by Huss, JA
But there is one major difference between us.
He has always been invested in Fang and Feather and I haven’t.
Until now.
I used to think Fang and Feather was a stupid, childish name. But it’s no worse than Skull and Bones, Quill and Dagger, or the Cadaver Society. The name is part of the mystery. It’s all very juvenile when you try to describe it out loud. All very teenage boy.
All very… unlikely to be anything of consequence.
But what happens inside the tombs… well, that’s not childish.
It’s all very, very adults-only.
We push our way into the next room, then Jack leads me up to the front and I pause to study the pool of water built in to the floor. It looks a lot like a rectangular reflecting pool—and it is, in a way. But there are stairs leading down at the opposite end. And then more, leading up, on this side.
Jack points to two fighting lions inlaid in gold on the dark gray marble floors.
I step onto one and Jack claims the second. “Now what?”
He looks at me and smiles. “Now we wait.”
Most of the people are in the room with us now. “What’s gonna happen, Jack?”
But in that same moment a large steel door on the opposite side of the room begins to open and his only reply is, “Shhh.”
My father walks to the front of the room just as Cadee, Isabella, and Elizabeth are led into the room by Leela. She points to one of two gold swan inlays on the gray marble floor. Elizabeth steps on the first one, Cadee on the second.
Neither Cadee or Elizabeth are wearing the beautiful gowns they were in just a little while ago. Now they are in short white nightgowns.
Leela takes Isabella’s hand and leads her behind the fountain and over to our side of the room.
I stare at Cadee, trying to get some sense of what she’s feeling. Is she having regrets?
I hope not. Because it’s too late for that.
Isabella is guided over to me. She steps onto the gold lion with me and takes my hand.
Leela does the same with Jack.
“We’re fine.” Isabella whispers this through a clenched-teeth smile and squeezes my hand at the same time.
So I nod and take my attention back to my father. I find him smiling at us. His two remaining sons. The two who look like him. The two who will, he’s probably thinking, run this place one day.
Well, only one person can run it. The rest are just… what? Advisors? Is that what the Judge and the Mayor do? They advise him?
I don’t have time to think about this now, because my father begins to speak.
“Welcome to the two hundredth Fang and Feather Legacy Harvest. We have one exceptional woman joining us tonight.”
I’m going to assume he’s talking about Cadee and not Elizabeth. Since she’s just here as an example of what not to do.
“A lot of you probably don’t even know what a Golden Legacy is. And unless the next generation is exceptionally prolific, you will not see another one in your lifetime.” He pauses to beam at Cadee, who is suddenly looking a little bit confused and pale.
I send her calming thoughts. Suck it up, Cades. Smile. Play the game.
And she does. Her crooked smile straightens with her spine and she lifts her chin up. Like she’s embracing the idea of whatever the fuck a Golden Legacy is.
I don’t want to know. I really don’t.
“So pay very close attention tonight,” my father continues. “This is truly a special event. But first.” He pauses to clasp his hands together in front of him. Then his smile falls. “Some old business to take care of. I’m sure we’re all in agreement that Dane’s unfortunate demise, while sad, was necessary. But the wife is never expected to suffer for the sins of her husband. So tonight, the debt of my daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Valcourt, will be transferred to my oldest son, Jack, and his wife, Leela.”
People clap. Not something loud, just… a charity clap. Soft and halfhearted.
They hate her, I realize. They hate Elizabeth.
And when I look over at her, she knows this. She doesn’t gather herself the way Cadee did, or put on a brave face.
“They have agreed to take on her debt and Elizabeth is very thankful.”
More soft clapping.
He turns to Elizabeth. “Aren’t you, Elizabeth?”
She swallows hard. Even in the dim light of the flaming torches on the walls, I can see this swallow. Then she nods and bows her head.
“You will serve them, won’t you, Elizabeth?”
She nods again. Doesn’t even bother lifting up her eyes this time.
“Good. Please remove your dedication gown and enter the pool.”
I look at Cadee, and while she’s still holding it together, I can see her chest rising and falling quickly underneath her white nightgown.
Elizabeth slips her nightgown over her head without comment or hesitation and drops it to the floor at her feet. Then she sucks in a deep breath and walks into the pool of water until she is waist deep. Then she turns to face the crowd, waiting—we are all waiting—to see what comes next.
“Do you confess to your transgressions?” my father asks.
“Yes. I confess. I have sinned against the Order.”
“Do you submit to your new role in the Order?”
“Yes. I submit. I live now only to serve my new master.”
Jesus Christ.
“Please join Jack and display your commitment, Elizabeth.”
She nods and turns to us, her eyes locked on Jack’s now. Then she walks out of the pool. Dripping wet. Her nipples bunched up into tight peaks. Her body covered in goosebumps as she walks over to him and kneels at his feet.
She places both hands on his well-polished shoes and bends over until her face is pressed up against the floor.
“Jack,” my father says. “Does this display satisfy you?”
“No.” He says this without hesitation. “I think Elizabeth is capable of so much more. It’s unfortunate that Dane never gave her the opportunity to shine the way she could.”
