ShadowSong [Book 1 & 2: Complete] [NaNoWriMo16/17]

Chapter 48 - Together Though Apart, Part I

Olivia didn't go home after temple work.

Aside from a lunch break in the middle, the High Shadowspeaker kept the performance group ridiculously busy for the entire day. She was her usual, straightforward self, but today, there were sharp words hidden in her long, dramatic sentences. Perhaps it was that she felt slighted by Banshee's note to Olivia, but it was the group that felt her annoyance over it.

The High Speaker found fault after fault in things that'd seemed fine two days ago. She demanded perfection from compositions that weren't yet done. She criticised the way the music was woven around the narration. She had nothing but praise for Naomi's solo, but insisted that Jason's melody accompanying Stefan's movements didn't match and needed to change. Some of her comments were sharp enough to make Olivia wince, so when Aurelia came over to the costume corner, Olivia had been glad when Ericka had escaped with nothing but a short conversation about the designs for Starsong's dress.

Whatever the reason for the High Speaker's mood, it meant that when temple work was over, Olivia still had a promise to fulfill.

After saying her goodbyes to Ericka and Ariel, Olivia walked over to where Jason was packing away his violin, nudging him in the arm with her elbow to get his attention.

She could have sworn that when he first looked at her, there was a quiet resentment in the depths of his mismatched eyes, but if there was, it softened before she could be sure.

"I'll be ready to leave shortly," he said with a clipped tone that Olivia was becoming less and less familiar with. "I may have to have a brief discussion with someone beforehand, but I won't be long."

"It's okay," said Olivia. "Um, I was kind of hoping that I'd be able to go see Ella, though. I told her I'd be back today to make sure she'd eaten the sandwich." She shook her bag. "Also brought those snow cookies I promised her."

Jason paused and took in a quiet breath with his eyes shut before he straightened.

"Ah, yes," he said, his eyes opening. "I apologise, I'd forgotten. We--"

"Jason?" said Aurelia, walking up beside Olivia without so much as a glance. "Dinner begins shortly after the auroras finish. I expect you to be home well before that to greet Taylor and I as we arrive."

"I'll be there, mother," said Jason.

"Good," said Aurelia. "I wouldn't want anyone to be disappointed." She turned, finally acknowledging Olivia's presence with a too-pleasant smile and a nod. "Shadowheart."

As the High Speaker walked away, Olivia's gaze followed her for a short few seconds before it flicked back to Jason. His jaw was set, his shoulders just slightly hunched--completely unusual from mister perfect posture--but it was the look lingering in his eyes that really set her frown into place.

"Are you--"

"Just... don't," said Jason softly. He rolled his shoulders and picked up his violin case. "I'll ensure you're able to see Ella, but I would ask that you be aware of the time. Given how long it'll take for me to get you home afterwards, you'll have about ten minutes before we need to depart."

"You don't have to hang around," said Olivia, falling into step with him in the hallway out of the hall. "Once I'm in, you can take off and do whatever it is you need to do before dinner stuff. I'll get home by myself. Temple work is over, and I'm dismissing you from your duty of getting me home in one piece tonight."

Jason eyed her. "Are you sure?"

"Yup," said Olivia, popping the 'p'. "I have my rollerblades today. I was thinking I might hang around and meet Banshee when she comes to pick up the note tonight anyway. Probably a good idea to make sure she knows who I am, right?"