Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter! Thanks for reading and enjoy the story!
"I need to see Alexei." I pushed passed Jamie. He didn't like that. He grabbed my wrist to stop me.
"Does Alexei know this guy too?" He was concerned, as he should be about anyone else, but not Dominic. Dominic was like Alexei. I was wrong about both of them. I thought Alexei was a jerk when I first came back, but he wasn't he cared and he was really trying to help. I thought Dominic had killed my mother, but he was really trying to protect her from me.
"No. I just have something I need to tell him." I went upstairs pretending to go and get changed and as soon as I was out of Jamie's sight, I pulled a book on the shelf of the bookcase at the end of the hallway. It swung open and the ladder led down into the passageways beneath the city.
I didn't need to speak to Alexei. I needed to have a chat with Dominic.
I arrived to an intersection in the passageways and decided to climb out, wherever I was. I was in an alley, emerging from beneath a heavy metal grate. I stepped out into the Adrian streets and started to wander. It was just passed midday and things in the streets were starting the get more lively. Tomorrow the preparations would be complete and the Festival of the Fortnight would begin.
I ran into a group of tourists and clenched my fists to keep them from shaking when I backed myself against a wall to let them pass. They reeked of booze and cigar smoke and left me alone without an issue.
"Grace you should be at home." I jumped a bit at the voice.
"Nice to see you too. You scared me." I frowned.
"I did not mean to," he said plainly, "Please return to your embassy now."
"I came to talk with you." I looked him up and down. He wasn't in a suit, he wore cargo pants and a t-shirt. He looked like Walmart GI Joe, "Unless you're busy."
"I am not."
"I thought you were the Prime Minister's body guard?" It seemed odd to me that he had nothing better to do. Even if this is his one day off, I didn't think he would waste it on the conversation I was asking for.
"On my watch that man ended up in the hospital. Someone knew has taken over for the time being."
"It was a heart attack though." I delivered the party line blankly.
"We both know better than anyone." he did not elaborate further. He didn't need to. "What do you want to talk about?"
"My mom."
"I didn't kill your mother."
"I know. I did."
"Let's take this inside." He started to walk off down the streets and I followed him without argument. We ended up at his house nearby. I waited in the mud room while he clamored around his kitchen cleaning something up. I wasn't sure what exactly. He called for me to come in and I took the seat he pulled out for me at the counter.
"You did not kill your mother, Grace."
"Yes I did. I shot her."
"You may have shot her, but you were aiming at me. If she had not stepped in front of the gun you would have not shot her. If I could have stopped her from shielding me, you would still have her today."
"But then she would resent me."
"Grace Olivia, how could you ever think your mother would resent you? She loved you too much to ever stay upset with you, especially because you were trying to protect her."
"She loved you too, though. She might not have ever outwardly showed it if you died in her place, but I'm sure you would have hated me."
"Grace-" he seemed shocked, but ready to deny it also.
"I saw it, you know, your names together on the tree on the island. The night Spence attacked me I saw it. It felt weird to see, to know that she had been young and in love, that she had been like me once upon a time."
"It was a long time ago, Grace. When your mother moved from Adria, we lost contact. I had not seen her in years when I reached out. It was before the fire."
"But why? Why did you come back into her life?"
"That I can not tell you."
"Jay should have just stayed out of it!" I yelled. I hadn't meant to. I must have sounded as crazy as the rumors say.
"Who is Jay?"
I was a bit embarrassed to say, "Jay Gatsby. He should have just left Daisy and Tom alone. Then maybe they would all still be happy. Maybe they would all still be alive."
"Life is not so simple as your mother's beloved novels made it out to be, Grace Olivia." He stood from his seat. He didn't seem to want to look at me. Maybe everyone was right and I really did look like my mother.
"But what if... What if they all could have been happy?"
"There are people who will not and would not allow that, Grace Olivia," he sounded different, "I think you should go home now. People will be missing you."
"They think I'm in Russia with Alexei."
"What?"
"The Embassy, they think I'm at the Russian Embassy with Alexei."
"Grace, how long do you think it will take your brother and his best friend to realize you are not with either of them."
"Point taken." I stood and headed towards the front door, "This conversation isn't over. It won't be until you tell me everything."
"I hope one day we can have that conversation, Grace Olivia, but for now this is all we can say."
