The maid smoothed down the fabric of the deep purple dress, the corset of velvet fabric wrapping around my torso and billowing down into a full skirt. She was chatting absentmindedly but it was more like a monologue as I made no attempts to reply. The blood coursing through my veins was icy cold with rage and I had to control my breathing to stop my hands from shaking.
A soft knock on the door, finally forced me to break out of my bubble.
"Ready?" Taylor walked into the room, wearing an old fashioned suit in a matching fabric to my dress.
The maid looked up at him, smiled shyly and started to back out of the room.
"Thank you, Emilia," he nodded at her.
"Yes, thank you," I added quickly.
As the door closed behind her, Taylor's eyes focused in on me.
"Are you okay?" his eyes searched my face.
"Sure. Are you?" I countered. A nagging feeling at the back of my mind told me that there was something he wasn't telling me.
"What do you mean?" He asked quizzically.
"You went to Chinatown?"
He nodded and gesture for me to follow him, as he held open the door for me.
"Yes," he held his arm out for me to link into it.
I rested my arm on his, as we walked down the corridor.
I cocked my eyebrow waiting for an answer.
He sighed, "I needed to check in with Mr. Liu. He's still researching your Mark."
"Why would you go? Didn't you say the outside isn't safe?" Not that being here is any safer.
"It isn't," Taylor agreed. "But don't worry you are safe here," he smiled.
"Not really," I countered.
Taylor's face went pale, as he realised what I meant.
His hand squeezed my arm, "Are you okay?"
I nodded gently, as we made our way down the staircase into the entrance hall.
"You'll have to tell me everything. But right now we don't have time," Taylor whispered as we reached the cluster of warriors waiting at the foot of the staircase.
~*~
The flickering light from the torches stretching out from the stone walls, played across Taylor's face as we descended down towards the royal court. A shiver involuntarily travelled across my shoulders when the thought of all those warlock's sitting at that large dinner table passed through my mind. Turns out the initiation dinner was just a reason for all the royal families to gather for a ceremonial meal, Taylor has explained it to me quickly in the car. Just follow my lead Cara. There is no need to worry. His words echoed in my head as we continued down into the underground.
After reaching the bottom of another spiralling stone staircase, we continued down a narrow corridor. The stone walls seemed grey and cold, water drops trickling down as if we were so far underground that the earth was sweating. I could sense the long line of warriors behind us. My eyes fixed straight ahead, on the backs of King Jaspar and Queen Anastasia. Her hand gently swiped through the air, the small push of magic forcing the carved wooden doors at the end of the corridor to fling open.
My eyes danced across the grand hall, as we stepped through the doorway. A large five sided marble table was the centre of the room. It was decorated with gold leaves, troughs of flowers and high golden candelabras. The candles created a glimmering sheen as the light reflected off the gold table decorations and crystal wine glasses. I spotted the different families, all standing in their own groups. Down the walls hung five banners, one for each of the families. I saw the red fabric of Charlet, the snakes on the crest made me shiver. Their eyes seemed to followed as me I walked further in.
"We're sitting over here," Taylor indicated the side of the table that was closest to the large purple banner.
"Please sit down," Queen Magdalene raised her voice, silencing the low voiced chatter which had been filling the hall. She walked over to the large throne placed on the Morimer side of the table. A flowing fabric draped the wall behind her, the green fabric shone brightly. A tree was embroidered into it, its branches reaching round and creating a circle around the picture. The Mortimer family crest. For a moment, I was struck by its beauty before Taylor's hand at my lower back, steering me towards the Grimstaw side of the table snapped me out of it.
The plate of exquisite small tarts, filled with different mouth-watering concoctions did not even have a chance of holding my attention. I was studying them, letting my hands and mouth go about the business of eating while my mind was spinning. Across from me on the other side of the table was Aaron. My eyes snuck a sideward glance to my right, on the side of the table was Olivia. Outwardly my body was moving as a normal dinner guest would, I was listening to Taylor's light conversation. But inwardly, I was freaking out. Let's be honest, sitting at a table with your enemies pretending to be a civilised warlock would freak out any human? Don't flinch. Act normal. This will be over soon. The words churned around in my head as a mantra. I looked up at Taylor as he continued to speak, "So we should really consider adding some additional Magnolia trees to the garden?"
For a second he allowed his eyes to speak for him, showing me support as I tried to act normal before slipping back into a look of a guy who was clearly very concerned with the landscaping of the garden. I focused my gaze back down at the food in front of me, my ears scanning the inane conversations that were had all across the big marble table. What are they all waiting for?
