Celia lay beside him, gazing at the sky as if hoping it might speak for her when words failed.
Eliot sighed. Without looking at her, he murmured quietly:
"I want to solve this mystery partly on my own... So... You don't have to tell me what's happening to me yet. But tell me this... Is it bad? Or good?" Celia blinked slowly. Her eyes never left the sky.
"It's... not simple," she answered, weighing each word. "But it's not bad. And you're already on this path, Eliot. There's no hiding now." He nodded.
"All these days..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "They've been terrifying."
"Until I... came here. And saw you." His face flushed. He immediately looked away. Silence. Eliot spoke again before he could fear his own words:
"Would you... want me accompany you? I mean... you said you're not afraid of anything... But if I'm beside you... maybe it'll be easier?"
He tried not to look at her but stole a sideways glance. He noticed how abruptly Celia turned her face away. Her cheeks burned red almost impossibly so for a witch. "I've never met anyone who'd say such things... to a witch." Celia lay back on the cool earth, watching the clouds drift. She sat quietly, chin resting on her knees, staring into the distance. Eliot watched her covertly before suddenly speaking:
"You're still avoiding my question."
"Which one?"
"Whether you want me to accompany you." He scratched his neck awkwardly. "Like I said, if you're with me, no one will think you're a witch. As long as you don't do anything... well... suspicious. Or talk about it."
Celia didn't answer immediately. Only her lips trembled with a faint, weary smile.
"You're so silly..." she whispered. "You really want to be friends with a witch?" Eliot smirked, embarrassed but earnest.
"Well... yes. Maybe I am silly. But I think you're a good witch. I can't even imagine you being evil... or frightening. You're not like that at all." Celia averted her eyes. The faintest blush colored her cheeks.
"You're... strange," she said softly. "But... I think I like it."
Eliot froze.
"So... you agree?"
"I... don't even know where to live. Where to go." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I have no home." Eliot hesitated, then made up his mind.
"You could stay... in my room. Not forever, just a few days while we figure things out. My parents... Well, even if I just brought a girl home, it'd be scandalous enough. If you stayed permanently - they'd die of shock."
Celia chuckled, tilting her head. "You're serious?"
"Of course. I won't abandon you. And..." He suddenly brightened. "I could show you the city."
"The city?"
"Yes! There's a square with colorful market stalls. Apples sweet as honey. The people are loud but kind. I've been working hard, I think I can convince my parents to let me take a day off. And if you're with me..." He glanced at her sideways. "It won't feel so lonely."