The Way

by Mary E. Twomey

  Blue’s face had scrunched up as if he’d asked her what it was like to live inside of the sun. “How would I know that?”

  Sam was stunned. “It should be on your birth certificate. Liam? Is it in there?” He’d lifted his chin to indicate the pile of papers in his friend’s hands.

  Liam shook his head. “Don’t need it. Waywards don’t come with a whole lot of documentation.” The prince looked over at her sadly. “You seriously don’t have a birthday, kitten?”

  Blue shrugged. She could not have cared less about the oversight. “We all turn the next age on January first. Does that count?”

  With a compassionate melancholy smile, Liam turned back to his papers. “Yeah. That counts.”

  The remainder of the ride to the mansion had been much the same. Blue looked out the window to soak in the scenery before the speed of the vehicle became too much for her. Brody picked a couple more fights with Sam’s shortened fuse. Alec ignored them both, while Liam studied document after document, adding his signature here and there. When the car pulled down the long drive that led to the largest home Blue had ever seen, a crowd of seventy-eight people was waiting. The car slowed as a few approached too near the tires to be safe. Fists knocked against the windows and doors to get at the vehicle’s occupants.

  “Sam?” she called out, her voice strained. She backed up into him, away from the demanding fists. “They know it’s me!” she fretted. The people shouted, some excited, and others concerned. “Make them stop!” she begged as the familiar black she dreaded began to seep into her vision. She’d assured Baird the blackouts that ignited her killing sprees were under control. And yet, before she’d even stepped foot in her new home, one was already threatening to take her under, stimulating her body to kill without discretion.

  Sam’s arm slid around her again, shielding her as much as he could from the insistent faces and fists. “I can’t, baby. We’re almost to the gate, though. Give it a few more seconds, and they’ll be gone.”

  It was overwhelming. As Blue ducked her head down to focus on fighting the darkness, Sam redirected her cheek to rest on his chest. “They can’t see you. Don’t worry about that. They just want Liam.”

  “Liam’s in danger?” she clarified, stiffening in his arms.

  “Nah. They want to know about Liam’s trip, is all. Ask him questions. Get him to smile for their cameras. They don’t even know you’re in here. Promise.”

  “Buzzards are out early today,” Liam had commented, though he barely glanced up at the ruckus.

  Alec frowned. “There are more than usual. We’re due to meet with Harold in twenty minutes. Think something’s up?” he asked Brody, who also judged the count of reporters on the lawn to be about thirty too many.

  Knowing that Blue would not ask what was going on, Sam had explained the situation to her to ease the fear she would never admit to. “Those are reporters from just about every major paper and magazine. They hang out on the lawn to catch a glimpse of the royal family so they have something to write about. Liam’s a big deal here.” The car crawled past the gate, shutting out the chaos. Sam relaxed as Blue breathed a sigh of relief in his arms. They drove further on the massive property and pulled into the dim light of the lengthy garage.

  Liam shuffled his papers into one neat stack so they would slide into the briefcase a little easier. “They get like that because I’m Europe’s most eligible bachelor. The Femreaux can’t get enough of this gorgeous face. Can’t say I blame them.” He beamed at earning a meek smile from the girl. “I mean, if you had to go a week without this mug, wouldn’t you be a bit batty?” He was satisfied when the corner of Blue’s mouth lifted. Liam had cracked jokes all the way from the car into the house, enticing levity from her soldier-like stance.

  “Josephine, you minx! I’m back!” Liam had announced upon Blue’s first step into the new home. Josephine was a Femreaux who was one of the rare B-bloods that had chosen not to bathe in the Fountain of Youth. Blue had not seen many aging people, but she guessed the woman to be in her mid-sixties. If Josephine had been Wayward, she would have been terminated already. “Did you miss me?” Liam asked, though when he took a good look at her upset face, he’d stopped in his tracks. “What’s wrong?”

  Josephine shook her head once and took Liam’s briefcase from him. “Harold’s waiting for you in the study. Don’t dawdle, boys.” She was a woman of few words, but they were all the right ones. Liam did not even get a snack from the kitchen, which he had mentioned a desire for several times in the last half hour of the drive.

