Lautaro Tariel hadn't spoken to his cousin for several weeks. Whenever they were in proximity of each other (sitting down at yet another luncheon at yet another student's rooms whose family is too important to say no), it was always out of necessity and Lautaro said not a word. Elettra had yet to be invited back to the Starling house for another dinner. And Lautaro made it a point not to talk about Elettra with anyone else in the house.
Lautaro put on that haughty, pointed expression that almost all Tariels inherited when there was even a sniff or her presence about.
It was a look that was unlike everything that Lautaro was-- warm, jovial, mischievous.
It was when Elettra was working at the front desk in the library in the morning, and she watched as Lautaro strolled in alone. He looked fresh, crisp and bright. But he didn't turn to look at her. Didn't seem at all interest in searching for anyone in particular. He just peeled off his coat, placed on a chair at one of the desks that was positioned where there was the best light. Elettra told him about that. She watched him until he returned with a stack of books and sank down at his seat with his back to her. Lautaro was not one for studying, but Elettra wasn't going to begin wondering what he did with the free time he didn't spend with her.
Elettra always tried to nail down the point when she first remembered meeting Lautaro, but he seemed to have always been in her life. And then her memories always turned into when they became friends.
Was it the first time they both got into trouble at school, and they had had to spend the whole afternoon outside the principal's office?
Or was it at their first party with their parents when Elettra spiked Taro's drink only to find out that he had spiked hers as well?
Or was it when she had found out that Taro had snuck out to meet a boy and chose to lie for him even when she didn't have to?
Elettra wasn't sure anymore. All she was certain of was that Taro had always been her friend. And now that he wasn't, life felt like a cold and barren wasteland-- one where she had to share all her meals with Onyx and Portia. And she had to be careful whenever she met up with Sparrow and Ivo outside the library. Her life was fragmented and secretive now. At least with Taro, their friendship was at once encouraged and also an act of defiance. No one could tear them apart, and that's what made it special.
The night they found out they were betrothed, he was the one that had to tell her. He had been summoned late at night to her house. And when Elettra reached his side to ask him what was going on, all Taro did was shake his head silently at her. Then his parents hurried him into her father's study, and Elettra was locked out. And she sat across the doors, gripping the silk cushion under her. When Taro finally came out, he was ashen. Morning was already beginning to break. There were two things about Taro: and he wouldn't meet her gaze and he wreaked of brandy.
"I suppose..." his voice cracked a little as he presented Elettra with a velvet box, "this is the moment I make my little proposal."
It was a ring she would never wear unless they were at parties with their parents.
Elettra just stood in the cold entryway in shock. Lautaro gave her hand a little squeeze, but he still refused to look at her. Later she would hear him retching in the bathroom. And when she tried to talk to him, Lautaro still wouldn't say anything. But to Elettra, Taro didn't merely seem like someone who had his life taken from him with this betrothal; when he finally did look at Elettra, she thought she saw guilt in his eyes.
Taro still seemed weighted down even after things had gone back normal. But Elettra wasn't one to probe.
But now, after what happened to Elettra's wrists, there was a divide-- a divide where Elettra found herself separated from Taro, forced to stand on one side with Onyx and Portia.
As Elettra watched him reading, she realized how serious he looked in that moment. How unlike himself he seemed. Or maybe she never noticed that Taro had been like this for a long time.
"I think," Sparrow slammed a tower of books down in front of Elettra, blocking her view of Taro, "that when you go for hot chocolate, you should invite me next time."
Sparrow cocked an eyebrow and smiled at Elettra. Her eyes were bright and her freckles bold that morning.
"I had to go with my sister," Elettra explain separating the books, opening the first page and marking the date down with her pencil.
"But you had time to talk to Locke," and when Elettra's head shot up to look at Sparrow, her glossy pink lips stretched into a little smile that made Elettra's cheeks go pink.
"So, it's true," Sparrow bent over and pressed her fist under her chin.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Elettra snapped quickly.
"I'm sure," Sparrow plucked Elettra's pencil out of her hand and erased a squiggly line that she had accidentally made, "you're absolutely correct."
Elettra just pressed her fingers into her tear ducts. Sparrow knew what Elettra had tried to bury deep and away from her consciousness. And when she looked up, she saw Locke leaning against one of the stacks. Then her heart jolted when she saw the tall, lithe figure of Cecily Veremond appear beside him, glowing from the morning light.
Sparrow followed Elettra's gaze, and when she turned back to Elettra she beamed. But Elettra quickly said, "He's not even interested in me."
But even those words were jagged to her. She admitted it. Sparrow knew. And it was all true.
"Don't worry about her!"
Elettra glared, "I'm not! I don't care about Cecily-- I don't care about anyone!"
Sparrow held up her hands, "sorry! Let it be known Elettra Tariel cares for absolutely no one."
Elettra's jaw twitched as she marked the last of Sparrow's books. Sparrow sighed and watched her.
