by Paige Watson
“Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice,” Noah said, standing to shake his hand.
“Of course,” Everest said. “Helen and Milton, it’s good to see you again,” he said with a nod. “Bourdet.” The way he said Conrad’s name gave no impression he thought it was nice to see him. Conrad’s body tensed as he and Everest made eye contact. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he wasn’t one of the caput’s favorite people. They stared one another down for a minute before the caput’s eyes fell on me. “And it’s always a pleasure to see you Eve,” he said with a low bow. I looked around uncomfortably as his body bent before me.
“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said. “This is my good friend Caroline.”
“It’s our pleasure to host you,” he said, looking at her. “Now, I know in your message you were brief, but you said Aden had resurfaced. Tell me exactly what happened.” He returned his gaze to Noah.
“Well, Evey was attacked by a group of tortured souls a few days ago. She was with Conrad, Mickey, and Kit. The Fultons didn’t make it, but Conrad was able to save Evey,” Noah said.
“What about Guy and Marie?” Everest stared at him intently. His gaze wasn’t cold, but lingered on the side of being austere.
“Guy was murdered, and Marie was taken by Aden.”
“Oh,” the caput said, rubbing his chin. “That isn’t good.”
“What concerns me more, is that when we went to Guy and Marie’s auction house to secure the location of the closest consiliarius, we were again attacked by souls and a single dissimulo,” Conrad added.
“The servi,” Everest muttered to himself.
“That was exactly what I thought,” Noah replied. “I know there hasn’t been an appearance of all six, but it still isn’t a good sign. We already know whatever Aden’s up to is bad, but if he’s making deals with Lucifer, it makes things even worse.”
“I’ll make sure the other secundae know to keep their eyes open for any signs of the servi,” Everest answered.
“Do we have any reason to believe Marie may still be alive?” Everyone turned to Terrick as he spoke. “Or do we think Aden killed her?”
“I would think the first option,” Everest added. “She is much more valuable alive than dead because she could lead him right to Eve.”
I could feel a knot forming in my throat. Maybe they were all used to people living, dying, and being reborn, but to me the people they were talking about were my loved ones. Even if I would be able to see them again, the reality they weren’t alive at this moment still stung like an open wound.
“Stop,” I said, stunning everyone, including myself. I stood from the couch and looked around the room. “Stop talking about my parents, and Mickey, and Kit as if they weren’t real people, because they were. They were my family and now they’re somewhere beyond my reach. And it doesn’t matter how hard I try to bring them back, because there’s nothing I can do about it.” I could feel anger coursing throughout my body. I knew they weren’t trying to upset me, but my emotions were running high at the moment and I wouldn’t apologize for it. Conrad was on his feet beside me. I hadn’t noticed that he stood up, but I turned to him, burying my face in his chest. His arms were around me, blocking me from everyone’s view. The feel of his body against mine was both reassuring and calming.
“Are you ok?” He raised my chin with his fingers.
“I am now,” I whispered.
“Eve,” Everest said.
“Just give her a minute.” Conrad’s voice was harsh. I had never heard him speak with absolute anger but it was apparent he disliked the caput as well. Everest said nothing in reply, but the look he shot Conrad was in no regards a warm one.
“I’m ok,” I said, backing away from Conrad. “My dad hid Noah’s address in a painting at his auction house. He wanted us to get in touch with a consiliarius and warn them that Aden was hunting us down. When we went to retrieve the painting, we were attacked by more souls and a dissimulo demon,” I said with a shudder, as I remembered the demonic child licking blood from his long knife.
“I think Aden believes she has the seeds,” Noah said, looking at Everest. “If he gets ahold of those seeds—”
“I had the same thought just now,” Everest replied. “If he gets those seeds it could mean the end for all of us. Do you know where the seeds to the original apple are?”
“No,” I said in a low voice. “I don’t remember everything yet.”
“Do you think you were followed here?” Warrin’s voice rang out and I realized it was the first time he’d spoken.
“No,” Conrad answered. “The last time we saw any souls was back in Tennessee. We didn’t see any in Chicago and none here.”
“What should we do now?” I knew it would only be a matter of time before Caroline entered the discussion. There wasn’t much you could keep her out of.
“Well, it is unfortunate timing that my fundraiser party is tomorrow night, but I think all of you should come. It would be the safest place for you in the city, and with all of the secundae we have in the room right now, every entrance to the apartment could be covered,” Everest said.
I looked to Conrad and then Noah. “I agree,” Noah replied.
“Good,” Everest said. “I’m going to get in touch with the rest of the Concilium and call them to New York for a meeting. We need to decide our plan of action against Aden collectively; that way we’re all prepared.” I watched as he rose from his seat and buttoned the front of his suit jacket. “Helen, Milton, Caroline; I am sure the three of you must be hungry after your trip. Terrick and Warrin will show you to the kitchen so you can get something to eat. Noah, Eve, Conrad; if you would follow me to my office, I wish to speak with the three of you.”
Everest took off, walking toward a long hallway on the other side of the room with Noah right behind him.
