Blood & Power [Book One of The City of Eternity Series] [✔]

1.7: Chivalry

Leaving Rudhairi's office I had to come to terms with the fact that the sunrise was coming soon, and there wouldn't be much time to gather those children and bundle them through the zone without someone seeing if I wasn't careful. This promise I had made seemed to be weighing heavily on my mind; the pleading golden eyes had made me lose my strength. My body was in two ways about the whole thing; They had gotten themselves into this mess, surely, they could navigate their own way out of it. But then, would I be content with the knowledge that if the two had died because I did not help it would be my fault?

I had decided to drop back in on Seventeen before I made my way to the outskirts; if Adrienne didn't see my face every so often she'd run and tell Kara, and if Kara ended up worried then I'd have her clutching to my arm like a scared kitten for a few days. I couldn't handle that kind of attention right now.

The dispute in my mind had gone on until Kara had pushed herself onto the armchair in front of me, tilting her head to look me in the eyes. She was squirming in her chair excitedly and without speaking a word I could tell her energy would be too much for me to handle tonight.

"We have to go out, Nika! There are so many delectable people booked in to come tonight!" She demands, pushing herself to the edge of the seat with her head in her hands, "I went on a visit to Central with Adrienne whilst she was at her weekly meeting and hit up an old friend who showed off the roster of people who purchased tickets; there are so many young ones with O blood types. I think you'll find something you like there..."

"Kara-" I began to protest, I knew fine well the delights of Ruby were bountiful tonight, my trip earlier was enough to satisfy that, and I had other plans that didn't include Kara. An excuse forming in my mind that isn't given a chance to truly come into its own before she interrupts me giddily.

"Don't give me any excuses!" She grins, moving from the chair and onto my lap. Her smile only becomes wider as my face holds a line, "I've spent more time with Adrienne than you. That's just not okay. So come on, let's go."

"I have some people to meet, Kara," I reply honestly, but her demeanour shifts completely. A hollow scowl plastered on her face as her arms crossed.

"What a pathetic excuse," She says through gritted teeth. In a moment she shifted off my lap and walked back towards the hallway, shouting over her shoulder, "If you don't want to spend time with me, just tell me!"

I can't find the words to shout back at her, and even when I do get up to follow her I lose the patience for an argument as soon as I reach the hallway. Often our arguments were emotionally draining and required a specific appetite and flare for the dramatics. She was now coming down from a blood high, returning to small supplements every day, which only brought out her almost-childlike tantrums more.

I hadn't time to compose myself before I heard footsteps coming behind me in the hall; considering the entire building seemed to be vacated when I'd arrived earlier, that came as a surprise to me.