After dinner, as per her request, Frannie and Argento met with Ginny in her room at the Hansinas’ estate. Once she was satisfied that the door was clear and locked, Ginny brought her Crystal ball out of the strangely small bag she had it in.

Not a party to their earlier conversation, Argento hadn’t picked up on the plan quite as quickly as Francine. He took a seat and never took his eyes off the ball.

Argento, who had been much less concerned about this situation than Francine and much more interested in seeing the Crystal Ball in action, his Father never let him near such things with his lack of ability, snapped back when he heard the word “battle.”

With that, Ginny took her spellbook and a handkerchief monogrammed HP. Argento got up hesitantly but grabbed the copper bowl off the stand in the corner and brought the pitcher along.

Ginny poured the whole water pitcher in, held the ball above the bowl, and cast the spell. Much like the spells she cast at the parade, this one took minutes, and Francine started to get impatient. She was listening at the door when the spell finally went off. Unbeknownst to her, Tony was just on the other side, listening back, only quieter.

No sound came through this time; it was only a hazy image at first, but then it cleared. The view followed Harlane from above; he was walking at a brisk clip, wearing a top hat and a cape and carrying an ornate walking stick. It was hard to tell exactly where he was, but the people he passed were walking very close and looked significantly less well-dressed than himself.

And something did happen; he had been bounding more and more rapidly down the thoroughfare until he spun around a lamppost and went down an alley in a few swift motions, leaping into the arms of a waiting woman at the end of the alley. They embraced and quickly moved into a more intimate position, all in the room gasping at this revelation. Ginny didn’t cut the spell; she just couldn’t give up the connection, but she couldn’t watch that either. Instead, she looked away.

As they all Averted their eyes, Francine physically turned around and was shocked to find herself face-to-face with Tony. He had somehow slipped in the door when they were engrossed in what was happening with Harlane. He clapped a hand over her mouth as she let out a scream. It may not have attracted attention from anyone outside the room, but it got Ginny’s attention.

Ginny unmovingly readjusted the situation, not wanting to break the spell.

    Tony’s eyes were drawn to the messy ritual on the floor, baby blues nearly bulging out of his head when he realized what he saw. The bowl was still displaying Baron Prenticit in a state very much indisposed. Nothing was on display, but his stance and the position of the young woman’s head, his hands gripping her prominent horns, left little to the imagination. Tony only laughed, doubled over, and fell onto his knees; he laughed hard.

Argento shrank away at her, calling attention to his hair. Ginny was practically seething with anger. She looked like she might shatter her crystal ball, gripping it so hard. It was hard to tell if seeing Harlane in this way or what Tony said got her this animated, but Tony, attempting to back out of the room, did not manage to calm things down. Argento was waiting at the door behind him, and Frannie was on him in a moment.

Ginny was losing her patience; he could move on at any moment.

Frannie didn’t immediately move, a worried look on her face.

Francine raised an eyebrow at that last bit.

Francine snorted a laugh at Argento’s “support” as Ginny looked back and Harlane walked through the back alley door into the bar. Various patrons waved at him as he slid into a booth. For the first time, a look of panic crossed Ginny’s face.

Ginny was ready in five minutes and was calling orders at Francine as she took another five minutes in the quickest change of her life. They were strong-arming Tony through the door of “Dregs” no more than half an hour after he broke into the bedroom.

Tony had been roped into the position of tour guide and jealousy instigator for the night. Frannie and Argento were just along for the ride to ensure Ginny didn’t get into too much trouble. Francine would never let her go off alone with Tony Hansina and Harlane Prenticit. It just wasn’t happening, no matter how many spells she knew.

It didn’t take long for Harlane to hear them talking, pop right out of his booth, and approach. He was in an unsurprisingly good mood. Francine wanted to accost and tell him what she thought of his debauchery, but she couldn’t give Ginny’s game away. It was eating her up to smile and chit-chat; what did Ginny see in this goon anyway? He was nothing but some fast lines and a pretty face — nothing like her Matt, who was truly Gallant.

Harlane tried to slide right over that one, by inviting everyone to the booth he was already sitting in. Claiming he’d met a friend briefly, and they’d just left, so there was plenty of room for them now. They all knew the truth, but what could they say?

Tony and Argento ordered drinks from the bartender for the group, as Harlane already had one at the table. The conversation quickly turned to plans for the coming months. Francine and Ginny were both heading to Eidru United University, and even though Argento wasn’t enrolling, he would be escorting Francine around campus and working for Azure. Of course, there was still plenty of work in Old Sanctville getting things back to normal, which Tony and Harlane would both be pitching in with, along with their normal duties.

Asked Harlane, setting down his glass, never one to miss a chance to bring Tony down a peg. They had a tangled history, and neither seemed to be able to let it go.

Francine just grabbed Tony’s arm as he stood up and yanked him back down. Harlane squinted his eyes, a spark of understanding flickering across them, quickly burying it under layers of disbelief and bravado. Turning to Ginny with a smile to break the tension, Harlane asked,

Ginny leaped at the chance, and they made their way to the small but empty dance floor, essentially just an area where there used to be more tables, probably larger ones meant for dinner fare when this was a more reputable establishment. A no-account band played on a platform about a foot raised off the floor, situated at the end of the bar. Francine grabbed Tony’s hand and dragged him out; she wasn’t going to let them go unmonitored. She let them have a respectful distance and tried to make it look like she was conversing with Tony, but she didn’t want to miss what they said.

Tony stepped in a little closer and talked a little quieter.

Francine had been trying to ignore his chattering until he uttered the word Kid, which got her attention, whipping her face around.

Frannie did have to laugh at that until she looked over and saw Harlane kissing Ginny! Code Red!

When his hands traveled up her back and into her hair, she was putty in his hands, strong and calloused from hours of rowing. She let go of the complete control she had cultivated over the last year. Harlane’s fingers dug deeper into her, caressing her neck and cradling her head. Ginny’s mind cleared as her heart started racing, but he held her tighter, dipping her back. It happened before she could even teleport away.

Both of their eyes opened and locked. Harlane pulled away for just one moment, brushing her hair away from the side of her head, revealing her, gently caressing its ridges and elongated attached helix. He brought his face near to it, whispering as softly as he could breathe the words out.

CH 17~ A Night on the Town

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

After dinner, as per her request, Frannie and Argento met with Ginny in her room at the Hansinas’ estate. Once she was satisfied that the door was clear and locked, Ginny brought her Crystal ball out of the strangely small bag she had it in.



CH 17~ A Night on the Town

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

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CH 17~ A Night on the Town

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of .css-13w9qce-Text{display:inline-block;color:var(--text-accent);}K.B. Silver

About the Creator

K.B. Silver

Comments

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Keep reading

Enter Center Stage

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of K.B. Silver