HEART OF THE CHOSEN (CASTE BOOK 1)

Chapter 40

Estelle and I had placed the cutlery on the monumental central oak table in the Pomona room. My friend had left to finalize the final details with the caterer, while I stayed on the pretext of arranging the chairs and armchairs according to the number of guests. Blake had asked to add two covers at the last minute, I didn’t need more to stay alone in the room without Estelle being alarmed by anything. Once I was sure she was gone for good, I headed down the passage that Ethan said would lead me straight to my old torturer. My heart was beating faster and faster as I walked down the narrow, cavernous corridor, the only illumination being a faint glow a little further on. A strong male voice with a Russian accent suddenly rose:

“Who’s there?!”

My only response was to close my eyes and send the guards crashing into the cold stone walls, instantly falling unconscious. I burst into the dimly lit space and looked up and discovered the cell with bars where a huge raised bed sat enthroned next to a table and a pitcher of water. I immediately thought to myself that Magnus Burton Race received better treatment than I did when I was held in one of his sticky, rat-swarming cells. The only satisfaction was that I had plenty of time to contemplate his body, still alive, which lay there in the middle of the bed, an infusion of sedative directly planted in the neck. I watched him for a few minutes as the painful memories of London washed over me. Admittedly, he no longer had the physical vigour to do me the slightest harm, but I couldn’t contain a certain anguish. Finally, I opened the cell using a key in the pocket of one of the guards. I couldn’t allow myself to be discovered, so I made sure that my passage remained as discreet as possible. Only the carelessness of the guards would arouse suspicion, and they hadn’t had time to see me. Besides, I wasn’t sure they would brag about having been so easily neutralized and that made me realize that they were far from doing the job of guards. I wasn’t going to complain about it, obviously, it suited me well.

Once in the golden prison of Magnus Burton Race, I sat on the side of the bed without taking my eyes off the sleeping body of the man who had destroyed my life. I noticed that some activity stirred his eyelids, and unintelligible sounds escaped from his throat. His complexion was horribly pale. His eyes opened and froze in my direction.

“Everliegh Burberry,” he said painfully.

“Shut up, old man!” I said grimly as his eyes closed.

“… do you even know how much I waited for you, Eleonore?” he resumed after a short moment.

“I’m not Eleonore,” I retorted, my voice cold and measured.

“You will forever be my bane.”

“That, you have correct!”

With these words, I took out, from the little bag that I had taken care to bring, a scalpel and a cloth. As Magnus moaned, I opened his shirt, exposing his bare chest.

“Blake knows you’re here?” he asked with a burst of consciousness.

“Of course not!” I said with a macabre grin, “So I have plenty of time to take care of your little person as you took care of me so well.”

“You deserved your punishment.”

“I don’t think you really understand the meaning of the situation. It doesn’t matter to me that we discuss the reasons that pushed you to put me through that hell. In truth, I’m only here for revenge. I would rather kill you, of course. But I cannot go back on my promise made to Blake, and, although you have had for your son Carmichael an even worse treatment than mine, it’s not for me to take your poor life. It’s definitely something he’ll want to take care of himself.”

“You are more naive than I thought if you think Carmichael will do me any harm.”

“Maybe…, but what for me is the most satisfying thing in this story is that I don’t care, because, in the meantime, you are at my sole mercy.”

I slowly slid the scalpel across his chest and split one of his n*****s in two. He stiffened and clenched his jaw in order to stifle a cry, which, considering his weakness, couldn’t have alerted anyone.

“You see,” I continued, wiping up the fine trickle of blood that flowed from his wound, “since Egeria’s death… ah, by the way, yes she’s dead, don’t make that face! In short, since the death of the old goat, I’m a little bored in Mortain. Daily visits would certainly please you, I’m sure. So I want to assure you right now that I won’t leave you alone in this cell. I’ll be here to support you in your painful ordeal.”

This time the scalpel lodged between two ribs. Magnus reared up violently and his legs began to shake. With my fingers, I caressed his chest and again stabbed the object of my anger in a frantic gesture. The blood squirted on my sleeve and I watched surprised at the sight of the blood trying to find its way over his whitish skin. Like a nurse caring for her patient, I patted the cloth over his wounds. After a short while, the wounds stopped bleeding.

