Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Forty

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

After school, Calin came with me to the Manor. I quickly changed and packed a few things. We went to his house to look in the library before getting ready to meet Maible and Brant. We didn't find anything useful and, since Islene wasn't home, it was impossible to obtain an update on what she'd learned from Maible's mother. Around five, we went down to the kitchen and made ourselves sandwiches for supper, then left for the theater.

We went inside and met Maible and Brant, who had already purchased tickets and chosen the movie. Maible and I went to find seats as Calin went with Brant to the concession.

"We have the back row," Maible said as soon as we entered the room, which wasn't yet dark for previews.

"Okay." I shrugged and followed her to the middle of the row in back, placing my purse on the seat next to me for Calin.

"The middle armrest lifts up to become like a couch," she said, and raised the one that she was sharing with Brant. "If you press that little blue button, the seat reclines, too."

"Oh." I looked down and saw the button, pushing it. The seat began to recline as the leg rest lifted, and I smiled. I turned in the chair, bringing my legs up, and looked at Maible. "So, how are things?"

"Good." She nodded.

"That's it?" My eyes widened, and I gasped. "You have been hanging out with Brant all week and all you have to say is that things are good?"

"Yeah, they are good." A slow smile began to tilt her lips up. "He's really sweet. I like hanging out with him."

"Hanging out? As in friends or... friends?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "He's kissed me, and we hold hands, but we haven't talked about it."

"I can tell. He likes you." I nodded and turned so that my back rested on the chair and I faced the screen.

"You mean like I could tell about you and Calin?" She snorted.

"I didn't know we would end up together."

"Please." She laughed. "Everyone knew but you, apparently. Then you didn't even tell me."

"I... Yeah, you're right." There was nothing I could say to defend that. Not only had I not said anything, I hadn't planned on it. "Sorry."

"Mm-hmm."

I opened my mouth to ask if she was hiding her relationship with Brant in order to get back at me for not telling her about me and Calin, but the boys arrived with snacks. Calin smirked at me when he saw that I'd already reclined, not even bothering to lift the middle armrest for him. He set the drinks down and did it himself, then reclined his chair before tugging me toward him so that I cuddled against his side.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Brant and Maible holding hands. She looked stiff and slightly uncomfortable, like she truly didn't know what they were yet. I felt bad for bugging her about it and promised to ask Calin what Brant had said later. Whatever boy-code they might have wouldn't trump girlfriend, and I wasn't too timid to pull that card.

As the room grew dark and the previews began to play, I cuddled against Calin but focused my attention on Maible. I reached out to sense her, once again feeling the familiarity of the magic hidden beneath the thin barrier that remained since the last time that I'd strengthened it.

Letting my shield down, I tried again.

The feeling like I was missing something remained, but I still couldn't place it.