The Column Racer

by Jeffrey Johnson

  Areli looked over at Fides, who just shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the bed. She fell onto it, spreading her arms and giving a sigh of relief.

  “Oh my stars, Areli!” said Fides, “you’ve got to try this!” Areli climbed into the bed next to her and layed on her back, sprawling her arms and legs across the top of the comforter and blankets. If Areli knew what lying on a cloud had felt like, she was sure that it would be comparable to this. The bed seemed to mold to every inch of her, only swallowing her part way, leaving her floating as if she was on top of water.

  “I need one of these,” said Fides.

  “We both know you’re going to get one,” said Areli, the words tearing at her heart as soon as they escaped her mouth. She had to close her eyes, and she had to believe they would find the information they needed. Evidence must exist, thought Areli, it must.

  “Well, we both know you’re going to get one as well,” said Fides. She reached out and took Areli’s hand. Areli fought her reaction to pull away, fighting the tears that were threatening to close her throat and moisten her face. Why can’t I tell her? asked Areli to herself, she’s my friend, my sister . . . she deserves to know. Thoughts of Fides father, Edsel – Degendhard, came swimming into the depths of her mind, choking her will to tell. The image of him during their last conversation sickened her. Areli thought he should be protecting Fides better, they shouldn’t be hiding – they should be fighting. People were prepared to fight. For him. For freedom. So many lives lost – and not a single plan. His cowardliness made her hard and her muscles rigid.

  Fides turned over and Areli could feel her eyes on her. She wanted to look away. She didn’t know if she could look into the blue irises of Fides eyes and not shed a tear. Areli felt like a failure. A complete and utter disaster. Her only female friend – and she couldn’t save her, not yet, not with information people would only regard as rumors.

  She knew she couldn’t look away, but when she turned to face Fides, Areli grabbed her to her, hoping the escaping tears didn’t come into contact with Fides skin. Areli held her, just held her, close, tight, wishing she never had to let go.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Fides.

  “It’s – it’s nothing,” said Areli, “I just missed you is all.”

  “I missed you too,” said Fides, “promise me something.”

  “Anything.”

  “Promise me that you and Yats will spend every night with us leading up to the dance.” Areli sniffled as fresh tears found the surface of gold linens.

  “I promise.” What was she doing? She needed to find information, but what could she do? What could she say? Areli’s mind instantly raced to Brynn and Finn, thankful that Yats told her that they needed help, because now she needed them more than ever. She didn’t know how much time they had, but she knew they needed to find the missing informants before the end of the week. Areli had to find solid evidence leading back to Sofi. Fides’s life depended on it.

  Fides wiped the tears from Areli’s eyes and smiled a smile full of mischief.

  “I know what would make you feel better?”

  “You always do,” said Areli, laughing, sputtering tears from her lips in the process. She watched with questioning eyes as Fides sat up on the bed.

  “How long do you think Aquilina’s going to be on her date?”

  “I don’t know – why?” Fides looked over at the dressers.

  “Absolutely not! No. We’re not digging through her stuff.”

  “Oh come on Areli,” said Fides, “aren’t you at all curious?”

  “I wasn’t,” said Areli, “until you mentioned something.” She looked over at the door, and gestured with her head towards it. “What about the estate manager?”

  “We’ll pretend we’re sleeping,” said Fides in a playful whisper. She crept out of bed and tip-toed towards the door, shutting it slowly and turning the lock, not able to suppress a laugh as she did. Fides looked back at Areli and motioned for her to join her. Areli’s eyes were still fixed on the door.

  “Areli,” said Fides, somewhat laughing, somewhat serious, “what are you waiting for?” Areli reluctantly crawled out of bed and made her way towards Fides, telling herself this was for the best. And looked at it as training for taking down Sofi. The two started in the top drawer of the gold dresser. Nothing but underwear and socks.

  “Aquilina needs more help than we thought,” said Fides pulling out an unsexy pair of underwear and then tossing it at Areli. Areli reacted quickly, dodging the ugly piece of underwear as if it was covered with poison that could be absorbed through the skin.

