“Yup.”
“Well.” Mhairi turned to Eden. “What did you think?”
What she thought was that she had never seen anything so amazing in her life. “Edinburgh Castle rocks. No pun intended.” She snorted, thinking about the alien-like volcanic rock the castle was perched on. It was almost as if some ancient warlock had swept back in time, ripped the castle from its medieval seams, and planted it down in the modern city. As she'd walked down Princes Street towards it, she had felt as if she had wandered into some weird, surreal dream. It was a majestic, hypnotising sight and she'd bumped into a number of people because she was too busy staring up at it. Since she wasn't much of a history buff being inside the castle was cool but not nearly as cool as the impression it made from the outside.
“Edinbur-uh,” October admonished for, like, the fiftieth time. “What is it with you Americans and your ‘Edinboro's'? “Edinbur-uh. Not Edinboro. Edinbur-uh.”
“Say Edinbur-uh one more time and I'm gonna smack you upside the head in training tomorrow,” Eden warned, flopping down onto a stool beside Cyrus who sat with Noah on the sofa. She noticed Noah had barely looked at her at all. Like she cared.
“Training tomorrow?” Cyrus raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Valeria cleared her throat. “I may have promised her…”
The look he gave Val would have frightened a grown man but Eden guessed Val was used to it because she just stared back at him, expressionless. Eden wondered if she'd teach her how to do that.
“I do not think you are ready.” Cyrus shook his head, turning back to Eden.
“No, I'm totally ready. I barely broke a sweat climbing up to that castle. And have you seen the stairs inside that damn thing. Didn't even wind me.”
“That's true,” October added. “The steward guide guy was unnerved by her and Valeria. I at least pretended to be out of breath.”
Eden snorted. “Pretended. Riiight.”
Tobe glowered at her. “Hey, some of us have learned the art of blending.”
“Yeah, Eden's never been too good at that,” Noah spoke up, an annoying little amused quirk tilting his lips up at the corner. She glared at him as he smirked at Tobe, who smiled back appreciatively.
“What does that mean?”
He flicked a look at her. “Oh come on. What about that time you ‘shoved' Rick Caine?” He turned back to Tobe. “Caine was on the school's wrestling team. He was standing flirting with some girl whose locker was next to Eden's and when she asked him to move, he wouldn't. So she shoved him and he skidded along the school hallway like a bowling ball.” Tobe burst out laughing, shaking her head at the imagery. Her smile turned coy as her bright eyes washed over Noah, and Eden found herself wanting to wring her new friend's neck. “I can't imagine you in high school, Noah. You must have been popular.”
“Nah.” He shook his head. “I had to be friends with Eden so popularity was out of the question.” It was like he had shot her. Bitter hurt and anger gripped her as she stood up abruptly, knocking the stool over. Everyone turned to her, an uncomfortable hush falling over the room. Glaring at him, Eden watched as he blanched, his eyes turning apologetic. “Eden…” The tension grew thicker and heavier by the second as her eyes pinned him to the couch with wounded disdain. Finally, with one last disgusted look, Eden grabbed her shopping bags. “I've got stuff to put away.”
As she exited the room she head Cyrus sigh. “You can hardly expect me to smooth things over between you two when you insist on acting like a jackass.” Eden's hands shook as she took out her new clothes and hung them up in the side of the closet that October had given her. Tobe had followed her out of the room and upstairs. She hadn't said anything but Eden could tell she was worried she might have upset her new friend. To ease her concerns Eden began quietly talking to her and Tobe had set about making room for Eden's stuff in her bedroom.
“You coming down for dinner?” Tobe asked quietly from her place on the bed.
“Of course,” Eden muttered. “I'm hungry.”
She wasn't going to let Noah ruin what had been one of the best days of her life. At that thought she winced immediately thinking about Stellan. How could she possibly say that, only weeks after his death? Angry with herself she slammed the closet door shut and ran a trembling hand through her hair.
“Eden, you OK?”
The concern in October's voice surprised her, her head jerking up to catch the girl's anxious expression. The Neith's eyes, always so honest, were sincere and sympathetic. It was such a soft, unexpected countenance from Tobe, one that Eden guessed not many people were privy too.
Suddenly Eden felt grateful. She'd never had a girl friend before. It was kind of nice. “Fine. Just…
memories, you know.”
Tobe nodded silently.
A knock on the door had them turning in sync. Noah's head popped inside, his eyes flicking between Tobe and her. “Hey, Tobe. Can I have a word with Eden in private?”
“Sure-”
“You don't have to leave, it's your room,” Eden cut off her acquiescence.
“Nah, it's cool.” She dashed out of there faster than Eden had yet to see her move.