by Jemma Grey
“You don't have to wear any tonight, you look lovely just the way you are but if you want to that’s fine. The choice is up to you, really. I just wanted to give them to you so you know you’re important to us. I should go now, before Kate finds out I'm not dressed yet,” he smiled gently and walked out of the room.
When he shut the door behind him, I looked at the five open cases lying on the bed. There were chains and earring sets, necklaces, hand bands, all either gold or diamonds. I turned away from the cases thinking about what Eric's dad had said.
To them, I was family. They all cared for me already and as impossible as it was, I cared for them too; Christy and her angelic smile, Mrs. Wilson and her gentle, charming soul, Dr. Wilson and his goofy, awkwardness, and Eric, above all kind and charming Eric, who loved me knowing I loved another. I was so confused. What was I doing? Could I continue not taking my meds and hurt these people?
When Eric came back into the room, I was still sitting on the bed debating this. I didn't know what to do. “Okay?” he asked and I nodded closing each case. Just as I was about to snap the last case shut one of the chains caught my eyes. It was extremely thin, simple silver, delicate chain. The pendant was black though, a black widow spider. I pulled it out and shut the last case.
“Eric,” I began, staring at the pendant on the palm of my hand. “What does the black widow mean?” He sat down on the bed at my side and instantly, the almost painful need to be close to him eased.
“The what?” he asked.
“The spider, it's everywhere. It's engraved on the front doors, it's on the fountain out front and it's printed into the invitation.” I held up the chain for him to see. “What does it mean?”
“It's the family's sigil,” he explained looking at me. I turned away from him staring at the spider dangling on the chain.
“So it's kinda like a family crest... Strange...” I wondered, my eyes never leaving the chain. “Ever since I could remember I've had a fascination with these spiders and it just happens to be a representation of your family...” I looked up facing him now, giving him a chance to explain if he wanted to. I refused to believe that this was coincidence.
Eric's only response was a half hearted shrug as he took the chain from my fingers and began to put it on me. “Why do you like them?” I knew he was straying from the subject, but tonight I didn't want to fight with him.
“They're...” I struggled looking for the right words, “beautiful... and deadly at the same time. Their perfection and beauty draws you in but when they ne ed to, they don't hesitate to strike.” Eric stared at me in silence, as if I had figured out some deep, dark, ancient secret.
The silence dragged on and just as I was about to break it Eric stood up, holding out his hand to me. “Ready?” he asked as I walked over to the mirror and took one last look at myself. Now I had on two chains and they looked weird together. One needed to come off.
One was the spider chain and the other was a long, sliver chain that went under the dress hiding what it was supposed to. I pulled that one out, feeling the ring under the dress slide up my belly and then into the open. I lifted the chain over my head staring at the first engagement ring I’d ever gotten. It wasn’t lavish or overly flashy. It was just a plain sliver band but worth more than I could ever explain.
I dropped the ring and chain on the bed with the rest of the jewelry and then walked over to Eric taking his hand, allowing him to lead me out of the room and down the long corridor towards the main staircase. Already I could hear soft music and mindless, dull chatter coming from downstairs. I took a deep breath trying to steady myself. We were out of the hallway now and I was standing just beyond the balcony, gazing down at the tiny sea of people under me. One step closer and they could gaze up and see me.
“Are you ready?” Eric asked again.
“No,” I shook my head, not looking at him. I planted my feet firmly to the ground. “It sounds like a lot of people are down there,” I commented.
“Yes,” he said and I looked to him at my side. “There are over four hundred and we're expecting more.” I swallowed.
It took me a minute to find my voice. “How do they all fit?”
“My mom had some of the walls taken out this morning, except those that separates the kitchen. Now it’s all one big ballroom.”
“What?” I wondered. He’d said it as if taking down some walls were no problem at all.
“The ground floor was built with this in mind. It’s easy to take down and put back up,” he shrugged as if they took down the walls every other day. Then again, the Wilsons weren’t exactly an average family so maybe they did.
I took a deep breath. “Shall we?” I asked before I could give myself the chance to back out.
We stepped onto the staircase and began slowly making our way down, mostly because I was afraid I'd trip and fall, making a complete and utter ass of myself. “Eric,” I whispered facing him. “Thank you... for staying with me tonight... It helps to know that tonight is about you too.”
“About that,” he muttered smiling at me. “This isn't for me. No matter what the invitation says, everyone is here for only one purpose, to meet you.” I made a move to pull my hand away from him and stop, but instead of letting me go, he grasped my hand even tighter dragging me along.
“But you said-” I began staring at him, horrified.
“I lied,” he smiled unashamed and suddenly stopped at the end of the staircase. I ordered my eyes away from Eric looking at the entire floor filled with people. All staring at me, and I suddenly felt like I was drowning. My heart kicked off so strongly and with such force that I could hear my ribcage practically breaking under the pressure of containing it.
Then something amazing and downright scary happened. Almost as if everyone in the room had practiced before, they all bowed in unison, each w ith the same gentle, graceful movement in perfect harmony and timing.
