Page 3 of The Howl
I debated what to do with my time. I loved the greenhouse on the roof, but it would only make me miss Megan and Oanen more. And, I’d already spent enough time watching movies.
Leaving my room, I took the back stairs out to the gardens instead. The brisk winter wind robbed my arms of any heat the moment I stepped outside. I rubbed a hand over my skin and followed the snow-covered path to the bench in the center of the garden.
I stood there and looked out over the dormant grounds. It was beautiful in summer. Green and lush. Filled with singing birds and other small creatures that made noise. Now, it was silent. Silent and lonely.
Like I’d been before Megan.
Hugging myself, I thought of my life in Uttira and wondered if I would ever be able to go back to the isolation I’d found so comforting before Megan’s arrival. I doubted it.
While I knew her and Oanen’s stay in New York was only meant to be for a few weeks, I also knew Megan well enough to understand she’d never be happy spending all of her time in Uttira. Especially given her history with the Council and Adira.
That meant I either needed to make more friends or figure out a way to leave Uttira and join Megan. I wrinkled my nose at the latter. There was only one way out, and I was nowhere near getting my mark of Mantirum. Yet, making friends seemed just as impossible as earning my mark.
Deciding to delay worrying over friendships, I went back inside to wait for dinner in the entertainment room. With a small stash of dark chocolate truffles in my lap, I lost myself to three hours of visual carnage before the faint chime of the doorbell disturbed my peace.
I frowned at the time and stood to check myself in the mirror. Hopefully Adira would find my compromise suitable and leave the left side of my closet alone.
The low murmur of voices reached my ears as soon as I arrived at the top of the steps. None of them sounded like Adira, who usually joined us for dinner. Curious, I descended and went to the dining room.
Mrs. Quill was greeting our dinner guest with a gracious welcome when I entered, and the familiar back of a black head of hair slowed my steps.
“Thank you so much for inviting me, Mrs. Quill. Your house is beautiful,” Eugene said.
Mrs. Quill opened her mouth to reply, but I interrupted her.
“Why is he here?” I asked.
The sick feeling in my stomach grew as Eugene turned to look at me with a smile. As the newest human in Uttira, he didn’t know to be wary.
“Hey, Eliana.”
Ignoring him, I continued to stare at Mrs. Quill.
“He’s here because I invited him. With Megan and Oanen gone, I thought you might like company your own age at dinner.”
We both knew that wasn’t what this was. Her next words proved it.
“I’ll let you two talk while I let Mr. Quill know dinner is ready.”
Instead of getting angry, another dangerous emotion for me, I looked at Eugene as she left the room.
“I’m sorry if I sounded rude. Very little is as it seems in Uttira.”
“Even here?”
“Especially here.”
He nodded thoughtfully and seemed to notice my dress for the first time. I hated the look of appreciation that crept into his gaze until his hand smoothed down his own shirt.
“I’m feeling really underdressed right now.”
The button-up shirt was neatly pressed and complemented the dark jeans he wore. I knew these clothes were a vast improvement over what he’d been wearing when he’d arrived in Uttira. After all, I’d helped select his wardrobe.
“What you’re wearing is completely suitable for a family dinner. My dress is a prop I’m required to wear for dinner.”
“Required? If I were a girl, I’d want to wear that all the time. You look killer in it.”
His simple words, meant to be high praise, hurt deeply.
