He had to admit, the girl had moxie. Were it a few weeks ago and Elle a Femreaux, he’d have already slept with her and forgotten her name by now. As it was, he nodded once to indicate that she’d been heard. “Yes, ma’am.”
The sadness and urgency fled from her face, chased away by a girlishly confident smile. “You’re a peach and a half, you know that? Don’t worry about Baird; he hates everyone.”
Spinning away and letting her grip on his collar go, she led their way through the dancers and partiers to find Blue accompanied by Baird and Grettel.
Sam tried to hide his disappointment while Baird pushed back his anger at Sam making off with Elle. The blonde sashayed right up to Baird and planted a light kiss on his scowl to see if there would be any change to it. Though the shift was small, it was gratifying to her to know that she possessed some small amount of control over the immovable man.
Sam did not bother with an obligatory greeting to the brother, but instead smiled politely at Grettel. “Do you want to dance, too?”
Grettel shied away from the kindness, shaking her head as she moved behind Baird and Blue. She mumbled a “no thanks”, but it was lost to the music that still trumpeted on. Grettel had never danced with a man either, but she did not dare leave Baird or Blue’s side with so many Vemreaux about.
Sam took his hat off and ran his fingers through his smashed down hair, not liking it so trampled to the crown of his head. “Liam wanted me to tell you that we still have to stop by The Way West before we leave for home. We’ll call you on our way over to the diner. Can Blue be ready in the afternoon?”
Baird nodded, but Blue surprised him by speaking up. “Can I come with you? My brother’s there, and I’d like to say goodbye and explain things to him before I leave.”
Before Sam could agree, Baird interrupted. “No, I’ll take you there before work in the morning. He’s my brother, too. I’ll wait around until you guys get there. You can have her then.”
Blue did not appreciate being treated like a toy to be passed back and forth, but true to form, she did not say anything.
Sam consented to Baird’s plan and bid them farewell, nodding to the girls as he left. Baird mumbled under his breath, “I can’t stand that pushy Vemreaux. It’s like he’s just asking someone to punch the cocky smirk off his face.”
“Would you stop being such a downer?” Elle snatched up Blue’s hand and Grettel’s, pulling them forward to join the colorful crowd. “If this is Blue’s only Peace Day, it’ll be done right.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Parting Words and Arguments
Griffin’s chin mimicked Baird’s, which stayed level to the table with a stern determination. The visitation room that the three occupied was fortunately bereft of professors or any other listening ears and prying eyes. Such was not necessarily the right of family members coming to visit their relatives in The Way. It was thanks to Jack, who escorted them to the visitation room and allowed them their privacy while he waited outside. There were chairs, but only the boys sat in them. Blue stood off to the side, ashamed to look at her younger brother.
Though Griffin did not understand everything that had taken place in the short time since he’d said goodbye to his sister, he did grasp the finality of this parting. The prophecy always loomed in the back of his mind. Even when his sister would talk about his future in The Way or out in the world, it was with the understanding that she would not be there for it. Though it was a reoccurring theme, it never ceased to upset him when he would allow himself the privacy for such unwelcome emotions. Now, as he sat across from his intimidating older brother whom he felt very little affection for, it took all of his concentration to keep his chin from breaking its hold and setting off into a quiver. “So that’s it?” he questioned, trying to be brave.
“It’s our only shot, Griff.” Baird rested his hand on the table between them and traced an invisible line into it. “I can’t see another way to get her over there without breaking a whole lotta laws.”
“So I don’t get to be on the outside with my own sister, ever? By the time I get out… if I get out, she’ll already be dead?” the boy asked, forcing his agony into misplaced bravado.
“That’s right,” Baird replied with no hint of emotion. He was well practiced in suppressing the misery that often grabbed him in the middle of the night. “So now’s the time to say your goodbyes.” He stood, knowing that his mere presence was a hindrance to the proper farewell that his siblings deserved. “Is Jack around? I wanted to say hi.”
