03-20-2016, 09:05 PM
A sharp oath, and Pen opens her eyes. They are dark as the room is dark as the house is dark as the night is dark as everything is dark because the only light is whatever half-light comes in from outside. As her vision adjusts and drowsiness falls away, she watches Nicholas get dressed, watches him stand framed stark in the open window speaking to some Thing she cannot see, hearing some Thing she cannot hear -- just echoes and darkness and when the cold night air gets to her she sucks in a lungful and props herself up on her elbows.
Nick gives her a look. Pen's face is half-in-shadow, hair tangled and very high. He thanks Crow, shuts the window, and Pen has read the relief in the shape of his shoulders. She pulls herself out of bed, and says, "All's well and fair?"
Most of the passing on of news will wait until morning.
But Pen gets out of bed and goes into her study in order to touch base with Sera, Dan, and perhaps Richard. When she returns to bed, she teases Nicholas about getting dressed for the black and gleaming many eyes of the Murder, wondering at its modesty and its delicacy, whether it would have blushed, etcetera, etcetera.
And maybe she falls back asleep. And maybe she tries and tries to sleep, until, giving up, she goes into her study to work instead.
Nick gives her a look. Pen's face is half-in-shadow, hair tangled and very high. He thanks Crow, shuts the window, and Pen has read the relief in the shape of his shoulders. She pulls herself out of bed, and says, "All's well and fair?"
Most of the passing on of news will wait until morning.
But Pen gets out of bed and goes into her study in order to touch base with Sera, Dan, and perhaps Richard. When she returns to bed, she teases Nicholas about getting dressed for the black and gleaming many eyes of the Murder, wondering at its modesty and its delicacy, whether it would have blushed, etcetera, etcetera.
And maybe she falls back asleep. And maybe she tries and tries to sleep, until, giving up, she goes into her study to work instead.