Chapter 51: Chapter 51

My steps slowed a few feet from the entrance and my wobbly legs barely supported me. The music seeped through all the pores of my skin and I already felt my hips want to squirm, but I stopped when I discovered the interior of the Pomona room. Countless castes had taken over the huge circular room which, for once, seemed to have shrunk. The huge round table had been removed and put in a corner to accommodate the buffet. All the walls had been draped in white curtains and red fabrics, so that none of the cavities were visible, only the door to Egeria’s former refuge was visible. The vaults of the ceiling were magnificent in the heart of this romantic and theatrical atmosphere. The first heads began to turn, then others and again those behind! It was only after very, very long seconds that the party finally resumed. I exchanged meaningful looks with Ethan and pulled his arm around the room to the left. I didn’t want to stay near the entrance and wanted to take refuge in a corner, preferably near the buffet because I was starting to feel hungry.

“They are afraid of us.”

“I don’t see why,” replied my brother.

“Maybe because we’re capable of destroying everything in this place.”

“Or maybe because they think your dress looks great on you.”

“What do I owe this compliment to, my dear brother.”

“Oh! I’m just curious to see their reaction when I go for a drink and let go of your hand.”

“Do you think something is going to happen?” I wondered, suddenly panicked.

“Do you remember the first time we came to this room? Carmichael was waiting for you with all the caste council and you were meeting them for the first time. Carmichael asked that I get away from you. And ten seconds later, all the male castes began to heat up inside. The effect subsided after a few moments, but at that precise moment, I knew that I was living among animals. We are like them, the strong rules over the weak, we kill our enemies and fight for our territory. There are no half measures and procreation in our world is a question of survival. You’re not here by chance, Eve, and I understood that this evening. If I let go of your hand tonight…”

“Say no more!” I cut him off, appalled. “You’re freaking me out here, Ethan! We’re not animals, everyone is in suits and evening dresses!”

“A facade to hide our true nature.”

“Okay… Well, come on, let’s have a drink,” I finished, wanting to end this agonizing conversation.

The buffet was just steps away and the DJ was right next door. I thought I could make out Elvis near the sound system spitting out its vibrations at a frantic pace, but there were too many people between us. I took a glass of champagne which I drank in one. I was going to drink another, but Ethan was calling out to me again.

“You know, Eve, you could have fun too.”

I stared at him intensely and smiled. I found the intention charming but I couldn’t envisage it for a moment. My nerves were in a ball and I dared not move too much.

“EVE!” shouted Johnny from the far end of the room, waving for me to join him.

I grabbed another glass and walked out to meet him, my hand still in Ethan’s. Johnny looked excited.

“This party rocks! Look, I put the DJ not far from the buffet. Not bad for supervising while enjoying the evening, right?”

“I see that you started well, indeed!”

“I’ll be right back!”

And he went back to see the DJ. While sipping my second drink, I noticed Thomas who was only two metres away from me. In a black suit, he turned in my direction, his eyes brighter than ever. His incredible smile appeared on his Adonis face and he finally walked toward me.

“Eve, you look lovely in that little dress,” he said, a strange gleam in his eyes.

“Thank you, you’re very… lovely too,” I stammered.

This short exchange was interrupted by Elvis, who asked me to follow him near the DJ booth. Johnny had taken the controls and was rocking hip-hop, swinging his arms in rhythm.

“I see that Johnny is in good shape tonight!”

“I think he took something!” replied Elvis.

He stopped in front of me with Mohamed Belhak, one of his friends from Brixton and a former classmate. I noticed that Elvis felt much better with a bit of his suburbs by his side.

Thomas came towards us, two glasses of champagne in his hands. I accepted the one that was intended for me but swore to wait a bit before taking another.

“Can I at least hope for a dance tonight?” he said, watching my hand tied to Ethan.

“I can’t guarantee that, sorry.”

“Ouch! That hurt,” he scoffed.

“I’m sure you’ll get over it!”

“How cruel you are, Everliegh Burberry, look how much fun everyone is having.”

