by Lyn Forester
Bile rises up in the back of my throat, and I tuck my hands into my skirt to hide my trembling fists. How dare she talk about Declan like that? And to someone she’s only just met. Why does she think I’ll be open to this discussion?
She turns back around without acknowledging her husband. “What facility will you be using? I’ve heard that Embretech has begun accepting lower class citizens. Your family must be so disappointed.”
“Councillor Lonette will decide.” My fingers ache, and I force myself to unclench my fists. “I’m sure he’s already determined an appropriate replacement.”
“It must be nice to have that burden handled for you.” A waiter passes by with a tray full of cocktails, and she nabs a tall, narrow glass filled with icy blue liquid. She passes it to me with a smile. “You and I must visit the Koevhern resort this Winter-Cycle. They have a heated rock treatment that is to die for.”
“I will have to see if my schedule allows for it.” I lift a hand, and Garrett steps forward, palm-port in hand.
Our eyes meet for a moment, and then he makes a show of reviewing my calendar before he shakes his head with regret. “I’m sorry, demi-Councillor, but your schedule is already booked.”
“Another time, then.” Ashley snaps her fingers, and her own secretary steps forward to pass Garrett a small data-disc. “My contact information. Use it anytime.” She winks at me. “Even if it’s just to gossip.”
I dip my chin half an inch. “You honor me.”
“Us girls have to stick together.” Her gaze moves past me once more. “Oh, no. The Williams House has arrived.”
I check my instant instinct to spin back around and instead move to stand on her other side to have a better view of the entryway. It takes the more advantageous spot away from her while allowing me to stop rubbernecking. Her lips purse, but she holds back any protest.
Two older gentlemen pause in the doorway, identical in every way except for their attire. Their black hair, trimmed close on the sides and longer on top, parts in opposite directions over-familiar, grass green eyes. The one in front is obviously Councillor Williams based on his loose, lapis-colored tunic. Speckles of gold throughout the material flash as he strides forward into the room. Like me, he broke from standard fashion with darker attire tonight. His twin follows close behind in a suit with matching tie.
Behind them, Connor and Felix move off to the side to survey the room. They look like younger versions of their father and uncle, though Connor’s lapis-colored tunic also features a gold collar at his throat. It moves oddly as he scans the room, seeming to ruffle with an inner breeze. Next to him, Felix lightly bounces on his toes, his energy barely contained by the event.
“Now, there’s a house that’s too fertile.” Venom drips from Ashley’s lips. “I’m shocked they weren’t forced to use a breeding facility after their third generation of twins. It’s gross negligence on their part.”
My palm burns with the need to slap the woman. “What does it matter? Only one of them will be allowed to produce an heir.”
“Thank god for that.” She sniffs and drains the rest of her drink. “At least they had the foresight to pass over the older twin when they announced the next Councillor.”
I need to get away from this woman before I embarrass my house by murdering her. I catch Nikola’s eye, and he steps forward, ready to invent some issue that will call me away, when Felix and Connor spot us and make a beeline in our direction. I raise my untouched cocktail, pinky out, and Nikola steps back to Garrett’s side.
“Why are they coming over here?” Ashley sneers. Her gaze cuts to me. “Please say they haven’t pulled you into their sphere? You’ll be ruined by association.”
Before I can answer, they reach us, and Felix gives Ashley a tight smile. “Hello, witch.”
“Hello, slut,” Ashley hisses. “I see you’re still pretending to be a secretary.”
“There’s no pretense,” Connor interjects, his tone cold. “My brother will stand at my side.”
“I hear he’s still shaming the family, even at APA.” Her fingers turn white around her champagne flute. “You should reign him in before he costs your family its standing.”
My brow furrows in confusion. Felix might not take his lessons seriously, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call it shameful.
“There’s nothing wrong with Felix’s actions.” Connor’s eyes shift to me, before returning to Ashley. “You should see to your own house before you cast stones on other’s.”
His head tilts, and we both follow his line of sight to see Dominick hovering next to the young man Ashley had pointed to earlier.
Connor lifts an eyebrow. “Your husband is being indiscreet.”
Ashley smiles tightly, her cold eyes fixing on Felix. “Don’t worry, I’ll have my house well in hand in two years. You’ll need to find a different playmate by then.”
Felix takes a step closer, his voice a low growl. “I hope you die in childbirth.”
“How dare you!” Ashley’s spine stiffens, and she spins to Connor. “Control your secretary.”
“I didn’t hear anything.” Connor tugs on his earlobe, before glancing at Felix. “Bro, did you say something?”
“No,” he grits out through clenched teeth.
“Well, I never.” She spins to me. “Do you see what I mean about associating with them?”
I lift my cocktail and take a small sip, the taste of blue raspberries flooding my taste buds. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Her eyes widen in shock.
“Caitlyn, would you like to view the Rim before Mr. Blue’s arrival?” Connor holds a hand out to me, and I place my fingertips in the air over his palm.
“If you’ll excuse me.” I nod to Ashley. “The Third House requests my attention.”
As Connor pulls me away, I hear Felix whisper, “She’s a real energy waste.”
