Not Protected, page 38
"Hey, you lot!" one of the guys shouted. "Do any of you want to sing?"
We paused in front of them. "Sing?" Zen frowned. "I'm not a good singer, though."
You can't haunt me if I'm dying with you
* * * "You do know that Archer might commit murder for this, right?" Jasper yawned as I altered the final camera on the shoulder of the suit of armor.
"It's worth it," I assured him. "He's been gone for eight years, Jazz--that's eight years this prank is overdue." Jasper grinned, the thought perking him out of his morning exhaustion. We were both tired from last night since we hadn't gone home until two. Vincent's parents had driven themselves into the city to pick him up around twelve. After that, we had hopped into a car and drove out into the forests where we hosted quite the snowball desolation.
Even after we arrived back at the palace, everyone had crowded in the library to drink a few more mugs of hot chocolate and exchange scary stories before we crawling back to our rooms to crash. It was nearing eleven, and Jasper and I resembled zombies at the moment. His brown strands were sticking up in every possible direction and his glasses hung askew on his nose, forcing him to squint at everything. My curls had been pulled back into a bun and I had changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt so that when Archer came for my life, at least I would be prepared to head out into the snow.
As soon as I was sure that the camera wouldn't fall, Jasper and I retreated to the floor above all of the rooms that belonged to Archer and Michael. Jasper gave me a nod and I pulled out three phones-Jasper's, Michael's (which I had stolen this morning), and mine. They were hooked up to speakers placed by Archer and Michael's door, where we had also laid out tarps to catch the mess that would appear after we pressed play.
"How long do you think it'll take them to wake up?" I wondered as I prepared a different song on each phone. "You know Archer," Jasper stated, rubbing his eyes. "A mosquito sneezes and that guy flies out of his bed. And Michael's an agent, he's bound to be a light-sleeper. Honestly, though, I think if you just whispered, 'Maria's in danger,' he'd charge into the hall."
I rolled my eyes, ignoring his comment. "Now, your shoes are laced?"
"Double-knotted."
"You've memorized the escape route?"
"I'm not dying this young," Jasper grinned. "One, two..."
When he mouthed 'three,' we pressed our fingers down on the 'PLAY' buttons. Instantly, music filled the halls--loud, pop-rock covers of Christmas songs that had excessive drumming and violent guitar wailing. All three songs mashed inharmoniously, the majors and minors at constant odds as the seconds ticked on.
Jasper and I peaked over the bannister, listening as the distinctive sounds of doors slamming open filled the halls. Following that was the outraged screams of boys being drenched in snow from buckets that had been stationed above their doors. Jasper and I cackled with laughter, high-fiving each other.
Our glee was short-lived, for we heard our brother shout, "Get them!"
That was our cue to run.
Jasper and I booked it down the halls, drifting around corners as we took a route that would take us to a balcony window stationed right above a few hedges that would break our fall.
"Maria, if I die, I'm haunting you!" Jasper cried. "He's right behind us! Oh, my gods, I'm going to die at fifteen!" "You can't haunt me if I'm dying with you!" I snapped. We were close--so close. The doors were just up ahead. All we had to do was push them open, throw ourselves off the balcony, tuck and roll, and never return to Egypt.
Right as I could taste my freedom, someone grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt and yanked me back. I fell against a hard chest just as we tumbled to the floor. Looking over, Archer had tackled Jasper to the floor, and Jasper was struggling so hard to crawl away but Archer had his arms pinned down.
"Jasper, I'll see you in the afterlife!" I coughed, fear growing as I realized it was Michael staring down at me with infuriation in his eyes. "Don't go in the light without me!" he sputtered.
"You miserable little..."' Archer was at a loss for words. He whipped his head to glare at me. His shirt was soaked and his hair was dripping with water, but nothing could dampen the anger burning viciously in his dark eyes.
"I think you have some ice in your hair," I grinned.
"I'm going to murder you," seethed Archer.
"Now that's a little violent," Alec said as he showed up to our little rendezvous, his pace equal to that of a leisurely stroll in the Maria.
