Morning found Alisen curled under a thin sheet, having tossed and turned until all other blankets had ended strewn about the room. She awoke with tears gluing her eyes together. As she struggled to raise herself onto one arm, she recalled the events of the previous night. She collapsed again onto the floor, reluctant to get up and face the others. How awful she'd been! Everything was a mess now. She put her hands over her head, willing herself to block out all the thoughts swirling around her head and poking their way into her consciousness.
"Having a little trouble?" Alisen jumped at the voice behind her. Quin.
"How long have you been there?" she managed to croak out.
"Not long. I thought I woke you, but apparently I was mistaken." He was sitting on Lilia's bed, fiddling with the lacy curtains that framed the small window. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," Alisen muttered. She pulled herself upright. "What did you want?"
Quin moved off the bed and started pacing around the room. He picked up a silver hairbrush from Lilia's dresser, not seeming to know what to do with his hands. "I- I just wanted to let you know I talked things over with Rudolph. And I didn't want you to blame yourself for... anything. It was the right thing to tell us." He moved behind Alisen and started brushing her ebony hair with the brush.
"Whose fault is it then?" Alisen demanded, snatching the brush. "That Isadora?"
"No... not Isa. I–"
"This is ridiculous. Sorry, Quin. Thanks for coming up to see me." She shoved the silver brush back into his hands and stormed out of the room to talk to Rudolph. She needed to find out what was going on. And she was going to get the truth this time.
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