Serena pulled the ruffled quilt closer to her nose. The cold winter air drifted through the window panes and chilled her bones as she lay in her small bed.
It was something that happened every winter. The single-pane window was not enough to keep the chill from her room. Even though the room was close to the fireplace, it still managed only to contain cold air by the morning. Nothing changed even if Serena got up multiple times to stoke the fire.
She nuzzled into the soft fabric, soaking in the warmth. Her nose tingled as the cold gave up reluctantly. She settled back into the bed, sleep calling once more.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her eyes jerked open, and the sun immediately blinded her.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
She grumbled and groaned as she tossed the covers aside.
"What..."
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.
She flung the door wide open, and immediately a wave of warm air hit her. She sighed, welcoming the change of temperature. Warm arms wrapped around her and pushed her back as she relaxed into the warmth.
"I have so much to tell you." Venus squealed. She was her usual, bubbly morning person self even though it was far too early for anyone to be alive.
"Shhh..." Serena whispered, half-asleep. She swayed back and forth, still groggy and filled with fog. She bounced a finger on her lips, signally for quiet. "It's too early." She opened her mouth wide and gave a long-awaited yawn.
Venus slapped her shoulder.
"You haven't changed." She smiled. "I'm glad. I was worried."
"And I see you haven't changed either." Serena rolled her eyes and pushed Venus away. She flopped onto the bed and sprawled over the sheets. Venus shoved a leg back and plopped down in the newly freed space.
"So tell me what's new!" Venus poked Serena's thigh, pressing for new gossip.
Serena sighed and pulled a pillow over her head.
"Nothing new. Same old, same old. Lucian's still got secrets, and he's still obnoxious."
Venus nodded a few times before snapping her head toward Serena.
"I didn't ask about Lucian."
Serena froze. Her heart vibrated loudly in her ears. Pink crept up from her shirt collar to her cheeks, flushing out the pale skin and replacing it with a red.
"What happened?" Venus asked nervously. She leaned close. Her body acted like she wanted to listen, and she wanted to be supportive, but her eyes were nervous and angry.
"Nothing happened. We-" Serena paused. The stories and moments she'd shared with Lucian hung on her tongue.
"You?" Venus fell onto Serena's legs, crushing them beneath her weight. Serena tried to pull her legs away but was unable to. She was stuck.
"We have some things in common. And he gets me in a way Atlas never tried. He does keep secrets, and I hate that. But he's been slowly opening up about his past."
Venus nodded, her face grim.
"What about Atlas?" She hesitated to listen to Serena's reply. The answer could completely ruin her hopes and plans.
Serena swallowed hard. So hard that Venus could hear it. She knew what to think about Atlas and Serena's relationship just because Serena was taking so long to respond.
"I see." She said quietly. Venus slowly rose from the bed and stretched. She made her way toward the door.
Serena jumped off the bed and grabbed Venus' wrist before she could completely exit the room. She pulled Venus back and slammed the door closed. Venus stumbled backward, pulling a stunned Serena along. She crashed against the bed while Serena managed to stay upright.
"What the hell," Venus grumbled, rubbing the back of her shoulders. "I was leaving, you know."
"I know...." Serena buried her face in her hands, hiding the creeping red tones from Venus. "How has he been?" Her voice shook as much as her body. Venus shot up and immediately stabilized her.
"He's-" She hesitated. But the longer she held out, the more Serena shook before her. "He's worried about you. He misses you terribly. So much so that he's made amends with many of our rivals to look for you."
Tears seeped from between Serena's fingers. The clear trail ran down her hands as her quiet sobs shook her shoulders.
"I'm a terrible person, aren't I?" Serena stuttered between her stifled sobs.
Venus folded to Serena's pleas for help.
"No. No, you aren't" She pulled Serena into a hug. "You did the right thing. Distance helped him and you. You learned more about yourself, and he did the same. I'm proud of you. If anything Atlas was the terrible one. He was never very good with people." She confessed into Serena's messy hair.
Serena laughed as she sobbed again.
"You're right. He never really was." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "He makes terrible first impressions and gives so many mixed signals."
Now it was Venus' turn to laugh.
"You're so right. But he loves you and only you. He will continue to look for you until he finds you. It's only a matter of time before he comes here. He already knows I see you. He can smell your scent on me. When I get back after our little meetings, he calls me into his office, and we sit there. He is only ever relaxed after I get back, and we sit there. It's you who relaxes him. And it's you he searches for every day. Not our father's killer anymore."
"What? He misses me that much?" Serena hid the smile with her hand. Her heart fluttered around her chest, happy at Atlas' longing. But the wave of reality came crashing down on that butterfly hard. The smile faded, and she looked at Venus steadily. "Well, there isn't much we can do about it now, is there? He shouldn't have killed my dad, to begin with." She crossed her arms tightly.
Venus rolled her eyes away from Serena.
"He's sorry for that and even gave your dad a proper burial. But as you were gone, you didn't get to see it. He's buried on the edge of the wood. I could take you there sometime, right before a big storm, so any scouts can't find your tracks after you leave."
Serena nodded, thankful for the opportunity for closure and the turning tides with Atlas.
"What's this about seeing her dad?" Lucian leaned against the doorway lazily. His arms folded neatly across his chest. His hair was spiked at odd angles.
Immediately Venus tensed and slid closer to Serena. She wrapped a protective arm around her friend and tilted her head up.
"None of your concern."
Lucian dropped his arms into his pockets and took a step toward the women. He bent over and met her suspicious gaze head-on, a small smirk played with his lips.
"Oh. But I think it is." He straightened and wandered around the room, occasionally glancing at Serena. She shifted as his gaze flicked around her face and features. "You made it clear that you wanted to keep Serena from your brother, so I am her protector. That is the deal we made, isn't it Serena?"
She nodded at his words. Venus rolled her eyes and turned to Lucian.
"That is not what I said. And when did she agree to that?"
"It was a few weeks ago. After the horrible snowstorm, we had." He waved his hand and knelt before the two. "Venus, Serena is her person. She can make up her mind. But wherever she goes, I go. That's how we do things in this house."
Venus turned to Serena completely lost with the man before her.
"Is he serious?" She pointed to him awkwardly.
Serena nodded again.
"Yes, he is. We made a promise that we would do certain things together, and this would technically be one. But he's also right. I can do what I want." She turned to Lucian. "And that means that I don't need you for this one. I will be with Venus. You don't need to come. And If I ever want to see Atlas again, you can't stop me."
Lucian's fingers extended over his knees and tightened. The joints popped as they curled. He released a heavy breath and relaxed his fingers.
"I understand. But give me a try too. You may like what I have to offer better." A silly grin spread over his face as his eyes played with her flushed features.