The Spellbound State of the Universe

Chapter 6

The burgundy wallpaper and dim chandelier were a far cry from the sunny scene outside.

Sheera gazed up at the winding mahogany staircase a few feet ahead, hand-carved and carpeted in a decadent baroque fashion.

Arjun dropped the small black bag he'd been clutching onto an antique side table in a somewhat careless fashion.

"Shouldn't you be more careful with that?" she said.

He avoided her stare. "It was only a decoy."

Sheera nodding slowly, as further pieces of the Kindreds' security protocol fell into place; why exactly it all had to happen was however still largely a mystery.

To her surprise Arjun offered a helping hand. "Let me take your bag to your room."

She found herself touched by his chivalry. "Thank you."

Without a word he started jogging up the stairs.

"Wait!" she called out. He turned back. "I was thinking...the whole thing on the plane, maybe we got off on the wrong foot." He had a quizzical look on his face. "Anyway..." she went on, "I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone here, for the training and...well...who knows whatever else." Her fluttering lashes made her intentions crystal clear, almost as clear as his nearly instantaneous smirk.

"I can assure that 'whatever else' will not transpire in this life time," he said dryly. He followed up the crushing rejection by bounding up the stairs two at a time.

She stood frozen in place, almost too shocked to process her shattered ego.

"Don't take it too personally," said a man's nearby voice. "You're not his type."

The Australian man she'd met that first night emerged from the salon, and now that they were out of the dimly lit bar she could see he had a friendly face. He offered his hand. "I'm Luke Stone." His Australian accent rolling over the 'o' in a pleasing way. "Nice to meet you more officially."

She shook his hand, and as she compared this interaction to Arjun's final words her ego finally took the full hit.. "Your colleague is very rude."

"Like I said, you're not his type."

"Well excuuuse me," she muttered. To her surprise, Luke started to laugh. "What?" she said scowling. "Are my lacking qualities so amusing?"

"The only quality you're lacking is that you're not Brad Pitt. Or Ryan Gosling. Or Idris Elba. Or any guy, actually."

The realization finally set in. "So it's not me, it's him..." she nodded slowly, "...and the fact that I'm also not a him." She smiled. "Cool."

The grandfather clock outside the cloakroom chimed for eleven a.m., and with it Luke Stone's friendly demeanor stiffened. "Follow me to the study," he said. "Madam Quillfern needs to fill you in."

***

It seemed as if all the world's books and curious cultural artifacts were housed inside the cozy study on the second floor, where domed windows teased a view of a tree-lined street while brightening the deep-hued décor.

Eve Quilfern sat at a sprawling oak desk, the surface partially covered in a disarray of scrolls. A shimmering emerald scarf was draped over her crisp white blouse, reflecting particles of sunlight as her eyes took in a nervous Sheera.

She sat across from Madam Quillfern in a gilded armchair, her posture a little too rigid as she focused on her fidgeting fingers.

"Was your journey satisfactory?" Madam Quillfern inquired.