Entwined

by A. J. Rosen

  I snaked my arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you,” I muttered against his coat as I took in his usual scent of mint and soap.

  We were still holding each other when the door opened, revealing my dad’s stunned face. His eyes shot to the tall figure who had his arms around me. “Lord Ambrosia.”

  Well, this was awkward.

  Vlad bid his farewell. Before he turned to leave, I saw a tint of redness in his cheeks. I followed my dad inside, knowing full well that he would chastise me. Luckily, he was absorbed in the fact that his daughter had been wrapped in the arms of a Pure Royal, so he let it slide. I took his speechlessness as a chance to go straight to my room. It had been a tiring day and I longed to curl up under the duvet.

  The next day, I woke up feeling much better. My dad had left early—I saw his note on the fridge, reminding me that today was the day that I was supposed to drop by the Court Guard Headquarters to sign a few more papers before I could officially be released from probation. Next to his note was another note from Mom saying that she would be staying at Tiana’s.

  It took me fifteen minutes to shower and twenty minutes to get to the Court Guard Headquarters. I was on my way in when I bumped into Officer Brad Warwick.

  “Hey, pretty redhead!”

  “I have a name, you know.”

  “Avery.” He grinned boyishly, lifting a few years off his face. “You’ve come to sign the papers, right? Just head to the front desk and find Dawn. She will get you sorted.”

  “Thanks.”

  Officer Warwick held the door open, and only then did I notice he had a familiar tattoo on his inner wrist. I wondered if it meant he knew the bald guy. Were they both apart of some weird Myrmidon cult? “Hey, are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Just can’t wait to get this over with,” I said.

  “Don’t let me keep you then.”

  It didn’t take longer than five minutes to sign the document—actually, it only took a few seconds to literally sign it, but Dawn made sure I had read the whole document, especially the part that mentioned that the punishment would be doubled if I misbehaved again.

  I was about to leave when someone called my name. It was Commander Hudson. He offered me a smile and his hand. I shook it, feeling a bit awkward. “Are you excited to rejoin the Gathering?”

  No. Because now I had less time to work on my investigation and it seemed like I was only adding to my list of things I needed to figure it. “Yes. I can’t wait.”

  “You’re lucky today is the first day you are free to rejoin the events,” he said.

  “Why is that?”

  “There’s the Panhellenic Festival this year,” he explained. “It’s held here every four years. There are a lot of athletic competitions, so it’s usually very crowded at Court. Haven’t you noticed how packed the Hyped lobby is? There’s a welcoming party there in two hours.”

  With everything going on, I clearly hadn’t been paying attention. “That’s awesome.” I tried my best to sound enthusiastic. “Thanks for letting me know. Now I have something to look forward to.”

  “Have fun!” Hudson waved as I pushed through the door and stepped outside.

  Standing on the pavement in front of the Court Guard Headquarters, I texted Kris to find out where she was, then pulled up the photo I took of the schedule on the first day. Hudson had been right about the Panhellenic Festival. The welcoming party and opening ceremony would be held later today, but the competitions would take place throughout the rest of December, finishing with a closing ceremony before Christmas. Attending the athletic competitions wasn’t mandatory, so I skipped over the details to go through the list of other Gathering activities. Tonight there would be a beach party outside of the Court. “That sounds like fun,” I scoffed, not being able to conceal my sarcasm. Tomorrow was the Symposium—a huge dinner party. But since today was a free day, there wasn’t really anything I had to do until the beach party; I wasn’t sure if I felt relief or disappointment.

  The lobby of the Hyped was packed—filled with swarms of Hellenicus. It would take twice as long as normal to get from the entrance to the elevator.

  “Excuse me.” I lost count how many times I had said it.

  A hand caught my wrist and saved me from being mashed between two tall guys. To my surprise—and horror—it was Damian. “Blond surfer boy,” I blurted automatically.

  “Hey, you remember that I love surfing.” He mistook my jeer.

  After listening to him mention it over and over again during the after-party on the first night, I wouldn’t be able to forget even if I wanted to. Not wanting to acknowledge him, I simply moved past him.

  “Wait.” His hand grabbed my arm and I gave it a murdering glance. He let go, raising both hands. “Sorry. Look, I just want to get to know you better. You left the after-party before I had a chance to.”

  “Oh, so I exist now? Because I remember you treating me like I didn’t at the after-party. We’re not friends, not even acquaintances, so save me the trouble and keep it that way.”

  Before he had another chance to grab me, I slipped through the crowd. Knowing that he had slept with a redhead the other night, which was the catalyst for Nikki slapping Renata, I had no intention of being the next redhead in line. After all, I had other things I needed to focus on. Things like figuring out ways to escape my destiny.

  Chapter Twenty

  Apart from the weird encounter with Damian, the day turned out to be—as I’d initially predicted—uneventful. I had gone back to my room and tried to translate the torn page using the online translator, but I didn’t get any new information. It was just a continuation of what Adrian had said—the Great Massacre, Zeus, and Hades. However, I discovered one thing of interest: at the corner where the paper was torn there were three Greek letters: τιμ, which was part of the Greek word for price. Perhaps it was talking about the price of angering the gods or something along those lines. I texted Adrian to let him know I was making some progress but that I needed his help. He replied soon after to say that he was at the Court Hospital—it seemed that Caitlin’s condition required her to be admitted—but he could meet up with me this evening. Before I typed my reply to Adrian, a text from Kris came in:

  I’m bored. Domenico is going to the Panhellenic archery competition. Are you up for shopping? Then the beach party later?

