Gaia's Secret (28 page)

“Simple?” Alex said with his back to us while
scratching Parsec’s nose. “He all but forced the position.”

Cicero’s intake of air was sharp but Alex
didn’t show any signs of acknowledgement.

“Why didn’t someone just ask these Dalorens
who the seventh heir was so they could choose a rightful leader?” I
asked.

“The Dalorens are dangerous.” Cicero
answered. “Their access to knowledge has granted them access to
rare powers. They also happen to pride themselves in exclusivity
and none that have gone seeking them out have ever returned.”

“Not to mention—” Alex turned around and
looked pointedly at his father “—
someone
has convinced the
world we don’t need that knowledge.”

“What Alex fails to acknowledge is King
Darius protects the people from evil. It is his power that protects
our physical and metaphysical boundaries. You can’t have a world
without order, and King Darius is a fair and just ruler.”

“If it helps him to be.” Alex’s eyes
narrowed.

Cicero glared at his son. What was Alex’s
problem?

“Not everyone is pleased with King Darius
these days,” Sonya interjected. “There’s been severe drought in
Lord Tosca’s territory. The people there are farmers and provide
most of our food.”

Lord Tosca, Lord Tosca…where had I heard that
name? I glanced back at Alex and met his gaze briefly before he
looked away. Wait. Lord Tosca was the guy Cicero wanted Alex to
work for. The one that lived farthest away. My stomach turned. Alex
glanced back at me with curiosity in his eyes and I looked
away.

“The people need someone to blame, like
people usually do,” Sonya continued. “And leaders are the easiest
targets.”

“That’s because leaders are usually the ones
with enough influence to do anything,” Alex said.

“That doesn’t make it his fault, Alex.”

“And what of all the rumors about gargon
raids?” Alex stepped forward. “For all his protection and power,
the king has done nothing to investigate.”

“Alexander, mind your tongue,” Cicero’s tone
was low.

“Gargons?” I asked.

Alex stopped pacing and held my gaze.
“Dragons.”

My jaw dropped. “Dragons? They’re real?”

“It isn’t possible,” Cicero said through
clenched teeth. “If gargons had been unleashed, we would’ve seen
them by now.”

Dragons.

They existed. No way. This I had to see.

“Brilliant.” Alex glared at his father. “So
we’ll just wait for an attack like you waited for the
barghests.”

“Not another word, Alexander.” Cicero’s gaze
did not falter as he stared down his son.

The fire crackled as Alex’s fury radiated
from him. I’d never seen him argue with his father like this.
Actually, never—not in all my years of knowing him—had I seen him
this angry. And if I knew anything about Alex, his anger was never
unwarranted.

I wanted to talk to him without Cicero and
Sonya around to get a more holistic picture of this almighty king.
But at this rate, Alex was going to earn himself nothing short of
dismemberment. I thought I’d better step in and change the
subject.

“So when is this grand Festival?” I
asked.

The blanket of tension slowly lifted. Cicero
looked at me, the creases in his face already fading along with
Alex’s rage. Good, it was working.

“Actually, it’s happening this very year, on
November sixth.”

I froze. “But that’s…” My birthday.

Sonya smiled. “Yes, we know.”

Cicero continued. “It technically starts on
your birthday, but the games don’t begin until the seventh and then
continue for seven days. People travel from all over Gaia to
celebrate. It’s the one time we all get along.” He grinned. “Even
your father isn’t as argumentative.”

My heart sank. “I guess my dad’s been?” It
was a stupid question to ask—I already knew the answer. But it was
just one more thing I’d been left out of, something else they’d
done while I was twiddling my thumbs alone in Middle of Nowhere,
California.

Sonya smiled at me in an attempt to be
encouraging. “You’ll be going this year.”

Great, well, that fixed everything.

“Convenient timing if you ask me,” Cicero
added. “The best way for you to meet the people in this
world—including the Great Lords.”

Even better.

I didn’t want to meet any all-powerful lord
of anything. What I wanted was to find my dad so that I could move
on with my life.