I turned around and saw the huge circle that formed the dance floor. Several of my peers danced to the frantic sound of the track playing. The women’s bodies swayed in front of their partners. This show offered a certain magic, but the spell was broken when I saw Eric with Allyson. She squirmed in front of him and he glared at her. This image hurt me more than I wanted to admit, so I looked away. Ethan tugged my arm to take a closer look. Caleb was dancing with Prisca Burton Race, who had the grace of an angel. I twisted my eyes slightly to the right. Behind the shapes moving in front of me, I could make out Carmichael, seated on an enormous armchair, surrounded by no less than five magnificent creatures. The image made me smile, but Carmichael’s presence exuded a power that imbued me at first glance. I thought that he had felt my confusion since he turned his head immediately. He froze for a moment and, almost naturally, the couples in front of us parted, leaving only a long, clear aisle between us. He stared at me for a moment and nodded. His magnificent complexion radiated under his immaculate white suit and I dared not imagine his eyes from this distance.

However, I took my eyes off him and went back to the buffet. Ethan followed me without flinching and asked the waiter for a glass of whiskey and Coke. We stood there for a moment but moved away when Eric and Allyson appeared. She burst out laughing (as usual! I said to myself, a bit contemptuous), took one of the cups in front of her and handed it to Eric. She took a sip, devouring him with her eyes and kissed him full on the lips. Thomas went to meet them while I scampered towards the DJ booth. Suddenly, the music changed and swayed to a Latin rhythm, a couples dance again but which I loved to practice when I lived near London. There are many Latin clubs there and I had the opportunity to go there a few times with Olivia and Johnny. We had taken intensive Latin dance lessons because Olivia had fallen for a Brazilian capoeira dancer who only deigned to look at women whose hips were worth the trouble. We had requisitioned Johnny to train us, and he had done so with good grace because he was known for his dancing skills. This big black-skinned feline was a god of dance, specializing in hip hop and Latin dances. And just as I was thinking nostalgically of those sweet memories of youth, Johnny grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor. I curbed his enthusiasm without letting go of Ethan. He pulled me harder and my brother let go of my hand. I turned around, seized with anguish, and saw Ethan nodding at me, inviting me to follow Johnny with a broad smile. The traitor had done it on purpose. Johnny pulled me into the middle of the floor. The effect was immediate and the heat gradually rose to my head.

“What’s the matter, Eve?!” Johnny asked, alerted.

“Look, it’s not a good idea for me to be away from Ethan,” I said very nervously. “When Ethan is away from me, I send some kind of signals to the other sex, if you know what I mean. I can’t dance!”

Johnny still hadn’t moved but was now looking around. He saw the faces all turn in our direction. I could feel their intentions on me, and as I felt them, Johnny dubiously put his hand in mine and lifted my arm.

“I don’t understand.”

“I haven’t told you yet, but for caste males, I’m a kind of sex magnet. It’s very embarrassing, this situation, Johnny, I don’t want to dance.”

“So what! They have the right to fun and you don’t?”

“Their amusements have much fewer consequences,” I retorted, refusing to move.

“But damn, Eve, you’re 21 years old!” he said, stepping back. “So stop sulking and move your ass!”

“Listen, Joe…”

“Fuck it!”

“Nope.”

“Jeez, Eve, if I understood correctly, it’s not your fault, this magnet thing?”

“In effect.”

“And your problem is to be a sex bomb in the eyes of all the men present in this room.”

“Yes.”

“And if I believe your peony red cheeks, it also affects you, doesn’t it?”

“Um, yes!” I sighed.

“Well, that’s great!”

“What?”

“Eve, there are people whose life is metro-work-sleep, rinse and repeat and you lead an extraordinary life, you have crazy powers and all the men are at your feet. There’s not even a gay here, damn it! So have a little fun, enjoy and move your ass now!”

And he grabbed my waist and twirled me rhythmically. Johnny was an outstanding dancer and knew how to use his arms to create very elegant tricks. At first, he pretended not to notice, and even though I followed his steps perfectly, he gave me a reproving look.

“You can do better than that, Burberry!” he shouted, a mischievous smile on his lips. “Take a look, you think the castes know how to do this, Eve!”

