Page 51 of Tendu: Dancing in the Castle

“It’s like we weren’t ourselves, Will.” Concerns gathered like clouds. “And I don’t want things to become awkward between us again.”

“They won’t, babe. We should promise that.” He threaded his fingers through mine and we squeezed a silent vow. “You know what?”

“What?” I reached for my jacket, the cold of our surroundings increasing every second.

“You’ve got fantastic tits.”

“Will!”

“Best I’ve ever seen. Like a goddess.”

“Oh, ha ha. But seriously, I think maybe you have the better idea. Being single, not being owned. Staying all free and easy.”

“I didn’t mean I would never do the relationship thing. I mean, if…”

“You fell in love.” I covered my heart with my hands and smiled a soppy smile. “Take my advice and don’t. You give someone the power to rip your heart out and eat it for breakfast.”

“Shit, Treadwell. That doesn’t sound good.”

“I told him to fuck off.” It felt like I was describing an event from long ago, one that had become too distant to engender any emotional response.

“Good for you, Malph. Are you going to tell Bevan about this, what happened here?”

“Can you imagine?” And I did, briefly, picture Justin’s shocked, but alive-with-gossip, face. “No. This is just ours.” Time was passing, ticking along once more without the sun. “Let’s go and get breakfast.”

We set off, but stopped at the entrance to the trees.

“It seems wrong to leave without, I don’t know, saying something,” I said. “A thank you, maybe? A révérence like at the end of class?”

I curtseyed to the circle. Will gave an elaborate bow.

We made our way down the path, and it was quite different in the downward direction. Light and magic were left behind as we prepared to return to the ordinary. Snow-dusted turrets appeared over the treetops, a reminder that nothing in our world was particularly ordinary anymore.

Chapter 16

Aswewalkedintothe great hall, Justin looked up from his toast and spoke sharply. “Where have you two been?”

“An exciting place,” I said, touching my palms to his cheeks.

“Sweetheart,” he said, taking my hands in his. “You’re frozen. Come and sit down. Zolotov is trying to make conversation with me, and I lack the sophistication to cope.”

Aleks, on the other side of the table, was looking at me, and apparently trying to convey some sort of meaning with his eyes, but he was easy to ignore.

“Far have you two been?” Holly echoed Justin in furious approach. She embarked on a long one-sided discourse while escorting us over to the canteen and dishing up our breakfast.

“Did you get any of that?” asked Will as we took our steaming bowls of chocolate-swirled porridge and sat by Justin.

“She scolded us for having gone out insufficiently clad.” A giggle erupted, and then another. Poor Holly had no idea quite how inadequate the clothing had been at times.

“It’s no laughing matter, Phi,” said Justin. “Getting chilled weakens the immune system.”

I hugged him. “I love you, Justin.”

Simone sat down by Aleks, grapefruit in hand, and eyed us with obvious contempt. “What is that expression again? Oh yes. Fag Hag.”

Aleks, Justin and I all spoke at once.

“She’s no hag,” said Justin.

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