“But how convenient to heal so quickly, isn’t it, Magnus?”

Certain that no trace of blood was visible to the naked eye, I closed his shirt and the cell. I slipped the keys into the pocket of the guard I had taken them from and left, making sure beforehand that there wasn’t a living soul in the Pomona room. I went to my room and took a very cold shower. In a daze, I kept thinking with what fascination and detachment I had watched the blood trickle down Magnus’ chest. I felt no remorse, even no emotions, quite the contrary, I was in a hurry to go back the next day.

I only had a few minutes left before the long-awaited reception in honour of the victors who returned from London began. I had put on my dress carefully prepared by Estelle, but looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed that, even in ceremonial dress, I remained desperately thin. Without being able to explain it to myself, my appetite was measured in a few bites here and there. A few more curves wouldn’t have hurt me, but eating had become painful. I had never really found my body as it was before my imprisonment in London.

I descended the stairs of the north wing and took the passage that led to the Pomona room. The tumult that came to my ears made me understand that the majority of the guests were already present. No sooner had I passed the entrance than a heavy silence reigned over the assembly. I hadn’t yet examined the seventeen other guests as I already felt the carnal waves of each male member spreading. Luckily my caste awakening was long past now and I was able to handle the situation without the blush inflaming my cheeks. I took a step into the circular room and observed who was present. I glimpsed Blake, Salomon, Monica and Mas Andrès, and the Van Durens. Naomi and Thomas were already seated side by side. I didn’t fail to see the look of the frightened blond while Thomas riveted his eyes on me. Eddy Monteiro and his wife, the two fifty-year-old castes who offered themselves a golden retirement at Mortain faced them. There were also three men and two women who were previously unknown to me, but whom I knew were in Prisca’s pay. As I moved forward, Thomas got up and went to join Ethan, hiding behind the Eastern Territory soldiers. My brother pulled away and gave me his best smile when behind him came two faces I hadn’t seen in years. Stunned, tears of joy immediately flooded my eyes and I choked back a sob as I threw myself into the arms of Elvis and Johnny. I let my emotion burst out, Elvis hugged me with his super-powerful arms, his misty eyes full of enthusiasm. Then I took a step back, dumbfounded. I stared in awe at my two friends from another era. These two brothers who had saved my life twice already and on whom I had always been able to count. Deprived of powers by their human condition, they had risked their skin for me. I owed them everything.

It took me a few more minutes before I realized what their presence in this place implied. I felt a movement on my right, it was Blake and Salomon coming forward. Johnny had his Ultra-Brite smile that never left him and the black giant that was Elvis still seemed very emotional. Before I could ask them what they could be doing here, Blake put his arm through mine and whispered in my ear:

“At least I don’t need to make introductions with you, Everliegh,” he said, suddenly playful, “the others have already had the right to an explanation of their presence, of course. We had asked them to come a little earlier for this purpose, but I don’t hide from you that some remain sceptical about their coming.”

“But I don’t understand!” I blurted out, totally bewildered by his words.

“I suspected you don’t, my dear,” Blake commented before raising his voice. “Everyone sit down!”

Each caste present in the room went to his place. Elvis and Johnny had been invited alongside Thomas and not far from Ethan, so I walked around the table to join them. Blake stopped me and told me to sit down on one of the four huge armchairs that sat at the end of the table. He took the seat once belonging to Carmichael and asked me to sit on his right. I was disturbed by this intention, but, still reeling from my reunion with my old life, I complied without flinching. Estelle and her mother Selene arrived through the entrance to the service elevator, pushing two carts full of food and drinks of all kinds. Blake waited for everyone to enjoy the aperitif before calling out to the entire audience. Salomon was conversing with Thomas while Naomi stared at her glass. The Monteiros observed my two human friends with a certain contempt, and I could see that other castes displayed the same attitude towards them. Me, I was stamping on the spot at the idea of knowing what Blake had to say about the presence of Elvis and Johnny at the castle. These two seemed to blend in as if they had always lived here.

