In Search of High Society

by Katie Holmburg

  Aletta studied him closely, noting the tension in his shoulders and the tiny strain lines around his eyes. She breathed, “You and Meredith are soul mates.” He looked startled but nodded. “If that’s the case, why are you in pain?”

  He struggled, trying to arrange his thoughts in a way that made sense. “Meredith and I grew up together. However, last summer she was away visiting relatives. When she came back, it was like scales had dropped from my eyes and I knew that she was the only one for me. However, just because the bond is there does not negate free will. She can choose whether or not she wants to accept the bond. If the partner decides to accept the bond, the courtship begins. Only when both hearts are in sync will the bond settle fully into place. Neither party can say when or how it happens.”

  Aletta nodded, regretting that she had forced him to visit such a stressful subject. She murmured, “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head, offering her a small smile. “It’s ok. I am fortunate, Meredith has accepted my suit and the courting is going smoothly. I can accept some discomfort if I get the prize in the end.”

  Trying to lighten the mood, she asked, “What about the third one, bond mates?”

  “That is something else entirely. Bond mates don’t necessarily have to be a romantic relationship. It can spring from anywhere, more a bond of brotherhood than anything else. It’s very similar to Gealltanas.”

  Right then, the rest of the family joined them. Aletta murmured her thanks just loud enough for Kane to hear and he inclined his head towards her in acknowledgement.

  Lirim was the last to arrive, descending the stairs two at a time. He brushed a kiss over his mother’s cheek. “Sorry mother, the case detained me. I hope you haven’t been waiting long on me.”

  Rose chuckled, straightening his collar. “We were just about to leave, you’re right on time.” She seemed like she was about to say something else but changed her mind at the last moment and merely smiled at him.

  It was chaos for a few minutes while everyone loaded up into the carriages. Eventually, they were all settled and underway. Due to the size of the group, they had to take two carriages. Lirim and Aletta ended up in the second one alone. They settled in opposite corners, carefully to leave plenty of room between them.

  He seemed content to ride in silence looking out the window but she knew that they only had a few minutes ride before they would arrive. Drawing the curtain over her window, she asked quietly, “Can you make a barrier?”

  He looked at her for the first time that evening, raising an eyebrow in silent question. When she didn’t elaborate, he flicked his fingers, allowing the shield to cover the entire interior.

  Unsure how to approach the prophecy, Aletta decided to start with something a little less difficult. “How did your time at the guard post go today?”

  “It was a start. Today was mainly going over the maps and incidents that had happened, trying to see if there was a pattern or not. There was no discernable pattern but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there, just means that I haven’t seen it yet.”

  Tucking a hairpin in more securely, she asked, “So you’ll be heading back to the guard post then?”

  He looked away when she looked back over at him, “It’ll be my base of operations for the next several days while I sort information and leads out. You probably will not see much of me, but you will more than likely be busy with your own training for the next while. But that isn’t why you had me ward the carriage, was it?”

  She waited until he met her gaze to admit, “No, it’s not. But after using the link twice today, I simply don’t have the extra strength to maintain it. It’s amazing how new abilities can wear you out.”

  He studied her closely. “You’re stalling, why are you stalling?”

  “Because I’m not sure how to tell you this. When we went to the museum that day, something happened.”

  He nodded, “Yes, you almost touched the orb. But given what your type of gift is, it only makes sense that you were drawn to it more strongly than you might otherwise be.”

  She shook her head minuscule. “It was afterwards, while you were wrestling with your friend. The leader of the group, Connor, spoke a prophecy.”

  He started to move closer before changing his mind and remaining where he was. “Do you remember what he said?”

  She smiled ruefully at him. “Every word was engraved on my mind.”

  Closing her eyes, she recited:

  “There is something dark in the Glade and it is not the orb.

  Darkness hides in the brightest light, seeking the key to the guards.

  Rot lurks in one of the strongest trees.

  But hope is not lost, because He Who Mourns will guard She Who Heals.

  But hurry, for the dark is close to discovering what it seeks.

  For on Midsummer’s day, it will be decided when the guard falls and the healer speaks true.”

  She watched as he turned the words over in his mind several times. She asked, “Does it make any sense to you? I’ve puzzled over it several times, but it makes absolutely no sense to me.”

  He said slowly, “You said that Connor recited this?”

  She nodded. “He did, although he didn’t remember what he said afterward. It was odd, one minute we were chatting then he went all distant and started reciting that. Moments later, it was like nothing had happened, although he knew that he’d spoken a prophecy.”

  “Did you tell him what he said?”

  She tilted her head, examining his expression. “Yes. He knew that he’d given a prophecy because he’d had it happen before and knew what the lost time meant. I figured that since he was the one who had spoken it, it was only right that he knows. I know that I grouse a lot about my gift, but at least it doesn’t control me. For that I am grateful.”

  Right then, the carriage started to slow. Lirim started unraveling his silence spell. “We’ll discuss this later. Right now, let’s focus on the party.”

  Knowing that she wasn’t going to get anything else for the moment, she nodded and allowed him to hand her out of the carriage when it halted.

