Page 16 of Priest and his Anarchist

Afraid that I would wake.

I ease out from beneath the covers, brushing my hair to the side with my fingers. A single window beside my bed overlooks an empty meadow down below. The simplicity of the view is calming. It’s a landscape for chaotic thoughts that need to be unpacked.

I tap on the bathroom mirror, illuminating the Hollywood lights that line the oval design. My hip rests against the marble countertop as I stare back at myself in the mirror.

Why am I here? What does Mom know? Does she think I am doing basic training?

She knows everything about the EKC. They aren’t basic. Which rounds me back to her knowing.

My hand rests on the emblem around my neck. I need to reign it in. Dwelling about decisions that are too late to change will only send me spiraling.

Pushing the weight of sadness away, I clean my teeth and run the brush through my hair. A clicking sound stops me mid-stroke. I pause, wondering if I’ve finally lost it and I’m hearing things.

Most likely.

Scuffing over carpet has me placing the brush on the counter and turning back to the archway that separates the bathroom and the bedroom. Shit. I complained about being alone, but was I prepared to deal with Priest?

Blonde hair, long legs, and heels that could double as weapons fill the space.

“River!”

She smiles wide enough to flash teeth. “Miss me?”

I throw myself at her with a sigh.

She pulls me back by my forearm, scanning me over. “I had a thought. Now, entertain me for a second.” I follow her through the bedroom. She falls down on the bed, crossing her legs at her ankles. “Has he let you out of the house?”

I shake my head. “No. I haven’t even seen anyone since Vaden brought me in here.”

“Hmm.” River’s eyes gloss over, lost in her thoughts. She comes back to me. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but I’m sure it’ll all make sense one day.”

My feet carry me across the room and toward the walk-in closet. The light above me flickers on, displaying the racks of clothing. Every designer item I could think of has found its way into my wardrobe.

“Yeah.” My fingers brush the line of dresses. “Maybe.”

She sweeps past, humming a tune. “Terribly fucked-up individual this boy is.” The words die out as if she wasn’t supposed to say them.

“I don’t know why I’m here.” I choose the first one I see. It’s ordinary and colorless, with thin spaghetti straps and a tight corset.

“We live and die by the sword, Lulu…” Her smile dies, and it’s the first time I’ve realized we’re both in this together. Only her awareness of the entire picture is a lot sharper than mine. “Even if we don’t want to hold it to begin with.”

“You don’t?” My dark hair tickles my shoulder when I move it as she zips me up.

“Not the way that he will want me to.” Her misery catches me off guard. Maybe it’s deeper than I thought.

I once heard Mom and both Dads talk about how Bishop took over after his father. She had said he was good, much better than his own father. Why wouldn’t River like to do it the way he wanted?

“Sounds scary,” I whisper, turning to follow her as she makes her way back to my bed.

“You have no idea…” She picks at her nails, her eyes flicking up to meet mine. “Yet.”

I know she didn’t mean for it to happen, but when the words leave her mouth, they take my guts with it. The underlying subliminal meanings behind what she says hit me like adrenaline.

I fall on the mattress with her. “Are they going to kill me?”

“You don’t need to worry about that.” She lies flat, her hand resting on her belly. “I’m afraid you will not escape this hell quite that easily.”

More days pass without a trace of time, forgetting to mark them on my vanity.

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