18. Chapter 18
Maryn
Iswallowed. “Okay.”
When I still hadn’t moved, he cleared his throat.
I ducked my head, the folds of my tall hair, just missing the doorframe as I sank into the seat.
In the back, a woman in gray sat, staring straight ahead.
I turned to face her. “Hello.”
Beside me, Elias slid into the driver’s seat, folding his long frame behind the wheel. Every inch of him was pressed and polished, not a hair out of place. “She can’t speak.”
My gaze shot to him. “I know.”
He gave me another easy smile. “You’re kind. I like that about you.”
My cheeks warmed, and I faced the front.
Elias wrapped a hand around the steering wheel. “Ready?”
I nodded, staring ahead at the dark street lit only by two low yellow beams. When we didn’t move, I peeked under my lashes at Elias.
He was still facing me. I had the sudden feeling of being studied rather than seen.
His eyes met mine, searching. “I hope you know how glad I am to see you. To get to know you better.”
My shoulders relaxed.
“But if you’re not up for it tonight. We can reschedule.”
A jolt shot through me, but I smoothed the fabric of my skirt, looking down. “It’s just been a long day.”
His easy smile dropped. “It was your trial today, wasn’t it?”
I nodded.
He laid a hand on my knee. “I’m sorry. I’ve been looking forward to tonight, but I didn’t think about what it must have been like for you.”
I stared at the hand radiating heat through the thin fabric of my gown.
“I’ll take you back.”
My pulse raced. “No!” My gaze shot up to his face. I tucked a loose curl behind my ear. “I want to spend time with you, too.”
He searched my face longer than I’d expected. If I wanted to cancel, he would have.
I laid my hand over his, lacing our fingers together.
“I’ll be fine.” It wasn’t entirely a lie.
He dipped his chin, a slow smile inching across his face. “Good. I planned everything.”
I exhaled slowly, watching him—not the road.
We pulled to a stop outside an oval-shaped building whose surface reflected its surroundings, so that it blended into them rather than standing out. I stared at it for a beat, wondering at why something so architecturally beautiful would choose to camouflage itself among its peers.
My door opened, and Elias stretched a hand toward me. I took it, letting him tug me out into the biting cold.
He hung his coat around my shoulders, and I smiled up at him.
“Come on,” Elias said, pulling me toward the door.
Inside, my head tipped back as I stared up at the massive domed ceiling. I’d assumed the building would be several stories. Instead, it stretched up toward a glass ceiling, crowded with plants of all sizes and shapes.
A small winged insect drifted lazily down on my shoulder, and I twisted my head to get a better look at it.
“What… is this place?”
Elias slid his coat off my shoulders. The humidity in the air clung to my bare skin, making my hair sag. “This is The Eden.”
We moved through low-hanging branches. I inhaled the misty, floral air, and let out a long sigh as my gaze landed on bright blooms and more floating insects in shades of orange, blue, white and black.
I stopped, stretching a tentative gloved hand toward a bug with round eyes and long branch-like legs that blended into the reed it perched on.
Elias pressed into my back. “He’s called a walking stick.”
The tiny creature froze as I stroked a finger along his back.
“He’s magnificent.”
“This place was built to replicate rainforests.”
I lifted my hand, eyes widening when his stick legs lifted slowly, inching forward on his perch.
I had heard of them, great forests around the world, destroyed by acid rain.
Most of the plant life and creatures in them hadn’t been strong enough to build a tolerance to the deadly water that rained from the sky in broken intervals.
I turned, gazing up at Elias. “It’s perfect.”
His tentative grin widened. “I saw how much you loved the flowers at Greg’s social ball.”
My brows furrowed. I hadn’t seen Elias that night until he made his grand entrance. But it was clear he’d seen me.
“Come. There’s more.”
He ushered me through the room to a wide table nestled between low-hanging plants and vines.
Pulling back a chair, he motioned me toward it, and I sat, gaze spinning around the room once more. Overhead, a bird swooped low and landed on a nearby branch. Its bright feathers folded tightly against its body, and its head tilted to the side, a large black eye studying me.
I looked to Elias, sitting across from me, watching me with a wide grin.
“This is…”
He leaned back in his chair. “I’m so glad you like it.”
“Like it.” I laughed. “Can I move here? I would be happy sleeping on the floor, honestly.”
Elias’s grin turned serious. “If you lived with me, you could have your own greenhouse. Grow whatever you want. I would deny you nothing.”
His elbows met the table, and his hand stretched toward me.
My heart hammered as I scooted closer, sliding a gloved hand into his.
His stare scalded me. I looked down.
“Maryn.”
“Yes,” I squeaked.
“Maryn, look at me.”
Slowly, I lifted my head.
“I want to know more about you.” His fingers tightened around mine, and he gave a quick squeeze.
I swallowed. “My father is Joel Ve—”
“No.”
I stopped.
“Don’t tell me what I can read in a file. Tell me about you.” He glanced around the room. “You love plants. What else?”
My fingers itched to find each other.
“I do love plants. And animals.” I looked down again, but thought better of it and looked up. “I care for children.” I bit my lip. “Not just Middle and Center children. All of them. I want to do something to make their lives better. Especially the girls.”
Elias nodded encouragingly.
“Like you did in Trial Two. Teaching the Lower girls to read.”
My teeth sawed my lower lip as I waited for his judgement or dismissal.
“I loved it.” He leaned closer. “Can I tell you a secret?”
