Heirs of the Gods

Ch 55.2: Seeds of change

The council members filed out, muttering and huffing under their breaths. Grayson caught sight of Cedric, leaning against one of the walls, arms crossed and bored. He arched his brows and Grayson fixed him with a piercing look. Stay, it said.

Marquess Hereford stood by the door, waiting for Cedric. Cedric waved him off. "I'll catch up with you later, Will," he said simply. They exchanged a look and the marquess nodded, bowing his head towards Grayson before marching off as well.

"M'lord." The young boy Grayson used as a secretary stood by his side, small hands clasped in front of his grey uniform, awaiting orders. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing else. This will do for now," Grayson said absently, shuffling his papers into order.

"Are you quite sure? I could bring tea for your guest."

"It won't be necessary..." Grayson paused, frowning a little.

"Timothy," the boy supplied. "I'm new."

"Timothy," Grayson smiled apologetically. The first time he'd cracked one all day. "I'm rather new here as well," he said conspiratorially, earning a small smile from the boy. "The rest of the staff are having tea downstairs. I've given them the day off. I heard they're having a small get together. You should go as well. Go on, have fun. You've earned it."

The boy hesitated a little but eventually nodded, scampering off.

Once he left, the room was once again in silence. He stared at his hands, before looking at the man before him. Cedric, for his part, remained quiet. Arms crossed over his chest, hip leaned against a cabinet.

"You did quite well," he said after a moment. "Well, as much as you could. If I were your sister, I'd tell you to stop speaking so quickly or bouncing your leg, it's a dead giveaway you were nervous."

Grayson reddened and scowled, earning himself a snort of amusement from Cedric. "I'd also tell you you handled it rather spectacularly," he amended. "Certainly better than I would have."

"Well, I learned from the best," Grayson muttered wryly, bitterly thinking that unconsciously, he'd mimicked his sister when he spoke. Tried that cool, steely look she used to intimidate people, that silence that made him squirm and duck his head at times. It angered him, but at the same time, it gave him a sense of reassurance.

He could zip into her skin, that of his confident older sister who spoke her mind freely, and not his own. Meek little Grayson, who always doubted himself and stammered if he didn't concentrate.

"You did. That was a very Ella move back there. It was hilarious to see them so shocked. I didn't think you had it in you, Blackwell."

"I'm not Ella," Grayson barked, mouth pursing in discontent. He wasn't sure if he was more angered by the comparison, or by the fact that he'd had to imitate her because he wasn't sure he'd been able to go through the meeting otherwise.

Speak up, boy, his father said at times. That bitch sister of yours has no problem running her mouth. Why can't you grow a spine and learn how to talk? Mealy mouthed child.

"Didn't say you were," Cedric said mildly, not taken aback by his tone. "You're much too tall."

Grayson snorted, the sound loud in the quiet of the room. He sighed and massaged his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"So, how was your holiday?" Cedric uncrossed his arms and made his way over to one of the antique cabinets lining the walls of the study. He rummaged inside leisurely, uncapping bottles and sniffing them before putting them back. Grayson watched with keen interest, unable to tell him anything. "I heard you just got back. Did you have fun? Catch up on some novels under the sun?"