"You were in on this?" Michael cried, absolutely outraged. Alec blew a kiss in Michael's direction and then held up the cameras we used. "Consider it revenge for the snowballs you threw last night, my platonic soulmate."
"I'll feed you all to the wolves," Archer threatened. "Ice?
"Snow," Jasper corrected.
Archer glared down at his little brother, and in that moment, Jasper knew that either he had to run or face his last moment alive on this earth. So he pointed behind us and yelled, "Morning, Grandmama!" We all turned our heads and Jasper shoved Archer off his body before scrambling to his feet and making a mad dash down the hall. Archer let out a feral growl and chased after Jasper, who began screaming bloody murder as they ran.
"Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, Banks," Alec thanked. "Now, excuse me while I make enough copies to distribute to our friends and keep as potential blackmail."
I saluted Alec as he walked off. Once he turned the corner, it was Michael and me left in the hall, and I gave a nervous laugh as I tried to stand up. "There is something wrong with your family," he stated, helping me up. His gray thermal was drenched from the snow, droplets dripping onto his black sweats. His dark hair had been pushed back, slick and wet from the snow as well.
"It's called tradition," I sang as we headed down the halls.
"It's called sadistic personalities."
"Maria, tradition and sadistic personalities don't even--"
"Shh," I interrupted. "You've spent years as my academic nemesis, you should know better than to argue with me in the morning." "You should know, as a decent human being, not to dump ice all over me"
"It was snow."
Michael glowered at me. "Was I included because of the snowball fight?"
I smirked. "You really shouldn't take the side against me. Especially after we professed our love for each other. What kind of boyfriend are you?"
"I didn't think your side would win," he admitted, a sheepish grin spreading across his lips. "Is that why Darkwood and Jasper got a free pass?"
"I don't hurt my comrades," I said. "You're not forgiven just yet. There's more where this came from." "Oh, come on, Maria. It was just a game! Your side won as well! Don't you remember how Darkwood tackled Archer and Minnie practically blinded Elijah?"
"You're not forgiven."
Michael rolled his eyes. "I got bruises from that game. As my girlfriend, you should've considered that as enough punishment."
"Then I'm not a good girlfriend."
We had reached Michael's hallway and he surprised me by tugging on my hand so that I spun into his chest. "Please?" he asked, looking down at my lips.
"No forgiveness for traitors. Do you know what Stacyandra the Avenger did when she took her throne back?" Michael only grinned. "Are you say you're going to behead me?"
"I'm working up to it."
He laughed again but let go of my waist to take a step back. After walking over to the tarp in front of his room, which now contained melting snow, we took the ends and carried it through his room. Carefully, we dumped the snow over the edge.
"Are you parents taking their Christmas walk?" Michael inquired as we rolled up the tarp and brought it down one more level to Archer's floor. For a second, I puzzled over how he knew about my parent's personal tradition. Then, I remembered that Michael had spent several Christmas' here. My parents loved telling the story of how my father first professed his love to my mother on a Christmas morning long ago on a walk in the woods, and how they've done the same thing every year since then.
"They helped me set up the tarps," I grinned. "Then they left. They'll be back in an hour." Archer's door had been left wide open, so we brought the tarp through his room as well and dumped over the balcony--but not before Michael seized a handful of snow and tossed it at my face. I dropped the tarp and chased after him down the halls. I hopped onto his back but he grabbed my legs and ended up carrying me up the stairs of his own free will.
"You spent seven years with me as my academic nemesis, shouldn't you know that I always get payback?" Michael asked, cocking a brow as he set me down once we got to my floor. I patted his chest. "I was hoping you'd lost your skills."
He made a noise in the back of his throat, his hand flying to mine to hold it against his chest. "I'm going to clean up now and get ready for the Christmas meal, so--" He leaned down and gave me a sweet kiss on lips. "I'll see you in a bit, princess."
