“He's even more rare of a specimen. Most of the boys there go for the broody approach.”
“Even better, and what about the girls? Are they like you?”
“From what I've seen, no. They're more like you, so I'm sure you'll fit in fine,” Jewl said. The girls at school also irritated her a lot, but what her sister didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Talking about school was a welcome subject change.
“Are the classes hard? What about activities? Is there a lot to do besides study?”
The bombardment of questions surprised Jewl. For a brief moment, a glimpse of the Sonnet she had known before this whole mess had started began to shine through. That was the curious, beautiful, lighthearted girl Jewl had grown up with. She couldn't help but smile.
“Classes can be hard depending on who's teaching and what interests you. There are a lot of clubs, so there's plenty to do besides homework. If you're lucky enough to have access to a car, you can go into town too. Not like there's a lot to do, but it's a change of scenery. Every few months we drive to the big city for a weekend. We'll have one of those happening soon. Almost always after Christmas we take a trip so everyone can spend their gift money.”
“I can't wait to go. I—” She stopped mid-sentence and her smile disappeared. “Hello, Auntie.”
Jewl spun around in her chair to see Eyde entering. Sonnet stood, Jewl stayed seated, and Teague wasn't sure what to do. He was half-sitting and half- standing before deciding to stay put.
“Good morning. I hope you all slept well.” Eyde offered one of her polite smiles before her eyes settled on the breakfast at the table. “Oh dear, I thought I told Louisa to stop making such lavish meals anymore. Remember, a moment on the lips is forever on the hips. I suppose she did this because of you. It's not often we have such an important guest visiting us after all.” She glared at Jewl, who took a large bite of waffle and let out a happy moan.
“I forgot how wonderful your chef is.”
“I enjoyed it. Thank you,” Teague added.
Aunt Eyde nodded and sat down next to Jewl, wrapping her tight, cold, fingers around her wrist. As much as she wanted to pull away from the woman, Jewl stood firm and acted as though the gesture didn't bother.
“Are you ready to spend the afternoon with me, Jewl, dear? We have so much catching up to do.”
“I'm sure,” she said.
“Whenever you're done eating. Don't worry about your friend. Sonnet will keep him more than entertained.”
Jewl gave her aunt a wide, sarcastic smile. “Am I done eating, auntie? And yes, she's made it clear she knows how to entertain.”
She didn't want to leave her and Teague alone again, but she knew he wouldn't do anything he shouldn't. Not when he was so clearly uncomfortable with her advances. Sonnet wouldn't hurt him, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt her. At least if they're together, they'll be safe.
Her aunt’s nails dug into her skin. “Let's get going then. I feel like walking my kingdom. It'll be good for you,” Eyde said.
Jewl stood from her chair and pulled her arm from her aunt's grasp. “I'll be back,” she told Teague and then followed the woman out of the dining hall. Jewl didn't bother to look back, because she knew what she'd see. He would be worried, and for some reason seeing Teague's puppy eyes made her heart ache. Not in the same way Anj did, but the gaze held more questions that she didn't have answers to.
“I don't want to do any more fake pleasantries,” Aunt Eyde said.
“Good, because it's a waste of time.”
“Yes, precisely what I was thinking.”
She was led out the nearest exit and they stepped out onto the palace patio and into the cool fall air.
Eyde's nation was beautiful. The palace itself was settled high on a hill and overlooked the city below. All of the leaves had turned colors, painting the landscape a gorgeous spread of red, yellow and orange mixed with the rooftops of the thriving city. Whatever she did, she was good at it. The people were comfortable, and there was hardly any unrest. It surprised Jewl. How could someone so cruel to her family be such a good leader?
“So you have a favor?” Jewl got straight to the point, taking as much control over the conversation as she thought she could. Control would be something she'd need to maintain or she'd fall into another one of her aunt's manipulation traps.
“That's where you want to start? I'm surprised. I would have thought you'd be begging and pleading for your father's safety first and foremost,” Aunt Eyde said. She motioned for her niece to follow her down a set of stairs. Apparently she had meant it when she said they would walk the kingdom.
She shrugged. “I know you won't listen to anything I say if I don't first offer you something you want. This is my way of saying I'm willing to consider cooperating with you in return for something else.”
“In return for your father's safety, you mean.”
“My family's safety. Him, my step-mother, Sonnet. All of them are equally important to me.”
Once at the bottom of the stairs, the two started along a long winding gravel path leading into an orchard. Jewl loved the smell of the ripened fruit growing on the apple trees. It reminded her so much of home. Then again, they were only fifty miles away from the border that was her father's land. It even made her think of her new home at the school. Maybe someday she'd be able to share all of it with her friends there.
Since Anj knew the truth, she didn't feel quite as nervous about telling the others. Zes would be easy. She didn't know much about Cheyenne and Halyn, but she knew they could keep a secret as well. Even Denver wouldn't be a problem, but he also wouldn't care much. For the first time since arriving at Vala, she realized she wasn't quite as alone as she originally believed. Dare she even think it, but she was getting excited for her date with Anj and the idea of finally telling him everything. It would lift so much weight off of her shoulders.
