Meal Delivery

Here's another question. Why are they not using their magic?

The moment they arrived at the inn, Miss Delphine cornered Evelina into working for her lobby, in the most mundane way. Nelle was already stumbling with the mallet, or whatever it was that she was trying to do, while her father was having a light-hearted conversation with the innkeeper. How helpful of this old man, indeed.

She looked at West for help, her eyes pleading, but that damn witch shrugged her off when he saw Giles, flashing her a smile before retreating down their room with him.

Great.

"Do you want some help with that?" she asked Nelle, as kindly as she could. The lady only turned her head away from her.

Evelina expected that. Who would not ignore her when she did nothing but mock the witch the night before? But she did not feel guilty for doing it. If they think that she would let them push her, then they were wrong. She would do whatever it takes to return to them the aches they were giving her.

Forget pleasing and getting along with a member or two.

What more would she need from them when the vampiress had already succeeded in infiltrating their troupe?

"Fine," Evelina said. "I'll have my way then."

Strength had always been a great feature of her kind. The length of their life would mean nothing without their stamina. And she would not be like the witches there who were disregarding their power. No, she cannot do that for dismissing her strength would be like committing dishonor to her clan.

The vampiress, despite her pressed lime skirt, carried a table with her, saw at hand. She went back to where Nelle was and brought with her a thick log, aiming to hear the neat screeching wail of the blade, remembering the scent of freshly carved wood.

She had done it before, she could do it again.

But the old man, Sir Duncan, had made his way to her before she could push through by herself.

"Miss...Evelina," he said, his voice stern yet had a hint of gentleness. The vampiress looked up at him, taking note how his huge nose was plainly more obvious than before. He leaned closer to whisper. "You should understand that we do not show our abilities in a public place if we do not want anyone to know what we are."

Indeed the place had people coming in and out the door. The smell of newly brewed coffee was in the air as most of the humans coming in were from the cafés around the town, bringing their breakfast with them. The tables in the lobby were supposed to do its job, tending to those who did not want anything to do with the outside for the time being, but since the whole place was a complete chaos- they had no choice but to either enjoy it inside their rooms or out the shop.

New faces were also welcomed by the inn. A rugged girl (a maid, perhaps?) and a lord were the most recent to call on their doorsteps that morning. They heaved tired sighs, asking for someone to care for their horse outside before throwing a confused look at the mess in the lobby. They stared in suspicion but nevertheless, booked a room for them to share.

It was the only time Evelina met Nelle's gaze without a hint of irritation. Both were in agreement that the two new guests had come from eloping.

Evelina's grasp on the saw's holder tightened, her eyes avoiding the old man's. "Must you tell me what to do? I am not your daughter, sir. And I refuse to ignore my strengths to please humans. After all, it may not be the first time that they have seen a woman who is far stronger than man."

Sir Duncan beamed at her. "It may not, yes. But I advise you to not overdo it. Try working with Nelle."

Like she had not tried before.

What was it with male witches and forcing people to be friends that much?

"Then, shall I ask why we cannot do this at night, instead? I assume there is more freedom with using magic when the moon is out."

"There are still risks. Most travellers seek rooms at night rather than morning. Those who have assumed living here for longer than a week liked playing sleuths and observing most parts of the inn at that time. That is why we have our back entrance," the man looked back at his daughter who was still struggling with her mallet and her wood. "Besides, though natural, our magic is not easily channeled."

Evelina blinked, understanding nothing and everything.

She thought of how he had given her enough, yet he had refused to say more. It was not that she was trying to find any sort of weaknesses from him, yet it had been obvious that however long his speech may be- the old man will give her nothing.

The day continued with only a few hours left before the troupe's next meeting. Evelina had changed her clothes into a comfortable blouse and trousers. The advice West had given to her before was to wear something in which she could freely move her body.

It was far too early for her to get ready but she had been planning on meeting Mitchel before they would start.

Looking back at her conversation with West, she remembered how he was protective of their captive even if he had done nothing right.

"Get along with him?" the witch clicked his tongue before shaking his head. "But you cannot have not yet got along with the troupe, have you? Not even with your peers?"

"Mind you, I gave a compliment yesterday to the human girl."

"But had she forgiven you for making her cry?"

Well, she did not try going to that point yet.

Her silence was his answer. "Then that does not count as getting along."

The vampiress rolled her eyes in response. "What do you even know? What if I have my own preferences of humans."

"Why does that sound like we were talking about food again?"

In the end, she did not get his approval. No matter, if she got caught, she could simply say that she got lost.

Evelina groaned at herself. "As if that will work."

If one might remember, and she was sure that they have not yet forgotten, the lady had barged into their room and threw the peace in it upside down. She had also stayed down there when she was held captive for attacking one of their members, all the while triumphantly joining the troupe through a certain witch's help. They would also consider that she was a vampire, someone with a sense of direction.

All things considered when she still tried to sneak in, despite her doubts, and got caught by the loveliest witch in the troupe.

Leila.

"You were going where?" she repeated. Her deep brown eyes held curiosity, and Evelina searched her mind for another excuse.

She found none, so she shoved the witch's question with her own. "And you?"

Leila was carrying a tray of food, and seemed to be going the same way as Evelina. The vampiress had no idea what she was thinking because West had told her of the attack and how they refused his suggestion because it was inconsiderate of him. Especially the witch in front of her.

"That does not look like a meal for yourself," Evelina said, adding to the witch's restless stand.

Finally, she sighed. "It's not. It's for him."

Her gaze went from Evelina to the door of the small room where they held her audition. The room where the captive was.

"That's odd."

"Is it? Why?"

Evelina shrugged. "I thought you did not want him to stay."

"Well," Leila tapped the old metal tray with her fingers. " I'm not saying that I want him to stay. All I am for is that he should live while he is staying here. Just like how West cared about your life when you were weakened by Sir Duncan's spell."

She never really did look at it that way. Of course, Evelina was grateful. He was the only one who believed in her. It was either that or he really was just a fool. But her life had once been deemed something unimportant, she never looked at it the other way until the day she was asked to do the tradition.

And she never expected that someone else outside her and her clan will mind.

"You like West, do you not?"

The witch frowned, thinking deeply. The vampiress noticed how her other hand somehow quivered with the hardships of regaining the balance. "Do I? I dare say, yes. Sometimes I think that I should be like him, opening his arms to people. Although…" she blinked and shook her head. "Yeah, I do like him."

What was she about to say?

Anyway…

"Do you want some help?" Evelina offered. She had not forgotten her goal. She must talk to the man herself. And maybe her way right now was Leila, although there might be a part of the witch that would doubt her actions.

"Truly?" Leila's eyes twinkled as her lips pulled into a smile. The vampiress nodded. "Then please do. My arms are getting tired."

Or she would not doubt a thing. That could also work. Maybe this would not be so hard, after all.