Blue shot her older brother a suspicious look that told him she knew just how odd that sounded coming from him. “Yeah, he should be just outside the room still.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Baird tried to sound gracious, but was really offering Blue a warning to make it brief.
When Baird left the room and shut the door behind him, he was met by the black eyes of the professor who’d taken a special interest in the siblings from the beginning. He watched Jack look politely up from the book he was reading. With too much venom, Baird spoke. “Hi, Dad.”
Jack’s eyes grew wide. He dropped his book on the floor, sending the light sound echoing down the deserted corridor. “Baird! I-I…Who? Who told you?” he finally asked when his voice came back to him, not able to think of a better response. So many times he’d dreamed about his son knowing who he was, but even in his wildest imagination, Baird never smiled. True to form, Baird scowled at the man.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Jack’s head whipped down the hall to check again that it was empty. “Your mother wasn’t… How did you figure it out?”
“I met your nephew, Liam Boniface. He’s got my eyes. Original Vemreaux eyes are pretty rare. Makes sense one of our parents was Vemreaux. And, apparently, Blue looks like his dead sister.” The silence that fell almost strangled the stunned Vemreaux. “I was under the impression that Vemreaux couldn’t marry Waywards who weren’t free.”
“They can’t.” Jack’s voice came out in a pained whisper, his Western accent falling by the wayside in his distress. “I loved your mother, Baird. I named you and Idahlia. Your mother named Griffin.”
“Don’t call her Idahlia. She hates the name you gave her.”
Jack swallowed. “Your mother died just after giving birth to Griffin.” Jack knew that his son could see the hollow darkness that haunted his eyes, and that it was enough to convince Baird that he hadn’t been raping a Wayward. “We were in love, or I thought she was in love with me, anyway. But buying her wasn’t an option.” He swallowed again and nearly choked on his saliva as the words that had been trapped inside of him for decades finally spilled out. “All three of you are mine, Baird. Mine and your mother’s.” Jack began to sweat. The European cadence he’d worked so hard to iron out thickened. “That’s why I delayed Blue’s purchase. Even without you knowing, it killed me to have you out in the world where I couldn’t see you.”
When Baird glowered at him instead of bursting out in anger, Jack fumbled through more explanations. “I always wanted you three to know, but if anyone else found out, it would be bad. You know the laws against relations between Vemreaux and A-bloods living in The Way. I thought it would be better if I could at least keep an eye on you kids. I kept my mouth shut so I could be near you.” He nearly cried when Baird’s grim expression did not lighten in the least. “I’m so sorry, Baird.” Jack hung his head in shame, knowing that there was no forgiveness for keeping his identity from them.
“Save it,” Baird spat, working to keep his anger in check. “I’m just telling you because my master sold Blue.” The words hit Jack like a well-aimed punch in the face that knocked him speechless. “She’s leaving today. Now’s your last chance to say goodbye when you walk us out.”
A low cry escaped Jack’s mouth. His black eyes showed Baird more hurt than he was willing to behold. Blue was his only daughter, and though she did not know this, Jack always reserved a special spot in his heart for her.
&
nbsp; Baird cleared his throat. “I don’t want you telling her who you are. She’s leaving, and it won’t do her any good now. She’s got a lot on her mind, and I won’t have you messing with her head to clear your conscience. Do you understand me? Being your daughter didn’t do her any good while she lived here, and it won’t help her out in the real world either, so save it.” He glared at Jack with a veil of disinterest, allowing a small amount of his hatred to peek through. “You may be her father, but I’m the one who raised her. I make those kinds of decisions for her, not you.”
Jack looked like he could barely recall his own name, but eventually he nodded. An entire minute of silence covered both of their mouths until Jack found his voice again. “Who bought her?”
“Your nephew did.”
“Liam? She’s going to live in Frederick’s house?”
“Liam’s taking her over to Europe to be his personal servant. He…he even said that he’s going to free her and employ her like a real person – not a slave. It’s the best she’ll get, so say goodbye and let her go.”
