“Yeah,” Trevor replied, dropping his head. “You’re married now. I get it.”
“Good,” Aidan replied, letting go of Trevor’s hand and face. Leah closed her fan and put it back in the holster that was resting on the spine of her dress. She walked up and patted Aidan on the back.
“You didn’t have to scare away all of my admirers. I kind of like the attention.”
“You’re a fool,” Trevor shouted at her as he and his two friends backed away. Aidan began to move forward but she clutched his arm.
“I’ll handle this,” she said. She strolled up and placed her hands on her hips, looking inquisitively at each of them. “What’s the problem?”
“Why did you…marry this guy? All he’ll do is try to control you.”
“You got it all wrong,” she laughed, glancing back at Aidan. “I let him do all the speaking because he gets to play off the trouble-maker image that he’s already established. And that works for me because I get to remain sweet and kind. But don’t misunderstand me. I allow him to speak on my behalf. So next time you think of me as the damsel in distress, just remember – I’ve already saved myself from the danger. You’re better off pursuing one of these other ladies who are vying for attention.”
“But that’s the thing,” Trevor cried. “I don’t want another lady. I want you. You’re different from the others.”
“Why? Because I’m pretty?” Leah scoffed. She grabbed the fan on her back, whipped it open, and cut off a chunk of her icy blue hair. She threw it in to the ground. “Because I’m an Elder’s daughter? Don’t think I don’t hear the rumors. How gaining favor with my father might give you an exemption. Don’t think I don’t remember the days when I was anonymous and I would barely get more than a swivel of the head. I chose that man –” she paused to point back at Aidan, “–because from the beginning I knew that he thought of me as an individual and as a partner, not as property. He has no intention of using me to gain favor with the Elders, nor does he look at me as a trophy. I’m a woman, not a pet.”
“I don’t get how he could treat you any different than we would.”
“And that,” Leah said, slamming her index finger into his chest, “is why we’re not an item. You don’t get it at all.”
She left the boys standing there speechless and went back to Aidan, grabbing his arm and leading him to the grand hall. Much of the crowd had already gone inside, but nearly a hundred were still scattered around the ivory steps, leaning against the white pillars and talking excitedly amidst the backdrop of the percussion instruments. A few glances were cast Aidan and Leah’s way, but the for the most part, they stayed to themselves. The married couple proceeded forward and entered the grand hall. They were nearly blinded at the sudden change from darkness to light.
Out of all the structures in Lowsunn, this building was the one that stood out above the rest. It was a futuristic-looking polished structure that looked like it had been created for the Judge himself.
The grand hall was designed as a foyer fit for kings and queens. Boasting a ceiling that stretched upward for a half-mile, it was held up by pillars that were carved in the shape of muscular men and women, carrying the burden of the roof on the palms of their outstretched hands. The gold that made up their bodies only further enhanced the bright lights coming from the thousand-candled chandeliers that were greater in number than the people down below. The floor was of the finest polished marble and the walls were painted with epic scenes from the stories of old scouting missions, all in fine oils and exquisite pastels.
The villagers were all dressed in their finest attire, outfitted with custom-made suits and gowns devised by Luca Lorde himself. Feeling equal to the Elders for once, they mingled with each other like distinguished guests having been invited to a royal ball. Wine filled their glasses and pint-sized hor d’oeuvres were passed around. Here and there, villagers were flicking fingers through their hair, blushing, giggling, drinking enough wine to have flushed faces. Hiccups and fits of laughter could be heard – the moment Aidan witnessed the atmosphere firsthand, he felt sick to his stomach. Without realizing it, he pulled Leah closer to his side. She responded with an amused grin.
The crowd and the music all stopped once they noticed the couple standing in the entrance to the grand hall, but Aidan refused to avert his eyes, no matter how exposed he felt. Leah was the one to clutch his arm tighter this time.
