Page 38 of House of Pawns
Jasmine takes another step back, her eyes having difficulty staying locked on mine. She takes another. And I can feel how much this is killing her.
But finally, with everyone holding their breath, she turns. She takes five steps, back toward the gate. “Let’s go.”
Micah shakes Rath and Samuel off with a hiss and immediately walks to Jasmine’s side. He places a hand on her lower back, but she flinches away from his touch. Trinity walks away from Lillian.
But Cameron hesitates. He looks from Jasmine, and back to me.
As if sensing his uncertainty, Jasmine turns back to him.And the red in her eyes sparks a little brighter. “It is time to leave,” she hisses. “Come now.”
Cameron looks between the two of us again. Finally, he settles on Jasmine. “You know, I wasn’t even sure you knew my name for the first year I lived in your House. You call me Toad half the time, because I have one wart scar on my finger. And I hate it.” He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders slightly. “But what other choice did I have? A life of solitude? I stayed, mostly for you.” He says this of Trinity. “But it’s not enough. There’s got to be something better.”
Trinity just looks at him with an impassive expression.
And something triumphant breaks out in my chest when he starts backing toward my House. He stops at Lillian’s side, who places a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Cameron,” Jasmine hisses, her eyes flaring. “Once this has been done, it cannot be undone. Consider what you are doing carefully.”
“I am,” he confirms.
And with the decision made, all eyes turn to Christian.
He stands in the middle of the two Houses. His eyes glow, but are dark and tormented. He stares at the ground.
“You shouldn’t go, brother,” Samuel says. And I hear how desperate he sounds. Christian is only two years older than Samuel. They are brothers. And they’ve been together for over seventy years. This separation can’t have been easy on either of them. “I know you feel loyal to what was once our father’s House. But is the shame and reminders of past mistakes worth it?”
Christian doesn’t look up. I see his nostrils flare and he takes in slow, deep breaths.
“Christian,” Jasmine says as she lays a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve been together, as a family, for your entire life. I have always taken care of you. Do not abandon me now.”
I hear Christian take another sharp breath. And then he takes a step away. Not toward me, not toward her. Just away. He takes another, and another. He walks in a line, in the direction of town, directly between the two of us. And suddenly he’s gone.
He chooses not to pick a side.
At least for now.
And suddenly Jasmine looks back. And now there is real fear in her eyes. There are seven of us, and currently only three of her House.
All eyes turn to Markov, who stands removed from the situation. In his hand he holds the now empty blood bag. Something shiny and bright in his hand catches my eye and I realize it is the crown I left for him.
He steps forward, toward the crowd, his shined shoes crunching over the gravel.
“Markov,” Jasmine says. She’s forcing love and devotion into her voice, but it just comes out sounding desperate. “Markov, surely you have loyalty. Surely you understand who has taken care of you for the past fifteen years.”
But his wrinkled face, those deep crows feet around those dark, calm eyes, they never leave my face. He continues walking forward.
And my heart races as I watch him walk past Jasmine, and continue walking in my direction.
“Fifteen years is not very long in my nearly two centuries of immortal life,” he says. He slows as he approaches the steps I stand on. “In my time, I have learned it is always wise to be on the most strategic leaders side. And Jasmine,” he doesfinally look over his shoulder back at her. He sets his crown upon his head. “I’m afraid that is no longer you, my dear.”
Everyone is deadly quiet and still. The air swells, ready to burst at any moment.
But it doesn’t. With death in her eyes and defeat in her shoulders, Jasmine takes one step back. Her eyes frantically jump from one face to another.
“You all will burn for this tyranny,” she seethes. But she takes another step back. “You abandon me for a child who doesn’t knowanything.” Jasmine’s eyes suddenly jump back to mine and they glow bright. “You and I are not finished.” And a second later, she, Micah, and Trinity are gone with a blur.
Almost in unison, the seven members of my House turn to face me.
Waiting for my words of leadership.
