A Court of Dark and Decay

Chapter 13- An Arrival

She cleaned the room as best she could. The shredded wallpaper and torn curtains she could do nothing about, though.

She packed, her bags from her apartment having magically found their way to her room. She packed the makeshift top she salvaged from the dress Elain gave her. 

She picked a few soaps and washes from the bathroom and shoved them into the tote. She chose her dark green dress to wear today, simple and easy. The dress came in at the waist with a plain beaded belt, then ran down her body like water. It did not hug any of her body, did not show the skeleton she had become. The neckline was high, landing just above her collar bones in a lovely sheer lace. The sleeves were that same lace, closing around her wrists with a single silver bead. 

She brushed her hair out and twisted it up, using a silver clip she found in the bathroom to secure it. She did not look at herself in the mirror as she exited the bathroom. 

She rummaged through the lavish dressing room, filing through the clothes until she found a beautiful dark silver cloak that reached past her feet, dragging a few inches on the floor behind her. It was simple as well, with some embroidering on the hemlines and around the neck clasp. With that, she decided she was satisfied.

She did not look back at the room as she opened the white door and closed it with a click behind her. 

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He didn't taste the cinnamon raisin bread as it went down his throat. He was sitting around the kitchen counter with Az and Elain and he didn't hear their laughter as he finished his breakfast. 

Az was saying something about the garden, how much he was learning. He hated that pang he felt whenever his brother and Elain shared a secret glance at each other or a sly brush of their hands.

He looked down at his plate. He suddenly was not hungry. He stood, bringing his plate to the sink and thanking Az and Elain for making the bread. 

"I'm just going to finish getting ready for today." He sighed.

He said nothing to his brother as he turned to leave the kitchen, but Elain-already muddy from the garden at 8am- stepped in his way.

"Are you forgetting anything?" She smiled like one of her blossoms. 

That did draw a small smile from him as well, as he leaned down and kissed Elain on the cheek. Part of their morning routine.

But just as he was pulling away, Elain cupped his face with her hands, forcing him to look at her. 

She was small in stature, but when she needed to be she was just as powerful as anyone in the Night Court. 

She furrowed her brows at him, clearly displeased at something. Just as he was sucking in the air to say something, Elain's eyes turned sad and distant. 

"She hurt you, didn't she, Cassian?" Elain said, with an understanding that broke his heart.

There was absolutely no point in lying to her. So he said plainly, "Yes. She did." 

Elain looked up as if recalling something, a memory long forgotten. Then she smiled gently, a pained smile that was so full of understanding and honestly that he knew she had experienced it too. 

"Don't worry." She patted his cheek a bit before reaching on to her tipy-toes to kiss his cheek. 

When she pulled away, her smile had turned painful.