Since Elle had arrived three hours earlier, the unspoken question had lain between them. What was it with women and their obsession with relationships? And sex, for that matter. Izy had been exactly the same.
Once inside his small hut, his paintings had drawn Izy’s attention. “Is that — ” she turned to him wide-eyed. “Is that me?”
Why deny it? He’d captured the likeness of her younger self rather well, so he shrugged it off. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
She trailed her fingers over the image. “I’m flattered. You made me quite beautiful.”
Was she nuts? “You are beautiful, Izy.”
Her voice softened. “Not everybody thinks so.”
“Don’t let — ”
“Who’s this?”
Adam took the hint. “That’s Elle. We went as night children for Halloween last year. Get it? Dark, like the night. Her idea.”
“Elle.” She ran her fingers over Elle’s image. “Is she your girlfriend?”
Coffee spewed from Adam’s mouth and Izy squealed. Droplets of coffee soaked into Izy’s shirt and spread. “Shit. I am so sorry. I — um — you should take that off so I can soak it while it’s still wet. You’ll never get the stain out otherwise.”
“Why, Adam, that almost sounds like you’re trying to get me naked.” Izy’s hips swayed as she moved towards him. When she stopped, only the coffee cup fit between them. The material of her shirt tickled the edge of his knuckles. “Did you do that on purpose?” Her eyes never left his, as she plucked the cup from his hand and took a sip.
Is it hot in here? It’s hot in here, right?
“I — ah, no. It was an accident.” He scooted to the other side of the room and snatched a clean shirt from a drawer. “I’m just — ah, gonna head outside while you change. Take your time.” Adam fled outside, and watered the garden for a second time, then turned the hose on himself.
The hose incident had been a whole other mistake — neither of which he’d shared with Elle.
“What’s the problem? Izy and I are friends. You told me the roses were karma’s way of telling me I needed to sort things out, and I have.”
“No, I said you two had unfinished business. You’ve seen each other what — five, six times now?”
Actually, it’s more like ten.
“ — I figured it would be all finished by now.”
“So you wanted me to make peace with Izy, but I wasn’t supposed to make friends with her, is that it?”
Elle surrendered with upturned hands. “Hey, be friends with whomever you want. I just think it’s weird you go from being nothing to best buds,” she snapped her fingers. “Like that.”
“You mean like we did? If I recall, we didn’t start out on the best of terms either. We fought, then I invited you in for dinner to say sorry, and here we are.”
Elle waved his logic aside. “Whatever.”
Adam started to say something then changed his mind. The last thing he wanted to do with his one night of freedom was fight. “Come on, Elle. It’s Halloween, not to mention my birthday. Having fun today is practically mandatory. Can we please not fight about this?”
Elle didn’t answer, but when her shoe caught on the Tracks, she grabbed for Adam’s hand and didn’t let go for the rest of the night.
She squeezed his hand as they returned to the garden. “I had such a great night. Sorry for being a bitch earlier.”
It had been fun. So much so, they’d stayed out almost to dawn, there were only a few moments left. Adam drew Elle in for a hug. “It’s forgotten.” A shiver whispered over his skin. Time is nearly up. He slipped on his sunglasses.
Elle stepped from his embrace to the outside of the wall. “Same time next year?”
“You know — you’re welcome to visit whenever, not just for Halloween?”
The light in her eyes dimmed. “I wish I could, but my parents — and the money — ”
Way to put your foot in it, moron.
“Hey, it’s cool. We’ll always have Halloween, right?”
She nodded.
“Write to let me know you made it home safe.”
The edges of the door started to glow.
Elle rushed forward and kissed his cheek. “Goodbye, Adam.” She vanished along with the door.
With a spring in his step, Adam headed for the hut. The hair on his neck rose as Gus raced through the door, up his leg, and settled on his shoulder. Someone’s inside. No prizes for guessing who. Adam peeked into the hut.
Candle in hand, Rita studied his paintings.
Why is everyone so fascinated by those things? I mean, they’re good, but they’re not that good. Adam flung the door wide.
She shrieked and the candle flew from her hand. “Who are you? What are you doing in here?”
Adam retrieved the candle and snuffed it out. She doesn’t recognise me. He perched on the edge of the table. “Come now, Rita, it’s only been — what? Two years this time? Surely I haven’t changed that much.”
“Do — do I know you?”
He leaned towards her. “Look closer.”
Still nothing.
Adam dipped his head and removed his sunglasses. “How about now?”
Rita slammed backwards into the wall, her eyes and mouth wide. “W-what did you do?”
His brow creased. “Ah, it’s called shaving. Found me a cute little barber that makes house calls. Lucky for me she works for treats.”
Rita stepped towards him.
He jerked back as she lifted her hand.
She inched her hand forward and he held still. Her eyes grew wide as she traced the shape of his face, much like he’d done that first time.
“All this time,” she whispered.
Rita’s words dug like a barb into his skin. “What are you doing here, Rita?”
She smoothed her dress. “I brought you something.”