My father nods his agreement. “Do you wish to challenge her?”
“Yes.”
“Proceed.”
Jack bends down. His fingers slip up into Elizabeth’s dark hair and he grabs it by the fistful. Then he whispers something in her ear. So softly, I can’t even pick out a single syllable.
Finally, she squeaks out a small, “Yes, Master.” And then he straightens up and she rises out of her bow, still on her knees, and begins to unbutton his belt.
Oh, fuck.
Moments later, she has his cock in her hand, pumping it as she stares up at Jack’s stoic expression. He gives her no directions. Maybe that’s what he was whispering to her? But she opens her mouth and begins to suck him off in front of all of us.
I look away. Find Cadee’s face.
She’s wide-eyed in surprise, but… I have to hand it to her. If she’s scared that this is where her night is also headed, she doesn’t show it.
My attention is drawn back to Leela as she moves closer to Elizabeth. Her fingers slip into Elizabeth’s hair, and she encourages her new—sister-wife? Sex slave? Whatever she is—to take him deeper. Then even deeper. Until Elizabeth is choking and frantically breathing through her nose as her mouth is forced up to the flat plane of Jack’s stomach.
Jack groans and then releases himself into her throat. She gags as his come spills out around her lips, but doesn’t even try to pull away.
That’s it, Elizabeth. Rise to the challenge.
Then Jack is bending down, his cock slipping out of her mouth as he kisses her on the cheek, and the head, and whispers something into her neck.
The room begins to clap. More enthusiastically this time.
But they stop when Jack and Leela extend their hands and Elizabeth allows them to pull her to her feet.
A man appears with a gold velvet pillow. Leela takes the iron collar off the pillow—a device that looks medieval in nature. Very
crude. Very thick—and places it around Elizabeth’s neck. She clamps it shut and it’s so tight, Elizabeth gasps in pain as the mechanism is secured.
Jack takes a chain off the velvet pillow and snaps it on to the ring at Elizabeth’s throat. Then Elizabeth turns around in front of her new masters, and smiles for the crowd.
Applause erupts into the room comes with calls of “Bravo!” and “Good girl,” and “That’s how it’s done.”
Elizabeth kneels and bends over, pressing her face back to the floor. Only now she is facing my father instead of Jack.
My father is clapping too. And smiling broadly. “Well done, Jack. Well done.” Then he pats the air with open palms, asking for quiet. The room is immediately silent. Like his rule here is absolute. He sighs and looks me in the eyes. “Christopher.”
I nod at him. Because I don’t know what else to do.
“You are the Golden Son. Do you know what that means?”
“No, sir.”
He turns to speak to our audience. “My son, Christopher Valcourt, is only the third Golden Child of the Order of Fang and Feather. The two hundredth boy to be born since our inception.”
Soft clapping fills the room.
Then my father turns to Cadee. “Cadee, you are the Golden Legacy. Do you know what that means?”
“No, sir.” Cadee’s voice is strong and loud and I am suddenly swelling with pride at her strength.
He turns back to the crowd. “Cadee Hunter is the Golden Legacy. The two hundredth girl to be born in service to the Order since our inception.”
More soft clapping.
“Together, the two of you will take Fang and Feather into the future.”
I want to stop him. Ask questions. Questions like, What about Isabella? If Cadee is the one meant for me, why go through with the charade of making Isabella my wife?
The clapping becomes louder.
My father turns to face Cadee and lowers his voice. The clapping ceases immediately so they can hear him. “Cadee Hunter. Did you enter this tomb of your own free will?”
Cadee does not hesitate. “Yes.”
“Do you want to serve us?”
“Yes.”
My father turns to me. “Christopher. Do you accept this gift we bestow on you tonight?”
I want to hesitate. But I can’t. Not after Cadee was so willing. So ready to rise to the challenge. “Yes.”
“Good.” My father sighs. And I don’t think that was part of his script. He turns to Cadee. “Please walk into the pool to take your vow, Cadee.”
I think she and I are both surprised—in a good way—that she is not asked to remove her white gown.
She pauses for only a moment.
Maybe to let that sink in.
And then she walks towards the pool and steps in.
CHAPTER TWENTY - CADEE
I almost step back out of the pool when I realize how cold the water is.
Almost. But one quick glance in the direction of the Chairman, who is just a few feet away, and I reconsider.
I take another step, my body already stiffening up with the cold. Elizabeth made it all look so easy. But she’s done this before, I’m sure of it. Once upon a time in her past, she was me. Not the Golden Legacy, whatever the hell that is. But a new girl to be celebrated instead of an old one to be punished.
I take another step. Then another and another and soon the freezing water is nearly up to my breasts. I’m shorter than Elizabeth, so this pool is deeper for me. The space in the middle of the pool is only wide enough for one person to stand. I’m not sure what to do when I reach the last step, so I just turn and face the Chairman the way Elizabeth did.
He smiles at me. And it’s familiar now, so I actually smile back. “Cadee,” he says in a much softer voice than he used for Elizabeth. “Do you have any transgressions to confess?”
Jesus Christ. What does that mean?
“Cadee?”
