Coiled (Book 1 of 2)

Ninety-Eight

"What then, no Emma?"

"Apparently not, Henry. Not unless you've got her hiding under that table waiting to pop out and surprise me."

At this, Mulciber snorts with derisive amusement, his attention turning from Alecto back to the billiards game they'd started just prior to her unexpected arrival.

Clearing his throat, Evan reluctantly steps forward now, recognising the need to greet his fiancée much as he might secretly loathe the idea of doing so, "Alecto ..."

Staring back at him, she seems to realise the same thing equally belatedly, "... Evan."

It's awkward, to say the least. And they're both acutely aware of the way everyone's watching them closely as they lean in for a half-hearted, quick hug. Their duty ostensibly done, they both immediately pull away, their eyes seemingly everywhere except for on one another.

Never one to shy away from instigation, Henry twirls the billiards stick idly in his right hand as he fights back a mocking sneer, "So then ... do we have a date yet, lovebirds?"

The bloody wedding, he means.

A wedding date.

What else?

When neither Evan nor Alecto immediately reply, he murmurs under his breath, a whisper delivered purposefully loud enough for everyone to hear every word, "... Or a ring, for that matter. I keep hearing all this talk about a ring and yet one never seems to appear on that pretty little finger ..."

Shrugging, Alecto pops open her handbag and begins digging through it for a tube of her favourite lipstick, her pretty caramel coloured eyes sweeping over everyone in the room as she does so, "Actually, we've postponed again. Isn't that right, Evan?"

We have?

... That's certainly breaking news to me.

Such are Evan's thoughts, though he keeps pace with her flawlessly, "That's right. We're content to just leave it as an open engagement for the time being."

Eyebrow raising at this, the billiards stick stills in Mulciber's hand, "Really? Now isn't that ... unusual."

Sighing impatiently, Alecto pulls out the lipstick and opens it, "Not so much, Henry. After all, we're not in any particular rush. We're doing this on our timetable, no one else's."

A forced smile at Evan, who matches it perfectly as he nods back, "... That's right. We have from now until forever. The altar's not going anywhere."

... Would that it would, though.

If Alecto's unexpected arrival hadn't already put a palpable damper on the mood of the room, the mention of the wedding certainly does. From his place at Evan's side, Reggie can feel his heart tightening painfully in his chest, though he has no choice but to suffer in silence.

But Reggie and Evan's mutual misery, along with Henry and Barty's visible displeasure at Alecto's appearance, is a complete contrast to Amycus's unmitigated joy. He's the happiest, the most relieved he's been in days; certainly the most confident he's been since the other men arrived on the scene. Grinning widely, he leans over once more and gives his twin sister an affectionate side hug as he gestures around at the rest of their group, "... I say we toast."

"I'm never one to turn down a drink, Amy. But what exactly are we toasting?"

"I'd think that'd be obvious, Crouch. My sister's arrival. Because now we're all here in one place. Reunited once more."

Glancing back up from his apparent intent study of the billiards table, Mulciber shakes his head, "Not all. As I just previously inquired -"

"- Nearly all, then. Ninety-eight percent."