by Leon Logos
“How do you like it?” Sixto asked tentatively.
“This is from you?” she asked, surprised.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “I had the blacksmith craft it for me.”
“It’s really pretty,” she replied, sheathing the weapon. She meant it, but she was thrown off by Sixto’s choice of gift.
“You look disappointed,” Sixto noted glumly.
“No, no!” she hastened to say. “It’s just that it caught me off guard. I’m curious why you would get me a knife, though you didn’t have to gift me anything at all. I appreciate it, Sixto.”
“Knives are cool!” Sixto insisted. “I was debating what to get you, so I asked Lyla for advice. I came to the conclusion that girls like pretty things. So, I combined something that was both cool and pretty, and bam!”
“I had no part in this, just letting you know,” Lyla assured her.
“Yeah, it’s cool,” Serenity told him, not wanting to make him feel bad.
Honestly, the weapon felt firm and powerful in her hand. The balance was extraordinary, and the knife overall looked personally designed for her to wield. She then realized that she may have made a grave mistake.
“Oh no… I didn’t get any presents for anybody…”
“Don’t worry about that, you weren’t supposed to,” Sixto waved it off. “You’re still new to the family. But next year, I’m going to be expecting something. So start planning now.”
“I think it’s a bit too early for that,” she laughed.
The highly anticipated Christmas dinner was nigh, in just two hours. She spent the remainder of the time before the event in her chamber, setting up both the phone and the laptop she received. After retrieving the Wi-Fi password, she now had open and unrestricted access to the Internet—something she could not say she had in her previous life. She could now learn, watch, or uncover anything. Everything she had missed in the past sixteen years that she was supposed to or should’ve known. Now that she had a phone, Lily could text her personally. The little girl didn’t have to walk over to the chamber personally anymore, just to talk.
Surfing the Internet kept her busy for a full hour until it was time to prepare for the dinner. After taking a quick shower, she waited for Mizzy (Lily’s maid) to arrive and help her dress.
Mizzy arrived on time, primly entering her chamber with the same affable smile she always wore. Mizzy was Lily’s designated maid. But through Lily, Mizzy became acquainted with her. They got along well, and the maid was extremely patient with her when even Serenity believed herself to be clueless or incompetent. Serenity approved of all of Mizzy’s suggestions, cutting down the typical prep session by thirty minutes.
“You look stellar!” Mizzy praised.
“Thanks to you,” said Serenity, appraising herself in the mirror.
“You won’t forget tonight,” Mizzy affirmed. “Christmas Day dinners are always unforgettable. And I hear there will be a special announcement tonight. I wish I could attend, but I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I belong neither in the inner circle nor the Council,” Mizzy explained unconcernedly. “I’m just an ordinary servant.”
“Is there anything I can do to permit you to attend?” she asked, pitying the woman. She felt it was unfair for social status to obstruct a kind-hearted woman from participating in the event.
“No, but thank you,” said Mizzy. “Now, will you wait for Lily to arrive? Or will you go down without her on your own?”
“I’ll wait for Lily,” Serenity decided automatically. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable going down alone…”
“Very well,” the maid curtsied. “Have fun!”
“Bye,” Serenity waved, as the maid retired from her chamber.
She examined herself in the mirror, still not accustomed to the red-painted lips, clear, flawless skin, and the accentuated eyelashes and mascara. Not to mention, the ten-thousand-dollar dresses.
“Serenity! Are you ready?” Lily’s voice called from the hall.
“Coming!” she yelled back, rising up from her chair.
The Dining Hall was newly decorated to mirror the Christmas festivities and spirit. There were rosemary plants, lights, a giant tree in the back, garlands, and soft Christmas tunes played by a live band. Sixto looked comically different. Sixto was usually properly dressed, but his hair was never usually combed. He usually argued it didn’t matter how his hair looked in appearance as long as it was washed and shampooed daily. She could not disagree. This time, Sixto was tuxedoed with his hair gelled and slicked back, exposing his forehead.
