Card Master

Chapter 12: Card Master vs. The Family (Part 2)

Chapter 12: Card Master vs. The Family (Part 2)

As we neared the doorway that led to the salle à manger (Jace’s phrase not mine) his pace began to slow until it seemed like I was the one pulling him forward instead of the opposite. The usual glint in his eyes seemed dulled as he stared at the floor in front of his feet, and his whole jerk-y sensation seemed subdued. If you tell anyone, I’ll deny it, but at this point I was kind of missing how much of a jerk he could be. At least a jerk is better than a piece of celery.

“Hey, celery boy, what’s up with you?” I stopped in front of him and he continued walking right into me before jumping back and finally looking at me.

“Huhn?”

“I said, what’s the matter with you! I have no intentions of being paid by a piece of celery. They’re so unreliable”

“…celery?”

“Look lettuce-face, I should be the one that’s nervous, not you. I-”

“‘Lettuce-face?’ I thought I was ‘celery boy’,” he smiled slightly, some of his annoying spark coming back to his eyes. What’s even more annoying was the fact that he had made me feel a tad happier for being able to restore him to his usual I-hate-Alex-and-so-I-will-torment-her-worthless-little-life-ness.

“Yeah!? Well that’s beside the point, so shut up! The point is, we’re never going to convince them we’re a couple and I’m never going to get paid if you look like wilted salad when you introduce me to him? Her? Them? Who’s in there anyway?”

Now his timid smile turned into a full on smirk as he grabbed my hand,

“That’s beside the point. So shut up,” he winked at me before leading me towards the door with new purpose in his footsteps. His little tease had gotten under my skin, but I bit my lip in order to stay quiet. Arguing would lead to us taking more time to get to the door, and I didn’t want to give him any time to reconsider and turn back into Mr. Cabbage Head. 

Would you look at that, I just thought before I spoke! I told Austin and Macy I could do it!

“You ready?” he squeezed my hand, taking me by surprise by his sudden show of affection. He noticed and quickly let go,

“Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s called acting,” he scowled slightly, before grabbing my hand again and pushing open the door.

I had to remember to breathe.

There was a ginormous arching ceiling that reminded me of those old fashioned Renaissance Kings’ quarters, and the arches met at a huge diamond chandelier that sat proudly in the center. The walls were completely coated in stencils of roses and patterns and the stencils were only interrupted when a piece of art stood in its way. But what was most impressive was  the table.

Holy. Shit.

That looked like a table that could feed a whole village! It spanned across the length of almost the entire room and was completely covered with silver platters.

“Jason! Ma petite chérie! You’re finally here!” A cheery voice sang from the opposite side of the room. I had to squint to see the source of the sound, and was so busy concentrating that I didn’t notice a blonde woman charging at me to embrace me in a hug.

“What the-” my protest was cut off by the woman’s arms being flung around me as she let out a delighted squeal,

“Magnifique! Elle est magnifique!”

“Um…hello to you too?”

Jace sighed, his forehead turning red as he pulled the woman off me. She just stood there pouting as I tried to retain my grasp on reality. So much assault so early in the morning. It was messing with my sanity.