Deadly

Chapter 19

My mother smiled at everyone around the table, everyone but me. I felt a pang in my chest but did my best to ignore it. Felicity looked so happy, so full of life. Being at Benjamin's palace had drained her slowly of who she really was, now she was home. I wished I could share her happiness, but being back here reminded me of how much I didn't belong. This wasn't home. Home was where you felt safe and loved.

" Mother called for a seamstress," Percy said excitedly to his sister.
" She's coming tomorrow to take your measurements."

" She'll make you the most magnificent wedding dress, darling." Pamula said. Her eyes were glowing, unaware of the falter in Felicity's smile. But even the mention of the wedding couldn't dampen my cousins mood for long.

" Well of course," my mother said chuckling. " Only the best for my niece."

Another pang.

This wasn't home, this was suffocating.

Pamula removed her loving gaze from her daughter to ask Benjamin and Bennett a question. " When will the wedding be?"

" Yes," my mother said folding her hands over the table. She leaned closer, her eyes apprehensive. " When will the wedding be?"

Benjamin waved his hand, " The details can all be discussed later on. We're in no rush to have them wed, let us have enough time to plan for an exquisite wedding, not simple and bland."

Bennett gave his father a bewildered look of disbelief. Benjamin looked at him off the corner of his eyes, raising a glass of wine to his smirking lips. I watched the exchange with mild interest, only looking away when Benjamin met my gaze.

" Very well." My mother said. She ate the last bite of beef on her plate, padded a napkin over her lips, and looked at me for the first time since we'd sat down. Her lips turned down at the corners, like she couldn't even stand to look at me. " You will return to your chores tomorrow morning."

" Chores?"

" As your punishment." She said in a chiding tone. " Don't tell me you forgot?"

" Of course she did." Luca said darkly.

" Dallas will inform you of the details and ensure you do as you're told," she said standing from the table. After smoothing her royal purple dress of any wrinkles, she turned to address everyone else. " I've had a long day, I think I'll retire early. Goodnight."

A chorus of goodnight's echoed around the dinning room.

" I should be going as well," Pamula said almost sadly as she rose from the table. She smiled softly at Felicity, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. " You'll tell me all about your adventure tomorrow, won't you?"

" Of course mother."

Pamula kissed each of her children on the forehead, then bid farewell to the rest of us. I watched with acceptance and slumped shoulders as Percy asked his sister to join him for further conversation in one of the lounges. They left smiling, neither of them looking back. It hurt that Felicity didn't even say goodnight to me. Since we'd arrived it was starting to feel like I was losing her. Like she was slipping through my fingers.

Benjamin quickly finished off the rest of yous wine. " I'll be going as well."

When he stood, it created a chain reaction. Luca, Bennett and I got up as well. My mother's servants rushed to remove the dishes from the table and wipe it clean. We left them to their work, silently leaving the room. Luca kept a fair distance from Bennett in the hallway, his nose wrinkling every time he stole glances in our direction.

" Have something you wish to say, boy?" Benjamin asked. He stopped in front of us to glance back at Luca, his voice cold and firm.

" If I did, I would have said so." Luca said. But that's not what his eyes told me. He regarded Benjamin casually, his gray blue eyes were narrowing around the edges. There was an ora of superiority surrounding him, his lips down turned in what I'd come to learn was spite.