Page 89 of Blue Embers
“Thank you,” I said.
“My name is Alric James,” the man said. “Mr. Valentyne sent me to pick you up and take you to the museum. He informed me he might be late tonight due to meetings with the Order.”
“And how can I trust you?” I said, halfway joking, but inside the question was a serious one.
“Well,” Alric smiled. “Because Mr. Valentyne is paying me a lot of money to get you safely across town.”his beer bottle on the kitchen counter.
I smiled, for some reason amused by the man’s bluntness, and nodded. Reaching over toward the small table by the door, I grabbed my cell. Next to it was my keys. I stared at them for a moment, my hand hovering to take them, but I imagined I wouldn’t be returning to the house any time soon. Instead, I swiped them off the table and into one of the boxes stacked by the entrance and then made my way out the door.
“Malice,” I said as I left, glancing over my shoulder to see him taking two large boxes to help load them up. “Thank you.”
“Ahh,” he dismissed with a grunt. “You go and have a good time, lasse.”
“You sure you don’t want to come?”
“And pretend to be proper? That’s not my crowd. After I help move all of your stuff, I’m hitting up one of Killian’s dance clubs. I hear they’re wild,” he laughed. “Maybe not as wild as me, but who in this world is as wild as me?”
I rolled my eyes with a grin and continued walking.
“Have fun,” I waved over my shoulder.
Alric escorted me to a car parked behind the moving truck and opened the door for me, his left hand behind his back like some kind of old fashioned chauffeur. Maybe that’s what he was. I wouldn’t know. I’d never been treated in such a way.
As we drove across town, I stared out into the city and all the passing lights that brightened as the night grew darker. No one here knew the severity of everything that was happening. Everyone seemed to be going about their lives, oblivious. I imagined they were better off that way. Knowing how fragile the peace was between the races now, I felt like I’d never stop being on edge. Remembering the things I’d seen. The things I was aware of. The media covered a lot of it, but always seemed to make it sound fictional in the end. It all felt like a tender wound, forever close to reopening if things went badly. This museum opening was all I had to try and help ease some of the tension. I was determined to be there when it was revealed to the public.
Alric pulled up to the front of the museum where patrons were slowly moving in to attend the debut. I clutched my phone, hoping I’d get a call from Killian. Walking into the building alone, no matter how many times I’d done it since the incident with Ben and myself, made unpleasant tingle drip down my spine.
“Ms. Grant,” Alric spoke behind me, closing the car door. “Would you like me to escort you in?”
I hadn’t realized I was showing signs of nervousness, but it was obvious by the look on Alric’s face that he’d noticed how timid I was. I forced a smile and shook my head.
“It’s ok,” I assured. “It’s just event. I’ve done them a hundred times.”
“Of course, Ms. Grant,” he replied, this time his smile a bit more empty as if he didn’t believe me for a second.
Damn, I really was getting bad at pretending. Turning toward the museum entrance, I started my trek up the concrete steps, taking long, deep breaths.
Everything is fine,I thought to myself.This is what you wanted. A way to appeal to both sides. Promote trust. Understanding.
I stopped at the top of the steps and stared into the building through the propped open doors. There were a lot of people inside. Humans. Draak. Order. Draakir. Press. After a while of standing and gathering myself, I walked inside, eyes forward, and headed straight through to the exhibit. I raised my chin, pulled my shoulders back, and moved with a strut that said I meant business. That was the woman I was. Determined, confident, strong, and independent. I wanted Killian there, but without him, I had to know I could stand on my own. At least for a while.
As I entered the room, I saw that the exhibit hall was filled with patrons. Looking around, I noticed that everyone present was enthralled by the collection we’d worked so hard to build. I noticed a few Draak, plenty of humans, and Ashlings, who strolled with their mates and smiled at the history they were witnessing together. I took a moment to soak it all in, pleased to see others taking part.
“The turnout is inspiring, isn’t it?” I heard someone say. I turned to see Lyrah, her blonde locks curled into ringlets down to her shoulders. She smiled at me. “I was afraid you might not come,” she said.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.
“What happened here. I know it’s why you’ve avoided coming inside these past couple weeks. And I don’t blame you, but now that you’re here I’m glad you were able to face it. This exhibit was your work.”
“You helped,” I said politely.
“I helped sweep up the mess. You and Mr. Valentyne built this.”
I laughed softly. “Mr. Valentyne didn’t do much aside from giving me access to his money so I could collect all this.”
Amusing as the idea was, I recalled the day I was forced to plunge his knife into my gut and cringed.
“Of course,” I said, gently. “I wouldn’t be here without him. So I suppose he had everything to do with this.”