Confused, I frowned wondering why they were bowing and to whom, because it certainly couldn't be me. I leaned into Eric, my voice a hushed whisper. “You aren't by chance related to the royal family,” I paused for a minute considering the thought, “right? I mean, you aren't... right?”
My mind was racing. If Eric was of noble blood that would explain a lot, like this castle he called home and why his family had a crest. Normal rich people didn't wake up one day and decided their family was so special they needed a sigil. “Oh God,” I muttered, my breathing uneven.
“You may all rise,” Eric said to the crowd, instead of answering me. I forced myself to look away from him and focus on something else, something unimportant.
The entire floor was decorated. Everything was beautiful, there were hundreds of flowers and lights hanging from everywhere. Purple and gold thick drapes hung from the window, though they were carefully gathered to each side of the windows, allowing a clear view of the night's sky. Being here felt unreal, like I had been shoved into a fairytale world and at any moment I would wake up.
Just then Eric released my hand and I looked up to him watching as he took two glasses with what I guessed held wine from a tray a waiter was holding at his side. He offered me one and I took it gratefully. Alcohol was essential if I wanted to survive tonight.
Eric then turned back to the crowd in front of us, smiling charmingly. “Hello everyone,” he began, “I'd like to present to you Miss Jenifer Kate Carson, my intended.” He said the words with warmth and pride, as if he was showing off his most precious possession. I turned and saw him smiling down at me, his face echoing everything I'd heard in his voice and more. “I would also like to thank you all for coming. I know that for most of you the journey has been long and terrible, so on behalf of my family and I, I thank you all for celebrating this wonderful event with us.” He was still smiling at me. Even though he wasn't speaking to me his eyes never left my face. “So,” he mused turning to the crowd finally, “let’s celebrate,” he cheered and the room was suddenly filled with laughter and clapping.
Th
roughout the night I was introduced to what felt like everyone in the room, and there were hundreds of guests. Even though Eric never left my side, he only got just enough attention as was respectful while I was the centre of it. Everyone wanted to meet me for some reason that I didn't understand, and they all treated with me with so much respect and formality you'd think I was royalty too.
For the entire night compliments and congratulations followed us. They all said nice things about me, that I was lovely and beautiful. That Eric was lucky, and we were perfectly suited for each other. Soon I began to get tired of it all. They were all fake and pretentious. There smiles were too sweet, hugs to warm. They were just too friendly. Another thing that I noticed they all shared was the same beauty and elegance. Every man, woman and child had features of Gods and Goddess' that couldn't be obtained by makeup. They all moved fluidly and smoothly, so graceful it was like being in an anime world.
There was one person that stood out though, a boy named Jason. Before Eric could introduce us properly, he snatched me up in a bear hug, lifting me of the ground. “Friend-in-law!” he cheered excitedly.
“Hi,” I frowned back awkwardly. He released me and then stepped back looking at me.
“I'm Jason. I'm his-”
“Friend,” I said, already taking an instant liking to him. In the sea of graceful, pretentious Gods, he was the only real person.
“So Jen, I can call you Jen, right?” he asked and at my side Eric let out a low groan. When I nodded, Jason continued. “Eric’s never mentioned how familiar you looked,” he frowned.
“Familiar,” I mused, “to who?”
“My first wife,” he smiled.
“Really?” I frowned at him. “Wait,” my frown deepened, “how many wives have you had?”
“He’s never been married, Jen,” Eric said dryly, glaring at him. It took me a minute to realize that Jason was flirting with me, and when I did, I burst out giggling. “Jen, don’t encourage him,” Eric frowned.
“Cool,” I grinned, “got anymore pick-up lines?” I asked, enjoying having a carefree, fun conversation that I didn’t have to think about.
Jason turned to Eric now. “Eric, I like-” His voice suddenly dropped and I realized that the entire room had gone silent and cold.
Everyone was staring at us, eyes all bugged out and mouths hanging open. A horrified, shocked expression plastered each face as they stared at the three of us and it if felt me wondering what was happening. Why was everyone staring at us as if we suddenly didn't belong?
Slowly and in a chain link manner the crowd began to bow again. This time it wasn't as before, instead it was more of a regaining composure gesture. At first one bowed and the rest simply followed. Jason slowly turned and was the last to do the same. It was then that I caught on. They weren't bowing to us; they were bowing to what was behind us. Immediately I turned and in that instant Eric was at my side, one of his hands wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him, protectively.
At first all I saw was a hooded girl standing just beyond the door frame. She had on a loosely fitting, black Chinese cloak, with gold and dark red patterns that consisted of lines crisscrossing each other at the ends. She was almost as tiny as I was, with my height and size, but with the cloak it was difficult to tell.
“Katalin,” Eric swallowed at my side, his hands tightening around me. “Please,” he paused, “come in.” His voice held a tense and hard edge to it, and I got the feeling that he didn't like her much; he simply had to put up with her.
A slow, amused smile spread across the girl's lips as she crossed the threshold, gracefully gliding into the house. Two things happened inside me then, two things that I couldn't comprehend yet trusted as if my life depended on it.
