Chapter 20: Masquerade
WINTER BREAK - November 29th
It's well into evening now, but it's been a slow, gray day. The Marblebrooks are both a little hungover, though only Kelyn is really willing to mention it. Elandria hasn't said more than a few words, but it's glaringly obvious. Kelyn called up to tell me a few minutes ago that the three of us will be going for dinner at The Old Wives' Pub later tonight on account of her feeling too crappy to cook.
I offered to help, not that I knew much about cooking, only for her to shut me down quickly with the whole you're our guest nonsense. I appreciate it, though I'll have to find some way to be useful around the house for the few weeks before the next term starts up.
The two of them came to collect me around noon. Elandria was overtired and silent. The long braid of her hair lacked its usual neatness, as though she'd slept in it and she had bags under her eyes. Kelyn didn't look much better, except for that she was smiling brightly and wrapped in an oversized sweater that looked like it could have started out as a blanket.
Their cottage is a little two-story home with a front garden on a charming block in town. It's a short walk from the Court and the town's main square. It isn't a place that's striving to be fashionable, but functional and comfortable. It's close quarters. I doubt they invite student mages to stay often, if ever.
During Kelyn's initial tour, she pointed me around the kitchen, the parlor where Elandria had thrown herself across the couch, past a small bathroom and a plant-filled sunroom, and up a flight of stairs where I'd be staying, a modest room across the narrow hall from their master suite. She didn't stay to talk long, already set to brew a pot of coffee and take a long nap, giving me time to "settle in." But she did throw in one mention: "Oh, and I know your boyfriend is probably not going home for the break either. Elandria didn't want me to say anything, but it's ridiculous not to. Aries is always welcome if you want to have him over, alright?"
What?
I stuttered out a quick, "Okay, thanks." Kelyn only smiled pleasantly and puttered back to the kitchen.
She was going out of her way to be kind. It didn't seem worth correcting her in the moment and even now, correcting her would mean defining whatever Aries and I were to each other and I really had no clue.
Because that was another thing I was still wading through - the Masquerade, the dancing, the flirting, Aries.
If it hadn't been for Marblebrook, I'd likely have treated the Masquerade like any other ball. Shown up late, danced a while, and looked for someone to leave with - not that I'd had much luck on that front since arriving here. I hadn't been trying exactly either. Between the hours of independent study and the whole werewolf thing, I'd been otherwise preoccupied. Not much time for wandering eyes.