Page 5 of Degradation
I let out a puff of air at her words. That’s it? Why are they acting like that’s a big deal?
“He’s sent out invites.” She adds.
“Invites for what?”
She glances behind her, before grabbing my hand, pulling me down to where the study is. I can see it on the desk, the fancypaper, the even fancier writing scrawled on it, and the seal that tells me that this came from the Palace.
“He’s cherry picked his options. Wants every girl on some list to be presented to him so he can choose.” She says.
My lips curl. I don’t know why they’re making such a fuss, who a Chapter Lord does or doesn’t marry doesn’t concern us. I’m a Founder. I’m off-limits. Those are the rules. Those are the laws a Grand Master established more than five hundred years ago.
But my hand shakes as I pick up the letter, as I scan the contents. It’s addressed directly to my mother, but there must be some mistake. He can’t surely believe we would attend such a thing?
“Get back.” Rebecca hisses, pulling me so that I’m flat against the wall and hidden from view. I’m guessing my mother is out there, on the veranda. I can hear voices, hers and a man. From the tone alone, I can guess who it is, who has decided to honour us with his presence.
“Go.” I murmur. It’s bad enough that I might be caught but I don’t want to tie them up in this mess. My mother has a foul temper and she’s more than happy to make it clear when she feels our staff have stepped out of line. I don’t want them getting a beating because of me.
As soon as they’re gone, I tiptoe closer, using the thick curtain to hide myself and I press my ear against the cool glass so I can hear.
“Don’t do this. Don’t take her there.” Antonio’s voice sounds tense, angry even.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” My mother scoffs. “You know as well as I what the plan is…”
“You want her to marry him?” He half-snarls back and that makes me pause. He’s always so calm, so collected. My mother has taken great joy over the years to do her best to annoy himand up to now, I’ve never seen him take the bait. I know it’s because she feels loyalty to our family, that on some level, she wants to prove her loyalty to Pearce, but it feels so unnecessary, so petty too.
“It’s not about wants.” She says and I can her body language, the way she’s waving her arms like she knows what’s best for our family and shouldn’t be challenged.
“Vera, you know what he is, what he’s like.” Antonio states, stepping right into her space. “You really want that for your daughter?”
“He’s Chapter Lord.” My mother states pointedly, like that somehow explains all of this. Only, it doesn’t.
“Another reason why you shouldn’t go through with this.” He adds, shaking his head.
“What’s the matter, Antonio, you seem very invested in my family’s matters. In Paitlyn’s. One might wonder whetheryouhave designs on the girl yourself?”
I shift, trying to gauge his reaction to that comment. Antonio’s face is neutral. He just stares at her like she’s lost her marbles.
Would I mind if that was the case? He’s not bad looking, even if he is more than twice my age.
He’s a tall man, toned, with tanned skin and a look in his eyes that makes you feel like he’s always plotting something. His hair is short, ruffled, dark, and contrasts against the grey pepper of his stubbly beard. When I was younger, when my father first passed, I wondered whether he was my future, my intended. That that was his purpose in our lives, that he was simply waiting until I was legally of age so he could take me away and marry me. It was my uncle who fixed that error, having found my diary, having read the contents before he cruelly laughed at my obvious stupidity.
No, Antonio wasn’t to be my husband, he was my Guardian. Put in place to secure my survival. My bloodline. He works for our Grand Master, he follows his directions, being one of a handful of people on this earth who even know what our great leader actually looks like.
“Don’t be absurd.” He replies, bringing me out of my head. “Besides, it’s against the rules.”
Itisagainst the rules. As my Guardian he isn’t allowed to marry me. But I am fair game to the other Guardians, if our Grand Master signed off on it, of course.
“Gunther doesn’t seem to pay them any mind, does he?” My mother taunts.
“That’s another reason you should keep your daughter far, far away from him. He’s dangerous. He’s not in his right frame of mind anymore…”
“He’s old.” She sneers back, cutting across the last of his words. “He can be controlled.”
“You’re an absolute fool if you believe that. Control Gunther?” Antonio scoffs.
“Soon enough you’ll see.” My mother states. “He’s hardly in the perfect picture of health as it is.”
“So what, you’re all are banking on Mother Nature to step in?” I can hear the absurdity in his voice, his tone. I can see the contempt too, as he looks down at her. “Who says Gunther doesn’t simply die, what then? You’ll have wasted her potential. Or worse, he lives for another twenty years. Would you condemn your daughter to such a life?”
