Lux [h.s]

fifty-eight

Cora watched with worry as Harry draped a black cloak over his shoulders, checking to make sure the dagger was secure at his hip.

Next to her, Iris fiddled nervously with a cloak she was repairing, threading her needle through the grey-black fabric in stiff movements. From the way she was acting, Cora could tell her conversation with Thalia hadn't gone well. She accidentally pricked her finger and muttered a curse under her breath. The slight raise of Harry's head on the other side of the living room was enough for Cora to know he'd heard her as well.

Outside, the sky was turning a cold shade of yellow—sunset was near.

The faint sound of steps was heard on the stairs, and then Thalia entered the living room. "It's time to go," she stated, giving Iris a long look—one she dutifully ignored. She sighed and neared Harry, and he stood up.

Cora watched them, nervously gripping her fingers, trying to spot anything that would tell her more about the mission, but it either was just as little thought-out as she'd imagined, or they were going to great lengths to make sure their mysteries wouldn't be discerned. They were talking in quiet whispers now, and she had to resist the urge to ask Iris if she could hear what they were saying.

Then, Harry walked towards her. He stopped in front of her and studied her for a long moment. "I'll be back soon," he said. "Don't get in trouble."

Cora gripped his hand harder. "Of course." Her throat tightened.

He gave her a long look, and then left. Thalia followed him, and Cora stood up and ran to the door.

"Harry!" she shouted, dashing after him and dirtying her shoes in mud. Before he could turn around, she crashed against his back and hugged him from behind.

His hand went to her joined ones immediately. "Cora..."

"Please come back," she muttered against his back. "Don't make me come find you."

Harry's tension broke, and he let out a light laugh. "Now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" Despite his attempt to make light of the situation, she couldn't find it in her to chuckle as well. All she could think about was the multitude of ways everything could go wrong. He intertwined his fingers with hers and made her let go, turning around to meet her gaze. "Cora."

"Just... please..."

He pressed a kiss to her lips. "I heard you." He looked behind her, towards the house. "Go back inside, now. It's getting cold."

Cora wanted to say a thousand things more but couldn't find the voice to say any, so she went back into the house and closed the door behind herself. Five seconds passed, and then the fay fire in the spheres above her head died out. Iris sent her a silent look, hovering in the doorway that brought to the living room, still sucking on the finger she'd pricked, and she knew they were sharing the same thoughts.

A knock made the wooden door tremble against Cora's back. Her breath stopped and she stepped back, her heart beating a little faster as she opened it.

To her disappointment, Thalia was standing on the other side, her dark wool cloak under her arm. "I changed my mind," she simply said, walking back into the house and throwing the cloak over a chair.

Iris threw her arms around her neck, mumbling a thousand thanks in her ear.

Cora's smile froze on her face. If Thalia was there, then Harry was alone—completely alone. Her heart beat louder in her chest, and she backed out of the room even before realising what she was doing. She couldn't let him go alone. She had to do something, and she had to be fast.

She didn't even need to stop to think of what she was meant to do—the plan came to her naturally, as if a part of her brain had been working on it for hours without her knowledge.