“Oh, yes, the Festival is exciting,” Cicero
continued. “The décor, the competitions, the dancing.” Cicero
flicked his hand in the air, and then looked at his son with a
mischievous grin. He must have forgotten his anger. “Alex is
looking forward to the dancing aspect, I think.”

That got my attention. I turned around and
caught Alex’s gaze. “You…know how to dance?” I grinned.

Alex flashed me a warning look as he sat
beside me and watched the fire. He was so close I could smell the
forest on his clothing.

Alex dancing? I wondered if he was any good,
which made me picture Alex in a tux twirling in circles to the
sound of violins. The mental picture made me snort out loud.

He turned to look at me, the challenge
returning to his eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”

I grinned. “Already did.”

“Oh?” A grin twitched at his lips. “And how
did I look?”

“Humiliating.”

He smiled and I suddenly couldn’t
breathe.

Snap out of it!

His brow had risen while I’d been stuck
staring at him like an idiot. I looked away before I made a bigger
fool of myself, but I could feel his eyes on me still.

“Dear.” Sonya grinned at her husband. “You
used to step on my feet all the time.”

Cicero chuckled. “True, and Vera did tell me
the other day that Alex’s improvements are remarkable, well, for
him. She’s been able to keep her toenails during practice, not that
she cares for them.”

Every other word faded as my ears zeroed in
on one: Vera.

“Vera,” Sonya laughed. “Did you write her
back? Before we left?” She was looking at Alex expectantly.

And Alex poked at the fire with one of his
daggers. “Didn’t have time.”

Was he embarrassed?

“What’s the punishment for that, then?”
Cicero grinned. “Twenty lashes? You must be the only man in Gaia
that isn’t afraid to make her mad.”

“Alex is also the only man in Gaia that
can
make her mad.” Sonya grinned.

I suddenly felt sick.

I
peeked back at Alex
to find him studying me. His face was unreadable and my heart
started beating faster, so I looked back at the ground. A pit began
forming inside of me, attempting to punch itself through my stomach
lining. What was wrong with me? I didn’t even know her and I didn’t
like her. Who was she? What did she look like? Were they good
friends? It hadn’t occurred to me that Alex might be…dating. The
thought never even crossed my mind, and now it was there, forcing
every other thought out of it.

“I’m done. Does anyone want the rest of
this?”

“You’ve barely touched it. Come on.” Cicero
waved at me. “Eat a little more.”

“No, really, I’m full. I’ll toss it in the
fire if no one wants it.”

Cicero eyed me with skepticism. With his brow
raised, he reached out and took the meat from my hands.

I didn’t speak much the rest of the evening.
I doubted Cicero and Sonya thought much of it, distracted with
their memories of past festivals. Alex stayed seated beside me, but
he didn’t say anything. Sometimes, he would chuckle or comment at
something his parents said. Other times, I’d feel his curiosity,
but I never turned to look at him. I was too afraid he would see
right through me—see how I was feeling. And I knew how I was
feeling was ridiculous.

Alex could do whatever he wanted, talk to
whomever he wanted, even date whomever he wanted.

But why wouldn’t he say anything to me about
it?

Why do you think you have a right to
know?

Round and round went my thoughts. Until
someone mentioned Stefan.

“Hey, has Stefan mentioned anything about
Dad?” I asked. I wasn’t sure, but everyone looked a little
uncomfortable.

“No,” Sonya answered.

No. That was it. Just no.

One full day, a barghest attack, Alex gets
poisoned, and nothing. I didn’t believe her. Not one bit. “What do
you mean, no? Shouldn’t he be on his way by now?”

“We’re still waiting for him at Amadis as
planned,” Cicero answered, his words guarded. Too guarded. “And
with our small detour, he may even beat us.”

They were hiding something and after the
little Vera incident, I was
so
not in the mood for this.
“How can you be sure if he hasn’t said anything? Maybe you missed
something. Can I see the journal?” I held out my hand.

Cicero and Sonya exchanged a glance; Alex was
quiet beside me.

“Maybe later,” Sonya said.

I dropped my hand. “What happened?”

“Nothing has happened,” Sonya answered a
little too quickly.

“How do you know? You haven’t heard from him,
so you don’t know that.”

