[] CHAPTER 5 []
► ►FAST FORWARD ► ►
|| PLAY ||
Elijah found himself in the main hall, the sounds of chatter surrounding him like a blanket and bringing him back to those nights just before the Circus was really flung into action. He stepped into the auditorium and scanned the area, but there was no one there. Well, almost no one.
There were two Enets sitting on the floor setting two things up; one a guitar, the other a violin. The one with the guitar was tall, his ears rounded at the edges like a cow or bull's, and two small cream-colored horns poked out of his fluffy dark brown hair, he had a tufted tail that flicked behind him, clear vitiligo on his face. He was talking to the one with a violin, who had a similar dark russet tufted tail that flicked behind him, a similar-colored mess of hair on his head.
Elijah felt himself drawn to them, standing a small distance away while he watched them set their cases aside and begin to tune their respective instruments.
"I'm assuming you're the performers for tonight."
The two paused and the Enet with the guitar turned, his gaze darting up to Elijah. Since he was dealing with humans, he was currently swathes in primordial light, which would be hard for either of the mortals to see past, though Elijah could easily see through the illusion that one-or both-of them had created to conceal themselves.
"Performers?" The one with the tusks-fangs? Tusks? Or maybe it was just an underbite...- tilted his head slightly and gave a look to his friend.
Elijah knew that look.
That look meant he was prey.
As an Immortal, especially a young one, he hadn't started dating yet, and was unsure if he'd ever like to. Yes, of course there were the occasional bouts of passion, but nothing ever deeper than that.
This was why he knew that look so well.
From the suitors who tried to pursue him, both mortal and immortal, because who wouldn't be the son in law of a god?
In that look alone, the tusked Enet had engaged in a game, one that he was sure to lose.
On the other hand, the horned Enet simply sat back, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Leave him alone." In an almost bored tone, as if he'd done the same song and dance millions of times over. Elijah was a bit startled by his voice; it was surprisingly sweet, a melody carrying it through to the last syllable, and the Immortal found himself wanting to hear him speak again, to sing, to...
Focus.
"Performers, entertainment. Same thing." Elijah leaned back against the wall, elegantly pointed ear flicking but concealed.
"Oh, we just play music." The tusked Enet got to his feet and extended a hand, grinning. "I'm Wayre."
Elijah kept his hands to himself. "Elijah Vennys."
If Wayre knew the name, he didn't show it, though his friend narrowed his eyes slightly. A bit of the airy lightness was gone.
Elijah knew that look, too.
That was the Fuck, an Immortal look. That was the look that told Elijah that he'd likely not hear that melodic voice again.
A pang of unexpected disappointment hit him. He shook it off.
"And our sour friend over here is Ashe." Wayre gestured at the horned Enet, who raised a hand in a half-wave. Elijah spared him a small smile, a thing that he didn't give out often. "Nice to meet you."
Ashe's eyes narrowed further and his ear flicked, and in that moment Elijah sensed a chink in his primordial armor.
He'd seen.
Any chance at the glimpse of lightness, playfulness, even, that Elijah had seen disappeared. Ashe stood and flicked his tufted tail, dipping his chin in an almost formal half-bow. "You as well."
Elijah blinked, though he kept his expression the same. There was a coldness to Ashe's voice, accompanied by a tinge of distrust and possibly resentment, which was odd. What have I done to him? Elijah was suddenly angry at himself for wanting to hear that voice again, or maybe a song, or maybe a laugh...
By the Gods, Elijah, FOCUS.
"So you'll be playing tonight?" Elijah matched both Ashe's apparent coldness and Wayre's flirty, nonchalant demeanor with a cool, level response. He wasn't here for them anyways.
Wayre looked like he was going to answer, but Ashe cut in first, walking up beside him and-goodness, he was tall. Wayre was definitely below average height, but Ashe seemed to almost tower above him. "If you'll excuse us,"
Elijah watched Ashe pull Wayre away and hiss something to him, not looking back at the Immortal. It was clear that he'd put a bubble of magic around the two to block in the sound. As if that would stop Elijah from hearing.
"Cool it, Wayre. That's an Immortal." Ashe's voice was surprisingly bitter, and hearing his melodic voice twisted like that felt like a stab of glass in Elijah's heart.
Why? I don't know him. He's an asshole anyways.
Focus.
Wayre looked back at Elijah and his eyes narrowed slightly.
I see it's a shared prejudice.
Elijah waved at him, head tilting to one side slightly. Wayre hummed softly and Elijah felt another bubble of magic bloom around the two.
So Ashe is the Illusioner.
Elijah had guessed, but he hadn't been sure if Wayre was one, too. The magic that'd gone up, however, was supposed to make their conversation quieter, though the magic had little effect on Elijah.
Both magic bubbles dissipated and Ashe walked over, grabbing his guitar with a surprising gentleness despite his apparent irritation. "I believe that's our cue." He spoke curtly, tail lashing so fast that Elijah swore he heard the air whistle. Wayre followed him, bending to pick up his violin and spinning as he brought it up.
There was no cue, he knew, but he didn't move to correct them either way. "Well, I wish you well either way." Elijah tipped himself in a low bow.
And then he saw it.
Ashe's eyes narrowed slightly and confusion skittered over his gaze. His gaze darted to Wayre with a sort of unspoken question, and Wayre just shrugged and leapt up onto the stage.
"...Bye." When Ashe spoke, his voice was somewhere in between the playfulness and the cold resentment. He sounded perplexed, as if Elijah was a mystery he was trying to figure out.
Elijah fortified his own wall of primordial light to ensure that mystery would never be solved.
After all, everything aside, Elijah had started the encounter as prey.
And prey didn't reveal secrets when it wanted to survive.
.
.
.
