Chương 43: Chapter 42 - Reunited

It was too dangerous to stay in the house. Iset made Mrs. Park leave first, then went back to help Igor. Igor grumbled at her as she supported him on his long limp out to the yard. Iset's only response was to quietly chant, "Yes, Igor. Of course, Igor," and try not to laugh. Upset by her unconscionable behavior, Igor raised his voice so she could understand him: "You're treating me like an old man."

"No," she said, "I'm treating you like an injured man. Which you are." Igor let out a loud harrumph, then, after several more limping steps, he grumbled quietly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. Once they were a safe distance away from the mansion, Mrs. Park and Iset both helped Igor lower himself to the ground. He sat back while letting out a loud sigh that was part groan. Mrs. Park sat down behind him and leaned on his back so he could lean on hers. Iset sat down at their sides. With some scooting and shuffling, they formed a tripod of support—all of them leaning back, all of them looking out over a different part of the yard. The clouds were gone.

The May sun was shining down with full force, feeling real and warm in a way that Iset had never noticed before. The breeze flowed around them, carrying the smell of lands thousands of miles away and the sound of birds that had flown at least that far. I'm imagining things, Iset told herself, and she found that she didn't mind the thought. She let her head fall back so she could look up and imagine how much deeper the blue of the sky was.

"I'm getting too old for this shit," Igor said. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Ingvar," Mrs. Park said, "I could not agree with you more."

"It's Igor," Igor insisted.

"Give up, Ingvar," Mrs. Park said.

"I should come outside more," Iset noted. There was a pause.

"You could, you know," Igor said.

"It might be good for you." She felt his head move as he cast a weary eye over what was left of the mansion. It looked like the top half of the second floor had been destroyed.

"Not that we'll have much choice for a while." Big Jacky appeared at Iset's feet. She felt his presence the moment he arrived, and she smiled an unseen smile when she looked up at him.

"Hello, Big Jacky," she said.

"Iset," he said. That one word felt as deep as the universe stretching away from its beginning.

"Emerra ran out to meet you," Iset said.

"I must have missed her," Big Jacky said.

"I was in a hurry to get here."

"The mansion—""Never mind the mansion. Are you well?"

"I'm not," Igor muttered.

"Igor will need help," Iset said.

"Mrs. Park and I are…tired."

"Are you hurt?"

"No, Jacky, we're fine." Jack Noctis's shoulders eased down by at least two inches.

"The zombies—""We've taken care of the zombies," Iset assured him.

"All of them." Igor let out a heh, that caused both Mrs. Park and Iset to rock forward before settling back again.

"It's over, Jacky," Iset said.

"There'll be some details that we have to mop up, but the worst part of Northrop's legacy has been dealt with. You can relax." Big Jacky raised a skeleton hand to his forehead and slowly ran it down the front of his skull. It took Iset a moment to recognize the gesture, but then she could imagine it—the look of infinite exhaustion, the closed eyes, drawing down the hand, pulling more at the jaw, as if a man could sweep the stress out of his face and pull it away. Big Jacky lowered his hand and looked over the yard.

"I'm glad." Iset knew Jack Noctis better than anyone else. He would never say anything—wouldn't even know what to say—but she could see how deep his emotions were by how he shifted his weight toward them, then away, hesitating with his whole body, trying to manage the weight of it all. And then he would dismiss it. Because it was easier to lean into his reason than to live with a heart.

"I need to know the whole story," Noctis said.

"Will you tell me what happened?"

"Of course, Jacky," Iset said.