by S. S. Engle
“Not every man wants what every other man’s already been with.”
“Well I won’t have been with every man until I’ve been with you.”
“Why don’t you just drag some other polluted sucker up here to keep you busy. I have to go.”
“Another time then Lucky.”
Natasha stumbled her way downstairs until she met up with Silas. All the Ringers were at the party tonight, and Silas being as thin as he was one of the first to be inebriated. Natasha was an alcoholic, so it took her more than the average person for her to feel much of anything at all. With Silas leaning up against the wall for support his eyes had trouble focusing in on her, he was seeing three of her floating around in front of him. But to get Natasha’s attention at a party, he was still conscious enough to know what could be in store for him. He slid his hand across the wall and tripped over until his hand stopped at her shoulder. It wasn’t the smoothest of moves, but Silas was alright with that. She stood two steps above him to be eye to eye with him, or as best as she could focus in. He was bobbling his head back and forth just to try and stay steady. She was going to have to keep this simple in order to get her message across. She gripped his collar tight and pulled him in close so she could speak right into his ear.
“Tell Asa we have company.”
“It’s a party! There’s company all every where.”
“Tell him Lucky is here.”
“Am I lucky?”
“No! Tell Asa that Lucky Ventimiglia is here.”
“Ventilation? I no want to go outside. The rain is out there.”
“Tell Asa that Lucky is here damn it!”
“Natasha is angry.”
“Yes I am! Now go Silas!”
“Right away.”
“Silas.”
“What?”
“Asa is that way.”
“I knew that!”
Meanwhile as Natasha and Silas were wrapping up their conversation, Harlan had found Kassidy upstairs, peering through the wooden slats on the balcony. He crawled down next to her on the floor so as not to alarm her, but he didn’t quite accomplish that. His sneaking wasn’t always the best. Tonight he was trying to do it in squeaky pointy shoes that were too big for him and a top hat. Kassidy laughed off her surprise and nudged her shoulder into his. He wanted to know what she was doing there, and without hesitation she indulged the entire night’s plan. She had to get up to Asa’s office to find her father’s spyglass before Luca did. She would need the leverage over him. As she was detailing her adventures and aspirations further and further she could see Harlan’s face hardening. She realized she was saying Luca’s name a lot, and Harlan wasn’t fond of the Dreadcrank leader. In an effort to smooth things over and not lose anymore time she asked him for help, though she didn’t it, and he was more than eager to spend more time with his old friend.
“Will you help me get to your brother’s office before Luca?”
“Of c-c-course I w-w-will. I’m just h-h-happy to h-h-help. For a sec-c-c-ond there I was worr-rr-ied that you and Luca w-w-were a c-c-c-…”
“No. Not even close. Let me put your mind at ease Harley. Luca is a jerk alright? I know this. He’s a gang leader who can’t be trusted across the street. I just need what he knows right now is all. He can help me and I can help him. Once that’s over, we’ll part ways.”
“Y-y-you promise?”
“Just get me to that office.”
“F-f-follow me.”
Harlan gripped Kassidy’s hand and ran down the hallway with her in tow. They snuck around the columns and tables in the halls and ducked into various rooms full of priceless artifacts. None of which belonged to Asa, but he had somehow come to acquire them in Kassidy’s long unforeseen absence from the city. On their way up to the fourth floor they ran into Natasha on the third floor, but thankfully they stopped short of her seeing them. Kassidy pulled the pair into an open room, but her wet boots slipped up on the smooth wooden floors and she tripped. Harlan was too far away to catch her, but it was alright because she caught hold of a gaudy, oversized picture frame that stopped her mid fall. Until the picture slipped off the wall Kassidy thought she’d gotten lucky. She ended up landing on the shattered glass as it sprayed out across the floor. Natasha was sure to hear to that, so grabbing Kassidy up off the floor Harlan took hold of the situation again and got Kassidy up to the fourth floor with renewed purpose. Her hand was bleeding, leaving drops all along the floor behind her, but she was more worried about the shard sticking out of her palm to worry about any of the blood. Kassidy pulled back against Harlan to remove the glass and tossed it into a potted plant before running into Luca. He’d made it to the office but couldn’t get inside because it was locked. Harlan protected Kassidy behind him as she stepped forward, causing him to walk up to the door and approach a silent Luca. He wasn’t pleased to see Kassidy seeking help from the younger O’Brien only minutes after he had left her. Behind Harlan’s back the two exchanged disgusted glances with each other then pushed themselves through the doorway. Kassidy was busy looking for places big enough to store the spyglass, but Luca was momentarily removed. He had blood smeared across his arm, and he knew he wasn’t bleeding.
“Harlan, do me a favor and stand at the door, Make yourself useful for once and let us know if your brother or a Ringer comes down the hallway.”
“I don’t take orders from you!”
“Harlan please?”
“Alr-r-right Kass.”
“Thank you!”