“Are you sure about this?” Aidan whispered. “I can already see the real threat rising to his feet.” Indeed, the couple’s eyes weren’t on their peers, but rather the handsome middle-aged man in the far back. Sitting on a stage with a diamond podium were seven chairs, and in them sat the seven revered Elders of Lowsunn, all of them outfitted in dark blue two-piece suits, even the women. All of them had the same light brown hair, the same blue eyes, and the same icy composure. Their stares were as chilling as their reputations, and it seemed like their body compositions were more in line with the structure of the building than the villagers before them. Like statutes they watched, silent and hidden in plain sight. All except one.
Standing with his eyes facing the couple, his voice boomed throughout the foyer.
“Leah, come,” he ordered, already striking a nerve with Aidan. Though Leah moved to obey, Aidan held her back.
“I’ll go talk to him,” Aidan whispered as the crowd backed away from the invisible void between the young couple and the standing Elder. Aidan walked forward slowly and methodically as if he were approaching a throne, his hooded robe flowing behind him, caught in the grip of an untraceable wind. As he reached the stage, the Elders’ heads rose, while their faces fell, their lips sneering and eyebrows curling. Aidan’s eyes smiled as he stared at his father-in-law.
“I asked for Leah, not you,” the man stated, his disgust bridled only by his reputation.
“I wanted to speak with you in private,” Aidan replied respectfully. “So we don’t cause a scene.”
“That is rich, coming from you,” Leah’s father scoffed. “You know if it weren’t for your mentor, you would have been banished long ago?”
“I’m told that everyday.”
“Apparently it hasn’t sunk in. Otherwise you would be more conscientious of your pitiful behavior. You would channel your energy into more productive pursuits.”
“I’m sorry…pitiful behavior?”
“It’s obvious you’re vying for attention. Perhaps it has to do with the lack of discipline you received in your parents’ absence.”
“They were murdered,” Aidan said with a heavy sigh.
“That is unfortunate…for your development.”
“I see what you’re trying to do. You want me to lash out at you.”
“I’ve schemed nothing of the sort. It is only your violent nature that brings up such barbarian notions. But I grow nauseous of this conversation. What are you doing with my daughter?”
“We’re together,” Aidan said, staring at the man. From his right he could feel the burning stare of the other Elders boring a hole through his skull. How dare he taint one of their children?
“Together,” Leah’s father said flatly. “And what does that mean exactly? Elaborate.”
“It means that we’re in a relationship. A consensual relationship.”
“Hmm. And I take it you understand the consequences of your actions.”
“Yes. The fact is there are none. There’s no policy in place that says a villager can’t date one of the Elders’ children. You can’t kick me out for this.”
“Again your stupidity astounds me. Of course I can’t kick you out for that. Nor would I want to. In the past you were just a nuisance that I was forced to endure. But now? I want you to stay here under my wings, and enjoy the flavorful plans I will concoct for you. You are putting on a good show for the sake of my daughter, but I know your kind, Mr. Serafino. Even before Advent you lived in filth. You know nothing of decency and etiquette, and I’ve just decided to take it upon myself to teach you a lifetime’s wor
th.”
“I like that,” Aidan said with a mischievous grin. “Planning on torturing me without a means of escape? Seeing how long I can withstand your games?”
“If you can handle it,” Leah’s father said in concern. “I don’t want the infamous Aidan to be broken and forced to run from Lowsunn of his own accord. With his tail, planted firmly between his legs.”
“Do your worst,” Aidan said boldly, looking over at the other Elders. “None of you scare me. I’ve endured more than you could ever know.”
“You are a strange fellow,” Leah’s father laughed. “And once again, you fail to understand how serious this situation has become.” He stooped down so that his face was level with Aidan’s. “Outside of these walls, everyone is just like you. And that is why you cannot know the very enemy who is in your face right now. Sure the wild man’s imaginations may be dark, but they hardly have the time or the patience to execute it on its optimal level. They don’t have the time to develop a plan that will bring forth the most pain, and inflict the peak level of suffering. We, however, have plenty of leisure at our disposal, and thus our execution style has become tasteful and refined like an aging wine. If you believe that you have seen suffering, that you have known loss, then I truly feel sorry for you. Because that means you have no idea what your breaking point really is. You may think of yourself as a phoenix, having rose from the ashes of unimaginable turmoil. When in fact, you’re just a child, spouting off words that you’ve only heard in the distant memories of your dead mother’s bedtime stories.”