  “What did you do that for?” asked Areli, with a hint of venom in her voice. Fides had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh. Areli was not amused as Fides almost toppled over, her face red, her eyes filling with water. Areli took off her shoe and picked up the underwear with it.

  “It’s not going to kill you, Areli,” said Fides, followed by more laughter. Areli tossed it at her and almost fell down laughing herself as it clung to Fides face. Fides was quick to get it off, tossing it across the room as if it were some vicious animal. She looked at Areli, her eyes the color of poison, and then they were both on the ground laughing.

  After they were able to compose themselves, Areli’s heel back on, they went back to searching through the drawers. They didn’t find much, just elegant tailored clothing.

  “I don’t think we’re going to find much,” said Areli.

  “There must be something,” said Fides, “let’s go check the closet.” They walked into the large closet that was double the size of Areli’s bedroom.

  “There’s no way Aquilina has anything hidden in here,” said Areli, “you heard her estate manager. Aquilina’s whole life was centered around column racing. I bet she never left the boarding facility.”

  “Now what kind of attitude is that?” asked Fides.

  “The I-don’t-want-to-be-caught-looking-at-Aquilina’s-underwear attitude.”

  “Well good thing for us – we already checked that drawer,” said Fides, “and remind me. We need to take Aquilina to that boutique with the silk panties. She’s dating now. No man is going to want to see that.”

  “Fides!”

  “What – it’s true.” Areli shrugged her shoulders. Who was she to say what a man would like to see on an almost naked female body. She started to think about Yats and his own preferences or thoughts about what he imagined would happen when it came to stuff like that. Then her mind went back to Talon. Knock it off, Areli. You’re with Yats.

  “Fides,” said Areli in a soft voice, desperate for a distraction as she joined Fides going through jewelry drawers, “have you ever – you know?” Fides looked at her, and smiled.

  “No,” said Fides with every ounce of seriousness, “have you . . . and Yats?”

  “No,” said Areli, wondering if she should be ashamed about it or proud of the fact. She and Fides continued to look silently, making only slight conversation as their hands looked at and tried on different kinds of earrings and necklaces. As they came to the bottom drawer, Areli was almost too tired to keep going, and the soft cloud-water- most-comfortable-bed-she-had-ever-laid-on was calling her. They opened the drawer, again nothing. Areli yawned, over exaggerating the extension of her jaw and the spread of her arms, hoping that her motions could influence Fides. But Fides search was not yet satiated.

  “What are you doing?” asked Areli, as Fides was reaching deep into the back of the drawer.

  “Searching.”

  “Searching for what – dust?” Fides gave her a look that told Areli, carefully, if she was tired, she should go to bed. A frustrated look swelled onto Fides face as her hand scanned every inch it could reach. She extracted her hand and sat looking at Areli. A look of disappointment washed across Fides face, and then fierce determination.

  “Fides – we already looked through those,” said Areli as Fides was going back through the drawers, working her way up.

  “We didn’t check th
e bottom of the drawers,” said Fides.

  “Fides we checked the bottom of every drawer.”

  “Not the bottom bottom.” Fides was halfway up when her lips curled into a smile.

  “What is it?” asked Areli, “do you have something? Fides – do you have something?” Areli was on her knees now as Fides pulled out a giant wine colored leather handbag embellished with gold. They were both silent as Fides unzipped it, looking up at Areli. Areli’s eyes were as big as hers, and she was sure her heart was pounding just as hard as hers. Areli looked back down at the bag with her eyes, then at Fides, telling her to reach into it.

  Fides reached in and Areli didn’t dare take a breath as she did. Fides looked at her when her hands found something. She pulled it out to the light. It was a gold container. She set it on the floor. Fides reached back into the bag, and pulled out three syringes with a clear liquid in each of them, the needles protected in an elegant gold case. Her hand went in once more.

  “That’s it,” said Fides, “there’s nothing else.”

