The Gray Institute (The Gray Institute Trilogy Book 1)

by Leanne Pearson

  Ka, terrified for his son, took Sekhem and hid him for years until Sekhem accidentally created another Immortal when interrupted whilst feeding.

  Now knowing how to create fellow Immortals, Sekhem became greedy, creating hundreds of us, unleashing hell on humanity. We ruled the world for over two thousand years, until only a few hundred humans remained.

  Menes Sekhem created a woman named only as Aed, who spotted the flaws in Sekhem's way of life, and the imminent extinction of humans.

  She gathered the other Immortals, now in their thousands, and convinced them that Menes Sekhem had to be controlled, his appetite curbed. They confined Sekhem, not in the sense of our Confine, but by literally holding him in confinement, surrounded by guards twenty four hours a day.

  Whilst Menes Sekhem served out his confinement, the human race was given time to repopulate, and Aed assumed control of the Immortals. She made a decision, one we have stuck to to this very day. She decided that Immortals and humans can not exist side by side. And as we have a far greater need for humans than they do us, she decided that we Immortals would step aside, allow humans to resume control of the world, and to create our own, keeping it hidden.

  Over time, humans forgot about our existence. They re-populated, and we continued to live in the shadows, our only way to remain at peace alongside human beings.

  Aed herself eventually tired of leadership, and chose her companion, Radha, to take her place. And so began the Auctoritas, with Radha as its head and Aed as second in command.

  Radha ruled for three thousand years until he met and changed Caruso Bejarano, eventually allowing him to succeed his reign. Radha remained second in command until Caruso changed his wife, Lalita, and so began the tradition of a male and female couple as the head Auctoritas, and a board of older, wiser ex-Auctoritas to advise their younger successors.'

  'What happened to the others? Aed and Radha? Menes Sekhem?' Logan asks.

  'Aed and Radha remain Auctoritas, they sit on 'The Board', as it's known; on hand to advise Sirus and his wife and second in command, Maya.

  Menes Sekhem remains in Confinement, as he has done for thousands of years. Many Immortals disagree with Sekhem's treatment, demanding that he be released and given another chance to re-join our society, but so far, no Auctorita has permitted it.

  The five hundred year rule began with Caruso stepping down for Sirus, as Sirus will step down in three hundred years time for his son, Malachy.'

  A hushed whisper makes it's way around the room as my fellow students realise the depth and importance of Malachy's role in our world. Previously regarded in their eyes as an annoying, self-indulgent and pompous student, treated far better than them and overly privileged, they now marvel at his family's history and the part he will play in theirs.

  'Where does Lucrezia fit in?' Tomos asks. I shudder at the mention of her name.

  'She is a back-up. In the event that Malachy breaks a law and needs to be Confined, Lucrezia will take his place. A system designed by Sirus.

  If Malachy remains a true and loyal Auctorita, his mate – whoever she may be – will become his second in command.' Will replies.

  'Now I get why Lucrezia's such a bitch.' Tomos sniggers behind me.

  'Moving on!' Will calls loudly. 'Maya Bathory, Sirus' wife and second in command. She has a certain amount of input as to our laws and practices, and she's often entrusted with important tasks such as the general running of the Confine.

  Aed, Radha, Caruso and Lalita make up The Board, and give advice to both Sirus and Maya whenever it's warranted. They also still have a certain amount of power, and most of Sirus' ideas and laws must be approved by them before they're put into practice.

  Surnames beginning with 'B' are an Auctorita tradition. Caruso was Spanish, and the first Auctorita to possess a surname. Lalita, a Swede, assumed it, and the Bejarano reign began.

  Sirus is Hungarian and a descendent of Elizabeth Bathory – a countess in the fifteen hundreds – and chose to keep his real family name instead of assuming Caruso's.

  When Sirus adopted Malachy, he changed his name to Beighley in order to keep the 'B' tradition, but to give Malachy his own identity.