“Don’t say anything,” he snapped. “Destiny made me do it.”
“It looks good,” she complimented.
“Yeah, right,” said Sixto unconvinced. “Where’s Lyla?”
“I don’t know?” she said, looking around.
Sure enough, she was not present. It wasn’t the first time she was absent for dinner. But surely tonight was an extra-special occasion that couldn’t arbitrarily be skipped? Albeit, Lyla most likely (possibly) had a legitimate reason.
“She said she wasn’t feeling well,” Lily answered. “Should we call the doctor? What if she’s on her death bed?”
“She’s fine,” Sixto assured unconcernedly. “Probably just a headache. Or a mild fever at worst. It sure was bad timing, though.”
Serenity got started on Italian lasagna. She had tried it the night before and fell in love instantly. A chef had purported it to be the best entrée on the table. She hadn’t believed him then but felt convinced now. Despite Sixto’s attempt at grooming himself more, he didn’t abandon his animalistic appetite. He shoveled meatballs and spaghetti into his mouth, using his fork. As perverse as it was, he at least had the decency to keep his mouth closed.
“I’ve got a test tomorrow, I need my energy,” Sixto told her.
“That’s what breakfast is for,” she said. “What kind of test?”
“Just a test monitoring my progress. But it’s a big one, too. If I pass, I’m finally licensed to carry a weapon around whenever I want to.”
“Cool. You can shoot anybody as you wish,” she joked.
“Isn’t that right, Bastion?!” Dorian’s voice could be heard, four seats from her current position.
“Correct!” Bastion replied. “I seldom take prisoners. But when I do, I ensure they obtain pleasure from battling with these knuckles!”
“Ruthless as always!” Dorian commented. “No wonder you are our undisputed top soldier. You wouldn’t be able to beat me, though. Hah!”
“Whatever you say,” Bastion smiled, letting the quip slide.
She squinted her eyes, ascertaining if Bastion’s knuckles were still bruised. They were. She wondered if he was truthful to those that asked about it. Probably not, considering Desmos and Kyler’s capture was still confidential. Bastion seemed like a professional in subterfuge. It must’ve accompanied his role in the family. Sixto regained her attention, earnestly suggesting for her to try the roast chicken (which was “high in protein”). He was behaving more and more like Garen.
In a flash, the dinner dishes were whisked off the table and promptly replaced with the desserts. As preparation for this, she intentionally refrained from consuming too much from the main entrees. The cheesecake and chocolate pudding prevailed as her two favorite dishes, even though she ventured to taste some of the different desserts that enticed her. Amid their dessert, Alistair rose from his seat. She saw it before anyone else, aware that he was about to speak gain. He tapped on his glass with a spoon to quell the noise. The buzz of conversation faded.
“Greetings, my brothers and sisters! Have you been enjoying yourself thus far?” Alistair commenced, his arms outstretched.
There was a drone of approval, as the self-effacing individuals raised their glasses while the feistier guests whooped.
“As some of you may know, I have a very important announcement to make,” he continued. “An announcement I would’ve fancied making for the past fifte
en years. But it is time!”
Serenity put down her spoon, her full attention focused on Alistair. Her neighbors emulated her deportment, also attentive and respectful.
“For too long have we been plagued by a particular individual…a man perennially engraved into our minds, cultivating abiding resentment from myself and others. This man has eluded us for too long!”
Serenity gulped; she had an idea who he was referring to.
“But tonight, I announce, we’ve finally made progress in his capture!”
“You’ve caught the devil?!” a man burst out excitedly, then followed by a torrent of gasps and cheers.
“Silence!” Alistair raised a hand. “No, I confess we have not! Not yet! However, we’ve captured the key to his imminent capture!”
“Serenity,” Sixto said nervously, grabbing her shoulder. She ignored him, eyes glued to Alistair. He was close now.
