“What rumors?”
“You figure them out. All you have to do is listen to the talk around you.”
“Are these rumors harmful to Caelum?”
I frowned inwardly. “I don’t think so.”
“Good. If they were, I would have to do something about them.”
Her voice wasn’t flat anymore. It was cold. So very, very cold.
I took another step closer, but this time she faced me fully.
“I don’t have time for you. Go back, or get hurt,” she stated with absolute certainty.
“What is Caelum to you?” I asked.
“My friend. My comrade. My partner. He is important to me.” There wasn’t the slightest hint of hesitation in her voice. “And right now he needs my support.”
Caprice turned away and resumed walking down the path in the direction of the garden.
For several heartbeats I fought against the urge not to follow. Fear held me back. I pictured Caprice like an unsheathed knife. Beautiful but deadly.
Would she really hurt me if I continued toward the garden?
Could I use Caelum as a threat against her?
Then Alistair grabbed my shoulder and held me back.
I saw her swallow.
“I didn’t count on her being here,” Alistair muttered. “I think if we want the truth, I’ll have to try getting it out of my brother.”
I regarded Alistair for a moment. When I looked down the path again, Caprice had disappeared.
Siobhan’s voice was clear in the silence that followed. “Let’s get out of here.”
I didn’t want to leave, but Alistair shook my shoulder. “This was a bad idea. Sibby’s right, let’s go.”
Reluctantly, I gave in to their judgment and followed them as they walked away from the garden.
My thoughts and feelings were a mess.
Caelum’s confession of sorts had opened up old hurts and disappointments.
But they’d also made me realize how important he still was to me.
If Caelum was in trouble, I would find a way to help him.
After all, I still owed him an answer.
Reflections – 6.
I believe without a doubt the Prides’ scientists will figure out the workings of the Fragments and Artifacts long before man understands woman.
I just had to say that. Now, on to the briefing.
I have a sister.
Actually, to keep things simple at this stage, let’s say I had a sister.
Past tense.
I was ten turning on eleven when my parents died in that freighter explosion.
My sister, Celica, was almost sixteen.
With the death of our parents, and the fact we had no living relatives remaining, we were placed into the care of the Pharos authorities. I had no idea what that meant, and was terrified we would be separated, but the people in charge saw fit to have us live together in an apartment provided by the colony.
I later learnt the Raynar Pride had taken responsibility for us, and seen fit to care for us after we lost our parents. It was the Raynars that arranged for my sister and I to live together. They also saw to our living expenses and other basic needs, as well as our compulsory education.
Despite this, I was angry at the Prides. I held them responsible for the loss of our parents, as much as I held Crimson Crescent responsible. I have to admit, this anger and hatred I felt was something that cultivated very quickly over time.
Strangely, my sister was oddly non-committal whenever I expressed my anger toward the Prides, Aventis and Crimson Crescent. It was as though she simply didn’t have an opinion on the matter. Her lack of one would make me even angrier at times.
I was angry, but I was also scared and confused.
You see, my sister had a lot of dealings with the Aventis.
Not long after our parents died, she was transferred to an Academy that catered almost exclusively to Aventis students. It was the kind of school that had no Regulars in their student body. This made no sense to me, since she was clearly not an Aventis.
When I confronted her about it, all she said was that it was something arranged by our parents with the Raynar Pride in the event of their deaths. She said it would ensure she received the best education possible. And it didn’t bother her to be surrounded by Aventis day in and day out.
I couldn’t accept her explanation, but then again, I was just a kid who knew nothing about the world I lived in.
However, the truth is my sister never told me anything. She never spoke about the school. She never spoke about the Aventis, nor the Prides. She never discussed the odd hours she had to keep.
She rarely answered any of my questions.
And she lied to me when she did.
Knowing what I know now, I can appreciate that in her own way she was trying to protect me.
She was trying to shield me from the truth until I was older, and ready to accept that truth.
My sister didn’t want me to hate her for something she had no control over.
Like me, Celica tested double negative against all the Symbiotic strains.
Like me she had scored highly as a pre-Awakened Familiar.
And like me, one day she was bonded to a Pride when her body reacted strongly to the Raynar Symbiote.
My sister was a Familiar, and not just any Familiar.
She was special, top her class, crème of the crop.
She joined the Artemis ranks, the elite dark knights that answered only to the Primatriarch Council and the Commander of Special Interventions.
She was that good, or should I say, she was that bad ass.
And then one day she died, and left me alone in this horrid reality.
A year later, Caprice stabbed me in the chest and injected me with Arisa’s blood, triggering my Awakening as a Familiar.
Unlike Celica, I attended the remaining six months of the year at my school for Regulars, whereas she had transferred right away.
I had Arisa to thank for those six months, and for telling me the truth about my sister.
It was just a pity there was so much even Arisa didn’t know.
Chapter 6 – Princess.
(Caelum)
I kept an eye on Prissila Ventiss Raynar, and an eye on the girl standing behind her.