  “Sam? Take Blue up to my guest bedroom. She can wait there and get settled in while we meet with Harold.” Liam handed his suit jacket to Josephine. “This is Blue. She’ll be working in the house now. Picked her up in the Americas.”

  Josephine had given her a scrutinizing look that made Blue’s head dip down, but said nothing. Sam placed his hand on Blue’s back and took her out of the room and down several hallways without a word. The flight of stairs he led her up were the very first ones she’d ever been on, but she did not stop to enjoy the experience, nor to look down at how high up she was. The urgency in his step told her not to dally or ask questions. Down more hallways and up yet another flight of stairs led them to a door that he popped open without hesitation. Flicking on the lights revealed the biggest and most beautiful bedroom Blue had ever seen. “This is you, dolcezza.” He’d paused to tuck a lock of auburn hair behind her peaked ear. “Stay here until one of us comes and gets you, yeah?”

  Blue nodded, but was reticent to go in right away. Though her shoes were not very dirty, they did not feel welcomed by the cream-colored plush carpet. Sam was long gone by the time she decided to remove her sneakers and enter the perfect room.

  She waited in the bedroom, familiarizing herself with everything around her, except for two doors on opposite walls that she would not even touch, for fear of going where she was not supposed to. Though Sam told her that one of them would come and get her, the day turned into evening without a single knock at her door. At one point, Blue recognized Liam’s feet shuffling into the room next to hers, but he did not come for her. A muffled crash came from the other side of the insulated wall, but that was all she could make out. Shortly thereafter, Liam had left, taking with him Brody, Alec and Sam. She’d pressed her ear to the door, but she did not dare disobey her first order given in her new position.

  Blue did not know what she should do, so she waited. She sat in front of the door with her legs crossed on the dream-worthy carpet as she reread her Geometry book. When her need won out over duty, Blue turned the knob on the door opposite Liam’s wall to find, with great relief, a lavish bathroom. She flicked on the lights, and immediately turned them off with a muffled gasp.

  Mirrors.

  Sink-to-ceiling mirrors covering an entire wall stared at her, daring her to face herself. Even with the lights off, she could still tell where her reflection was. She used the bathroom as quick as she could and darted back out, heart racing at the garish sight.

  Her stomach growled sometime around two in the morning that first night in the mansion, but she’d ignored it. She had gone hungry before. She reasoned the guys were testing her, probably vetting her to see if she was tough enough to get through a night without food. She scoffed at the insinuation that she was anything less than prepared for whatever they threw at her.

  The next morning, she was still alone. Blue wondered what had happened to the guys.

  She remained curious for four days. In the afternoon of the second day, Josephine came up to her room and scolded her for hiding when there was work to be done. She assumed Blue had slept the night and most of the next day away. Josephine informed the girl that that sort of behavior was not tolerated.

  Blue stared at her feet and nodded, apologizing when the rant was over. She followed the housekeeper down the two flights of stairs and through the many winding halls to the kitchen, listening as Josephine explained the dry erase board that contained all of the daily
chores.

  Josephine was not overly friendly like Liam, and Blue judged that she was not a person to be asked obvious questions. So when Blue did not understand a job, she did it to the best of her ability without begging for clarification. Josephine critiqued her several times that first work day, telling Blue that she was too slow cleaning the windows, or that she did not need to be so thorough with polishing the floors on the first level.

  The only time Blue did not hear Josephine’s critical correction was her second day in the mansion around dinner time when her stomach rumbled, which she thought for sure would earn her a severe talking to. She did not know how to stop the noise, though. It was not as if she did it on purpose. Josephine surprised her by speaking about something not related to chores. “Have you eaten tonight, young lady?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “I can set something out for you, if you’d like.”

  “Just rations would be fine, ma’am,” Blue requested meekly. They contained all the necessary nutrients a Wayward needed for a day’s work, and she’d been two days without them.

  “Goodness! You’re Wayward?” Josephine examined the girl curiously. “Your demeanor, certainly, but your eyes are Original Vemreaux. I can’t tell if you smell, of course.” Josephine indicated her light gray eyes that told Blue the old woman had forgone a dip in the Fountain of Youth.

