The Fates (Book II)

6.10 - Like Love

Last we left off in Athens, Cloe was set to hit up some nightclubs with Eldor... let's hop along with them and see what the night has in store... ;)

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Scene 10: Like Love

A.D. 2015 

Sitting on the stoop of the Scholar & Journeyer’s Inn, she reflected on what a productive day it’d been. She had seen the Acropolis and its accompanying museum, and then researched a ton of other tourist attractions and eateries all in the span of one day, writing reviews about each one. Taken hundreds of photos, some of which she’d posted along with her required daily entry on the travel guide company’s blog.

And, most importantly, she had managed to keep Mr. Campion as far from her consciousness as possible, by focusing on work. That was never an easy task, so Cloe was quite proud of that. What a productive day!

Meanwhile, she had made no progress at all on contemplating the possibility that she could write the future, or whatever. It was high on her to-do list, but seriously freaked her out. So she had put it off, for now.

Anyhow, the incarnation of her epic fictional prince had arrived.

“Hey! Sorry if I kept you waiting,” Eldor apologized.

“Not at all; you’re right on time. A few minutes early, in fact.”

He flashed a winsome grin. “I always try to be. You beat me to it.”

“Oh, I was just people-watching for a bit,” Cloe replied as she rose to her feet. “It’s such a lovely street, like pretty much every street in this city—I’ve totally fallen in love with it. Just feels so full of life, you know? Even at night, when it gets kind of quiet around here.”

“Yeah, well, Plaka is definitely not Athens’ best neighborhood for nightlife. Speaking of which—shall we?” he invited, extending his arm.

She had to accept it, of course. Looped her arm around his elbow. “You were right; it’s good to have a bodyguard. And a clubbing buddy.”

“My pleasure,” Eldor answered, graciously enough to hide how it’d disheartened him to hear her speak in such platonic terms.

“So, no Atria?” she asked him as they ambled down the street.

“She couldn’t make it tonight. Has an essay to work on.”

“Ah, for her Sterling Law application, right?”

“Yeah. If anyone can get accepted this late in the admissions cycle, so far after every deadline, it’d be that girl.”

“She does seem like a force of nature, that’s for sure,” Cloe concurred. “I mean—I mean that in a good way, I promise.”

He let out a good-humored chuckle. “No worries. ‘Force of nature’ fits her character in every sense of the term. She’s something else.”

Cloe could tell, from having first met her. Atria certainly incited curiosity. “So, um… if it’s not too invasive of me to ask, and you definitely don’t have to answer if you’d rather not—I was just curious…”

“What does it mean that she’s sort of my sister?” Eldor finished the sentence for her, with another good-humored laugh. “It’s a long story. But in short, we were both brought up in the foster system, and spent some time raised under the same roof when we were very young.”

Cloe had not expected that, but it made total sense. “Oh, I see…”

His voice was suddenly heavy. “They were far from the best days of our lives, but I think we’re both stronger for all that we suffered together.”