RULING CLASS

by Huss, JA

  “Nope,” Isabella says with a smirk. “You’re in the right place.”

  That’s when I realize there’s a second free-standing tub right next to Isabella’s. “We’re taking a bath together?”

  “Not together,” Isabella snaps. “Side by side.”

  “Why?”

  Elexa kinda pushes me forward, then closes the door. Like she’s afraid I’m gonna try to escape and that might cost her tomb points.

  “Because I’m still technically the Queen, Cadee.” Then Isabella waves her hand at me. “You’re just a stand-in.”

  “Funny. I’m the one living in the Cygnet’s room, though. Aren’t I? And that doesn’t really answer my question. Why do we have to bathe in the same room?”

  “Because this is the Queen’s room, sweetie. So we have to share.”

  “Says who?”

  Isabella stands up in her tub, piles of soapy bubbles dripping down her body. “Are you trying to kick me out?”

  “No!”

  “Then what is your problem?”

  “I’m just…” I look at Sophie. She rolls her eyes at me.

  “Shy?” Elexa offers, then slips out of her robe and walks over to the tub. “Come on, my queen. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  “No one else thinks this is weird?”

  “Which part?” Isabella asks.

  “All of it, Isabella. But for starters, the fucking Chairman brought me here.”

  “I was wondering why he didn’t bring me.” She takes a moment to pout. “So that’s it then. You’re the favorite and I’m out.”

  “You’re not out. Cooper and I talked about it already.” I look over at Sophie and Elexa, then quickly avert my eyes. I’m not used to standing in a room filled with naked women. I mean, none of them seem particularly upset about this situation. Not even Sophie. And is that weird? “He already explained that he and I will go to homecoming together, but that you two will be together for the harvest thing.”

  She studies me. “And you’re OK with that?”

  “I want to see the tomb. So”—I shrug—“I’m going along.”

  She sits back down in her tub and leans forward so Sophie can scrub her back with the loofah. “Softer, Sophie!” Isabella barks. “That’s too rough.”

  “Sorry, my queen,” Sophie says in her soft, sweet voice.

  “Are you getting in or what?” Elexa snaps. “We don’t have all day, Cadee. If you only knew how long it will take to get you ready, you would not be wasting time like this.”

  “Wait! My dress! I bought one online and it’s back in my closet. Can someone go get it for me?”

  “Cadee,” Isabella says. And now she’s just bored with me. “You don’t buy your own dress. They’ve made gowns for us.”

  “Oh.”

  Elexa is suddenly in front of me, untying my robe. Then she steps behind me and slips the robe down my shoulders. It’s kind of a dramatic undressing. Because both Sophie and Isabella study my body as it’s revealed to them.

  I walk over to the tub, then quickly get in.

  “You’re… shy?” Isabella says.

  The tubs are arranged side by side, but situated in such a way that Isabella and I are facing each other. And even though the tubs are huge, she is less than six feet away from me.

  I shrug. “So what if I am?”

  She cracks a smile at me. “You don’t need to be. You have a very nice body, Cadee.”

  “Thanks?”

  “OK, that’s enough, Sophie.” Then Isabella leans back in her tub and closes her eyes. “Use the soft cloth for the rest, please.”

  I look up at Elexa and she’s coming at me with another one of those long-handled back scrubbers. “Lean forward,” she says.

  I reach for the loofah in her hand. “I can do it, Elexa.”

  “No, you can’t, Cadee. It’s my job. I want all the points. And you’d better not give me one star if there is a report card at the end.”

  Isabella snickers at that comment. But when I glance over at her, she still has her eyes closed and Sophie is now on her knees, rubbing Isabella’s arms with a soft cloth.

  Elexa pushes me forward and begins washing my back. And even though the loofah is the scratchy kind, it doesn’t hurt.

  I would not say it feels particularly good, either. Elexa is a little rough. But it’s not terrible.

  “So,” Isabella says. “How are you and Cooper getting along?”

