Bound (The Guardians) (9 page)

Arin turns away and starts to walk towards the conference room. Anrella sighs and shifts towards me. ‘He’s not very good at expressing his feelings in front of other people… he’s really sweet to me in private, I swear.’

Who is she trying to convince, me or her?

Anrella then quickly smiles. ‘But anyway, I have exciting news, are you ready? Elentia said you’re allowed to go into Poridos tomorrow! You will have to go with a guard, but at least you will be able to walk around and enjoy some fresh air.’

I reply, ‘I thought Leo was the one who decided that.’

‘Does it matter?’ Anrella says.

She’s right. My body quickly fills with excitement. I lunge forward, grabbing her hand. ‘I can’t believe I can really go! This is the best news I have ever heard…ever!’ I cry too dramatically.

Finally, finally, finally… I’m able to leave the Tower and see the world again! The smile can’t be removed from my face. I feel as if I’ve been set free, even though I know that’s not the case.

Chapter THirteen

When the guard comes to collect me from my room the next day, I’m ready to go. I’m wearing a blue and green dress to my knees and my hair is tied in a ponytail. I feel a bit over dressed, but everything they have gotten for me is clearly designer made. Not to mention it’s all dresses and skirts.

But nothing can shake me today. My plan is secured. I’m going to see Blade, go and look in every store and stay out as long as physically possible. It’s going to be perfect.

I step out of the room with the guard in front of me. As I start to move towards the elevator, I hear footsteps thundering behind me. It’s Teri and she does not look pleased.

‘Are you all right?’ I ask with a cheerful face.

I want to look more concerned, but I’m too happy.

Teri stops walking and glances at me. Quickly she grins too. ‘Oh, it’s your first day out, yes? You must be excited.’

I nod vigorously. When her smile drops, I again ask what’s wrong.

‘It’s Master Leo,’ she says. ‘Ever since he got in yesterday afternoon he’s been asleep. He even missed an important meeting, which is unlike him. Although… he’s becoming more and more unlike himself these days…’ I stare at her and she shakes her head. ‘I know that he’s had stress coming out of his ears lately and he’s exhausted. But no matter how much I shake him this morning he refuses to wake up.’

‘He…he isn’t dead, is he?’ I ask.

Please say yes, that would solve all my problems.

‘Oh spirit world no!’ she replies. ‘Successor or not he’s still a nineteen-year-old-boy. Every now and then he seems to enjoy reminding me of that.’

I stare at her distressed face. I feel bad for her. Teri has been so good to me since I’ve arrived. She’s the one person I can rely on for a bit of common sense border lined with motherly love. I want to help, even if it cuts into my day of fun.

‘My Da has always been a heavy sleeper,’ I say. ‘Let me have a go at waking him, I’m sure I can do it.’

Teri appears unsure of what to say at first. She then nods and asks me to follow her. The guard is dismissed by her flicking hands. The maid and I enter a new lift around the opposite side of the spiral balcony and up one set of stairs. This lift stretches from the foyer to the very top of the Tower. It’s the executive lift. Residing on level 4, my eyes widen when I see her press the button for level 27. I can feel my lips curling. I’m going to see where Leo lives.

‘Please keep this a secret,’ Teri begs me. ‘You’re still not supposed to be going onto the executive levels.’

I nod and watch the buttons lighting up on the panel. It hits number 27, a bell rings and we stop. When the doors open, I follow Teri along the spiral balcony. I peer over the thick crystal railing a little before shrinking back. We’re up so high. My stomach flips when I’m hit with a wave of vertigo. Teri walks over to two large wooden doors. She pushes one open and lets me in behind her.

My mouth drops. Leo’s “room” is more accurately like an apartment. It has the same soft carpet as mine in parts and polished wooden floors in others. The walls are covered with red and gold leaf wallpaper. It has two levels. A flight of steps on the back wall leads upstairs. That’s where Teri is headed. On the way over, we pass a seating area near the door with a couple of couches. Before them is a large, super-thin screen on the wall. Behind that is a kitchen. I wish I had one. I wonder if Leo even knows how to cook. It looks pretty clean. In fact this whole place is immaculate, too clean for a young man. I guess when you’re not home much there’s no time to undo the maid’s handiwork.

