Luminere

“Stop being a jerk!”

Leanne frowned and shoved the money down into her purse. She did not really want to hang around the Hagan. Blue eyes fell onto Whisper and Leanne tilted her head.

Leanne approached and then touched a few strands of the other woman’s hair. “She’s an Isirian, huh? I’ve never seen one until now.” She tried to capture Whisper’s chin so she could turn the Isirian’s face up to hers. Leanne just wanted to get a better look at her.

When Dominic made an excuse to leave, Leanne hoped that Raphael was done too.

“Raphael, let them go. The opera’s in a few hours and I still haven’t got a dress,” Leanne whined as she started to chuck small pieces of caramel popcorn at Raphael. She stopped when her own phone went off. Leanne took it out from her purse and opened the message.


Can't wait to see you tonight. XOXOXO J.H.

Leanne replied.

I am staring at your brother right now!

The phone chirped again.

Don't say a word to him. Want to surprise him.

Leanne furiously tapped away at her phone one more time.

Haven't. Raph too busy being jerk. Gotta go. Love you.

Whisper turned her head away as Leanna approached to touch her hair and she avoided making eye contact with her much the same as she had with Raphael. The girl's unease in the presence of the McGregors was more than palpable as Leanna grabbed hold of her chin.

Whisper's pale blue eyes searched Leanne's only briefly before she averted her gaze while Leanna examined her face.

Raphael looked to Leanne, and then over to Dominic before another well framed McGregor approached. It seemed half the McGregor clan was here at the fair.

"Raphael we should go, Father is going to be at the Opera and we can't have him missing us." The other McGregor said, looking to Dominic and then to Leanne. "Mr. Hagan, If you'll excuse us." He said, watching as Dominic left to tend his own business.

Orlin then turned to Leanne.

"Let's go find you that dress, this place is getting on my nerves."

Raphael simply huffed. "Touche, Mr. Hagan." He said, then he offered a grin. "You might be one of the wealthiest families in the Empire, but don't forget your roots, Sheep frakker." He said, using a racial epithet for Aerilons.

The words 'neither you yours, shit-farmer,' nearly left Dominic's mouth. Raphael seemed to have forgotten his own family's relatively pathetic beginnings. But if Orlin and Leanne were both talking about going to the opera house that night, it seemed very likely that he was going to be running into the McGregor yet again in but a few short hours. Best leave things on moderately tame terms.

"A pleasure," he nodded to Orlin, to Raphael and, lastly, to Leanne. Turning, he motioned for Whisper to follow him.

"Tonight," he breathed one out of hearing range, "is going to be a clusterfrak."

They headed back to the Manor. The first round of drama had begun.