Reality crept in at various points across the trip. Sometimes, it proved to give her something else to think and do that didn’t involve the moving landscape. Mostly, though, it brought up memories she’d rather forget and kept her away from what mattered. Even if she didn’t know exactly what, she knew there was something she wanted to be a part of.

Clare must have pretended not to be looking out for them, though how quickly she answered the door proved otherwise. “Brother! About time you showed up. They say the comet’s coming around tomorrow—I thought you were going to miss it!” She hugged Andrew, gave Diana an indifferent look (which seemed to be mutual), then went on to the kids. “Lewis, Elena, it’s good to see you! Oh, and you too, Naviya and Adrian. Keeping these two rascals in check, I hope?”

Adrian pulled Elena a little closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek before laughing, “This one’s always causing trouble.”

Naviya, on the other hand, simply giggled.

Clare brought her attention away from them to find a more surprising sight. “Lydia, it’s been years! Why, I don’t think I’ve seen you since the twins—” She stopped when she noticed both Tim and Henry standing nearby, then changed the direction of her comment. It wasn’t much better. “I mean, first it was those friends of yours—how are they doing, by the way?—then that boyfriend, then a girlfriend, then one trip or another… If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’re trying to avoid me!”

“Of course not,” Lydia responded a bit too quickly with perhaps too nervous of a chuckle. “I’d love to catch up but can we do it inside? I bet these kids wouldn’t mind something to eat.”

There was, in what used to be the “Are we there yet?” group, a few of Elena’s children (and Henry) demanding snacks. Clare smiled and gestured them all inside.

“Who am I to deny my favorite great nieces and nephews some treats?” She glanced at the remaining adults. “You, the um—magicless relnar. Keep the children busy for us, will you?”

Lustris didn’t budge.

Clare leaned closer to Andrew but made no point to make sure she was quiet. “Why isn’t she doing anything? Isn’t that her purpose?”

He sighed. “Lustris, take care of the kids.”

“Of course.” Now Lustris bowed and walked away.

Undoubtedly unwilling to stay longer than she needed to, Elena offered, “I’ll help her.” Adrian followed her inside.

Clare stood there for a moment. “You know, sometimes I wonder what Father would think of you, bringing in someone like her and acting like nothing’s different.”

“I wonder what Father would think of you, implying I should have left a girl to die because she isn’t like us,” Andrew replied coolly. He stepped past her and went inside, the others soon following.

Going inside did not stop them, though, and the two went on to create a sibling argument. Tired from the amount of them that she’d had to listen to (and avoid) over the course of their trip, Lydia wandered to a place where the kids had yet to find.

Lewis and Naviya soon joined her, though by the time Diana walked in both had disappeared; it was how Lydia knew she was facing another moment of reality. She braced herself for whatever was going to happen but knew that it wasn’t going to get any better.

This was the last time that they were here. They hadn’t come for the comet like usual, instead the New Year. It was just the five of them and Clare, since her kids decided not to come after hearing the news.

Lydia was huddled in the same place. She barely recognized when Clare came in with water and brownies.

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“Would you like something, dear?” she offered with a soft smile. “I hate to see you down like this. Where’s that bright little girl that used to come and visit, hmm?”

“Dead, along with the rest of her worth,” Diana grumbled. She only came close enough to the two of them to snatch the tray and practically toss it to the side. “Don’t reward her. It’s only going to make her think that she can do it again.”

By now Lydia knew not to fight. There wasn’t any reason to try; she wasn’t going to win.

Clare didn’t know that, though. “How could you say that to your daughter? Try putting yourself in her place. Imagine how this must feel…”

“I can’t,” Diana said casually, “I was never stupid enough to do any of that. Remember that I’m the respectable one here. I don’t think any of you have a degree from Missa-Sidyn and are actually allowed to mess with what you do.”

“I don’t know what Father saw in you.”

“Do you think words like those are going to stop me? I’m a lady of high society, words like those mean nothing.” Diana pushed Clare out of the way to get a better look at Lydia, keeping a kind appearance for a second. “If it makes it any better, you weren’t going to keep them anyway.”

“What..?” Lydia mumbled blankly. She couldn’t manage any other words or emotions.

“Diana!” Clare tried swatting at Diana but she simply brushed it off.

“Is it any surprise?” She gave a dismissive gesture in Lydia’s direction. “She’d never be around for them, no matter when it happened. She’s lucky the only thing that happened was the disbanding of her little friend group—I daresay it’s actually better that they’re dead!”

It felt like the whole world went silent until Diana left on her own. Even then Lydia stood there like the worthless thing she was; Clare remained for a moment to try to provide some kind of comfort before leaving as well.

What brought Lydia back to the fantasy was a hand on her shoulder.

“Envi? You’re crying.” Naviya gave her a worried look. “You never cry. Not around the kids.”

As Lydia wiped away her tears she made sure no one else was in here. The boys were still with Elena and Lustris, though it sounded like they were all making their way here. “I’m fine, it’s just—just a couple of bad memories.”

“Still sure you want to stay here?” Lewis asked. “There’s always enough time to decide to spend the rest of it on your own.”

Lydia shook her head. “I’m here now, I’ve practically promised to stay. If it gets weird then I’ll head out for a little while. Some of the kids probably wouldn’t mind getting a tour of the nearby towns.”

“Lydia!” She flinched before realizing that it was only Clare, genty dragging Tavin behind her with the twins following them. “Why don’t you ever tell me when you bring your youngest? I didn’t think he’d be at the reunion five years ago and I swore next time I’d be prepared. But I assumed he’d be with his father since you never told me anything!”

“He’s been coming with me everywhere else,” Lydia remarked. “Unlike the twins, he’d only go if I was, so he was willing to come this time.”

“You kept me from great-aunt privileges for fifteen years,” Clare pointed out with a hmph. “How am I supposed to spoil a kid that’s old enough to realize he doesn’t need anything now that I have the money, hmm?”

Tavin let out a soft and half-joking, “Mom, save me.”

“There’s no escaping this,” Henry said with faux solemnity.

Tim nodded. “You’ve dodged fate for too long.”

Lydia smirked. “Unfortunately, the only way to avoid your punishment is to let her buy something expensive for you.” She leaned a little closer to whisper, “But remember what we talked about on our way here if you don’t have any other ideas.”

Clare pretended not to have heard it. “Well, the day’s still young and I’m sure these adults would like to have a nice conversation over drinks. Come on, boys!”

She didn’t wait for any of them but the twins were able to get out “Mom, don’t get drunk!” before being shoved out the door.

“Do you remember when she did that to us?” Lewis said with a laugh. “I guess we’re too old for all of that now.”

“We’ve just got to change tactics,” Lydia corrected matter-of-factly. “It helps all of us when I want something, he doesn’t, and Aunt Clare’s willing to buy it. She knows the difference but it’s better than telling her to get nothing.”

“I honestly can’t tell if you’re considering her side of things or are just being selfish.”

“Neither do I, little brother. Neither do I.”