Jack nodded, unable to hold back his tears. “My brother’s a good man. She’ll be safe there.”
Baird took a step forward to enforce his law. “You will not call to check on her. You will not tell your family who she is to you. You will not tell her who you are. She has a job to do, so leave her to it.” There was no mercy or pity that could be found in his fist as it clenched at his side. “You have no idea who you abandoned. It’s too late for you to claim her now. Or any of us, for that matter.”
Jack let out a short sob of agony. Baird had the decency to look away.
A loud crash came from the visitation room. “Clean yourself up. I’ll bring her out in a few minutes.”
Leaving Jack to his mournful weeping, Baird slipped into the visitation room to check on things. Griffin had thrown a chair and was yelling at Blue, who just stood there and took it, shaking before him while nodding. It was not the farewell the girls had shared with Blue that morning in the hut. There were so many tears between Elle and Grettel that Baird had to excuse himself to escape the flood.
“I hate you!” Griffin roared childishly. “You’re both supposed to be my family, and now you’re going off to die! Stay here! No one’s making you go, Blue. The predator’s killing off Vemreaux, not Waywards. You’re fighting for their team! You’re gonna die for the people who locked you up in here, but you won’t stay and live for me?” He threw another chair, not even calming down at Baird’s presence. “What do I have to do? Train with you? Keep your stupid secret? Be your brother? Why are the Vemreaux more important to you than I am?” Griffin pounded his fist to his chest. “I’ve got Baird’s shovel now! I’m the big name on the yard! When are you finally going to listen to me?”
Baird righted one of the overturned chairs, taking the rage in stride so that Blue could follow his example of controlling one’s temper. Though Baird did his best to appear unaffected, Blue was slowly losing her battle. He hated it when she shook. When Griffin spouted off a particularly intolerable accusation, Baird decided that he’d had enough space to let loose. He wouldn’t have his brother be the first one to make Blue cry.
“Enough!” Baird cut him off.
“Don’t you tell me what to do!” Griffin postured, daring his large brother to treat him like a man. “You’re just as bad as she is! I wish I never knew either of you were my family! I’m nothing like you!”
So quick that Griffin didn’t have a chance to react, Baird crossed the room and pushed his brother up against the wall. The force was smooth and did not hurt the teen, but it scared him into a stunned silence as Baird spoke barely above a whisper, just centimeters from his face. “I said that’s enough. Like it or not, our sister’s leaving and you’re never gonna see her again. How many beatings did she take for you? How many times did she take the blame because she loves you? She deserves better from her family. She may not live long enough to be haunted by this little outburst, but you will. When we’re old men together and all you have is me, you’ll remember the last things you said to our sister.” He looked deep into his baby brother’s cerulean eyes and saw the same pain, anger, defiance and rage that haunted his own. “I’ll give you one more chance to say something you won’t regret for the rest of your life.”
Mortified tears pricked Griffin’s eyes as his conduct changed. It was not often that Blue’s scars on her back from the lashings she’d taken for him surfaced in conversation. Self-loathing overtook his demeanor, and he let go of the fight in his fists. Griffin slumped against the wall before his brother.
When he decided Griffin was sane enough to speak to Blue, Baird released him.
“I’m sorry,” Griffin mumbled as he looked down at his white shoes, watching as one of his angry tears melted down his cheek and fell between his feet. “I killed someone, Blue!” Griffin croaked out in a whisper. “Joodas. I didn’t mean to. It was a yard fight, and a bunch of guys jumped Marxus.” He hated that Baird was watching him cry, but he could not hold it back any longer. “That’s how I got Baird’s shovel.”
“Oh, Griffin!” Blue buried her face in her hands. “No, Griffin! No! You don’t want to be like Baird! You don’t want to be like me!”
Baird nodded solemnly at his brother, letting Griffin know with a look that he had passed from boyhood into the realms of being a man. It was not a joyous thing.
