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Twenty-Eighth

I stood by the wall of the Bly living room, trying to avoid my duties of entertaining the guests. Mrs. Bly had told me that it was my responsibility as Vox’s fiancé to mingle and make small talk. I tried with a few older couples and found that I had nothing of consequence to say. I would end the sad excuse of a conversation with me awkwardly smiling and walking away. I decided to save face and just be a wallflower for the evening. I didn’t really have the heart to pretend to be happy anyways.

“Mother told me to come replace you.” Hal appeared at my side.

“Well, you’ve found me, what now?”

Hal shrugged and grabbed a handful of hors d’oeuvres as a trey passed by. “I don’t know, she just told me to replace you. She didn’t say what to do after that.” She smiled and handed me a stuffed mushroom.

I took it from her, “Thanks.”

“That’s what sisters are for.” We shared the appetizers she had snagged in silence for a few minutes. She frowned when she looked at the crowd. “Vox alert, 12 o’clock.” She took my arm and we weaved through the crowd, leaving Vox behind. I had a sense of déjà vu, except this time Vox was chasing after us instead of the other way around.

We stopped when we reached the bay windows and sat down on the bench behind some politicians debating if they should raise taxes and those consequences.

“Thanks.”

She smiled, “And that’s what friends are for.”

I grinned at her, “I’m glad that I have both in you.”

She chewed on her lip, “You do know that you have to talk to him eventually though, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah.” I paused. I had been looking for a time to bring this up all night. “Hal, I just have a few questions.” I wanted to bring up the letter, I wanted to bring up Addeck’s suspicious behavior and if they all tied into the family secrets she had mentioned before.

She tilted her head a little bit and some curls spilled to one side. “What is it?”

“It’s about Addeck, and -”

“Emmary.” Vox’s voice cut me off before I got to ask my questions to Hal.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. I couldn’t avoid him all night. “Hi, Vox.”

Hal stood, “I think Mother is calling me. I’ll see you two later.” She turned and gave me a thumbs up behind Vox’s back. It wasn’t that reassuring.

Vox sat down next to me, “Look, I am really and truly sorry about what happened earlier. I know that I said I would stay anytime you asked and then I broke that promise at the first opportunity. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

I bit my lip. Of course I was going to forgive him. I realized it wasn’t his fault. I realized that he had already rearranged his whole schedule so we could have the day together. I couldn’t expect him to drop everything every time I asked. It was give and take. Sometimes I would just have to give and learn how to deal with it. “I’m sorry too. I was being selfish and I threw the promise in your face.”

He took my hand in both of his, “I love you.”

Hal reappeared just then, “So, I really did end up running into Mother. She’s upset that you two are hiding out. She wants you to mingle.”

Vox sighed and stood, “Fine, fine.” A waiter passed by with a trey of glasses. Vox waved him down, and handed a glass of wine to Hal. “Here you go, Hallie.”

She stared at the glass before shaking her head, “No thanks. I don’t feel like drinking tonight.”

Vox continued to hold the drink out, “Well, just hold it then. You always have wine at parties.”

Hal gave Vox a death glare before taking the glass, “Fine.” Hal then turned and walked away without another word.

Vox handed me a flute of champagne. “Thank you.” He then took my arm in his and lead me around the room. Everyone we passed had to stop us to make small talk. A ‘congratulations’ here, a ‘you have our full support there’, and a few ‘you’re father would be so proud’ were also thrown around.

After an hour of just idle chit chat Vox offered me a hand, “Do you want to dance?”

I smiled, “Of course.”

We glided around the dance floor, well Vox glided while I stumbled along after him, for a few songs before Vox’s mother cut in. I was happy to be relieved from dancing duty. The shoes I was wearing were not made for it. I spotted the bay window bench open again. I felt instant relief when I sat down. These shoes were going to be the death of me.

“You are actually starting to look graceful out there.”

I smiled as Hal sat down next to me. Her wine glass was still full. I wondered if anyone else noticed she wasn’t drinking it. “Thanks.” There was a silence between us as we watched the people dancing around. “Hal?”

“Hm?”

I took a deep breath, “I need to know.”

She took her eyes off the dance floor and looked at me. She tilted her head to the side, “Know what?”

“Everything. You said there were Bly family secrets and I’m tired of being in the dark.” I paused, time to show my hand. “I found my letter to Koontz in Addeck’s drawer today. What was it doing there?” Hal’s eyes grew wide. She knew something. “Tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“Did Addeck have something to do with Koontz and Felicity?” She didn’t answer me. “Hal, please. I have to know what I’m getting into here. I have to know the truth.” She stood to leave, I grabbed her by the arm and stood too, “Please?”

