The Magician's Witch

Subterranean Pressure

Aria stood at one of the many balconies facing out onto the street below. Ronan had run off in search of Christine several minutes ago, leaving his sister to fend for herself. Aria rolled her eyes, grumbling internally about her lovesick baby brother.

She looked up at the stars, deep in thought. She wondered when they would be returning home. Her parents had agreed to remain in Paris through the New Year. Well, here it was. As much as she had enjoyed this adventure and being reunited with her father, she now pined for the familiar...and her own budding romance...something she hadn't told anyone about, not even Ronan. It wasn't a secret, exactly. It had begun just before they had left for Paris. It was so new that she hadn't had much time to acknowledge it.

Now, with her parents behaving like lovesick teenagers and her brother following Christine around like a little puppy, she felt like a third wheel. She hadn't wanted to say anything to anyone for fear that when she got back, she would realize that perhaps she only had an overactive imagination and what she thought was the beginning of something really was all a figment of her imagination.

His face kept popping up behind her eyes, smiling...always smiling. It was enough to make her heart flutter.

"Mademoiselle la Favre, I presume," a velvety smooth voice said from behind her, interrupting her mindful wanderings. Aria turned away from the balcony to find Raoul standing there, his charming face polite but underneath, Aria detected a motivation that was not altogether honorable. His eyes lingered too long on the cut of her bodice.

Aria smiled politely in return, but boiled beneath the surface, reminding herself that this man had tried to kill Ronan. Ronan may have been under the influence of raging hormones, but Ronan was her brother; furthermore, Aria found it impossible to forgive this man who had also attacked Christine, then proceeded to blame Christine for his behavior.

"You presume correctly, monsieur," she said lightly, dipping into a quick curtsey.

"Where are your parents and your brother," the viscount asked, looking around.

"My mother asked to speak to my father privately. They should be back soon. My brother...he tends to wander off sometimes."

Raoul stepped closer to Aria. "And they left you here to fend for yourself."

Aria felt her skin prickle at his proximity. She maintained her composure, keeping her hands in front of her in case she needed to act. "I can take care of myself," she stated.

Raoul took another step forward. "Is that so?"

"Where is Christine," Aria asked, her tone pointed, attempting to distract the viscount from her shuffling away from him, maintaining her distance.

Raoul paused. His face fell, assuming an air of concern and care. "I don't know. I tried to talk to her earlier. She has been behaving rather erratically lately. When I tried to confront her about it earlier, she shouted at me to stay away."

The viscount shrugged his shoulders in a defeated gesture. "I was only trying to help, but she wouldn't listen."

"Perhaps it was your delivery," Aria suggested. "If it sounded like you were accusing her of something, maybe she felt attacked and didn't know how concerned you were."

Raoul seemed taken aback by that. He stared at her confounded by her advice. After a moment, he nodded slowly.

"I only want what is best for her," he murmured, his voice catching. "And I am afraid of her getting hurt."

Right. Because nothing says "I love you" like a black eye, Aria thought sarcastically.

"Aria," Erik's voice rang out louder than she expected, making her jump. She looked up to see her parents making their way toward her. Erik's face was like thunder when he spotted who Aria was speaking to.