And he freed himself and performed a thundering solo. Seeing his performance, the surrounding castes began to move away. I watched Johnny have a blast on a passage with hip-hop accents to return to a more than well-placed Cuban step. I let out the first laugh. My brain was scalding because the effect of my activated pheromones had still not passed. I noticed that some women glared at me while others watched me curiously. But I couldn’t help smiling and laughing again at the spectacle of Johnny inviting me to imitate him. In the space of a second, the same question repeated itself a hundred times: am I going, am I not going? One last look at the hostile castes and my friend Johnny made my decision. I stretched out my leg and took a fairly complex step and wiggled my pelvis rhythmically. With my Charleston dress, the effect was immediate. My whole body was moving and my partner caught me on the fly and made me wiggle in all directions. The effect produced by the fiery atmosphere, the champagne and the dancing inflamed me. But nothing was comparable to the violence of the emotions that I felt inside. Carmichael watched my every step. I saw that he raised his hand to silence an intruder and continued to watch me. All my senses were directed towards him and the tension that reigned despite our distance and the steps that I linked with Johnny couldn’t prevent my cheeks from flushing. Champagne, dancing, Carmichael. All of this was going to my head and euphoria was winning over me.

“Hey, Eve!” said Johnny in full action. “You are unleashed! That’s good! But don’t get my pants wet, please!”

And he laughed endlessly. My confusion showed like the nose in the middle of my face while I was torn between the desire to go hide and that of imitating my friend. Finally, I choose this last option. More in a completely normal state anyway, I burst out laughing and Johnny tipped me back to signal the end of our performance as a duo. The music clicked on, but I felt a pang of embarrassment when I realized we were the only ones on the floor. Johnny was proud as a pope, and I lowered my head to hide my perfectly flushed cheeks with my hair. We walked towards the buffet where I met Eric’s incandescent gaze. His jaw clenched, he never took his eyes off me. Allyson grabbed his chin quickly and turned his head to speak to him. Suddenly, Thomas appeared out of nowhere and invited me to dance. Another track caressed my ears, and my partner, much more restrained than Johnny in his movements, twirled me. He had taken care to bring us closer to Ethan. I had seen him in the middle of a charming number with a very cute little blond two minutes earlier, so I imagined that he didn’t want to destroy all his chances if he showed himself to be too enterprising with me. I appreciated this sensual embrace between him and me, he had always shown gentleness and his way of making me move animated all the affection I had for him. However, it was very appropriate that Ethan’s presence calm my ardour, without him, the distance between our bodies would have been furiously reduced and I wouldn’t have given much for my actions. When this second rhythmic attempt ended, my head was spinning a little. The champagne had done its job and I joined my brother, my only refuge, in full discussion with Estelle and her husband. It was the first time I had seen him at the castle, and obviously, it made him nervous. Estelle gave me news of Nicolas and Abigail, whom we had settled at her place for the evening. Their youth didn’t allow them to stay. Abigail hadn’t recovered from this punishment and was still chomping at the bit. Also, we didn’t want all the castes present that night to meet our new pre-cogs. Estelle also confided to me that Selene, her mother, kept some of the caste children in their pavilion, little Guillaume was one of them. Everything was admirably put together and I was beginning to believe that I had put too much pressure on myself for this evening. Estelle handed me another cup in my hand, I had mechanically accepted it and found myself laughing at the slightest opportunity. My outbursts were interrupted by a voice rising behind me.

“Good evening, Eve,” Salomon greeted me in his wheelchair.

“Good evening,” I said bending down to kiss him. “So how are you enjoying the evening?”

“I would rather have liked to judge standing up, but I must admit that the atmosphere is rather festive, even feverish.”

“I didn’t expect that at all,” I said, smiling even more. “I could almost feel at ease.”

“Which everyone noticed!”

“Why do you say that?”

“Don’t forget that I read the minds of almost all the guests.”

“And there you go! When I thought I was almost relaxed…”

“You don’t have to feel nervous, Everliegh, your peculiarity brings a bit of spice to this evening and everyone benefits from it. I would rather say that your presence makes them happy, in a way. But if I came to see you, except for my desire to greet you, it’s because the master wants you.”

“The master? Ah! Carmichael! And why doesn’t His Majesty come to see me in person?”