“I’m sorry.” My teeth are chattering. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”
“Would you like to confess anything to us before we proclaim you pure?”
I look at Cooper for help. But he is as confused as I am.
“Have you had sex before, Cadee?”
“What?” I turn back to the Chairman.
He’s still smiling, so that’s a good sign. I think. “You were not part of the summer rush in any official capacity, so we didn’t check you.”
Holy shit. What is he saying? They’re going to check me now? Here? In front of everyone.
But they already know. At least some of it. They know Dane raped me, that’s why he’s dead now and Elizabeth is on her knees in front of Jack Valcourt just a few feet away.
So what can I do but tell the truth?
“Yes. I’ve had sex before.” I look down at my feet in the water. I’m so cold now, my whole body is beginning to quiver.
The crowd begins to murmur.
“With who, Cadee?”
“Dane.” I sigh. “He raped me though.”
“We know that part. That’s why you’re here and he’s not. He took something that was not his. But is there anyone else?”
“Yes. Cooper.”
“Anyone else?”
“Lars and Ax.”
The murmuring is loud now. And I hear someone say, “Whore.”
“Now, now. Calm down.”
I peek up at the Chairman, but he’s talking to the crowd. So I steal a glance at Cooper, but find Isabella’s face instead. She mouths encouraging words at me.
“Good girl.” I look at the Chairman. He’s talking to me again. “All we want is the truth. Your sins will be washed away. That’s the purpose of the pool.”
“Oh. OK.”
“Look down into the pool, Cadee. Do you see the silver handrails built into the last steps on either side of you?”
I look down and find something that could be a handrail fastened to the riser of each of the bottom steps. Then I nod up at the Chairman.
“When I tell you to, I would like you to go under the water, grab the handrails, and count to one hundred. Do not let go of those handrails and resurface until you get to one hundred. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Because we will count with you. And if you surface before we get to one hundred, then you will no longer be the Golden Legacy. Your filth will not be washed away. We rarely give second chances, Miss Hunter. Elizabeth is an exception made possible by the generous offer of my son, Jack, to assume her debt. You will not get a second chance.”
His tone is more authoritative now. And I do not miss the fact that he called me Miss Hunter instead of Cadee.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take the biggest breath of your life, Cadee. Right now.”
I do. I suck in the biggest breath I can manage. Then the Chairman points to me and says, “Now.”
I go under. Grabbing for the handrails. And for a moment I worry that my arm span won’t be wide enough to reach them both, but it is. Just barely.
And then I realize, I didn’t start to count right away. But I can hear them counting above the surface. They must be very loud if I can hear them.
Nine. Ten. Eleven. Jesus Christ. I’ll never make it to a hundred.
Concentrate, Cadee. You have absolutely no answers yet. None. You have no idea what’s going on here—other than some sick shit—and no one has even mentioned your parents yet.
You will not come up for air.
Twenty-one. Twenty-two.
Golden Legacy. I try to focus on that. And Cooper. The Golden Son? What the hell is a Golden Son? Why are we all so golden? Is this a position of prestige? Or is it just a setup for something sick later on?
Thirty. Thirty-one. Thirty-two.
My lungs are burning. I’m not going to make it.
If it is a position of prestige, then what does that mean? I will be special? Or… I will have special duties? Like a legit royal?
My body is going numb from the freezing cold water. And it begins to shake.
Forty-three. Forty-four.
What will I have to do when I get out of the pool? Suck Cooper’s cock the way Elizabeth sucked Jack’s? I’m not naked the way she was. Maybe that was her punishment? She didn’t get dunked in the water, so her sins weren’t washed away. If that’s what this is about. She’s still dirty. Maybe only the dirty girls have to suck dick in front of the others?
I can’t feel my hands and my vision is fuzzy, so I close my eyes.
If I fail, what will they do to me? I’ve been inside the tomb. Victor said, once you’re inside, you’re in. And if I’m in, then there’s no way out.
How many people have told me that in the last few months?
Sixty-nine. Seventy. Seventy-one.
My entire body hurts and I have an overwhelming urge to breathe out.
Seventy-three.
I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m not gonna make it.
Seventy-four.
It’s like time is slowing down.
I tip my head up and open my eyes. I can just barely make out a wavy black figure standing over me.
Seventy-five.
No that’s not possible. Why is time slowing down?
And then it happens. The air bursts out of me in a rush of bubbles. I watch them float up to the surface.
But I don’t follow them.
I stay right where I am. My fingers are frozen around the railings. And even when I try to let go, they won’t open.
Seventy-six.
I’m never going to make it.
Seventy-seven.
I’m going to die in this pool. Inside this tomb. A secret hidden in the woods.
They will carry me out and put me in the ground. Cover me up with dirt and no one will even miss me.
No one will even care.
And then I suck in a deep breath.
But it’s not breath.
It’s water.
And everything goes black.
I wake up lying on a hard tile floor, coughing up water.
Two men I don’t recognize are hovering over top of me.
And then I hear Cooper screaming my name.
I am pushed over on my side and water comes spilling out of my mouth and nose and everything burns.