Page 21 of Professor and the Seer

I totally deserved the dark look and, with a smile, had another bite.

“I’d rather leave sooner than later,” Enyo stated.

“I’m good to go. Just tell me when.” I wouldn’t be the one to hold them back. Not knowing I’d already had them waiting two days.

“What time do you suggest?” Enyo asked John.

“Full dark is around eight p.m. this time of year.”

Without even realizing or trying, I said, “The patrol for this section of the border will pass by the gully at eleven oh seven.”

My sisters blinked at me in surprise. Meanwhile, John didn’t realize this kind of prediction wasn’t the norm. Usually, I required proximity or touch to know those types of things.

“Now that we know the time, then we’ll be sure to give them at least fifteen minutes to get past before we cross,” John advised.

“You know, we could have just tried my plan to charm the guards into letting us through at the normal checkpoint,” Dina groused.

“You are not a mental Jedi capable of making them look away.” Enyo stated the truth.

“Hence the charm part.” Dina’s smile would have terrified a lion.

Once more, the prediction came unbidden. “Your attempt to charm will fail with Pedro because he wears a talisman to repel spells.”

That pursed Dina’s lips. “Well then. I guess we’re doing a border run.”

When the meal finished, my sisters went to prep for our trip. I stayed behind to help John with the cleanup he insisted on doing despite having cooked.

I dried while he washed, not even trying to control the flow of visions with each dish I touched. This one would break soon. As would the next three. The fourth would eventually gather dust as the last of the set.

When John spoke, I just about dropped one of the plates early.

“You sure you’re feeling up to travelling?”

“I’m fine.” A pause then, “Thanks for spelling the room and clothes. It helped to not be overwhelmed the moment I woke.”

“Least I could do. I wish I could do more.”

It took me a second to muster the courage. “Is that offer to meet your great-grandma still open?”

He glanced at me. “Of course.”

“Maybe you could speak to her about me visiting.”

“Just tell me when.”

“Sooner than later,” I said on a wince as the knife I grabbed showed me its murderous future.

I must have been staring a tad too long at the blade because John plucked it from my hand and changed its fate by breaking the handle.

“Oops,” he said, dropping it in the garbage.

If only all my predictions could be so easily resolved.

The rest of the day proved a slog as we waited. I’d slept for days and had no interest in resting. At the same time, I couldn’t do much because of the sensory overload.

A few times, I almost sought out John, wanting the calm of his presence, only to abstain. I already liked him too much, and until I could see a way past his dying, I dared not get too close. Although how I’d avoid him while visiting his great-grandma I’d yet to figure out. Maybe bringing my sisters would give me a buffer.

Then again, having them with me would lead to me getting annoyed as they coddled me.