“He has obligations now, this evening is essential to secure his duties, you know that as well as I do.”

“Oh, yes? So he’s not planning to move from his chair?”

“I don’t think so. I’m going to join Prisca because I too am attached to my chair, but nothing will prevent me from enjoying it anyway!”

Salomon withdrew with a final wink and my heart began to race. Carmichael had me in his sights, but I dared not stare at him, because the further I went, the more my breath hitched. I crossed the floor in full view and finally looked up at the new Master Hand.

“Good evening Everliegh.”

“Good evening.”

“What a sensational entrance you made to us with Johnny, giving most of us rhythmic complexes.”

“We have several hours of practice under our belt.”

“So I saw.”

An awkward silence. Nor is it easy to express myself in front of all these women. A gleam of contempt could be read on their faces and it now had the gift of amusing me. As if he had read my thoughts, Carmichael made an unequivocal wave of the hand which invited the ladies to go. My pride was outrageously flattered. In addition to this attention, he asked for a seat, which was placed to his right. With his hand again, he invited me to sit down.

“What are these attentions worth to me?” I asked suspiciously as I accepted his invitation.

“It seems normal to me if you consider the fact that I appointed you to assist me during my reign.”

“We both know that I’ll never see the end of your reign.”

The silence that followed from this sentence, which I hadn’t intended to be scathing, had obviously had an impact on Carmichael. I had the feeling of having taken his breath away, and he remained silent for a time that seemed infinite to me. Almost certain of this perception, I felt the need to catch up.

“I’ll do my best to be useful to you,” I ventured, vaguely watching the dancers moving on the floor, “but next time, you would be kind to let me know before announcing to everyone the responsibilities you wished to confide in me.”

“I understand.”

Silence again. He remained motionless, erect and looking towards the crowd. I noticed that each pair of eyes was turned towards us, but the atmosphere wasn’t affected, on the contrary, I could have sworn that the spirits were inflamed more. I decided to change the subject.

“Will I have the opportunity to meet your brother?”

“Connor won’t come.”

“Oh, good?! He allows himself not to come to his superior’s reception!”

Carmichael finally turned his head and looked pleased. It was hard to admit, but I felt relieved to see him smile.

“I see that you have become a real caste.”

“I’m not sure I understand you.”

His deep green eyes moved towards me. The tension was starting to reach a level far too high for my liking.

“You’re fascinating, Everliegh Burberry.”

Taken aback by his voice, which I found infinitely soft now, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I don’t know if it was the few glasses of champagne or the ambient atmosphere that encouraged me to continue on this slippery slope.

“You look good in your white suit too.”

“A compliment? I’m in shock!” he laughed.

“You shouldn’t be, I don’t think badly of you. You can be insufferable, arrogant, always plotting and you’ve already behaved very badly towards me. Even now you’re laughing at me, I’m sure!”

“But…”

I took a deep breath and continued, looking detached.

“But… you can sometimes be very considerate. Elvis and Johnny are a gift that I’ll never forget. I was very touched by this attention and I believe that you did it because you knew that I needed it.”

“I heard about your exploits in Amsterdam and I also know what you have been doing to my father for months.”

I looked down when one of the waiters brought us two new glasses. I hadn’t expected us to get to this.

“That’s why Johnny and Elvis are here, my dear. I don’t want you to lose your humanity because of Magnus, and I’m sure you’ll find it with your friends by your side… I don’t really care what you do to my father now. In the end, you will decide his fate.”

“He deserves it,” I whispered, totally amazed by his explanation.

I realized how right Carmichael was. The events of the past three years had made me a person I had never known. What I was capable of and the arrogance with which I sometimes behaved bordered on the ridiculous. My humanity? Was I still hoping to find it? This evening gave me the impression that anything was possible. That was what he had in mind when he brought the Forbes and gave me responsibilities. Perhaps I still had a possibility of knowing happiness? But, even if that was the case, I had to stop my macabre visits to Magnus for that, and I knew that I was going to have a very difficult time doing so.

“Suppose I manage to consider the possibility of being happy again, what exactly do you have in store for me?”

