The Girl In The Meadow

Chapter 28

Tiv

Friday 11th May, Year 825.

Thirteen calls in the space of one night.

What was she doing?

There were no other calls for the entire month. I read the time stamps on the calls: the longest lasted twenty-five minutes. I wondered idly if I was facilitating contact for her and a new man. The thought made me ill. I crumpled up the bill and threw it on the floor. My gaze lingered on the bookshelf, then I retrieved the thick tome and flipped to where the snowdrop marked a page. It lay pressed and pale, and in a rash impulse, I crushed its fragile form between my fingers. Alayna should have received my letter by now, yet silence was her only reply.

I pulled my mobile from my pocket and dialled Marco's number. He had moved out, desperate to escape Father. I was not far behind him however you had to be eighteen to own property in Lambent. Two months.

While I was more than delighted to be free of Marco, we needed to talk.

"What's up?" he answered.

"What are your plans for this evening?" I asked.

"I'm seeing some friends for drinks," he said.

"I want to meet for dinner, can you push them back?" I pressed.

Marco, clearly taken aback by the request, muttered, "Are you alright? What's Father done?"

"Nothing. It's Alayna. She's still using that bloody phone I gave her," I said, throat tight with irritation.

A hint of amusement coloured Marco's tone, "I told you so."

"Just make reservations somewhere busy for seven," I snapped before he hung up.

Eyeing the remains of the snowdrop, I sighed roughly with regret.

The waiter escorted me to our table where Marco sat sipping red wine, engrossed in the menu. Marble columns climbed towards the ceiling, crowned by dazzling chandeliers that bathed Staventon's skyline in warm light through grand windows. The restaurant buzzed with conversation, and each white-clothed table hosted a flickering candle.

Dismissing the waiter's offer to take my coat, I caught Marco's amused look and cut straight to the point.

"What exactly did she say to you?" I demanded as soon as I took my seat.

Maroc scoffed, "Order a drink and let me pick my meal at least before we fall out."

I glared at him before conceding. I thought about Meredith's accusation of causing strife and softened. I knew I wasn't leaving without my explanation so I pushed thoughts of Alayna to the back of my mind for the moment and looked at the menu.

We ate and actually caught up. I could not recall the last time Marco and I had spoken without some kind of animosity between us. Certainly not since Mother had died. He told me of his apartment in the city and how Father expected him to be seen in public with the daughter of Roory Beckett, Lambent's president.

I groaned, "He's going to start campaigning again, isn't he?"

"Yes, next month. Governor of Staventon," Marco said, shoving a bit of bloodied steak into his mouth.

I was enjoying not being known. Another campaign meant six months of being thrust into the limelight and used as a pawn to further advance Father's career.

"There is no way people will vote a Vakosian in," I pointed out.

"You tell him that," Marco shot back.