The Suit War

Ten

We didn't get to Hearts until well after the sun went down. Once Kanon started descending, I gave him directions to Lark and Ilyx's cottage by typing it into Winder's phone. Once we arrived, Kanon landed the hovercraft on the front lawn ... and by front lawn, I really mean Ilyx's beautiful pink and red heart mailbox.

"What was that?" Kanon asked after there was a loud crashing noise.

Once we were officially on the ground, both Winder and I peered over the edge. "Oh nothing," Winder said sarcastically, "you just, you know, knocked over a mailbox ... no big deal."

"Sorry," Kanon apologized while looking at me. "I landed it as smoothly as I could."

"Your definition of 'smoothly' is messed up," Winder snapped.

"Winder, relax," I told him as he got out of the craft. "The box itself is still in tact, it's just the post that snapped in half. It's not that big a deal-"

"Land!" Winder exclaimed as he lay spread-eagle on the ground, rubbing his left cheek into the grass.

"You're nuts," Roe said curtly as the rest of us climbed out.

Winder kissed the ground before standing back up on his feet. As he did, the front door of the cottage opened to reveal Lark standing in the doorway. "Celia?" he asked shocked. I immediately ran over to him and gave him a hug. "What in the world are you doing here?"

I looked up at him as we broke out of the hug. "It's a long story ..."

Lark looked past me. "Who are they?"

I sighed. "It's a really, really, long story." Lark crossed his arms. "Lark, I promise I'll explain everything ... just please, can we come inside?"

Lark looked at the guys, then at me, then back at the guys, then back at me before sighing. "... Alright Celia." He then motioned for the guys to come in behind me.

"It's kinda small," I heard Winder mutter behind me. I quickly turned around and gave him dagger eyes. "Okay! Sorry, sorry."

"Lark, what was it?" Ilyx asked as she walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands off on a small hand towel. Her eyes went wide as soon as she saw me. "Celia!" She ran over and gave me a tight hug. She immediately let go of me though. "Are you alright? Why are you back here? What happened?"

"Ilyx I'm fine, really," I assured her.

"Oh," Ilyx said as she noticed the guys standing behind me. "I didn't know you were coming home with friends."

"We didn't know you were coming home at all," Lark added.

"Still, I'd only made enough supper for two people ..." Ilyx thought for a moment. "But I'm sure we can manage." I smiled as she walked back into the kitchen, Lark following behind her.

"Who's the old maid?" Winder muttered.

I gave him an "Are you kidding me?" look. "That's the woman that raised me."

Winder's eyes widened. "... Yes, and how beautiful she is. She reminds me so much of you." I glared at him. He smiled nervously.

"I told you: they aren't my biological parents."

"... Right, I knew that ... what I meant was you have the same beautiful aura about you-"

"Save it, Winder," I snapped.

Ilyx and Lark came back into the living room. "I found something else to pop in the oven," Ilyx told us. "So please, come in and make yourselves comfortable everyone."

"Yes make yourselves at home, boys," Lark told them. "Any friends of Celia are welcome into this house." We all dropped our backpacks by the front door.