“Uh oh,” I said, looking at Conrad. “Why do I get the feeling we’re being called to the principal’s office?”
“Because we are,” he said with a laugh. “Don’t worry though, he likes you; he won’t be mad at you. I, on the other hand, won’t be so lucky.”
Conrad and I jogged to catch up with the two men in front of us. We were led through a dark hallway that only contained three separate doors. The metallic gray paint on the walls seemed to shimmer slightly when the lights hit it. Everest beckoned us inside a small room with the same gray walls. It was obviously Everest’s color of choice. There was an expensive looking desk on the far side of the room. Four matching leather arm chairs sat in front of the desk. This was exactly like going to the principal’s office.
“Please, have a seat,” he said, as he found his own behind the desk. He sat in a high backed leather chair and his image was reflected in the polished wood of his desk. He looked like a monochromatic picture, with the combination of his gray hair and suit with the black chair. The three of us sat and I waited anxiously for him to start yelling at us. “Bourdet, I know you care about Eve very much, but when the Concilium asked you to stay away from her, we did it with good reason.”
“I know, and believe me when I say I want her to be safe more than any of you, but at the same time I can’t live without her,” Conrad said in his defense.
“While that is a touching sentiment, it isn’t within your authority to decide when you get to see her. You know I was not in favor of making you into a secundae, but Noah felt it essential that you become one. You are doing him a dishonor by not following the orders of the Concilium.”
“I asked him to go and watch over her,” Noah added. “The two of them are stronger when they’re together.” Everest looked from Conrad to Noah.
“If that is the case, then we may have to hold a trial and test your loyalty to the brothers and sisters of the Concilium.” Noah flinched at his words and Conrad looked taken aback. I wasn’t sure what a trial held by the Concilium would entail but something in my gut told me it wouldn’t be a fun experience.
“Noah did not send me there. None
of the blame should fall on him; I went of my own accord. I couldn’t help it and I didn’t want to stay away from her any longer,” Conrad pleaded.
“Don’t think we’re unaware of all the times you watched her from afar. We may not have followed your every move, but we aren’t idiots.”
“I didn’t think it would harm anything if I saw her from a distance.”
“It did,” Everest said raising his voice. “Your very presence put her in danger!” Both men stood from their seats and glared at one another. I wanted to speak, but at the moment I was having a hard time finding my voice. “She’s the only one that can save us from Aden. She is more important, and more valuable, than all of us put together.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Conrad’s fists clenched as he spoke. “You think I want him to get her again? You weren’t there when he killed her in France,” he shouted. “You didn’t see what I had to see.”
“No, I didn’t have to see it. Ever since that happened, we’ve been trying to keep her from getting killed again, but it looks like I can’t say the same for you,” Everest said with a scowl.
“Everest,” I said in a soft voice. In unison, they turned from each other to look at me. “Conrad saved me. If he hadn’t been there the other day, Aden would have me right now. I know the Concilium was trying to protect me in keeping us apart, and I truly appreciate all you’ve done for me. However, seeing as how I’m the oldest person in this room, don’t you think I should have a say in how my life is run?”
“I—”
“Do you know what it feels like to be owned by another person?” I waited for Everest to reply, but he never opened his mouth to speak. “From the first breath I took into my lungs in the Garden of Eden, Aden believed that he owned me. I was always to be his and I had no say in the matter.” I stood from my chair and took Conrad’s hand in mine. “But I chose to be with Conrad and that will never change. You may be able to take away my memories, and order him to stay away from me, but we won’t stay separated forever. Being around Conrad may put my safety at risk, but after everything he and I have been through together, why would you be so cruel as to keep us apart from one another?”
“I suppose you’re right,” Everest said, sitting back in his chair. “Either way, it appears any attempts we make to keep the two of you apart are useless.” His eyes met mine and he smiled at me slightly. “You can go get yourselves something to eat. I’m going to call the rest of the members of the Concilium.” The way he said “rest” was drenched in heaviness. The Concilium was a member shorter, thanks to Aden.
Conrad and Noah were at the door as soon as he gave us permission to leave. I walked around the caput’s desk and hugged him. “Thank you so much,” I said. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
“I have a good feeling I do,” he replied.
I closed the door to his office behind me and the three of us made our way to the kitchen.
“Well,” Noah said. “That went better than I expected.”
“Is he always like that?”
“I don’t think he knows how to be any way else,” Noah said, answering my question.
We met up with the others in the kitchen. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I was hit by the fragrant smell of food. As soon as we walked in, Caroline shoved plates of chicken and shrimp stir fry piled on top of steamed rice at us. I could feel Helen’s eyes on me as I ate. She was standing between the twins and had her arms folded across her chest. Every now and again she would look at one of them as she spoke, but for the most part, her attention was focused on me. I would never be one of the people she liked, so as far as I was concerned, she could hate me all she wanted. I decided I wasn’t going to feel guilty about what happened in Conrad’s room, because after what Conrad and I had been through, we deserved to be together.
