Evaline:
The moment I stepped out of the car, the first thing I noticed was the sky.
The clouds had gathered low and heavy, swollen with the promise of rain. The wind smelled wet, like the earth was already preparing for it. The entire mansion - large, serene, and surrounded by trimmed hedges - looked darker than usual under the shifting skies.
Oscar stretched, glanced upward, and flashed me a victorious grin.
"Well, looks like the Moon Goddess heard your plea," he said smugly. "Storm's coming. So yeah… seems like you finally get to skip training today."
A relieved noise escaped me before I could control it. "Thank the Goddess," I whispered dramatically. "I'm saved."
He laughed at my misery, completely unhelpful, and placed his hand lightly on my lower back as we stepped inside. I had half a mind to shove him playfully for making so much fun of me.
And as we entered the living room... we saw him.
River.
