Neal was on the verge of breaking down. He was at the end of his rope, and Kel was getting the blunt end of it. Cleon was
worried about his two friends. Both were irritated and snapped at everyone. Finally, Cleon confronted Kel about everything.
He knocked on Kel's door one day after dinner.
"Kel? Can I come in?" he asked.
"Sure. Hold on." was the sullen reply.
She opened the door and motioned for him to sit on the bed. She sat
down next to him.
"What's wrong, Kel? You have been soo out of it lately. And so has
Neal! It almost like you guys..."
Kel cut him off. "Cleon, I'll tell you everything if you promise not
to tell another soul. My being here would be a stake if you
did. I don't want that, and I don't think you want that either."
"You're right. I promise not to tell a soul." Cleon said, quietly.
"Ok. Here it goes."
Kel told him everything. About the kiss; the person who caught them
and who got away. By the end of her tale, Cleon was
very, very quiet, and Kel was feeling very relived.
"Thanks for listening. I feel a lot better." Kel said.
Cleon nodded and motioned for the door. "I'd better go." Cleon said,
feigning sleepiness. He added a yawn for affect.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well." Kel said. "Bye."
Cleon was crushed as he walked back to his rooms, for he has loved Kel
from the moment he had started ordering her
around. All his friends, including Kel, thought he was joking when
he called her 'my rose' or 'my pearl'. Cleon suddenly felt
bold and turned on his heel to go talk to Kel. He knocked on her door.
She opened it and he walked inside and Kel closed the
door behind her.
"Kel, there is something I need to tell you." Cleon knew there was
no going back now. "I will be blunt. I love you. I have always
called you 'rose' or 'pearl'. And you thought I was kidding. But I
was not. I hope that this..." he trailed off, because Kel was
staring at him with her mouth hanging open.
Cleon panicked, and leaned over and kissed Kel.
Kel was so full of shock, her only reaction was to kiss him back. Suddenly,
there was a knock on the door.
"Kel? Are you in there? I have a question about the math. Will you
open the door?"
Kel pulled away and grabbed a book from her desk.
"I was helping you with homework, ok?
Cleon nodded mutely and opened the book to the assigned page.
"Just a minute!" Kel called back.
Kel opened the door for Neal and he sat down at her desk.
After Neal had left, Kel sat down by Cleon.
"That was very close. To close for comfort."
Matthew of Tirragen thought about how to become friends with Keladry. She would come to trust him. Then he would bribe
her out of her mind. If she didn't agree, he would destroy her. He must be careful, so not to end up like his poor older
brother. Being a Tirragen, he could be charming one minute, and crazy the next. He would make her pay.
