Enchantress And The Guardian

Leaving

The night air had a slight bite to it. Quinn was surprised since it was the beginning of the summer. She lightly rubbed the top of her arms. Although she was glad for the change in the air from the stifling air that had surrounded them in the ballroom.

Dev noticed Quinn rub the tops of her arms. She debated about asking her if she wanted to return to the room with the other guests. Before he could ask, Quinn walked to the cement railing that wrapped around the veranda. She placed her hands palms down on the cold material. She then seemed unbothered by the night air and Dev followed her over.

They could still be easily seen by the other guests, so Dev knew that Quinn's reputation would not be in question. Dev stood next to Quinn and looked up at the sky. He was comforted by the fact that the sky resembled the one in India. He had always found himself missing home, and at those times he would look at the stairs and welcome the familiar sight of the stars and moon.

"Are you enjoying your evening so far?" Dev asked Quinn gently. He knew that she had been worried about her first ball. She had even gone as far as asking him if he was going to be attending. He hoped it was because she had wanted him there for other reasons than just to know a familiar face.

"It is going as well as expected," Quinn answered back. Neither a yes nor a no. Dev was slightly confused at her answer.

"Who was it that you danced with first?" Dev would admit to being irritated at the fact that another man had taken Quinn's first dance. He had been delayed in arriving on time to the ball due to a letter from his grandmother.

"To be honest, I never caught his name, as terrible as that sounds," Quinn said. Although she did not give off the impression that she cared much about how it actually appeared. Dev chuckled quietly. Quinn looked over at his response. "And why were you so late?" Quinn's beautiful eyes stared into is soul along with her question. Dev found himself at a loss for words for a few moments. He turned and looked out over the gardens before answering.

"I had some news from India and needed to get some things sorted beforehand," Dev confessed. He did not want to talk about what had been in that letter exactly as he did not want to think about the next coming days.

"What is the matter?" Quinn asked. Dev was surprised. He thought he had shielded his answer well enough, but apparently not well enough to go unnoticed by Quinn. Dev let out a sigh. He wondered if he should lie rather than discuss the topic. However, this would affect her as well.

"I had news from my grandmother that there are whispers of the witches in India making a move to go after the group that my grandparents are working to protect," Dev said in a whispered tone, lest someone from the ball here what he was saying. Quinn drew her brows together. What did that have to do with Dev she wondered. Of course,he had spent time there last year, but did they expect Dev to return to India after hearing this news?

"I understand this could be alarming news, but why inform you of it?" Quinn asked. Dev looked down at her, she could not quite place his expression. Was it regret? Worry? Something inside of her kicked in.

"They have asked that I return as soon as possible," Dev said. It broke her heart to hear those words. She had just heard about his plans to court her in her father's library. Now would he be returning to India? For how long? What was to happen to them? Would Dev ask about a courtship still? Had it made him change his mind?

Quinn's mind raced with questions. Although none of them left her lips as she did not want to tell Dev that she had eavesdropped in their conversation, to say that she was crushed would have been an understatement.

Dev took another steadying breath, "Quinn, there is something that I need to discuss with you before I leave. I am not sure if now is the appropriate moment, but I am not sure when we will have another moment alone," Quinn looked up at Dev with a questioning look.

"I asked your father to court you. I need to know if there is any part of you that feels something more for me than just friendship. If so, I would like to formally ask if you have any objection to me courting you. I know that the circumstances are not ideal with me having to leave soon, but I cannot leave with this question burning a hole through my soul," there it was. Dev finally asked to court her.

Quinn already knew what the answer would be. Dev had been her best friend growing up. They played and teased one another endlessly. He was the closest person to her, knew her secrets and her fears. He knew how to push her buttons and just the right thing to say to calm her worries.

"Yes," was all that she could breathe out. A bright smile spread across Dev's handsome face. Quinn could not help the answering smile that she could feel forming as well.

"I cannot tell you how happy that makes me to hear, Quinny," Dev said, using her old nickname. This time Quinn did not berate him for using the name. Instead, it sounded more enduring that teasing. She liked that Dev had a nickname for her. Their connection was something deeper than anything these other suitors could provide. Quinn wanted that, more and more as she had considered Dev courting her.

"What is to happen now?" Quinn asked, her question on his trip to India. Would her answer stop him from leaving? She doubted it. Dev was always the one to help others. She recalled a time that their cook ad burnt her hand on the stove. Dev had wasted no time jumping in and taking over, at the cooks' direction, of course, as Dev had never cooked a day in his life before that.

Dev dared to move one step closer to her. Dev allowed his hand to gently cover her own on the railing. His thumb gently stroked her knuckles. Quinn found some comfort in the action, but her worry still grew as she thought about Dev putting himself in danger.

Quinn had heard some stories about the fued between the witches and WereTigers in India. The witches had almost wiped out the WereTigers, making them go underground and hide. She wondered why the witches wanted the WereTigers to go so badly. What threat did they pose to the witches that caused that amount of hate?

Dev's face slightly fell at her question. He could not refuse his grandmother's wish for him to return to India immediately. He had already spoken to his father before the ball, but had kept the situation from his mother for the time being. She had not been thrilled about him going in the first place.

"I know that it is not ideal, and I have no right to ask, but could you wait for me to return from India to properly court you? I know that the marriage market it tough, and I would hate for you to miss out on finding someone else who does not have another obligation so far away," Quinn at first thought he was jesting in his words, but he looked sincere. Was he really worried that she would be upset about being taken off the market? It was Quinn's turn to chuckle. Dev stopped talking as soon as he heard her.

"First off, I do not give one fig about these balls or finding another suitor. Second of all, I respect you greatly for wanting to help your grandparents. Of course, I will wait for your return, Dev," Quinn smiled, and she hoped that it reassured him of how true her words were.