  I’ll meet you in fifteen on Ermou Street!

  I sent another text to Adrian to let him know where I’d be tonight. He replied,

  I’ll stop by for a bit. Don’t forget to bring that paper, I need to see it again in person.

  I was putting my coat on when I heard the sound of the keypad and my mom burst in, hugging a paper bag of groceries with one hand.

  “Are you going out?” She put the bag on the counter.

  “I am.” I straightened the collar of my dark-grey coat and grabbed my purse.

  “Where? With who?”

  “I’m going shopping with Kris, Mom.” I sighed.

  “Oh, perfect. I need to do some shopping too,” she said. “Wait until I sort these first.”

  As my mom put away the groceries, I sent Kris another text to let her know that my mom had invited herself.

  “Are we going or what?” My mom asked, as if she had been the one waiting on me.

  I begrudgingly accompanied Mom to Ermou Street to meet Kris. A wide variety of shops lined the busy street, from antique and art stalls to jewelry shops and luxury boutiques. Kris and my mom were determined to browse in each of the small shops. I was happy to be roaming places at Court that I’d never been to before. It was nice to see the Royal Bar area in the daytime when the long, twisting street was filled with shoppers and not drunkards.

  When we got closer to the end of the street, my mom and Kris squealed at the sight of what they both declared to be the best boutique on the Court grounds. I had had abou
t enough of shopping at this stage, but Kris persuaded me to follow them inside. “One more store, Ave. Promise.”

  It was wedged between two taller buildings. Despite the old sign with some letters that had rubbed off and become illegible over the years, it was clean and all the clothing was arranged neatly. Kris and my mom basked in the attention of the sales staff and pawed over different fabrics and textures.

  “Ave, do you have a dress for the Symposium?”

  A Symposium is a party usually led by a feast master. In the old days, the guests wore garlands, but in today’s world, you could wear whatever you wanted. There would be musical performances, acrobats, and dancers who played the kithara.

  “She doesn’t.” My mom, who had incredible hearing, answered from across the shop. “I’m trying to find one for her. Do you want to help, Kristen?”

  “I would love to, Kath.”

  “No, no.” Knowing full well that this meant I would have to spend at least an hour in the fitting room trying on dresses, I shook my head adamantly. “I already have a dress.”

  Annoyingly, my mom answered once again, “No, you don’t.”

  “Yes, I have.”

  “What about this purple one, Kristen? Do you think she would look good in it? Or maybe this pink one?” My mom had clearly decided that ignoring me was the best solution. She roamed the aisles and came back with a bunch of dresses draped over her arm.

  “Mom, I’m not buying a new dress.”

  Kris looked at me and asked softly, “Do you actually have a dress to wear?”

  “Yeah. I think I’ll wear that—” I paused and tried to recall the color of the dress my mom had forcefully packed for me. “The cerulean dress I wore on the first day.”

  “What?” My mom, who had been sweeping through the rack of dresses, stood on her tiptoes and looked at us over the metal pole. “You’re going to wear that dress again?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to get something new? The Symposium is a big deal,” my mom said.

  “That dress is a big deal too. It was passed down from your grandmother to your mother, and then to you before you gave it to me, right?”

  Then a miracle happened. It was happening in the form of glistening tears in my mother’s eyes. “Right.” She turned to Kris, smiling. “She doesn’t need a dress. She has one.”

  I stood there, realizing that a second miracle had also just happened: my mom had agreed with me.

  After that, my mom was in a good mood. She even allowed me to take her car to drive to the beach party with Kris that evening. After quickly showering, playing dress-up, and—most importantly—making sure I had the page from the book with me, I went to the Royal Quarters. Kris was waiting for me outside. “I think it’s going to be so much fun, Ave! I’m so excited that you can participate in the Gathering events again.”

  It was unlikely that people would immediately think of beaches when they thought of Alaska, but believe it or not, there were about five thousand miles of coastline and several beaches. It was almost a three-hour drive to Wonder Lake, where the party was held, and by the time we got there, the bonfire had been set and the party was in full swing with music and dancing.

  We walked toward the bonfire, glad that we had decided to wear our faux-fur coats because it was freezing. Despite the temperature being fifteen degrees Fahrenheit, the guys looked as if the cold did not bother them at all. Maybe they were just playing it cool, or perhaps the heat radiating from the bonfire was enough to keep them warm while dancing. Kris clicked Domenico, who was among the guys crowded around the bonfire. Unlike the others, he wore what people normally wore during the winter season in Alaska: a scarf, a beanie hat, some gloves, and a long navy-blue coat. Domenico ran to meet us and took Kris’s hand, raising it to his lips as he said, “Buonasera, amore.”

  My best friend giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer. They went to dance while I stood by the bonfire to warm up, counting the minutes until Adrian arrived. Being the third wheel was never enjoyable.