  “Good,” I say.

  “That’s it? Just good?”

  I feel very awkward right now. And definitely not in the mood to chit-chat with Isabella. But she keeps talking. “We’ve never had sex.”

  “What?” I practically snort the word. “That’s a joke, right?”

  “No.” Isabella opens her eyes. “He gets me off sometimes. I have sucked his dick.” She grins. “It’s a nice dick, don’t you think?”

  Sophie snorts.

  “Do we have to talk about Cooper’s dick?”

  “I think we do. Since you’re the one in charge of it for now.”

  “What do you mean, for now?”

  “Come on, Cadee. He and I will have children eventually. So. You know.”

  “He’s not marrying you.”

  “He absolutely is.”

  “What the hell, Isabella? Last summer we were all on the same page. We were all getting out.” I look at Sophie. “You’re still on board, right?”

  “With Dante’s stupid plan?” Sophie says. And I’m so fucking surprised that she’s not embarrassed about being in this room of naked girls, I almost ask her if she’s on drugs. “I think he was making it up.”

  “I don’t think he was making it up,” Elexa says. “Lean back, Cadee. I’ll wash the front of you.”

  I cringe at that comment. And what it means. Like… how much of me does she need to wash to get her stupid points? And how would anyone know? I glance around the room looking for cameras. I can’t find any, but now I can’t stop thinking that we are being watched. So I just shut up about Dante’s plan. I’ve probably said way too much already.

  Water comes pouring over my head and I sputter and look up at Elexa. “What the hell?”

  “Sorry, but I have to wash it. And we’re behind schedule. So just sit still and let me do my job.”

  “He’s taking us both, you know.”

  I look over at Isabella. “To the harvest dance? I know.”

  “No, not the dance.” Then she stands up in the tub again, the bubbles falling down her perfect body. Sophie stands too, then begins to wash her with soft, gentle strokes. First her stomach, then her breasts. I look away and Isabella chuckles. “All of it, Cadee. He gets both of us. Forever.”

  “What?”

  “It’s no big deal,” Sophie says.

  “What?”

  “Sophie is you, Cadee. Or, more accurately, who you were supposed to be. Except you got a free pass this year and she didn’t, did you, Soph?”

  “No. But I’m fine with it.”

  “Fine with what, Sophie?” I ask.

  “Being the second wife.”

  “Whose second wife?”

  “Ivan’s,” Elexa says.

  “What?”

  “I’m the offering, Cadee,” Sophie says. “So is Mona. And… so are you. Because we’re the legacies.”

  “You’re going to be my sister-wife, Cadee,” Isabella says. “Welcome to the family.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN - COOPER

  I’m standing at the elevator of the dorms, waiting to go upstairs and see what Cadee is up to, when a hood is thrown over my head.

  I don’t panic.

  Not my first kidnapping.

  Hell, Ax, Lars and I were kidnapped about two dozen times in freshman year. But I wasn’t expecting it today.

  The guys doing the kidnapping don’t say a word and neither do I. There is no point. We struggled the first few times. Got mouthy. Made demands. And we got our asses kicked. Of course, Dane was in charge at that time. He was King of High Co
urt College.

  And now he’s dead.

  So yeah. I’m not saying shit.

  I get in the car when they push me. I sit quietly as we drive. And then I let them lead me inside somewhere.

  When the hood is finally removed, I’m standing in a locker room looking straight at my father. He’s wearing nothing but a white towel around his waist.

  “Take off your clothes, Christopher. We’re having a sauna.”

  I turn away from him and let out a long breath. But I decide not to speak. I’m too angry. And I’m done flailing around in my own anger, forcing things to make sense.

  None of this makes sense and it’s never going to until my father decides to tell me what’s going on. And he’s not going to do that if I keep blowing up at him every time he tries.

  Jesus Christ. I think I just had an epiphany.

  Has he been biding his time with me? Waiting for me to calm down enough for us to have a serious conversation like the one we had the evening of the Hunter Building dedication?

