by A. L. Tyler
“I’m the heir,” Lena reasoned. “Or I would be, if I were a boy. I order you to tell me.”
Hesper remained silent.
“I’ll…extend my protection to you?”
Hesper didn’t turn around. “Only Griffin can do those things now.”
“You promised to tell me about the religions, anyway.” Lena sat down on the cot. It didn’t look as though she’d be getting anything more out of Hesper. She may have even lost her as a friend.
Hesper sighed. “I guess I did.”
Lena looked over. Hesper was sitting up in her bed; she smiled weakly.
“What do you want to know?”
“Start from the start, I suppose.”
Hesper went and retrieved a small box from the closet, and motioned for Lena to join her sitting on the bed. Hesper opened the box.
“Tell me what you see.”
Lena peered in. “Nail polish, nail clippers, nail file, box of cigarettes…”
“Don’t tell my parents about those.” Hesper interjected.
“…Clipped magazine articles, self-photo…” Lena reached in and shifted the articles in the box. “And a necklace.”
Hesper seemed to be anticipating something. Lena moved the objects around in the box again.
“And…the nail polish is pink?” Lena added in frustration.
“Tell me about the necklace.” Hesper hinted.
“Silver chain…Oh,” Lena saw it as she lifted it from the box, “It’s got a pendant on it! It looks kind of like Celtic love knots, with a circle in the middle.”
“Bingo. We’re good. Settle in. Stop me if you need to, but I think you’ll be okay.” Lena and Hesper shifted so that they were facing each other. Hesper took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Where to begin. No one really knows the truth. It’s just like any other religion—stories passed on over millennia. But we haven’t always been here. We’re almost sure about that much. The Circle in the Square,” she indicated the pendant in Lena’s hand, “is a religious symbol. It represents the portal, but that’s probably not what it really looks like. We don’t know for sure if anyone’s actually seen it. But, anyway—it’s just a symbol. The portal is how we got here.”
Lena raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
“I know. It’s weird. But it’s true—at some point in time, a long time ago, a sort of doorway was opened. No one knows what’s on the other side, but the scriptures claim we came through it, and ended up here. There’s a long story concerning the history of the portal, but to sum it up, we don’t know where it is now. The religious deal is that half the people here want it to stay closed, and the other half want to open it. They don’t believe we belong here, and that we should return to a world where we don’t have to hide ourselves from humans.”
“Hiding?” Lena almost laughed. “Who’s hiding? Hesper, you could see this house from space. Several hundred people came in from outside the country to stay here for a couple of months. This isn’t exactly inconspicuous behavior.”
Hesper shrugged. “It’s a mansion in the country, and lots of people come here for the skiing and hiking. Besides, the house and most of the rest of it was made by Silenti—it’s doubtful humans would take much notice unless someone carefully pointed it out. And they take a great deal of care in orchestrating the travel so that people have a staggered arrival and departure so it doesn’t look like a gathering. Even if someone did notice, the Council would pay them off or have them die in an accident.”
“That’s a little drastic.” Lena remarked.
Hesper tilted her head back and forth. “It usually doesn’t happen. I guess I should have said that people want to leave here because they don’t want to have to deal with humans, and not because we’re hiding. Humans are kind of simple-minded compared to Silenti. Not that I’m saying anything personal here, but imagine that you’re stuck in a world where everyone around you has an IQ that’s half of yours. Would you want to stay?”
Lena smiled sardonically. “You think I’m stupid?”
“Not stupid.” Hesper rolled her eyes. “Just slow. And I told you not to take it personally—you’re going to get better. My point is that humans don’t have telepathy. They don’t see the future or talk to each other in their minds, or anything that a typical Silenti would find normal. They’re cumbersome to put up with, so we work around their systems so we don’t have to. Think about it this way: imagine that you’re stuck on an island with a bunch of chimpanzees or something. I mean, they’re smart, and they feel, but they’re really not operating on your level.”
“Because you’re so much more evolved than the rest of us?” Lena jabbed.
Hesper stared her down. “Lena, I’m trying here. My first words were spoken in my thoughts to my mother before I was even born. Do you really want to challenge me on who’s more evolved? I’m just trying to explain the perspective.”
Lena sat quietly, considering how weird it would be for an infant’s first words to occur before birth. “Fine. Continue.”
“Okay…where was I?” Hesper sighed in relief.
Lena thought. “The part where some people want to go through the portal to another world. That is weird.”
“Only as weird as any other religion. Walking on water, talking flaming shrubbery, boats big enough to hold every animal on the planet, holy cows, dreams of white elephants…and then there’s Scientology. Wow, don’t even get me started on that one…”
“Okay…” Lena handed the pendant back to Hesper, “And who’s who? I don’t mean to be rude, but which are you?”
Hesper took the pendant and put it on. “My family believes in the Old Faith—that the portal will be found, and that it will be opened by the heir, and we will return to a world where we can live in harmony with our own kind.”
“And…Griffin’s the heir?” Lena said, once again in disbelief.
