Chapter 40

Ismene directed everyone to seats at the table. Only Remiel, Lysandra, and Lady Collingwood had seats, as neither Alexander Collingwood nor Simon Ferry was present. But as soon as they had sat down, Ismene sat down across from Lysandra.

"Since Lysandra's father is not present," she explained, "I will sit in his place."

"That will be fine," Lady Collingwood answered. Turning her attention to Lysandra, she asked, "Lady Ferry, I heard that you were ill last week and could not come to the meeting between us. Is that true?"

Lysandra nodded. "It is. I am so sorry. I didn't mean for you to come all this way for nothing."

Ismene glared at her.

"It is not a problem. We are here now, are we not?" Lady Collingwood said, her smile spreading across her whole face. She didn't notice Ismene's expression, the exact opposite of hers, just two feet to her left. "Anyway, Ms. Carme, what was it you wanted to discuss?"

"We are supposed to discuss Remiel and Lysandra's upcoming engagement," Ismene said, clearing the scowl from her expression and raising her eyebrows. "It has become clear that winter is imminent, and according to Simon's instructions, we should consider planning the marriage during a warmer month in the coming year."

"Of course, of course," Lady Collingwood answered. "So what about April? The cold should be long gone by then. It will be a beautiful month to have a wedding."

Lysandra found herself hoping it snowed until May. Oblitus had a naturally cold climate, after all. She glanced over at Remiel, but he had a smile on his face, as though he agreed with what the two women said. She thought it was a little strange that he'd willingly let them decide this part of his future, without giving him any say.

"Well, in that case, it is decided. Remiel and Lysandra," Lady Collingwood said with a sweep of her hand, "you two shall exchange engagement rings at our next meeting. And perhaps we shall hold it at the Collingwood estate, instead. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"It would," Ismene replied. "I'm sure your father would be proud," she added and glared at Lysandra.

Vasu and Nereus entered the dining room with trays and plates and placed them on the table. "Sorry to interrupt," Nereus murmured. Lysandra thought she could hear a trace of pain in his voice.

Lady Collingwood smiled up at him. "Oh, it's no problem," she chirped. "Thank you, sirs."

Vasu and Nereus bowed at the door to the kitchen. Nereus's eyes caught Lysandra's for a split second before he turned and left the room, following Vasu.

Lysandra sat through the conversation that followed, attempting to listen but catching only a few phrases every so often. She kept thinking back to her conversation with Morpheus just days ago, and her conversation with Nereus in the living room. Their words rang in her head a thousand times more than the words of Remiel and Lady Collingwood.

If Theft was the same thing as Erasure, they wouldn't call it Theft.

You've left before. Why don't you just go now?

She gave both of their words a lot of thought while Ismene and Lady Collingwood talked about things of less importance.

After Remiel and Lady Collingwood left, the rain finally began to fall. It poured down in sheets from the low-hanging clouds that had covered the sky for a week. Lysandra couldn't help but smile as she imagined Remiel and his entourage trying frantically to escape from the downpour.

The rain continued even as the sky darkened, falling invisible from the sky but raising a loud chorus of percussive taps against the house's foundation. At dusk Lysandra peered over the edge of her windowsill and looked down, but she could hardly see anything, besides the pearl gleam of moonlight on the wet wall. She decided that climbing down wasn't in her best interest.

She eased her door open and slipped down the hall. Some of the candles in the hallway were still lit, indicating that at least someone in the house was still awake. She'd have to watch her back.

Lysandra descended the stairs and emerged into the foyer. The lights were on in this room too, but she could see no one. She moved in the direction of the front door, but a few steps away from it, she decided against it and instead headed for the kitchen. She left the house through the kitchen door without running into anyone, even Ismene. Maybe someone had forgotten to put the lights out.

As soon as she stepped out from the protection of the house, the rain assaulted her, soaking her hair and her clothes all the way through in a matter of seconds. She felt like she would freeze, but she took off at a run anyway, circling the house and dashing down the walk. Her hands slipped on the latch to the gate. Still, she managed to push it open and escape out into the rest of Oblitus.