Uendeligt: An Infinitely Forever Novel

by S King

  Stepping through the door to the courtroom, my mind still had yet to come up with anything remotely close to helping my friend. The only thing either of us had playing in our favor was a shabby, no good prayer to whoever or whatever was above us.

  I pulled back my chair before falling into the leather and rolled the thing closer to the desk. My eyes fell on the door again, this time with images of blood splashed over the black marble. I knew it wasn’t there, but it didn’t stop my mind from throwing up the hypothetical.

  The door Alexi and I had just come through opened again, allowing an overly nauseous smell to waft through the bench. There was only one person the thick perfume could belong too and if she said the wrong thing I was liable to knock her teeth from her skull. Granted, that would do nothing for mine or Slade’s case.

  “You’re looking well rested,” judge Sadvidge commented as she passed me and went to her seat.

  Glaring at her, I bit back the snarky comment begging to shoot out of my mouth. Instead, I remained silent and just stared at her.

  Apparently, Alexi wasn’t in the mood for the bullshit coming from the shit stirrer in our mix any more than I was. A rare display of emotion broke through the hardened mask of Alexi’s face as he leaned forward on the bench.

  “Obviously, he can’t say the same for you,” he gave her a warning look before grabbing his gold encrusted pen from the desk.

  “Watch it, Alexi,” she snapped back.

  “Can we just get on with this?” Judge Heaton asked, rubbing a hand over his face.

  He was probably the most neutral of the judges and didn’t say anything or partake in the drama between me and Sadvidge. Normally, he was the last one in and the first one out. Today was no different, however, like the door glaring me in the face. Something was off with Heaton as well. As to what was off with him, I wasn’t going to busy my mind with yet another mystery.

  “Bring in the members.” Sadvidge didn’t take too kindly to the line of defense being thrown up against her snarky comment toward me and readjusted herself in her seat.

  I smirked, turning my attention to the door waiting for the heavy marble to swing open. Unfortunately, all humor I had found for those few seconds was washed away as two Honor Guard members dragged in a broken, bloody and beaten Slade Zuko.

  Allowing a deep breath to leave me, I steeled my nerves for what was to come. Sadvidge wasn’t in a good mood to begin with, now that the other judges were attacking her—well, they were actually dishing out her own medicine to her. The likelihood of her changing her mind about Slade’s recommendation dropped to impossibly. Unfortunately, she held the heaviest weight amongst the judges, outside of Alexi.

  Subtly I scanned Slade from head to toe, assessing the damage he had gone through in order to be barely standing in front of us. His nose was broken in three different places; his shoulder was dislocated from a fight he had tried to win, and his left ankle was twisted at a disgusting angle. The injuries were minimal in comparison to what I couldn’t see.

  In short, he was no better off than had he just been killed on the spot.

  “Slade Zuko, senior member of Gold Guard, sect eight.” Judge Sadvidge looked at him over the brim of her glasses. “You have been accused of breaking and entering into the Onyx Elite, furthermore, you are also accused of breaking and entering in a judge’s chambers without prior authorization. Do you acknowledge the crimes you’re being accused of?”

  Slade being Slade didn’t bother hiding his emotions. Everyone in the courtroom knew what his fate was going to be. The only thing we were doing now was playing out the scenario for technicality purposes.

  Mentally, I shot Alexi a pleading request to say something but as my eyes shifted to the other judge. I knew he was going through the motions as well. Maybe he’d say something in Slade’s defense, maybe he wouldn’t. It was a dangerous gamble and one I wanted no part of.

  “Sure,” Slade grunted, choking on his own blood.

  Judge Sadvidge continued reading the pre-drafted order, “you are being accused of vandalism of said judge’s chambers. Theft in the first degree of confidential information. Insubordination for not executing assigned orders. Abandonment of duties and lastly,” for whatever reason she leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers as she glared at the man. A sick, satisfied smile coming across her face, “aiding in the escape of Luminous River and abetting her survival. Do you acknowledge the crimes you’re being accused of?”

