Crimson {COMPLETED}

CHAPTER XVIII

CHRISTOS' POV

OCTOBER 31
5:28 p.m

I STAY for dinner. Heaven knows mother and father will have my head when I get home, but no matter.

The look on all of their faces as we eat is reward enough for my sacrifice.

Alice looks happy to have me here, smiling ear to ear and making conversation with me the whole meal.

Emily doesn't talk to me and shoots me glares sharp and fiery enough to cut through ice.

And their father looks positively pleased. From what Alice has told me, it's been a while since they've all had a meal together, and me being here gave them a reason to.

What with between Emily's busy schedule and their father's constant work and stress, it seems like Alice eats most meals alone.

No wonder she would get excited for meals back at the palace.

She even insists on having dessert just to drag the meal out longer, when really it's just a few chocolate chip cookies she found in the pantry.

I of course am not going to argue against chocolate.

"So Chris," Emily finally speaks to me as we begin to wrap up, "you should be getting home now, huh?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alice frown and look down at her feet.

It's inevitable that I will have to leave at some point in the night, by no way in hell am I going to leave Alice to get chewed out by Emily.

"Actually," I glance at the clock, like it even matters, "I have plenty of time. That is, unless it would be inconvenient for any of you."

Emily starts to open her mouth but Alice interrupts her.

"Not at all."

"Alice, dad has work tomorrow and I have to be at campus early in the morning." Emily leans into her chair.

"We'll be in my room anyhow, we're not going to bother anyone."

Her father raises an eyebrow at the idea of us being in her room.

She yanks me out of my seat before there are anymore protests and pulls me out of the room.

We walk upstairs and into her room. Same as I remember it.

She closes the door and locks it.

I shoot her a questioning look.

"Don't look at me like that." She scowls. "I'm only locking the door so Emily doesn't bust in here to curse both of us out."

"Ah." I nod, turning away to hide my reddening face. I spot a globe in her desk and spin it.

"Do you want to know where Giana is on the globe?"

"Giana? Is that the realm? I didn't know it could be found on a map." She walks over.

"Well, it's not like it's marked or anything, but it's here." I spin the globe searching for it. I finally point to the South Pole. "Giana is in the smack center. Hidden away, similarly to the Bermuda Triangle."

"Really? It didn't seem all that cold there." She examines the globe.

"It's charmed so that its almost a completely different section of that area."

"I don't think that's how science works."

"That's because it's not science." I smile. "And right in the heart of Giana is the capital, Lunam, which is where the castle is."