Chapter 26: Stroke of Luck
Cecilia's face was livid, but she was not looking at Beaux. Instead, her eyes were curiously pinned to Lord Eas's smiling face. Her scarlet pupils dilated threateningly, but Lord Eas merely fluttered his dark lashes and twirled an ebony lock of hair between his two fingers in a flirtatious manner. She breathed laboriously before repeating, "Just let her go."
Beaux wanted to protest and scream in frustration. Every fiber of his being was reluctant to follow orders – to sit blindly and let the Council have its way. Yet Cecilia's eyes were streaked with pain and unspeakable fury. Beaux had never seen Cecilia this way before. She reminded him of a desperate animal behind the metal bars of its wretched cage. Perhaps unlike such a beast, her reason was in tact…
"Beaux," Meliah began - her voice high with anxiety, "I will be all right-"
"Well then," Lord Eas interrupted cheerfully, "Let us begin!"
Meliah tottered uneasily after Louis, who kept glancing at the door. Beaux suppressed a growl when Louis's hand slid into Meliah's trembling one. She looked at him in surprise and then alarm as he exerted a signal of pressure into her palm. She followed his unwavering gaze towards the great, impenetrable doors.
"Case number 83450!" a cold female voice at the other end of the Hall called. "On the stand is Meliah Lavoirsier. Age: 18-"
Meliah looked up as her name was announced and stood nervously on the balls of her feet. Beaux watched her clutched her gloved hands together and tug insistently at the tips of each finger. As she approached the foreboding podium in the middle of the cathedral, Louis brushed against her elbow and gave her another peculiar stare. This slipped unnoticed by the vampires, who were already murmuring amongst themselves in the most chaotic manner as though they did not know already what was to come.
For at that very moment, the female announcer had said, "Race: Human."
"A human!" the Assembly hissed. "We have never tried a human in this court! At least not while 'twas living-!"
"Now, now!" Lord Eas spoke over the bustle. He agitatedly lifted his hands over his head to hush the others. "This is no ordinary human!"
The Assembly fell silent. Dramatically, Lord Eas began again, "She has been bitten."
The silence shattered like glass, and once against dozens of anxious voices overlapped one another in a hodgepodge of gasps and sharp retorts.
"Impossible!" a particularly elegant vampire with long white hair stood up and approached the podium in utter disbelief. "How is she still alive?"
She came in front of a poor, shaken Meliah and grasped the girl's face between her cold, white fingers. Meliah gasped and Beaux's fist twitched menacingly.
"Lady Magdalene," Lord Eas, "Please refrain from handling the evidence."
Despite Cecilia's ardent attempts to keep him from moving toward the stand, Beaux jumped to his feet. "You worthless-"
Every member of the Assembly crept forward in their seats and watched the spectacle unraveling below with interest and little trepidation. No one, however, seemed to want to get involved. The she-vampire let go of Meliah in a disinterested manner and resumed her seat, leaving Lord Eas alone in the center of the cathedral.
But before Beaux could lunge at Lord Eas, the door burst open dramatically. The snow from outside drifted effortlessly into the Hall like a stream of vaporized glass. The cold draft bit at Meliah's exposed neck, and she clenched her teeth to stop them from chattering.
"My Lords and Ladies!" the sentinel cried, "Our Southern enemies have sent an envoy!"
"What?" Lord Eas shouted. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Lord Eas, it appears as though the battle has been lost!"
Lord Eas rubbed his temple in agitation. "After all the money we had invested! Helping out those Covens! Our bad judgment it seems…"
"There is no time Lord Eas!" the sentinel continued.
"Right," Lord Eas sighed while massaging his right palm as if to relieve the tension. "You boy!" – stabbing a pointed finger at Louis – "Take her and escort her – er – caretakers to the guest quarters! This instant!"
"Yes sir," Louis mumbled. He grabbed Meliah's wrist and pulled her out of the Great Hall without a second's hesitation. There was something incredibly strategic about Louis and Meliah gave no indication of reluctance. Beaux and Cecilia followed hastily behind until all the four were sprinting through the snow.
"A stroke of luck," Beaux heard Louis mutter between his pale lips. "It seems God is on your side m'lady."
