by Leyton, Bisi
“Since when have you two been friends?” Bach scanned them suspiciously. “Since when have you two sat down and discussed my life?”
Lluc scowled at Enric. “He was just being loyal. Misguided but loyal, and right now, he is the only person aside from you with whom I can actually talk to about your condition.”
“I know that you allowed the Terran to distract you because you were uncertain about my father giving you his blessing concerning Alba, as no one is ever good enough for her. But it has been agreed and now you can let go of this thing,” Enric explained. “Lluc explained this was why you had exiled yourself here because you were frustrated. So, I did not say anything to my father to stop him from accepting the Sen’s offer.”
“I see.” Calmly Bach rose to his feet. “And you really think this is what Alba wants?”
“I know my sister better than she knows herself. She will not have an issue with this. Do not worry.” Enric sighed, seemingly dejected at the notion. “We are not forcing her into this.”
No, you are forcing me, Bach thought.
There was a loud crash from the window and Enric raced to see what happened. “There is someone out there.” In seconds, he was out of the door.
“I cannot believe the Sen would do this.” Bach groaned. “We had agreed to discuss this once I completed my 1000 days.”
“While he was recovering from his injury, apparently our father decided he could not die with rumors floating around that his youngest son had a free Terran somewhere. He sent for the Lord of Jarthan and demanded your pledge to Alba.”
“You told him, Lluc?”
“No, but I swore to him that you would go through with the pledge.”
“Swore—”
“Yordi and I both swore on Mother’s grave you would honor our father’s agreement.”
“I can never be with Alba that way. You know that is not possible,” Bach seethed. “Lluc, why would you do that?”
“Because, it felt like the right thing to do.”
“That felt right to you?” Bach grabbed his brother. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me?” Lluc pushed Bach back. “You refuse to return to Jarthan when summoned. When you finally arrive, you sneak back to Terra the first chance you get. You attack me because of a Terran. Bach, you are out of control.”
“I am fine.”
“Stop and think about your life.”
“Lluc—”
“No, stop talking and think. Is this how you want to live? Here, like an animal, away from everyone who matters to you? Is this what Mother would have wanted? You cannot tell me you are truly happy.”
“No.” Bach closed his eyes. Living with the humans was hard.
“Let me help you break the Mosroc.” Lluc rested his hand on Bach’s shoulder. “Didan and the empirics seem to have everything under control. We will go to the Highlands or the Moon Desert and meditate the Delmar. I am sure it will break the Mosroc.”
Bach looked over at his brother. He was tired of Lluc’s constant nagging. This was his decision and burden to bear. “Lluc, if I tell you that I will go to Jarthan and leave Wisteria here forever and that I will accept Alba as my intended and find a way to break this Mosroc,” Bach responded with a quiet rage, “That would be the biggest lie I ever told anyone.”
“Bach—“
“And if you keep this up, I will have to start lying to you, because I am tired of hearing this. Wisteria is part of my life. There is no way to break the Mosroc.” He leaned toward Lluc and said quietly, but firmly, “Even if there was a way to end the bond between us, I would not take it.”
Lluc’s jaw clenched and his brother stared at him with a silent rage.
Enric returned. “I did not see anyone. Perhaps it was the rain.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Wisteria was hiding in the alley behind Bach’s house when Enric came around, looking for who was outside Bach’s window. She dove behind an abandoned car, covered in bean vine. She knew Enric wouldn’t snoop too close because bean vine, or strangle weed, as the Family called it, was one of the few things on Earth that could kill one of the Family.
Once Enric was gone, she climbed back to the window. She wanted Bach to sense her, so she could tell him about the Dungeon Dwellers. But what she heard him say didn’t make sense at first.
“I will go to Jarthan and leave Wisteria here forever. I will accept Alba as my intended and find a way to break this Mosroc.”
