“If I’m to understand this correctly, you think you’re giving me an ultimatum?” she asked. Several pairs of eyes quickly turned away. Lord Seeger continued to gaze unnervingly at her. He wasn’t giving an ultimatum, he was issuing a challenge. Everything with him was a challenge. There was never a conversation that wasn’t a verbal sparring match. Arianna was learning how to play the games but detested them nonetheless.
“My son is an excellent candidate for your dearg-dul choice. No one here has any problem with that. We just want you to take on both my son and a baku so that you can fulfill the legend.” Seeger talked as if there was no question to his logic. Seeger had always suggested that Michael was the best choice. Arianna finally understood all the comments about grooming Michael.
“Last time I checked, this isn’t a democracy.” Arianna remembered her conversation with Thomas. He smiled behind her, also remembering, and glad he finally told her since no one else was going to. “Either you listen to me, or choose to go elsewhere.” The men around the table all showed various forms of shock at her harsh words. They had all grown accustomed, in the past year, to pushing their agendas on her.
“Where else can we go?” Lord Learing, a thin, balding man, couldn’t look her in the eyes as he spoke. “This has been my family for centuries. Why can’t you just agree to actively pursue the legend?” His last statement was more of a whisper for himself. “Michael Seeger is an excellent match for a dearg-dul, and I’m sure there are baku lining up.”
“I wouldn’t know, since I’ve never met any of the other clans,” Arianna replied, remembering the girl from the park. She was a night human, and possibly a dearg-dul too. The men all became instantly silent. No one would talk about the other clans. The Randolph estate was self-sustainable, and they wanted to keep their isolation from the others.
“We do not mix between the clans,” Seeger informed her. As far as Arianna could tell, it wasn’t that they couldn’t mix, but that they chose not to. The night human clans were a bigger mess of politics than the Randolph or Grace families alone.
“Nor do we mix between night humans,” she replied. “But I guess that’s not so true anymore either.” Each man avoided her gaze. No one wanted to talk about the other clans. “Why shouldn’t I seek a dearg-dul outside my clan?”
“Because there’s no need,” a thin, short man named Lord Robert replied. Arianna always thought Robert looked more like an elf than a vampire in night human form. “We do not mix because we are the superior night humans. We have excellent men right within our clan. You just need to look around, and not even that far, since Michael Seeger is the best choice.”
“If you’d tell me what the legend states, maybe I’d be willing to play the game,” Arianna replied. She was growing much bolder with her elders after a year spent listening to the clan bicker amongst themselves. “I refuse to put any more humans, night or day, at risk by being associated with me, unless I know what it’s for.” The balding Learing began to sweat. Arianna immediately saw that he was the weak link in the chain.
“Since you brought it up, Mr. Learing, would you like to tell me what I want to know?” Arianna asked sweetly. He shook his head no as he snuck glances at Seeger. Seeger was pulling the cords behind this meeting, as usual.
“If I may speak for Learing.” Seeger interrupted the interrogation that was beginning. “We commend you on the advances you’ve made thus far. You have a day human.” Seeger gestured to Devin, who had never made any formal commitment to the cause. “A lycan, and now a tengu.”
“Devin and Thomas are not part of this.” Arianna quickly interrupted Seeger. “In one week, Thomas will be free to go back to his family and away from this mess.” The table began to fill with people arguing again. Arianna grasped her shirt edge as it made her head pound to listen to so much talking at once. The nauseous feeling was now turning into a migraine.
Devin moved to help Arianna stand and added, “My commitment is not to the legend, but to Arianna, and her wellbeing. She has patiently listened to your concerns and will now be leaving.” Turner took his cue to jump up and help escort Arianna so that Devin could continue talking. “As the head of the family, she has given her decision. She will not actively pursue the legend until you disclose the rest of it to her. You must choose to then either continue on being part of this family, and not bring up the topic again, or you may leave the family, which includes vacating all Randolph property.” The men around the table tried to cover their gasps.
“You should really consider my son,” Seeger added, noticing Turner and Devin starting to usher her away. “It would help the clan on both fronts. We need Arianna to start to pursue a formal commitment of a match. The people are now all fighting for her favor, and we find our own subjects are growing harder and harder to control as they all want a part of her. We would like to start the formal recognition of possible matches to keep the people settled. My son, as her keeper, will keep everyone satisfied in that she is considering him as a match also.”
Arianna felt her mouth open in awe. Seeger was suggesting that a newly-turned seventeen-year-old night human choose a husband. Arianna shook her head in disbelief, but Seeger just smiled. It was his win on this one. She couldn’t refuse the request as crazy as it sounded, as he logic was right. The clansmen were all fighting to be recognized by her. Arianna didn’t realize it was about marriage. Devin had kept her in the dark on that one. Arianna felt Turner pull her toward the hallway.
“We will not discuss anything more tonight,” Devin added as he stood behind her. “We will consider your recommendations, but this is a matter for Arianna alone to decide.”