  The seasoned woman frowned at her, as if Blue purposefully chose to starve herself. Josephine rummaged in the cupboard and set out Grade A rations, telling Blue to eat before she started in on cleaning each of the thirteen bathrooms. Blue did not dare inform Josephine that she was allergic to Grade A, and only consumed Grade V.

  Though she knew what would happen if she ate the rations, Blue popped open the lid on the tin, unwrapped the standard plastic fork that came with it and dutifully placed bite after bite in her mouth, chewing slowly, though her stomach was screaming for a faster pace.

  She had not finished the scrubbing the bathtub before the wave of nausea came over her. Bending over the toilet, Blue’s stomach emptied itself of the rations she had known would not stay down. Though they were considered the best variety, it did not matter. They always made her sick. She was grateful that her own bathroom came stocked with toothpaste. The mouthwash took some getting used to, but she began to rely on it as a necessary asset.

  By the end of the fourth day, Blue had thrown up three times, each after Josephine would set out the Grade A rations for her, usually as her breakfast. After that, her stomach was so tender that it did not warm to the other food provided for her throughout the day.

  Music was piped in via speakers that were built into the walls of the main rooms. It was soft in volume, but almost overwhelming at times with its beauty. Blue knew next to nothing about music, but she knew for certain that the gentle songs stroked her loneliness into submission and distracted her from the grief that leaving her family behind threatened to choke her with.

  Meals were a dreary affair. Josephine would set the table in the fancy dining room, but no one ever came for dinner. Two plates were set out, one for Blue and one for another young woman, who looked at Blue as if she were a bothersome insect.

  Bonnie’s nose in the air as she spoke of her closeness with Princess Suzette grew tiresome after five minutes. Blue knew that Bonnie used the princess’ name to assert her clout over the Wayward. Blue did not want clout or even introductions. She wanted to be left alone in her misery and chores. Bonnie purposefully sat farther from Blue than her stool suggested, angling her body away and dramatically holding her breath between bites, so that she would not have to inhale the sulfuric stench of the Wayward servant. Of course, Blue was born without the signature scent, but as soon as Josephine introduced Blue as “the Wayward servant Liam hired to help with the housework”, there was nothing for it. Bonnie kept a healthy distance from Blue at all times, as if she were afraid her poverty and inferior blood type might be infectious.

  Bonnie had announced to Blue several times that she was Princess Suzette’s personal servant in a way that made Blue think that must mean Bonnie’s station was above her own. Blue did not bother to mention that she was Liam’s personal servant. Bonnie needed the validation. Bonnie cried loudly during dinner on the third night about the state of Princess Suzette and how she felt lost without her mistress. Blue thought the display was a little showy, though her opinions remained secret. She pushed her food around on her plate, trying not to vomit while attempting to remain invisible, so as not to further anger Bonnie with her presence.

  Instead of calisthenics, which she barely had the energy for after such malnutrition, Blue kept her nights occupied with chores. When she’d finished her list for the day, she got a head start on the ones for the next morning. When those were completed, she discreetly crossed off items from Josephine’s list. Josephine said nothing of this, but her criticisms came less often, so Blue guessed that she was pleased.

  Though it was only a few days ago, she could still feel Sam’s reassuring grip on her hip like it was yesterday. In the quiet of the laundry room, Blue folded a pair of pants and tried to shake the euphoria from her mind. It was nothing. Sam wasn’t being romantic. He’s Vemreaux. You’re Wayward. He’s out who knows where with any number of much more beautiful Femreaux. Fems who actually know what they’re doing and don’t get confused so easily. Stop being stupid. He doesn’t want you. Look at you! You’re a servant. His best friend owns you! He doesn’t think of you like that. It’s just the way Vemreaux are. Flirt with anything on two legs. He left with no explanation, and he’s probably not coming back.

  Blue permitted the whirring of the dryer to calm her nauseous stomach. She was glad for the distraction that kept her from wondering if she’d been abandoned by the men in the foreign country.

  Download The Truth tonight.