cheated

[mute_pen]

The castle is livable indefinitely. Etty flies over the space around it, but she's not as fast as the Baron was in his owl form, and she can't fly for very long if she's hungry and can pack nothing if she travels as a swan; she doesn't range farther than she can travel in a half-day, and she doesn't find Astgabels or anyone who knows where it is. (Not many people are willing to talk to a girl in a feather dress from out of nowhere, but a few are.) She flies home to Nona after each failed journey. They feast on what appears on the dining table. They snuggle. They pick through the library. Etty writes her thoughts. They sleep, curled up together in Nona's bed.

One morning they wake up together and are lying there in comfortable silence when Etty scoots up and kisses Nona.

Comments

[growcrooked]

Nona finds Celo to say goodbye to him, and then she leaves too.

[pythbox]

Which leaves Celo standing by the doorway with Bella.

"Guess we should head out too, huh?" he says.

"Guess you should," agrees a voice from behind them.

[subtly_artistic]

...Bella looks over her shoulder.

[pythbox]

Coach Callahan grins.

Celo rolls his eyes.

[subtly_artistic]

"What is going on?"

[pythbox]

"Meet anybody interesting?" inquires the coach.

[subtly_artistic]

"Besides you?"

(One of the things Bella learned about the bar is that it is very safe. To a first approximation, you don't get in here if you're going to be violent to other patrons. To a second approximation, there is very good security.)

[pythbox]

"I'm a sweet, harmless little girl and don't let anybody tell you different," says Callahan.

Celo snickers.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella will be busy restraining the urge to unethically mind-read Callahan over here.

[pythbox]

Callahan pats Celo on the shoulder and pushes past him to walk out the door, which opens on somewhere other than their dorm, for her.

[subtly_artistic]

When the door closes, Bella says, "I'm so confused."

[pythbox]

"No shit," says Celo.

[subtly_artistic]

"I'm also excruciatingly tempted to just look."

[pythbox]

"I don't know why you're not, but in case 'she might kill you' isn't one of the reasons already: she might kill you," says Celo.

[subtly_artistic]

"That's a reason. Also it would be unethical."

[pythbox]

"Yep," he says. "And she might kill you."

[subtly_artistic]

"Yes. I do not at all doubt her ability to kill me."

[pythbox]

"Good, 'cause she could so do it," says Celo.

[subtly_artistic]

"Anyway." Bella pushes open the door. It is their hall again.

[pythbox]

Out they go, into their hall.