"So," Sparrow folded one hand over the other choosing to change the subject, "what are we going to do about Taro's birthday party?"
Elettra's chest fell. Taro. Of course his birthday was soon.
She felt as though all her energy had been sucked out of her.
"I've almost... forgotten..." Elettra shook her head.
"Did you two fight?" Sparrow leaned on the desk.
Elettra just shook her head again, not looking up: "I'm not sure what's going on."
She glanced at Taro, and as her eyes made the sweep, Elettra's eyes suddenly caught Locke's gaze. Even though his head was lowered to listen to Cecily, his eyes had lifted and were watching her. Elettra coolly switched her gaze right back to Sparrow.
"Well," Sparrow offered, "we were thinking about the midwinter bazaar near the canals."
Elettra thought she had misheard. "The bazaar?"
It was strictly closed off to students-- it was too dangerous. Filled with all kinds of riff-raff. The risk was never worth the fun that anyone would have. But these were rumors.
"Are you sure it's a good idea?"
"Well, it was Magnus' idea. He has an uncle who's a vendor there. And if it goes well, we can tell Taro it was all your idea!"
"If?!"
"It will be! The bragging rights that come with it, even if we have a terrible time are well worth it." Sparrow smiled brightly. "We'll have masks and everything."
Elettra let a long sigh and pushed the books back toward Sparrow. "Fine."
Sparrow grabbed Elettra's hand, bursting with excitement.
"As long as we don't get killed!" Elettra warned her.
"Of course! Of course!" Sparrow nodded solemnly, but she couldn't suppress her smile for long.
The library door moaned as it opened, and Elettra saw Onyx's stiff figure waltz through.
"Timing is perfect," Sparrow sang softly as she took her books into her arms and scurried off.
Onyx eyed Elettra, watching for any slight change, as though he were trying to see if anyone had touched or moved his favorite toy even slightly. Elettra only glowered back at him. And when Onyx could see that Elettra was still all there, he simply nodded with cold satisfaction and walked toward the stacks. Locke's eyes lit up when he caught sight of Onyx. Only hesitated for a moment when he saw Locke across his way, but then he kept going without acknowledging him at all. And when Onyx disappeared into the books, Locke only grinned wickedly. Cecily also saw the exchange and hid a little giggle behind her hand.
The whole display was so annoying that as Elettra was looking away she just rolled her eyes, but Locke was fast to catch her expression.
Elettra sank down at her desk and opened a book. Everything and everyone was so annoying in that moment. She was going to shut it all out.
So, she didn't hear the shuffle of feet, but only the words-- "I want to return this book."
Elettra held her hand out without looking up, and then the book met her hand she pulled. But then the book pulled back.
Locke still held onto the book, and let the tension between them pull him toward Elettra's face that was now looking right up at him.
Her eyes darted toward the stacks.
"Don't worry," he sang softly, "he won't come out yet."
Elettra let go of the book, letting her end drop with a thud on the desk.
"You have a way of showing up unexpectedly," her voice shook slightly, and Elettra wanted to die in that moment.
"It's my morbid curiosity for why you don't talk to me when you see me," Locke said with a little smile, tracing the flower stamped on the front of the book that he had been holding.
Elettra scoffed. Then she remembered the hot chocolate. Did he really know she was there?
Sparrow must've told him.
"It's because you're so very good at talking me," Elettra controlled her voice this time.
"You just like to see me sweat?" Locke was surveying the items on her desk-- none of which personally belonged to her, but it was though he were studying something that was apart of her.
"It's my way of working smarter, not harder," Elettra blinked back up at him with a playful smile. She was relieved that somehow she found her footing when speaking to Locke. It only took her forever.
"Well, if these are our speaking terms, then I want to negotiate fairer conditions." Locke's eyes grew round as he tucked his palm under his chin.
"What do you propose?" Elettra tried to seem at ease, but she gripped both elbows tightly as she looked up at Locke.
"Just every once in a while," Locke began slowly, "you get to say hello first."
His blonde, handsome face looked positively angelic in the light.
"And," Elettra nodded to the stacks, "if I can't say hello?"
But Locke must've missed her nod toward Onyx, and his eyes traced from the buttons of her shirt up to her mouth, "then I'm happy to teach your lips how."
Elettra felt her breath caught as her nostrils flared.
Suddenly, Onyx's black figure appeared as he emerged from the stacks. And Elettra's eyes dropped.
Locke moved swiftly, leaving the book on the desk. He didn't look back as Elettra watched him go, but she felt her heart beating violently against her ribs.
When she turned back to see if Onyx had noticed, Onyx had already taken a seat. He hadn't seen anything, but when Elettra was about to turn back to her book, she Lautaro looking straight at her. She tensed. But she couldn't read his expression before he turned back to his books.
Was he disappointed?
Angry?
But one thing Elettra could see: Lautaro looked afraid.