“Oh, you’re kidding me!” Hesper smiled broadly. When Lena returned only a blank stare, she started to look worried. “Good Lord. How long have you been here, and you haven’t figured it out? Lena, this world—our world. It revolves around your family. The Daray Family is royal; we practically worship you, because only a Daray can open the portal.”
“Why?” Lena was trying to seem calm; of all the religions she’d encountered, this was by far the most crazy and stupid. Well, maybe not, but it was certainly up there on the list.
“It’s recorded on the portal. Only members of the royal family can read what’s on the portal—the instructions to open it.” Hesper said, as though this must be obvious.
“So,” Lena sighed, “You believe that I’m royalty.”
“Yes.”
“And this fact is recorded in invisible ink on a portal that no one has ever seen?” Lena tried not to laugh.
“Yes. Well, there are some unverified claims, but yes.”
“And that portal, which only my family members can open, leads to another world?”
“We don’t know where it leads, but that’s basically right. Only a Daray can open it—not Master Collins.”
I’m sure Howard was very sad to hear that.
Hesper rolled her eyes. “He’s against opening it anyway, so I don’t think he really cares.”
“I was being sarcastic.”
“Oh, were you? You’re too quiet when you try to do it.” Hesper yawned, and Lena could tell she was tired.
I’ll have to work on that.
“Yes, you will,” Hesper retorted.
“Well, thank you.”
“’Welcome.”
They settled into their beds. The information about the religions was interesting to Lena, but something was still weighing heavily on her mind…She decided to try one more time.
“Hesper? Just theoretically, why would he have killed my brother? His own grandson? The heir?”
Hesper was quiet for a moment. “Well,” she paused, “Theoretically, if you believe the New Faith version of events, it was because Thomas wasn’t a Silenti. He was
a human, and it was theoretically an embarrassment Master Daray just wouldn’t tolerate. With Thomas dead, he had a right under our laws to petition for custody of you. You never wondered why your dad ran? Not that I believe such stories…”
“Of course you don’t…”
They said their goodnights and retired to their beds. In the darkness, Lena was finally at peace with her father. She knew why he had lied now, and was able to forgive him. Thank him, even. For fifteen years, he’d saved her from exposure to a cult of insane religious fanatics—no matter how friendly or likeable some of them were. She was related to a man that could have theoretically killed a child for not being able to read minds.
Breakfast the next day became a complicated matter. Lena refused to go down after the events of the night before, and asked Hesper to test the waters for her. Hesper refused, insisting that hiding would only make matters worse. If she appeared confident and collected, she would gain much more respect. So they went down together (after much fussing and makeup application), and Lena tried to appear aloof to the chatter that ceased—or rather, became inaudible to her—every time she entered a room. Hesper tried desperately to make casual conversation, and her friend Bianca even came to sit with them, but it was no good to Lena. She wasn’t Silenti; not in the sense that everyone here was. Every foreign place she’d ever visited felt more like home than this.
Just before lunch, she started looking for Howard. Her mother was talking endlessly with two women who were apparently old friends of hers, Mrs. Burr and Mrs. Perry, and didn’t have the time to dismiss her from her “social responsibility,” as Hesper called it. When she couldn’t find him on the first or second floor, or outside in any of the tents, she figured it was time for a new approach. Standing in the entrance hall, she concentrated as hard as she could.
Howard, where are you?
I’ll be down in a minute, and please don’t shout in the house!
She heard quieted laughing around her. A few of the teenagers were staring, including Serafina Perry, who was walking up to her.
“My, my, one would think a Daray would have better manners.” She crossed her arms; the flock of teenagers she had emerged from were all watching intently as the scene unfolded. Serafina had the sickly thin look of a high-fashion model; her arms were practically toothpicks, and her eyes looked sunken in. It wasn’t attractive, and Lena wondered what Martin saw in her.
“And I’m sure you’re bothering to tell me to be polite.” Out of the corner of her eye, Lena saw Hesper hurrying toward her.
“No. I’m saying it because no one else will. You’re a disgrace to your family,” She tossed her hair as Hesper arrived.
“I’m not a Daray. My last name is Collins.”
Serafina winked at Hesper. “Well, then I guess such behavior is to be expected.” She turned and walked away. Lena took a deep breath.
“Sorry,” Hesper smiled weakly, “I don’t like her. She’s elitist. And quite frankly, sometimes she’s a real—“
“Lena! Everything okay?”
Lena turned to see Howard walking briskly down the stairs. He was half smiling, still amused from her earlier blunder. Lena told Hesper she’d see her later, grabbed Howard’s arm, and led him to a quiet corner of the room.
“Do I really have to stay here?” She pleaded.
“Why? I thought you’d be overjoyed to have some people your own age around. I’ve been told you needed a friend, recently.” Howard’s smile was gone. He was looking at her sternly.
“What?”
“I understand. I was trying to keep two teenagers in a house with a bunch of old fogies.” She had only ever heard her father say the word “fogies” before, and smiled. “…It was natural for you two to become friends. I even encouraged it. But get this straight, Lena: no more secrets. David was a good friend. Griffin Corbett is dangerous—especially after last night.”
