I stepped out of the cellar, cool, damp air clinging to my skin, only to be replaced by the warmth of the main house, which hit me right away. The vineyard estate was still buzzing outside. Waves crashed on the beach as I heard distant laughter from the fields where Lyra was likely turning those poor kids into monsters, but my mind was on Isobel. She'd bolted up the stairs after that heart-to-heart with her dad, saying she needed to talk to her mom. Fair enough. It wasn't my place to intrude there. But it had been a while now, and the place was huge. Bigger than I'd expected, sprawling rooms and hallways that twisted like they were designed to get you lost on purpose. Besides, she was my partner here! Without her, I was left to face these awkward interactions alone! I wasn't antisocial or anything, but meeting my lovers family without her as an intermediary was a special kind of awkward.
So… I looked for her. Aimlessly.