She fell and the next thing she remembered was lying on the ground beneath his window. Bach had lied to her, she realized as the rain beat down on her. He was leaving her and worse yet, he was leaving Smythe after he brought those horrible empirics here. Getting up, she decided she had to get her family out of Smythe or she had to get the empirics out. Taking the back roads, she hurried home through the rain and wind.
It was still pretty early so most people weren’t out, but she still took the quieter roads and moved through the streets where she knew very few people or no one lived. Most of the people in town knew her and wouldn’t be alarmed seeing her out, but she knew she had to be careful about not running into the Family or any of the other empirics.
Passing by the clock tower, she stopped. Bach had a biel orb in the tower and she’d need that for heat if her family was going to travel in the winter. Creeping around the granite building, she used her key to unlock it and sneak in. As Jason was still unconscious, she knew there was no one in there.
Suddenly, James, Jason’s dog, trotted up to her and barked. “Oh!” She jumped back, afraid of the dog.
James barked again.
“Shh, be quiet.” She wondered how long the animal had been in there. She opened the door and let him out and he eagerly escaped into the rain outside. Heading upstairs, she kept going until she reached the second floor. She was also glad to be alone, at least for a while. She’d had no time to process everything and right now she was anxious about her mother’s illness, Garfield’s news, and about Bach being with that girl. She sank down onto the steps as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Wisteria Oluwamodupe Kuti, stop crying and grow up! Right now, you’ve got to focus on getting your life together.
“Terran,” she heard a guy say from downstairs.
Terran, meaning Dirt Person, was what the Family called humans. She hated the word and as a result, Bach promised never to call her that. While right now, she didn’t know how much she could rely on his word, she knew the guy talking wasn’t him. Scrambling to her feet, she headed up the stairs, as people walked up from below.
“Eminent, I’m sorry for allowing her to leave the house, but I fell asleep, Sir. I’m weak and pathetic,” another man, an older man begged. “Forgive me, please.”
“Terran, I said leave me now!” the first guy shouted.
“Eminent Benet,” the man continued to implore. “I’m here to serve you. Do with me as you wish.”
Opening the nearest door, she darted in and found she was in Jason’s tiny office, which was stacked with books and strange artifacts. She wondered what he actually did in here.
“Alba, I told you to watch the fat Terran girl,” Benet seethed. “Nate is a fool, but how did she get away from you too?”
Peeking through the crack in the door, she saw Nate Weiss, Amanda’s father, practically cowering in front of Alba and Benet.
“I will speak to you any way I please. The Terran was important to Felip and we needed to watch her until Felip shows up,” Benet said angrily. “And you sent this old man to go watch her when you were supposed to.”
“Benet, I do not think we have to watch her all the time. Trust me, when Felip gets here, we will know, as he is not the subtle type. In the meantime, follow Didan’s plan.”
“I still think we should put a beacon on him, so we can trace him to wherever it is in our realm he is hiding.”
“Because you believe Felip is an idiot?” Alba scoffed. “Felip will escape, come back, and slit your throat for trying that, Benet
.”
“Eminent Alba, please give me another chance and I will find her,” Nate implored.
“Why do we still have this one around?” Benet pointed to Nate. “I really hate him.”
“Yeah, but we need to find out who his liege is,” Alba replied. “He’s probably Felip’s, so we should keep him around.”
“He might be able to tell us about what Felip is actually planning. Felip is your liege?” Benet asked the Thayn.
“Perhaps, but my liege ordered me to never say. He said I should do whatever the Family wanted, but not tell anyone.”
“So your liege is a male?” Alba inquired.
“He said to refer to him as one,” Nate explained.
“What was that?” Alba’s head jerked up and she walked toward the door to Jason’s office. “Someone else is here.”
Wisteria dove behind the desk just as the office door opened. There was a heavy thud that caused the desk and window to vibrate and the door slammed shut. Now she could hear someone walking around the room.