  I stopped breathing as the pieces finally came together and Alexi’s words finally made sense. There was going to be a fight but not amongst the judges or even with Slade. No the fight would come from within. I had to sit here and say nothing. Do nothing as my friend either took the wrap or ratted me and Dristan out to the courts.

  It wasn’t lost on me how Slade’s eyes quickly flashed in my general direction or how his shoulders lifted just so in apology. But what came out of his mouth next, I had seen coming six months ago. Six months ago, today.

  “Damn fucking right I did.”

  “You will watch your tongue in the presence of the Onyx Elite,” Judge Heaton snapped, getting heated enough by the insult he actually leaned toward the edge of the long desk.

  So this was going to be a night of firsts, huh? I thought to myself as I kept my face neutral. Keeping my eyes on Slade, I tried to think of something that would salvage the situation.

  Slade rolled his one working eye, “oh bite me, you stuffed shirt, bald headed sheep dog.”

  It was a challenge to not laugh at the insult. Slade had always been quick with comebacks and insults. But seeing how death was looming over him now. Well, I could see why he didn’t care one bit about how he spoke to the judges.

  “Insolence!”

  “Enough!” Judge Sadvidge snapped and narrowed her eyes on Slade. “Tell us where Luminous River is right now, and the courts will spare you from your assigned punishment.”

  “No dice, twinkle toes.” He shrugged fully this time and blew a raspberry, “maybe she’s in Rosemarble. Maybe she’s in California, wherever she is,” his eye became hard as he looked at the judge who was going to slaughter him in the middle of the courtroom. “She’s healthy and ready to watch this whole fucking place burn. With all six of you in it.”

  I looked at the file folder in front of me in an attempt to hide my smile and tapped my temple as I frowned at the paperwork. If Sadvidge had any inclination to look at me she would know I knew exactly where Luminous was.

  “Is that a threat?” Alexi raised a bushy eyebrow at him.

  “No,” Slade continued to stare at Sadvidge with a busted lip smile covering his bruised and swollen face. “It’s a message from the Silver Angel herself.”

  My head snapped up as I stared at him. Luminous wasn’t the type of woman that’d force someone—let alone ask—to deliver a message unless she had a plan up her sleeve. I was too nervous to look down the bench at Sadvidge but knew by the silence, none of the judges were expecting Slade Zuko to deliver such an ominous message.

  “Where is she?” Sadvidge was slowly losing her patience with my friend and former guard member. Probably because she knew deep down, Luminous was gunning for her. Just as she had done to Holt and Sooter. Assuming Sadvidge was as smart as she pretended to be, she knew better than to go against Luminous herself. That was why she wanted to get the information before handing it off to the Platinum Guard.

  She needed a safety net and in comparison to how the former judges had died. A part of me could understand where the fear and hesitation came from.

  Slade, again, blew a raspberry and shrugged. “I don’t know. But I do know,” he motioned between all of us on the bench and clicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue. “Each and every one of you are going to pay for the wrong you inflicted on Luminous. One by fucking one.”

  A collective shudder went through the judges sitting on both sides of me. Well, except for Alexi. As usual he was staring at the guard member in front of him and made no move to
probe the statement.

  Sadvidge swallowed hard, “if you have nothing further. Onyx Elite will pass down their verdict.”

  Slade raised a finger, “let me ask you something. I know how all of this ends, I think you could grant me a simple answer to a riddle that’s been weighing on my mind lately.”

  She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it, Mr. Zuko?”

  He shrugged spreading his hands—as much as one could with cuffs digging into his wrist. “Do you know the difference between a razor wire and rattle snake?”

  I couldn’t help the knowing smirk coming across my face as he looked at each of the judges. When his eyes landed on me. A simple, knowing wink was sent my way before he turned his attention back to the judge who had been giving him the third degree.