  Caruso's reign is often regarded as the most significant so far. Our laws and regulations have come into effect over time, but were written for the first time during Caruso's reign. Caruso also commissioned the Confine, though many Immortals had been confined before its invention, Caruso actually designed it.

  He also commissioned the first of the Institutes, and built the others over time. It was Caruso who gave our own Sir Alec his position as headmaster.

  Malachy is the first of the Auctoritas to attend an Institute, on Sirus' orders.'

  There is silence as Will's lecture comes to an end, every student as baffled as the next. It seems our history is complex one, so Will writes a timeline on the board, indicating each individual Auctorita's reign and its length, what they did during their reign, and where they are now.

  He tells us that Ka, the first immortal, is a recluse and lives alone somewhere in the Alaskan mountains.

  He also tells us that Sirus took so long to choose his successor, that Malachy will only receive three hundred years of training, when he should receive five.

  'Are there any questions?' Will raises an eyebrow as Logan Marshall's hand shoots up.

  'Yeah, if we were around as early as the first humans, and we basically built their world for them, why the hell are we living in silence and shame? We should be running this world, not hiding in it.' He sounds indignant, as though he helped to build civilisation with his bare hands.

  Will smirks, his brown eyes fixed in a steely glare on Logan's angered face.

  'Continue with that frame of mind, Mr Marshall, and you will meet the same end as Menes Sekhem.'

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  For the first time in what feels like an age, my mind isn't filled with thoughts of Lorna Gray or Malachy Beighley, and it's a wonderful feeling. Will's lesson has made me think hard about the new world I find myself in, and about how much more I have to learn.

  The question of my Kind's history, of its government and its place within the world, hasn't even occurred to me until today – yet another thing I have Lorna, Sir Alec and Malachy to thank for.

  It also occurs to me that since my transformation, I've spent very little time testing out its advantages, finding out what it really means to be Immortal.

  My next timetabled lesson is Counselling, and just the thought of it sets my teeth on edge. How could I possibly put into words the events of the last few days, even if I wanted to tell Islwyn?

  I head, instead, for the grounds, the fresh air and the outdoors, away from my problems shut up behind these walls.

  To the right of the main entrance, a few hundred yards away, is a beautiful, well-tended hedge maze. A huge, square-shaped clutter of twists and turns, with blossoming flowers even in winter. I make for its entrance, excited by the prospect of escaping everybody, if only for an hour.

  Amongst the tall hedgerows, I'm invisible from the Institute's windows, alone with my thoughts – though I push them aside. I wade deeper into the maze, into the quiet and solitude.

  I stop beside an ornate standing vase, leaning up against its smooth stone. I take a deep, cleansing breath before positioning myself, one leg a step before the other, my back arched, shoulders tensed.

  Using every ounce of my strength, I push off from the floor and soar through the air. I jump right up to the top of the hedgerows, glimpsing the Institute beyond before falling slowly back down, landing with a thud on the balls of my feet.

  What almost feels like adrenalin surges through my body and I wrap my arms around the heavy standing vase, using my thighs and back muscles as leverage. With virtually no effort, I lift the vase off the ground, holding it high above my head, swaying it from side to side.

  Laughing, I set it back down, casting my eyes around for something else to lift, somewhere else to run, a higher height to
jump. Instead, they fall on the unwelcome sight of Malachy Beighley, watching me eerily through an opening in the hedge.

  I freeze, staring back at him as he steps towards me, his blue eyes mocking. I've amused him in some way and he stops a few feet before me, folding his arms across his chest, his blond hair billowing in the wind.

  'Having fun?' He asks in his nasal drawl. He's smirking, one eyebrow raised, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes.

  Now knowing the history of his family – the history of my Kind – and the important role he plays in all of our futures, I feel oddly intimidated by him.

  'I was.' I breathe, remembering my first day at the Institute; he had asked the very same question, and I had given the same reply. It feels like a lifetime has passed since that day.