“Hey sweetheart, mind telling me what all the blood pouring out of your hand is from? I leave you for two minutes and look at yourself!”
“I’m fine. We need to find that spyglass.”
“We are most certainly not fine. You’ve left a blood trail all the way here I bet. Somebody will be here soon. Come here.”
“Luca I swear, I’m fine.”
“I’m more stubborn than you are.”
“No you’re not.”
“Maybe you’re right. But come here anyways.”
“Why?”
Luca held his white gloved hand out, it was muddy and soaked from their run in the rain still. She put her bleeding hand next to it, not wanting to stain his glove any further. It was clear he didn’t care about any of that. He grabbed her hand gently and let her blood soak into his glove like it didn’t even matter. He pulled his shirt out of his belt and ripped a strip off with his fake arm. The sharp and jagged gears had many uses she coming to learn about. Between his gloved hand and his teeth Luca tied the makeshift bandage around Kassidy’s hand, and slowed the bleeding down considerably. He held her hand in his own for a few seconds until Harlan cleared his throat behind them, bothered by the closeness, and the two quickly parted ways. As Kassidy resumed searching she bit her bottom lip at Luca’s craftiness. She felt guilty now for badmouthing him just a few minutes ago for Harlan’s benefit. Even though it’d be easier to accept that Luca was a bad man, she couldn’t really get herself to accept that just yet. But if Harlan didn’t trust him, there had to be ample reasoning behind that decision. Harlan wouldn’t lie to Kassidy, she knew he wouldn’t. She had to take her oldest and most dearest friend’s actions into consideration as well. Kassidy was useless and distracted now stuck up inside her head. She was mindlessly opening and closing drawers without really looking into them, and then Luca slammed a drawer shut and she whipped around.
“Found it!”
“Good, because the Fox is on his way. He just rounded the corner of the hallway.”
Harlan looked over at Kassidy who looked over at Luca who looked back at Harlan. The three were trapped with no window or other door to make an escape out of. One person could have hid under the desk, but what about the other two? None of them had thought their plan this far through. Kassidy ran over to Luca now, causing Harlan to meet them and abandon his post at the door. As the guys were panicking she was getting lost in her memories. The spyglass looked so much smaller now than she remembered from when she was a l
ittle girl. It was still as rusty and nasty as she knew it to be, but there it was. After all these years, she still recognized it. The detailed carvings all around the edges of the spyglass were more impressive than she remembered. Luca had pushed it closed to it’s smallest from now and was about ready to shove it into his pocket when Kassidy reached out for it.
Both of the guys took a half step back at her sudden jump in action. She looked up at them, but without fully knowing what she was doing she kept quiet. She reverted back instinctually to her Pyrette Queen mode, a character she was used to portraying alone, and just acted on her feet. She stuffed the spyglass into her thigh sheath, stuck her dagger in her boot, picked up a magnet off the bookshelf nearby being used as a paperweight and slammed it up against Asa’s metal desk and Luca’s arm. Harlan cracked a faint smile but he was still panicking and beginning to tremble.
“Uh, sweetheart, what the hell are you doing?”
“You can’t be found with the spyglass. All of this will have been wasted.”
“But why’d you trap me on the table?! Let me go!”
“I can’t do that Luca. I’m sorry. But I’m only doing this because I know if I didn’t do it first you would have just done it to me when you got the chance.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t have. But seeing as how you feel that way then go, and take this dirty O’Brien with you.”
“Luca…”
“GO! I guess I know what you’ve decided now.”
“K-k-kass come o-o-n! W-we have to g-g-g-o now!”
“Yeah come on sweetheart. You have to go now. Listen to your O’Brien.”
“He’s not my O’Brien!”
“Could have fooled me! But then again what do I know? I’m just the man stuck to a desk. Go! You have the spyglass now. You don’t need me. GO!”
10
Time was of the essence. Harlan held out his hand for Kassidy to take but her hands were already full. She pulled her dress back to reveal and empty thigh sheath on her right leg which was previously hidden. She tucked the spyglass in it and put her dress back over her leg and wrapped it close so when she ran it wouldn’t be exposed. Harlan was still holding his hand out for her to take but she couldn’t get herself to do it. She made one last look at Luca standing still as stone bent over the metal desk with his arm firmly trapped by the magnet she’d placed there. He looked so disappointed in her. He wasn’t even angry, but she way. She screwed her face all up and scowled as she followed Harlan out into the hallway. Silas was yelling at them to stop but both of them could tell he was too drunk to even try chasing after them. They were just beginning to descend the stairs when Natasha screamed out for them to stop. For some reason Kassidy listened. Harlan took a few more steps before realizing Kassidy had stopped. He looked up at her confused and she just shook her head. If she ran she could’ve made it out, probably. But she’d been back in Engia for a few days now, she might as well just speak with Asa now and get it over with.