Connor uses his next step to brush his skin against mine, and warmth suffuses my arm at the impropriety of it. “How did you end up next to her?”
I ditch my cocktail on a tray that passes by. “She latched onto me as soon as I arrived.”
His lips thin with unhappiness. “I’m sorry we were late to the rescue again.”
Felix stays unnaturally quiet at our back until we exit the main hall into a viewing room. No one else waits in the room, uninterested in the display it contains, and we find ourselves alone.
Felix doesn’t waste any time as his arms fold around me and lift me off my feet. He buries his face in my neck. “I missed you, Sprinkles.”
“I missed you, too.” I close my eyes and let the spice of his cologne fill my nose. It holds a new, sweet undercurrent of vanilla, and I take a deeper breath. “Are you wearing my lotion?”
“Of course! You gave it to me.” Warm breath ghosts across my skin. “You can lick me if you want. I taste good.”
I laugh softly. “I’ll keep that in mind for when we’re back at APA.”
“Something to look forward to.” He releases me, steps back, then twists all the way around to glare at Garrett and Nikola. “Which one of them is Nikola?”
“Not now,” Connor cautions as he gently brushes my bare arm with his fingertips. “We can discuss that later where there are fewer ears to hear.”
“Right.” Felix twists to glance back at me. “I’m going to be a good secretary and go converse with others of my station. Don’t have too much fun without me.”
My chest tightens. “Tell Declan I say hello. And that I miss him.”
With a short nod, Felix strides from the room.
Connor watches his brother go with concern. “I hope he doesn’t get in trouble out there.”
The same worry fills me after his open display of hatred toward Ashley. Not that she doesn’t deserve that and more. “Should we follow him?”
Connor shakes his head. “He should be fine as long as he stays away from the witch.”
“I see why you guys nicknamed her that.” I shudder. “She’s revolting.�
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His hands clench in frustration. “And she’ll own Declan if we can’t figure out a way to break their contract.”
“But he’s too young to sign a binding contract,” I protest. My stomach rolls at everything Ashley implied. “His brother can’t force him to do what he wants.”
“His parents signed the agreement.” Connor swallows hard. “He’s part of the marriage package. As a second son, he doesn’t have the same rights since he’s not supposed to exist. He’s chattel.”
“He’s a person.” Energy courses through my body, and I pace away from Connor, then stride back. “What about you? You’re a second son, right?”
“It’s different for twins.” He turns away, and for the first time, I see his back.
All of it.
The shirt he wears ends at the odd golden collar to create a perfect frame for his exposed flesh. Lean muscles ripple beneath a black brand that covers the entirety of his back. Three dragons twist together, their scales undulating as Connor walks farther into the room.
Stunned, I hurry after him. “Connor, what’s that on your back?”
His shoulders stiffen for a moment before he relaxes. “The symbol of Williams House.”
“I know that.” With a quick check to make sure no one else joined us, I place a hand on his arm. “But why is it on your back?”
His steps slow and he looks down at me. “My parents gave me this gift when they chose me as the next Councillor. So that no one could mistake me for Felix.”
Horrified, my hand falls away. “That’s barbaric!”
“Does it disgust you?” His tone becomes flat. “Do you think I’m vulgar now?”
Only Night Pirates and gangs tattoo themselves, and that’s with ink. Connor’s back looks scorched, the darker places shiny as if the skin melted.
Tentative, I place a fingertip at the tip of one snarling dragon snout. “Does it hurt?”
He draws in a sharp breath. “It stopped hurting long ago.”
I trace the image up to one curved horn. “When?”
“Five years ago.” He stands still to allow me time to explore.
My hand spreads out over the center where the bodies come together in an intricate knot. If his body weren’t the canvas, it would be beautiful. “It’s not disgusting. You’re not disgusting for what your family did to you.”
A throat clearing reminds me Nikola and Garrett still wait within easy view, and my hand drops back to my side.
Connor meets the other mens’ eyes with a quiet smile before he nods to the display wall. “Shall we?”
“Yes.”
The back of the room lays in complete darkness with only the light from the holo-screen to see by. It covers the entire back wall from floor to ceiling with a hologram of the Rim at night. Silent, we step up to low barrier meant to hold people back from touching the screen.
This close, it feels like we stand at the edge of the city. Below, the verdant green jungle stretches on for miles, an orange haze of poison floating above the treeline. In the distance, the wavering outline of Roen can be seen, and above, a thin cluster of clouds flicker with lightning, the translucent tentacles of a Storm Bringer in its midst. My breath catches at the beauty, and we stand in silence for a long moment.
I swallow past an uneasy lump in my throat. “It makes me feel...”
“Small.” Connor supplies. “Insignificant.”
“Yes,” I agree. “But it’s also freeing. I forget how vast the world is. We’re such tiny sparks.”
“That’s all that’s needed for a fire, though.”
I glance up at his quiet words to find him staring down at me, and my heart picks up speed, my body buzzing with awareness. His hand lifts to cup my jaw, and I rise on my toes as his head drops, his lips finding mine in the darkness. Gentle, his mouth moves over mine, patient as we get used to the feel of each other’s lips. At the first brush of tongue, I gasp and grip his biceps, my nails digging into the hard muscles.