“If—” her eyes bore into mine “—Stefan
thought Alaric was in the smallest threat of danger, he would send
guards. I promise you that. Please be patient. It’s only a few more
days until your father can explain.”

As much as I didn’t want to hear it, it was
the same thing I’d known all along. I was supposed to bide my time
until Dad could explain the rest. These were the consequences I’d
accepted without thinking through my decision. This was my
punishment.

As I sat, wallowing in my self-pity, Cicero
declared it was time for bed and Sonya kissed my forehead
goodnight. She was worried for me; I could feel and see it on her
face. But I thought her worry was ridiculous. She could fix it, she
could tell me what was going on. She chose not to, so I didn’t feel
sorry for her.

“May I speak with you a moment?” Cicero’s
eyes fixed on his son.

A wave of apprehension and frustration passed
over me as Alex stood and joined his dad. The two of them walked
past our ring of light and into the forest. They didn’t go far. I
could still hear their voices, but most of their words were too
soft to distinguish.

Alex’s frustration surged so strong that even
from this distance it was hard to separate his frustration from
mine.

“—I’m concerned,” I heard Cicero say.

“You think I don’t know that?” Alex spat.
“Not once have you stopped reminding me.”

“Remember your place,” Cicero answered, and I
heard nothing more.

When they returned, Cicero was distracted
with thought, and Alex’s sharp features had sharpened further. As
Cicero walked passed me, he gave me a weak smile, then joined his
wife in their bed of blankets. Alex, however, sat beside me at the
fire, but sat a little farther away this time. He kept his face
from me, his gaze intent on the flames.

“Are you okay?” I whispered.

At first, I thought he hadn’t heard, but then
he glanced sideways at me. “Fine.” His expression was distant, just
like it was years ago before he vanished from my life, and it
hurt.

“Don’t lie to me, Alex.”

He held my gaze. There was pain in his, a
deep-rooted pain that I didn’t understand, and he looked back at
the fire. “I’ll
be
fine.”

I glanced at Cicero, whose breathing was
already even beneath his blankets.

“What was that about?” I asked. “Not this
afternoon, I hope?”

He glanced towards his dad, a low sigh
escaping his lips. “Partially. But, it’s nothing you need to worry
about. I can handle it.”

He was building a wall again. “I didn’t ask
if you could handle it.” I forced my voice to stay low. “We’re
friends. I’d like to understand, unless you changed your mind.”

“Daria.” He met my gaze. “I’m not…” He took a
deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened,
there was something sad in them. “He was just reminding me
to…adjust my attitude. He thinks I need to be a better influence.”
One corner of his lips turned upward.

“As if that ever mattered.”

“You don’t have to remind me.” He tossed
another log on the fire. Sparks flew as flames licked around the
fresh offering.

“Sorry about earlier.” I said. “I didn’t
realize Cicero would get so mad.”

“It’s just as much my fault. I forgot to warn
you. But I don’t think it would matter. If my parents had had the
choice they would’ve given me away long ago and adopted you.”

I smiled. “My dad’s the same way with
me—always taking your side.”

“Seems Alaric is the only one with any
brains.”

I was about to ask him why he didn’t want his
parents knowing about the pixie when Alex turned to look at me. The
way the light warmed his skin, the way it reflected in his eyes. My
heart sputtered in my chest and I looked away at the fire, trying
to calm myself.

But calm had been completely overthrown.
Nervousness had turned tyrannical, massacring all of my other
emotions and simultaneously throwing all of my words out of my
brain so that they were in broken bits somewhere inside of me.

What is wrong with you?

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

I had no idea, but I had a sneaking suspicion
that once I found out the answer, I wouldn’t be so eager to share
it with him. “Nothing.”

I felt his eyes on me as I fought to master
my nerves. A few silent moments passed before I gathered myself and
was able speak. I also tried to keep the times my eyes found his to
a minimum. “Why did you lie to your parents about the pixie?”

He stared at the fire. “I saw how it affected
you and I didn’t think you would want to talk about it.”

That was it? That was…thoughtful. “Thanks. I
didn’t.” I paused. “But, I’ll tell you now…if you still want to
know.”