by A. S. Oren
A laugh bursts forth from me. “Excuse me?”
“You’re ovulating. Which means you make a good mate right now. The boys here are picking up on that and, well, you’ve seen the evidence of what happens.”
“You’re serious? I’m not a cat.”
“No one knew if this would actually happen or not, but we prepared for it anyway. There’s a spray you can use that masks your pheromones, it will have you back to normal in no time. I just need to find it. I’ll let Perlow know you two won’t be able to attend classes. I doubt many will be attending today, until we get this problem fixed.”
“Wait!” I say, stopping him from ending the call. He stays on the line.
“If I really am in heat. Why isn’t he affected?” I point to Amr.
“Those who are closely related to you, within your immediate family, shouldn’t be affected by your pheromones. Call it a built in fail safe for the families. Inbreeding is frowned upon. Ancient magic is probably stopping him from giving into any primal urges. I must go now, I’ll be in touch.” The screen disappears.
Amr and I look at each other, as his words sink in. Immediate family, which leaves only one option, we’re siblings.
He stumbles over to the couch. “You know what that means, right?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“My parents always told me I was an only child.”
I swallow hard. His parents are my biological parents. The thought doesn’t make sense. How can that be? They were supposed to be dead, or horrible people who didn’t deserve me. Maybe they are.
It’s nearly ten at night in Bellingham and Edgar will be crawling into bed soon. “Enid, call Edgar.”
The dial tone rings throughout the room.
“Who the hell is callin mi house so late?” he answers.
I smile. I missed his voice, I haven’t talked to him in days. “Hey, Ed.” I keep the quivering out of my voice, hopefully he can’t hear the tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Avvi! I was about ta call the school. I haven’t talked ta ya in days!”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. They sprung a surprise hiking trip on us and I wasn’t allowed to bring my phone.”
He starts to cough. He’s holding the phone away from him, but I can still hear it. “Ed, you okay?”
More coughing. “Sorry, yeah. I got ti flu. Bin goin around. I’ll be fine in a few days. The hands did most my work today. I’m glad they’re around.”
“I can come home, you—”
“Don’t be stupid, Avvi! Unless ya want ta come home, you ain’t goin ta do it because I got one little harmless bug.”
“You’re okay otherwise? You’re eating well?”
“I was a bachelor before I found ya, I can take care of mi self just fine without all yar worryin.”
“I love you, Ed.”
“I love ya taa. What about yar self? Are ya okay?”
If only he knew the truth. “Yeah, Ed, of course. Learning tons.”
He coughs again away from the phone. “That’s great, Avvi. I’m proud of ya,”
“I’ll let you go, so you can go get some rest. I’ll call you again soon.”
“Okay. I love ya.”
“I love you too, bye.”
“Bye.”
The line goes dead and I swallow hard. He didn’t sound good, flu or not.
“Was that your father?” asks Amr.
I almost forgot he was in the room. I walk over to the white loveseat across from him and lie down. “Yeah. I had to hear his voice. It’s late over there for him.”
“Avvi, we’re siblings. Most likely twins. How old are you?”
“I just turned fifteen before coming here. I don’t know my exact birthday.”
“Mine’s October 13th,” he says.
“Ed found me on October 15th.” I look at him. We share a look. The look given when one of the puzzle pieces fit. It’s strange. I don’t know how to feel. I’m numb. I’m not happy, or sad to find out he’s my twin. I should be one of those things, right? His eyes tell me he’s feeling the same thing.
“Let’s not tell the others about this yet, even after they aren’t all crazy for you.”
I sit up. “Why?”
He shakes his head. I just have a feeling we should wait.”
“All right,” I don’t know why he wants to keep it from the others, but I’ll wait.
There’s a knock at the door. We look at each other. Enid goes to the door and puts her hand to it. “It’s one of the school servants, he has something for you, Avalon.”