We walk up the stairs and pass a couple of rooms with doors half shut. The only one open is the bathroom. Teri stops near a completely shut door. She pushes the handle down and walks in. I follow behind her into the dark room. To my surprise, there isn’t a whole lot in there. It’s a large room with a big bed, a side table and chest of draws with some photos in frames.

On the bed is a big lump of sheets.

‘Where’s Leo?’ I ask Teri.

She points to the lump.

Teri moves around to the bed and pulls the sheets back. Leo’s head pops out the top. He’s lying face down and completely out.

She says, ‘Lord Neros disapproves of him sleeping so long, even if he’s tired. “A Guardian must rise to any challenge”. He can’t take the day off simply to snooze.’ Teri sighs. ‘And besides, if he sleeps too long
I
am the one who gets the blame.’ Teri leans over the sleeping blond. ‘Leo. Time to get up… Leo!’

He doesn’t move.

I smirk. ‘Are you
sure
he isn’t dead?’

Teri storms over to the long, thick curtains that block the sun from creeping in the crystal window stretching floor to ceiling. When she whips them back, strong beams of light illuminate the room. Leo moves his head the other way with a long moan. He’s alive after all. Teri shuffles back around the bed and starts shaking him once more.

‘Gosh he’s a deep sleeper!’ Teri sighs, a little tired from her efforts. ‘Or he simply chooses to ignore me. I’m not sure which.’

I suggest, ‘Maybe you should try licking your finger and sticking it in his earhole.’

‘I’m about ready to…’ she replies, frustrated.

I move around the other side of the bed. I sit next to Leo gently. He looks so peaceful sleeping there. He rolls onto his back and his face leans slightly towards me. His eyes still shut.

‘Teri,’ I say. ‘Cover your ears for a second.’

She glances at me with a blank face before pressing her fingers in. I draw in the largest breath I can muster and scream, in an extremely high pitch, right in Leo’s face. He jerks upwards with his arms flailing in the air. Suddenly he stops and gazes around the room sleepily.

Teri laughs and comments, ‘Nicely done.’

‘Some people have it,’ I say.

I hear a knock on the bedroom door. Elentia walks in, staring at me. I stand from the bed and move back next to Teri. What is she doing here? She seriously feels like she is around every corner.

‘Oh Mellea,
you
were the one making that
awful
noise,’ Elentia says. ‘I would have thought you would be
long gone
by now…considering what today is.’

Leo fidgets in the bed. He’s still sitting up, but his eyes are hardly even open anymore. He mumbles, ‘Long gone? Where are you going?’

‘Poridos,’ I say with a smile and little dance.

Leo frowns, his eyes are now rather wide. ‘I did not permit that. Why do you always feel you have the power to override my orders? Or do you simply not care?’

Elentia replies, ‘Calm down, Successor. She is only travelling around the city. She is not permitted to go further than that. Be reasonable. Two weeks is a long time to be cooped up in a room. But, you are right. It is not my place to make such choices. If you do not want Mellea to go, she won’t. Say the word, and I will lead her back to her room.’

Go back to my room? Back to prison more like! I turn towards Leo. I can tell from the look on his face he’s thinking of taking up Elentia on her offer. I can’t have that, it will destroy me.

I glance at him, rather pathetically. When his gaze meets mine I stare at him deeply. Do the right thing Leo, let me go. Let me go…

Leo remains straight-faced for a while. Quickly he mutters, ‘She may leave.’

Bursting with joy I jump up and down. ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is going to be so great. I’m heading out right now.’

‘Wait!’ Leo calls as I start rushing towards the door. ‘Where do you think you are going?’

I frown. ‘You just said…’

Leo folds his arms and says smugly, ‘You do not seriously think I am letting you out of my sight, do you Miss Flight Risk? Elentia, move my meetings around.’

She nods.

‘What?’ I say quietly, but with a stressed tone.

Leo smirks at me. ‘I am coming with you. Take it or leave it.’

Chapter Fourteen

This sucks.

I can’t believe I’d hardly slept because I was so excited about going into Poridos, then I get stuck hanging out with Leo. We’ve
never
spent this much time together. I have nothing to say to him. I don’t even feel pressured to make small talk. The only thing I can think about is how much I want to get away from him.

