On the way out they passed by the drunk girl once more. She was now hanging onto two of the guardsmen. Effortlessly flirting, by the way she had her leg hooked on one. And as Chris turned her gaze away she could have sworn she saw the girl wink at her.
Chris couldn't shake the ominous feeling that clouded her. Something about that girl put her on edge. Like she knew something that no one else knew.
People were trickling out of the party, but there were also some who waited along the walls. Brennan stood by the grand arch still enough to be one of the marble status that he was next to.
Chris pulled Zeven towards him. Crossing through several party goers to get over there. And when she was close enough, she unhooked her arm from Zeven and swiftly closed the gap between them. Instinctively reaching out to him.
He also reached out to her, anchoring her.
"Something feels wrong. I don't know what it is, but it's not right."
"What makes you think that?"
He felt her hand tighten around his. But her face didn't change. She made the entire conversation inconspicuous, speaking low enough that even Zeven, who was a few feet behind them, could not make out her words.
"Several things, but the biggest is the fact that I meet Zeven's father tonight."
He looked over her shoulder to see Zeven talking to a maid girl who had brought Chris's lost shoes. "Did you tell Zeven?"
She shook her head.
"Okay then. How would you like to proceed?"
"That's the problem, I'm not sure."
"If it would make you feel better, I'll see you home."
"Thank you Brennan."
Brennan thought about riding in the carriage with the two of them, but by the look of Zeven's face as he watched the two of them talk, he decided it was better to follow at a distance and give the two of them time.
Zeven and Chris were both silent as they walked down the front steps of the palace. Chris kept her eyes straight ahead, but Zeven would turn to look at her every so often. Almost looking like he wanted to say something, but for the entire walk he didn't.
The buildup kept growing until Zeven could no longer bury it. He stopped just in front of the carriage, using his hand to bare her from opening the door. Firmly pressing against it trying to exhaust his own nerves.
Zeven turned to her.
"About what I said earlier, try to forget it."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because it's no longer relevant."
She didn't know why, but something about the way he said it made her heart ache.
"Let's head home." he nodded at her, helping her up into the carriage.
Chris heard herself refer to Zeven's house, and wondered when it had become home. Her home. Her home where she lived with Gunter and Zeven, where she was visited by Mae and Brennan. These strangers had become a family. And it hurt that she would soon have to leave. But there was something she needed to do. She had found her goal, and she had the people in that house to thank for that.
Any change would be painful, at least in the beginning. And she knew that she would miss things, things she never knew to enjoy. And it became home to her only after she was about to leave.
Unlike the ride there, no one could sleep. Instead they just sat in silence, unsure of what to do or what to say. It had been different before, the future less certain, but now it was clear that they were going to become strangers again. Outside of the formation of peace, they would never see each other again. There would be no more late night conversation, no more morning coffees, no more piano lessons or chess games. This was their last night together. And starting anything else seemed wrong.
What good would come from being honest now? The game had been set in motion and it was too late to stop it. Once a piece had been set down, there was no taking it back, for better or for worse… this was it.
She put her shoes back on by herself before Zeven helped her out of the carriage. And even when she was down onto steady ground, she still kept holding onto him. Looking around, trying to memorize every single moment because she knew that she would never see it again.
Brennan and Mae's house had a candle lit inside, probably Mae waiting for her brother. A sight she would live without for the rest of her life. There were so many things that she would never have again, and the loss weighed down.