Fire rocks through my body, heating my skin and making the fine hairs on my arms stand on end. Long-fingered hands cup my elbows to pull me close, and when his tongue sweeps along the crease of my lips once more, I open for him, trembling with excitement to feel the heat of him in my mouth.
My first kiss with Declan ended before I knew what was happening, the same with Felix. And the next kiss we shared had been chaste. Now, when Connor slips into my mouth, his tongue rubbing against mine, heat pools in my hips, an ache I’ve never felt before.
I press closer to him, my arms lifting to circle his neck as his head tilts to allow him deeper access.
Buzzing fills my ears, and it takes a moment for the urgency in Nikola’s voice to break through. Startled, I drop back to my heels and stumble away, my frantic gaze shooting around the room until I spot him and Garrett at the bend of the wall where the room leads back to the dancehall.
His words register next. “Caitlyn, guests are coming into the room.”
Swiftly, I spin back to the holo-screen, dragging a confused Connor with me. “We’re not alone anymore.”
“Right.” He clears his throat and smoothes the wrinkles from his sleeves as the sounds of heeled shoes echo toward us, followed by quiet murmurs.
In another five thundering heartbeats, a small group of partygoers joins us at the rail to observe the display. We wait another five heartbeats before casually turning away to walk back to the dancehall.
Nikola’s quiet reprimand fills my ear. “That was too close, Caitlyn.”
“Shut up, Nikola.” I paste a demure smile on my face as we re-enter the bright ballroom.
Felix reappears at our backs as if he never left.
Staring straight ahead, Connor asks, “Well.”
“The witch got to him first,” Felix mutters.
I resist the urge to search them out. If I see her with Declan right now, I don’t know what I’ll do. Her malicious venom seeps from every pore, and I don’t want it to stick to Declan. As soon as we return to APA, we’re making plans on how to escape.
A quiet ringing fills the room, drawing attention to the entrance. Around the room, conversation dies out as all eyes focus on the short, round man who stands framed within the doorway. I recognize him from the news broadcast. Matthew Jones, media representative for the Halls of Justice.
When he smiles around the room, deep creases form in his soft cheeks. “Thank you, everyone, for being with us today to welcome the new Mr. Blue.”
I take a second to scan the room for my father’s bright red hair, surprised when I find him missing. A few other key Councillors are missing as well. Are they still holed up in negotiations?
Mr. Jones’ voice draws my attention back to him. “Please give a round of applause.”
Quiet clapping fills the room as an older man in a midnight blue uniform takes his place. White peppers his dark hair, and a thick mustache bristles on his upper lip. “Thank you, everyone. I would like to take this time to assure you that no changes have been implemented in the current laws and that the passing of office will have no impact on our citizens at this time. I am proud to be working closely with the White Hall to maintain the status quo within our fair city.”
He nods to the pureblood halion man who stands to the right of the doorway. I also recognize him from the broadcast. The current Mr. White. He lifts a champagne flute to toast his new counterpart.
Mr. Blue gives him a quarter bow before gesturing to the room at large. “Now, please, enjoy yourselves.”
The murmurs of the crowd rise once more in volume, but my attention stays riveted to the small, human woman who hovers at Mr. White’s side, one hand on her slightly distended belly. She wears the black armband of mourning, signifying her as the old Mr. Blue’s widow. Her obvious pregnancy comes as a shock after the loss of their first child only last Spring-Cycle.
I can’t pull my eyes away. I’ve never seen a pregnant woman in person before. She looks weak, swaying on her feet like she’ll topple over at any moment
. She must feel the same because her hand frequently flutters to Mr. White’s arm as if for reassurance. Far more often than is proper, but I doubt anyone will call the widow out on it. And Mr. White doesn’t seem to mind, as he stays close to her instead of mingling.
“Look like the rumors of Mrs. Blue becoming Mrs. White are true.” The tittered whisper yanks my gaze over to two women who also stare at the pair by the door.
“More like Mistress White,” her companion chuckles. “Think they’ll abort the offspring?”
Connor interrupts my eavesdropping. “Would you like to visit the buffet?”
The mention of food reminds me that my ribs ache from the restrictive corset. I’m not sure I can squeeze solid food past it. “Some tea would be nice, if they have any.”
Connor stops next to one of the tables and pulls out a chair. “Why don’t you save us a place while I go get some.”
“I’d be glad to.” I perch on the edge of the padded seat, hands folded in my lap.
In my periphery, I see Garrett and Nikola step off to the side to stand with other secretaries against the wall within line of sight if I need either of them.
Someone brushes past and a tiny, black dot bounces across the blue tablecloth in front of me. I snatch the earbud before it can get too far and casually lift it to my ear, making a pretense of checking my earring.
“Hello?” I whisper, gaze fixed straight ahead.
Declan’s warm baritone fills my ear. “How you holding up, Sparks?”
Relief washes over me. “I’m still me. How about you?”
“I’m maintaining as best I can.” Warmth fills his voice. “You look beautiful tonight.”
The compliment makes every moment of torture worth enduring. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
“Liar.” I can hear his smile. “I look like a lackey.”