Swapped Fate

54: Papa Tristan.

MAVIS FLARE

The night was catastrophic. With how well it started, one would think the rest of it ought to have been smooth sailing, ending on a good note. But no, I had to get shredded by carnivorous plants courtesy of the Curse of Verthen, fire a pistol for the first time amidst a highly stressful situation, and take cautious efforts in hiding my bloody self and bloody clothes.

Nay, but the cherry on top was that Lucia Fairburn and Tristan Devereux had once been lovers! No, no, it wasn't my speculation formulated by that statement she made about Tristan seeing her naked before. She told me herself of their relationship.

"He was my first, as I was his first. It was an intense, passionate and exciting affair," she had said with a dreamy look on her face while I tried not to grimace in disgust. "But not to worry, my dear. It's been over for about three years."

I saw sense in how it could have happened, for Lucia was a sensual, enchantng creature and the fiend was...rather good-looking. Quite good-looking. Very good-looking. Anyways, it was clear she cherished the memories, but did not intend to rekindle that...erm...passion.

Good.

I still hadn't a clue what it was that Tristan and Julian fought over. I did ask Julian much later at the second blooming of the scithera near the caves, but his answer was vague. He only said that he would return whatever it was to Tristan, but only for now. That he would come back to retrieve it later.

How mysterious.

I pushed the issue no further.

All in all, the weekend away had been marvelous and an adventure. It saddened me to part with the Fiarburn family. I would cherish the memories I made with them; aside from the monstrous flesh-eating plants.

********

Last Wednesday, Tristan prepared our date, to which we visited Mr. Vlad. I practised my archery, and he had his blood feasted on. Madam Felicity planned our Saturday date, which included other people. I could hardly call it a date, though we did have that dance together. That smooth, body-to-body dance near the bonfire where I had been momentarily enamoured by his—

Anyway.

It was my turn to plan the date this Wednesday, and I already knew what I wished to do or rather, what I wished to make him do. And that was to visit Fate's Heart with Lea and me.

When Mother Laurel told me about Tristan's efforts with the orphanage, I had been so delightfully surprised that I hoped to witness it myself—this benevolent child-loving side of his.

The three of us shared a carriage, with Tristan letting Lea and me talk for the majority of the distance. I neglected to inform him where we were headed because I doubted he would agree to come otherwise. He did try to hound me for details, but fortunately, I had Madam Felicity's support of the mystery. She played a big part in his relent. Perhaps that was why he kept his eyes out the window the whole time—to gage where exactly the fraudster and his sister-in-law were taking him.

As the coach made the swerve up the slope to the orphanage, Tristan sighed.

"I should have guessed," he mumbled. "When I heard Lea was doing volunteer work here, I should have known that since she's accompanying us, this would be the place you'd bring me."

I smirked at him. "Feeling particularly brainless, fiend?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I must say, fraudster. Quite the unexpected plan."

Whereas Ari would not be returning—at least not of her own will, Lea missed her handmaiden. She told me everything she knew about her, which information I delivered to Tristan. He had asked Atlas to locate her, but the sorcerer was unable to cast a tracking spell without an item belonging to Ari.