"I think I can wait two days." I lowered my eyes, smiling stupidly like a child.
"I'm glad to hear it. You see, I can be pleasant, Zoe," he said near my ear.
I shook my head vigorously to come to my senses.
"No last-minute cancellations. No apology you could give me would excuse you."
"I think I understand your meaning, I promise."
"What would you want to do?"
"I thought I'd take you to dinner in a place I particularly like, and then we could end the evening, or...the night, at my place... Well... I'm not holding you to anything."
He stepped away from me and stood up straight. Just as I was about to answer him, our friends arrived.
"I hope we're not disturbing you?" asked Asarys, sitting next to me.
She was really pleased, and for good reason. Ray had just arrived.
"Not in the slightest," I lied.
During the meal, Lexy and David told us about the meeting with Faïz's grandmother. The current passed well between my friends and the rest of the family present for the evening.
"Zoe, you know what we were talking about with Asarys?" said Lexy. "We'd like to do the choreography you taught us, tonight, to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies.'"
"No, no, no way! Damn it, have you been drinking or what?"
Both nodded to confirm.
"Oh, God!" I lamented.
I then drank a sip of champagne that they had brought me.
"You won't give up, I presume?"
They shook their heads.
"Come on, Zoe!" Asarys begged me.
"I warn you, tomorrow I won't console you when you're all over the social networks like two woodcocks. And I want Victoria to dance with us!"
They exclaimed, happy and excited by the upcoming show.
Around the table, the atmosphere had calmed down between Faïz and William, which delighted me. Victoria joined us shortly after. She placed herself next to William, who embraced her with one hand, as protective as possible.
"So, sis, are you enjoying yourself? Do you like your surprise?" Faïz asked.
"Yeah, you managed to surprise me. The party is in full swing, and all the people I love are present. So, yes."
Faïz rewarded her with a cheerful smile, full of tenderness. We raised our glasses and toasted the future, believing in it as much as possible. I watched the table. It was the first time we were all together. Lexy told us some anecdotes, each one crazier than the last, while Asarys purred with Ray. Victoria burst out laughing, more fulfilled than ever.
"Do you mind? I'm taking a souvenir photo," Lily interrupted us.
She pointed her smartphone at us. Faïz came closer to me and the group of posed. Suddenly, the light dimmed slowly. Charles at the microphone asked for our attention and announced the arrival of the tiered cake. He asked his daughter to come and join him, which Victoria did immediately, very enthusiastic. Everyone shouted her name, followed by whistles and applause. Charles then undertook to give a speech. Silence fell over the room.
"My daughter, our pearl, our treasure. It is with great pride that I see you grow up. Your birth was one of the most beautiful gifts the Lord could give us. Princess with a smile that cannot fade, you are a dazzling light, an incandescent flame. I will make sure that there are no obstacles in your way, no tears on your cheeks, only dreams in your heart, a perpetual enchantment in your existence. We embrace your soul, my daughter, which is an example of endless love. Our future will be happy with you because you are our source of peace."
Charles had trouble containing his emotions. As for Victoria and Lily, they broke down in tears at this speech. The room held its breath before applauding so loudly at this letter from a father to his daughter. An embrace full of love followed. Charles then turned to our table.
"I'll let Zoe take over. She has something for you."
Faïz questioned me with his eyes, surprised. I hadn't told him about my project tonight. William got up with me.
"I will launch the video as soon as you play the first note," he whispered in my ear.
Victoria seemed eager to find out what I had prepared for her. I wasn't good at speeches, but I hoped she'd enjoy my offering. I sat behind the magnificent white piano, varnished. It had been so long since I had touched the instrument. The melody I was about to play I had refined at length when I was still living in France. I had meticulously composed each note of the score, dreaming of playing it one day for an event that I would consider special. That day had arrived, and I prayed that I would not make any mistakes.
A large white canvas lit up behind me. Then I played the first note that broke the silence in the dark room, accompanied by the video montage we had made with the girls. We saw our first selfies with Victoria, our moments of laughter. We saw a serious and concentrated Victoria in the middle of reading a book, a carefree Victoria jumping into the street. Our dives, more or less failed, in the pool of the villa. Her family holidays.
I played with the piano keys, but also with the sweet melody. I adapted this stroll by suddenly changing the sound level at certain times, thus creating a perfect harmony. I was too focused and involved with what I was doing to look at Victoria at that moment. I almost forgot the presence of the guests. The sensitivity I felt was at its height, and the atmosphere of the room had changed. I was able to feel the emotion I was giving them.
The video montage arrived at Victoria's first steps, her first smile as a child. We had retraced a part of her life and it ended as it had begun, with selfies from all of us. I opened my eyes again when I pressed the last note, which resonated for a few seconds before disappearing into the air. The thunderous applause resounded without delay. I got up to greet my audience timidly. Victoria, moved to tears, rushed forward to hug my neck.
"It's too much, Zoe! My heart almost stopped. I love you so much."
Her embrace lasted for a while.
"I love you, too."
