Page 147 of House of Pain
The sun was setting sooner and sooner these days. As Jolene and Alecto walked out onto Main Avenue just after six o’clock, it was already dark outside.
“So, what happened with your pen pal?” Alecto asked as they passed bars and restaurants on their way, all decorated for the upcoming holiday.
“Oh, nothing,” Jolene said, glancing at the windows of a shop they reached. “She’s good, and we’re still in contact.”
“Are you going to be meeting her, finally?” Alecto asked, stopping and inspecting the clothes dancing on invisible people to demonstrate how good they would look if you were wearing them. Cheap tactics.
But Alecto couldn’t argue that they weren’t indeed effective as she spotted a hooded cape made from red silk and matching lace.
“Let’s go inside,” she said, dragging Jolene into the shop.
“I’m going to meet her,” Jolene answered hesitantly, and Alecto turned to look at her friend. She arched a brow in question, and Jolene rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s not that simple. She’s a journalist. She knows all the elite families of Inathis.”
“So?”
“So, she hasn’t seen me yet, and she doesn’t know I’m a Frone,” Jolene said, exasperated. “Once she sees me, she’ll know who I am, and then…”
She’d either wouldn’t want to be with Jolene at all, or she’d want to be with Jolene due to her status and name.
Jolene didn’t have to explain it.
“Well,” Alecto said, sighing. “How about if you get her to come here for Samhain? It’s going to be a masquerade party. Everyone’s wearing masks. You won’t have to show her your face, and it can be kind of cool and mysterious meeting this way.Kinky.”
Jolene chuckled, bumping into Alecto’s shoulder.
“You know,” she said after a while, “maybe that’s not a bad idea at all.”
Alecto rolled her eyes.
Jolene wandered away towards the wall lined with elaborate masks, and Alecto strolled towards the red cloak that drew her to this shop in the first place.
The silk was soft to the touch, melting under her fingers as she dragged her hand over the length of it. The red lace lining was carefully crafted, perfectly blending in with the rest of the cloak.
Alecto didn’t know who she was dressing up as for Samhain. It had been a long time since she read any fairy tales. But she knew that she had to have this cloak, and the rest would fall into place.
“Oh, that’s so hot,” Jolene commented from behind her.
Alecto turned, grinning. “I know, right?” She glanced at the blue and silver mask in Jolene’s hand. “You found something?”
“Yes. I feel like this one matches my soul, you know?” Jolene mused, bringing the mask over her face.
“Sure does.”
“I came over to say that I’ve found one that matchesyoursoul. And it will fit the cloak, I think.” She tipped her head to the side as she inspected the cloak. “Are you going to be like a Red Riding Hood?”
Alecto’s eyebrows shot up. “I hadn’t thought of it, but I might. Do you think I’d be suited to dress as a girl clad in red, running from a wolf?”
Jolene only snorted, draping an arm over Alecto’s shoulder and dragging her towards the masks.
“I assure you if you wear that at the party, you’ll definitely be running from plenty of hungry wolves.”
48
Two weeks came and went, and Blaze found himself walking through the Blessed Forest, deep into the old ruins.
Samhain was indeed his favorite celebration.
He didn’t know what it was, but his heart beat faster as he made his way through the masked crowd gathering in the forest tonight.
