36. Mercy
36
MERCY
I ’m crawling out of my skin.
If I could zip out of my flesh and slither away somewhere dark, empty, and void of feelings, I would. Instead, I’m walking down the large domed corridor leading to the boardroom, Wolfgang flanking me. The echoes of our clipped footsteps fill the silent chasm between us.
It’s been four days since the attack at the inauguration—two since we last surrendered to our absurd carnal desires.
When our lust-laden thoughts finally cleared, deep in Constantine’s blood cellar, we realized we hadn’t even completed the ritual. With debilitating tension, we replaced the broken vials, now shattered on the floor and filled them with our blood. We left shortly after.
We’ve kept to our separate quarters since, only circling each other like two sharks in bloody waters when it has been absolutely necessary. Like this afternoon, called down for a meeting to discuss any leads about who’s behind this unrest.
Walking into the boardroom, we find two of the four already arrived. Black marker in hand, Gemini is doodling on Constantine's bright pink cast. She’s still in a wheelchair, her leg propped up, soft pink painted toenails peeking out from the cast.
They both look up when they hear us walk in, bright smiles on their faces.
“Their magnificences have arrived,” Gemini says in a jovial tone, returning to his derivative drawing.
Wolfgang doesn’t respond, his expression somewhat impassive while he unbuttons his silk suit jacket before sitting down to face the two with a muffled sigh. I can’t bring myself to sit, pacing at the head of the table instead.
“What’s wrong?” Constantine says slowly, but I can’t look her in the eye, let alone Gemini.
I focus on Wolfgang, who shoots me a cautious glare.
“What was that ?” Gemini presses, capping the marker before throwing it on the table.
“Nothing,” Wolfgang answers firmly, smoothing his hand over his perfectly coiffed hair in a feeble attempt to seem unbothered.
I stop in my tracks, chewing on my lip, making the mistake of finding Gemini’s inquiring gaze. His power might not work on me, but my resolve is nothing but a house of cards right now.
“Mercy,” I hear Wolfgang say in warning, but I can’t look away from Gemini.
I feel fissured, like a cracked dam ready to burst.
“We’ve broken a divine law,” I blurt out.
Wolfgang curses. Constantine’s mouth opens in surprise, muttering under her breath, “The flowers worked.” While Gemini leans back in his chair, crossing his arms and grinning like he just heard the best piece of gossip.
There’s a long beat of silence, and I sit down in defeat beside Wolfgang before Gemini speaks. “Considering you both aren’t currently being wiped from the history records, I take it you heathens have been fornicating.” His tone is mocking but somehow coated with just enough sweetness to make his words bearable to swallow.
I peer over to Wolfgang for the first time since I divulged our secret, the broad strokes of his face tense but resolute. “Yes,” he answers solemnly, and sudden relief washes over me hearing him admit it.
I expect both Gemini and Constantine to express concern, instead, they share a conspiratorial look, and Constantine bursts into giggles, hiding half her face with her hands.
“Tinny,” Wolfgang says carefully, a muscle feathering in his jaw. “I don’t care if you can’t feel pain, I’ll break your other leg just to spite you.”
This somehow just makes her laugh even more, her eyes crinkling while Gemini barely contains his mirth beside her.
“We have most certainly co-signed our downfall, and you both find it amusing ?” I ask incredulously.
“Please, Mercy,” Gemini responds placatingly. “Is that really what you think?”
I glance over to Wolfgang, his expression similar to how I feel: Confused.
“What are you implying, Foley,” Wolfgang asks, his words dripping with icy contempt.
“What he means ,” Constantine answers for Gemini as she twirls her finger around a strand of blonde hair. “Do you not surmise this was the purpose all along?”
My breathing turns shallow, her implication slowly washing over me.
“Did you really presume,” Gemini starts again, leaning his elbows on the table between us, “that the gods chose for you two to co-rule platonically ?”
He says the last word with such disgust that I almost begin to maniacally laugh.
“Obviously,” Constantine adds with a small roll of her eyes, “this was the plan all along.”
Wolfgang stands up, knocking his chair over as if incapable of managing his reaction to what our friends are hypothesizing. Quickly, he leans down to pick it up and slams the chair back on its legs, sitting back down without saying a word.
“But—” My voice cracks, and I swallow the hard lump in my throat before continuing, “I did this. It wasn’t our gods' decision, this only happened because of what I did.”
Gemini stays silent as he studies me, his expression thoughtful. Then he pushes out a dry chuckle. “ Sunt superis sua iura ,” he says slowly, deliberately pronouncing every syllable.
The gods have their own laws.
He points a ringed finger at me then at Wolfgang. “If you think your illusioned free will has not already been preordained, love, then you’re not as cunning as I thought you were.”
I’m frozen in my seat, any sort of reply lost inside the bubbling heat of affront deep in the pit of my stomach.
“I—” Wolfgang begins to speak but quickly snaps his mouth shut when the sound of footsteps approaches the door.
Seconds later, Belladonna appears in a cloud of seductive perfume and white lace.
She stutters to a stop, seemingly picking up on the tense silence. Her gaze slides to mine. “Did I miss something?”
Still unable to speak, painstakingly trying to suppress the outrage clamoring to get out from inside of me, I shake my head. She studies my expression for a second too long but eventually seems to find answers to some of her questions.
She shrugs and sits. Gemini returns to his doodling while Wolfgang repeatedly taps his finger on the arm of his chair. Aleksandr arrives a few minutes later, looking worse for wear with heavy bags under his eyes. He takes the time to press a kiss on Constantine’s forehead before sitting down. Luckily, Wolfgang seems to pick up on the fact that I’m too rattled to hold a meeting and takes the lead.
I spend the next hour, locked in my head replaying Gemini’s last words.