“I didn’t mean to,” Griffin whispered. “I didn’t know it would feel like this.” He shook his head. “You kept me calm, Blue. I need you here. Sometimes I feel it growing in me.” He tapped his heart. “Something dark. Please! Don’t leave!”
Blue closed her eyes, shutting out the image of her beloved baby brother mutating into Baird. “Oh, Griffin.”
Baird looked like he might be sick. He rubbed his hand over his face so his sister would not see the horror running through his mind. He’d done everything he could to make sure Griffin did not turn into a monster.
Griffin swiped at his running nose. “Blue, I don’t want you to go. I…I don’t think the Vemreaux deserve to be saved.”
Blue nodded again and continued her shaking. She did not focus on hearing him; she only wanted to fill her vision with the sight of his tenacious innocence. Orange jumpsuit. Auburn hair. Glowing blue eyes. Peak in his left ear. A face capable of every emotion imaginable. She loved every bit of him, tantrums and all.
Baird placed his solid hand on his younger brother’s shoulder and nudged him forward. “Give your sister a hug before she leaves, Griffin.”
Griffin jerked away from his brother, not wanting to be told what to do. Still he obeyed, moving forward and awkwardly wrapping his arms around his sister, whom he’d long since surpassed in height, but felt he could never truly outgrow.
Blue let out a short, high-pitched whine that served to replace the sob that threatened to pull her apart. Her arms banded around her stomach as Griffin held her.
“I love you, Blue,” Griffin whispered through his tears. He hated that he was crying and she was not. It was hard enough to maintain one’s masculinity with an older brother who saw everything as a combat lesson and a sister who was destined to destroy an unstoppable foe.
Unable to relinquish her grip on herself, Blue pressed her cheek to Griffin’s chest to get closer to him. “When you get outta here someday, be good to Baird. He doesn’t know any better, Griffin. Promise me you’ll be good to him. Look after him.” Her brother held her firmly as a tremor tried to tear her in two. “He needs you!” She inhaled his scratch-laced scent and stored it in her memory, not wanting to exhale him out of her senses.
Baird shot her a dark look, which she ignored.
Griffin wiped his tears on her uniform. “If I don’t, will you stay?” He felt his sister chuckle in his arms and shake her head. “Please stay,” he begged. When his sister quaked more violently, he squeezed her tighter until her feet were ready to support her again. “Had to try,” he muttered. Depression overwhelmed Griffin as he gave one final hug
to the body that was destined to be broken.
Not one to prolong the inevitable, Baird opened the door the moment Griffin pulled away and motioned for Jack to come in. “You can take us out now, sir.”
Jack looked completely different to Blue. She remembered him quiet and reserved, but as he walked into the small room, he looked just as shaken as she. “Jack? Are you okay?” she asked, trying to pull herself together.
The man merely nodded. He was a terribly unconvincing actor.
Baird exited the room to indicate that even though they needed an escort to be in The Way, he would not follow the man. He would leave on his own accord as the leader, not the follower.
Jack’s voice was gravelly, and Blue judged correctly that he’d been crying. “Griffin, you can go back to the mess hall.” Jack pulled a signed slip from his pocket and gave it to the boy in case he was stopped along the way.
Griffin nodded, but was reluctant to leave, as was Blue.
Baird stalked back into the room, unhappy with the addition to the party, and placed his hand on Blue’s shoulder. She was starting to shake again, and he would not have her making a scene that might evoke compassion in her father. He glared at Jack to give them some space.
Leaning down to speak so that only she could hear him, he whispered coldly, “You walk out of this room and you don’t look back. There’s no point in moving forward if you’re gonna spend your time looking back at your life.” Baird noticed her hesitation. He lifted his hand and pointed to the hallway, his words dripping with the spit of anger. “Don’t expect any help from me. I won’t be there to push you after today. If you can’t do this, then don’t bother getting on that plane. Let that Willa kid die while you rot at the diner for the rest of your life.”
The Way Page 39