The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 16

Char was not in the mood for a party.

He spent the afternoon trying to comfort his distraught mother, to no avail. At least she wasn't crying anymore when he and Rath left. She wouldn't listen to anything Char or Rath had to say about Iris' character, and she was still convinced that they had been bewitched. Char couldn't really blame her. Hatred for human mages ran deep within her veins ever since their father's death at the hands of one. That had scarred Rath deeply, too, and Kelnor, who saw it happen. Char had kept his own struggles to himself. His father had friends among the humans, and he'd brought Char along on his secret visits, knowing Char wouldn't run his mouth like Rath. They were people. Just like the dragons. People, mostly nice, mostly kind, with a few bad apples who didn't have to ruin the entire barrel. And one of those friends was a mage.

It was a long time before Char worked up the courage to visit him again.

"Hey, if you're not going to smile, at least try to look less like you just sucked a lemon, okay?" Rath said, drawing Char back to reality. They had stopped on a doorstep. Not Kara's doorstep. Misa's.

"You're picking her up?" Char asked disbelievingly.

Rath shrugged. "Girls like that."

He knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, it opened. Misa's surprised golden eyes met Rath's. He grinned and boldly looked her over. The golden dress she wore matched her eyes perfectly, and it shimmered like her hair whenever she moved. It was tight, with a short skirt and a plunging neckline. Rath whistled approvingly.

"You really don't want me looking at anybody else, do you?" he asked, offering her his arm.

She blushed as she took it. "And you're still wearing black."

"Black goes with everything," Rath replied, leading her past Char. "Especially silver and gold."

Char rolled his eyes as he followed them. He gave it two hours before Rath left her for another girl and ended up with a drink in his face again.

Kara's house was easy to pick out. It was the loud one. The shuttered windows and closed door couldn't hold in the music and laughter, and a cheer rose from the crowd when Char and Rath walked in. Rath had his arm looped around Misa's waist, and he downed a drink and took her straight to the dance floor. Char nursed his drink and scanned the crowded rooms for Srot and Kara. They were in the living room. She was standing in a corner, her head tilted slightly so her blue hair fell across her bare shoulder to brush against Srot's arm. He was boxing her in with his hand on the wall beside her head, his purple eyes locked on her startlingly red eyes as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"Great party," Char said to her.

Srot shot him a glare. "Yeah. Go find your own girl."

"Srot, be nice," Kara giggled, shoving his chest playfully.

"Looking to meet somebody new. Anybody from the magic school here?" Char asked casually.

Realization dawned in Srot's purple eyes.

"Of course! When everybody heard you and Rath were going to be here, everybody wanted to come," Kara gushed. "Just keep your eyes peeled. I don't think you'll be alone too much longer."

Char smiled at her and nodded at Srot. "Then I'll leave you to it."

She wasn't wrong. The pink-haired girl from the street laced her arm around his, leaning against him, alcohol heavy on her breath as she smiled up at him. "Char, right?" she asked sweetly. "Wanna dance?"

"I'm not much of a dancer," he said, but she was already tugging him along.

"That's not what I've heard," she replied. Her eyes were a bright orange, her tight dress the shades of a sunset. He took another drink and followed her to the room where most of the dancing was going on. Rath and Misa were in the center of it all, her back pressed to his front, his hands on her hips as they swayed. The pink-haired girl pulled Char after her. "Dance with me," she said breathlessly, guiding his hands to her hips as she began to move to the music.