“You snuck into my house before dawn to bring me something? Is that the best you’ve got? This is the third time you’ve entered my home uninvited? How would you feel if I wandered into your home, and poked around, checking out all your stuff, any time I pleased?”
Pink tinged her cheeks even as she paled. “You’re right, my apologies. I — ah, wasn’t snooping, when I realised you weren’t here, I was going to leave, but your paintings caught my attention. You’re even better than before.”
Adam stood taller, even as the sting of tears pricked his eyes. It didn’t matter he was twenty, a man, no longer a boy; he’d waited a lifetime to hear words like that from the only mother figure he’d ever known. “Thank you.”
“Who is she? I swear the face is familiar?”
Adam blocked her way as she tried to move closer. “The paintings are none of your concern. It’s time for you to go.”
“But — ”
“If you don’t leave now, I am going to climb over the wall and barge through the front door of your house.”
She gaped. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Why not? You have no problem sneaking in here any time you feel like it.”
“Fine, I’m going.”
He followed her down the stairs and watched her cross the threshold. “If you enter my house uninvited ever again, I’ll be over the wall and through your front door before you can say, Happy Halloween.”
She jerked. “What did you say?”
“Goodbye. Rita.” Adam slammed the door shut. He started to drag a cupboard to bar the door. No, I hope she does try and sneak in again. The look on her face as I scramble over the wall and barge into her home would be priceless. He chuckled as he pictured Rita’s face. Granted, he didn’t want her in his home, but he’d give anything to snoop through hers. All he needed now was a reason. He took the stairs two at a time. Five bucks said he wouldn’t have long to wait.
Chapter 10
Izy dragged her fingers through the flour sprinkled over the table. “Do you ever think about leaving?”
Adam slid a batch of biscuits into the oven. “The garden? ‘Cos you know — ”
“No, I mean Right Side.”
He stilled, and then joined her at the table. For months, he’d noticed Izy’s distraction, but she’d never shared — until now. “Leave, Right Side? Why?”
Flour filled the air as she slammed the table. “Because I’m sick of it all. Tired of a world where your place is dictated to by how you look. Where my only real friend has spent his entire life behind ten-foot walls afraid of what might happen if he left. It’s bullshit.”
His eyebrows rose several notches. Izy never swears. This just got serious. He covered her hand. “Hey, talk to me. What’s going on?”
The corners of her mouth dipped and the light in her eyes dimmed. “It’s everything. In a few months, I’ll turn twenty-one. I’ll be expected to take the throne, I’m also expected to marry the most handsome of all men, and make the fairest of all babies. Since I was a year old, those are the only expectations anyone has ever had of me; it’s all I’ve been groomed for. But I don’t want it, any of it.”
“Then don’t.”
Izy snorted. “Yeah, right. These particular expectations, there is no ‘walking away’ from them. Although, it is quite possible to be shoved.”
A frown creased Adam’s brow. “I don’t understand.”
“Did you know I wasn’t born a princess?”
Adam gave a slight jerk. “Really? Then how — ”
“The year I was born Prince Charming sat on the throne. Once his heir reached twelve months of age, the law stated he was eligible to be crowned king, only Charming lost his son. Less than a month later, the Council tipped him off the throne.”
“What? Why?”
“Because royalty has nothing to do with history and bloodlines, it’s all about ensuring only the fairest of the fair sit on the throne. Without an heir, they ousted Charming and installed the runner-up — me. My parents weren’t given a choice, but hey — who says no to becoming royalty?”
He shook his head. “That’s — I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll come with me.”
“I — ”
“Look.” Izy tossed an invitation towards him. “This year’s Harvest Ball, it’s the perfect cover to make our escape. My parents weren’t thrilled, but look, it’s a storybook masquerade theme. Everyone will be in disguise, so when the fireworks go off at midnight, no one will even notice two masked figures sneaking out the back door.”
A lone black wolf amidst a sea of swans, Sure, who’s going to notice that? “Sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”
She jumped from her chair and paced the small room. “Imagine it — a place where you aren’t judged by how you look, but rather who you are.”
“Do you even know if such a place exists?”
He caught the slight tremble of her lower lip. “It has to.”
Adam rose and blocked her path. “Izy, are you saying you could just walk away from your family, the only home you’ve ever had, to go looking for a place that might not even exist?”
“Are you saying that you’re happy? Content to live the rest of your life behind these walls?”
Happy? Somewhat. Content? Resigned perhaps. Afraid of leaving my sanctuary without knowing what might be out there? Definitely.
“It’s not that simple. Say the rest of the world is just like here. There’s Right Side and Wrong Side, Haves and Have-Nots, no matter where we go — what then?”
“Then we find our own space, make our own rules. Live our lives on our own terms, nobody else’s.”
“All alone?”
“Can you honestly say there’s anyone you’d be leaving behind you’d miss?”
Without thought, his eyes drifted towards the painted walls. For someone who’d lived the majority of his life locked away, he’d managed to make several good friends. Friends he’d miss. Elle, Jaq — even Hal.