If the person was anything like Bach, they’d be able to hear her breathing from across the room, so she held her breath and waited and waited. Her heart raced and her gaze darted around as she tried to figure a way out. Underneath the desk was dark and cramped and there was not much space to move, not that she wanted to. She was thankful the panels around the desk reached the ground, making it impossible for her to be seen by whoever was on the other side.
She noticed a small door tucked away on the inside corner of the desk. It was clear it was put there to hide something, because the only way anyone could’ve seen it was by being underneath the desk. She heard the person leave and shut the door. Taking out her pocket knife, she pried the tiny door open. Inside was a piron nexus, at least three times the size of the one Bach showed her.
Why would Jason need this? She put the nexus in her backpack.
“Hey, Benet,” Yvette said cheerfully from outside the office.
“Yes, what do you want?” Benet answered.
“D’cara,” Alba cursed from within the office.
Wisteria panicked, as she realized Alba was in the room with her.
“I saw you come in here and I thought I’d say hi,” Yvette continued.
“Right,” Benet muttered. “Why do you think I would want to talk to you?”
“Because after last night, I needed to see you again,” the girl whined. “I’ve missed you.”
“Qwaynide.” Alba stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut behind her.
“Oh, hi. Alba, right?” Yvette greeted her.
Poking her head around the table, Wisteria saw Nate lying on the floor. She hurried to check if he was still breathing and she was relieved to find out he still was.
“Leave now,” Alba demanded harshly from outside the office. “Benet wants nothing to do with you.”
Creeping back to look through the crack in the door, she saw Yvette. She was soaking wet from the rain. Her light brown hair and white dress stuck to her pale, almost snow white skin.
“Whatever, Alba.” Cornering Benet, Yvette retorted, “I don’t know what you’re smoking, but I’m here to see your brother and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with me.”
“I think you have misunderstood,” Benet replied, pushing Yvette away from him. “I do not want you here either.”
“No, you said last night that you loved me, Benet!” Yvette exclaimed.
Alba snickered.
Benet shrugged. “I say a lot of things.”
“No.” Yvette grabbed the boy’s arm. “Last night was special, and you—”
“Last night?” Alba scoffed. “Okay Benet, tell me what happened last night?”
Benet shot her an icy, heartless grin. “I made her dreams come true. Right, Narissa?” Walking up to Yvette, he patted her head and took out his faycard.
Wisteria couldn’t tell what card it was but it scared her nonetheless. The Family used these cards to turn humans into their sleepwalkers.
“Narissa.” Marching up to Yvette, Alba grabbed her by the hair. “That is an ugly name for an ugly creature.”
“Don’t talk to me like that,” Yvette warned.
“Narissa, you will never talk to another Famila like that. It displeases me,” Benet said calmly.
“Oh, my liege.” Yvette threw herself at his feet, weeping loudly. “I am sorry. I deserve to be punished.”
“Just do not touch me.” He kicked her away in revulsion. “Disgusting creatures. Get away from me. I want to talk to Eminent Alba.”
“Please, don’t send me away. Punish me, but do not send me from your sight, my wonderful Eminent Benet,” the girl sniveled.
Using her superior strength and speed, Alba crushed the human girl to the ground, breaking the floorboards. “Terran jaga!”
“Why did you do that?” Benet laughed at the girl’s pain. “She is new. I have not broken her in yet.”
“She wanted to be punished and frankly that is the first good idea I have heard from a Terran.” Alba stomped on the girl’s stomach. “Besides, I cannot stand these rodents, especially the free ones. Every time I see one I want to vomit.”
Yvette groaned in pain.
“And now you break mine? How will the other Terrans react when they learn you damaged one of their own? Her father is the leader of this hovel.”
Covering her mouth, Wisteria willed herself not to cry out. She was horrified at how brutal Alba was and how little Benet cared.
“You will damage your shoes,” Benet commented calmly as Alba was about to stomp on the girl again.
“She is so disgusting,” Alba fumed. “They all are.”
Benet chuckled. “True, but what are you going to do about this one? I thought Narissa had a lot of promise.”
