Kalix lay on her bed, examining her self-improvement list. She had some doubts about the tick she’d put beside be less violent. Initially she’d been pleased that she hadn’t killed any of the gang she fought with beside the river.
But I did beat them up quite badly, she reflected, remembering the sound of breaking bones. It was still quite violent by other people’s standards. But I wouldn’t have had to be violent at all if they hadn’t attacked me.
Kalix couldn’t make up her mind if the encounter qualified as being less violent or not, and felt frustrated at the difficulty.
Stop taking laudanum was still definitely marked as a failure. And get on better with people was hovering in the balance after her experiences in Thrix’s office. It had been a very uncomfortable day. Dominil was as unfriendly as ever. Thrix was annoyed at being forced to work with Kalix. Even Vex’s normally unquenchable good humor had been dented by Malveria’s continuing displeasure with her niece. The enthusiastic trio of prospective models who’d left the flat earlier in the day had arrived home feeling tired and stressed. Kalix had fled to her room, leaving Daniel and Vex to complain to each other and Moonglow in the living room.
Kalix looked at her list. Eat better. “I don’t even want to do that. Why did I put it on the list?”
Improve reading and writing and maths. Maybe she could do something about that. Kalix opened her new laptop and hunted for the lessons she was meant to complete before returning to college. She’d been avoiding them, feeling unable to work when distracted by anxiety.
I can do these, she told herself. They’re not that difficult.
Downstairs, Vex’s complaints were in full flow. “That was awful.”
“It wasn’t as much fun as I thought it was going to be,” agreed Daniel.
Moonglow was surprised that they’d arrived home in such poor tempers, and wondered what had happened to spoil their day.
“Aunt Malvie was cranky because she’s a horrible person and hates me for no reason. Dominil was unfriendly. Thrix was angry because she hates Kalix. Kalix was rude to everyone. Daniel feels bad because the office was full of glamorous people and now he feels shabby,” explained Vex.
“That would just about cover it,” said Daniel. His fragile confidence had wilted under the glamour of Thrix’s co-workers.
“I should never have agreed to do it,” he told Moonglow. “I’ll look ridiculous modeling clothes.”
Vex sat on the floor with her back resting on the couch, and picked up the remote control to flick through their cable channels.
“Aunt Malvie can’t wait to send me to Old Krabby,” she said. The Fire Queen’s continuing disapproval had finally convinced Vex of the seriousness of the situation. “She’s so mean. Only a really mean person would send their niece to Old Krabby. Everyone says he’s terrible. I’ll be lucky to survive.” Vex sighed heavily. “I should run away.”
“You are absolutely, definitely not going to run away,” said Moonglow. “We have enough trouble with Kalix.”
“If I try modeling I’ll trip and fall and everyone will laugh,” said Daniel. “I can feel it coming.”
Moonglow poured tea for everyone. “Well, I have some good news.” She paused for effect. “I’m going to the ball.”
“What? How?” asked Daniel.
“A rich young man is taking me. So I can help with the spying. Isn’t it great?”
Daniel didn’t look like someone who’d just received great news. “What rich young man? How did this happen?”
“I just asked around. I’m going with William.”
“Who’s William?” demanded Daniel
“He’s in my history class, and tutorial. He’s rich and well connected.”
“This has all happened very quickly,” said Daniel. “I leave the house for five minutes and now you’ve got a date for the ball? I thought it was hard to get into.”
“Not when you’re as rich as William, apparently,” said Moonglow. “He’s a viscount.”
“What?”
“That’s his title: Viscount Ainsley.”
“Why?” asked Daniel.
“He’s the son of a duke.”
Daniel put down his mug of tea quite forcefully. “I don’t like the sound of this. Should you be swanning off to a ball with a viscount you hardly know?”
“I knew him fairly well at college,” said Moonglow. She might have mentioned to Daniel that William was gay, but chose not to. She was still annoyed that he’d arranged to go to St. Amelia’s Ball without her. “I need to start looking at some dresses. You’re all getting free clothes for the ball, but I’ll have to buy something.”
Moonglow left the room.
“That was quick work,” said Vex. “Got a date for the ball just like that. You have to admire her.”
“I don’t think you have to admire her!” said Daniel. “The whole thing sounds very suspicious to me! Who is this Viscount William? Why’s he suddenly taking Moonglow to the ball? Why doesn’t he have a girlfriend already if he’s so rich and good-looking?”
“Who said he was good-looking?”
“I’m assuming the worst.”
Vex told Daniel he was reading too much into it. “So she has a date with the son of a duke and he’s really rich and probably handsome as well. What’s bad about that?”
“Everything.”
“Maybe you’re right,” said Vex. “You shouldn’t have let it happen.”
“What does ‘viscount’ mean, anyway? It’s ridiculous we still have an aristocracy in this day and age. All titles should be abolished. As a first step, we should get rid of viscounts.”
Daniel groaned with frustration. He reached out for the last biscuit but was beaten by the nimble fingers of Vex. Kalix arrived downstairs. She was plainly dressed as always, but she’d brushed her hair till it shone.
“Off to see Manny?” asked Vex.
“It’s so nice having boyfriends,” said Vex. She turned to Daniel. “You should get a girlfriend.”
Daniel stared at Vex. Then, without a word, he headed upstairs to his room to listen to music and contemplate the unfairness of life.
“I don’t know if Manny is really my boyfriend,” said Kalix.
“Why not?” said Vex.
“I don’t know. Maybe he is. He’s nice anyway. He understood when I got anxious. He didn’t think it was weird.”
“Isn’t it nice when boyfriends don’t think it’s weird when you do weird things?” said Vex. “Pete is good at that. But of course he’s met werewolves, so anything’s more normal after that.”