  Could it really be that easy to steal his secrets?

  I’ll never know if I don’t try, so I take off my clothes, accept the towel my father hands me, and wrap it around my waist. Then he opens a door and waves his hand, telling me to go first.

  I do not recognize this place. Not that my father and I take saunas together regularly or anything. But when I was younger, we did go to the pool a lot as a family.

  This is not the High Court pool.

  The sauna room isn’t anything like the one we have in the private gym at our house, which is a few levels of cedar benches and a little pit thing where you pour the water to make more steam.

  This is like a full-on fucking bathhouse or something. It’s not cedar benches, for one. It’s all vintage hexagon tiles with an intricate mosaic inlay pattern zigzagging around corners and along floors.

  And there are hallways. My father leads the way once we’re both inside, and he takes me past several plunge pools. A few of them are empty, but some have quite the gathering going. Everyone we pass waves to us and I realize these are all Fang and Feather cronies from out of town.

  Interesting.

  I have no idea what will happen at the harvest rite tonight after homecoming, but if all these alumni are in town for it, then it must be a big deal.

  This makes me nervous. But before I can start dwelling on it, my father points to a bench in an empty alcove and we sit down to start sucking up steam.

  “OK. You got me here. What’s this about?”

  “Why does it have to be about anything? Can’t we just have a father-son moment, Cooper?”

  “I guess.” I stretch my legs out and lean back against the tile wall.

  “How is your project going?”

  My project—correction, my father’s project—is all about mapping the caverns under the tomb area. I didn’t even know the place had caverns. I’ve only ever been in the main room myself. So it’s kinda cool that I got to poke around that place. Also kinda creepy. I don’t know what he’s looking for, but he’s definitely looking for something.

  I have looked into it, of course. And I actually have a lot to say about the project. But not right now. “Yeah. It’s coming along.”

  “Good,” my father says. “I can’t wait to see what you find. You’re doing the actual mapping yourself, correct?”

  “You told me to, so yes.”

  “Perfect. And whatever you find, don’t tell anyone until you talk to me.”

  “OK.” I cross my arms over my chest and wonder how long I have to sit here until it’s no longer rude to get up and walk out.

  “So tonight, Cooper.”

  “What about it?”

  “Since Cadee missed her initiation, she will go through the rite tonight. Elizabeth will join her.”

  “Elizabeth? Why?”

  “Because Dane is dead and she’s being transferred.”

  “Transferred where?”

  “You’ll see. I just want to you be prepared for what will happen to Cadee tonight.”

  “What do you mean? What’s gonna happen?”

  “Nothing bad. But the Maiden Ritual is quite intricate. And beautiful. At least I think so. And you’ve never been to one. I figured a little preemptive talk was in order.”

  “Why? Is something weird gonna happen?”

  “I would not call it weird.”

  “Never mind you. You’re like… fucking…” I try to find a diplomatic way to put this. “Out of touch.”

  “Am I?” He chuckles.

  “That’s putting it mildly. And don’t play innocent with me, Dad. You have to know this whole secret society thing is… bizarre.”

  “Only from the outside. From the inside, Christopher, it makes perfect sense. We take care of each other. You’ll see. I think you’ll have fun tonight.”

  “And Cadee?”

  “She will have a few moments where she questions everything. But I think she will enjoy herself. And you, of course, will go to her at the end of the night and make her feel special.”

  I pause here. Then say, “Make her feel special how?”

  “I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”

  “What is she to you? I don’t get it. Why are you suddenly so concerned with Cadee Hunter? I mean, she’s lived on campus for eighteen years and you never paid her any attention. Now, it’s like you’re obsessed with her. What the fuck is up?”

  He sighs and looks down at his hands. “It’s very complicated.”

  “It’s really not. But if it has anything to do with you having an affair with her mother back in the day, you’d better tell me now. I’m not like… falling in love with my half-sister, am I?”