  “What do you think it is?” asked Areli, “I mean – what do you think it’s for?”

  “I don’t know,” said Fides, setting the needles onto the ground and picking up the gold container. She studied the two capital letters on the top, which were crafted into the lid of the container. “F.B.” Areli looked into Fides eyes, and then Fides twisted it open, revealing a white cream, like that used for dry skin, except pungent and foul smelling.

  “I don’t understand,” said Areli, making a face, “why would Aquilina be hiding body lotion? And horribly smelling body lotion at that?” Fides just shook her head, and then picked up the syringes and tried to make sense of the two. Again on the gold covering that protected – whomever – from getting cut from the needles, the initials F.B. were placed there as well.

  Fides almost dropped the container and the syringes when the door knob started to rattle. Areli ran to the closet door as Fides quickly placed the lid back on the container, stuffing both it and the syringes back in the leather handbag and shoving it crudely where she found it.

  Areli could hear laughter coming from outside the door in muffled tones. It was Aquilina and her estate manager. Areli spotted the tossed underwear on the floor. She removed her shoes and moved with haste to pick it up. She then bounded over to the dresser, making her leaps quick and light and shoved the underwear as neatly as she could amongst the others.

  Areli turned towards the door as she heard it unlocking. She looked towards the closet entrance. Fides had yet to come out from there. The door opened a crack. Light poured into the room. Areli could hear the light conversation and exuberant laughter coming from Aquilina and her estate manager. Areli looked to the closest, almost wishing she could scream for Fides to get out of there. Aquilina said goodnight to her estate manager and was headed into the room.

  Areli lunged at her, wrapping her arms around her and turning Aquilina’s back towards the closest.

  “I missed you too,” said Aquilina, laughing, patting Areli on the shoulders.

  “How was your date?”

  “Oh, Areli it was so amazing – I’ve never felt this alive before. I mean – well, you know what I mean.” Areli nodded her head. “Where’s Fides?”

  “I’m here,” said Fides behind them. Areli was so thankful to hear her voice. She was sure she could come up with something if she had to cover for her, but even she wondered if that something would have been absurd and not even close to believable.

  “So, you have to tell us everything, Aquilina,” said Fides, “each and every detail.” The rest of the night was passed with Aquilina telling them how wonderful her date was.

  “I did everything you told me,” said Aquilina, “or at least I think I did.”

  “What about the kiss?” asked Fides. Aquilina looked at them both with knowing eyes, and they could tell even in the dark of night that Aquilina’s face was a crimson red and her hand went nervously to pull at a strand of her hair.

  “He did!” exclaimed Areli. Aquilina gave them each a look in turn, and then nodded her head.

  “So – how was it?” asked Fides.

  “It was as if the ground was no more, as if air was no more, as if at that moment all that existed was our lips and our beating hearts.” It was everything Areli wished her kiss with Yats was.

  Fides and Areli smiled at each other, and they spent the rest of the night gleaning Aquilina for information before falling asleep as the sky above them turned pink with color. They both fought off the urge to ask Aquilina about the ointment and syringes, hoping that when Aquilina and her special somebody became official, she wouldn’t be upset if they asked her about it. They figured she owed them that . . . at least.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  She added another layer of lip gloss to her lips. She was mad about being cooped up inside her house like some prisoner, but she was willing to do whatever it took to get her father onto the throne. Her uncle had his time. It was time someone else was given the crown. But she so desperately missed going to the restaurants, shopping, and, oh, she missed the men. She loved making deep passionate love to them, right beneath the portraits of their families. It gave her such a rush. She always knew she was a sinister, evil thing. But such could be expected from the Hunter lineage.

  But since she couldn’t go out anymore, she merely had to bring these things to her. She had her father hire the best chefs in town. He simply threatened them with being labeled as followers of Degendhard. Anything to get her uncle’s skin boiled up. The clothes. She had her maids and servants pick up whatever was new. If she didn’t like it, she used it as kindle in her fire. And the men. Oh, she moaned at the thought of men. She loved physical pleasure just as much as she loved material things.

