A Host of Fallen Dreams - After the Rising Book 1

Epilogue - The Wasteland

In the weeks that had followed the announcement that evidence had been found indicating Lukas was not a spy, the Mansion opened up to him. However, those that lived there, apart from those who had already given him a chance, did not.

As he walked down corridors he still felt the eyes of those he passed, watching him warily. Some very obviously tried to avoid him, stopping mid-stride and turning around to walk back the way they had come, or diving into the nearest doorway when it was clear seconds before they had been heading elsewhere.

For the time being, the room he had been staying in for the duration of the investigation was still his, for which he was thankful. After realising that his presence still seemed to make others awkward, he did them all a favour and spent most of his day in his room. He did, after all, have everything he could possibly need in there. Sometimes he kept the door open as he didn't want to appear rude or make himself seem unapproachable, but it made no difference. Only those who had spoken to him when the cloud of suspicion had still hovered above his head spoke to him now. When he tried to make the effort, to bridge the distance between himself and these others, he was customarily either ignored or given monosyllabic responses that prevented any further conversation.

It was clear it was going to be a hard road to get people to see him for who he was rather than whom they had, in error, imagined him to be. And he didn't think he cared enough to try and get them to change. At the end of the day, they were still strangers to him.

Jace had been to see him that afternoon, in an attempt to coax him out of his room. For some reason he was under the impression that Lukas was only staying in there because he was used to being locked inside it. He didn't seem to grasp that Lukas was actually happier in there, on his own.

'Well, at least you'll come downstairs later for the concert.' Lukas noticed it wasn't a question. 'There's going to be music and lots of food. Rashida's been working her socks off in the kitchen since dawn. You'll enjoy it.'

Lukas didn't think he would. He made a sound that could be taken as either, yes, sure he would love to go, or no, unfortunately he'd made plans for tonight. There was no way he was going to commit to anything.

'It will also be an opportunity for you to get to know more people.'

'I'll see.'

Jace had done his best, but Lukas noticed that when he left, he looked as if he was well aware he had failed. So, Lukas decided he would go for a bit, just to show his face, in the hope that it might cheer Jace up. After their strained start, Jace had gone out of his way to make up for things, and eating a bit of food was the least he could do to show he appreciated the effort.

It was as he was getting ready to head downstairs, that he realised not only that he had come to a decision, but it was one that actually made him feel better. Lukas had decided that he was going to find somewhere else to live. He wasn't going to hang about the mansion, hoping things might get better. They never would.

He needed to leave, to find somewhere else, somewhere that felt like home. Would he ever find anywhere that felt safe again? He didn't know. But what he did know was that the Underground had treated him just as bad as The Territory, and he was going to have a hard time getting over that.

The Mansion was their home, not his. He was an interloper, a trespasser, and he would go somewhere else, somewhere he was welcome. Somewhere he could be content and comfortable. Somewhere where he might feel like he belonged.

*

Jace watched from the doorway as the band took to the stage at the top end of the hall. A crowd gathered before them and started dancing as soon as the first note was played, their movements slow and tentative at first before they managed to match the rhythm of their bodies to the song.