The Column Racer (34 page)

“Certainly,” said the estate manager, and she motioned for them to follow. They started in the foyer where they watched Aquilina leave for her date, and from there they explored the rest. There was a four level library made of the darkest of woods, a large fireplace on each of the levels, and a glass eye on the ceiling that gave way to the night sky. There was a large pool area with walls of gold and dragons surrounding it, a private running track that seemed long enough to take a full day to run it complete, a personal weight-training area, and spa area where Aquilina visited her own personal masseuse, as well as her own body, face, and skin specialist. Aquilina also had her own stylist and an outdoor pool three times the size of the one indoors, which was already pretty big. She also had over a hundred servants to tend to her many luscious gardens and to clean the fifty-six overly large rooms of the mansion each and every day.

“So, that completes the tour,” said the estate manager as they entered back into the foyer, “is there anything else you would like to do tonight?” Areli’s legs were tired from walking from room to room, and she was more than grateful when Fides said that they would just wait in Aquilina’s room until she returned.

“Very well,” said the estate manager, who then led them back to the massive bedroom. “Um.” She hugged the both of them, taking them by surprise. A single tear erupted from her eyes, and she was quick to bat it away. “You have no idea how grateful I am. Aquilina . . . column racing has been her whole life – for years we stood by her, as she dedicated every hour of her life to the sport. She took retiring harshly. I – I just never imagined this day would come.” She hugged them both again and then hastily excused herself from their presence.

Areli looked over at Fides, who just shrugged her shoulders and walked over to the bed. She fell onto it, spreading her arms and giving a sigh of relief.

“Oh my stars, Areli!” said Fides, “you’ve got to try this!” Areli climbed into the bed next to her and layed on her back, sprawling her arms and legs across the top of the comforter and blankets. If Areli knew what lying on a cloud had felt like, she was sure that it would be comparable to this. The bed seemed to mold to every inch of her, only swallowing her part way, leaving her floating as if she was on top of water.

“I need one of these,” said Fides.

“We both know you’re going to get one,” said Areli, the words tearing at her heart as soon as they escaped her mouth. She had to close her eyes, and she had to believe they would find the information they needed.
Evidence must exist
, thought Areli,
it must
.

“Well, we both know you’re going to get one as well,” said Fides. She reached out and took Areli’s hand. Areli fought her reaction to pull away, fighting the tears that were threatening to close her throat and moisten her face.
Why can’t I tell her?
asked Areli to herself,
she’s my friend, my sister . . . she deserves to know
. Thoughts of Fides father, Edsel – Degendhard, came swimming into the depths of her mind, choking her will to tell. The image of him during their last conversation sickened her. Areli thought he should be protecting Fides better, they shouldn’t be hiding – they should be fighting. People were prepared to fight. For him. For freedom. So many lives lost – and not a single plan. His cowardliness made her hard and her muscles rigid.

Fides turned over and Areli could feel her eyes on her. She wanted to look away. She didn’t know if she could look into the blue irises of Fides eyes and not shed a tear. Areli felt like a failure. A complete and utter disaster. Her only female friend – and she couldn’t save her, not yet, not with information people would only regard as rumors.

She knew she couldn’t look away, but when she turned to face Fides, Areli grabbed her to her, hoping the escaping tears didn’t come into contact with Fides skin. Areli held her, just held her, close, tight, wishing she never had to let go.

“What’s wrong?” asked Fides.

“It’s – it’s nothing,” said Areli, “I just missed you is all.”

“I missed you too,” said Fides, “promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“Promise me that you and Yats will spend every night with us leading up to the dance.” Areli sniffled as fresh tears found the surface of gold linens.

“I promise.” What was she doing? She needed to find information, but what could she do? What could she say? Areli’s mind instantly raced to Brynn and Finn, thankful that Yats told her that they needed help, because now she needed them more than ever. She didn’t know how much time they had, but she knew they needed to find the missing informants before the end of the week. Areli had to find solid evidence leading back to Sofi. Fides’s life depended on it.

Fides wiped the tears from Areli’s eyes and smiled a smile full of mischief.

“I know what would make you feel better?”

“You always do,” said Areli, laughing, sputtering tears from her lips in the process. She watched with questioning eyes as Fides sat up on the bed.

“How long do you think Aquilina’s going to be on her date?”

“I don’t know – why?” Fides looked over at the dressers.

“Absolutely not! No. We’re not
digging
through her stuff.”

“Oh come on Areli,” said Fides, “aren’t you at all curious?”

“I wasn’t,” said Areli, “until you mentioned something.” She looked over at the door, and gestured with her head towards it. “What about the estate manager?”

“We’ll pretend we’re sleeping,” said Fides in a playful whisper. She crept out of bed and tip-toed towards the door, shutting it slowly and turning the lock, not able to suppress a laugh as she did. Fides looked back at Areli and motioned for her to join her. Areli’s eyes were still fixed on the door.

“Areli,” said Fides, somewhat laughing, somewhat serious, “what are you waiting for?” Areli reluctantly crawled out of bed and made her way towards Fides, telling herself this was for the best. And looked at it as training for taking down Sofi. The two started in the top drawer of the gold dresser. Nothing but underwear and socks.

“Aquilina needs more help than we thought,” said Fides pulling out an unsexy pair of underwear and then tossing it at Areli. Areli reacted quickly, dodging the ugly piece of underwear as if it was covered with poison that could be absorbed through the skin.

“What did you do that for?” asked Areli, with a hint of venom in her voice. Fides had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh. Areli was not amused as Fides almost toppled over, her face red, her eyes filling with water. Areli took off her shoe and picked up the underwear with it.