I headed into my room after that, my cheeks feeling a little warm. It was still so odd to think that everything we had been through, Michael and I were completely, absolutely, one-hundred-percent fine. I pulled off the sweatshirt and began washing my face to warm it up after Michael's snowball to my face. After changing into dark jeans and a gray sweater with white and teal blue reindeers printed on the front, I began braiding my hair and headed out of my room, wondering what the courses would be today. As I neared the middle level of the palace, a hushed, angry voice could be heard coming from one of the hallways.
Curious, I strayed off my path and inched towards the voice. Whoever it was had stopped speaking. Then, the person snapped again and I jumped, not realizing how close I had gotten. When I peeked around the corner, I was taken aback to see Alec pocketing his phone, his gaze fixated on the scenery beyond the window.
I couldn't place a name on the strange feeling I got in my gut. I felt as though I shouldn't have known that he was here. I couldn't shake the sensation that something was incredibly wrong. Before I could ask him why he was here all by himself, someone else strode into view. Archer stopped near Alec and was watching him with a peculiar look. I ducked behind the wall, thinking for a second that Archer had caught sight of me.
"What are you doing down here?" Archer asked, tilting his head. "Who was that on the phone?" "It was Minnie," Alec answered. "She called to let me she was on her way before we started arguing again over who posted that comment about Alec Darkwood not being good-looking enough." Alec laughed, but Archer didn't. Which was strange because Archer normally laughed at a lot of things, including many of Alec's comments. Yet there was a strange, uncomfortable silence that hung in the air. Finally, Archer let out a short laugh.
"I'd bet money on one of those boys back in Paradise. The Unholy Trinity, Maria called them?" he said. "I personally prefer Michael's backup dancers."
Everything seemed back at ease so I tiptoed away down the hall. But I was still unable to rid myself of the nerves tangling in my stomach. When I reached the ground floor, I could hear the kitchen staff in the distance, the chefs shouting at one another as they prepared the meals. Right then, the front doors opened. A strong chill blasted through as my parents, Elijah, Minnie, and Zen entered. I shivered, waiting for the doors to shut, watching as the maids took their coats before bowing respectfully and walking off.
Minnie was the first to greet me. She had pulled her black hair into a ponytail and donned a scarlet sweater with hollies on the front, her black leggings tucked into knee high black boots. She carried several bags on her arms and asked, "Where's the tree?"
"My mother's favorite parlor. You remember where that is, right?"
"Elijah can lead me there," she shrugged. I gestured for her to go ahead and she bounded up the stairs swiftly after, Elijah on her trail with his own hoard of gifts in his arms, beaming at me as he tried not to fall over.
"You okay?' Zen asked as he approached me. He too wore a Christmas sweater, though his was the shade of a midnight blue, decorated with snowflakes and a jolly old Santa Claus. I hugged my arms across my chest and just gave him a smile.
"I'm okay. I just feel a little off," I answered, still unsure of the nagging feeling that wouldn't leave. Zen appraised me with knowing eyes, looking as though he could tell that something was incredibly wrong as well. But before either of us could say anything, my mother's voice sang loud and clear throughout the palace.
"Christmas time!" My father was twirling her around the floors, laughing and dancing with her as they spun towards the dining room. Zen and I exchanged grins at the sight of my parents before we headed to the dining room with them.
The scent of the food wafted down the halls, of roast beef and peppermint, of chocolate and gravy. We passed by the statues decorating the interior and I recalled how I used to throw Christmas lights around their necks when I was younger, getting in trouble with my father and the maids for playing with the old works of art.
In the dining room, the curtains had been drawn back and secured by velvet red ribbons to reveal the snow fluttering downwards from the stark white sky. Candles flickered in little glass jars set on the white-clothed table, where spotless fine China had been set out. The napkins had been folded into elegant swans, where they sat on top of the plates. The maids were setting out wine glasses and mugs of thick hot chocolate.
"Did Alec help you decide which kind of hot chocolate to serve this year?" I asked Alfred, who was pulling a chair out a chair for my grandmother. She was rubbing her temple and sent me a disapproving glare, probably due to my prank this morning.