Aidan grit his teeth as hard as he could, his hands clenched so tightly that they ached. Leah’s father studied him with amusement, but after a few seconds had passed, he reached out, and patted Aidan on the crown of his head.
“That’s a good boy,” he whispered. “Know when to attack your enemy. Don’t worry, son. I won’t do anything tonight. Let us savor the bloodletting. Enjoy the dance.”
He shooed Aidan away with a wave of his hand and strolled to his seat with satisfaction. Aidan threw the hood of his robe over his head and turned around to walk away. It had taken everything…EVERYTHING, not to punch that man in the middle of his smug face, but as enraged as Aidan had been, he wasn’t dumb. Though they were a bunch of self-righteous, smug individuals, he couldn’t deny that the Elders had power. If he had hit Leah’s father then, his colleagues would have jumped in, and no one, not even Bailey, knew all of their abilities. Not to mention that the whole village of Lowsunn was at the dance. He was already hated. They would have surely jumped in too. He could have been fatally wounded. Bailey’s work would most likely have been put under further scrutiny. Leah would be alone, and ultimately, he would have accomplished nothing. Bailey was right. He had to learn to channel his anger. Wait for the right moment, and then turn up the heat.
“That looked intense,” Leah whispered to him as the dance resumed. The music picked back up and the crowd began laughing and playing again, drowning out their conversation. From a distance, it looked like Aidan had just been royally handed a verbal beating and the real punishment would be reserved until tomorrow when the festivities were over. There had to be a reason no one dated an Elder’s child, regardless of a lack of policy.
“Well, he didn’t say no,” Aidan chuckled, taking her hands into his. “But basically he’s going to try to murder me when I least expect it.”
“That sounds like my Dad,” Leah said with no amusement in her voice whatsoever. “But he’s not going to resort to that in the beginning. That’s a last resort. He’ll try to get you to make a mistake first. It will justify whatever crazy punishment he comes up with.”
“I won’t,” Aidan replied. Leah gave him a skeptical face. “I won’t,” he stressed again, gazing into her eyes. “You’re too important to me. You’re the only reason I didn’t hit him over there.”
“If there’s anyone that can endure him, it’s you,” she said. “But just so you know, you’re not alone in this. I’m not going to just sit back and watch you suffer. I’ll help any way I can. I need him to know that our union was a mutual decision, not one that you forced me into.”
“I can’t ask that of you.”
“Who’s asking?” she laughed. “I already said I’m doing it.” Aidan threw up his hands in surrender and Leah grabbed them and pulled her face close to his. The smell of her sweet lexium red perfume was intoxicating, and it made his mind cloudy. She guided one of his hands to her hip and allowed him to tenderly caress the fabric. She raised his other hand and stretched it out to the side, pressing herself against his chest. Her neck was soft and inviting. He begged to kiss it, but in the presence of so many, and especially her father, he behaved himself.
“Dance with me?” she asked. Aidan nodded in obedience. Just as he was about to whisk her away into ecstasy, a tap on his shoulder booted him out of paradise. He let go of his bride and whirled around to see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed annoyance with a fake cheesy grin.
“May I cut in?” Isaac asked sweetly. Aidan attempted to shove him away but Isaac pivoted and dodged the attack. He grabbed Aidan’s outstretched hands and interweaved his fingers through his. “Dance with me?” he said in the same tone Leah had. Aidan grunted and tried to kick Isaac in the crotch, but Isaac stuck his butt out at the last second, dodging the crippling blow. As Leah cracked up in amusement, holding her sides to stop the laughter, Isaac clutched Aidan’s side and whisked him away through the elegance of the waltz.
