“What’s this?” I see a list of names and although I may not be as high as I was acting, I’m not exactly sober either.
“A little task for Arthur. No idea why he wants it. But he ordered me to find a list of girls born on a certain date and who were put up for adoption. Everything he does is for himself, but maybe you can figure it out.” He sits back down and taps his fingers against the back of the sofa.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“To keep you busy, and away from Luna. I haven't got a problem with you, I never did. I made that order to keep you out of Arthur’s firing line. He made it clear when I claimed her, that you and Emmet weren’t to have any time alone with the little temptress. You guys may not listen to him, but I’m stuck here until you fuckers graduate,” he scowls, before his face relaxes into a calm smile.
“Thallon, we need to talk.” I claim the seat one over from him and he rolls his eyes before stealing the cigarette I have tucked behind my ear.
“Go ahead. You’re going to do what you want anyway.”
“Do you want to be heir? Is that why you’re here, to mess with Emmet and steal his metaphorical throne?” I roll myself another smoke as I curl my lip at him. Always have to have some on hand, just in case.
“Na, not really. My parents already have me lined up to take over the Aussie branch anyway. That’s more than enough for me, I came back here because Shane was forced out and I wanted to make… her pay.” His eyes darken, along with his voice and I roll my shoulders as I try to work out what I need to say.
“You don’t need to like Luna. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t. It’s bad enough having Tucker, Emmet, and Tom on the scene, let alone throwing you into the mix. But don’t punish her for what happened. She had no part to play in it.”
“I am sick of you guys defending her, she is nothing special. Just another girl looking for a quick, easy fix to life’s problems.” He laughs and I slap him across the back of the head.
“What is it going to take to convince you? What has she got to do? You know what, forget it. Believe what you want, but make her act like an animal again, and only eat your scraps, and I won’t sit back and watch it. I did enough of that last year, I’m through with making mistakes, and pretending that she doesn’t matter.”
“See? You love her and yet she’s doing what Rachel did. Why can’t you see that?”
“Don’t pretend that you care about what Rachel did to us. She played us for fools and made me believe I was the guy she loved. The one she wanted to marry. I was wrong for trusting that venomous snake. The difference is, Luna has never done that. She told me when she fucked someone, she didn’t try to hide it. She also hasn't told me she loves me, because she isn’t the kind of girl to say it unless she means it. But beyond all of that, she has nothing to do with what Poppy did. Luna isn’t Poppy You want to hate Poppy, that’s fine. Just make sure you’re aiming it at the right person.”
I stand up and shake my head as he clenches his fists. I’m so fucking done with his BS. He just better not push her too far anymore, or I’ll push him right back.
The Halloween party is next week and we’ve been given some very weird instructions. It’s usually the girls who get told what they can wear, not us. The worst part, the orders are from Arthur himself. He’s up to something, and no doubt, it has something to do with Twenty. She thinks she’s gotten away with it, that she’s untouchable. She’s walking around as though she doesn't have to do a damn thing we say. Even stranger is the way she’s following Bradley around, like he’s the answer to all her problems. She’ll never garner his attention, no matter how desperate she may be.
Tom tags along with me to get our costumes and I’m surprised he isn’t trying to find out any more information on Emmet. Maybe he really was asking for Luna.
“Are you really going to wear this?” he asks, as he holds up the cloak.
“Choose your battles, Tom. There is no point in fighting it. Besides, it’s only a costume. What would you have worn instead?”
“I don’t know, maybe something to do with a sunbeam, so Luna knows she’s not alone,” he sighs before he walks out of the shop with his costume.
“Why wouldn’t Thallon order you away? Why just me and Emmet?” It’s been bugging me for a while now.
“I don’t know, then again, he did give me a beating. Maybe he doesn’t know that I’m a threat. You and Emmet don’t exactly hide your feelings well.” He barks out a laugh and images of driving my fist into his face flash before my eyes. It would be so fucking sweet.
“Yeah, maybe you're right. Make sure she’s doing okay. It can't be easy for her being stuck with Thallon and having Emmet arrested.” I stalk back towards the car and try to plan my next move.
The doors open as we step in one by one, gasps ring out from the girls as they stand in the center of the ballroom. The lights have been replaced with red bulbs, giving a menacing feel to the room, as black smoke slithers around our legs and Haunted by Evanescence starts to play throughout the room.
“What the fuck is going on?” One screeches as the bodyguards step out, they look like zombies on crack. Blood drips down their arms and runs through their fingers and they move to stand behind the girls, crowding them in.
“Luna,” I hear Thallon grunt as my girl pushes her way to the front of the crowd. Not put off by the zombie guards, or our appearance in the slightest.
She looks ethereal, in a white lace corset and black ruffle skirt that falls mid thigh. Her top has rips across the stomach and over her hips, and there are splotches of red running across the tears. Her hair falls down in waves and her face is somehow more pale. Must be the lighting. She even has a cloak, but hers is the colour of blood and she pulls her hood up as she runs her eyes over us all, and I know she won’t be able to tell us apart, and that’s the point.
The black cloaks with the hoods pulled up over our heads, the crimson, full face masks that only reveal our eyes and mouths. Even the black wigs that ensure we all have the same color and style of hair. Add that to our leather pants, black boots, and chains wrapped around our left hands, and we look pretty menacing. At least, we’re supposed to.
“Luna, get back here,” Daria hisses as she steps out and closer to us. She stares into my eyes and I watch as she mouths the word “Sin” right before she’s pulled back by one of the zombies, and one of us, the cloaked figures, steps forward.
We remain silent as he holds his hand out and slowly moves it over the girls, until he’s pointing at Twenty. She screams as two of the guards seize her, and drag her forward.
“You do not break the Academy rules. You do not break the NDA, and you do not setup the Prince,” Emmet’s voice sounds through the speakers, and she starts to shake.
“Please, don’t do this. I had to, we have to follow our orders,” she pleads as tears pour from her eyes, and she’s forced down to her knees.
“The chains.”
How Emmet set this up, I have no idea, there must be someone controlling what is said and when, because no one is speaking, and I don’t even know if he’s here. Although, I suspect Emmet could be the one who’s unwinding the chain from his arm, and fixing it to her left wrist.