Page 66 of The Divide that Binds Us

“Built in speakers!If you look close enough, you’ll see tiny holes in the walls where the music is coming from.”Remington looks proud.He tries to scoot closer to the table, but his belly is interfering.“I’m attempting to keep up with the technology.This castle needed an upgrade.”

“Humph.”Mildred gives a slight smile.

“That’s pretty dope, sir!”Billie says, her face lighting up.

Roon paces and pours wine into each glass around the table.Remington reaches for his, and takes a big whiff before setting it down.

“Ah.This wine is from one of the best vineyards on Emerald Island.Jonah is such a great man; he delivers a bottle to all the monarchs every other month.”

Evangeline and Billie share a look, their subtle reminder to not engage in talk about monarchs.They need to keep the focus on him.Billie gives such a stank, fake smile but it goes undetected to everyone but Evangeline.She stifles a giggle and reaches for the water glass to hide her creeping smile.Maybe this evening won’t be so bad.

Everyone passes around salad and bread, but Evangeline skips herself while Remington rips through his.Mildred also skips herself.

“Tell us about yourselves and your service to Elite,” she says.Her eyebrows are pointed and sleek.She takes a slow sip of wine, never taking her deep-set eyes off Evangeline.

“Well, uh...I’m from Amethyst Island.My parents both work at a corporate company that oversees banking all over Zeala.”

“Ah, a wealthy family, yes?”Mildred raises her glass with a sly smile.

Sure, if you’re like ninety percent of the Amethyst companies that own businesses on Sapphire and control money flow.

“Mhm.It’s quite a glamorous lifestyle.”Evangeline touches the nape of her neck, missing the feeling of her long, scarlet locks before she chopped it all off after she was Traced.

“And why did you join Elite?”Mildred presses.Evangeline’s eyes dart to Billie for help, but her cheeks are stuffed with all the bread she’s crammed in her mouth.

“Honestly, I was encouraged to join.”Evangeline’s voice is quieter as her face flushes.“My parents couldn’t find a decent job that would be suitable for me since I had become a Spirit User.”

“A Spirit User looking to belong.Hmm.”Mildred purses her lips.“But you didn’t join Ultima?”

“No.”The words are bitter on Evangeline’s tongue.She swallows hard to maintain composure.“My parents considered Elite the least dangerous profession, since Ultima is more on the frontlines interacting with dragons.”

“How tragic,” Mildred muses with a hint of a smile.She raises the rim of her glass to her nose to take a large sniff before another sip.Billie looks like a sad chipmunk slowly trying to eat all the bread she overstuffed herself with.

“It is.”Evangeline stabs her fork into the salad.It’s tragic, she can’t tell her parents she’s interested in someone from Ultima, and she can’t dare question the good and evil of both organizations.She can only do what she loves and hope to stay sane.

“And you, Billie?”Remington asks, crouton crumbs litter throughout his beard and mustache.He flags down Roon and requests a margarita pitcher but continues sipping his wine before tearing into his salad next.

Evangeline takes this moment to excuse herself while Billie drawls on about her life.She asks a waiter for the nearest bathroom which is down the hall.This is one of three chances she’ll get, so she can’t mess this up.

There are many Guards hanging around, so Evangeline’s first attempt at snooping doesn’t go well.She wanders endlessly down the halls until a Guard abruptly stops her from proceeding further to what he states is Remington’s resting chambers.

Duly noted.Evangeline makes the mental note.

The Guard escorts her to the bathroom, so Evangeline pulls out her phone to text Billie the areas to avoid wasting her time in.She notices a bunch of unanswered texts from Drake, almost pushing her over the edge.Most of Drake’s messages are urging her to call him ASAP, but she can’t bring herself to do it.She still has so many questions about Ultima, about Natasha, about targeting Alice that it’ll open a floodgate if she calls now.

Evangeline splashes water on her face before stepping back outside.The Guard from before is long gone, so she walks down a hall she hasn’t been down yet.She spots someone not dressed as a Guard and waves at him.

“Excuse me, can you show me where—” Evangeline halts when she catches sight of the back of the guy’s hand.The A is branded right under his middle finger knuckle.“Um, sorry, where the uh...the dining room is.”

He stretches a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.He walks with Evangeline but doesn’t say a word for the two minutes he spends guiding her back.Before Evangeline walks back in, he grabs her shoulder with an iron steel hand, looks her deep in the eyes and says, “May Naven be with you, Evangeline.Always.”

She shrugs away with a trembling apologetic smile.“Th-thanks.”

She rushes back in the dining room where the second course has already been served to everyone, lamb with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn.Billie has entertained not only a guffawing Remington, but the once occupied apprentices are laughing at her self-deprecating jokes, too.

Billie meets Evangeline’s stern gaze and gives a wink.Before she can sit and rejoin everyone, Roon intercepts her and requests she gives feedback on the second course she hasn’t touched yet.

“Sorry, but can we switch the lamb out?I’m a vegetarian.”

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