The girl had short, black hair and was dressed in the uniform of a second year high-schooler.
She wore the badge of a Familiar, and another bearing the Raynar crest.
She was probably bonded to a member of the Ventiss Family.
And she was probably here to protect Prissila from me.
Prissila Ventiss stepped deeper into the garden and closer to me.
The Familiar kept pace a few feet behind her, then moved off the path to stand where she had a clear line of sight to me. Her movements were akin to Caprice’s – fluid, graceful and hinting at great strength kept tightly under control.
I had often thought of Caprice as an unsheathed blade.
This girl gave me the same impression.
I had no doubt that she possessed a Fragment, but I had no idea what it might be.
One thing was highly likely – with my limited training I was undoubtedly not match for her even if I used my shield-blade.
Prissila Ventiss broke the silence. “Caelum Desanto, welcome to Galatea Academy.”
“…thanks….”
“Oh, no need to thank me.”
“Then I won’t.” I swallowed tightly and asked, “What do you want?”
“We haven’t formally met. My name is Prissila Ventiss Raynar.” She bowed to me, and that made me feel really uncomfortable.
I swallowed quickly and said, “I know who you are.”
“Good. Now that that’s over, why are you so nervous?”
She wasn’t wrong. I was nervous. Part of my mind was busy thinking through the options I had, and what could I possibly do against Prissila’s pet Familiar.
I stated, “You haven’t told me why you’re here.”
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“To introduce myself, and to clear up any misunderstandings you may have regarding the Ventiss Family’s intentions toward you.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What misunderstandings?”
“You believe we mean you harm.”
“The thought has crossed my mind—a lot. Actually, it’s running circles inside my head.”
She took a few steps closer. “Then that’s one misunderstanding I intend to resolve before it becomes a problem.”
In the corner of my eye I watched the Familiar also step closer.
I decided it was time to show some of my cards. I rolled up my right sleeve and exposed the Fragment bracelet on my forearm.
Prissila eyed it with a complete lack of concern. “I think you misunderstand something, Caelum. I didn’t come here to fight with you. In fact, you would make short work of me.”
“Yeah, but you brought her along.”
“True. But she’s here to protect me from you.”
“From me? In that case, keep your distance.”
Prissila came to a stop, and folded her arms under her impressive chest. She regarded me quietly for a long moment. “As a proud member of the Ventiss Family, I wish to make the following quite clear. We have no intention of harming you. We never did.”
I swallowed and stared at the beautiful girl, wondering if I could really accept her words for the truth.
I fixed a frown upon her. “Then why attack the Lanfears?”
Prissila gave me a thoughtful look. “Tell me, Caelum Desanto afil Lanfear, what do you know of the circumstances surrounding your Awakening seven months ago.”
“I was told there was an agreement between the Raynar and Lanfear Prides. The Raynars offered my guardianship to the Lanfears and they accepted. But your family broke the agreement and came after me.”
I had to breathe slowly and deeply for a while. As Haruka’s Symbiote spread throughout my body, the pain was making me sweat under my uniform. But I needed all the physical help I could get. I didn’t trust Prissila, and I most certainly wasn’t going to relax my guard in front of that Familiar. But still, it was hard just to remain standing.
Prissila nodded and smiled faintly. “That is correct. My family disregarded the agreement. We were opposed to it from the beginning.”
I frowned at her. “Why? Don’t the Prides normally come to an agreement over which Familiars they will assume guardianship? Arisa said there was a system in place that would provide a medium for the Prides to negotiate, barter and bargain over pre-Awakened Familiars like we’re some kind of prized animals for sale.”
“That is true. Familiars are a rare species and of importance to us.”
I didn’t like the way she referred to us as a species. But then again, I’d just called my kind prized animals so who was I to talk. “We’re important because we can control the Fragments and Artifacts.”
She nodded faintly. “Yes.”
“So why break the agreement over me?”
“Because you’re too important to palm off to another Pride. Way too important.”
“Important? Me? Are you sure you have the right Familiar?”
“Yes, you’re definitely the one we were after.” She tipped her head to a side. “I’m surprised you haven’t been told how special you are.”
I had trouble believing what she’d just said. “Special? Are you serious?”
“Of course, why else would my family choose to ignore a directive from my Primatriarch and break the agreement.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t ready to accept her words. “This wasn’t what Arisa had told me.”
“Oh, what did that woman tell you?”
“Arisa was told me the Ventiss Family has a long history of feuding with the Lanfear Pride and the Imreh Family. She said your family has frequently clashed with hers on everything from business ventures to claims on Familiars. Breaking the agreement between the Raynar and Lanfear Prides was not entirely unexpected. But she admits that on this occasion they were caught with their panties down.”
She frowned. “But that’s not an explanation.”
Prissila was right, it wasn’t.
Arisa had avoided answering my question. At the time, I wasn’t in a position to press her for an answer.
But maybe now I would get answer.
It certainly seemed like Prissila was willing to give me one.
