The Decembers

Chapter 48

                                                                                                -Paisley-

    I needed a long, good nap. Especially the couple of days I just had. Nora was going to arrive tonight. I wonder if she knows. I mean we did everything right. No one expected a thing. Unless that's if Iris told on us but there is no way that she did. After all she was the one who helped us escape. Maybe Nora just wants to try to trick Pierce thinking that she knows we help Storm escape but he's too smart to fall for her tricks.

    As soon as I woke up, I knew it was dinner time already. All the protectors were going to have dinner with us tonight. Even though Nora is coming does not mean we're going to let her ruin our little celebration dinner. West comes into our room and tells me to get ready. He tells me that everyone is already at the dining table.

    I got change and headed to the dining area with my brother. Avery was already there. She was saving two seats right next to her. Of course, my brother sat next to her while I sat to the one next to him but that's alright because right across from me was Cyrus. He looks worried. I decided to ask what was wrong.

    "Nora is already here, and she brought Iris with her. They're having a talk right now in the meeting room with Pierce."

    Everyone got scared when Cyrus brought up Iris name. Why would Nora bring Iris along with her? I mean does she need Iris everywhere she goes. Nora is probably teaching Iris her evil ways to get what she wants. Yet it does seem weird. I just hope deep down that Iris didn't say anything to her but then again if she did, that would mean she must have got in trouble with Nora. I push that thought out of my head. There was no way Iris would betray Storm like that.

    West asked Cyrus if he knew what the letter said. Cyrus just replies by saying that Nora just wrote that she was arriving tonight with Iris and wanted to talk to Pierce alone privately. I do not understand how that woman can still make everyone life's miserable even not being in the same room. I am starting to think that is her talent. Just knowing she is in the same kingdom as us gives me chills up my spine.

    Everyone was having different conversations. I looked down the table and saw that Joey, Mary and Jace were having their own. Cyrus never asked them how it went with them when they were in the castle searching for Storm. I mean we know they did not get caught by anyone. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to meet up with us but something tells me they know something and are too scared to speak up.

    Joey taps on her cup of glass with a spoon as if she were going to make a toast. She then quickly stands up asking for everyone's attention. Cyrus and Storm tell everyone to be quite and to stop what they are doing. Even though they had no clue what Joey was going to say, they respected her. Once everyone was quiet, all eyes were on Joey. She clears her voice as if what she was about to say was dangerous.

    "Thank you all for your attention. Now what I am about to say didn't make sense until now. I want to be wrong about this, but the truth is I don't think I will be. While Mary, Jace and I were searching for Storm in the south tower of the castle we did not find him, but we did find out something terrible. We saw night guards preparing carts full of weapons and bombs. As if they were already getting ready for war. I overheard one of the guards telling the other one about how Nora has a right-hand person who is helping her start this war. No one knows who it is not even the night guards do."

    Cyrus thanks Joey for telling us this information and that she can sit back down. I can tell by his eyes and the look he was making that he was thinking about Iris. Everyone at the table started suggesting it was Iris who was Nora right hand. I cannot believe this. If only they knew the truth about her helping us out. Only half of this table knows the truth about Iris. The other half has no idea what she has done for us.

    Right away Storm was going to get up from the table and call everyone out who believe Iris was Nora right hand person. Instead, Cyrus grabs Storm shoulder and sits him down and stands up instead. Cyrus then tells everyone to be quiet. That he has a few words of his own. No one knows what he was planning to say.

    "I know for a fact that Iris isn't Nora right hand person. Don't ask me why but I just do. So, the next person who brings up her name better have proven she is Nora right hand. In other words, lets drop this topic."

    The whole room was quiet. No one wanted to say a word. I was taken by surprise that Cyrus was standing up for Iris and I think everyone else was to. I think that was the first time he had ever said or done something nice for Iris. Could he be warming up again to his sister. After all the Cyrus I know would not have one nice word to say about her. Even Storm was surprised to hear Cyrus standing up for her.

    As everyone continues eating. Timmy drops his chicken leg on his plate. He was looking at something. I turned around to find Pierce behind us. He asks everyone after they finish their dinner to meet him in the meeting room. That he has something very important to say. We were all quiet. It seems like no one could eat now. We all were too nervous about what Pierce was going to say to us soon.