1. Macabre Marmalade (COMPLETED; EDITING)

XXIV (11.1)

Todor followed Cassandra and the two Anadori back to the car. His mind flashed to the events of the past hour and a half and suppressed the urge to slap his forehead. What was I thinking of, jumping on her like that? His mind stopped, almost blacking out for a second. What was she thinking of jumping me like that? Thoughts swirled in his mind as the car drove on its way to the Governor's house.

He glanced toward Cassandra but she showed no signs of what she was thinking. She hadn't said a word since they left the shower. They dressed in silence and joined two governor's men who looked at them strangely. After fifteen minutes of sitting without making any noise, he sighed and turned to Cassandra.

"Have you met the Governor?" he asked her awkwardly.

"I don't know her. A few days back some agent of hers came and asked around about my roommate. Don't know why they are interested in her but I am starting to get worried., She never told me she met her though," she said.

"You think your friend is in danger?" Todor asked at which Cassandra just shrugged.

After an awkward pause, Todor continued. "I met the Governor at the party last Sunday. Miss Bloodbeak looked and sounded courteous. Or as courteous as I can expect from an Anadori official," he said remembering the brief meeting.

"Figures, those knife-ears always sound like they are looking down on you. Even their servants," she said loudly with the word servants given more force. "Although that little sprout with whom you walked into my store with was alright. He reminded me of myself when I was little."

Todor nodded, worry starting to creep into his thoughts. At the party, she looked mildly interested in me and she said something about me being a curiosity since I spent so much time in a Knitting Fog. Hope there isn't something she wants from me. Like vampires or folks who attacked us last night.

"Why so gloomy all of a sudden? I know normal life doesn't compare to wrestling with me in bed but cheer up. It could happen again," she said with a tinge of joviality that Todor didn't feel. He smiled and rolled his eyes playfully as a response. Cassandra looked at him and grabbed his head pulling it close to her so their foreheads touched.

"Don't worry. This big eared bimbo can't hurt you publicly even she really wants it. If she did this entire peace she built in this city would crumble," Cassandra said reassuringly, her breath tickling Todor's nose.

"We know each other just few days, how did we get to be so close?" Todor asked seriously.

Cassandra laughed letting go of his head.

"We faced death together. It's a hell of a bonding experience," she said before she turned and shrugged. "But I bet we will learn a lot about each other that we will not like or have a harder time accepting."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Todor prodded. She peered at him with one eye through her hair.

"Is that some sneaky way of yours to learn about my exes, Mister Golem Slayer?" she said mockingly.

"Well yeah," he said honestly with a goofy grin.

She sighed and laid back into the sit.

"I had few flings here and there. What about you?" she said trying to switch the focus on him.

"My last girlfriend probably died three centuries ago," he said gravely without thinking.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't think... my mouth just ... sorry," she stammered.