She bit her lip, “Em, this isn’t really the best time. Maybe later. I’m sorry.” She fell into the current of a group of well dressed people and was swept away without answering my questions. She was right, this wasn’t the place, but I had to know.

This was more than important to me. This was about Koontz. Addeck had my letter to Koontz. That meant that he was the one who switched them. He sent Koontz the fake letter. He was the reason why people believed that he killed Felicity. But why? Why would he do that? What did he have to gain from Felicity’s death?

“Sixteen!” Oh shit. Oh no, no, no, no. I looked around, trying to replace somewhere to hide. This was the last person that I wanted to see here. Her hand grabbed my arm, “You know it’s rude to run away from someone.” Mal gave me a brilliant smile.

I returned it with a half smile, “Oh, is that so? Sorry, I’m still getting used to the customs of 3.”

She laughed, “Oh, I didn’t realize that you had a sense of humor, Sixteen.” She playfully swatted my arm. “Anyways, I saw you chit chatting with Hal. It seemed pretty intense. What were you talking about?”

I shrugged, “Just sister stuff.”

She narrowed her eyes, “Come with me.”

Mal didn’t give me a choice. She pulled me along as she weaved through the crowed and down a hallway. She opened a door that lead to an empty room. She flipped the light on and let go of my arm. “I overheard the conversation.”

I crossed my arms, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You want to know the Bly family secrets.” She smirked, “I can’t believe that they haven’t told you yet. I guess you just haven’t earned their trust.” She shrugged, “But, I mean, I don’t mind filling you in.. If you want.”

I rolled my eyes, “Like you know anything.”

“Our families are close. I know things that a peasant like yourself wouldn’t even imagine in your wildest dreams.”

The offer was tempting. No one would tell me anything. I had asked Vox but he just brushed me off, he made me feel like my imagination was running rampant. Hal just blatantly refused. Why didn’t they trust me? What was so huge that they couldn’t share with me?

“What do you want in exchange?”

She smiled, “Nothing. I just like causing drama…” She paused, “And Ketchum’s family has their own skeletons. And it would have been nice if someone had told me before. Not that it would change anything, it’s just nice to know what you’re getting yourself into. Besides, what could you possibly offer me?” She had a point.

“So, you want to know? Once you do, there’s no going back. You won’t be able to look at this family, especially Vox, the same way. Ever again.”

I took a deep breath. I wanted my questions answered. I wanted to know the secret. I didn’t want to be in the dark any longer. “Yes. Tell me.”

Her grin grew, she was definitely enjoying herself. “Okay, let’s start small.” She paused, either deciding which secret to spill first, or just doing it for dramatic effect. “Little miss perfect, Halston?” She paused again. I wanted to scream, just get to the freaking point already. “She’s pregnant.”

I thought about it and started connecting the dots. She hadn’t been drinking lately. The overheard conversations with Addeck. Both his and Vox’s over-protectiveness. It was making sense. “How far along is she?”

Mal shrugged, “Um like a month, maybe two? Lincoln Bly was furious when he found out. He talked to my parents about forcing an abortion. How horrible would it be for their image if the unmatched Selector’s daughter had a baby?” She sneered at me. “What to know more?”

I answered before thinking, “Yes.”

“Prepare yourself. This one is a doozy.”

I took a deep breath, “Just tell me. Rip it off like a Band-Aid.”

“But the pauses are so dramatic. Love it.” I glowered at her,

“Okay, fine. Well, I’m sure you meet Lincoln Bly, right?”

“Briefly, like once.”

Her smile grew again, she was really loving this. “Give me a second.” She pulled a square box out of her purse. It was a mini Search engine. She pushed a few buttons before handing it to me.

I looked at the picture on the screen. “It’s Vox, so?”

She shook her head, “No, it’s Lincoln.”

I looked down at the screen again, “No, that’s definitely Vox. There’s no way that’s Lincoln.”

“Oh but it is. That was taken when he was 18, right before his wedding.”

I was still confused. What did this have to do with anything? “Okay, so? They look a like, big deal, their father and son. I would be more worried if they looked nothing alike.” Like Hal and Lincoln Bly.

She gave a small chuckle in amusement. “Oh, but they aren’t.”

I sighed, tired of the game she was trying to play. I wish she would just come out with it already. “Aren’t what?”

“Father and son.”