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CHAPTER37
CHRISTY
Over the next two days Ardelby Castle becomes a hive of activity in preparation for the ball and I’ve seen more staff milling about the castle than I have since arriving here. Seeing all these new faces leaves me with a feeling of dread, reminding me that in a few short hours my sister will be here and once again my life will be flipped upside down.
“What do you think?” Jakub asks me, dragging me free from my thoughts.
“I think it’s exquisite,” I reply, taking in the incredible transformation before us and forcing a smile on my face. “Is it always this extravagant?”
“Of course. The Brònach Masquerade Ball is quite the event. People from around the world travel to the castle to attend. It has to be extravagant. It’s expected.”
My head tips back as I stare up at the vaulted ceiling now hidden behind huge swathes of black silk that are hanging from a central point and draped to the cornices circling the room. They’re fixed in place with a row of gold tuile that circles the room. The layered material falls to the floor in a shroud of gilded darkness with pretty, twinkling white lights interwoven into the fabric, making the backdrop appear like the night sky. High above a trapeze hangs from the most central point of the roof where Two will perform over the circular stage situated in the centre of the hall below it. Placed around the stage area are twenty round tables covered in black tablecloths, ten gold chairs surrounding each one. In the centre of every table there is a beautiful flower arrangement of calla lilies dripping with lengths of white pearls, gold chains and tiny black-laced masks.
“And the sex, is that an expectation too?” I ask, side-eying him. “How does that work exactly? There are two hundred seats here.”
“We have a bidding system in place,” he replies. “The highest bidders get the Number of their choice to spend the night with. The winners stay and the rest of our guests leave at two am.”
“Have the bids already taken place?”
“Yes. Each Number, apart from Three and Seven have been bought for the night. Given their situation I’ve removed them from the bid.”
“Situation?” I frown, chewing on my lip. It was more than a situation and we both know it.
“I mean to make amends,” he says softly, scraping a hand through his hair. “What I made Seven do to Three, it was wrong. I won’t force Seven to entertain on his own. They fuck together or they don’t at all.”
“It was inexcusable…” I agree, my voice trailing off.
Jakub heaves out a sigh, and I hear the agony in it. “I know what I did and I will live with the damage I caused them both for the rest of my life—”
“But?” I cut in.
“No buts,” he shakes his head, grasping my hand. “Look, Christy, I know how you feel about our business. I know how uncomfortable it makes you, but I can’t change what’s going to happen tonight anymore than you can. The bids have already been received and the winners notified. Our clients are not men and women you disappoint. Tonight must go ahead. You know that, as well as I. ”
“It does,” I agree reluctantly, my gaze drifting to Konrad and Leon who are on the other side of the room directing a group of staff as they place One’s baby grand piano onto the stage.
“Believe it or not, the colour scheme was Konrad’s idea,” Jakub says, bringing my hands up to his lips and kissing my knuckles, trying in his own way to alleviate the sudden tension between us.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. He has quite the eye for it, wouldn’t you agree?” I can hear the smile in his voice and would appreciate the lightness if I weren’t so preoccupied with what’s to come this evening.
“He does…” I reply, my words trailing off as anxiety churns my stomach. I’ve felt sick all day, and nothing Thirteen has given me has been able to stop this feeling of dread growing larger.
“You’re scared, aren’t you?” Jakub asks, his gaze fixed on me as I try, and fail, to pull myself together.
“Terrified,” I admit.
“Me too,” he says quietly, so quiet that I almost think I’m mistaken until I see the expression on his face, despite the fact that half of it is hidden by a tan, leather mask.
“I wish I could reassure you, Jakub, but I can’t.”
“Still no more visions since the last one?” he asks, placing my hand against his chest and covering it with his own. It comforts me, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
“No,” I reply, hoping that he doesn’t notice the lie. Jakub is referring to the vision I had of him in the cabin and not the vision where I saw Thirteen and the Deana-dhe as teenagers. I haven’t told them about it because that’s her story to tell, not mine.
“It isn’t all that unusual. I’ve gone weeks before without having a vision. It’s just…”
“Just?”