After a few minutes of silence passed, Aunt Eyde nodded. “I would be willing to spare your father's life if certain conditions are met. We could discuss a peace treaty of sorts, but only if you do what I ask.”
“I need to know what you want first before I can agree to do anything,” she said.
“Yes, of course. Given your heritage, Jewl, you know you are an important figure in the mythical society. Your mother has always been a respected figure in the Divine. I know you don't think highly of her, nor do you agree with her methods, but she is well loved. This has something to do with how she doesn't let others dictate her own decisions. The Divine have a tendency to fall into many groups. The Greek branch has two. Much like any political function, these parties don't always agree. She acts as a free floater bridging the two together, which is part of why the branch has been able to maintain so much of its power over the others. On top of that, she's a good ambassador to the Egyptian Divine. The other sects love her.”
Jewl nodded, impressed by the vast knowledge her aunt had of how the Divine inner circle worked. So few outsiders did. In fact, a lot of what her aunt told her she had never heard before. Then again, she didn't have much interest in being a member of the group. Politics bored her. If there was a way for her to give up inheriting her mother's role, she'd have done so by now. There had to be a way, but finding it had been tricky so far. Her only other option was to name another heir from one of her descendants, and that meant Jewl would have to have children. Kids weren't on her to-do list at that point. She didn't even know if she wanted them ever. Maybe she'd find a way out once Anj knew. He'd no doubt be more than happy to help since he loathed the Divine so much.
“Continue,” Jewl said.
“I have some business to attend to with the heir of Hades. I'd like for you to join me on a trip to the underworld. Your skills could get us there quickly. I know you sometimes go to visit old friends there, so don't deny it. My spies have kept me well informed about what you do and who you do it with.” Aunt Eyde paused to stare at her before continuing. “If you're with me, it will help a lot.”
“Essenti
ally, you want to use me to have more star power. To make yourself look more important than you actually are.” The question was why would she want to do that? What was she trying to achieve?
Eyde nodded, picking a ripe apple off of a tree and putting it into a coat pocket. She'd dressed for the cool crisp weather. Jewl had not. She suddenly thought about Anj's warning to have a sweater on her at all times. She didn't put much weight into all of his advice, but she wished she had right now. The icy stare her aunt gave her next only added to the chill. She couldn't help but shiver.
“You might be surprised by how important I am these days. But yes, your presence would help me quite a bit.”
“And that's all you want from me?”
“I get what I want and you get what you want. That will be the deal. I believe that's fair?”
Jewl bit her lower lip, trying to think about it all. It sounded too easy. Show up, look nice, suffer through whatever meeting her aunt had with the heir, and then her Dad would be safe? Things wouldn't be resolved, but anything to protect his life was a step in the right direction in her eyes. There had to be more to it. This was Aunt Eyde, and she was going to negotiate with Lucien, the crazy demon who had kidnapped Zes and Cheyenne barely a month before. The whole story hadn't gotten to Jewl yet, but from what she understood he and Cheyenne were in some kind of binding contract. He claimed it was love, but he was a demon. They always had a hidden agenda of some kind. Whatever Lucien and Eyde were doing, it wasn't a good thing.
“What do you want?” Jewl asked.
“A lot of things.”
“That's vague.”
“Because it's not your business. Now do we have a deal?” Eyde held out her hand.
Jewl took it, but she wasn't sure it was something she wanted to get involved in. It bought her time though, and now she had something more to work with. It was a step in the right direction, and in her eyes those went a long way.
“When we're done with our walk, Pierce will return you back to the school. I don't have any more business with you, and I don't think you want to stay any more than I want you to,” Eyde said.
“You're right,” she said.
“No more funny business, Jewl. I mean it. This time I will forgive the visitation with your father, but next time I won't be so kind as to give you the benefit of the doubt. People will get hurt. I'm sure the last thing you'd want is to make more special trips down to the underworld to see old friends.” The woman smirked when she caught sight of Jewl wincing.
“No, I don't want to have to do that.”
“I thought so.” She ran her hand through Jewl’s curly hair. The same icy fingers that had gripped her arm at the table. Unlike before, her aunt was being surprisingly gentle. “You're a good girl when you want to be.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Eyde nodded. “It's good you are able to be grateful. So many young people these days don't appreciate what they have until after it’s gone.”
My life is gone because of you. She bit her tongue, continuing to play the game. “When is this deal with the heir taking place?”
“The beginning of your winter break. That gives you two weeks to enjoy yourself or whatever you do there. I will pick you up at school. It should only take a day or two of your time, and then you can go and spend the rest of your vacation time doing whatever you want.”
The last thing she wanted was for her aunt to come and visit her at the school. Hopefully, everyone would have already left for vacation by then. Who knew what Anj would do if he ever met Aunt Eyde. He was unpredictable, another one of his endearing but frustrating qualities.
“Come with me to the market. The fall harvest is always amazing,” Eyde said.
Obediently, Jewl followed her aunt through the orchard and into town. She didn't doubt the farmer's market would be amazing, but her heart wasn't into the retail therapy. She tried making the most of it. If anything, it'd be a good head start on Christmas presents for the twins. They were hard to shop for.
