Thallon pulls his phone out and starts playing music through it. Dirty by Christina Aguilera.
“Come on then, Vanilla, strip.”
My head shoots up and he smiles down at me, his eyes burning through my skin, daring me to refuse.
“W-w-what?”
“He didn’t want you to speak, Two,” One shouts out, and it’s met with raucous laughter.
“Now, Vanilla, or I won’t let you stop at your bra and panties,” he whispers into my ear, and I shudder as his fingers make deft work of my zipper at the back.
I grip the sleeves, as I slide them down my arms until they reach my elbows. I hang my head as my salty tears touch my lips. I can’t stop trembling, and I’m struggling to make myself push them further.
“Maybe she needs a little help,” one of the guys shouts.
“Maybe, any volunteers?” Thallon asks, and I look up through my tears to see so many hands raised. I can also see D struggling to make her way to me, but Nine and Ten aren’t making it easy for her.
“How about a little girl on girl?” He laughs, and cheers ring out as One steps forward.
“Not you,” he growls, and she staggers back as her eyes widen.
“Come on, Vanilla, get it off or one of these will do it for you.”
I close my eyes as I pull my hands out of the sleeves and grip the neckline. I want to pull it up, not push it down.
“Off, off, off,” they chant and my legs are like jelly as I slowly force it down to my stomach.
Catcalls and whistles come out, and then the names start.
“Ugly bitch.”
“Ghost girl.”
“Whore.”
“Skank.”
The maids outfit falls to the floor and I step out of it as I wind my hands across my chest and try to hide as much as I can.
“What is the meaning of this?” A new voice booms across the grounds, and everyone scatters, or at least they try to.
“Take one more step and I will double the amount you will owe to the Academy,” Sir walks over to me and I close my eyes again. I jump as something is placed across my shoulders and wrapped around me.
“I want names of everyone who participated. Miss Lewiston, I trust I can count on you for this?” His voice is hard and scalding and I’ve never been happier to have him around.
“Yes Sir, of course,” she replies through a shaking voice.
“All of you get to your rooms now, and stay there until further notice. Come along, Miss Carter, let’s get you inside. We’ll be having words, Thallon.” I shiver at his tone, but I know his animosity isn’t directed at me. I don’t even recoil at the way he places his arm around my shoulders and steers me up the stairs.
He just helped me, maybe like his son he does have some good deep within him.
He leads me into his office and I take a seat in front of his desk, as he steps around it.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asks, as he sits down, and steeples his fingers under his chin.
“N-no, t-thank you.” Shit, I’m not supposed to stutter around him.
“Were you being punished for something, Miss Carter?” His eyes glance over me, and I’m so grateful for his jacket.
“I don’t think so, Sir, but I can’t say for sure. He never said.” I have to take pauses in between the words, but I manage to get it all out.
“Very well. Can you tell me who participated within the… order?” He pulls a pen out of his breast pocket and holds it poised over a sheet of paper.
“There were so many people, Sir, but they just laughed. They didn’t do anything.” I play with my hands in my lap and just hope that he will dismiss me soon.
“Do I make you uncomfortable?” The corners of his lips twitch, but it’s such a minute movement that I can’t be sure it even happened.
“Yes, Sir.” I stare at his shoulder, not daring to make eye contact. No one ever does, and I’m not foolish enough to try.
“That’s understandable, you don’t get to my position without making people uncomfortable or having more than your fair share of enemies. So, why are you? There are many reasons of course, but I’m curious.” He drums his fingers across the desk and I watch the movement, almost transfixed.
“Because…” I take a deep breath and try to hold in my quaking nerves, I don’t want to tremble before him. “You hold my future in the palm of your hand. I don’t want to do or say anything that could cost me everything.” I deflate against my chair, and wait for him to say something back. I hope I chose the right words.
“That is understandable, your file suggests that you have a lot riding on this. Would you walk away if someone handed you the money, or would you stay for the experience?” I dare to lift my eyes to his mouth, but I can’t judge how weighted his words could be.
“I… I don’t know how to answer that, Sir.”
“Honestly. In my world, the only thing that truly has value is honesty. If all you hear are lies, how can you ever recognise the truth?” His words resound with something within me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, no half truths or deceptions. Just the God’s honest truth.
“I would be tempted, but… I wouldn’t walk away with the thing that I will value the most out of all of this.” My voice drops to a soft whisper and he leans forward, his chair creaking under the movement.
“What is that, Luna?”
No more Miss Carter, should I be worried? Although, if I should be worried about anything, it should probably be the way I can feel myself starting to relax in his presence. I don’t feel safe, I can’t see that ever happening. It’s more that I don’t feel my skin crawling, not like when we stood in Emmet’s kitchen.
“Knowledge and experience. I haven’t had an easy life, Sir, but before I came here, I worried that I wouldn’t be strong enough to create something of my own. I’m not scared of that anymore, and the classes are helping me to learn what I need to know and do to succeed. So no, I wouldn’t take the easy way out. Nothing worth anything, ever comes easy.” I don't think I’ve ever heard myself sound so sure before. When did this happen? Is it the journey? The near death experiences? Or maybe it’s the influence of the people around me.
“I think you could go very far in this world, Luna. I look forward to seeing what you do next. I will call for your guard. I suggest you stay in your room for the night and start fresh tomorrow.” He pushes a button on his desk before rising to his feet.
“Sir, thank you,” I whisper as he comes to stand in front of me.
“You’re welcome, Miss Carter. Go back to your room and I will make sure that something like that does not happen again.” He offers me his hand and I slip mine into it. He pulls me to my feet before he places his hand on the small of my back. He guides me over to the door and I look up to see Darius waiting for me on the other side.
“Straight to her room, Darius, and do not leave your post until you are relieved,” he orders, his tone harder now that we are no longer alone.
“Yes, Sir, of course.”
Darius waits for me to walk past before he leads me back to my room. We don’t speak, and I can’t even bring myself to force a smile as I close the door, and hole myself up in my room.