Shattered Legacies: Book 1, Holo Change

💠Chapter 17: Every bit helps!💠

An unexpected and unfortunate shower washed over the Neon City the next day. Painting the sky in tones of gray that had gotten heavier as the morning went on. Now dark and full to match the winds blowing the trees of the forest in an audible storm and assaulting the windows of the Chateau with its pellets of water. A crackle from the sky now and again only helping to give the slow gloomy mood to the office the vampire stood in with his phone to his ear and curtains drawn open wide. Watching the rainfall half mindlessly as the conversation got underway. "I apologize, Elijah." A woman's gentle and elegant voice spoke through the phone in a regretful sigh. The tone sadly familiar to him, prompting his patience to listen to her disappointed explanation. "The order was delayed, and I can't simply leave without the stock." She said, "They said it should only be a few more weeks, a month at most." which in all honesty did surprise him to hear. Whoever she'd hired obviously worked fast to have at least 60 or so done by now. "I'll be back before the trip, though. The one to Emerald Isles." However, her next words of intended assurance brought with them a twinge of dread on his end. Face stiffening in a suppressed groan, "Oh right, that." causing his words to come out with a point at the thought of sand, heat, and people gawking at the water as if it were liquid gold.

He'd almost forgotten what unwanted events summer break brought with it. Even if just for one to three days, it was much longer than he preferred. And as expected, she heard his displeasure as clearly as if she could see his face scrunching in an ugly grimace. Causing her own sounds of a playful roll of the eyes to run over her words. "Lighten up, Elijah. Some time away won't kill them." A tiny well meaning chuckle behind the end, only emphasizing the irony he could feel as a result. Though he knew she'd be giving him a soft smile blowing off his predictable replies, "Forgive me, Emperess, but doesn't it stand to reason time away from the Chateau would put them at risk?" he still found himself arguing his stance on the matter. Respectfully, calmly, but strongly all the same. "Time away from safety is time they could be found." Stirring the air just a little bit with the truth of it. The truth he saw, and the still lingering cause she was well aware of. The wind picked up outside causing him to step from his desk closer to the window and peer towards the forest areas. Another absentminded action, perhaps trying to distract himself in some way.

Angelica sighed again, this time in a breath to prepare her counter argument. "Your logic is sound, Elijah. However, I feel this is what's best." She stated with as much care as she could hold to balance her firmness on the topic. Not wanting to sound overly begging touchy feely, or as if she didn't understand his point of view at all. "You cannot simply lock yourself away from what scares you. If you do you'll only burden yourself." Her professional, speech like tone of professional passion making him swallow down the trickling unease from the images entering his mind. "There's a world beyond the city lines. A world they deserve to experience." A "and so do you" hidden in the small second of silence that followed. And she was right. He knew on some level that she was right. The Neon City was their home out of low risk and accessibility from every day people. It was safe. He was smart enough to know that shutting yourself away and giving into your trauma birthed urges would only lead to more issues. And, not everyone had the same ones as him. That said, he wasn't interested in taking that step himself. Those images were still vividly fresh in his mind. He could still hear the cries for mercy and death gargles when he went to sleep at night. He could still feel that sickening blast of scale contrasts claiming justice.

"But, I will give them a choice." Which is what made her next words a relief. "When I make the announcement, they can either sign up to come or not to stay. Does that work?" Clearly not wishing to be pushy rather than supportive, which he did appreciate. Even if it meant a repeat scenario was still possible. "I suppose so, Emperess." He said, thankful he would not have to go this time. "Do not worry about your absence. Emperor Rubin, Beatrix, Sato and I have been managing thus far. Focus on what must be done." He said politely, knowing she'd otherwise most likely worry more than necessary about being away from the Order of Kismet for so long. He didn't want her to agonize over when she had to return, rushing her work all for their sake. "Any word on the situation in the capital?" And then he quickly changed the subject to the next matter of business. Walking back from the window to his shelf, allowing his eyes to scan over the spines of the books and the small knick knacks searching for another point of focus as the sky rumbled with her answer. "Yes." This one changing her tone to one much more appropriately serious through her update that followed. "It seems it's just as we feared: they're doubling their efforts to find us. In particular, they're trying to work with the Weavers to develop some sort of frequency scanner to pick up the unique signal of an Outcast."