  'I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut your playtime short,' He replies, eyeing me up and down. 'I need you to come with me.'

  'Why?' I frown, feeling an undeniable sense of dread creep into my chest.

  'You cut class, Eve. Islwyn was worried about you, he had to inform Sir Alec. Come on.' He demands, gesturing for me to follow his lead.

  'I cut Counselling,' I protest. 'Surely Counselling isn't beneficial to my education? It's just me babbling on about feelings and emotions. It should be optional.'

  'Maybe, if you were five hundred years old, knew our world inside out and were the head of Institute. As it stands however, you're not, and the same rules that apply to everyone else, also apply to you.' Malachy's tone is cold and brisk and I feel a stabbing sensation where my heart used to beat.

  I offended him last night, I know that. I spoke out of turn about things I ought not to – again. But surely he realises that everything I said was for a reason? Is he really that angry that I contemplated helping Lorna Gray?

  'Malachy, stop talking like that. What's wrong with you?' I frown, all the more confused as he bursts into laughter.

  'I'll talk to you however I please and I'm ordering you to come with me.' His eyes burn bright in the white light of day, and I feel my legs move of their own accord. I step towards him, glaring at him through the blackness of my hair.

  'You promised me!' I hiss, fighting against his power, willing my feet to halt. His eyes widen and he shakes his head slightly. My legs continue to force me forward, dragging me to Malachy's side.

  'You promised me you wouldn't...'

  'Shut up!' He hisses, so low that I struggle to hear him. I frown, watching his eyes slide ever so slightly to the right. I follow his gaze, and almost yell in shock when I spot Lucrezia, leaning casually against the entrance sign.

  'Morning, Ryder,' She drawls, a smirk plastered on her face. 'If you wanted to cut class, perhaps you should have picked a subtler way to do it than jumping thirty feet in broad daylight in full view of Islwyn's office.' She smiles sarcastically, her blue eyes dancing with pleasure as Malachy grips my bicep, steering me forward.

  'Let's go.' He mutters, practically dragging me across the grounds. I eye Lucrezia with disgust, wondering how on Earth she managed to stand less than two feet from me without my sensing her presence. Malachy keeps his eyes down, his attention focussed on bringing me in.

  'Skipping class for the second time in a week,' Lucrezia tuts, shaking her head. 'I doubt Sir Alec will let you off this time, without the excuse of Lorna Gray.'

  I remember my truancy just yesterday, when I took Lorna to the cliff's edge. I should have known that it wouldn't go unnoticed and, as usual, I'd misinterpreted Sir Alec's reasoning for letting me off.

  I enter the Institute, Malachy and Lucrezia flanking me like police officers, ushering me into the lift and up to Sir Alec's floor. The corridor is empty, as always, the only presence the guard stationed outside Sir Alec's door. He announces our arrival, stepping aside to let me through.

  'Good luck.' Lucrezia hisses menacingly in my ear. Malachy says nothing and won't look at me. I'm not sure if I'm pleased about this or not. Half of me is silently begging him for help, the other half detesting him for his treachery.

  I break free of his hold and force myself through the door into Sir Alec's office. He's stationed in his usual chair behind his desk. Another figure sits opposite him, his curly dark hair masking his face.

  'Sir Alec,' I nod at the grey haired man who glares at me wordlessly. 'Islwyn.' I snarl his name, and his shoulders tense. I know I'm being unreasonable – Islwyn was only doing his job – but all the same, it's his fault I've been embarrassed in front of Lucrezia.

  'Thank you, Islwyn, you may leave us now.' Sir Alec's tone is calm and friendly as he addresses my Counsellor. Islwyn nods once, standing and buttoning his faded, brown jacket before reluctantly turning to meet my eyes. He stares apologetically at me for a few moments, a silent message passing between us in which he apologises and I forgive him.

