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In hushed tones she reminds me, “David, I’m not sure you should tell me this over the phone, the others may hear.”
“You’re right,Amor, but I needed to hear you. Gods, how I miss you.” Her voice is a breath of fresh air and serves as a reminder of how important this mission is.
“I miss you, too, David. I hate to ask, but will you be coming home soon?”
“I’m not sure. This mess goes beyond you and me. Jess, I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything, what do you need?”
“I need you to promise that you’ll never be out of Tristan’s sight.”
“I promise. Should I be worried?”
“Yes.” There’s a knock at the door so I whisper, “Jess, someone’s at the door, I’ve got to go. I love you,” and hang up.
I slide my phone into my pants pocket and cross the room to answer the door. This time my father is there. He looks so crestfallen, his face sunken and the circles under his eyes are darker than normal. A clear sign sleep has been an elusive demon for him. He walks across the room and sits down at the desk. I ask the question for which I already know the answer to. “Dad, is everything all right?”
“No, my son, it isn’t.” He rakes his hands through his hair.
“How can I help?”
“I wish you could, my son, but I’m not sure—wait, maybe you can. You might be our only hope.” He perks up.
“What do you need me to do?” I’d do anything for my father, anything that isn’t morally wrong that is.
“Your mother has followed in her family’s destructive footsteps and I fear she’s reached the point of no return.” He proceeds to fill me in on the massacres that have taken place including the one in Belgium I overheard him and Richard talking about. He shares the stories that have been kept from me of her family’s scandalous past and how they’ve all either been excommunicated or executed for horrendous crimes. He also tells me she never returned to the castle after hunting last night.
Intently, I listen. He needs to get this off his chest. But as soon as there is a break in the conversation I tell him what I witnessed last night and how she fled after seeing me.
My father drops his face into his hands and shakes his head back and forth as he chants, “No. Gods, no.”
I place a hand on his shoulder, I don’t know what to say. Words are not sufficient in this situation and there is no mistaking my mother has turned rogue.
“Did you know she sent Tristan to break Jess and me up?” Carefully I gauge his reaction, searching for lies.
The surprise on his face tells me he isn’t aware of this. “No, son. I had no idea. I’m sorry for not letting you know what has been going on.”
“Don’t worry, things are fine between Jess and I. Tristan is guarding her while I’m here. Mother threatened to remove Tristan’s parents from the council and said she would personally kill him and his parents if he failed.”
My father rises. “Come, my son, we are left with no other recourse than to convene an emergency council session.” I follow him to his office and sit silently as he makes the necessary calls.
The council is alerted and seated in the meeting chamber in a matter minutes. Father apprises them of the situation I witnessed, and informs them that he believes she not only spearheaded the Belgian massacre, but participated as well.
“She threatened to end Tristan’s life if he didn’t succeed with ending our son’s relationship with girlfriend,” he ends his speech with. Many growl their displeasure at the mention of a human, while other’s expressions remain neutral.
I gauge the council’s reactions as my father speaks. Amelia and her family along with a couple of others remain stone-faced, as though they aren’t fazed at all. Do they have a hand in this?
In order to remove Mother from her council that would require eight out of ten members to vote in favor. But to permanently remove the Vasquez family seat would have to be a unanimous vote. I’m not sure how this could be achieved based upon the Brandts having a seat.
The time has come for the council to vote on the first issue—to have Mother barred from the castle. One by one, all hands rise in favor. Now for the second and larger issue, to remove the Vasquez seat as well as their family history from the castle forever, as though they never existed. Each council member raises their hands until it dwindles down to the last one. All eyes are on Guillaume, Amelia’s father. He raises his hand in favor though his icy gaze never falters. This action leaves Father as Chief Elder.
Immediately Father orders the servants to remove all Vasquez family photos, tapestries, crests, and mementos from the common areas and further instructs them to lock it in the dungeons.
“I am placing a bounty of one million dollars on her return, but I ask that she be brought in alive. She will then be placed in the dungeon until her trial,” Father orders.
After he adjourns the meeting, he swiftly exits the room. My heart goes out to him. This has to have been the hardest thing he’s ever done. He’s loved my mother since they were children, just as I’ve loved Jess.
Commotion ensues amongst the council upon his exit as all eyes dart in my direction. Not wanting to be privy to their discussion, I choose to leave and seek out my father. I knock on the door to his study, but he doesn’t answer, so I let myself in. He sits in the dark and faces the window with his back to the door.