The timer dinged and interrupted his chance to respond. While he removed the biscuits from the oven, he heard Izy collect her things.
“My vision of an ideal world is one where I can hand you this invitation to the Harvest Ball and know you could accept without hesitation. Without your first thoughts being of your safety, or how to disguise your identity or the fact you’d have to choose. Like there’s any real choice between the Harvest Ball — ” Izy’s eyes flicked to the image of he and Elle. “And Halloween.”
“Wait — ”
She headed for the door. “I’m glad you have a reason to stay, Adam. I wish I could say the same.”
He grabbed her arm. “You’re really going to do this? Just leave and never look back?”
“This wasn’t the life I was supposed to lead. Everything I want, everything I need to be happy, I can have it. All I need is the courage to do what needs to be done.”
“And what’s that?”
“Say goodbye.” Izy kissed his cheek, her eyes wet with tears. “Goodbye, Adam.”
Chapter 11
Twenty-One
Elle sat on the bench as he shaved. “So, you’re actually going then?” Between her intense scrutiny and the shake in his hand, he’d be lucky not to cut his throat.
“What other choice do I have? She stopped responding to my letters weeks ago.” Save one.
This is the right thing to do.
I’ve made my decision.
Please let me go.
“Probably because she didn’t want you to talk her out of it. She clearly wants to leave, so why are you trying to make her stay?”
Because I’m not ready to let her go.
“This is her home. Where’s she going to go? She’s spent her entire life living in the palace, how’s she going to survive on her own?”
“You don’t think she can do it?
Not a conversation he planned to have. “The point is — she shouldn’t have to. In a few months, she’ll take the throne, she’ll have the power to change things, to — ”
Elle rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You think the Council will let her change a damn thing? They turfed their last monarch when he lost his kid. You honestly think they won’t turf her, or worse if she suddenly wants to open the borders to Wrong Side and starts inviting Jaq and the others over for brunch?”
The image of Jaq sipping tea tickled a smile on his lips, but he bit it back.
“Izy has lived amongst these people her whole life. If she believed them capable of change, she’d stay, but she doesn’t. She asked you to let her go, and I think you should respect that.”
He’d tried. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand wanting more. But will leaving really change anything? I mean, will Izy ever be seen as anything other than a beauty? And me… a beast?
“Or is there another reason you want her to stay?”
A drop of blood graced his cheek. “What?”
Elle took the razor and wiped the blood. “We’ve been friends three years now. I thought maybe we were more, but there’s always something — someone, between us.”
Hands braced on the bench, Adam didn’t answer. Elle’s right, but she’s also wrong. Okay, yes, maybe Izy is somehow between us, but Elle also keeps Izy at bay. Things would be so much simpler if I just let Izy go. So why did the thought cause his heart to stutter in his chest? The same at losing Elle?
What do I do?
“Even if you convince her to stay, the two of you will never be together. The Council, her parents, they will force her to marry the fairest in all of Right Side. And no matter how beautiful your heart, your soul, may be Adam, it won’t be you they choose.” Elle slipped off the counter. “Do what you have to do.”
Adam sagged when Elle dis
appeared from view.
Go after her.
I can’t.
You can. This is Elle. She’s fun, and she likes you exactly as you are.
And Izy doesn’t? She’s prepared to give up everything. Her home, her title. She wants a better life, for both of us.
So you’ve decided then?
Yes.
No.
I —
Adam moved to his paintings. He placed a hand over each of their images. In some ways so different, and in others, so alike. He pressed his forehead to the wall. An impossible choice. Perhaps I should — He didn’t finish the thought.
Pain exploded inside his skull, and then nothing.
●
Adam struggled against the ropes that bound him to no avail. “Hello — can anybody hear me?” He’d awoken bound to a chair while his head pounded.
What the hell happened?
Someone clobbered you. Duh?
Yeah, but who? And why?
The list of people who knew of his whereabouts was short. Both Izy and Elle wanted to keep him from the Ball. Hal? He’d let Adam out in the first place, and chains, rather than rope, seemed more his style. Rita? She knew he came and went as he pleased, so why tie him up now? Though of all the possibilities, she appeared the most likely.
The orange harvest moon had filled the entire window when he’d come to. Now, only a tiny corner remained, which meant midnight approached. Soon fireworks would light the night sky and his final chance to see Izy, gone.
No. It can’t be over. Not yet. Not like this.
Adam yelled once more. “HELP.”
“Geez, mate I heard you the first time.”
He blinked, certain his eyes deceived him. “Jaq?”
Jaq stepped closer. “Adam? Holy shit. I heard you yellin’ clear across the Tracks. What happened?”
Relief coursed through his veins. “No time to explain. Cut me loose.”
“Yeah, sure.” Jaq tackled the knots. “Hey, is this your place man? Did you paint that? Holy shit is that — ”
Those paintings would be the death of him. “Jaq — get these damn ropes off me.”
“Right, sorry.” Jaq grabbed a knife from the table and hacked. “So, what happened?”
Tricks or Treats: An Anthology for Charity Page 23