  “What?” Sadvidge finally asked, looked as confused as a newborn calf learning how to walk for the first time.

  Slade smiled wickedly in the only way he could and in a sinister voice that would’ve scared the living hell out of the craziest of guard members, asked again.

  “What’s the difference between razor wire and a rattle snake?”

  This time she turned to look down the bench at her fellow judges. But none of them claimed to know the answer or tried to probe the riddle further.

  Finally, I turned and met her confused stare, “are you going to proceed?”

  Sadvidge’s face became hard as she narrowed her eyes on me. She knew as well as everyone else that it’d be bad business should she try to banter me into figuring out the riddle. The last thing anyone needed in this courtroom—outside of Slade—was to be questioned on their strength when it came to handling business.

  Taking the higher road, the moment of truth finally came. Turning to Slade, Sadvidge addressed the judges.

  “All in favor for execution of Slade Zuko for crimes committed against Onyx Elite, enter your vote now.”

  From my peripheral I saw Heaton—no surprise—Sadvidge, and two others vote for the punishment assigned to be delivered. Which meant Alexi’s vote would be the swing vote. He ranked above Sadvidge, even on the worst of days and held the majority of voting power amongst all six judges.

  “All those opposed?” Sadvidge glared at Alexi waiting for him to follow me in submitting his vote.

  However the older man remained still. He didn’t say anything. Didn’t flinch as the lasers from her stare burned holes into his skull. Didn’t make a move to do anything. What the hell?

  I was just about to ask as much when Alexi narrowed his gaze on Slade.

  “She’s in Castlehedge?” He asked as if he just needed to confirm his own thought process was correct.

  Slade raised a brow at him for a second before his swollen face closed off any emotions. “I don’t know.” To anyone else, the three worded answer would’ve been taken at face value and everyone would move on.

  Yet, as I looked at Alexi from the corner of my eye, I knew he was able to smell a lie seven hundred miles away. The blood flowing through my veins came to a freezing halt as I tried to come up with his next move before he made it.

  “Neither bleed red, yet neither stay still.” He tilted his head to the side and stared at Slade, “am I correct?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Alexi smirked and sucked in his cheeks as he looked at the man standing in the middle of the court room.

  “Thicker than cactus, thin as silk.”

  For once since this whole charade started, my eyebrows slashed down. It was like the two of them were having their own conversation and none of the other people around them were allowed to be included.

  “So it would seem,” Slade agreed before tilting his chin up in defiance as Alexi entered his vote.

  Sadvidge’s head snapped around to glare at Alexi again before taking a deep breath. Something in her eyes consumed any reason and before I could stop what was happening she bellowed out in a powerfully deadly tone.

  “Slade Zuko, it is by the order of the judges of Onyx Elite that you be sentenced to death on this day. In punishment for your crimes you shall be disposed of in the Raining Burial Grounds.” A quick jerk of her head and Roxy crossed the floor like a lightning strike before snapping Slade’s neck.

  Alexi grabbed my chair to stop me from doing something stupid. But one thing he couldn’t stop was my mental promise to kill Sadvidge myself before Luminous and I got out of Castlehedge and away from everything we had ever known.

  As Slade’s body fell in on itself at the feet of Roxy, Sadvidge sat back in her seat with a satisfied smile on her face.

  “Now that that’s done,” turning to the rest of us, her tone dropped and all of the malice and hatred she had for me dripped on every word. “It would seem there’s a new development in Luminous River’s case.”

  Chapter 13 Liar, Liar I Hate You

  “Luminous, listen to me. You have become the target of something much bigger than just the courts.” Lovett spat, coughing on the blood from his mouth.

  I smirked looking at him with my whip prepared to strike at any given moment. “Yeah, I’m supposed to be delivered to the scientists. I already know.”

  Slowly, he shook his head, “there’s more to it than just that.”

  “And?”