“Gunther has never been alone! He’s fostered a family in order to execute his will and do his bidding! And we’ve captured two of his sons, one of them being the second-in-command of the Carlisles!”
More cheers and gasps were produced at this disclosure. Serenity scanned her environment, in disbelief that the news was now in the air.
Bastion rose to his feet, perhaps feeling that he should intervene or contribute to the announcements.
“Bait! We will use them as bait!” he declared.
“Sit down, Bastion,” Alistair ordered calmly. “Yes, as Bastion noted, we shall use them as bait. However, we will no longer protract our prisoners’ sentence. They have been in our captivity for quite some time now.”
“Off with their heads!” three men bellowed.
“Do not worry!” Alistair grinned, a devilish smile etched upon his face; it completely superseded the usual winsome, amiable face he wore. “I announce: the two Carlisles will be executed publicly on New Year’s Day at dawn!”
The Dining Hall clamored in rapturous excitement as if they were in a sold-out sports stadium, and their home team just scored a game-winning buzzer-beater at a basketball game. Nobody was in their seats, except for herself and Sixto. Lily sprang to her feet, naively joining the crowd. She was too young and uninformed to be euphoric genuinely.
Her gut shriveled up, rendering her stomach hollow. Her chest was throbbing, an inexplicable aura of despondency showering down on her. As if she was the one who was just sentenced to death. Sixto’s repetitive attempts at verbally reaching her were unsuccessful.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Where are you going?” Sixto asked tentatively, following her out of the Dining Hall.
Everybody else was still immersed in their desserts. She managed to evade suspicion from some of the others, under the pretext that she was feeling sick. To a degree, she really was.
“I don’t feel so well, go back,” Serenity said curtly, without looking at him. She quickened her pace to a light jog.
“You knew this would happen, Serenity,” Sixto said, obstinately following her through the hall. “I thought you would’ve been prepared.”
“Not sure what you’re talking about,” said Serenity coldly, heading straight towards the living quarters.
“Yes, you do!” Sixto hissed, annoyed. “What the hell?! You said you hated them! They hated you, so why are you acting like this?!”
She ignored him, entering the entrance hall and trudging up the double staircase. Sixto was a true friend, but his persistence in investigating her was infuriating. She knew he was only worried for her, but she didn’t desire company as of now. Her chamber would be her only solace for tonight.
She opened her door and shut it immediately—almost. Sixto stuck his foot out, obstructing her from completing the task. Serenity glowered acidly at him. He stared back at her, his face flinty and reproachful.
“Are you serious?” he reproved. “What’s up with you?”
“Leave me alone!” she rebuffed angrily. “I just want to be alone!”
“No,” Sixto asserted inflexibly. “I don’t trust you.”
“I’m not going to kill myself,” she reasoned irritably. “Bye.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he said. “Though, now that you bring it up, it’s something that needs to be looked out for.”
Serenity groaned, her right hand crushing the doorknob. It was clear that Sixto wouldn’t leave through entreaty. She would have to force him out, but that option was instantly dismissed. Sixto wouldn’t tolerate it.
“I just need some time alone,” Serenity said seriously.
“Okay,” Sixto replied cautiously. “But we need to talk. Before the night is over, because I have a feeling you’re going to do something rash.”
“You don’t trust me, I get it,” she said scornfully.
“Given the circumstances, tonight I don’t,” he said blatantly. “I’ll come see you in an hour. Don’t give me that look—fine, two hours.”
As soon as he withdrew his foot from the door, she slammed it shut, then locking it. In the back of her head, she was reproving herself for behaving so pettily with Sixto. His intentions were not ill. But his concern for her did not transcend her concern for the future. For the brothers. She now finally admitted it. Openly acknowledged it. She was worried for them. Even though they rejected her in the past extensively, and belittled her, the learning of their imminent demise hurtled pangs of sorrow at her.