  As I walked aimlessly around the party, I could hear familiar voices shouting back and forth. I quickly pushed through the crowd that had gathered around the source of the commotion. In the middle of the circle of nosey people, Damian and Adrian stood a few feet away from each other. Two or three people were holding their arms to separate them. It was a good thing they were being held back because I saw venom in Adrian’s eyes, and he looked ready to strike. How did I not notice him arrive?

  “Walk away, Tavoularis, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

  “Wait till we get back to the Court, Ambrosia. I’m going to report this right away.”

  “Oh yeah? And I suppose you are going to leave out the part about you harassing a female, right? Because I certainly won’t.”

  Damian seemed hesitant. He slid his gaze over to me then back to Adrian before pulling himself out of the grips of the people surrounding him and stalking off without another word.

  I ran over to Adrian as he was also released from the grips around his arms. “What happened?” I asked him, baffled.

  “Douchebag Tavoularis happened,” Adrian grunted, and sat on the ground. “He just keeps pursuing her even though she’s said no.”

  “Her?” I took the spot next to him.

  “Renata.”

  “I thought you said you’re a lover and not a fighter, yet here you are, ready to square up against Damian for Renata,” Kris said when she reached us, Domenico and Renata in tow.

  “Tonight’s an exception.” His eyes were fixed on Renata. I wondered how long Adrian had been here. He had obviously been hanging out with Renata before getting into an argument with Damian. Had he already lost interest in our mission?

  Renata sat on the cold ground to face Adrian as Kris, Domenico, and I took a step back to give them space. “Hey, thanks for sticking up for me. You know you didn’t have to do that. I know how to deal with a jackass like Damian.”

  Adrian leaned forward, his face only a few inches away from hers as his lips curled into a devilish smirk. “I have to admit, it’s kind of cute when you act all tough.”

  “Don’t get cocky. This doesn’t mean you’re getting into my pants again.”

  “Hey. That’s not why I did that. I was just—”

  Renata interrupted him by putting one finger under Adrian’s chin and guiding his face to hers to kiss him. Kris and I exchanged a dumbfounded look.

  A few seconds later, Adrian pulled away from Renata’s kiss and stared at her through heavy-lidded eyes. “What was that, then?”

  “A token of thanks,” Renata quipped.

  “Well, Miss Tough Girl, I have to get back to my sister now, but if that idiot bothers you again, message me, okay? I mean it.” He gave her a stern look. “I won’t let him get away with that behavior.” Adrian stood, helped Renata back to her feet, and then turned to me. “Hey, Montgomery, do you have a second before I go? Caitlin wanted me to ask you something.”

  “Wha—” Then I remembered the reason why he had agreed to meet me in the first place. I reached inside the pocket of my coat and felt the page from the library book. “Oh yeah. Sure.”

  Adrian and I walked side by side along the beach, away from the partygoers, minding our steps so as not to slip on the layer of snow. When we were out of eyesight, I reached inside the pocket of my coat and withdrew the page, handing it to him. “Here you go. Tell Caitlin I say hi.”

  “Hey. Don’t kick me out just yet. It took almost three hours to get here and all that’s happened so far is an argument. I want to make the trip worth it.” Adrian smiled, then his face grew serious. “Can we talk?”

  I nodded, then followed him over to a large, flat rock. We were far enough away from the party now that the sounds of nature were able to reach our ears over the music. He sat down on the rock and I sat next t
o him. The surface was cold on my behind through my jacket. “What is it?”

  “I just want to know. After you get your freedom, what are you going to do?”

  “I planned on leaving the Court and never coming back.”

  “And go where?”

  “Anywhere but here. Someplace where I can pretend I’m not a Hellenicus,” I said. “I will forget the Hellenicus. I will forget this place. I will live as a Nescient.”

  “Will you forget me?” There was a sadness in his question.

  “Adrian—”

  “Can I come with you?”

  “What?”

  “Can I come with you when you leave all this Hellenicus stuff behind?” he asked.

  “Adrian, I—” I thought of the kiss he’d shared with Renata and how he had defended her. Clearly he had some feelings for her, and it made me doubt that he sincerely meant what he’d said.

  Adrian seemed to notice the doubts dancing through my mind. “You know I like you, right?” When I said nothing, he continued, “Well, I do. And if you’ll have me, I want to come with you.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” I said.

  We sat there for a while, watching the moon before he finally rose to his feet. “Think about it, Montgomery. You don’t have to do this alone.”

  Adrian left and took with him his warmth, the cold stinging in his absence.

  And I did what he’d asked. I thought about it during the party. The thought of Adrian coming with me was a relief. After all, my intention had been to leave with Bryan, and a part of me still wondered if the true reason why I was at Court was because I had been too afraid to leave on my own. I had convinced myself I came here for Carlo, but there was still a niggling in the back of my mind that told me I was making excuses for being a coward.

  But I was worried. Adrian had just admitted to liking me as more than a friend. What if I could not return his feelings? What if I hurt him? I had gone through this already with Bryan. And Adrian had been hurt so much already; I didn’t want to be added to his list.