experience was the norm or if it was perhaps a holdover of your mother's luck."
"Definitely a holdover. My life doesn't happen to anyone else. But it's okay. I'm managing."
I hoped I was. I was sure I was getting somewhere. But I would make this work. I was making it work. Somehow.
"Is that Serafina?" My mother's voice called. "I have questions I need to ask her!"
Oh. That's why Dad called.
"I'm right here. What do you need?" I asked.
"Has your Tower Head told you anything about the parent weekend yet? I want to start making plans." She came into view behind Dad. Little flecks of pale yellow light fluttered around her. They reminded me of moths at this angle.
Plans? Why did she need to make plans?
"Vivian Hearth has told me nothing at this time."
"Of course not, she probably doesn't want us to commit until all the parents are done signing up to go. Paperwork slows everything down." Mom sighed dramatically.
"You have signed up, right?" I asked.
"Yes, she did. I made sure of it a week ago," Dad interrupted.
Because trusting Mom to do her own paperwork unsupervised was a recipe for not getting anything done. I wondered how much Lucinda-wrangling Vivian Hearth did when Mom worked here.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Probably the same amount Dad tended to do.
"I see that smirk Serafina," Mom's tone was a blend of accusatory and amused.
She probably knew where my thoughts were.
"Your daughter is making fun of me again," she told Dad.
Dad nodded. "As she should."
Mom made a fake offended sound. She wasn't upset in the slightest but she took joy in going through the motions of it.
"My own family, turned against me!"
Dad and I both rolled our eyes. Mom's theatrics were making me slightly homesick. I had almost started to miss this. But she would be here far too soon and also not soon enough.
"Since we have you here, tell me about how today went. Anything strange happen?" The hint of teasing in her voice was gone. It wasn't quite curiosity either. There was either something she was hoping I would tell her or that there was nothing to tell.
It was hard to say with Mom sometimes.
I wondered if she was like this when she was my age.
"Nothing too interesting. Saw Death's Echo," I told her.
Her flinch told me that Russel's story was either all true or close enough to the truth for me to trust.
Dad saw it too and looked between me and her. There was a questioning twitch of his eyebrow and then he sighed. "You forgot to tell her about the murder that got you kidnapped, didn't you?"
Mom had a very genuine and very sheepish look on her face.
"It's okay," I told her. "As for your question…" I drifted off as I tried to think about how to word it. "Actually, it might be better if you see them for yourself."
"Them?" Mom asked.
"The Echoes," I said. "Dragon Tower's big secret. The thing I mistook for a ghost. But they're harmless."
I hoped. There was more evidence to suggest that they were harmless. Besides there was no evidence that the wraith could hurt anyone and Red hadn't done anything yet.
Dad looked curious.
"I wish you could see it Dad," I told him. "I think you'd love it. It's like living with a bunch of holograms."
"That does sound interesting," he shifted forward to lean a bit closer the mirror.
Mom let out a snort of laughter that I wasn't sure was earned, given that it was her ancestor that helped make this place. She kissed the side of his head. "Someday, you'll stop being fascinated by every new glowing thing."
I laughed.
"You've been saying that for nearly twenty years," he turned his head to face her.
I gagged. Loudly with the full intent of them hearing it.
Mom was grinning as Dad let out a fond sigh.
Gross.
"As much as I hate to break this moment," we all knew that was a lie, "I do have an important question to ask about Death's Echo."
That snapped Mom out of the sappy look she was giving Dad. "That knife is the only thing that has a way around the spells keeping undead out of the school. I don't know if it was an oversight or part of some plan someone had. Hopefully it won't matter either way."
"I hope so too. But that wasn't the question I wanted to ask. Do you know if it could interfere with the enchantments on the Towers themselves?"
Mom furrowed her eyebrows. Huh, I stumped her.
Dad noticed this too. "That's an interesting question. What brought this on?"
"I mean… so the Echoes…they're the same color that Death's Echo glows. I was just curious if there was some kind of connection maybe. Or if things made by Death's Echo could have some kind of effect on the Tower."
Mom seemed to have worked out whatever thoughts she was having, because her expression relaxed. "My mother always told me that Dragon Tower was Malcarg's doing. But it is true that Jantres did most of the talking about it. The records aren't clear on if he died before or after it was done. You could ask her what she thinks."
"I'll think about it."
"What do you think are the chances of me seeing one of these 'Echoes' while I'm there?"
I shrugged, "Dragon Tower kind of does whatever it wants. The best I can offer is the longer you're in the Tower the more likely it is you'll see or hear something."
There was a hint of mischief in her eyes, "Okay. I'll be sure to remember that."
I couldn't tell if the feeling in my stomach was excitement or nervousness at whatever she was planning.
Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be only my problem.
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