“Today is a new era,” declared Blake with a strong voice. “The caste community underwent great upheavals which proved necessary. We are only at the beginning of this new era, so I welcome you all to the castle…”

The new castes present greeted Blake with a nod. I already knew that the other fighters had stayed in London or moved to their respective territories. One of the men, in his thirties and endowed with a certain elegance, immediately turned to me and examined me without the slightest restraint. I wanted to turn his head the other way, but I was afraid to twist his neck under the influence of my sometimes uncontrollable power.

“… It’s up to us to write our story, now. Given my advanced age, I’m only acting in Carmichael’s absence. We are now taking all the steps to return the castle and the Canary Wharf Tower to him. Carmichael will now be our new Master Hand…”

Avoiding the insolent caste’s insistent gaze, I noticed that Naomi had noticeably shifted in her chair. She frankly didn’t seem to like being here, and if I was referring to her jaw movements, I could have sworn she contained deep anger.

“… Be that as it may, there are too few of us to properly rejoice in this event. That’s why Carmichael will throw a grand ball when he returns.”

Johnny looked at me and grinned when he heard the word ball. It amused me too. For someone like Johnny or me, balls were reserved for a so-called stuck-up elite of the Londonian upper middle class or, then, entered the category of History at a time when even electricity didn’t exist. In other words, too retro and far from moving us with contentment. But among the castes, nothing was like elsewhere. Everyone respected a well-established hierarchy and lived in virtual self-sufficiency. There was talk of Territory Lord, Master Hand, classes among the levels of power, but I finally had to admit that this way of life suited me.

The fact that a ball was organized revealed the very conservative nature of the community: the castes refused to give up their customs, their heritage. This was hardly surprising since everything was based on caste genealogy through the ages. Personalities like Blake, a man of more than a thousand years, preserved, by their mere existence, all these traditions. And in a modern era when customs were falling apart, I sincerely admired this principle which made it possible to perpetuate our species even if a hint of additional tolerance for humans wouldn’t have spoiled anything.

“… every day,” continued Blake, “I discuss with your new Master Hand on the future changes of our organization. This is what follows: London is currently in the hands of Chun, the faithful and powerful friend of Prisca. Sometime, after Carmichael’s return, it will be Salomon who will take over this task definitively…”

I was shocked by the applause that followed this announcement. I was nowhere near as enthusiastic as the others. I had no desire to see Salomon leave the castle, quite the contrary. He had always been a faithful friend to me, and I had great confidence in him and irrevocable esteem. He was the first of the castes of Mortain to welcome me with open arms, after Carmichael, of course. So I couldn’t smile and put on a crestfallen face that made the big native American laugh.

“… Prisca and Connor will remain Lords of their respective territories. We don’t have any news from Connor yet, but his close ties to Magnus as well as his young age don’t make him the rightful heir to the caste power. He’ll therefore be forced to obey our rules. For the rest, everyone will find more or less the same positions as before. You’ll easily understand that this change of regime will in no way remove the mystery specific to our community...”

Now, I wasn’t listening anymore, I was totally amazed to see that Elvis and Johnny were absorbing Blake’s words as if they were perfectly aware of what was going on around them. Deeply disturbed by the events of the evening, I hadn’t yet noted this detail, because their behaviour mingled with the others in a completely natural way. I understood then that they were both already more than informed of the situation and that the castes no longer had any secrets for them. At the same time, they had witnessed some very bizarre circumstances, so it shouldn’t have been that hard to digest.

“As for Everliegh…”

Blake snapped me out of my thoughts. I was now tense like a bow even before listening to my old friend expose what he could possibly want from me.

“Everliegh will assist the Master Hand.”

What?!

“Carmichael wishes to have her presence at his side in all that concerns caste affairs, and her orders will have to be respected to the letter under pain of very heavy sanctions and…”

But I had no desire to give orders! And they couldn’t have consulted me before? This was indeed Carmichael’s idea! I complained internally, Johnny burst out laughing watching my face fall apart.

“… she will also take care of the recruitment of all our caste forces, and this will take effect in a few days…”

Well then! Mortified, I coldly greeted the audience’s applause. It looked like I had just gotten a promotion that anyone would have dreamed of getting.

