Cia tugs at Anders' sleeve. "Not unless you come with us."

"Course!" He kisses eir head. "Be right down."

"I don't think that's what ey meant, love."

"Nope," Cia says cheerfully. "I'll have Ilska throw you over her shoulder if you don't come now."

Anders laughs. "And I don't doubt for a second that she could, but I really don't want to lose my train of thought. Five minutes? Then Ilska can come and drag me down."

Karl frowns at him.

Cia pouts.

Ilska learns against the wall. "I'll wait."

"I will. Magic is hungry work, Ilska, get going." Karl flashes a grin at Ilska, and then sits next to Anders, pointedly.

Ilska raises an eyebrow at Karl, but, surprisingly obediently, shepherds Cia out of the room.

As they leave, they can hear Karl speak. 

"Anders. Is this about this morning? ...love, you can't-"

Cia drops eir head, and leans into Ilska.

"It'll be fine," Ilska murmurs. "You'll see. C'mon. Let's go get food."

And they go to do that.

A little while later, certainly longer than five minutes, Karl emerges. He wraps an arm around Raeli once he gets close to hug her from the side. 

Raeli slips her arm around his waist in turn. "He okay?"

"I don't know." 

It looks like it's something very hard for him to admit.

Anders comes downstairs not long after, squeezing Cia's side, and grabbing something to eat along with them. 

Cia leans into him, watches him in concern, and then launches into a story about eir last trip to the market - clearly trying to distract everyone from the somewhat heavy atmosphere.

Anders smiles and laughs in the appropriate places, but mostly casts wounded looks at Karl. 

Who smiles grimly back.

Cia can tell what's going on, but is ignoring it, figuring that the adults don't want to worry them.

"Tonight's Wicked Grace night," Raeli points out. "We should go."

"Sure. I could use a few recreational hours, before Blaise and I try this spell."

Anders twitches.

"In which case, all of us: to The Hanged Man! I'm sure the Hawkes would be delighted by our presence."