"This is good?" Meliah inquired skeptically. Nevertheless, the relief on her face was evident and Beaux was left pondering what had transpired back in the Great Hall.
Yet before a minute had passed, Meliah, breathless and obviously low of stamina, tripped and fell into the cold, white mass. She gasped from a sudden, sharp, searing pain. Beaux bounded to Meliah's side but was instantly pushed back by Louis's arm.
The smell of fresh blood stopped Beaux in his tracks. From behind Louis's thick brown locks, Beaux caught the sight of Meliah's torn ankle. An innocent-looking stub of what appeared to be branch sat beside her – quiet and desolate.
Beaux felt Cecilia's nails cutting into his arm. Her blank but colorless face indicated her alarm.
"I'll carry her," Louis said softly but decidedly.
"Don't you lay a finger on her!" Beaux snapped. Meliah let out a small whimper, wrapping her wound with her handkerchief, and Beaux made another valiant attempt to approach her.
Cecilia was clutching unto Beaux's arm with so much force he could have sworn he was bruising. She shook her head wordlessly and pulled him to a safer distance.
Cecilia exhaled loudly once they were about 20 feet away and gently mollified Beaux, who was glowering unnecessarily at Louis. He heard Meliah's breath hitch when she was lifted easily into Louis's arms. Beaux stomped about in an outrage of jealousy. Cecilia continued to tell him that Louis was trustworthy, but she might as well have been talking to an irritable goat. Beaux only had ears for Meliah's conversation with Louis.
"Thank you," Meliah murmured shyly. She pushed her dark hair out of her glowing eyes.
"You are very welcome," Louis replied. He smiled at her demurely but sincerely, and Meliah clasped her hands together in delighted surprise.
"You are human!" she exclaimed excitedly. "You must be! I knew it! I knew you were different."
Louis only responded with another silent smile, but Meliah seemed satisfied. "Oh," she began happily, "It is so wonderful meeting another human! Unfortunately, I'm not so sure I am a human anymore."
She furrowed her brow together and sighed. Beaux watched her expression obsequiously. Surely, he must comfort her? Cecilia was adamant. She insisted that they remain at a distance while going to the guests' quarters.
"Don't worry yourself just yet Miss," Louis advised with an encouraging glance. "We have other things. More important things…to worry about…"
When the four of them were behind walls and under a ceiling, Louis deemed it safe enough to continue speaking, explaining, and answering questions.
He dashed from one end the room the other, closing doors and covering the windows.
"Is there something we missed, Louis?" Cecilia asked quietly as she seated herself on a crimson sofa.
"I am sure that the Assembly – especially your" – Cecilia glared – "Lord Eas did not plan on giving Miss Lavoirsier here a fair trial. It has been predetermined. They decided that no human that has been Transformed may remain alive," Louis replied. His eyes did not leave Meliah's face. Meliah gasped and tears welled in her eyes.
"Is that why you were signaling her?" Beaux asked irritably. He pulled Meliah closely to his side and watched Louis's gaze follow his movements.
Louis looked at him gravely and Beaux noticed his startlingly green eyes once more, "Yes. I hoped we could escape before the trial began – though I doubted its success highly."
"I can't believe this," Cecilia moaned softly as she placed her face between her hands, "I can't believe Yvan would betray me - not like this! Not after he promised me he wouldn't! After I-"
"What did you promise him?" Beaux interrupted. He looked at Cecilia with concern.
Shocked, Cecilia bit down on her tongue. "Nothing!" she snapped. And Beaux was very sorry he had cut her short.
"Thank you, Louis," Meliah said. She spoke with such sincerity and such trust that Louis could not help but smile in return. "You saved me!"
"Well technically," Beaux muttered. He was on the verge of pointing out that Louis had done nothing that chance would not have. Meliah's narrowed eyes darted toward him – warning him to hold his tongue. Beaux shut his mouth reluctantly and merely contented himself with scowling heavily.
"I must thank you as well," Cecilia said gently. "You have put yourself through a lot of trouble for all of us." Louis and Cecilia exchanged knowing glances that the other two could not discern.
"Speaking of which," Beaux added, "Why are you doing this? Why are you risking your own hide - for us? You could not have forgotten who, no, what we are-"
"Beaux," Meliah hissed. She looked at Louis with what seemed to be a tacit apology. Louis looked at Beaux – abashed. He quickly turned from Beaux to hide the thin red color rising in his face.
