"So, you knew," my eyes wander around from one foreign face to another. A measure I feel necessary to relax the tightness in my chest.
"I made too much noise. It would've been a matter of time before I'd found out about them. So, they decided to inform me and save me needless efforts the moment I got promoted to detective,"
I am sure he's right. I am sure he would have discovered the truth about the supernatural world on his own eventually. His prowess and persistence in his field is what earned him his reputation, but that's not really what I meant…
"And you turned down every other promotion since…,"
"Keeping up, are we?" he smirks lightly.
"Hard not to," his name is in almost every newspaper.
"What can I say? I vastly prefer working in the field,"
"Sure, whatever. But I wasn't really referring to this when I said that you knew," my voice drops a few levels lower in volume, "I meant the attack… The other night," I practically whisper, but he still catches my words.
"Yeah… I was made aware very shortly after the fact," he admits with some reluctance in his tone.
I internally shake my head to regain my senses, "In hindsight, I should've deduced that you knew about them the moment I found out about Dr. Dale but…,"
"You let your emotions cloud your judgment," he finishes my sentence for me, which makes my blood boil in my veins.
"Drinks?" a young man that I can't recognize, stands in a white tux in front of us and interrupts our conversation. He Carries a tray of champagne glasses in his hand. I decline the offer and see him leave before uttering, "Don't lecture me," to Richard who'd also refused to pick a glass from the tray.
"Why not? You clearly needed it," he doubles down.
"I just like to not think about anything that has to do with you. In any case, it makes perfect sense for them to get the most influential people in town on board. Having you in their pockets is a great advantage to them,"
"It's not like that. I thought of all the outcomes possible, and I picked the path that helps me protect our people the best,"
"Cut the crap, Richard. They tell you they invited your daughter, whom you purposefully kept in the dark for all these years to their super-secret ball, and all you could do about it was hope she wouldn't show up. You have no say in any of it. You're part of their damage control team, and you're kidding yourself if you think you're more than that," I don't care how harsh it may sound. I feel it's justified… For more reasons than I care to list.
"I'm not delusional. No worries. But I walked into this willingly. You, on the other hand, seem to think you had no choice. I am telling you; you do. You can just leave, now, and never look back,"
"You walked into this willingly? Is that what you tell yourself? Let's not say things we don't mean. How about you tell me what's the point of this masquerade?" I pause and slightly turn his way, "How about that?" I add. He looks back at me, and for the first time since the beginning of our conversation, I don't feel the urge to break eye contact. On the contrary I stare into his eyes with a newfound confidence I hope to maintain.
"She is so impatient this one, isn't she?" Erolina comes to join us, advancing towards us with much poise. She's no longer clinging to the man I assumed to be her husband. I note that the woman in white robes who'd been walking behind her the entire time, is still glued to her side, "And here I thought she was just nervous during our first meeting," she's probably referring to my attitude when she came to visit the antique shop.
"Good evening, Erolina," Richard greets her.
"I thank the both of you for coming here tonight. It's a pleasure to have you,"
I frankly don't know what to think of that everlasting smile on her features. It seems sincere enough, and yet I can't help but lean towards the idea she's attempting to conceal malice.
"Pleasure is all mine. I don't see Nathanael anywhere," I immediately point out.
Richard exhales a long one upon hearing my statement. Sorry, I have some snooping to do, and something tells me I am in the worst company for that activity. Neither Erolina nor Richard seem to be people I can count on to provide clear answers to my queries. Not voluntarily, at least.
"He'll be here sooner than you think, and you'll have the answers to… Most of your questions tonight," she says with an even brighter smile, allowing me a view to her perfect, pearly white teeth.
It's odd, really… Less than a minute ago, I couldn't determine the truth behind her smile. With this one however, I am willing to wager she's genuinely ecstatic about some upcoming deed she's proud to have us witness.
She blinks towards the orchestra which has been set in a far corner of this nearly boundless hall. As though she knows something is about to happen. I mean of course she knows what's about to happen, she's the host for christ's sake.
The music swells at once, garnering the attention of all attendees, including mine, before stopping completely.
All the lights in the room were dimmed, with the exception of the one chandelier hanging above the balcony opposing the entrance of this space.
All done purposefully in order to highlight the man that's currently standing up there.
"Tis the season! Tis the year!" he declares. His voice is quite deep and strong enough to reach all ears, "We, damned and blessed alike, are gathered here to see the rise of our new leader through. It's been fifty years already since the last election, and I dare imagine you're all yearning to see a new face on the throne," he strokes his grinning face as he projects the last words of that sentence.