  In a second, he's gone, the heavy oak doors closing behind him, and I'm alone with Sir Alec, fidgeting awkwardly.

  'Have a seat.' Sir Alec commands. I take Islwyn's vacated chair and choose to look everywhere but at Sir Alec.

  The clock ticks loudly from the corner of the room, a full thirty seconds of strained silence passing as I try to decide whether to speak or not. Sir Alec clears his throat, flexing his fingers and linking them together, resting his chin atop them as he props his elbows on his desk.

  'Eve Ryder,' He shakes his head slowly, fixing his gaze on me. 'What am I to do with you?' He asks. I refrain from replying, though I have many answers.

  'Why did you fail to attend your Counselling session today?' He asks. I fidget in my chair, wondering if I should reply. 'Are you unhappy here?' He presses, raising a dark eyebrow. 'Are you rebelling against the Institute? Against me?' He asks.

  'No.' I reply quickly. He nods.

  'You skipped class yesterday too. Is this becoming a pattern?'

  'No, sir. I was with Lor... your daughter yesterday.' I correct myself.

  'Indeed you were, but she's not the reason you cut class. You went into the grounds on your own, Lorna just happened to meet you there.'

  I squirm uncomfortably, wondering how much Sir Alec knows of my movements over the past few days. He seems to see everything. Can Malachy and I really have gone so undetected?

  'Are you finding your transformation overwhelming?' He asks and I hesitate.

  'It's not my transformation I find overwhelming, Sir.' I reply truthfully. He raises his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair.

  'Then what is it?' He asks, feigning concern. The seconds tick by on the clock as I struggle, torn between telling Sir Alec the truth and getting my punishment over with swiftly, or lying to save my skin for just a little while longer.

  'Is your... friendship with Malachy Beighley what's been bothering you?' He asks and I feel my heart leap into my throat. Panic washes over me, a hot, prickly sensation creeping from my hairline to my knees.

  How could I be so stupid? How could I truly believe that Malachy and I had gone unnoticed?

  'Sir... I – ' I stammer, feeling an irresistible urge to turn and run.

  'Please, Miss Ryder,' Sir Alec shakes his head and to my surprise, chuckles. I frown, my breath catching in my throat.

  'What Mr Beighley does in his spare time is no business of mine.' He raises an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips. 'Who he chooses to befriend is entirely up to him. He is, after all, my future Auctorita too.

  However, I am concerned for you if your friendship with him is affecting your education and indeed, interfering with the task I've set you. Though as I understand it, Mr Beighley is aiding you in that, which I couldn't be more pleased about.'

  'You know?' I gasp, forgetting myself for an instant.

  'Of course. I'm very appreciative of it. Whatever it takes to convince Lorna as soon as possible. Her transformation is less than four weeks away,' He reminds me of what I already know.

  'It was a very clever move of his, advising you to take her to the cliff's edge. She's not supposed to leave her quarters but she does so on a daily basis. I can't seem to stop her
roaming the corridors. But she's usually easy to find, perched on that window ledge, staring endlessly at that God forsaken rock.

  I assume she told you about her mother?' His eyes slide sideways, his jaw clenching.

  'It's the only thing that ever stirs emotion in her. When I saw her yesterday, clinging to you above the rocks, I knew exactly what she'd told you.' He shakes his head and I feel a faint sensation come over me. I wonder for a moment if it's possible for me to pass out.

  'Now you know why she despises me.' He sighs, standing up and heading over to the window, gazing down thoughtfully at the sea below.

  'I spared her because she looks so much like her mother,' He speaks after a very long silence, his voice soft and sad. 'No matter what Lorna says, I loved Marcheline. More than life itself. So much so that I couldn't bear to be without her. But she disobeyed me, she disobeyed Sirus and she put Lorna's life in danger.

  I couldn't kill her.' He shakes his head, speaking of Lorna. 'I just couldn't do it.'

  I fold my legs self-consciously over one another, wringing my hands.