“Narissa is a stupid name.”
“You and Bach are better suited than I thought,” Benet remarked. “If there is one person who hates Terrans more than you, it is Bach of the Third House.”
“So, you have heard the news?” Alba was still glaring angrily at the unconscious girl. “You know my father has agreed that I am going to be his intended.”
“You do not sound happy about it. I thought you loved him.”
“I do, so much.” Alba’s voice finally softened and she lifted her gaze from the fallen Yvette. “But sometimes it revolts me that the Sen-Son can stand to live among them.”
“He was forced to live here because of Felip. I admire his self-control for not renewing the Terran sooner. I mean that is what I would do, if a Terran was so into me.”
“Ha! Bach was not sent to Terra because of Felip. He came to Terra because he wanted to see this realm get overrun by Nero. He hated them more than most. So he was thrilled to sit in his tower and watch firsthand, as the infected Terrans hunted and ate the others.”
Wisteria couldn’t believe what she was hearing. That had to be a lie.
“After all, the Terrans killed his mother.” Benet’s head dropped. “I still cannot believe that a Terran was capable of such a feat. Still, I think that is awesome. I would have loved to see the Terrans kill each other.”
Alba shuddered.
“Why does that disgust you?”
“Because the Terrans are a virus.”
“I will renew her and end this.” Benet moved over to Yvette, who was no longer moving. “Or kill her or something.”
Alba nodded.
Quickly, Wisteria sped to the window. In her haste, she knocked over some books. Fumbling with the latch for a few minutes, she got the window open. As she tried to unblock the iron cage that secured the window, she heard Nate getting up.
“Wisteria, what are you doing here?” the man said loudly.
“Nothing.” Opening the cage, she peered out of the window.
This was a higher drop than Bach’s apartment, but she knew she’d make it if she landed on the bushes below.
“Nate, who is in there?” Benet came to the door.
“Wisteria Kuti
,” Nate rubbed his swollen head.
“D’cara,” Benet remarked when he saw her.
Without a word, she leaped out, landing on the thick bushes. She sprinted down the street. As she ran through the quiet streets, she knew the one place she shouldn’t go to was home, but it was the only place she had to go. Her mother was there and she was defenseless.
It didn’t take her long to get home, but instead of meeting enraged empirics, she met Sir Charles, Bruno, and three guards standing outside her gate.
“What do you want?” She stopped a few yards away.
“Get her inside,” Bruno ordered one man.
A guard grabbed her and hauled her off her feet.
The next thing she remembered was being thrown down hard on the floor of her kitchen. “They sent you here, didn’t they? You’re one of their sleepwalking Thayns, aren’t you,” Wisteria accused.
“She’s crazy,” Charles commented.
“You attacked my daughter.” Bruno stormed up to her. “You tried to kill Yvette.”
She froze in disbelief.
“When you attacked Hailey six months ago, I let it go, but now after what you’ve done to Yvette, I’m through with your madness,” Charles added sternly.
“I never touched Yvette.” She glared at both men, totally confused. “Alba attacked Yvette. She rammed her against the floor in the tower.”
“Don’t try to deny it. Alba and Benet Logan saw you,” Bruno explained.
“They’re lying!” she yelled.
“You’re out of control, Wisteria. Now I am ordering you to stay here. I’m going to ask Quincy to keep an eye on you. If you leave, I will not be responsible for what he does to you.” Bruno pointed to a bald civilian guard who was now standing in the doorway.
“You wouldn’t do this if my mother was awake or if Coles were here,” she said.
“And somehow, I don’t think you would’ve tried to murder my daughter if that was the case either.” Bruno grabbed her collar.
“I didn’t touch her,” she continued to protest, but she realized her denials were pointless. Bruno was most likely a sleepwalker.
“Get into your house and stay there.” The captain pushed her down. “Until the next sea merchant comes, then we’ll send you to join your stepfather. If he’s still alive.”