  * . * . *

  Lirim took the steps to his room three at a time, praying that he had enough time to get cleaned up before they had to leave for the party. He had been so caught up in searching through all the reports that he had lost track of time. It was only when Legraine inquired if Lirim needed anything before he left for the night that Lirim realized how late the hour was.

  He’d sprinted all the way home and was relieved to see that the servants were just starting to hook up the coaches. That meant he had roughly ten minutes to get cleaned up and make himself presentable before his parents would expect to see him in the hall.

  He rushed through cleaning up and was grateful that he was male, which meant that his outfit was much simpler than what women had to wear. Black trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a black jacket. Choosing to wear boots instead of the usual dress shoes, he found that they’d already been polished to a mirror shine and silently blessed whomever had done it.

  Running a quick comb through his hair, he deemed himself presentable and headed back downstairs. The foyer that had been empty when he’d run through just minutes earlier was now filled with people. Seeing his mother, he dutifully headed over and greeted her.

  She smiled and straightened his collar. She seemed to sense his disquiet, but to his profound relief didn’t bring it up. That task handled, he glanced around at the rest of the group. Aletta drew his eye where she was sitting gracefully on a bench next to his brother. Her pale blue gown was gorgeous, highlighting her fair skin and dark hair. It was flowing enough that it wouldn’t hinder her movement but not clingy enough to make it apparent that her leg was in a cast.

  There was a general movement towards the door and he dragged his gaze away from her. It took some doing but finally everyone was loaded into the carriages and they were on their way. As they started off, he bit back a groan of dismay upon realizing that he and Alet
ta were the sole occupants of the carriage. After the unsettled state of his emotions earlier, he had thrown himself into his work and shoved all of it to the back of his mind. Still, as they settled in their respective corners, he felt the tension starting to leave his shoulders.

  He was surprised when she drew the curtain and asked if he could create a barrier. He looked at her and when she didn’t elaborate, he did as she asked and covered the interior of the carriage with a strong barrier. Nodding to show that it was done, he blinked when she asked how his day had been. That was not what he’d expected when she’d asked him to ward their conversation. Still, he answered civilly, if briefly.

  She asked him if he was planning to return there, fidgeting with a hair pin. He had to look away, fighting the temptation to reach over and feel how soft her hair was while he tucked in the loose hair pin that she had missed, her rebellious curls wanting to escape the lovely updo they were styled into. Pulling his mind forcefully back to the conversation, he replied, “It’ll be my base of operations for the next several days while I sort information and leads out. You probably will not see much of me, but you will more than likely be busy with your own training for the next while. But that isn’t why you had me ward the carriage, was it?”

  She didn’t speak until he looked back at her. He was a little concerned when she admitted that she was tired from her new abilities. But learning was always exhausting and her levels had been at an acceptable level when he’d checked at the start of the carriage ride. He studied her closely before murmuring, “You’re stalling. Why are you stalling?

  She drew in a breath before admitting, “Because I’m not sure how to tell you this. When we went to the museum that day, something happened.”

  He felt a mixture of shame and guilt at the memory of how close she’d gotten to the orb but pushed it away and it faded surprisingly easily. Knowing that her healing type was Ad Hoc, he realized that the orb would’ve called to her even more strongly than other types of healers. Wanting to ease her anxiety over the incident, he nodded and offered, “Yes, you almost touched the orb. But given what your type of gift is, it only makes sense that you were drawn to it more strongly than you might otherwise be.”

  The slight shake of her head challenged his belief as to the cause of her worry. When she admitted that Connor had given a prophecy, he almost felt his jaw drop and kept it in place with effort. Connor had only given a handful of prophecies and had proven to be an accurate foreteller. The problem with his visions however were that they were all of dark events, of dangers yet to come. He started to move over closer but changed his mind. He needed his head clear to figure this out and for some reason Aletta’s presence was playing havoc with his emotions. To cover this up, he asked, “Do you remember what he said?”

  Her smile was rueful and there was a small glimmer of sadness in her eyes, she replied, “Every word was engraved on my mind.” Closing her eyes, she spoke to the prophecy just as Connor had recited it.

  He turned it over several times, trying to break it down and gather its full meaning. He was drawn from this when Aletta asked, “Does it make any sense to you? I’ve puzzled over it several times, but it makes absolutely no sense to me.”

  He said slowly, trying to by some time before telling her his thoughts. “You said that Connor recited this?”

  She nodded. “He did, although he didn’t remember what he said afterward. It was odd, one minute we were chatting then he went all distant and started reciting that. Moments later, it was like nothing had happened, although he knew that he’d spoken a prophecy.”

  His curiosity piqued, Lirim asked, “Did you tell him what he said?”

  His pulse speed up slightly when she tilted her head, examining him. “Yes. He knew that he’d given a prophecy because he’d had it happen before and knew what the lost time meant. I figured that since he was the one who had spoken it, it was only right that he knows. I know that I grouse a lot about my gift, but at least it doesn’t control me. For that I am grateful.”

