Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,51

Josiah, and each time he looked determinedly at me with wide, fierce eyes and clenched fists. Jules tried diffusing the tension in the room by discussing the differing fashions between each province, but it just added to the angry tone of the room.

We made our way towards the dining room and sat down in tense silence. Everyone seemed to wonder who would break first, who would crack the dam of pleasantries and unleash the violent river of everyone's true intentions. Josiah’s eyes furiously scanned his tablet with fiery eyes. I was used to the severe and focused expression he wore, and I assumed that he was receiving an urgent update, probably relating to either the incapacitated guards or the newly-diseased fake Walkers.

Surprisingly, Kemper was the one to end the pleasantries. His soft exterior wore a stern expression that caused the exotic butterflies in my stomach to go wild. He sat with his arms crossed and his lean frame seemed rigid and tense, preparing for action. “We’ve arranged for a train to pick you and your men up this morning and take you back to the Galla province. After breakfast, we will happily escort you to the station,” he said with an uncharacteristic smugness.

Josiah's face went from aggravated to ferocious, but his voice remained even. “Jules was hoping to stay for the Solstice Festival; she’s spoken very highly of it all month. Perhaps we could intrude on your kindness for a bit longer?” he asked. This political dance was exhausting. Neither one wanted to admit what was going on, and it was too dangerous to start a war.

“Ah, the Festival is tomorrow, and we simply have too many preparations to make. It would seem that the Walkers you provided us need much more work than we originally planned. For some reason, we found a group of them asleep outside the Walker Dorms this morning,” Maverick said with a smirk. He was, apparently, proud of himself.

I watched as Josiah’s face turned various shades of red, but he swallowed his rage in an exaggerated gulp. “Perhaps I should take this round of Walkers back with me? I would hate for this to reflect poorly on Galla; we only want to give you the very best,” he said in a low voice.

“That won’t be necessary. The new Walkers all seem quite eager to stay behind here with us. I’ve promised them a cure for their . . . laziness. I look forward to working very closely with them,” Kemper said with a smirk.

“Well, then I guess it is my turn to speak.” Jules interrupted with a high-pitched voice and forced proper accent. “Josiah and I have decided that we simply aren’t a good match. I’m too . . . homesick.” While she said this, she looked at Jacob with sick and hungry eyes that made my stomach drop. “We have called off the engagement indefinitely, and I’ll be moving back home.” Her words caused everyone to exchange varying looks of surprise.

“Oh sister, I'm most displeased to hear that,” Cyler said in a menacing tone that reminded me of his darker side. “Of course, this means that the terms of our contract are breached,” Cyler continued.

“Oh yes, I’ve considered this” Josiah said with a mock sigh. “Which is why I’ve concluded that I should take Ashleigh back with me to Galla. I feel that although it’s an unfair trade, it’s a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the sake of goodwill between our provinces. The success of the empire relies heavily on our alliance.” Josiah’s voice was so proper that I almost missed the insult he threw my way.

“I completely agree,” Huxley said. He was leaning against the wall at the entryway to the meeting room. The dark circles under his eyes gave him a rugged, terrifying look. He began walking towards where Josiah and Jules sat, and before speaking, he bent over to whisper near Josiah's ear. “It would be a very unfair trade.” His voice was low and full of meaning. Was Huxley defending me?

I considered the options before me. I knew that the Black Family would allow me the opportunity to choose what I wanted. For my entire life, I’d wanted Josiah to pick me. To show the world that I wasn’t someone he hid in the shadows of his home, but someone he was willing to go to hell and back for.

But, now that I had his full attention, it felt wrong. Bravely, I stood up and looked around the room.