Kassidy went back into the hallway. By now Asa and Natasha had closed the distance between herself and Harlan. Harlan cowered behind Kassidy as his brother drew closer, but he knew he couldn’t evade his punishment later on. For now he’d settle for the social postponement. Natasha was arm in arm with Asa until Asa stopped walking within feet of Kassidy. She was smug until Asa dropped her arm like it burned his skin. She was put out and Kassidy smiled to herself. Natasha squinted her eyes at Kassidy, reached for Asa’s arm again and was pushed back this time. Kassidy raised her eyebrows after observing the awkwardness between Engia’s supposedly happiest couple. They were surely the most powerful. Harlan began tugging on the back of Kassidy’s dress but she just nudged him away. Asa scoffed at his younger brother’s failed advances and pleas. He was tired of entertaining and wanted a change of pace.
“Natasha dear.”
“Yes Asa?”
“Take my brother down to the party for me will you? He must have gotten lost and thought he belonged up here.”
“Of course Asa. Right away. I’ll be back as soon as I can to help you deal with…her.”
“That won’t be necessary. I think Kassidy and I need to speak alone for a little while.”
“But…”
“Natasha!”
“We’re going.”
Asa ushered Kassidy into his office, pretending that Luca was not awkwardly trapped to his desk. After her reluctance Asa yanked Kassidy into the office forcefully by grabbing her burn on her arm and throwing her inside. Kassidy regained her balance quickly and pushed her hair out of her face to reclaim her composure. Everything was always a game with Asa. He wanted to et reactions out of people, and it frustrate him if he couldn’t get what he wanted. He was always handed anything he wanted, or anyone. He locked the office and placed the key in his pocket on the inside of long black jacket with tails. Proceeding to make himself comfortable he removed his top hat, slid it across his desk until it hit Luca’s arm and chuckled. He had light blonde hair, and was running his fingers through it, but Kassidy was disinterested. Now he was beginning to unbutton his jacket, slowly slid it off his arms, and tossed it behind him. It landed perfectly on Luca, who was quick to keep his tongue but threw the jacket on the floor behind him. There was nothing else he could do. Kassidy was too far away to pull the magnet off, and he was way too stuck to pull himself away. Asa snapped his fingers and pulled her attention back to himself. He was walking up close to her, and backed her up into a wall full of certificates and titles he had so graciously bestowed upon himself over the years. When she hit the wall she sighed, realizing how trapped she was now. Luca began yanking at his arm violently now, tossing some of Asa’s belonging off the desk in the process. Asa didn’t honor Luca by turning around, but instead laughed and leaned up against the wall so as to hover over Kassidy. He began wrapping his fingers up in her hair and twirling it around. But when he leaned in to bury his face in her neck, and drug his hands down her striped corset, she head butted him and he reared back. Luca snickered as Kassidy had managed to best Asa, even if only slightly.
“You shouldn’t put your hands in places they don’t belong Asa.”
“You don’t get to tell me where I can or cannot put my hands!”
“The hell I can’t! My body, my choice!”
“You have no authority over me! I own Engia, and everything in it!”
“You don’t own me!”
“You’re in Engia, therefore I do!”
“You can’t own people! And even if you could, you’d never own me.”
“What I want is law.”
“I’m a Pyrette haven’t you heard? I can find a way around any law.”
“You’re as clever as the devil and twice as pretty aren’t you?”
“Let me go Asa!”
“Why would I do that when I’ve just gotten a hold of you? Surely no man would be so stupid as to let you walk away from them willingly?”
“Don’t touch me!”
“Such an unfortunate mistake.”
“Get your hand off my face!”
“Such a shame to scar something so pretty.”
“Remove your hand Asa!”
“Or what? Will you send Lucky after me? Like I’m afraid of a one armed man. A Dreadcrank of all people! Honestly Kassidy, you couldn’t have found anybody worse.”
“I didn’t find him! Now let me go!”
“Or what?”
“I’ll scream. I’ll scream so loud everyone downstairs will hear me and notice that you’re missing. They’ll come looking for you. And what will they think when they find you in here with me? I could ruin your reputation.”
“How sweet. You’re worried about my reputation. I’m untouchable here Kassidy. Don’t you understand that? I can do anyone I want and get away with it.”
“Don’t you mean you can do anything you want?”
“Yeah, that too. It’s great being me.”
“What do you want with me? You can have any woman you want. I’m sure Natasha would be more than
willing to do anything you asked her to. Poor girl is so infatuated with you she can’t even see straight.”
“But I don’t want Natasha. I want you.”
“But I don’t want you.”
“But I don’t care what you want. It’s taken me years Kassidy, years, to find a way to live my life without you in it. And when I found out you were back in Engia and didn’t even come to see me, I was heartbroken.”
“Oh please!”
“Truly I was. I didn’t know what to do with myself when you were gone, but try to find ways to pass the time until you returned. And now you’re back, you’re here, you’re in my arms, and I find myself still not knowing what to do…first.”