Outside as the door shut, she leaned into Turner’s shoulder. Thomas came from the doorway and tried to get a better look at her. All three knew something wasn’t right with her.
“Did he really just suggest that I get engaged?” she whispered for only Turner to hear. He laughed a little and then grimaced at the thought. It would happen sometime, and he would never be considered. She would need to choose a pureblood for everyone to be happy.
“I think he did,” Turner replied. She laid her head on his chest to keep her balance while standing.
“Wow, life sucks here,” she added as she closed her eyes. Thomas moved to support her as they began to walk down the hallway. She had been sick on and off for the past six months. Now she was sick again.
“Should we get the doctor?” Thomas asked.
“She’s just tired,” Turner added as he swept her up into his arms. Arianna was instantly asleep as he carried her. “She hasn’t fed in a couple days, and those men are a bit emotionally unstable.” Thomas backed off and nodded.
“Here,” Devin added as he shut the doors behind him. He held out a paper for Thomas. “She wanted to give this to you after the meeting, but I’m guessing she will be asleep for a while.”
Thomas opened the folded paper and gazed at it. His freedom was written there, along with a plane ticket.
“She got all your grades changed,” Devin explained.
“But I still have a week left,” Thomas complained. How could he leave her when she wasn’t even conscious? Thomas glanced over at her as she peacefully slept against Turner.
“This was all she asked for from her uncle for her birthday,” Devin added. “Your freedom.”
FIVE
Arianna lifted her head off the satin sheets and looked around the room. It wasn’t her room at the Randolph manor; she was in Tricity, Turner’s childhood home. It had been several months since they were last here, but the place still smelled like Turner. The entire place felt like him, and the spot next to her was still warm. Someone had been there not too long ago. Arianna caught Devin’s scent nearby, but he wasn’t in the room. Arianna used her senses and looked around for the people she could track. Devin was outside the door in the sitting room. Turner was across the hallway in his own room. His family and guests who filled the house were sleeping still. Arianna paused. Just outside the city was Andrew.
‘Good afternoon princess,’ he said inside her head.
‘Is it afternoon?’ Arianna looked around the room for a sign of the time. Not a single clock was in view.
‘Yes, and happy birthday,’ he added. He could actually add a smirk to his conversation going on in their heads.
‘My birthday is tomorrow,’ Arianna replied, trying to grin back. Portraying emotion along with thoughts was more difficult for her, but Andrew always seemed able to read her better than anyone else.
‘You’ve slept through two days. Why do you think I’m here?’
‘You have a great desire to see me, and can’t go more than one day without me?’ Arianna teased. It was easy to fall into banter with Andrew. He understood her way more than Arianna wanted to admit.
‘That’s the obvious answer. Are you feeling okay?’ Concern laced his thoughts.
‘I feel fine, why?’ Arianna felt tons of images all jumble past her. Andrew was thinking too fast for her to understand. He had a tendency to think fast when he was worried.
‘How long have you been feeling sick?’ he tried a different way to ask her.
‘I just got sick listening to all those old men plan my future without me. They actually suggested I get engaged I think. I’m not even done with high school.’ Arianna felt the humor as he silently laughed. At least he found it amusing. Arianna felt dread building, as she knew the council was serious.
‘Welcome to the night world, our alternative monster universe where we marry our children off as soon as they can spawn more little night monsters.’ Andrew joked about her unwanted fate. ‘Time to get married. If I haven’t heard that suggestion a hundred times before.’
Arianna laughed too. She sometimes did feel like she had entered some alternative monster universe. ‘Seriously, why are you here? I mean you can go anywhere you please. Why sit outside the city for days waiting for me to wake up?’ She tried to cover up her accusatory tone.
‘I’m concerned about you, and thus will follow you anywhere. Haven’t you figured that out by now?”
‘There’s nothing to be concerned about,’ she added. Everything felt fine now that she had slept.
‘You just shut off mentally two days ago. I couldn’t feel your presence at all. Most of the time I can feel you. I was worried, so I came straight here. For most people, that disconnect only happens to when they die. Gabriel told me that you had passed out and were sleeping. Even if you were just sleeping, I should have been able to feel you. I’m worried about you.’ Andrew explained.
‘You can feel me while I sleep?’ Arianna got sidetracked before she could verbalize what she was really thinking. Her face began to turn red, hoping he didn’t feel her dream a few nights ago that involved her and him kissing.
‘Not thoughts, but more like feelings,’ Andrew tried to explain. ‘Two days ago, you turned off and made me worry.’
‘That can’t be right. I feel fine. And two days haven’t passed. My birthday is tomorrow, not today.’
‘Well, you weren’t. But since you’ve enough energy to argue, you must be fine now. I hope you have a good day. I’ll see you when you return home. Oh yeah, and happy birthday again, Princess.’ And with that, Andrew was gone. He really had traveled hundreds of miles just to see if she was okay.
