Beauty in the Bones: Season 1

Episode 27: To Lie in Wait

Father strolled in, distracting us. He saw Mother's distress and rushed to her side. "What's wrong, dear? Are you unwell?"

She collected herself. "I'm fine. These are joyous tears."

"Well, then." Father checked the time on his wristcom. "Are you sure you want to come to the office today, son? I'd much rather you enjoy your time together."

Mother kissed my cheek. "Please go, my darling. I know you like to clear your mind with work."

I frowned. "Mother--"

"No, no, I insist," she said. "We'll have plenty more time to visit, before you return to Chamberlayne." Her expression cajoled me with a warning.

I knew she wouldn't tell me more about Grandfather Kraelis's death, so I returned to my room to dress.

Father was in a pensive mood during the commute.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

He adjusted his collar and tie in the pale reflection of the sedan's window. "There's news of a joint venture between Lovejoy-Prynne and Ayala Incorporated, as of this morning."

"Oh? What are they uniting over?"

"The recent prospects in the Belt present immense profits, as you know. To those who get there first, and lay proper claims."

I straightened my posture. "But the two have been opposed for decades. Didn't Raleigh Lovejoy threaten to indict Ayala just weeks ago over a claim dispute?

"He appears to have set aside his enmity," Father said. "I believe the grand motivation is they'll corner the market. It may be the sign of a greater alliance between them in the future. Who knows?"

"You can't believe they'll seek a merger."

He cast me an amused glance. "With the War escalating, and the promise of lucrative defense contracts on Earth, I'm surprised they haven't undertaken such a move sooner."

I knew what a merger between our rivals meant. Our competition could then undermine smaller family-owned companies. The ability to sway votes within the trade commission was surely something Raleigh Lovejoy wanted. Such influence might even affect the sanctions against the Kaezer. The question remained--which side did Mr. Lovejoy fall on? Was he neutral, as he professed to be for the sake of his investors? Or did he view the Pruessian Empire as a potential revenue machine, like so many others did?

The business news was disconcerting, but this wasn't what troubled me. If The Order had murdered my great-grandfather, and Mother watched them do it, why hadn't she confronted the killers? Moreso, who exactly had done it, and why? I wondered if Uncle Holten knew, or any of the current members of the Inner Quorum. For now, it was best to lie in wait. I wanted to be part of Mother's vendetta.

The Rite had awakened much in me. My power was alive, both without and within the Otherworld. It flowed with every twitch of my perception, every focusing of my will. I had yet to use it on an unsuspecting person. But I knew I could, anytime I chose to. I'd meant to ask Mother about its potential before our conversation turned dire.

Father attended several meetings that afternoon, and I saw little of him until we returned home.

For the remainder of the week, Mother and I continued our nightly rituals. She still refused to discuss Grandfather Kraelis's demise. Instead, she taught me more about my abilities.

"Fenvolvna instills charms and tricks all her own," she said, as we knelt together beside our altar one evening. "One of these is persuasion. A hunter must know his prey, and subdue it quickly. As well, he must defend his standing within the pack. Cultivating devotion involves more than fangs and talons. Ultimately, a leader must be clever, knowing when a kind word and smile are more effective than ruthless action."