Chapter 12 – nothing much in it, but hey.

Chapter 12

Dinner that night was an awkward affair. Things as they were, the children were permitted to eat with the Family. Janet wasn't eating much, but that was to be expected.

Chrestomanci was carefully avoiding the eyes of his wife, and Rodger, Cat, Janet and Julia were finding it hard to keep their faces straight.

Neither the Goddess nor Conrad even bothered trying.

"What's going on?" Mary hissed to Cat and the Goddess as she bent over them to put down a tray.

Cat wasn't sure whether to say or not.

"Millie's pregnant." The Goddess had no trouble replying.

Mary's eyes sparkled. "Just wait 'til I tell Euphemia!"

As was probably obvious, the whole Castle knew by sunset.

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"How're you feeling, Janet?" Conrad asked later that day as he came into the playroom.

"Like death." Janet replied from her chair.

"Just as long as you aren't dead." He said cheerfully. "I don't think Christopher could deal with that on top of everything else."

"Has he talked to Mum at all since we got back?" Rodger wanted to know, looking up from where he was playing soldiers with Cat. (It was incredibly unfair, ever since Cat had realised he was an enchanter, Rodger hadn't won once. But he would continue battling)

"Your dad's been busy." Conrad replied, trying to be serious. "Incredibly so. He simply has had no time."

"Still in shock, huh?" The Goddess commented, not looking up from her newest Miss Kitty book. (Miss Kitty keeps a Secret…oh the irony…)

"Pretty much." Conrad agreed.

"Well, it is as good as his own fault." The Goddess replied, turning a page.

She looked up to see everyone else giving her mingled looks of disgust and hilarity. "Oh, grow up." She stated before going back to the book.

Conrad was laughing, (surprise, surprise) and the looks on his godson and his sister's faces. (Rodger's sister, that is, not Conrad's, I'm pretty sure Anthea wasn't around at the time)

"Is there a reason you're here, Conrad?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, I actually wanted to talk to Eric…" Conrad started

"What else can I say about disappearing and losing my memory?" Cat couldn't help snapping and his soldiers turned to point their plastic guns at him.

"Calm down, Eric. I was going to ask you and Kitty about that witch."

"Oh." Cat replied meekly.

The Goddess slapped Cat across the back of the head. "Idiot." She said. "Ask away Conrad." She finished, smiling sweetly.

"You are way too much like Millie." Conrad frowned in mock disapproval.

"Why thank you." The Goddess replied.

"So, tell me a bit about the magic she was using." Conrad went on, obviously talking directly at Cat.

"It was strong…for a witch, anyway." Cat said. "Nothing on me of course…"

"Cat, stop showing off or I'll kill you." The Goddess said calmly.

Cat glared at her.

The Goddess took up the narrative. "She must have been powerful; there's no way a simple witch could've done all of that. I think she had outside help."

"I was going to say that." Cat muttered, annoyed.

"I'm also worried about the spell she used on Janet. It was awfully strong, enchanter level at least. We're lucky we could stop it when we did, or Janet would have certainly died." The Goddess ploughed onwards.

Janet shuddered and Rodger instinctively moved closer to her.

"Also, although magical barriers are relatively simple to set up, there's no way a witch, even an advanced one, could have cast all of them and kept mine and Tonino's magic under control, and been able to hurt us like she did, and part the barrier to let us through, and do that to Janet. You can tell Chrestomanci that's all we've got. And stop running around after him it's pathetic."

"Now you sound like Fay." Conrad shook his head, smirking. "Alright, I'll tell him that."

"I still think it's pathetic." The Goddess replied.

Conrad shut the door behind him.

Julia, Rodger and Janet laughed. Cat was still sulking.

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"Talked to him yet?" Conrad asked Millie cheerfully as they met in the corridor.

"You know what he's like, Conrad." Millie sighed. "He won't come out of his office."

"Is that so?" Conrad said. "Well, we have to fix that."

"Fix it?" Millie asked cautiously.

"Chrestomanci! Chrestomanci, your wife wants you" Conrad called in a shrill voice.

A whoosh of displaced air and Chrestomanci stood in front of them.

"And I'll be leaving now." Conrad smirked, and then walked off, pausing at the corner and turning invisible.

Silence.

"Christopher…"

"I'm busy, Millie…"

"Christopher Chant, don't even attempt that 'busy' line with me. Remember what happened last time you did." Millie replied sharply. (Note : See 'Breaking the News' if you don't know what she's on about)

"Alright, alright" Chrestomanci replied, irritated. "What do you want me to say?"

"You're going to be a father again, Christopher, and I want you to deal with it."

"…"

"Fine. Don't say anything. Just don't expect me to talk to you." Millie whirled around and walked off. "C'mon, Con."

Conrad reappeared into visibility, wondering why he had wasted his magic going invisible in the first place and shot Chrestomanci a look that said 'idiot' before following Millie.

Chrestomanci glared after him.

This was going to be a long eight months.

Short chapter, but I'm suffering brainfluff. Review?