Lux [h.s]

thirty-six

The next morning was chaotic.

In the second Cora got out of the wagon she was greeted by Iris holding two pieces of bread with jam.

"I was going to check if you'd woken up already," she told her, handing her one of the slices. She was wearing one of Thalia's dresses and the spare coat she'd given her, her moonlight hair tied back with a piece of thread.

"What's going on?" Cora rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat on the step of the wagon, staring at the movement around them.

Iris sighed. "They're getting everything ready to set up the Fair closer to Idais. Thalia left earlier."

"Did she leave you here?"

"She thinks it isn't safe for me closer to the city since I can't protect myself and I've never been in a human city." She looked down, and her shoulders sagged. "She has a job for you though, so you should meet her as soon as possible."

Cora finished her slice of bread. "What job?"

"Something about going in the city, I'm not sure though. She wasn't really clear."

Going inside the city? That was unexpected.

"I guess I should hurry up, then." She glanced at Iris. "I wish I could stay here and keep you company, though."

Iris chuckled. "Don't worry about me, I'll have a lot of fun looking after the children with Nova."

In the last few days it'd turned out Iris was quite exceptional when it came to making friends. She'd even got close to Nova, one of the few people that still looked at Cora with the most complete diffidence. Iris shone like a star, everyone could see it. She always managed to find a way to make everyone around her comfortable, but she'd taken a liking to Cora. And Thalia, of course. Especially Thalia. They were always together, unless duty brought them apart like that day. Cora still wondered what had happened, considering Thalia wasn't the most sociable person out there. She liked her space, but she seemed to like sharing her space with Iris even more.

Cora stood up and stretched. "I'll go, then. It's a long walk."

"Have fun walking in the cold, I'll be here drinking tea and hiding under a thousand blankets," Iris replied, earning a laugh from her.

Cora snuggled up in her cloak and started down the dirt road that weaved a path through the woods. It was colder than the day before—clouds of vapour rose up in the air from her breath. The walk cleared her head, helping to ease the wave of nervousness that had risen inside her at the thought of being made to enter the city. She'd wanted to visit Idais her whole life, but now that she was just outside its walls, she found herself scared of taking one more step.

"It's a lonely road to take on your own."

Cora started and turned around.

Aster was walking next to her, huddled in his peculiar white cloak. She hadn't even heard him come near. "I suppose it's something you have in common with Harry, though."

She frowned. "What?"

An easy shrug of a shoulder. "He left you, didn't he? Gathered his belongings and made for the city, leaving you all alone."

Cora clenched her teeth. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I? I've known him much longer than you, after all." A smile curved his lips, but there was little kindness in it. "I'm not surprised, even though I should be. I should probably play surprised, shouldn't I? I guess that would be more entertaining."

She tightened the fabric of the cloak around her shoulders and looked down. "Do you have something to say, or have you come here just to make fun of me?"