I stand and try to smooth down my hair. I doubt it’s doing much good. A part of me hopes its Kearn. I wish I wasn’t in oversized sleepers. “Let him in, but no one else.”
Enid nods. The sound of people talking in the hall fill the room, I never realized how soundproof the door is. “Avalon!” I hear several people shout. It sounds like the guys, but there’s no way I’m allowing them in here before I’ve used that spray stuff.
Happiness fills me when I see him, Kearn. He steps into the room with grace, a tray in his hands. Enid pushes the door closed behind him, almost crushing a few fingers in the process. Luckily, they let go in time.
“Dr. Quinn asked me to deliver this to you Miss.”
I wish he could say my name, but Amr still sits on the couch. I smile and push my hair behind my ear. On the tray stands a small, silver spray canister. I take it.
He smiles at me. “Dr. Quinn asked me to stay behind and make sure it works as it should.”
I bite my lip. He gets to stick around for a few more minutes. I take the cap off and aim the nozzle toward me. A fine mist covers me from head to toe.
My knees buckle. I fall to the floor and my vision goes black, what’s happening? I don’t think this was supposed to happen.
“Don’t even think about it, Mr. Radcliff. This has been ordered by the Royals. It will be your head if you intervene,” I hear Kearn say, before my entire world goes silent.
Is this Real Life?
Who put an anvil on my head? The sweet scent of sandalwood and lilacs fill my nose and my eyes flutter open. My head pounds, like Maryanne and the group are stampeding around in it for fun. My reflection stares back at me. I’m sitting in a chair, with a high gold frame back and crushed blue velvet padding.
I touch my face, light makeup has been put on me. A light pink gloss and a shimmering gold eye shadow. Somehow my normal wild curls have been tamed straight. I’m wearing a dark blue pencil dress, with puff shoulder sleeves. The fabric, softer than anything I have ever felt. The crystal I received the other night is hidden under the dress. A large five pointed diamond necklace lays on top. On my left ring finger is a white gold serpent, holding a large scarlet ruby. There’s something oddly familiar about all of this. The wheels in my head go into over drive, trying to figure out what it is.
“Do you like it? I know you have a love for Korean dramas.”
My head spins. I look to the left side of the room. The Royal Paden lounges on a long, stiff couch. It belongs in a castle. He’s wearing a light blue, silk button down and black slacks. The forest green uniform nowhere in sight. . My mouth drops open as it all clicks into place. This seems familiar because I’ve seen it in a KDrama before, Boys Over Flowers. There’s a scene where the rich boy kidnaps the poor girl and gives her a rich makeover.
My eyes narrow. “How do you know I like KDramas?”
He smiles and stands. He comes over to me and circles the chair. “When it comes to you, my love, I have taken my time to learn everything about you.” He stops in front of me, puts his hands on the arms of the chair and leans over me, his face mere inches from mine.
“That’s just creepy, not sweet.” I lean back into the chair, my eyes dart to the side. Is there an escape route?
“I want you to love me. Does this not make you happy?”
I slip my feet out of the heels someone put on me. I will break my neck if I try to walk in them now. Sliding down in the chair, I lift my legs a
nd hit him directly in the gut with my feet. He doesn’t gasp, but he does stumble back far enough to allow me to get up and move away from the chair. I rip off the diamond necklace and throw it on the ground. “You claim to know me, but if you truly knew me at all, you’d know I wouldn’t want any of this. I liked that show, but I didn’t want it to happen to me.”
He brushes a blond strand of hair out of his face. “That’s not what your fanfictions say.”
My mind goes blank. He knows about my fanfiction? Not even Edgar knows that I write it. “Stalking me much?”
“You pair Hermione Granger with a bunch of different people, but your favorite seems to be putting her with Draco Malfoy, who ends up giving her makeover with his money.” The heat of a blush warms my cheeks. “I only did that in two of them.” I won’t admit that while I was writing the makeover scenes, I was imagining myself in the place of Hermione. I shake my head. No, that doesn’t mean I wanted it to happen in real life, especially with someone like him.