  She had a new man each day – almost. And she required them to bring a portrait of their families. She desperately needed that to get in the mood. These men were so easy for her. All she had to do was threaten to kill their wife and kid, and they were willing to please her in any way. She preferred it this way. If she was required to please a man, her head might explode.

  She had one such man in her room right now. She had picked him out of the crowd. Broad shoulders, tight arms, and her neck became on fire when she saw how rippled his abs were. Oh, she was going to have fun with him. And she couldn’t wait for his family, in perfect painted form, to witness it all from above. A knock came at her door. She already had the man on top of her, kissing her neck just the way she liked it. The knock started again.

  “Miss Hunter,” said her maid, “there is someone here to see you.” Can’t it wait, she thought to herself, her body riding on the joy of sensation.

  “Just keep going,” Sofi told the man, “ignore her. Just – oh – yeah.”

  “Miss Hunter,” said the maid, “he says it’s urgent.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Sofi, shoving the man off her. If she would have already had her clothes off, the maid would have had to wait until the man satisfied her. She stomped angrily to her bedroom entrance. She flung open the large gold doors and stared at her maid and the one standing next to her.

  “Yeah . . . and what do you want?”

  “I have some information that I thought you would like.” She gestured with her head for the boy to walk in.

  “I want no more disturbances for the rest of the evening,” said Sofi to her maid, slamming the door and walking back to her large gold four-poster bed. The boy followed behind her.

  “This better be good,” said Sofi, annoyed, “as you can see . . . I was just in the middle of something.” The boy looked at the half-naked man and the portrait of the man’s family that was placed just above the headboard of the four-poster bed.

  “Trust me,” said the boy, “this information is everything you’ve been hoping for.” The boy delivered. Sofi took in every word, smiling wickedly after he was done. Her uncle’s saying was right. Information truly was better than sex.

  Chapter Th
irty-Five

  During the rest of the week, Areli spent her evenings with Yats, Fides, and Amer. They were back to their favorite restaurants, doing homework, and staying out late. And every night, Areli would fall asleep with tears as they were no closer to finding the informants, Aniya, or Sofi. It was as if all of them had ceased to exist. Many mornings, Areli stared at herself in the mirror, trying to give herself the strength to confront Haskel at school. But no matter how much courage she was able to work into her veins in those early hours, whenever she walked through the halls and saw the small army surrounding the royal born, she felt all the wind evacuate her sails. The week of school came to a quick close, as if carried through on a swift breeze. Areli competed in her sixth competition, marking the mid-point of the season, against Leboult Hall, in which all members of the Abhi premier team ran in the short-go, with Fides placing first again as in every competition that year, and Areli still following close behind.

  Areli was happy to see Tegan throw a tantrum, as she couldn’t seem to break into the top two but stayed third in every race. Perla was calmer about coming in fourth, which scared her. All that mattered in the season was finishing in the top fifteen, as the World Race was a separate season in itself. And if Perla was just trying to bide her time into the World Race, she may have something up her sleeve. Something dangerous. Areli knew being in your last year of eligibility was a desperate time for any rider. A time in which they would resort to almost any measure of cruelty and deceit to compromise the competition. Areli and Fides would have to keep a careful eye on her. Tegan was acting out too much, too visibly frustrated and annoyed, so any foul play would easily incite an investigation with her leading the suspect lists, and leaving quiet, plotting Perla on the bottom.

  Areli stood in front of a mirror. Her hair was beautifully styled and she wore a long, flowing dress shimmering with diamonds. She felt as if she and Kaia had flown into the peaks of the sky and taken a star back with them, shaping it to follow the contours of her body. Fides was next to her, masking her eyes with shadow and eyeliner, her body wearing a beautiful black dress with diamonds brushed on it as if it had been caught in a light snow. Tonight was the Spring Dance, and Areli was doing everything in her power to hold herself together.