As her mind wandered once more to Anj, she was so distracted that she almost didn't notice they were being followed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a black figure lurking in the orchard trees. Dark, whispy tendrils floated around its body like smoke. The figure didn't have a face.
The demons were back.
Chapter Sixteen
Jewl and Teague both stretched the second they got out of the limousine. Pierce handed them both their things, and then didn't waste any time leaving. That was for the best because she didn't have anything to say to the man anyway. Taking her backpack still filled with her homework, she made her way inside not even bothering to wait for Teague. They were home and the boy was no longer her responsibility. She was tired of his company and couldn't stand him clinging to her anymore. He didn't move to follow her either. All he did was stare straight ahead, blankly.
With a roll of her eyes, she went inside, eager to get back to her room and be in her own bed. After she changed into her pajamas and curled up with some cocoa, she'd call Anj to hear his voice. If he didn't answer, she'd call Zes and pretend he was his brother just for the small comfort. She'd even settle for talking to Cheyenne if it came down to it, just someone who could make her forget for the time being.
She didn't have to go to her room, though, because waiting for her in the student lobby were both of the twins, Cheyenne, and Halyn. Zes and the girls were sitting in the plush, black chairs playing a card game on the coffee table, while Anj sat on the armrest next to his brother. As soon as she opened the door, she noticed Anj look up, eyes glowing blue, and she could have sworn he let out a small sigh of relief. He stood and went straight to her. His hands left his sides almost as if he were going to hug her, but he never did.
“You're back,” he said.
“You sound surprised,” she said.
“I didn't know if something happened. You never called again.”
“Because I don't get good reception inside stone buildings.”
“I suppose it's good I didn't try to call you then. I thought about it a number of times, but I didn't know if that would make things worse for you or not.”
She smiled, happy that he was so concerned about her well-being after all. “I'd have been fine. The call might not have made it through anyway. I'll try not to worry you so much next time.”
“If there is a next time.”
“Yes. So, how was your holiday? Did you finally get a break from all of the corn?”
Anj rolled his eyes, then they went dark. He offered his arm so she could escort him back to the chairs. Jewl took it, loving the feeling of his warm, strong hands touching her. She brought him to a couch and sat down with him.
“Mom moved on to squash after I got off the phone with you,” he said.
“She wanted him to eat the rainbow,” Zes said, then the two both groaned loudly in unison. Halyn giggled.
Jewl raised an eyebrow. “Eat the rainbow?”
“Yes, something about a balanced diet meaning you eat a rainbow of food. I think she thought this was literal because she kept insisting I find something blue. Keep in mind, food is not supposed to be blue,” Anj said.
Zes laughed. “Grams got the food coloring and stuck it in the mashed potatoes. Mom was so mad. Like, if looks could kill, she'd probably be in jail right now.”
“She tried to get me to eat the cranberry sauce, which I hate more than corn.”
She nodded. “I remember.”
“Those things make me sick.”
“They're nasty,” Zes added.
“Vile, even.”
“Just watching him trying to eat them made me want to gag in sympathy.”
She let out a long, slow breath, and relaxed into her seat. The temptation to cuddle into Anj's arms was too much to pass up. She wrapped her arm around his and gave his hand a squeeze, then turned her body to the side to be even closer to him. If he minded, he didn't let on. The only person who reacted was Halyn and all she did was fold her hands in
front of her with a huge smile.
“Sounds like an adventure,” Jewl said.
“After that, things were much better. Grams made pumpkin pie again,” Anj said.
“Heavenly,” Zes chimed in. Cheyenne moaned softly, which sounded like she agreed.
Anj laughed, and Jewl saw his whole face lit up. He was so handsome. “We played an epic game of dominoes, and the rest of the time was laid back. I was able to talk mom into letting us come back a couple of days early. I told her that I needed to use the library for a project that's due on Monday.”
“Lying to your mother? That's scandalous,” she teased.
“Here's the face of someone who doesn't care.” He made a circular motion with his hand and was about to say something else when Halyn cut in.
“So where were you, Jewl?”
“Nowhere interesting,” she said and felt Anj's hand tighten around hers. Instantly her heart started beating a tiny bit faster.
“Yeah, but where? Teague told me you were both going to be home for the holiday, and I couldn't find either of you on campus. Totally messed with my plans.” Halyn frowned.
How did Jewl answer? It's not like it was any of Halyn’s business to begin with. “I had some family stuff come up, and Teague opted to join me.”
Anj snorted. “Not how you worded things to me over the phone.”
She glared at him. “No it's not, but I don't feel like elaborating beyond that. If he wants to get into the finer details, that's his decision. He's outside if you want to see him and get all of the dirt. I guarantee it's not as interesting as whatever gossip you might have heard.”
“I'm not asking for the gossip,” Halyn said, getting up from her chair. And with a flip of her hair, she was out the door.
Jewl almost felt bad, but it didn't last long. Halyn had a way of getting into business that wasn't hers. She was another example of what the teenage females at Vala were generally like. In fact, the only girl she'd met so far who didn't fit into this mold was Cheyenne.
Vala Heritage Page 14