“In a new era, great changes,” continued Blake who pretended not to have noted my dissatisfaction, “Carmichael wished to give leave to the humans responsible for ensuring the cultivation of the vines of Mortain. They leave for a more than deserved retirement and give up their place to Mr Elias Forbe and his sons…”

Surprised, I looked at Johnny fidgeting in his chair. Elvis, meanwhile, gave only a brief nod, a way to ensure some respect despite his human condition. I was now all ears, eager to know why and how my friends could have been here.

“… The Forbe family has nothing to do, either directly or indirectly, with caste ancestry. We nevertheless owe them great esteem resulting from the disproportionate risks they took to help some of our fellow castes. Their courage demonstrated that they were men of confidence, and Carmichael wished to have them with him. Nobody should or will try to call into question this decision which, I insist on this point, is irrevocable. Now, my sisters and my brothers, let’s make way for the festivities!”

Later, Estelle and Selene continued the service. The atmosphere was pleasant, people laughed and talked about things in all lightness. The thirty-something caste who still hadn’t stopped looking at me without a smile and with a haughty air had opened his mouth only to ask Blake about the news from India. By his very presence, it was undeniable that the role of interim chief entrusted to Blake suited him like a glove. I was also surprised that he never expressed the wish to become the Master Hand. After all, it would have seemed completely normal to me that this task should fall to him, but he had never expressed this ambition. There lay all the difference with his brother Magnus.

“Why aren’t you the new leader of the caste cause?” I inquired, sharing my thoughts.

“What would be original in erecting an old man at the head of our community?”

“You’re barely forty years old, plus or minus a thousand years. What are you going to do after Carmichael comes back?”

He smiled and then his face changed into a look of affliction. Without being able to understand this sudden change in mood, I changed the subject.

“You don’t think they could have consulted me before making me Carmichael’s exclusive assistant?”

“My dear, you’ve been on Carmichael’s plans since the day he met you, and it has nothing to do with your pretty face if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Oh yeah!”

“Do you realize that you’re probably the most powerful caste existing in this world? Your telekinesis is considerable in scope and destructive power. But above all, you are so young! That’s very impressive, Eve. In my opinion, we still have no idea of the extent of your possibilities. Carmichael would be foolish to do without such power. And trust me, my nephew is no fool.”

“He hasn’t even come back yet that he’s already pissing me off,” I said in a fit of mood, without paying more attention to his statement about my extraordinary abilities.

“I reassure you,” Blake smiles, “he’s now resolved to see only in you a means of establishing his dominance. He no longer intends to try to please you other than by remaining a loyal and sincere friend.”

“Mmm… that remains to be seen.”

“Oh, that’s it,” replied Blake in an almost scathing tone. “As we speak, he’s recovering, of course, but he’ll soon join us as soon as his sister gives the green light. Prisca watches over him like one watches milk over the fire and wants to make sure that he has resumed his full dispositions before considering his return.”

Strangely, these last words didn’t please me at all. Knowing that I was no longer Carmichael’s favourite had touched my pride, and something made me think that Blake was saying those words on purpose. I quickly chased away this feeling by observing my two faithful friends.

“In any case, thanks to his intervention, Johnny and Elvis are here. That’s all I care about.”

“Carmichael did it for you, no question. He surely cherishes the wish that you settle in Mortain permanently.”

“How did he know what the Forbes had done for us?”

“It was Thomas who revealed this information. The courage that your two friends have demonstrated is to their credit. It’s not every day that you meet humans of this nature.”

“No indeed,” I commented while observing them, “but I’m afraid that the way of life of Mortain is too different from their habits.”

“Don’t worry about that, my dear child. They’ll be handsomely paid and I also understand that the country life was a dream that Mr Forbe had been nurturing for a long time.”

“They might like it…,” I said remembering my first months at the castle. “I had no trouble getting used to it, but the difference is that I was a caste, not them.”

“Their courage places them among us. It’s an honour that Carmichael does them and an undeniable proof of esteem for you.”

“It’s true,” I conceded, “and as soon as he comes back, I’ll thank him for that, but then I’ll give him a lashing he’ll remember!”

Blake had a satisfied grin. I quickly finished tasting my entree and went to join Johnny and Elvis. We learned that the rest of the menu wouldn’t arrive for a good ten minutes, so I took them by the hand, eager to find a quiet corner to talk with them.