I asked, “Why do you call me special?”
Prissila inhaled deeply, making her bountiful chest heave magnificently. For a moment, the vision of her bosom rising and falling distracted me from the burning pain within my body. I was so distracted that her next words confused me.
“Caelum Desanto, have you ever heard of the Original Twelve bloodlines?”
“Wh—what? What bloodlines?”
The pain was making my hands tremble and my skin felt like it was on fire. I knew the rate of rapid growth wouldn’t last for much longer. I just needed to keep it together for a couple more minutes. I needed the boost it would give me.
But I was having trouble concentrating on her words.
There was no way Prissila hadn’t noticed. In fact, I thought she might have been pacing her replies, keeping them short and simple.
Why was she being so considerate toward me?
Prissila breathed in deeply again. “The Original Twelve—”
She stopped sharply, and I sensed someone enter the garden from behind me.
Prissila’s pet Familiar shifted her stance, as though preparing for a fight.
But Prissila calmly raised her chin a little and smiled faintly. “You can relax, Steiner. The Ventiss Family doesn’t mean Caelum any harm.”
I heard the flat response from behind me. “I’ll be the judge of that, Princess.”
Prissila shrugged and directed her attention on me. “It looks like we’ll have to continue this discussion another time.”
I shook my head. “Wait, you’re not going to tell me?”
“I’m afraid not. But I look forward to discussing this later.”
I took a step toward her, aware her Familiar was watching me through narrowed eyes. “Can you at least tell me what the Ventiss Family intended for me?”
Prissila looked bemused, then amused. “Isn’t it obvious? We wanted to bond you to us.”
“To the Raynar Pride?”
“Yes, and to me. My blood was supposed to awaken you.”
I couldn’t stop my mouth from falling open.
She smiled at my reaction. “Seven months ago, your test results showed compatibility as a Familiar to four Symbiotic strains. It was quite a change in your body from the test results conducted six months earlier. But what surprised everyone was how immensely compatible your body was with the Raynar Symbiote. The Primatriarchs agreed that the Raynar Pride was the best choice for your affiliation. Raynar blood should have Awakened you.”
I stared at her in stunned silence.
I really didn’t know what to say to this revelation.
Prissila gave me a regretful smile. “The Ventiss Family had everything in place to bring you in. But then someone decided it was better to leave you in the hands of another Pride—another family. That set off a chain of events that led to the misunderstanding you’ve been harboring against us.”
Prissila’s attention shifted to a point off my right shoulder.
I heard grass and soil being stepped on and assumed Caprice was taking a position where she could face off against Prissila’s Familiar.
Her voice was as flat as usual. “I think you should leave, Princess. Caelum and I have another commitment.”
“Yes, I know.” Prissila focused her attention on me. “We need to do this again. But for now, I bid you adieu, Caelum Desanto.”
She bowed her head to me, but pointedly ignored Caprice.
However, before she could fully turn away, Prissila said, “A word of advice. Be cautious of Simone Alucard.”
Remembering the incident in the storeroom, I snorted involuntari
ly. “Now I get the warning.”
“Better late than never. Her weak attempts at seduction aside, I suggest you think carefully about becoming involved in the Student Council’s poorly resourced idea of opposing Crimson Crescent. It’s bound to end in failure.”
At her words, my stomach turned to lead.
She knew about the Student Council’s intentions?
Prissila didn’t give me a chance to respond.
Turning away, she began walking out of the garden.
But her Familiar hung back. The girl spared Caprice a thin, cruel smile. “Next time, Steiner, I won’t be caught by surprise.”
“What a pity, Constance,” Caprice muttered in monotone. “I thought you would have learnt your lesson by now.”
The girl shook her head at Caprice, as though she were pitying her. “Next time, I’ll be the one teaching you a lesson.”
She turned away and walked quickly yet unhurriedly after Prissila.
As she did, I felt the pain in my body ease up considerably.
By now the Avenir Symbiote was firmly entrenched in my body. It would stay there for almost a day before it ‘burnt out’ and quickly died. Its remains would be consumed by my body.
At least its ‘death’ wasn’t painful like its rapid growth was.
But it was sure to mess up my appetite for the next few days.
I looked at Caprice. “So that’s Constance. I guess she hasn’t forgiven you for the pounding you gave her on the rooftop.”
Caprice gave no indication she’d heard me as she started walking along the path through the garden. She was going to leave the garden via the same exit chosen by Prissila and her Familiar.
I called out to her sharply. “Caprice—is it true?”
She stopped walking. “Is what true?”
“Is it true that I should have been awoken by the blood of a Raynar?”
She had her back to me, but I sensed the disquiet in her. At the least, I thought her voice sounded uneasy.
She replied without turning around. “Does it matter? You’re bonded to the Lanfear Pride. Even if the Raynars wanted you now, they can’t have you.”
She resumed walking.
“Is that really true?” I asked. “Is it really true that I can’t change my affiliation?”
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