His smile never wavers. He takes several steps toward me. “But you liked it. I know you did.”
I swallow hard. My head moves from side to side. “Not enough to want it.”
His head cocks to the left. The blue—that reminds me of the kind found in the flame of a fire—gleams with that damn disturbing happiness. “Do you like the engagement ring?”
I look down at the snake and ruby ring. It’s pretty, but I’m not going to marry him. “No.” I try to take it off, but it doesn’t budge. It’s not just stuck, its literally not moving. “Why won’t it come off?”
“Magic. I put a spell on it. It won’t come off until you either hate me, or one of us is no longer around.”
“Then it should be coming off!” I snap, as I try harder to get the ring off. “This is not okay. I never agreed to marry you.”
He moves a piece of hair off my forehead and his finger trails down the side of my face. A tingle of electricity moves through me, I move away from him, leaning into the sofa. “You don’t truly hate me, that’s a good thing.”
He moves in closer, kissing distance. There’s no way for me to get out of this one. I’m cornered. His eyes close and he moves his head to the side. My eyes go wide. I don’t want to kiss him.
“Paden, the lunch is ready.”
Both of us turn to look at the door; Maverick Hansen, of all people, stands there. I don’t think I have ever been happier to see him.
Paden hangs his head with a sigh. “Your timing is impeccable, Maverick, really.”
Maverick holds up his hands. “Sorry, I’ll go.”
“Thank—”
“No! Stay. Don’t move.” I manage to scoot past Paden and get myself free.
I breathe a sigh of relief and walk over to Maverick. “Take me back to my room.” I don’t like the idea of depending on Maverick, but I have no idea where I am. He’s the only one I know, at least a little bit.
“No, stay, and have lunch with me and my friends in our own private rose garden,” says Paden. He comes to stand with us.
“Why aren’t you two acting all crazy?” I ask. “I mean, more than usual.”
“I would like to say that your pheromones do not affect us, but then I would be lying.” Paden snaps his fingers and Maverick reaches into the inner pocket, of his forest green blazer, and pulls out a small silver canister.
“That is the correct spray that you need. Doctor Quinn said spray it in your mouth once a day. About a week after you have your—”
I hold up my hand. I really don’t want to hear him talk about my period. I’m not necessarily shy about the subject, but I don’t want to hear, him, talk about it. “I get where you are going, no need to utter anymore. I take the canister from Maverick, our fingers brush and a hot electricity goes through me at the touch. I try to ignore it, but I glance at his face, he looks back at me. A frown etches his face. I pull the canister closer and he looks away from me.
“So will you have lunch with my friends and I?” asks Paden.
“Do I actually have the choice in the matter?” I have no idea where I am. I don’t think I would be able to find my way back to my room and the boys on my own. Who knows what kind of traps could be lurking around, survival of the fittest and all that.
“Not really,” says Maverick.
Most choices here aren’t actually for me to make. Somehow, that’s going to change soon, I don’t like people making my choices for me.
“All right, lead the way then.” Perhaps I can get some info out of these guys while I’m here. Who knows what type of knowledge they have.
Tea Time
Maverick leads the way to where this other Rose garden is. Paden tries to put his hand on the middle of my back, but I wiggle my way out of his touch.
He leads us down a long hall. It’s furnished different from the rest of Spearwood. It reminds me of an elegant home, or mansion. A long ornate rug runs the length of the hallway and oil paintings of scenery, fruit, and vases line the walls. A lot homier than the rest of the school I’ve seen. I hate admitting that, because it’s tied to the Royals.
Through two large glass doors, he leads us outside and to a massive Rose garden. Walls of roses, all in bloom. Just like the courtyard, but here, has even sweeter air. In the center of it all stands a long white table, with matching white chairs. The table is adorned with food and tea. At the table sits two other boys.