Finally the food seemed to let up, dish after dish of beautifully created food had been presented to us as the conversation around the table had stayed subdued. My eyes fixed on Queen Magdalene's hands, they were neatly folding her linen napkin into a triangle and placing it back on the table. She's about to speak. Don't flinch. Act normal. This will be over soon.
As she stood up, silence fall around the table. All eyes fixed on hers as she gazed around the room.
"Thank you all for attending the initiation dinner. We all know what it coming next," she started. Every single pair of eyes stayed fixed on her, a few nods and a few small smiles sprinkled across the table.
"The matches will commence tomorrow," as she speaks a servant appears on the right side holding a small golden chest. The Queen grabs it, resting it in her open palm of her left hand, as her right hand gently unclasps the lock.
"All five families have submitted their heirs to the matches," she raises an eyebrow in the questioning look, staring across the table as if she's hoping someone is going to pull out. She's met with a deathening silence, she shrugs almost invisibly before placing her hand into the chest pulling out a small piece of golden paper.
"The first heir to fight is... Brownlow." Olivia lets out a small shriek when she hears her name. I almost furrow my brows in reaction. Don't flinch. Act normal. This will be over soon. Was that a shriek of excitement or surprise?
The Queen slowly pulls out the second piece of golden paper, examining it for a moment longer this time before speaking, "Brownlow will be facing Mortimer."
As his name is spoken, all colour drains from his face. He looks up at his mother, nodding his head resolutely.
She looks around the table, "Drinks and desserts will be circulated around the room in a moment. Feel free to get up from the table."
As the servant returns, to fetch the small golden chest from the Queen, warlocks slowly started to leave the table. Taylor's hand gentle rested again my elbow as we slowly rose from the table.
My eyes studied the purple fabric hanging above me on the wall, the lion looked like it would let out a roar at anytime. Oddly enough its presence seemed to calm me as I nibbled on the beautiful little marispan rose. How much longer am I going to have to wait until we can leave? My eyes scanned the room, trying to judge if any warlocks have started to drift off and leave. I spotted his back as the red embroidery glimmered in the candle light, I saw a sliver of his profile, his pale skin and crow black hair as he looked over his shoulder before slipping through the small side door. I stared at the door as it closed behind him. My hands where shaking. Don't flinch.... Before I could continue my mantra, my legs hand moved me swiftly across the room towards the side door. Luckily no one seemed to be paying attention to me. My fingers gripped around the carved wooden door handle, one last glance at the mingling warlocks behind me confirming that the coast was clear, before I pushed it down.
I closed the door behind me, staring into the narrow, dark corridor. The torches had just been blown out or had never been lit. The darkness didn't both me as I could sense his magic swirling through his body. A could fury pumped through my veins as a I stepped into the corridor. An orb of red lightning travelled towards me. It crashed into my outstretched hand, absorbing into it quickly as I continue to walk towards Aaron. A few flickers of his red magic swirled around my fingertips, illuminating his face as I approached.
All my anger exploded through my voice, "I am done with your shit. You know what I am. So you better back off if you don't want to die."
He laughed sending out another spurt of magic. It travelled so fast I almost didn't see it before it absorbed through my hands. My body was humming with power as the rage built up in me.
"Go ahead and use all your magic now, you'll just set yourself up to lose."
I thought he flinched slightly at my words.
"As mush as I want to kill you myself, I have warriors who can do the deed," a wide grin spread across his face, "It'll be my pleasure to see you dead sooner rather than later."
The snakes swimming about me in the bathtub flashed before my eyes. My hands shook, the red lightning flaring up into larger flames. "I'm staying with the Taylor's so I am sure the royal court would have something to say about your sneak attacks on a Grimstaw."
His eyes narrowed, as his hand was about to rise he pulled back. Someone grabbed hold off my wrists.
"Don't provoke him," Taylor whispered into my ear.
Aaron walked nonchalantly past us back towards the great hall, as if nothing had happened. As he passed us in the narrow corridor, I strained against Taylor grip. Every part of my being wanted to hurt him. As the door closed behind Aaron, leaving Taylor and I alone in the corridor, he finally released his grip on my wrists. His eyes were giving me a silent lecture. The way he'd held me back, the way he was looking at me now it was too much. I'm done with this shit.
"I am done with him chasing me around town. You need to make sure he doesn't win," my words fell out like an order.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter :)
Please take some time to enter my giveaway for the Wattpad Block Party, we're on the last day or so when you can enter. I'll dedicate 5 chapters in this story to the winners :) (link in the comments)
If you haven't already please take a minute to read my post for the Wattpad Block Party - Winter Edition. I'll have the link added in the comments.