Chapter Eight #3
The answers that Rain had failed to deliver on, or rather found her way out of delivering, were given to us by Thaddeus, “The Founder’s Society, for those of you in the dark, is…
as you well know, a secret society. It is not listed on the club list for good reason.
In 1642, the year of Castle Hill’s founding, the board that derived from the founding families created this small haven for their offsprings.
A higher class within the high class.” He sat back as though to get comfortable.
“Every twenty years, each board member appoints a single student to enter into the Founder’s Society.
This is a privilege but also a duty. One held in secret for more than three centuries. ”
He paused and looked at each and every one of us with a pointed look. But I could have sworn his gaze lingered on me.
Do I belong?
“Now, of course, some of you may know that you are not, in fact, descendants of any board members, legitimate or otherwise. But for reasons unbeknownst to yourselves, you’ve been chosen.
And you should take that as the greatest of honours.
The privileges this Society offers within and outside of Castle Hill’s walls are not to be considered subpar, but neither are the duties.
One must earn them. And that is what this year will hold for you all. ”
Great.
My last year of high school will consist of sacrificial rituals to an unseen board that will make me of a higher class should they consider my offerings sufficient.
“Does anyone have any questions so far?”
He offered, but from the tap of his foot and the occasional glance at his watch, something told me he’d rather we remain silent.
This information only solidified my beliefs that something worse was at play, like the formation of a cult. But for now, I chose to not draw any attention to myself. I’ve dodged the reaper on countless occasions, and if force was placed upon me, I would do it again.
Death and I have gotten to know each other quite intimately, in fact. Like a game of tag one of us was winning.
The space I occupied felt too tight, and my long legs, although stretched out, ached.
I lifted my arm over Paris and placed it along the couch behind her.
Thankfully, she didn’t seem to mind, only crossing her arms and asking what I knew we’d all been thinking, “What happens if we change our minds after this meeting?”
Thaddeus smiled again, a strangely familiar, eerie smile. “I hope you all understand the importance the board places on secrecy.”
She leaned back, and I could feel the heat of her against my arm. “Oh yes, of course, sir. But… humour me.”
I suppressed a smile at the slow narrowing of Thaddeus’s eyes, delivered after her words. It didn’t look like he took offence to her tone or words. More like, he took offence to the inconvenience she was now causing him. “You’ll be disposed of.”
She didn’t mind his bluntness and only hummed in contemplation.
I wondered how everyone else was taking his words.
They say when an animal is fearful to the point of death, their body releases all of the urine in preparation for such. August was most likely holding it in.
And from the looks of it, Marigold as well.
“Any more questions?” Though, he didn’t sound as though he was open to answering any.
I looked at his ring finger.
Ah.
I spoke but only for the hell of it, my mouth moving and the words coming as if by second nature. “Are there any methods the board is prone to? If so, are we privy to such information? Are we allowed a choice on how we wish to go?”
There was a small voice in my mind telling me that I’d just mentioned keeping a low profile.
I ignored it, watching his heavy gaze land on me instead. The smile he regarded Paris with turned into a shark’s grin. “Are you preparing for anything, Miroslav?”
I shrugged and pursed my lips, enjoying the adrenaline slowly pumping into my veins. “Just curious.”
Thaddeus tilted his head and seemed to genuinely consider my question. “Well, I’ve never been on such a receiving end. I suppose you’ll have to figure that out on your own.”
I liked this man. He was direct, honest and didn’t shy away from harsh responses. I would much rather him than someone who’d placate me with pretty lies decorated in white bows.
August spoke then, “Do we get back to you on such information?”
Thaddeus glanced at his watch. “I prefer that you act as though you don’t know me outside of this room. High school students are entirely too dull to be around.”
Ajax scoffed with slight offence. “Why is that?”
“I can assure you, everything you know, I already knew twenty years ago. The conversation would be least beneficial.”
“But you don’t know how we’ll be disposed of?” August, unluckily, seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, and ended up being on the receiving end of Thaddeus’ ire. “Get out.”
“What? But he–” August squealed out loudly and pointed to Ajax, who reared back with a curl of his lips at what would have been an accusation if Thaddeus had let him finish.
He most likely was imagining all the ways the board would dispose of him.
I watched the ground for any traces of urine but didn’t find any.
I was impressed. August was stronger than he looked.
“You’ll stand outside for sixty seconds, and I want you to count them out loud, with your left leg up. You can return to your place silently upon the completion of your punishment.”
August looked almost relieved that he wasn’t being sent out to his death, and shoved up with a grumble, stomping out but sliding the door shut quietly like a good little boy, not wanting the sixty seconds to turn into sixty minutes.
Twenty years ago.
At Thaddeus’ words, I wondered how old he was. And though I would prefer not to find myself standing next to August right outside, I couldn’t help but ask, “How old are you?”
My words fell on a blunt tone, and I was well aware of the etiquette of asking an elder their age, but again, I couldn’t find myself caring.
Thaddeus’ eyes slid to me menacingly, but I only dropped my eyes to his ring with an innocent raise of my brows. He seemed to find my insinuation suddenly amusing as he answered, “I am in my late thirties. But I prefer not to go into specifics. Makes me feel old.”
When no more questions followed, Thaddeus decided to make his point clear, and only then did August shuffle back inside, “Let me elucidate the next steps for you. Tonight, return to your dorms and draft a list of questions. In our next meeting, I will dedicate ten minutes to answering them. Now, where was I?… Ah, yes, The Founder’s Society, to be blunt, is a cult of sorts. ”
Called it.
“And though I, myself, found it outlandish in my own Castle Hill days, the benefits outweigh all else. You were selected for your skillset. A skillset the board deems worthy of nourishment.”
I rested my hand, the one behind Paris, against the side of my head, which pulled me closer into her strong perfume. I hadn’t intended to choke on it, so I turned my head to the back of the room and cleared my throat to the best of my subtle ability.
I was surprisingly viewing this entire ordeal with an indifference I hadn’t known I had. Or perhaps it was a strong sense of desensitization.
Thaddeus continued to monologue, as he promised, “I would suggest, as this group will be spending the better part of their last year, and for some of you, their first, at Castle Hill, that you spend as much time in each other’s presence.
Knowledge is key, as is teamwork. From this day forth, I don’t want to hear any bickering, fighting, or even simple insults thrown at one another.
You will remain loyal to each other and only to each other. Am I making myself clear?”
His tone had turned serious, and something told me his words were spoken out of experience.
Thaddeus had said he was in his late thirties. He’d also said the board recruited every twenty years.
If his father died no less than forty-eight hours prior, Thaddeus Saltford-Windsor was now a board member. And unless they preferred to outsource the nourishment of the Founder’s Society’s members, something must have gone horribly wrong when he had been sitting here twenty years ago.
“This Society recruits students every twenty years, as I’ve stated, because those successors will one day sit on the board.”