Interlude [h.s]

eighteen

He was with Mia. He too has just got out of a bedroom, the one right next to hers. They got out at the same time, and now Harry is staring at her like he believes he can read her mind— and for a moment Alouette fears he can indeed do it, that penetrating his gaze is.

She's never openly lied to him before, her hands are trembling. What if he catches it? What would happen then? What would he do to her? She knows he doesn't like being lied to. Her throat is dry, and she hopes he can't notice the panic rising in her eyes.

"I'm getting something to drink," she finally tells him. She holds her breath as she waits for the reply.

"The water of the tap is drinkable." He tilts his head and something flashes through his green irises, too quick for her to understand what it is.

"I wasn't thinking of drinking water."

Harry raises his eyebrows, seeming mildly surprised by the statement. "Well, in that case, it'll be my utmost pleasure to offer you something to drink."

Alouette wonders if the hint of a threat she can hear in his voice is real or is only part of her imagination. "Thank you," she replies, even though she isn't sure he's doing it for her benefit at all.

Over the last few days things have been strained between them. Even though he's never openly interfered with her tasks again, he's made it his personal mission to make things harder for her in every way possible.

He ignored her when she needed to talk to him, he gave her a thousand conflicting orders, he asked her to get him coffee more than seven times in the same morning just to leave the cups on his desk to get cold.

Needless to say, Alouette wouldn't believe he's doing something for her and her only even if he swore on it. So now she wonders what kind of humiliation his mind has concocted just for her on that night.

They get to his studio, and she knows that's already a red flag. The studio is the only room in the palace in which nobody will dare to bother him. Nobody will come knocking, nobody will come looking. In the instant he closes the door it'll be just him and her, alone. The voice in Alouette's mind is telling her to run away while she still can.

She doesn't.

Harry walks in behind her and closes the door. Alouette can't help but think it sounds just like a coffin would while closing down on her. She can already smell the dirt and she doesn't like it.

He throws his jacket over the back of the armchair and turns to look at her. "I must admit I was expecting you to wear the nightgown from some days ago," he comments, looking her up and down. "What a shame."

Alouette shrugs, pretending to be much braver than she really is. "You can't always win, sir."

"You don't know me, then. I never lose."

She takes a step towards him. "There's always a first time." Suddenly she doesn't know if she's still referring to the harmless teasing that's going on between them or something else entirely.

"As you've no doubt showed me." He turns off the main lights in the room, leaving the electric fireplace and a small table lamp to be the only source of illumination.

She should leave. She should leave now. Her feet are heavy though, and she's unable to move as he approaches her, an attentive look in his eyes.