Masters's Son

Twenty four

Vlad stands in front of my door.

The surprise on my face must've been noticeable because he shifts his weight to another leg and coughs. I blink.

"Good evening Daniel." He starts. "I thought I'd be accompanying you to the dining room." He says. I blink a second time.

Huh?

Oh Clockwork, he's found me out! I can see it now. Sam and Tucker gone, me with my old last name, and a rich old guy who has weapons to destroy me and the ones I care about. Like Ember.

"W-why?" Stupid, stupid, why did I stutter? "I mean... why?" I say more politely.

"I've found it to be traditional in some families' homes to accompany their child places. I thought it'd be polite to do so." He says simply.

A look I cannot describe to you other than stupid, is utterly dumbfound. I was not expecting him to treat me like a person, let alone his kid.

This must be a tactic of some sort. He wouldn't possibly acknowledge me on his own at home. Someone must be here.

No one would want to be near me unless to show off. He'll show me off like a trophy then set me down, discarding me. Fine. I'll play his little game.

"... Okay." He steps aside so I can walk out following him. I close the door behind me when I step out in the hall.

I straighten my shirt, it being ever so crinkled at my side where I had slumped into sleep. I run my fingers through my hair as I walk behind him.

His long legs much faster than my unfit, 5'5" self. At this rate I have to jog behind him.

I pick up my pace and almost runs into him when he slows to a stop. He turns around, "Ah yes, before I forget," He hands me a small, white, rectangular box a little bigger than my hand. Where'd he pull that from? "I got a call from your school saying you'll be needing internet access to their website." He continues to walk down the stairs and continues talking, "I have already ordered a laptop earlier on and hired a cable man to hook up everything necessary." We get to the dining room.

We sit and I look at the box. I eye it, then the table's place setting. Strangely, it's only mine and Vlad's seat.

Putting my attention back to the thing in hand, I open it. A simple container, a lid that slides up and off. Inside a sleek black screen and back.

Ooh, fancy.

A brand new, latest model touchscreen phone shines with the chandelier's light. And it even has the screen sticker on it.

I look back up at Vlad. He smiles, but is short-lived when he snaps his fingers for the food to arrive. "Thank you." I'm surprised, I wasn't expecting this. I hardly have the nerve to ask for a few minutes on the phone with my sister. And now he just hands me a phone.

But what's the catch?

"I have sent the invitations to my class for the reunion. It'll be eight pm sharp. Have you remembered what I told you to wear?" He asks. The food arrives, the pale lady sets my plate of food down and I give a small thanks.

I look back to Vlad and answer his question. "Yes. Formal wear. Good behavior. Got it." He nods at my answer and eats.

I drag my eyes to the plate in front of me.

I pick up my spoon and poke it a couple of times. It has a gelatin consistency but it isn't jello. I eye Vlad's plate and see he has the same thing. It should be safe then. I think.

I take a bite, and it has surprisingly more flavor than I expected. A small basket of bread sticks sit in the middle of Vlad and I. I hesitate before taking one. He makes no move in stopping me so I take a bite.