“What are you doing?!” Aidan snapped, trying to rip his fingers from Isaac’s, but the swordsman kept a firm grip on them as they twirled around the dance floor.
“I have important news to tell you,” he whispered. Aidan’s face reddened as he saw his classmates giggling from the corner of his eye. Isaac was pushing it.
“And you couldn’t tell me this in private?” he practically shouted back.
“I had to tell you now.”
“And you had to dance with me in order to say it?!”
“I figured you wouldn’t want Leah nearby. We don’t want her father or the other Elders to think she’s involved in our little side organization.”
“I have a mind to tell everyone here that you’re the only one involved,” Aidan said, calming down. “Watch what they do to you.”
“Dip me,” Isaac ordered, and Aidan obeyed with a roll of his eyes. When Isaac came back up, Aidan head-butted him in the face. “Seriously?” Isaac cried out as he closed his eyes and scrunched up his face in agony. He still refused to let Aidan’s fingers go, but at least he had gotten the message. Never embarrass Aidan again.
“You know I can’t dance,” Aidan said innocently. “My mistake. Oh by the way, your nose is bleeding.”
“I think you broke it,” Isaac winced as he wiggled his nose and opened his eyes slowly.
“Worst things could have happened.”
“Can I tell you what I came here for so I can leave?”
“Why so quick to leave? I’m beginning to enjoy this! Just look at all the fun we’re having with a slow dance. Imagine one with a higher tempo!”
“My face is aching for the excitement,” Isaac chuckled and then groaned under the pain. “Okay, I’ll try to make this quick. I need your help tonight. We have received confirmation from one of our people that works close to the Elders that the mission selections have been made for the upcoming year. Bailey wants us to find the list and cross off those that are part of our group, replacing them with names of her choosing.”
“So we’re going to put other people in danger instead of our own? How is that fair?”
“Only the most vital will be crossed off. She knows what she’s doing. But we have to hurry. We may not get another chance. The Elders will be giving out the assignments in a matter of days.”
“I can’t leave,” Aidan said, dipping Isaac again. Isaac yelped when he came back up, but no forehead was there to greet his sensitive nose. Aidan laughed heartily.
“No one will miss you at the dance,” Isaac re
torted. “Except Leah. But I’m sure she’ll understand that something serious is going down.”
“Did you just get here? Do you not know what happened within the last ten minutes?”
“I just arrived.”
“Leah’s father knows that we’re officially together. He doesn’t have exact details on what that implies, but he’s basically threatened my existence. If I leave here, he’ll be watching me like a fly over a picnic. As much as I would love to just leave that gorgeous woman over there for a bloody-nosed, blonde-haired eye sore, it looks like I’m stuck.”
“You need to work on your sarcasm,” Isaac huffed, finally letting their fingers part. “So what you’re saying is that I’m alone in this.”
“Why don’t you get one of the others in the Movement to help you? Unless you’ve been lying to me this whole time and there really is just the three of us. Sure would explain the lack of action.”
“There’s not many of us,” Isaac said, patting his nose gently. “No, it’s okay. I would rather go alone if you’re not coming. See, if they caught you, there would be no harm done. I, on the other hand, continue to be a model student.”
“Yeah, right. As I recall, my marks are higher than yours.”
“Not in the behavior columns of the report cards. You get an N there. N for Needs Improvement.”
“There are no report cards.”
“You take the fun out of everything,” Isaac sighed, shaking his head. He began walking backwards as he waved goodbye to Aidan. He then blew Leah a kiss, and Aidan fought the desire to beat his friend to a pulp. Isaac ran out of the grand hall before Aidan could decide.
Leah strode up to her husband from behind and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“I’m not dancing with another boy tonight,” Aidan joked. Leah giggled and turned him around to face her. She took his hands and placed them in their previous waltzing position. But just as she was about to lay her head on his shoulder, the song changed.
The Works of Julius St. Clair - 2017 Edition (Includes 3 full novels and more) Page 34