From his surprised expression, I knew he wasn’t expecting me to put my cards on the table tonight. But I was tired, and the game of constantly guessing what Carmichael was up to seemed like a thing of the past.

“You came back to Mortain,” I continued, “and while it’s been nearly three years since we last saw each other, you didn’t even come to greet me the day you arrived. Everyone had already met you and I was the only one you hadn’t seen. And tonight, you put a chair on your right and tell me that I’m fascinating. So I repeat my question, what exactly do you envision for me?”

He pushed his seat back and swung his body towards me, his glowing eyes took my breath away and my heart raced. Carmichael bit his lip and smiled an outrageously sultry smile.

“For the moment, I plan to make you dance.”

I honestly wasn’t expecting a response, but a dance seemed like a great start to an answer. It was obviously urgent that we change the subject.

Carmichael stood up and held out his hand. I accepted it but withdrew it immediately because the electric current that this gesture had caused was far too unbearable for my nerves. I looked around as Carmichael led me to the middle of the dance floor. All faces turned towards us again, but I didn’t try to distinguish them, a stifling heat already permeated the atmosphere enough. I saw that Johnny had moved to the turntables and that my brother was seated in a corner of the room. I felt his smile despite the distance. A bit uncomfortable walking in the middle of the crowd, I relaxed when Johnny played a dance track. A rhythm that doesn’t require the slightest body touching, if you put your mind to it.

Carmichael stood in front of me and began to take a few steps. Despite the rapid pace, his movements were slow, sure and perfectly coordinated. Watching him move like that, I only had eyes for him, nothing existed and my hips began to follow his rhythm. The temperature was almost at its peak when he began to circle me trying to approach. I dodged his attack with a well-executed dance step, but he persisted. I smile, this little game amused me, but the more he insisted, the more my breathing became difficult. The excitement went to my head and my cheeks burned my face. This time, I didn’t experience this sensation as a plague, I found it very pleasant. Too pleasant. I closed my eyes and tasted it with relish. Carmichael watched me with a smile.

“What’s happening to you?”

“You know very well,” I said, getting my breath back. “Let’s say it’s… complicated.”

He guffawed and his laugh sent a shiver through my whole body.

“Please don’t overdo it,” I begged him breathlessly.

“Look.”

In confusion, I raised an eyebrow. With his head, he invited me to look around. I did and the show left me speechless. The outpouring that emanated from the Pomona room was more than perceptible, it crossed every pore of my skin. The bodies undulated and moved in harmony. The almost erotic energy that appeared to me at that moment hadn’t escaped me. Far from being shocked by this collective effervescence, the picture that presented itself before my eyes seemed magnificent. I turned to Carmichael who, all smiles, revelled in my amazement.

“Are we causing this?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes.”

“Do you think it can go further?”

“It depends on us,” he replied with a mischievous grin.

I couldn’t resist observing this phantasmagoria again and saw Caleb in a wild dance with Monica the Andalusian. Further on, Prisca was swaying her hips next to Salomon who admired her, fixed in his chair. Thomas had started a bewitching dance with the pretty little blond I had spotted earlier, and my heart sank a little when I saw Eric feverishly kissing Allyson. Despite that, I couldn’t help but find them sumptuous as they both moved in a very sensual cadence. At the turntables, Johnny’s eyes were wide and, with a smile from ear to ear, he gave me a sign by raising both thumbs, a sign that he had never attended such a strange party. The atmosphere was almost unbreathable and I had felt wisps of heat rising to the vault of the Pomona room. Carmichael passed behind me. A few centimetres from my spine, I felt him touch me. I gasped, the frenzy had won me over now. In this insatiable furnace, I now dreamed of freshness. I lifted my arms and closed my eyes. By my sheer will, hundreds of bottles of champagne uncorked in unison. With a popping noise that surprised everyone at first, the pressure contained in the bottles released its crystalline alcohol which fell in droplets of rain on all the guests. To maintain the desired effect, I slowed down the effect of the liquid and got more drunk with the coolness of this divine shower.

At that moment, I felt Carmichael move behind me and his hand went under my arm and finally settled on my stomach. His body came dangerously close, so now I could feel the warmth of his body all the way to the tip of my spine. In rhythm, we continued to dance and time stopped.