Arianna really needed help sorting out everything with the boys around her. Yes, she had kissed Devin, Turner, and Andrew. Yes, she loved all three of them, each in a different way. Yes, none of them asked her to choose between them, but it was still hanging there in the distance. Aunt Lilly had told Arianna to picture it as if she were just dating all three like any teen should be doing, but Arianna still had a hard time with that. They all were solely devoted to her, and she was split between them. She knew deep down that she needed to make a choice and make it soon. Thankfully, Thomas never had romantic interests in her. In fact, he was becoming more the older brother figure she always wished she had.
The clinking of heels and hushed conversations about her birthday told her immediately that she had slept through at least a couple days. Unfortunately, Andrew was right as always. Arianna listened around the familiar surroundings of Turner’s childhood home. Everything Turner had told her in the past year, along with their visits, made the trip familiar. The bed creaked slightly as she stood.
“Happy birthday,” Devin said from the sitting room behind the closed door. She would hear him even if he only whispered his greeting. Like Andrew, Devin seemed to know her better than she knew herself. Devin was back to his normal self. Even if they had been arguing just yesterday, none of that showed from him.
As if on cue, Arianna heard the door to the hallway open and Turner came into the room.
“Is she up?” he asked. There was more than happiness behind his voice. It was tinged with worry.
“Yes, I’m up,” she replied. “Just let me get dressed first.”
Turner waited by pacing around the room holding a small box in his hands. Arianna laughed as Devin began to get irritated. Only Turner could get him to show some emotion, but Turner had that effect on everyone. Arianna stepped out into the room soundlessly as Turner continued to pace. Something was bothering him. Devin looked up from his usual stack of papers and nodded, but Turner still didn’t notice the addition to the room. Arianna crept silently to sit next to Devin. Now Turner was standing at the window, looking outside and pulling at the bow of the box in his hand.
“Well, if you don’t want to take her out for the day, I can take her out then,” Devin offered, finally getting Turner’s attention.
Turner snapped around, ready to pounce on Devin when he noticed Arianna sitting there.
“I win,” she added as she jumped up and playfully teased him.
“I was distracted,” Turner replied. Relief poured off him at the sight of her.
“What does the judge rule?” Arianna asked of Devin, who was already back to his papers.
“He’s a biased judge,” Turner complained. “He loves you and hates me.”
“All the better to use.”
“Only if he was biased to me.” Turner sulked. He wasn’t a good loser. He handed the present over to Arianna, but Devin shooed them out of the room instead of waiting for her to open it.
“The birthday girl is always right,” Devin added, not looking up. “Now get out of here. I’ve tons of work to do. I swear Seeger is just doing all this to keep me busy.” Arianna and Turner headed to the door before Devin spoke again. “And tell Andrew to quit lurking. We know he follows you, and we always know he’s there. If he wants to check on you, he can just ask, or come here in person. He’s much more suspicious loitering at the edge of town.”
* * * * *
Turner ushered her away from Devin and to his favorite spot on the edge of town. It was an old, isolated trail that no one visited except for Turner. Arianna was glad to be outside, and away from all the staring people, and she gladly followed Turner to his spot. Even though she had visited Tricity many times, people still watched her in awe. Turner had prepared a picnic, including blankets for the chilly early evening air.
Arianna lay on the blanket, staring into the dusk sky. The city slowly began to turn on lights and twinkle as night approached. Arianna preferred the starry sky to the twinkling world beneath them. Their overlook was the best view in the city, and the most isolated. This was where Turner came to think. The first time he brought Arianna to his spot was almost a year ago when he helped her run away from the Randolph estate. As soon as they arrived this night, Turner gave her the gift he had brought with them. She held the delicate necklace in her hand and fingered the pendent from the present Turner had given her.
“It really wasn’t just me,” Turner admitted from next to her on the ground. He preferred to watch the city below. “Actually, all that was me was the idea. Devin had to find them.”
Arianna stared at the two twisting circles, her parent’s wedding bands. “It reminds me of me,” she replied quietly. The gold slipped over her
fingers. Neither ring had any stones in it, they were just plain gold bands of different width. Her mother had the smaller one as hers and her father the thicker one.
“It’s you.” Turner reached over and traced the two loops. “You’re both of them. I’m sorry you never got to know them. Even though my mom is gone, I still at least have some memories of her.”
“Why do you think I can be both?” she asked, pushing the sadness away of the gaping hole that was left by her parents’ death. She didn’t have any memories of them and only a few of her grandfather now. Every family member close to her in her life, beyond Gabriel, had died long before she could ever get to know them.
“You know the thinking part isn’t the best for me,” Turner replied, putting his hands through his hair. “I’m more of an action sort of guy.” Arianna smiled. That was completely true, but for Turner to admit it was a big step.
“Has anyone else ever tried?” Arianna asked.
“Tried action?” he asked. “I can demonstrate.” He leaned over closer to her.
“Not action,” she laughed, pushing him back. “Has anyone else ever tried to have a child between two different night human races?”
“Oh yeah, tons of people, especially when they clans got along better. When two unlike night human have a baby, it always ends up being one or the other. Never both. You’re the only one that has been both.” Turner leaned back to his original position, looking over the city.