Lena frowned. She had barely even thought about the fact that she’d continued keeping the secret from Howard. Admittedly, it was a big secret, but up until last night, she hadn’t realized the magnitude of what she was doing. In her mind, Griffin was her friend—the only one she’d had, until Hesper. And in some immature way, she’d even relished keeping the information from Howard, because he had deceived her so frequently in the beginning.
“Howard, don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little? I mean, he’s really been…”
“No. No more secrets. Especially if someone asks you to keep them from me specifically. I need your promise.”
“Okay, I promise. Does he really have to move away?” Part of her had become lonely at the thought of David leaving, even if he was Griffin and not David. Even if her grandfather had sick delusions about their marrying later in life. Even if he continued to be an arrogant jerk, he was still the only person keeping her company. Without David, there were only adults who treated her like a child.
“Yes. And that’s not up for debate. Now, what were you going to ask me?”
Lena looked back over her shoulder at Serafina Perry. Children being children, as Mrs. Ralston would have said. It seemed too trivial a matter considering everything else that was happening in her life.
“It’s…nothing.” She shrugged.
Howard looked at her questioningly. “Are you sure?” Lena nodded quickly. “I’ll see you at lunch.” He set off, back up the stairs.
Lena, alone again, turned and faced the crowds. It was going to be a long few weeks.
The days passed slowly. Lena got to know Bianca, who was very much like Hesper, if not as politically informed and outspoken. They both loved gossip, clothes, and makeup, and while they were both very friendly, Lena had little in common with them. Eric, Master Mason’s son, introduced her around. Lena was sure this was at Howard’s asking, because Eric was twenty and seemed very concerned with being viewed as an adult. He did eat with her and Hesper, though, and was very polite about the entire situation. She managed to meet a few new people who were willing to talk to her. However, she missed Griffin, and she didn’t know why. Friends don’t lie to friends about secretly being your betrothed. While she questioned if the friendship had all been a manipulation, she missed him. Not the person he was now, but the person she had thought he was. She framed that fact very carefully in her mind because it was exactly as Howard had said; he had been deceiving them all, especially Lena. It wasn’t complicated. But at the end of the second week, while Lena brushed out her hair before bed, Hesper suddenly made things complicated again.
She threw a folded up piece of paper onto Lena’s cot. “He asked me to give this to you. Apparently he’s really coming home.” Hesper looked a little disappointed. Over the years, she’d been allowed a sort of freedom that most wealthy Silenti women were not afforded. With Griffin in the highest seat of power possible, she had never felt the pressure of needing to ‘marry up’—a concern that Bianca constantly expressed. With Griffin returning home, she was sure the greater part of her life, once filled by travel and study, would become a matter of painstaking business parties and propaganda for her brother.
Without speaking, Lena picked up the note. It only had her name on it, but just looking at it stunned her; it was an incredibly intimate and illegal gesture. She opened it, and read it quietly.
Lena,
Sorry it turned out like this. We lost at the trial that was held concerning my right to stay here with Master Daray. I’m leaving with the Corbetts. Howard doesn’t want me to see you again, and there’s some debate about whether or not he’ll win on that issue. For the time being, I’m not even supposed to speak to you, so don’t tell anyone about this. I hope you’re well. I’ll miss you.
Sincerely,
Griffin
“Did he really sign it ‘sincerely’?” Hesper was half smiling.
Lena looked up. “What?”
“You read out loud to yourself in your head. Is that really how he ended it? Sincerely? The second most powerful person in the world, and he can’t even write
a stupid love letter. Somebody needs to smack him…” She started her routine to get ready for bed. The lengths she went to for something as simple as washing her face intrigued Lena; there was makeup remover (one for her skin and one for around the eyes), then exfoliation, several kinds of skin softeners, zit cream, lotion…
“It’s not a love letter. I agree that he needs a smacking, though.” Still holding the note, Lena read it over again.
“Oh please. He’s male. It’s amazing he even remembered to write—that means you’re special.” Cleansers, things to prevent wrinkles, stuff to put oils in where skin was dry, stuff to pull oils out where it was too oily…
“Tell him I don’t think we should be talking.”
“What?” Hesper almost dropped her makeup-smudged washcloth.
“I don’t know him. I don’t think I want to know him. He’s been lying to me ever since I met him.” Lena settled into the cot, and pulled the blankets over her. “You don’t know him either.”
“He lies to protect you. You’re right—I don’t know him. I think the last real conversation we had concerned who had the more awesome cell phone when we were eight, but you know what? You’re going to have to trust me on this one. You aren’t a quarter of the Silenti I am, and I know what he was feeling when he handed me that note. He’s concerned for you.”
Lena turned over and looked into the bathroom, where Hesper was watching her through the mirror. In the reflection, their eyes met. At that moment, Lena wished she could have read her friend’s mind. She wished she could feel people’s emotions, and know with such certainty who was lying to her. She wanted very much to believe Hesper, and she wanted a medium through which to do it; she’d lost all faith in blind faith since the time Howard had repainted the second floor hall. She was almost certain Howard hadn’t lied to her when he said Griffin was dangerous. She was almost certain she could trust Hesper, her friend. But she was also almost certain she couldn’t trust everything that she was being told by both of them at the same time. She looked back down at the note.