I glanced at the woman in gray standing several feet away. She watched us, but her gaze was unfocused.
I nodded.
“Yours was my favorite act of service. I agree that Lower children need education too.”
My cheeks warmed, and my gaze slipped to his lips as he spoke.
He squeezed my hand again. “Think how much good we could do together, Maryn.”
I let the words sink in as if they were true. Getting close to a man who wanted to do good would be easier.
I hated that I thought it.
A throat cleared, and we looked up at a waiter dressed in black, holding up a bottle. “Wine, Sir.”
Elias nodded, and dark liquid poured into our glasses. A plate appeared in front of him, and the scent hit me, making my eyes roll back. Fresh vegetables, a golden cut of fish stretching from one side of the plate to the other.
Elias snorted, and my gaze shot to him, cheeks burning.
“Do we share?’
His brows furrowed. “Of course not.”
A second waiter set a plate in front of me. A thick, bloody cut of steak, juices soaking into potatoes that were frothed into a point.
Elias lifted his fork and knife, cutting into his fish, but looked up before taking a bite. “Do you not like it? I thought steak would be a treat. I can have the cook prepare something else.”
I blinked rapidly, looking away.
Elias set his utensils down and reached across the table, touching my arm. “Maryn, what is it?”
My hands slid to my lap, and I ran my thumb over my fingertips. Slowly, my vision cleared.
I swallowed to steady my voice. “In the Middle, we get meat on Fridays. It’s usually fish, but occasionally, we get chicken. If we’re lucky.”
I stilled my hands in my lap.
“I had steak for the first time on my eighteenth birthday—a special dinner for reaching the age of eligibility.” I blinked several more times. “Dad saved for a month to celebrate my big day.”
He said nothing, so I continued.
“It’s fitting that the second time I’ve been served the rarest dish in the Covenant, is when I’ve been matched to you.”
Elias’s easy confidence drained away. He laid his fork and knife down.
My pulse spiked.
He glanced at the waiter beside my chaperone and the man moved swiftly. “Yes sir?”
“Take this away.”
I opened my mouth, but his look silenced me. “Give me a second plate.”
My plate disappeared, and in moments, a new one appeared in front of Elias.
I swallowed, saying nothing as he picked up his fork and knife and began cutting.
He stabbed the larger half and slid it onto the empty plate, scooping a forkful of vegetables onto it and slid it across the table between us.
His eyes met mine. “The only thing we’re celebrating,” he exhaled a slow breath. “Is that I was lucky enough to attend Josh’s social ball the night you were there.”
Under the table, my hands shook. I laced them together to stop their trembling.
Elias sliced his fish and held it to his mouth before setting it down again. “I’m sorry. I’m not upset with you.”
I nodded, my vision blurring for the second time in one evening.
“Maryn, please. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
I nodded again.
“I just hate this damn process so much. It’s almost as if they want you to feel inferior.”
I said nothing, blinking until my vision was clear. I hated how long it took.
“Please eat. I only wanted to enjoy a nice evening with you.”
I unlaced my hands and lifted my fork and knife.
“I can cut it for you.”
“No. Thank you.”
He set his silverware down and lifted his wine glass to his lips.
I mirrored his movements. The rich, dark flavor burned away the lingering taste of leech venom. I took another sip, and another.
My shoulders relaxed, and the idea of Elias sharing his food with me suddenly seemed very funny. My lips tipped up as I lifted the glass, taking a long drink before setting it down and slicing into my fish.
Flavor exploded on my tongue, and I had to bite back the moan.
“This is…”
“No one makes whitefish like The Eden. It’s my favorite,” Elias confided.
“I think it’s my favorite too. Can we have it next time?” I froze, my next bite hovering in the air as I stared at him.
“We can have it every time.”
I smiled again, taking my next bite. This time, a small sound did escape my lips.
When our plates were cleaned, I wished I wasn’t wearing gloves so I could run my finger along the surface, lapping up the last of the juices.
I settled for another sip of wine.
“Will you tell me more? About you?” Elias’s hopeful stare loosened something in my chest.
I set my glass down.
“I love the water.” I traced the rim of my glass with one finger. “I've always dreamed of seeing the lake up close.”
He smiled, his eyes sparkling as his gaze met mine.
An hour later, Elias wrapped his coat over my shoulders and escorted me to his car. I slid in feeling freer and more relaxed than I had in a long time.
With a full stomach and wine in my veins, I was pleasantly drowsy. Tonight, I would get some much needed rest.
I leaned toward Elias, resting my head on his shoulder. His warmth and his scent wrapped around me; I curled toward him, my eyes drifting closed.
It was a matter of moments before he was gently shaking me awake.
“We’re here.”
I sat up, blinking. The evening, the car ride, and the other women sleeping in rooms down the hall from mine all rushed back in at once. I straightened, putting space between us.
“Thank you.”
He turned toward me. I could feel him watching before our eyes met. The weight of someone looking at your mouth.
“I want to kiss you.”
I blinked, wide awake now. Heat crept up my chest. Suddenly he was too close, too warm. I didn’t know where to put my hands.
“I…”
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m not asking. Just admitting how I feel.”
He turned and pushed open my door, holding out his hand. I took it, sliding the jacket from my shoulders and handing it back. Before I could turn, he caught my hand and tugged it to his mouth.
Even through my glove, I could feel his warm breath.
“Good night, Maryn Veil.”
I smiled, cheeks burning, and turned to go inside.