“How–” I started but then stopped. “You were with them.”
“When Harrison came banging on the door to announce Olympia, of all people, showed up at his apartment and convinced him to bring the Bexleys to dinner with you? Yes, I was.”
“You’re welcome to join.”
She threw her arms in the air and paced away from me, hands on her hips again.
“Did you tell them not to come?” I asked, glancing at the closed door behind her in recognition that she’d come alone.
Her gaze snapped to mine and hardened.
“Of course not,” she replied. “I don’t tell them to do anything. I advised them not to come but the Bexley boys have a habit of doing exactly the opposite of what they’re told.”
“Then where–”
“Olympia is bringing them through the back way, whatever that means. She nearly bit my head off when I asked to go too. Why, Milo? Why have you brought them here? It’s not what’s done. It isn’t the right way–”
“I should go down to the Second and visit them in secret like you?”
She paled at that, lips opening and closing as she fought to school her features once more.
“If you can be romantically involved with a Second Ringer, why can’t I have them over for dinner?” I asked, raising a brow. Then I turned away and strolled across the room toward the wine bottle the acolytes had left beside my desk. “If you wish to remain, please feel free, but I ask that you leave your hypocrisy at the door and remember where your loyalties lie.”
She blinked at me as if I’d slapped her but didn’t move as the door of the study flew open again to reveal Olympia standing tall in the threshold. I got a glimpse of the others shifting awkwardly behind her but Olympia came first, striding right into the room and straight across until she was standing behind my desk, waiting for the others.
The Bexleys filed in after a tall, lanky boy whom I recognized as Harrison. He was frowning deeply and seemed to make a concentrated effort to look anywhere but at my cousin as he entered. The middle brother came in second, scowling as he held the hand of his pretty red-headed wife. Behind them was the oldest, largest brother. Expression entirely blank, he resembledan unreadable mountain of stone. His amber eyes passed once over Bria but he didn’t react to her presence any more than that.
“Welcome to House Avus,” I said, offering what I hoped was a friendly smile.
Olympia’s signature defensive stance on the other side of the desk, crossed arms and wary grimace, certainly wasn’t selling the welcome I was extending. Harrison was eyeing Bria with a frown. Adrian’s brothers looked down at the seats around the nicely set table as if wondering if they were for them and the sister-in-law just glared at me as if I’d personally kicked her down a flight of stairs. I dropped my hands to my sides. This was going to be a long night.
“Please, have a seat,” I said then, still keeping my tone as light and friendly as possible. This wasn’t a demand, it was an offer. Still, they rejected it, not even moving in the direction of the dinner that awaited them.
“Right,” I continued despite the awkwardness. “I’m not sure how much Olympia told you regarding our request for you to join us–”
“Olympiaisn’t very forthcoming with any information,” Harrison finally said, unable to keep silent any longer.
Olympia’s glare snapped up to the roommate and hardened. I fought the urge to reach over to subdue her and prayed to gods who didn’t exist that she wouldn’t derail this meeting before it could begin.
“I know tensions are high in Sanctuary right now,” I started again, trying a different tactic. “You don’t trust anyone from the Upper Rings and I don’t blame you. But I was Adrian’s friend and I just wanted the chance to get to know all of you. You were such a big part of her life and, now that she’s gone, it feels like she would have wanted us to try.”
The mention of Adrian seemed to soften them somewhat, but only enough for them to finally make their way to the table aftera round of exchanged glances. They settled into their seats, the older brother with Harrison on one side and the middle brother with his wife on the other. Bria and Olympia remained standing in silent observation on opposite sides of the room. I ignored them, choosing to focus on my guests as I settled in at the head of the table and lifted the silver lid off my platter to release a mouthwatering aroma of roasted chicken, potatoes, and an assortment of vegetables. They watched me carefully before lifting their own lids and poking at the food beneath.
“I hope you like the chicken,” I said. “I wasn’t sure of your preferences. I had the–”
“Why are we here, Heir?” the wife snapped. “Your pretty words about Adrian were nice but she’s been gone for weeks now and you haven’t reached out once before. Why now?”
I took a moment to look her over, trying to remember who she was. Of course, I’d heard her story due to Adrian's involvement in it. She was the one who’d made it to the Fourth Trial. Olympia would know her name. She’d always followed the Trials and those progressing through them much more closely than I. A Third Ringer who made it that far would have been the talk of the city, even up here in the Upper Rings, but I’d been locked away inside a library long before I was cursed with the presence of Simi’s diary and I’d never had much of an ear for gossip. Still, I knew what had happened to her, if only because it had sent Adrian running to House Avus to plead with Nascha for mercy on her behalf. Her partner had been injured in the Fourth, so badly he fell into a coma, and she’d ended his life to spare him the suffering. For that, Cosmo had humbled her. Then Adrian had promised away her future to save her brother after he’d married her anyway. She had more of a reason to hate the Upper Ringers than the others. I needed to remember that.
“We aren’t all like Cosmo,” I told her, gentling my tone.
Her anger slipped for a brief second but it was enough. I saw the vulnerability in her eyes then, the true emotion driving all that rage to the forefront. Fear. She was just a scared girl who’d been through far more than anyone should. Her trust had been broken so many times she couldn’t find it anymore. But trust was something you built and I’d always been a patient man.
“The Vipers take and, what they can’t get, they destroy,” I said. “Cosmo’s hunger for power and his abuse of his position aren’t just concerning to you on the Second, or to those down on the lower rings. I recognize you have reason to hate us up here. I just ask that you don’t put us all in the same box. Some of us are fighting for a better Sanctuary.”
“For who?” It was the first time I’d ever heard the older brother speak.
I turned to him, reassessing my opinion. He was quiet but thoughtful. I shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss him.