Two servants stand away from the table, each with their gloved hands folded in front of them. One of them moves forward and pulls out a chair for me, I take it. The servant does the same thing for Paden, who sits right next to me on my left. It’s an odd sight to see, a chair being pulled out for a man. Maverick pulls out his own chair to my right.
Paden motions to the older boy across from me. Something strikes me as familiar about him, but I’m certain we’ve never met. He has long chestnut hair pulled back in a ponytail. He’s eyes remind me a lot of Dante’s, liquid amber. Could they be related? “This is Jacob Larson.” I look to the boy next to him. His skin is as dark as milk chocolate and his eyes are a mixture of blue and green, captivating. His hair, long, and also put back in a ponytail. Must be a Royal thing. “And this is Magnus Easton.”
Both boys have to be around the same age as Paden. They give me a nod. .
A servant comes to stand between Maverick and I. My heart picks up, I don’t have to look at him to know that it’s Kearn. “What would you like to be served, Miss?” He asks, in his London accent.
I swallow hard, not from being twitterpated. I haven’t forgotten what he did back in my room. Betraying me to the Royals, it hurts. “I can serve myself, thank you.”
“Don’t be silly, let the servant do his job,” says Paden, pointing out the food he wants, for the other servant to get for him.”
“It’s one thing when they are getting it from the kitchens for me. I have no clue where the kitchens are. It’s another when the food is in front of me and I can get it perfectly fine myself.”
“That’s not how it’s done.”
I raise an eyebrow, he sounds exactly like Horace. “That’s what I’ve been hearing, however, I want to serve myself.” I make my point by picking up and placing a half a cucumber sandwich on my plate.
“Ladies don’t act that way,”
“Who told you I was a lady? I have manners to a point. I’m a country girl. I didn’t go through etiquette classes. If you think you can change me to fit your culture, then think again. You claim to know everything about me. What do I do when I’m corner or caged?”
His eyes shift to Maverick, who plays with his food. “You lash out.”
I nod. “You may not be physically trying to cage me, right now, but you are mentally. I don’t take kindly to that either.”
He stares at me for a long minute. “I really don’t know what it is about you, but you’re captivating.”
I shake my head. “How long have you been researching me?”
“Since the moment I heard about you. You’re a ra
rity, I collect rare things.” He reaches for my hand.
I don’t let him touch me. “So I’m an object for you to obtain? How romantic,” the sarcasm thick in my voice.
“I don’t think of you that way anymore.”
I pick at my sandwich, tearing it apart. “Why am I a rarity? Why am I the only girl here? The genetic probability of no females at all being born for decades, within a group of people that have diverse genetic backgrounds, is nearly impossible.” When I brought up this subject with the guys, it didn’t really seem like they knew the answer. The look Paden is giving me, he knows the answer, and it makes him uncomfortable.
“You speak your mind a lot,” says Magnus, it’s the first thing he has said, since we sat down.
“So I’ve been told.” Obviously the mothers of the boys here don’t speak out. My candidness shocks them all.
“We don’t talk about such matters,” says Paden.
“Why?”
“Because, it’s forbidden.”
“Forbidden? What’s going to happen? From what I understand, you Royals are top of the food chain. What could anyone possibly do to you for telling me the truth?”
“It’s worse than what the Normals get, when they are Outcasted,” says Maverick.
From what I know about the Outcasts, they’re removed from the families and stripped of their powers. “What could be worse than that?”
“Death,” says Jacob, giving me a stare with his amber eyes
“But who is above the Royals?” I ask.
“The Governors and the Ancients. We may be the grand children of the last living Ancients, but we only have say over specific people,” says Paden.
“Like Mr. Perlow?”
“He’s one of them. How did you know?”
I roll my eyes. “The way you talked to him the other night, when you gave me this necklace.” I pull the crystal out from underneath the dress. It hangs heavy against my chest.
“Do you like it?” he asks. The excitement practically drips off him.
“I guess. It does the one thing for me that I’ve wanted all my life.”