"We must figure out a way to remove Miss Lavoirsier from the premises before they realize that any of you know their true plans!" Louis changed the subject with such alacrity that Beaux and Meliah were – for a moment – befuddled. "Now Miss Lavoirsier, let me tend to your wound."
"Oh, thank you," Meliah said. She seemed to have forgotten about her ankle whose bloody, impromptu bandage was sliding off.
"Meanwhile," Louis continued, "Miss Cecilia, you must return to the Assembly and feign ignorance. I'm sure Lord Eas will seek you shortly!"
Cecilia winced at the name but nodded curtly. Louis grasped Meliah gently by the hand and escorted her into the adjacent room. When the door clasped shut behind Louis, Beaux jumped to his feet and started after him.
"Don't be silly!" Cecilia scolded, grabbing Beaux's arm severely. "He's but a child!"
"Children don't have eyes now?" Beaux retorted viciously. His emerald eyes were aflame. "One would have to be daft not to have noticed already!"
Cecilia inhaled deeply and suppressed a weary chuckle. "Beaux, not everyone sees her the way you do! I've said this before, but she's really a plain kind of girl." She glanced at Beaux nonchalantly through her thick lashes. "Now, don't be cross I was being frank!" Yet despite her claim, she bit her lip sheepishly.
"Cecilia!" Beaux snapped. He ran his fingers through his flaxen hair restlessly.
Cecilia burst into hearty laughter and stood up to give him a smart pinch on the cheek. "So vain! So jealous! But so adorable! My heart goes to the lady who will have to live with you!"
"Ow! Cecilia!" Beaux massaged his cheek but returned her genuine smile. After all, how long had it been since any of them had taken the time to acknowledge some good-natured humor?
"I will be heading back to the Great Hall to stall," Cecilia confirmed. "You stay here! And please, be kind. Louis is a good child."
"How do you know this Louis character?" Beaux asked suspiciously. Although his hands subconsciously continued their routine of smoothing and tidying his apparel, his eyes were piercing. "He is not a vampire. That is definite. But something about his presence is unsettling. I do not know how to describe this feeling."
Cecilia looked into Beaux's eyes for what seemed like hours. She broke into a prolonged sigh and left without another word.
When Cecilia had left, Beaux sprinted to the other room and crouched outside the closed door, hoping to catch snippets of Louis and Meliah's voices. Fortunately, he did not have to strain a nerve.
"Louis," Meliah began softly. "How old are you? You cannot be any older than I am. That is, judging from your appearance."
Beaux heard Meliah's voice trail at the end shyly. He could see almost the blush that would be coloring her cheeks that moment. How innocent and timid she must seem! Beaux felt his own blood boiling beneath his ivory skin. His reaction was that of anger.
"I will be turning sixteen," Louis replied.
"I see. And Louis?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you here?"
"I am not allowed to leave."
"Why not?"
There was a pause. Beaux heard Meliah shuffle the hem of dress uneasily. He imagined her dark eyes searching Louis' green ones for an answer. She did not withdraw her question.
"I am under custody of the Coven," Louis' low voice whispered. Beaux could see Louis look at Meliah and catch her next question. "I – I also have a – a condition. Though not like yours, worry not – you see-"
Louis choked and his sentence was cut short. Beaux heard Louis slump in his seat – the soft rustle of his clothes echoed in the silence that followed.
"There, there," Meliah cooed after a moment. She seemed to be edging her chair closer. Beaux heard the legs scrape against the floor. "If it is something you can not speak of, do not take it upon yourself to divulge anything to me. I understand."
"No," Louis said. If Beaux was not mistaken, his voice sounded strained. "I will not betray your trust, which you so willingly gave. I must warn you Miss Lavoirsier, you must not be so easily deceived by appearances-"
"I am not! I know you can be trusted-" Meliah interrupted indignantly. From the tone of her voice, Beaux could imagine her tossing back her hair in accompaniment.
"And how would you know?"
"Your eyes do not lie!"
Louis let out a soft chuckle. "They already have."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I am not a human Miss Lavoirsier. Not completely."