"Lord Darkwood chose the peppermint flavor," Alfred told me as he proceeded to pull out mine and Zen's chair as well. Ah, so that's where the peppermint smell was coming from. "I'm not Lord," Alec called out from the entrance of the dining room. He and Archer strolled in, but the distance between them bothered me. Alec took a seat down from mine while Archer sat next to our mother, and again, I couldn't help but notice the gap between them.
"Flynn's the lord of the Darkwood clan," Alec corrected, "since he's the eldest son." "My apologies," Alfred said as Elijah, Minnie, Jasper, and Michael filed through the doors next. "I'll be sure to remember that for the future."
Once everyone was seated, the chefs began streaming into the dining room now, some pushing carts and others holding up their work. In a matter of seconds, the dining table was completely stocked with gourmet food, all arranged beautifully, looking delectable and mouth-watering.
My father stood up and tapped his wine glass, his eyes gleaming with a holiday happiness as he glanced around the table. "I'm so old, Giselle," he sobbed jokingly.
"Just get on with it, Will." He cleared his throat and held the glass up. "I really should have filled this up before, but it's too late now. Merry Christmas, everyone. Just a warning: if you don't eat enough, my wife will panic about your health and she'll make you feel real bad about--"
My mother smacked him against his stomach, and he laughed as he plopped down, teasing her about her worrying habits. The entire table dug into the meal with zeal, eager to empty the dishes, hurriedly trying to get the last slice of beef or the last portion of the stew. Jasper had piled his plates high with cupcakes, not noticing that Archer kept stealing several of them, passing some to Minnie and Elijah. Michael and Alec began fighting over the king salmon dish, not paying attention to notice when I snuck a few muscles off of Michael's plate and shared them with Zen. Elijah began cracking up when we all watch my mother accidentally nick my father's palm as she tried to slice his meat for him, but he only brushed off the incident, content with eating so long as a napkin was wrapped around his hand.
Everything had been wiped clean by the time we finished. Our glasses and mugs were drained. Before we all left, everyone (excluding Jasper, the poor fifteen-year-old) poured themselves a small glass of my father's favorite wine before downing it and heading upstairs to my mother's parlor.
There, we collapsed onto a seat as fast as we could. Michael and I were on the Victorian couch, my body curled up against him while his arm wrapped around my back. Alec and Jasper had taken the chairs by the bright fireplace, laughing about something Alec said. Minnie and Zen had taken to the floor, slumped against each other as Zen swore he would never eat again. Archer was at the window seat, looking happier than I had seen him as he watched my mother and father kiss under the mistletoe hanging by the door. My grandmother watched us from the piano, leaning on her elbow with crinkled eyes and a smile on her lips.
As my parents got lost in each other's eyes, I got up, and with Michael's help, began passing out the gifts. The pile under the tree grew smaller as little mountains began to grow in front of everyone. By the time my parents joined us by the fireplace, a few of us were already tearing apart the wrapping paper.
I picked up a gift from Alec. "Wow. Did Alec actually decide to give me a gift?"
"Shut up," he snorted. "I can be nice."
"What universe are we in?"
"Maria, don't be mean," my mother chastised. "Won't you open your gift from us first, Alec?" Your distraction skills are worthy of two and a half stars
* * *
There was a knock on my door and I hastily closed my laptop before laying out all of my notebooks to make it seem like I was up to nothing suspicious at all. Alec then walked in just as I was picking up a few pencils to shove them into my bag.
"Not even prepared to go to school yet? Tsk, tsk, Banks." Alec looked at the mess of binders and textbooks on my bed. "Keep this up and I'll start to think you actually don't want to go to the academy." "No," I gasped in a mockingly horrified voice. "What would make you think that?"
He laughed. "Michael's here, by the way. You better hurry up or your coffee will get cold."
Alec left the room after that, his feet heading out into the apartment. After I had stuffed everything into my school bag, I realized that it looked like I had packed a good enough amount of supplies to run away to Nova Scotia.
