The Academy - Book II Editing For Publication

Chapter One

Ebony pushed her black hair out of her face and glared, "Is that all you can think about?  Your get rich quick schemes are tiresome.  You could be working as a civil servant on Mizu but you refused to do the job correctly."

Arturo poured a glass of wine and chuckled, "When I married you I expected to be rolling in royals.  But your father left stipulations on everything he'd left you."  He paused to gulp down the liquor from the glass then poured himself another, "And now I am just as poor as I was before marrying you."

Ebony snarled, "You could always agree to a divorce."

Arturo stared at her in disgust, "You want me remove my name from your family's register." A cruel laugh spilled from his lips as he gloated, "I would never give up the Talisman name!"

Ebony gazed at him for the fool he was as she rose, "Arturo, I have a date with Kayla."

Greedily he sat the empty bottle and glass down, "I will join you."

Ebony waved a hand and snickered, "You will not.  Kayla is only expecting me and I will not allow you, and your greedy stupidity, to do something that will make me lose my only friends."

"Your reluctance to do what is necessary for your family will make you lose everything," he goaded.

"No, my letting my worthless and greedy relatives talk me into marrying you is why I will lose everything," she snapped angrily.  "You, my family and your family spent my dowry as if it were endless."

Arturo rolled his eyes, "Since there is no more you should do whatever is necessary."

Taken back by his statement Ebony rolled her eyes in annoyance, "So I should do whatever is necessary while you my dear husband does nothing."

"Exactly!" Arturo nodded in approval with the belief Ebony understood what he expected.

Angrily Ebony grabbed her shawl, "You and your family are insane." She opened the door and turned to stare at him coldly, "My family is no better than yours but at least they are mine."

Arturo sped after her, as soon as the door slammed behind her.  "I must make her see that becoming Jacob Lawson's paramour would improve all of our circumstances.  She needs to stop being so selfish," grumbled Arturo.

Ebony ignored her husband as she walked down the street toward the café she and Kayla were supposed to meet.  As she crossed the gleaming white street she wished he respect her words and realized that she would never ask Kayla for anything nor would she stoop to being that man's paramour.

Ebony took a deep breath as she ran toward a transport that would get her to the cafe early.  She turned to see that Arturo had fallen behind and wouldn't be able to make it before the transport pulled away.

"This transport is going to the Gold District," state the woman that operated the controls.  Ebony nodded as she placed her hand against the black screen.  The transport operator smiled, "Accepted!  Ebony A. Talisman of Mizu guest of Lady Makayla Sinclair."

Ebony sat down and watched as Arturo tried to wave to the transport to stop.  "Please do not stop," whispered Ebony as she stared blankly out the window.

After several minutes the transport stopped outside the upscale restaurant and Ebony disembarked.  She raised her head high not willing to let Arturo steal her happiness.  With grace she walked into the cafe and smiled as she took in the shiny golden wood floors, white marble tabletops and black wrought iron chairs.

"Do you have a reservation," asked a nasally voice.

Ebony turned to smile at the person that looked down his nose at her Ebony and giggled, "I'm here to meet my friend Kayla Sinclair."  Her smile grew as the person's snobbish attitude turned humble and he led her to a beautiful alcove with fresh cut flowers and a small water fountain.