“It’s not going to kill you, Areli,” said Fides, followed by more laughter. Areli tossed it at her and almost fell down laughing herself as it clung to Fides face. Fides was quick to get it off, tossing it across the room as if it were some vicious animal. She looked at Areli, her eyes the color of poison, and then they were both on the ground laughing.

After they were able to compose themselves, Areli’s heel back on, they went back to searching through the drawers. They didn’t find much, just elegant tailored clothing.

“I don’t think we’re going to find much,” said Areli.

“There must be something,” said Fides, “let’s go check the closet.” They walked into the large closet that was double the size of Areli’s bedroom.

“There’s no way Aquilina has anything hidden in here,” said Areli, “you heard her estate manager. Aquilina’s whole life was centered around column racing. I bet she never left the boarding facility.”

“Now what kind of attitude is that?” asked Fides.

“The I-don’t-want-to-be-caught-looking-at-Aquilina’s-underwear attitude.”

“Well good thing for us – we already checked that drawer,” said Fides, “and remind me. We need to take Aquilina to that boutique with the silk panties. She’s dating now. No man is going to want to see that.”

“Fides!”

“What – it’s true.” Areli shrugged her shoulders. Who was she to say what a man would like to see on an almost naked female body. She started to think about Yats and his own preferences or thoughts about what he imagined would happen when it came to stuff like that. Then her mind went back to Talon.
Knock it off, Areli. You’re with Yats.

“Fides,” said Areli in a soft voice, desperate for a distraction as she joined Fides going through jewelry drawers, “have you ever – you know?” Fides looked at her, and smiled.

“No,” said Fides with every ounce of seriousness, “have you . . . and Yats?”

“No,” said Areli, wondering if she should be ashamed about it or proud of the fact. She and Fides continued to look silently, making only slight conversation as their hands looked at and tried on different kinds of earrings and necklaces. As they came to the bottom drawer, Areli was almost too tired to keep going, and the soft cloud-water- most-comfortable-bed-she-had-ever-laid-on was calling her. They opened the drawer, again nothing. Areli yawned, over exaggerating the extension of her jaw and the spread of her arms, hoping that her motions could influence Fides. But Fides search was not yet satiated.

“What are you doing?” asked Areli, as Fides was reaching deep into the back of the drawer.

“Searching.”

“Searching for
what
– dust?” Fides gave her a look that told Areli, carefully, if she was tired, she should go to bed. A frustrated look swelled onto Fides face as her hand scanned every inch it could reach. She extracted her hand and sat looking at Areli. A look of disappointment washed across Fides face, and then fierce determination.

“Fides – we already looked through those,” said Areli as Fides was going back through the drawers, working her way up.

“We didn’t check the bottom of the drawers,” said Fides.

“Fides we checked the bottom of every drawer.”

“Not the bottom bottom.” Fides was halfway up when her lips curled into a smile.

“What is it?” asked Areli, “do you have something? Fides – do you have something?” Areli was on her knees now as Fides pulled out a giant wine colored leather handbag embellished with gold. They were both silent as Fides unzipped it, looking up at Areli. Areli’s eyes were as big as hers, and she was sure her heart was pounding just as hard as hers. Areli looked back down at the bag with her eyes, then at Fides, telling her to reach into it.

Fides reached in and Areli didn’t dare take a breath as she did. Fides looked at her when her hands found something. She pulled it out to the light. It was a gold container. She set it on the floor. Fides reached back into the bag, and pulled out three syringes with a clear liquid in each of them, the needles protected in an elegant gold case. Her hand went in once more.

“That’s it,” said Fides, “there’s nothing else.”

“What do you think it is?” asked Areli, “I mean – what do you think it’s for?”

“I don’t know,” said Fides, setting the needles onto the ground and picking up the gold container. She studied the two capital letters on the top, which were crafted into the lid of the container. “F.B.” Areli looked into Fides eyes, and then Fides twisted it open, revealing a white cream, like that used for dry skin, except pungent and foul smelling.

“I don’t understand,” said Areli, making a face, “why would Aquilina be hiding body lotion? And horribly smelling body lotion at that?” Fides just shook her head, and then picked up the syringes and tried to make sense of the two. Again on the gold covering that protected – whomever – from getting cut from the needles, the initials F.B. were placed there as well.

Fides almost dropped the container and the syringes when the door knob started to rattle. Areli ran to the closet door as Fides quickly placed the lid back on the container, stuffing both it and the syringes back in the leather handbag and shoving it crudely where she found it.

Areli could hear laughter coming from outside the door in muffled tones. It was Aquilina and her estate manager. Areli spotted the tossed underwear on the floor. She removed her shoes and moved with haste to pick it up. She then bounded over to the dresser, making her leaps quick and light and shoved the underwear as neatly as she could amongst the others.

Areli turned towards the door as she heard it unlocking. She looked towards the closet entrance. Fides had yet to come out from there. The door opened a crack. Light poured into the room. Areli could hear the light conversation and exuberant laughter coming from Aquilina and her estate manager. Areli looked to the closest, almost wishing she could scream for Fides to get
out
of there. Aquilina said goodnight to her estate manager and was headed into the room.

Areli lunged at her, wrapping her arms around her and turning Aquilina’s back towards the closest.

“I missed you too,” said Aquilina, laughing, patting Areli on the shoulders.

“How was your date?”

“Oh, Areli it was so amazing – I’ve never felt this alive before. I mean – well, you know what I mean.” Areli nodded her head. “Where’s Fides?”

“I’m here,” said Fides behind them. Areli was so thankful to hear her voice. She was sure she could come up with something if she had to cover for her, but even she wondered if that something would have been absurd and not even close to believable.

“So, you have to tell us everything, Aquilina,” said Fides, “each and every detail.” The rest of the night was passed with Aquilina telling them how wonderful her date was.