In Which Alina Has a Visitor

October 31, 1191

"Adonis!" Alina nearly tackled her cousin right back down the stairs. "Thank God! I never get to see anybody outside of school!"

"That's not true. You see your mother and siblings."

"People I don't live with, I mean! Unless you count babysitting Cherry and Nythran's kids on occasion. Nobody ever visits me out here."

"Your brother does! And Prior said he and Neva came on your birthday."

"That doesn't count! My brother is my brother, and Prior and I always celebrate our birthday together." God. Even if it wasn't technically never... didn't he get that she just didn't have the same kind of social life that she'd had before she'd gone to live on campus?

"Do I even count, then?" Adonis laughed, tossing back that luxurious hair she privately envied. He was wearing his less-than-preferred silk tunic, as his father still didn't let him out of the house wearing dresses. Pity. People always looked better when you could tell they liked their clothes--not that Adonis ever looked bad. "I am your cousin."

"Cousins are different. They're more like friends. Hell, Rennie made out with Cousin Sev."

"Not surprising. We Kemorins are an attractive bunch." He smirked. "Figures that we'd all be attracted to each other."

"Well, Sev is a Wythleit, but I see your point." Better than ever since yesterday, when Sev had dropped by and she'd overheard him and Rennie discussing the possibility of courting once she started at the university. She hadn't told her mother, but Aunt Raia probably knew. Aunt Raia probably liked the idea of Rennie as a daughter-in-law. "But enough about my attractive sister and our attractive cousin. What shall we do today?"

"I don't know. I've never been to the inn here. Is it rowdy on a Thursday?"

To the point where it was a lucky thing her mother was so lenient with her and Rennie! "Let's just say that it's a good thing you're not wearing a skirt if you want to go there, because many a college man will chase anything in one."

Adonis shrugged. "Well, I don't care if they look so long as they refrain from touching. But if you'd be uncomfortable, we could do something else."

"No, the inn will be fine." She placed her hand to his shoulder and laughed. "We'll just stay close. They won't bother either of us if they think we're together."

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