The moment the girl stepped into the house, a dark, icy feeling washed through me. I felt myself shiver and the need to get away took root in me. I felt cold and alone, like death had suddenly stormed into the room, and something deep inside me awakened, urgent and loud, shouting warnings and sounding alarms in my head. It was screaming at me that I should run, that I was in danger and should get away while I could. My legs began to move on their own backing away, but Eric's hand was hard around me and I couldn't retreat. He wouldn't allow me to.
The girl, Katalin, glided to us and the closer she got the more prominent the warnings going off in my head became. For the first time in my life, I wanted to tuck my tail between my legs, accept defeat and run away, and the girl hadn't done anything to me.
As she got closer I realized she didn't have a hood on. What I had mistaken for a hood was her long, waistlength, jet black straight hair. She had dark eyes that seemed ageless, blank and focused at the same time. She was beautiful in a way I couldn't describe. She was even more gorgeous than Eric and his family. Eric's drop dead, god-like beauty was a pale comparison to hers. Even in my complete and utter fear of her, I was drawn in by her beauty and absolute perfection.
“Eric,” she said stopping in front of us. Her voice was like everything else about her, sweet and innocent yet dangerous. It took all of the control I had in me not to stamp on Eric's foot and run away.
“Katalin, welcome,” Eric said serious and calculating. “This is Jenifer Kate Carson.”
Her eyes moved to me for a brief moment and then back to Eric. “Pleasure I'm sure,” she dismissed me, already deeming me unimportant and unworthy. “But I'm here under orders.” The way she spoke it was as if she had been pulled out of another time, an older time where women were still in dresses. She also had an accent; one that I'd heard before but couldn't place. Her eyes flickered to me and I shivered. “We need to speak.”
Eric nodded and glanced around the room at his guests, which were all still kneeling. Then his eyes settled on me. “Jason, Jen is in your-”
“The girl comes as well,” Katalin interrupted, and turned away from him before he could say anything.
“She doesn't know-” Eric began.
“I said she comes as well.” Her voice was gentle yet held authority. Without waiting for Eric to say anything more she walked away from us and disappeared up the stairs. As soon as she was gone, time unfroze and the room was suddenly a mess of noise and movement.
“We've been expecting this, Eric,” Dr. Wilson said, suddenly at our side with his wife.
“I know,” was Eric's only reply. I was confused. I had no idea what they were talking about, and I didn't try to figure it out either. I knew I was missing a piece of the equation, perhaps the most important piece and without it nothing else made sense.
Eric took my hand and I forced myself to look at him. “You should go, you shouldn't keep her waiting. We'll take care of things here,” Dr. Wilson whispered. Eric nodded and began leading me up the stairs. I forced myself to walk even though there was a voice screaming in my head that we were willingly walking to our deaths. He stopped in front of a closed door, kissing my forehead as he always did, only this time I felt different.
8
Slowly Eric opened the door, then seconds later we were standing in Dr. Wilson's study - a huge room, filled with bookshelves that were stacked neatly. There was also a wooden desk and chair at the back and a huge comfortable looking couch set in the middle. The minute the door clicked shut behind us tension stuck to my skin, easing into my bones. Awkward silence hung in the air loudly like a thick blanket of fog that made me feel stiff and frozen. It was all I could do not to turn around and run from the room. As the silence dragged on, never ending, Eric and Katalin held their stance, doing nothing but staring at each other. Eric's hand remained wrapped around my own though and for that I was beyond grateful.
“Why are you here, Katalin?” Eric finally burst out after what seemed like forever. His voice shattered the silence and I felt my breathing stop at once. At any given moment Katalin would become angry at Eric. She wasn't used to being questioned. I didn't know how I knew, but I did with every bone in my body and I stood there absolutely still, waiting for her anger.
It did
n't come. Instead all she said was, “Orders.” Her smile was sweet yet dangerous. She reminded me of a rose, beautiful yet capable of wounding. Katalin seemed so simple, gentle and beyond perfection. She was filled with elegance and grace, I could see it in her movements, the way she spoke and carried herself. It was in everything she did yet at the same time, she was also hard and sharp like a thorn.
She began making her way to the desk at the back of the room, sitting down on the chair, gracefully, as though she was floating. “Jenifer,” she said smiling, her dark eyes shifting to me. “Come here,” she ordered. I looked to Eric and after a short calculating moment he nodded. I wasn't sure if he agreed because he had no other choice or he trusted Katalin not to hurt me.
Slowly and hesitantly, I pulled my hand from Eric's and began walking to the desk, calculating each step I took carefully. As I closed the distance between us she opened the top drawer at the side of the desk and got out five small glass vials, resting each, one at a time on the wooden desktop in a perfectly straight line. A ruby red liquid shone from the vials.
“Do you truly wish to die?” she asked politely as if we were talking about the weather. “Because if death is what you wish, it can be arranged.”
“Katalin, what-” Eric began at my back. I didn't turn to him; my eyes were stuck to Katalin.
“Be silent, Eric,” she commanded sternly, her eyes flashing to him for a split second. “Now answer my question,” she said and turned back to me.
I didn't know what to say. How could she know already, after only spending less than five minutes in the same room with me? “Jenifer,” she smiled warmly, “please answer my question, I would like to return home soon.”