It truly was inexplicable. Considering the way they treated her, it should’ve been right to reciprocate the treatment and just forget about them entirely, celebrating this execution. But it was impossible. The Carlisles had been dominating her thoughts for quite some time now.
She recalled the conversations the brothers casually had that regarded death, while on the road or just together in general. Not one of them gave it too much thought, insouciant at the prospect of it. They had accepted it to be an inevitable eventuality, but to them it was some intangible future, too far in the distance to see or even predict. Some of them even felt invincible. As a child, Serenity used to believe they were invincible; encountering danger at every corner, sometimes escaping it without a single scratch. As she grew older, she realized they were just lucky. Sure, they were well-trained. But ultimately, their survival was highly fortuitous.
She reminisced the moments during school-seasons, particularly when the brothers had gotten into a brawl in the boys’ locker room in a school at Missouri. She was just outside the hall when it happened. Coincidentally, all five of the brothers were placed in the same P.E. period. She didn’t know how the fight started, but they were fighting with a group of boys on the varsity football team. It didn’t matter that they were football players; they were flattened. Serenity was only glad that the brawl didn’t lead to police involvement. All the participants in the fight were suspended indefinitely. In a way, she was as well; Desmos had forbidden her from attending school until their suspension was renounced. This was simply because he felt it was frivolous to go through the trouble of dropping her off and picking her up. As a result, their training hours doubled since all the brothers were home anyway.
An onslaught of memories flooded into her mind. She recollected them pensively, lying down on her bed. It rendered her in a solemn mood, stripping away the holiday mirth she had been experiencing preceding the announcement. Serenity considered the possibility that the execution went smoothly. Desmos and Kyler would be dead, but the other three brothers would still be out there. With Gunther. She would never see them again, of course. Unless the Aurelians strived to capture them as well. Bastion had mentioned using Desmos and Kyler to bait them; but she knew it wouldn’t work. Gunther had opposed coming after her and infiltrating the residence. Which then reminded her how Desmos did something extremely uncharacteristic of him; he defied his father’s order and came to her aid. Was this why she was feeling this way? Because Desmos had changed and acknowledged her existence as worth protecting? It couldn’t be. But that’s what it had to be. There was no other way around it.
>
Then there was Kyler. Her only—friend, for lack of a better term—during her perpetual struggles. He would appear standoffish with her at times. But not as much as he did with others. On some days, he would engage in conversation with her when she least expected it. The boy was quiet and only broke his silence when he needed to. On a rare day, he would also discreetly try to console her with subtle overtures, when she was drowning in depression. Other times, he would make it more obvious, like when she had just been beaten with a paddle by Gunther and was driven to tears. Kyler had given her a hug—an awkward one, but an embrace nonetheless. It had not happened again after that. Though, the two of them were only eleven at that time. After puberty began, Kyler virtually reached adulthood.
Now that she was composed, she felt remorse for how she behaved towards Sixto. She would apologize once he visited her again. His words echoed in her mind: “You said you hated them! And they hated you!”
The latter was true. So was the statement before that. But it seemed, not so much anymore. If Desmos truly hated her he wouldn’t have undertaken a bold rescue attempt, acting against Gunther’s orders. If she really hated them, she wouldn’t be feeling this overwhelming despair. No, it was no longer “inexplicable.” She now conceded why this all was happening. She had a sufficient understanding. Family would always be family.
A sense of duty suddenly awakened her. She had to warn them. Maybe the Aurelians would inform them of the execution, but maybe not. All she knew was that she had to see them again. At least once more before they were gone. And there was only one way to do it. The secret passageway down in the tunnels. She could passably recall the exact route Sixto took, though she was very liable to get lost in the tunnels. Should she solicit his help? He would definitely refuse. Not only refuse, but act against her wishes and try to hinder her from seeing them again. Therefore, Sixto could not know what she was up to. She’d have to venture back by herself. The question was: when?