Our wet eyes showed the real love we had for each other. William came up to us and we hugged him, too. I thanked him for having prepared everything so that this moment would be as perfect as possible. I went to kiss Lily while Charles took back the microphone, clearing his throat.
"Thank you, Zoe, for this beautiful moment. Well, after all these emotions, bring out the tiered cake! Ladies and gentlemen, let's make way for desserts!"
The room approved and the music rang out. Smoke invaded the floor to give a magical effect to the scene, with a very beautiful song by Justin Timberlake. Torches ignited with thousands of crackles and the waiters appeared accompanied by the magnificent multistory cake, which soared up very high. It was adorned all around with flowers and little rhinestones. Pink and gray matched perfectly together, giving this work of art an imposing effect. The photo session began with Victoria and her family next to her. A huge champagne fountain had been added. The result could not have been better. The servers came to distribute the shares directly to our tables. I founded it almost a shame to be obliged to cut this cake, which was a work of craftsmanship.
Victoria had joined us at our table, while Lily and Charles were staying with the grandparents a little further away. While people were enjoying this divine dessert, Julio took the floor in turn.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we'll ask Victoria and her ladies to come and start the opening of the ball with a dance."
Victoria, speechless, dropped her fork.
"Zoe?" she growled between her teeth.
"I had nothing to do with it. I couldn't do anything to stop them," I defended myself, accusing Asarys and Lexy with a glare.
"Why are you doing this to me? The evening was perfect."
Asarys and Lexy got up in a hurry, apparently a little drunk and immune to ridicule. I got up in turn, not being able to let them dance alone. Ray, Faïz, David, and William encouraged us by gently making fun of our group. Victoria, disappointed, resigned herself to coming along. She stood between us and asked Julio for the microphone, who immediately brought it to her.
> "I would like to inform you that we are beginners, so thank you for your indulgence."
We heard little bursts of laughter before Beyonce's song began. I snapped my fingers to announce the kick-off of our choreography. We started our steps and the good mood took over. We were in sync. We looked at each other, encouraged each other, and this moment of pleasure was shared with the room, which had risen and clapped its hands to the rhythm of the music. We did wonderfully well. Victoria didn't tear herself apart, and gave everything she had without misstep. After three minutes and twenty seconds, we stopped suddenly in front of the crowd, excited and conquering.
We were out of breath, covered in sweat, and the four of us hugged, happy to have succeeded in our challenge of the year, long repeated in our rooms or parking lots. The ball was open, and everyone joined us on the dance floor to continue the evening. We left for our table to take a break. Only Victoria stayed on the dance floor with Ray.
"I'm going to get my phone out of my bag to take pictures!" Lexy shouted in my ear so I could hear her.
"Julio put everything in one of the upstairs rooms on the top floor."
"I'll come with you." David got up. "And I'll take the opportunity to go to the toilet."
"I'm coming with you!" Asarys intervened. "What about you, Zoe?"
"No, I have to talk to William and Faïz. I'll wait for you here. And for once, don't do anything stupid!"
My three friends shrugged with offended sighs and walked away. I was finally able to have a quiet discussion with Faïz.
FAÏZ
In the entrance the voices of the three friends resounded off the walls. Asarys barely realized that she had just pushed against a guest about to leave the mansion. She turned around, without really paying attention to him, apologizing before taking, step by step, those big stairs that looked like they went even higher, back to the surface of the earth. Laughter from the three accomplices was lost high up. The guest put the collar of his shirt back in place, which he used to hide his heavy scar. He put on his long jacket, which seemed worn out by time. Tonight, this scarred man had managed to hide among the guests without being recognized. Discreet and withdrawn from the celebration, the guests had mistaken him for one of their own. He had carefully avoided crossing the paths of Victoria, Faïz, or their parents.
However, he remembered brushing against the young woman with green eyes, who had pierced him when she looked at him. On contact with him, the voices in his head had awakened even louder, even more threatening, even darker. As he opened the door of the house, he took the trouble to turn the cross upside down, which was hung on his left. He crossed the threshold and disappeared, voices full in his head. The entrance became calm and silent again, and a chilling breeze passed under the heavy door. Something bad and evil had just entered the place.
On the top floor of the house, Lexy, David, and Asarys headed for the bedroom, which was the only one with the door wide open. Someone had taken great care to close all the others.
"Oh, my God, I'm going to have to look in there," Lexy complained, discouraged, pointing to the pile of clothes hanging on the hangers in that huge closet by the bed.
"David, please turn on the light," Asarys asked.
He complied before declaring,
"I'm going to the toilet, I can't stand it anymore!"
"There must be some upstairs. Look carefully," Asarys replied, helping Lexy to find her purse.
The young man walked the corridor and had no choice but to open each of the doors to hopefully find what he was looking for. By the time he closed the fourth, which was still not the right one, a detail caught his attention. A book, placed on a desk, sparkled gently in the darkness. He was hypnotized by it and decided to take a closer look. The big book reminded him of a huge encyclopedia. He began to leaf through it, trying to understand what it was all about.
