Whispering Suits

I had to buy a new suitcase, well, Cyrus bought it. He also bought most of the clothes in it. Turns out, there is a full order of events that take place during the course of the solstice and each one requires it's own outfit and accessories. It's going to be a long five days, literally. Gran blew a gasket when I told her I'd be gone for two weeks. She was especially disappointed that it meant I'd be abandoning Dan during his first Christmas without mum. I ended up agreeing to talk to him about it. Dan got upset, but I did my best to explain. It would be easier if I could tell him the truth, but he doesn't have The Sight. How would I even begin to explain about the Faeries, what really happened to Mum, all of it, without sounding crazy. I ended up telling Dan the closest thing to the truth that I could, that there are bad people out there and that right now I don't have a way to keep him safe from them but that I've got a friend who is helping me and together we're going to find a way to make sure that Dan, Gran and I can live together without worrying about the bad people. Dan understood it all a lot better than I had expected, even helped me convince Gran that he didn't mind me missing Christmas so I could go to my ‘relaxing retreat’. Not sure how relaxing the next few days will be, or how it will feel to only experience time as though it's been five days while a full two weeks fly by. According to Cyrus, Faerie time runs much slower than ‘mortal’ time. This usually only applies to The Realm of Faerie itself, but when you gather enough Faeries together in a concentrated spot, it can have the same effect. I check the note I've made in my diary of what the conversation works out at. One day in ‘Faerie’ time is about 3 days in normal time. So the five days we'll be locked in for the solstice will be about fifteen mortal days, just over two weeks. I triple check I have everything I need packed, I'm taking mum's jewellery with me in case I need it and I've got some books, my tarot deck, and the necklace I found from Dad. I'm still assuming it's from my dad, I never asked Nat where it came from and she didn't mention it when I last saw her. But, whenever I wear it, I feel like he's watching over me, and it's comforting. I've also packed some of my own clothes along with all the new ones Cyrus gave me. I figured it might be nice if, between all the pomp and circumstance, I can wear something comfortable. Cyrus even gave me a couple extra lessons, and I'm starting to understand how the cards work. We went over the correct incantation to use depending on the card, though he's advised I avoid using Major Arcana cards where I can as they drain a lot more energy. Cyrus would prefer I only use the Tarot as a last resort, but that seems like wishful thinking. I haven't told him that I dream about the cards most nights, except when I have the dream about the realm of Faerie and the veil. I've not told anyone, but I've re-read Jonathan's journal and the feelings and experiences he describes are beginning to reflect my own feelings. I've only actually used a Tarot card that one time to save Cyrus, and I was wiped for days afterwards. Let's hope that I don't need to use another one for a while. It's snowing when I open the front door and I nearly slip on the cobblestones that make up the walkway from the front door to the pavement. Our front garden isn't very long, but it's a struggle especially with this big suitcase. The houses down from us all have their lights and decorations up, it looks so pretty with the snow coming down that I could almost ignore how much I hate this cold. But I'm quickly shivering and I check my phone impatiently, where is the forking car. I swear, if Cyrus leaves me waiting as some kind of messed up payback. I spot a car pulling in round the top of the road, but it doesn't look like the one that usually picks me up. Its bright red, and slightly garish, must be one of the neighbours or someone using our road as a cut through. I dismiss it until it slows down and stops next to where I'm standing. Please just be stopping to ask for directions. The back door of the car swings open, and Cyrus is sitting there in a ruby coloured three piece suit. I can see the suns and wand motifs sewn into the fabric from here. His hair has been brushed and oiled back, even his braid has been oiled to keep the hair down. He looks too neat, I've gotten used to his messy hair and casual clothes. He doesn't look at me, just clicks his fingers and the driver gets out and comes to grab my bag. Cyrus has a strange look on his face, like he's trying too hard to seem like he doesn't care. He points at the seat next to him, and I take my cue and slide into the seat silently.He warned me that he would have to behave differently, I just hadn't expected it to start until we arrived. But, I suppose all of this is part of the performance too. The door is pushed closed by the driver, but Cyrus still doesn't turn to look at me. I take a deep breath as the car begins to drive off, and I can't help but wonder what mess I've gotten myself into now.