Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“Well?” the woman spun to the side to look at her guests. All of whom shook their heads and leered. “Seems as if you are not needed Lucy, you can go.”
“Is she serious?” I asked, somewhat surprised by her blatant rudeness.
“Yes, I am,” she replied, walking down the stairs. If it were silent before, then this must have been the world frozen still as she made her way over to me. “You must be Druella, Lord Thorbørn’s mate.”
“Apparently, who I am is less important than whoever you are that you can just disrespect my friend.” I stepped up to her. Because of her heels, we were eye level.
“How old are you, young one?”
That name again. And I hated it more from her red lips than I did Theseus’s.
“Old enough to demand an apology for my friend,” I replied.
She laughed like Cruella de Vil on crack; her head even went back. When she stopped, she caressed her fur. “I do not apologize to Lesser bloods, especially one currently ruining my brother’s life.”
Again, I couldn’t believe she was serious; she was like a cartoon villain. “I haven’t known your brother long, but he seemed quite happy for someone whose life was being ruined. What do you think, Lucy?” I glanced at Lucy, but she kept her face hard and her eyes to the ground.
“Even she knows her place,” the woman said. “I am Daiyu Swan, first child of President Waban Swan. I welcome you, Druella Monroe to my home, but I ask that you, please uninvite your guest. My father forbids her from stepping foot in our home, and your connection to her puts us all in a troublesome predicament.”
I didn’t even bother being polite. “That’s unfortunate for you of all. But if my guest can’t stay here, neither will I. Would you like to tell the president yourself, or should I?”
“If you insist—”
“I do, very much so, in fact.”
There was an annoyance in her eyes, but she smiled even more. “I do hope she does not humiliate you during dinner. As you have made it just in time for our fourth brother’s 500th birthday celebration. Charline, please show them to their rooms. I don’t want them to be late. The festivities start at midnight.”
Irritation flashed in Charline’s eyes for a quick second, but she bowed her head once, moving to make space for us to walk. It was already after ten, and I was hoping I could have a moment to talk to Theseus privately.
“Is something the matter, young one?” Daiyu asked when I hadn’t gotten any farther.
“Please, call me, Druella.”
“Yes, of course, please. I look forward to hearing more about you tonight.” She lifted her hands for me to go.
The feeling was not mutual. But I moved forward, anyway. I felt her eyes burning a hole in my back as I walked, following Charline to the golden, engraved elevators. Starring at them, I noticed the art etched into the metal. It was Bulino-style work—highly detailed and delicate—engraved into gold. They used it to make a sort of family mural. It flowed throughout all the elevator doors, kind of like the Stations of the Cross. There were six elevators, and the one we stood before was of Taelon. His hair was long, as long as Daiyu’s. Bowing to his right, resting on his shoulder was a long sword; there was another in the waistband of his kimono. He stood on top of a mountain with waves crashing on top of it. I moved closer to inspect it when the doors opened, and I found myself staring at Taelon.
“I was told you were back.” Taelon said. “Did you both get everything you needed? I apologize I forgot about tonight’s celebration.”
His gaze shifted to Lucy, but she wasn’t speaking, and her face was cold, causing the smile on his face to drop. He stepped out, going to her.
“I was just admiring the doors,” I cut in to distract from—well, the present awkwardness. “It’s you, right?”
“What?” Taelon eyebrows came together before he turned to see the elevator doors as they closed behind him. “Oh yes, my father never wishes for us to forget where we came from.”
“You were a Samurai?” I asked, causually.
“Yes and no. Come, Theseus is on the phone with his family. I have it from here, Charline.” Taelon spoke to the woman behind us as he walked inside. When the doors closed, there was a more modern engraving of him with the rest of his family. They all seemed to be walking through the park with Mount Royal behind him.
“These are really beautiful.” I tried not to touch it. “But are you alright with having your personal history displayed like this?”
“It barely touches the surface of my history; it merely marks where I began. I was born and raised a Samurai during the Momoyama period in Japan in the Kōzuke Province—excuse me, it is called the Gunma Prefecture now.”