“Conrad, I’ve heard you’re the best fighter out of all the secundae,” Terrick said.
“I don’t know about that,” Conrad said, turning to face the man with flaming red hair.
“You’re one of the best fighters I’ve ever seen,” Milton added.
“He really is,” Helen said. “You should see him fight.”
“Why don’t we have a friendly match? That way, we can find out just how good you are,” Terrick suggested with a grin.
“Ok,” Conrad answered.
“It’s a shame fighting isn’t how it used to be. In my time, when two men were engaged in a duel, only one man was left alive,” Terrick said. “Not to mention, the triumphant man was always rewarded with a woman.”
Terrick was staring right at me, sneering at me with a wicked smirk. “Lucky for you, we aren’t in your time anymore. I daresay Everest wouldn’t be happy if your head went missing.” The words poured from my mouth before I even realized I was saying them. Caroline and Noah laughed hysterically and I stole a glance at Conrad. He was grinning from ear to ear as he took my hand in his.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” His face was almost covered in my hair as he whispered in my ear.
“Not today,” I smiled.
We left the kitchen and followed Terrick to a large room on the other side of the apartment. The floor space was twice that of Noah’s recreational room. Black rubber mats covered every inch of its surface and the entire right wall was covered with weapons. The contrast of gray metal upon the white walls was striking; although more shocking was the quantity of weapons hanging from the wall. Swords, maces, hammers, axes, and crossbows took up every inch. A couple benches were placed opposite the armaments. Caroline and I sat on one of the benches and watched the others walk to the far wall. Noah stood by as Conrad removed a sharp sword from a pair of metal hooks. Terrick chose a sword of his own, and the two men made their way to the center of the room. Helen was inspecting the various daggers on
the wall whilst talking to Warrin. They had their heads bent together and were pointing to Conrad. Conrad and Terrick circled one another. They were brandishing their swords, and while Conrad was the taller of the two men, Terrick was broader.
“Do you think Conrad will beat him?” Caroline shifted her attention from the scene unfolding, to me. Before I could open my mouth to speak, Milton answered her question.
“Conrad will most definitely be the victor.” He sat on the bench to my right, as he spoke. “I’ve never seen anyone fight like he does. I think it’s part of the reason Everest finally agreed with the rest of the Concilium to make him a secundae.”
“Why else do you think Conrad was made into a secundae?”
“I think it’s hard for most men to resist doing something that would make you happy.”
“I don’t understand how that could be,” I said, looking away from Conrad and Terrick. “I’m just one woman.”
“It’s not that you’re just a woman; you’re the first woman. You’re familiar to every man; you become their daughter, friend, mother, sister, wife, and lover, in their minds. Whatever they need you to be, that’s what you are to them. That’s why it’s easy for men to become enamored with you.”
“I guess that makes more sense. Even though my father wasn’t my real father, he was always my dad, and that held true even before I had my memory taken away.” I turned my eyes from Milton’s, just in time to see Terrick’s blade fly toward Conrad. I watched Conrad lunge forward to meet Terrick; their swords clashing, filling the room with the sound of striking metal. Each time Terrick attempted a strike Conrad, Conrad stopped him short. Conrad moved twice as fast as Terrick and his feet stepped lightly as he danced around his opponent. Even though they weren’t fighting to the death, it still made me nervous to see a sword tearing through the air, toward Conrad. My thoughts immediately turned to the night when I watched him get stabbed by the demon. I felt as if my heart were going to implode. A world without him in it was unimaginable. There was once a time I thought he was lost to me forever, and I didn’t want to ever live through that again. I couldn’t understand how Milton had to be feeling. It was obviou
s he had been in love with Thea; now he was destined to live forever without her. “Can I ask you a personal question Milton?”
“Of course,” he replied.
“You were in love with Thea, weren’t you?”
His hands twitched slightly and he started rubbing them together to stop the shaking. “Yes. I was very much in love with her.”
“She didn’t share your love, did she?”
“No, she didn’t.” he said with a sigh. “I had been one of her secundae for 600 years before she died. I loved her for all those years, and she cared for me, but not the same way I did for her.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, glancing back to Conrad and Terrick.
“You can’t force someone to fall in love with you, especially when that person is in love with someone else. Either way, I was still the person she trusted most. Being trusted by her was a great honor, especially since she was the caput.”
“Thea used to be the caput?”
“Yes, she was the first consiliarius. She brought back the first secundae and wrote The Book of Adam and Eve.”
“There was a book about me and Aden?”
“Yes, but for obvious reasons it wasn’t included with the rest of the Bible.”
“What’s the book about?”
“She never told me exactly what it contained, but she said it was the key to your and Aden’s history as well as the history of the Concilium.”
“The Concilium is so secretive,” I said, more to myself than anyone else.
“After what happened to Thea, can you blame them?”
“No,” I whispered. “How many people actually know about the Concilium?”
“Only the people directly involved in its matters. Obviously the primums, secundae, and members of the Concilium know, but other than that, no one except Caroline.”