  He could see the exhaustion lurking in her eyes at the mention of her magic. Before he could say anything, he felt the carriage start to slow and mentally cursed. Unraveling his shield before anyone could note it’s presence, he said, “We’ll discuss this later. Right now, let’s focus on the party.”

  Waiting until the carriage halted, he quickly exited and then reached up for Aletta. As she climbed gracefully down, he reminded himself that they were there for the case. The sooner he solved it the sooner they could go home. Tucking her arm into the crook of his elbow, he carefully smoothed his expression into a pleasant one and made his way into the manor.

  * . * . *

  Although she hated to admit it, Aletta was awed and even a touch overwhelmed. The manor possessed an understated simplicity that could only have been achieved through wealth. She and Lirim had made their way through the receiving line and been warmly greeted by their hosts before being directed towards the ballroom.

  As they drew near, the enchanting sound of string quartet drew her attention, the melody both simple and breathtakingly complex at the same time. Entering the ballroom had been like entering a different world and it had taken all of Aletta’s opera training to keep from gaping like a country yokel. Three enormous chandeliers illuminated the room, making its occupants sparkle in the brilliant light. As with any gathering this large, the room was warm, but it was offset by the several sets of French doors that opened up to a garden. There were small clusters of tables and chairs, although the main portion of the room was clear for the dancing couples.

  Lirim steered her deftly over to a small grouping of three tables that his family had claimed as theirs. He chose the one that was empty, making sure that she had the room to discreetly stretch her leg should she need to. She smiled at him and settled in comfortably to absorb her surroundings. Seeing that she was content, he moved to settle his aunt and sister at the other tables. Aletta smiled when she saw that Rose and Alan were already dancing and moments later, she saw Kane sweep by, his eyes fixed adoringly on the tall redhead in his arms. Satisfied that he would introduce her to his ladylove later, Aletta turned her attention to the rest of the room.

  She’d never seen so many different kinds of fae. While most would pass for humanoid, there were several that were so obviously other. Like the woman that had just walked by with shimmering iridescent wings. Or the male by the refreshment table with leaves instead of hair. She pulled her attention back, taking a deep breath. Yes, everyone here was startlingly beautiful, but she was here to help uncover a conspiracy, one that apparently permeated all layers of the Glade.

  Tucking the hairpin that was determined to escape firmly back into her hair, she used the small flare of pain from where it scraped her scalp to center herself. Examining the room again, she expanded her passive field, feeling for anything that was an off note in the symphony. Using her HSI training as well as her seeker gift, she started analyzing the room. Entryway and gardens, musicians and staff circulating through the crowd, the dancers and guests. After searching for several minutes, she ascertained that while there was nothing overtly wrong, there was a subtle undercurrent of tension and unease. Once she thought that she had felt a dark glee, but it was quickly covered and she lost it mere seconds after feeling its presence.

  Surprised that Lirim had left her to her own devices, Aletta glanced around, only to find him making his way over with drinks, Meara tagging along with him. Aletta felt her lips quirk up, knowing that her avoidance was at an end. Reaching the table, Lirim carefully handed Aletta her goblet and then set his down so he could pull out a chair for Meara. Peering at the purplish liquid, she waited until he sat before asking, “What kind of wine is this?”

  He offered her a smirk. “It’s elvish, made from blackberries. If you sip it this time you should be fine.”

  Grumbling under her breath, she took a sip and enjoyed the light fruity tartness as it rolled over her tongue. Rolling her eyes, she said, “It was one time and it
was Cy’s fault. How was I supposed to know that he’d spiked my cup? Never again going drinking with that furball.”

  Lirim laughed but Meara looked puzzled at their banter. Meara asked quietly, “Isn’t it quite rude to call a shifter a furball?” Covering her mouth, she blushed ferociously.

  Lirim’s eyes softened as he explained, “Cy is her pack brother. It was just sibling rivalry.”

  Aletta saw her eyes widen but Meara kept her question firmly behind her teeth, not daring to risk offense. Taking another sip, Aletta smiled and took pity on her. “Yes, I am human, not shifter. But on a case I ended up saving a Lycan cub and the pack kinda adopted me. However, I didn’t realize that it would stick me with an overprotective big brother.” She winked at Meara and the girl giggled. “Anyway, one night our unit went out for drinks. Cy spiked my wine and apparently my tipsy karaoke was quiet amusing.”

  Lirim drawled, “You mashed four or five songs together. I still cannot figure out how you started with bohemian rhapsody and ended up with I will survive. What makes it even better is the fact that Cy filmed the entire thing.”

  Giving Lirim her shoulder in a pretend huff, she turned so she was facing Meara solely. “And this is why I hate to inform you, but your brother and several others are due for revenge as soon as I come up with something appropriately horrific. I’ll send you pictures if you want.”

  Meara’s eyes lit up and she finally relaxed. “Oh, I’d love that. Are you open to taking ideas? After all, who can drive someone crazy quicker than a sister?”

  Aletta laughed, “My brothers would definitely agree with you. Siblings just have that special ability to irritate us just by breathing sometimes. Still, no one else can mess with them. So, tell me a little about yourself.”