"David where are you?" called Asarys from the hallway.
"Girls, come and see!"
They immediately ran to him. Lexy turned on the light. The room was decorated in an old style, visibly inhabited.
"You called us for a book?" declared Asarys, angry.
"I...I don't know, it was shining in the dark," David articulated with difficulty.
"It what?" Lexy insisted.
Asarys closed what they thought was nomenclature to analyze its cover.
"C A L L L I S," Lexy managed to decipher.
They leafed through the strange book out of curiosity. As they went to close it definitively, they came across a portrait of a young woman.
"Am I dreaming or what?" Asarys whispered. "It looks like..."
"Zoe," Lexy breathed.
They all three looked at each other in disbelief, but before they could react, they heard steps on the stairs. Completely panicked, David closed the book and without realizing it took it with him. Asarys turned off the light and was about to leave the room when Lexy stopped him.
"It's too late! If we go out, we'll be seen," Lexy whispered.
"Fuck!" Asarys swore.
"The closet," Lexy pointed out.
The three of them ran inside to hide.
"They must be guests who came to get their things. They're not going to come to this room," Asarys tried to reassure herself.
"The book, David! Why the fuck did you bring it with you?" Lexy whispered, obviously angry.
"I don't know, I was scared."
Suddenly they heard the door open. The three friends froze, scared to death. They recognized the voices of Zoe, Faïz, and William. At the same time, the book began to glitter more intensely. Lexy, in the middle of the other two, put one hand to her mouth to contain a growing anxiety attack. Something strange was happening here and the three friends understood it well.
13
William closed the door of the room as a precaution and spoke directly to Faïz.
"Have there been any other accidents to note today with the fires?"
"No, we evacuated all the inhabitants who could have been in danger with the advance of the flames."
"So, is that what you've been doing all day? Coming to the rescue of the population?" I asked him.
"I had to, Zoe. It is at this moment that LA needs me and the other Leviathans the most. The Sylphs also helped us a lot to slow down the progress of the fires."
"Tomorrow, The Black Shadow will still be on the front page of all the newspapers," William said. "We, the Sylphs, will as usual be non-existent."
Faïz preferred to change the subject immediately. The fact that he was likened to a hero did not please him.
"Let's focus on the Callis!" he objected. "We must find as many answers or clues as possible tonight."
"About the Dome? Did you manage to make the government listen to reason?" William asked him, looking serious.
"Just a few more months, if we don't stop The Maestro as soon as possible, the government will blow him up, and California will be reduced to ashes."
William scanned the room.
"I could have sworn I put the book on the desk last night," he worried pointing out the location.
"Could someone else have borrowed it and forgotten to put it in its place?" I asked in an anxious voice.
"No, impossible."
He closed his eyes, trying to think about where he might be. It was then a little noise from the closet at the back of the room startled us. We looked at each other, not daring to move, then Faïz moved towards for the large wardrobe, determined to know what was in it. The anguish stopped my breathing sharply. With one hand, Faïz opened the doors wide, ready to defend himself if necessary. I lost my balance and William caught with me.
"Damn it!" Faïz shouted. "What the hell are you doing here?"
The shocked looks of David, Lexy, and Asarys made me understand that they had heard our entire conversation. At a time when I was still looking for many answers to my own destiny, I would have to answer their many questions in the hours and days to come. Asarys got up first. Incredulous, William leaned against the
office, waiting for these three individuals to recover from our discussion. Faïz, furious, threatened them with a merciless look.
"I'm going to ask you to sit down, unless you prefer to leave the room and forget everything about our recent confidences," William proposed in a calm tone.
All the three of them looked at each other silently and decided to come and sit on the bed. I understood then that they did not intend to leave it at that.
"Great!" regretted Faïz, annoyed as he raised his hands to heaven.
Asarys looked at me, not knowing what to say. I had the impression that she was angry with me. David held the Callis out to William with a shamefaced look.
"What did you understand from what you just heard?" asked Faïz.
My friends, more taciturn than ever, did not dare to say a word.
"We need to talk to each other," I told them. "I'm really sorry that you're learning things this way, but you should never have been here."
"For my part," Asarys began, "I already knew that Faïz was the one everyone talked about in the newspapers. The one who helps the population of LA."
"I understood that the Dome may soon self-destruct," continued Lexy hesitantly.
"And apparently, we are all in great danger. Something very serious is about to happen. The book could be a kind of procedure to follow, if we can decipher its codes," concluded David.
I looked at William and Faïz. They seemed determined not to tell them anymore.
"They must know!" I finally exclaimed.
"No!" barked Faïz
"It's too late. They already have one foot in this story. They want answers, and they are my friends, Faïz. We can no longer pretend that nothing happened."
"You'd just put them in a little more danger. Is that what you want?"
His jaw tight, Faïz couldn't contain his anger. I turned to William, who was still leaning against the desk, now looking embarrassed.
DARK FAÏZ Book 1: Every hero has his legend Page 27