  I hold my breath. Because I’ve been thinking about this for a few months now.

  “Are you falling in love with her?”

  “Yes.” I say it without hesitation.

  “I’m glad to hear that, Cooper. I truly am.”

  “You’re not answering my question.”

  “She is not your sister. Not even close. She is exactly who everyone thinks she is. But then again, in a way… she is nothing everyone thinks she is.”

  I roll my eyes and sigh. “Why do you have to do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Solve a mystery by setting up another one.”

  “Is that what I did?” He smiles. Like this thought amuses him. “OK. I suppose that’s fair. So I will clarify for you. Cadee Hunter is exactly who everyone thinks she is. But. Her parents are not.”

  I stew in that revelation for a few moments. “Then who were they?”

  “I’m afraid that’s above your pay grade.”

  “Whatever.” But I’m actually pretty relieved that Cadee and I are not related. Because even though no one really admits it or talks about it, all us kids know that baby-swapping is a thing at High Court. We don’t know why, but in some cases it’s very obvious.

  Dane, for instance. But he’s not the only one. I was actually kind of relieved when my father told me I was his biological son. I’m not that attached to him, but still. The thought that I belong somewhere else is unsettling.

  “Cadee is at a spa right now with Isabella.”

  “What? Why?”

  “They will be dressed for the rite tonight. And they will be partners, so they need to form a bond. This is the beginning of that process. Do Cadee and Isabella get along?”

  I shrug. “I guess.”

  “Good. It’s always unfortunate when the Maiden and the Matriarch can’t get along.”

  I dwell on those words. It’s not a surprise. I know this happens. I’ve seen it. Most of the polygamous couples in the lake mansions are pretty discreet. But this is a small, tight-knit community and rumors get started easily.

  “Putting Cadee with Dane and Elizabeth would’ve been a disaster.”

  “What?” I’m so stunned at these words, I think I stop breathing.

  “That’s who she was meant for. Dane.” My father sneer
s his name. “But it’s been taken care of and Elizabeth will be rehomed tonight. She and Cadee will both be part of the ceremony.”

  “I don’t understand. What does that mean?”

  My father turns to look me in the eyes. “Well. I was going to let it be a surprise. But everyone else knows, so.” He shrugs. “Elizabeth is being given to Jack and Leela. It’s for the best. Leela is very self-aware and confident. She will control her. And Jack… well, he’s the next in line. So he has to have a Maiden. At least, at first.”

  “Whoa. What the fuck are you talking about? Did you have a Maiden?”

  “Of course. That was your mother.”

  Whoa. OK. Breathe, Cooper. “Then who… who was your wife?”

  “She died early. Shortly after Jack was born.”

  “OK.” I take a deep breath and shake my head. “I don’t think I need to know any more.” This is not a lie, either. I’m so not going to be here next year. And neither are Cadee and Isabella. We’re done. One hundred percent getting the fuck out of Dodge. This whole place is crazy.

  “Well.” My father stands up. “Good. Then we’re finished here. I’m sure we’ll have another talk soon. But you’re right. That’s enough for one day.” Then he looks down at me with a smile. “Take your time here, Cooper. Relax. Enjoy the steam. There’s a car outside waiting for you when you’re ready to leave. You’ll be taken home to get dressed. Your suit has been placed in your room. Cadee and Isabella will be dropped off at the High Court College west gate at eight PM. Don’t be late.”

  “That’s it?”

  He shrugs. “Have a nice time at homecoming. An escort will find you when it’s time to go to the tomb.”

  Then he bows a little, turns on his heel, and walks off.

  And even though I don’t particularly care for steam rooms, I stay there for quite some time. Trying to wrap my head around my life.

  It’s a shit show from all angles.

  But at the same time, what I’ve learned today is interesting.

  Maybe even slightly… sexy.

  And, if I’m being completely honest, the mysteries that surround the High Court alumni are even a little bit alluring.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN - CADEE