Chapter Thirteen
That night, the whole family went out to dinner at a North Lyndvale restaurant called the North Pole. North Lyndvale featured restaurants and entertainment that was ice-themed, since the ice dragons lived there. There were skating rinks that were open year round, there were ice dragon ice-hockey teams, and there was a snow park where children could go and make snow forts and throw snowballs at each other.
The North Pole featured an ice-sculpture dinner show, in which ice dragon sculptors on a stage created gorgeous crystal structures and juggled ice bubbles and tossed ice spears at each other. The stage had a North Pole theme, with icicles dripping from the ceiling. The ice dragons were in human form, wearing white-and-blue spandex costumes with sparkly scales on them.
Emerson had gotten permission from his probation officer to leave the castle grounds for the evening, as long as he was home before 10 p.m.
“Tabitha,” Kelly said, as they looked over the menu.
“Yes, dear?”
“Some of the silverware seems to have accidentally fallen into your purse.”
“I’m sure it didn’t,” Tabitha said, blinking innocently.
Kelly looked up from the menu with an expression of polite disbelief. “Put it back, so Gabriel doesn’t have to waste his time coming back here with the silverware tomorrow,” she said, and kept staring at Tabitha until she finally reached into her purse with a martyred sigh and put the silverware back on the table.
Gabriel had his hand over his mouth and was laughing so hard that tears filled his eyes and leaked down his cheeks. Emerson was making strangling noises and hiding behind his menu, but his shoulders were shaking with merriment.
“And what do you think is so funny?” Tabitha asked Gabriel furiously. “You’re not too old for me to whip your tail, young man.” And then she shot out a small jet of flame and burned Emerson’s menu right out of his hands. Emerson didn’t try to hide it; he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“Oh, mother. I haven’t seen anyone hand you your butt in ages. This is even better than the dinner show.”
“Rotten filthy pig swill!” Tabitha cursed, and her eyes turned bright red.
Gabriel and Kelly both looked up and stared at her, surprised by the vehemence in her voice. “Well, that’s a little strong,” Gabriel said mildly.
“Not you, although it certainly applies.Them.What on earth are they doing here?” Tabitha said, glancing towards the front of the stage. The Maplethorpes were there, glaring daggers at the Kingsley family.
Gabriel shrugged. “Who cares?” he said. “Maybe Pandora’s looking for a new victim. I mean fiancé.”
Pandora ignored her food and stared at Kelly without blinking, a ferocious scowl puckering her small, pretty face.
“Wow, I can literally feel the hatred rays burning my flesh,” Kelly said, sipping on a glass of red wine. “It’s kind of nice. The air’s a little chilly in here.”
Dinner arrived a short time later. The dragons all had steak, and Kelly had pasta. Pandora and her family kept glaring steadily at them as they tucked into their dinner.
“Would it be a bad idea to say, ‘Careful or your face will freeze like that’?” Gabriel grinned and shoved a hunk of steak into his mouth. “Get it? Because we’re in ice dragon territory?”
“Your comedy routine needs work,” Kelly mused. “You should stick to jewel thieving. I mean jewelry sales.”
Evangeline took a few bites, looking sullen and annoyed. “This is kid stuff. This is stupid,” she complained, glaring at the ice dragons on the stage. “My friends are outside at the park across the street. Why can’t I go hang out with them?”
“You’re speaking to your schoolmates again?” Gabriel asked her. Kelly remembered how the girls had snubbed Evangeline on the day of the fair.
“Who cares? I’m bored.” She narrowed her eyes.
“If you’re going to have that attitude, please, do leave,” Tabitha said with annoyance.
Evangeline took on a wounded look. “Great. My own family doesn’t even want me. What a surprise,” she said. She stood up with a dramatic flourish. “Nobody wants me. When I turn eighteen, I’m going to go be a hermit and live in the desert by myself.”
“Don’t forget to write,” Gabriel said.
Evangeline responded by kicking him in the shin and stalking out of the restaurant.
Gabriel glanced at Kelly. “I’m hoping we have boys,” he said to her.
“I’m hoping you seek professional help,” she informed him. “But dinner is delicious, thanks.”
