Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
brANDON
I open my eyes and rub the sleep from them. A crick in my neck makes me wince. The sun high in the sky tells me I ‘ve been sleeping for longer than I planned. The red sandstone formations outside my car window tell me we’re almost at our destination.
I often forget how beautiful this piece of the world is when I’m gone for too long. The sun bathes the stone in light, illuminating the orange and red tones only ever seen here. The deep green of the few pine trees adds a stunning contrast to the scenery. If I lowered the windows, I would smell the rocks’ heat and the sky’s freshness. The smell is unique in this corner of the world.
I stretch as much as the car allows me. Each joint and muscle protests at the movement. Sleeping in the car is awful. But it’s not like I have many choices. I think of the night prior and how I had brown hair tickling my nose. A half smile sneaks on my face. The best sleep I’ve had in a long time.
“Are you okay?” My grandfather asks across from me.
His questioning eyes are finding my smug smile disturbing, no doubt. I shrug one shoulder and give him a look. My voice feels too raw to tell him I’m fine.
The third stop on the trip is a long-awaited one. The Duelo family has been closely aligned with ours for many generations. Any outsider looking in would say we are closest. Compared to our friendships with other royal families, it might appear so. But that’s all it is. Appearances. The truth couldn’t be further from the truth. I trust all Duelos as far as I can throw them.
The Duelo family only cares to look close to us for power. Knowledge is power, and that family has gone through extensive routes to appear always in the know.
But can anyone blame them? Being next to the chosen ones, yet never picked to lead, should get dull after a couple of centuries.
The castle comes into view as the car speeds through the empty streets. We have never been made a spectacle while arriving here. The streets are empty because everyone is already at the Colosseum for tonight’s events.
Like our ancestors, the Duelo family hosts events for thousands to watch from spectator seats. Of all the royal families, theirs is the best at keeping traditions alive and sticking to cultural practices.
A fact that must keep Jesse up at night. After all, one of the cultural practices is soulmate ties. One day, Janelle, his best friend, will introduce to us all the person her soul will be tied to.
They open the wood and dark metal gates to the castle for the approaching cars. One by one, we stop lining the circle driveway.
I let out a small sigh, finally stretching my legs. The heat of the desert feels like a weighted blanket on my skin. I can feel it consume and cover every inch of me. I shake a few more kinks as everyone else joins us.
The greeters of the castle approach my grandfather and start the welcome speeches to the crowd. As expected, everyone is waiting at the Colosseum to begin the festivities. Unlike the past two royal houses, they host this fest for our entire travel party and the entire city.
I spot Luisa off to the side of the stairs landing. As always, her short black bob is perfectly in place. Despite her small figure, there’s always been something strong inside her. Something that makes people look twice. It made me look more than that. It may be the way she carries herself. Or it’s just the way the Duelo family makes them.
Cousin to the Duelo family, Luisa has always been around. It wasn’t until our late teens that I saw more than Janelle’s sidekick. Our relationship was aloof at its best. It ended promptly after they announced her soulmate tie. This is the first time I’ve seen her since she shared the news with me. Not all soulmate ties end in romantic relationships, but her finger’s gold band tells me hers did, and I am happy for her.
Our eyes lock as the entourage continues to climb up the stairs toward the Colosseum.
“Focus,” Alejandra admonishes me. She looks at her watch and then back to the castle. “Do you carry a torch for her or something?”
“My heart will forever bleed at the sight of what could have been.” I touch my chest and look pained for effect.
Alejandra rolls her eyes but says nothing else. She knows I’m not carrying a torch for Luisa. As a matter of fact, I haven’t thought of her in a while. Looking back at her reminds me of how much my life has changed over the past few years. The days when my fingers would run through her hair were so much different from today .
“This place is amazing,” Bianca notes while taking in the massive structure.
I didn’t see her approach us. We are some of the last few left at the bottom of the stairs.
“You are sneaky. Like a cat,” I say to her.
Her face stays focused on the view, but her nose scrunches at the comparison, making me smile.
Alejandra snickers to herself. “Looks like Roman and you have something in common, after all.” She’s referring to my brother’s most hated nickname.
Bianca finally looks our way. “You mean to tell me that the hulk of a man is light on his feet?”
I know her question is intended to be playful, but I don’t like it. I especially hate that she used the phrase ‘hulk of a man’ to describe my brother. His large size is hard to miss, but nonetheless. I don’t want to know that she has noticed anything about any other man.
“He used it to his advantage when jump scare wars were happening.” Alejandra’s mention of the game brings back memories.
“Between who?” Intrigue is clear on Bianca’s face.
“You know, the same small group that meets in my spaces,” I say, loving the way her eyes finally settle on mine. Light honey and warm sand. “We nicknamed him kitty paws. It would instantly erase all victory from his smirk when he got one over on us.”
Alejandra looks off into space. “Soon after, he stopped playing.”
Her thoughts are probably drifting to the last day. The way we argued about the score and who truly counted as being part of a team. We never knew it would be the last time. Soon after, all the playing ended just the same.
“We all did…” my voice trails off at the memory .
I’m now plotting unsavory missions with the same people I once ran down the castle walls playing tag with. It seems we all grow up, but not everyone gets wiser with time. I’ve realized with time that the more I learn, the less I know.
“Wow, everything seems so open,” Bianca says.
Alejandra and I look at each other and then at Bianca. We were so deep in our thoughts we stayed outside past everyone else.
I look at the castle and try to see it with fresh eyes. I’ve come here since I was a child, and the structure has lost all its magic to me. The entire castle differs greatly from any other royal home. The brown walls are made of rock with a layout that accommodates the desert weather through large openings.
I remember hating coming here during the summer. The heat would make even the inside uncomfortable. I loved the winters because the snow would fall, covering the red rocks and pine trees with a layer of white. It was magical. Like the Fates had sprinkled powdered sugar across the mountains. Perfect for all solstice celebrations.
“Let’s go in,” I say.
I reach for Bianca’s hand to pull her to my side, forgetting my place for a second. I drop her hand and clear my throat while I fix my collar and move ahead of the girls. Alejandra knowing about us is one thing. There are no secrets in my inner circle. I’m not exactly sure what this is, but I don’t keep secrets from them. That is not the case with any lurking eyes in the Duelo castle.
Alejandra’s warning glare serves as a reminder. Knowledge is power.