at.”
Rebecca tried to ignore the small twinge of jealously in the pit of her stomach, as the woman looked over at her and smiled. “And who do we have here? You must be the special mystery case.”
The woman gestured enthusiastically for Rebecca to come up on the porch and join them. “Come on up. I promise we’re not all as scary as Maverick.”
Rebecca made her way up the steps and stopped in front of the woman. She was just slightly shorter than Rebecca, but she held herself with such grace and presence that Rebecca couldn’t help feeling smaller than her.
The woman’s eyes glinted as she smiled brightly, “My name is Etain. What’s yours?”
“Rebecca.”
“It’s wonderful to have a new face on the crew. Come on in and meet the others.” Etain laced her arm inside Rebecca’s and began to walk her into the house, calling back, “Be a doll Maverick and take care of her belongings.”
They made their way into the front foyer, whose ceiling rose above the second story. The floor of the giant entry room was made of large, checkered black and white marble squares that gave the space an even grander appearance. The walls were an exquisitely paneled chestnut-colored wood, with a few large, expensive-looking paintings in gold frames hung on them. On the far wall, a white marble staircase with golden railings led up to a similarly railed walkway on the second floor. The walkway led off in both directions to, what Rebecca could only guess, were even more rooms. Either side of the foyer opened into old, wood-floored hallways, leading off to the rooms on the first floor.
After giving Rebecca a moment to take in the grand entryway, Etain swung right and led them down toward a room from which Rebecca could hear a television making loud noises.
“This isn’t really the best house we’ve ever gotten, since I wasn’t given much notice this time, but it’ll do for now.” Etain waved her hand disparagingly as she sighed.
Rebecca couldn’t even believe that a house better than this could even exist, let alone that a group of orphans could afford to live in them. She was about to ask Etain how she could have possibly gotten her hands on this house, when they came to a stop in front of a doorway.
Sitting on a large, red velvet couch in the center of the dark room were two boys, who looked about her age, playing a video game on a television so large that it could have easily been from a cinema. The one closest to them had short, perfectly styled, dark brown hair, and brown eyes of almost the same colour. He was dressed plainly in a white shirt and jeans, and even sitting down it was clear he was quite tall. The boy sitting next to him, on the other hand, looked anything but normal. His dirty blonde hair hung in dreadlocks that reached down to his chin, and his skin was darkly tanned, obviously from spending a lot of time outside. He wore a ratty, tie-dye t-shirt and cargo shorts that had seen better days.
“Why are you boys sitting in the dark?” Etain asked as they walked into the room.
The boy with dreadlocks looked up at them, “Aedan got a little too angry when he lost again last round.”
“I wouldn’t have lost if it hadn’t been for that stupid sharp corner at the end!” Aedan said without looking up, completely engrossed in the game.
The other boy pressed a button on his controller and the video paused, causing Aedan to jump back and growl heavily in protest. Aeden stopped quickly, however, once he turned and looked up at Etain.
She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring down at him, “Aedan, you better hope there are more light bulbs hidden somewhere in this house, or you’ll be buying the new ones. This is the third room you’ve done this too since we’ve arrived!”
Aedan put on an overly innocent face, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Etain rolled her eyes, and then addressed them both, “Boys, I want you to meet our newest member. This is Rebecca.”
Both boys stood
Rebecca tried to ignore the small twinge of jealously in the pit of her stomach, as the woman looked over at her and smiled. “And who do we have here? You must be the special mystery case.”
The woman gestured enthusiastically for Rebecca to come up on the porch and join them. “Come on up. I promise we’re not all as scary as Maverick.”
Rebecca made her way up the steps and stopped in front of the woman. She was just slightly shorter than Rebecca, but she held herself with such grace and presence that Rebecca couldn’t help feeling smaller than her.
The woman’s eyes glinted as she smiled brightly, “My name is Etain. What’s yours?”
“Rebecca.”
“It’s wonderful to have a new face on the crew. Come on in and meet the others.” Etain laced her arm inside Rebecca’s and began to walk her into the house, calling back, “Be a doll Maverick and take care of her belongings.”
They made their way into the front foyer, whose ceiling rose above the second story. The floor of the giant entry room was made of large, checkered black and white marble squares that gave the space an even grander appearance. The walls were an exquisitely paneled chestnut-colored wood, with a few large, expensive-looking paintings in gold frames hung on them. On the far wall, a white marble staircase with golden railings led up to a similarly railed walkway on the second floor. The walkway led off in both directions to, what Rebecca could only guess, were even more rooms. Either side of the foyer opened into old, wood-floored hallways, leading off to the rooms on the first floor.
After giving Rebecca a moment to take in the grand entryway, Etain swung right and led them down toward a room from which Rebecca could hear a television making loud noises.
“This isn’t really the best house we’ve ever gotten, since I wasn’t given much notice this time, but it’ll do for now.” Etain waved her hand disparagingly as she sighed.
Rebecca couldn’t even believe that a house better than this could even exist, let alone that a group of orphans could afford to live in them. She was about to ask Etain how she could have possibly gotten her hands on this house, when they came to a stop in front of a doorway.
Sitting on a large, red velvet couch in the center of the dark room were two boys, who looked about her age, playing a video game on a television so large that it could have easily been from a cinema. The one closest to them had short, perfectly styled, dark brown hair, and brown eyes of almost the same colour. He was dressed plainly in a white shirt and jeans, and even sitting down it was clear he was quite tall. The boy sitting next to him, on the other hand, looked anything but normal. His dirty blonde hair hung in dreadlocks that reached down to his chin, and his skin was darkly tanned, obviously from spending a lot of time outside. He wore a ratty, tie-dye t-shirt and cargo shorts that had seen better days.
“Why are you boys sitting in the dark?” Etain asked as they walked into the room.
The boy with dreadlocks looked up at them, “Aedan got a little too angry when he lost again last round.”
“I wouldn’t have lost if it hadn’t been for that stupid sharp corner at the end!” Aedan said without looking up, completely engrossed in the game.
The other boy pressed a button on his controller and the video paused, causing Aedan to jump back and growl heavily in protest. Aeden stopped quickly, however, once he turned and looked up at Etain.
She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring down at him, “Aedan, you better hope there are more light bulbs hidden somewhere in this house, or you’ll be buying the new ones. This is the third room you’ve done this too since we’ve arrived!”
Aedan put on an overly innocent face, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Etain rolled her eyes, and then addressed them both, “Boys, I want you to meet our newest member. This is Rebecca.”
Both boys stood
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