  “Let me bring you in and maybe—”

  I allowed a bark of laughter to leave me, “what? Maybe you’ll get promoted?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying! This could be your chance to redeem yourself.”

  I tilted my head at him. “Right to become a guinea pig for people that have more than a few screws loose.”

  “Luminous please, this is the only way.” His pleading voice pulled at my heart strings, but even as I looked at him. I couldn’t forget how he had taken my position as sect leader last year.

  Sure he had let me go when Demir and I were on the run. But Lovett was an opportunist. And I couldn’t tell any more where his loyalties rested.

  Tightening my grip on the whip, I kicked up my chin. “I’ll take my own chances.” The crack of the razor wire and rattlesnake leather echoed through the air before flying strong and true to my forgotten friend.

  My eyes opened on their own conviction but that was as far as my movement ability took me. It had been a month since one of my episodes and for a second I had even tricked myself into thinking that maybe, just maybe. I was finally overcoming my debilitating sleep paralysis. So much for wishful thinking.

  Staring at the ceiling, I pushed the memory of killing Lovett back to the darkest depths of my mind and focused on happier memories. Like when Shang and Karina were about to have a showdown on the river bank. Or when Demir had come strutting through the front door looking better than a birthday cake and a bottle of Kinky vodka.

  At the thought of my…what was Demir? Were we back in a relationship? Were we just trying to take the situation day-by-day? What the hell was going on?

  “Luminous?” As if he had been reading my mind from somewhere in the house, I heard the bedroom door whisper open a little further.

  Unable to blink, turn my head, or anything else for that matter, I started crying at the inability of moving. Tears slipped from the corner of my eyes as I cursed my disability from hell to high heavens.

  “Luminous,” he appeared where I could see him and took in my state. Instantly, he dropped to the bed beside me and grabbed my limp hand. “Deep breathe,” as if to emphasize his point. He took in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “Come on, breathe with me.”

  So I did. Hell, what the fuck else was I supposed to do? The air around me filled with his expensive Marc Jacobs cologne. As if just being so close to him after being so far away was the wakeup call my body needed, I was finally able to twitch my finger.

  A few more deep breaths and I bolted upright, clinging to him. He was real and moreover, I could touch him. Gone were the invasion of memories when he stabbed me. That was in the past and now we were starting over.

  At least, that’s what I wa
s going to keep telling myself until something happened to prove otherwise. Demir and I would be fine; like any other couple, we had our problems and had difficulties. But it was nothing we couldn’t work on.

  “Hey, you ok?” He held me close, smoothing my hair down my back and rested his cheek against my head.

  Silently, I nodded. As long as I had something solid to ground me, I could get over yet another episode of being at my weakest.

  “Do you want to eat something?” He pulled away first and studied my face as if I were a fragile doll.

  As if nothing could come too close or I’d shatter; whether or not those were his actual thoughts, I didn’t know and wasn’t really caring. Over the course of these last few months, maybe I had become so fragile I couldn’t handle too much at once. Maybe I was going to shatter at any given time and just hadn’t known of my own downfall.

  “Food sounds good,” I rubbed my hands down my face and sighed.

  When I lifted my eyes to his, I found shadows and a hint of fear laughing back at me. We needed to change the subject to something more pleasurable than my nightmares. But figuring out his own demons seemed like just as bad an idea as any other.

  “Are you just getting in?”

  He nodded, getting off the bed to allow me to slip from the covers. “It was a long night,” he admitted.

  But something in Demir’s manner as he went to his closet and hung up his leather jacket and took off his watch gave away the shift in him.

  Carefully placing the time piece in its respective slot within the organizer taking up the majority of the floor. He kept his back to me and remained silent. As I watched him grab a pair of flannel pajama pants and push his hair away from his face, I knew whatever the secret was it had to do with me.

  “Demir?” I stood from the bed and crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Yeah babe?” The tension in his shoulders grew as he looked between different night shirts.