Does that mean he's the current leader? He says it's been fifty years, but somehow he doesn't look a day over sixty. I rather believe it's due to the fascinating biology of wolf shifters that I have yet to study. It's better than believing that this guy became a leader at ten years old.
It's been fifty years, he says… 1970 is when they all gathered up like this in Grimesbrook to elect their new leader. This is the election Nathanael had mentioned to me when we were stranded in the cabin. This event is the reason the disappearances rate climbs to a double-digit score in the span of six, measly months.
"All of you that stand before me tonight, all of you know as well as I do, what makes an alpha wolf shifter… Shall I ask you, now? What makes the perfect alpha?" he pauses his speech and casts his gaze upon a different side of the room under him, "Is it their power?" he suggests "Is it the number of their underlings?" another pause during which his eyes switch targets once more "Or perhaps is it… their mate?"
Mate? As in... Romantic partner?
So, the perfect alpha sits on a literal throne and ranks higher than an ordinary alpha. According to what I've gathered from his words…
This entire shindig is being held for the sole purpose of electing the top alpha that will basically lead every other wolf shifter. Got it. But what about the other creatures who came around? Do they have their own alphas? Their own kings?
"I, Grady Hellkade, stand proud to introduce our candidates for the title of perfect alpha,"
When there's talk about a throne, leadership usually involves inheritance. I am just curious about who will judge the qualities of these… Candidates, though.
"I shall begin with the ladies, if you allow. Coming to us from the northeast of the globe, the white blossoming rose, Devana Volkshermansky!" he calls upon the first candidate. Thunders of applause erupt around me as she makes her apparition.
A blossoming white rose indeed. Eastern European, no doubt. Even with the distance separating us, I can almost drown in the bottomless ocean of her blue eyes. She may be confused with a bride due to the choice of dress she made. The only note of gold on her is the brooch on her chest, I can't tell the shape of it from where I stand quite well. I am so absorbed by her that I barely notice the woman walking behind her. Her shadow, I suppose.
My eyes flicker between her and the woman that's been stuck to Erolina's side. Their robes are similar if not for a few negligible details.
Unlike Devana however, the woman behind her doesn't smile or wave; she just looks downwards in front of herself.
"The princess of the sandhills that traveled all the way to us from Namibia, Kamaria Omuti-Ovambo," he introduces the second candidate, and another wave of applause tears the silence that had overtaken the room when Grady was speaking.
I swear it's nighttime! This young woman brought sunrise with her captivating smile. The warmth of her undertone grants the gold she's wearing an extra layer of shine. The honey brown color of her dress accentuates the golden thread intertwined with her long braids. She stops a few feet to Devana's left.
Similarly to Devana, Kamaria seems to be followed by a second woman, dressed in all white. I only remember to see the brooch pinned to Kamaria's chest once I see it on her shadow. The princess is wearing so much gold that her brooch is barely noticeable.
The white robe oh her shadow or witch… Is a bit different from Devana's and Erolina's. Probably due to cultural differences. They all come from various places, from all around the world as I understand.
"Yes, thank you, thank you," Grady waits for the silence to fall again before continuing, "Now, for the gentlemen! From the heart of Aokigahara, Haruomi Okamiouzoku,"
Aokigahara is the largest forest in Japan if I am not mistaken. I am having a hard time distinguishing any details on his attire, since it's all black. I sure as hell can see that he too has a brooch. He stops and stands to Kamaria's left, his shadow following closely behind him.
As I thought before, the slight differences in the witches' robes clearly ensue from their respective cultures. The white robes of his shadow are fashioned in a japanese style.
Grady carries on immediately once the clappings stop, "From up north! May I introduce my blood, my only son, Lucian Hellkade," he doesn't sound particularly different when he announces the participation of his son. I am not sure what I'm getting at. I suppose I expected him to look and sound more gleeful or… Something.
I can tell they share a few traits among them. They're standing at a good distance away, my eyes can't catch every detail. The only thing I think is worth noting about Lucian is that I really dislike his smile. I'd like to say I'll think about it deeper a little later, once I get the chance to see him from up close but… I feel like I'll want to stay as far away from him as possible.
"Last, but not least!"
Right! It's not over yet.
"The first born of our gracious host tonight," he raises the glass of wine he's had in his hand the entire duration of his speech, and gestures towards Erolina, among all guests with a big smile, "Nathanael Whitemane!"