I glare at him out the corner of my eye. Leo is too good looking to be walking alongside me. I can see the girls in the shopping district giving him dreamy gazes. At me they’re shooting daggers of hate, like I’m not worthy to walk beside him.

I’m curious if they know he’s Successor or if they’re gushing because he’s hot. Either way the uncomfortable level is growing by the second. I make a wider gap between us.

When we finally reach an area where the stares have lessened, I grab Leo’s arm and pull him into a nearby alley. Being in public I figure it’s safe to say what I need to without fear.

I moan. ‘People are staring at us and it’s freaking me out.’

Leo smirks at me. I hate that face; it makes me want to smack it. It’s the cocky Successor look, different from the sweet smile I have a miniscule fondness for. He says, ‘You need to get used to gawking if you are going be a Guardian. We tend to get stared at, a lot.’

I reply, ‘Hey. I never agreed to be a Guardian. I’m only hanging around until you break our so-called contract.’

‘I have no intention of doing that. Life would be so much easier for you if you would simply accept that,’ Leo says firmly.

I can feel every part of me tightening in rage. Never in my life have I wanted to punch someone so bad. But I simply glance away and try to breathe. This is my one day out. I don’t want to ruin it by getting into a fight with him. 

‘What is it that you would like to do today?’ Leo asks suddenly.

‘I want to go home,’ I mumble.

‘Then, let us return to the Tower.’

I snap, ‘Not there,
my
home in Pekkin!’

Leo shakes his head “no” with folded arms.

Voices start to pipe up around us. It sounds like a group of girls. They’re chattering away at the same time, but the words are really clear. ‘I swear it, I totally saw Successor Leo around here!’ someone says. ‘He was walking with this really plain looking girl. Maybe she was his assistant? I don’t know. C’mon…’

The next thing I know, three mid-teen girls appear around the corner. They all look at us excitedly. They rush over to Leo and start talking at him. I stumble backwards as one bumps me out of the way. Leo’s face is sort of blank, but he speaks kindly back to them. Answering their questions and even making them giggle.

I turn and face the opposite direction. Whilst he’s distracted I sneak down the alley and away. At first I feel liberated, but I quickly turn depressed. This is only a mini escape. I’m not going anywhere. He will find me, I know it.

I aimlessly trail past boutiques and expensive cafes. The impeccably placed garden beds, filled with artificial plants, are being watered again by tiny sprinklers. The transparent plastic benches are occupied by shoppers wearing designer clothing, their faces hidden by rounded sunglasses with black lenses. It feels like everyone is talking at each other, not to them. Poridos City is the metropolis for the fake. I know this. I used to love this. At one time, I wished I was this. But now I see this city for what it truly is. There’s nothing I like about this place anymore.

I’m finally back here, but all I want is to go home. I miss my small room and noisy floors. I miss the days when I was a child. Momma, Da and I would huddle up together in the cold months under a massive blanket, sharing hot drinks and watching a cheesy movie. Sometimes it would be so cold that we would all fall asleep there together rather than going to bed.

Things like that - love like that - it’s something that people like Leo will never understand.

I pick up the pace walking along the boutique shops. My heart skips a beat when I realise where I am, the entrance to the arcade. No. There
is
one thing that I adore more than anything about Poridos, or rather one person. I turn and run up the marble floors, past the polished wooden and glass store windows.

I reach Finishing Touches and push on the door.

My manager, Blade’s mother Kyla, stands behind the counter. Her long black hair is in a straight ponytail, her work skirt and jacket perfectly pressed. She is about to greet me as a customer when her face turns to shock. Realising it’s me; she runs out from behind the counter and hugs me without a word. I hug her back.

Kyla cries, ‘Blade! Blade, come out here quickly.’

Blade emerges from the back room behind the counter. Kyla lets go of me and I stand before him.

When our eyes meet, we pause for a few moments completely silent. I rush towards him. We embrace each other tightly and I begin to cry. I can’t stop the tears and I’m not sure if they’re from happiness or sadness.

Blade pulls back and looks me in the eyes. He touches the side of my face with his hand. He says, ‘Your mother told us what happened. When I heard, I thought I would never see you again. But… you’re here… did they let you go or something?’