Luminosity (Gravity Series #3) (The Gravity Series) Page 23

  I felt utterly alone and out of my element, especially since both Henry and Claire were not themselves, playing parts for Thornhill.

  Men dressed in immaculate waiter’s uniforms were meandering around, holding silver trays of champagne aloft. Claire snagged a glass and downed it, setting the empty glass back on the table.

  “Liquid courage. Let’s mingle,” she said, and we went into the crowd.

  Long, beautifully appointed dining tables covered in starched white table cloths lined the edge of the room. Gold and silver painted flowers twisted through gleaming silver candelabras. Twinkle lights were strung all along the walls and ceiling, complimenting the warm glow from the crystal chandeliers overhead .

  I passed by Lainey and Harlow, who were both giggling and holding champagne flutes. Their dresses sparkled in the light. Both girls caught sight of me and glared. I was intruding on their turf. Lions, indeed. Again I felt glad that I didn’t wear the ugly black dress.

  “They let anyone in these days, don’t they?” Lainey said, making Harlow giggle behind her hand.

  “Don’t you have anything better to talk about?” I muttered. They just scowled at me until I walked away.

  Claire had jumped right into a group again, her tongue loosened a little by the liquor. Any hesitation vanished, and she was talkative and bubbly. Soon the others were laughing at her jokes. I didn’t like it, though. Her voice was extremely fake, and the tightness in her eyes belied her constant grin.

  Henry was milling around in the crowd now, too. I looked sideways at him, watching him raise a glass to his lips. He glanced around and then winked at me discreetly. I felt blood rush to my cheeks.

  Dr. Briggs came over, led by Phillip Rhodes himself. He didn’t even acknowledge me, standing before Claire. “Claire, this is the neurosurgeon I was telling you about.”

  The doctor held his hand out and shook Claire’s. “So nice to meet you.” He turned to me. “How have you been feeling, Ariel? Any more strange dreams?”

  “No more strange than usual,” I said. I could feel Claire staring at me.

  “What strange dreams?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. Hugh had never told her about my appointment, and I knew I was caught. Dr. Briggs’ response, however, surprised me.

  “We just had a chat about how odd dreams can be and the symbolism behind them. I know the general theory is that dreams are synapses firing or the brain coming to term with underlying issues, but I’ve always wondered if it isn’t something more.”

  “When did you have this chat?” Claire insisted, not one to be dissuaded.

  “At school,” I stepped in. He remained silent, just smiling. I felt comforted that he went along with my little farce. She looked at me with her eyes full of accusation. Luckily she wasn’t in the right setting to confront me.

  Harlow Briggs wandered over, noticing that someone else was getting attention other than her.

  “This is my daughter, Harlow,” Dr. Briggs said. “I’m sure you’ve seen her in school, Ariel.”

  Harlow was all politeness to my mother, red nails secure on her clutch purse. She didn’t look at me the entire time, while Claire was gushing about Hawthorne being such a great school.

  “Is your wife here?” Claire asked.

  “Actually, Fiona passed last year,” he said, nodding his head as though to distract himself. He tapped his pinky to the corner of his eyelid, as if to keep away a tear.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Claire said, her hand fluttering to her chest.

  “It’s been tough. I think the move will help, though. Fresh surroundings, new schoolmates. Harlow is already doing better. She was very broken up when her mom died.”

  I felt a little bad for her, but only a microscopic bit.

  Claire imbibed more champagne as she went. Deana came over, put her hands on Claire’s shoulders, and said, “Almost time for dinner.”

  There was a white-topped buffet table set up with more poinsettias in vases, and strings of white lights and silver tinsel around it. Silver trays filled with food were set out all along the tablecloth.

  Most of the fare was finger foods like cold sandwiches and shrimp. We formed a line, filled out plates, and went into the formal dining room.

  I had a flash to Dexter’s dining room. It only lasted a split second, but I could clearly see the broken table and the empty picture frame. Still, I shivered. Henry must have caught it, because he quickly frowned at me.

  The guests took their seats at the table, the waiters flipping out their red napkins and positioning them on their laps. I followed suit, mimicking what they did. I hadn’t said a word in a half hour, and I had no idea where to jump in or even if it was a good idea to do so. I’d unfortunately never inherited my mother’s social butterfly ways.

  One thing I knew—as far as spying went, this night was a failure.

  After the uncomfortable dinner, during which I picked at my food, it was time to get dessert out. I rushed into the kitchen area, looking for Claire. As I came in, I saw her tossing back a handful of pills and swallowing hard. The prescription bottle sat on the counter.

  I cleared my throat and she jumped, staring at me. In that same moment, she snagged the bottle and shoved it into her pocket. “I had a headache,” she said quickly. “Would you please help me with the desserts? I don’t think anyone else will.”

  I helped her set the trays out on the cleared buffet as fast as possible. When we were done, Claire barely noticed as I excused myself. I had to get out. I fled out the side entrance.

  My nerves were on fire. Burning ignited on my scalp, a feeling I’d gotten before after I stopped taking anti-anxiety medication. I rubbed my hair furiously.

  I stepped out onto a terrace overlooking the lake. The snow had stopped falling but the night was still bitter cold. It was a beautiful night, despite the frigid temperatures.

  There were more lights here, hundreds of them, making the scene glow white and gold like an angel’s wing. Ice sculptures were formed in animal shapes around a small railing.

  I stood gazing out at the thin sheet of gleaming ice on the midnight black water. Jenna had drowned in Hush Lake, and despite its nocturnal beauty, its horrible legacy couldn’t be erased. I morbidly wondered how many others had drowned in the briny water.

  I sucked in the air, refreshing like peppermint on my tongue. It had been stuffy with perfume, smoke and re-breathed air in the golf club. I wiped the sheen of nervous perspiration from my forehead. Hopefully, Claire wouldn’t want to hang out too much longer. I debated going and sleeping in the car.

  Down a stone pathway was a patio area, glistening white iron tables dusted with fresh snow. More ice sculptures stood nearby—a tiger, a peacock, two intertwined koi fish. I ran my finger across the fish and felt my hand almost stick.

  Shoes crunched in the snow behind me. I turned, irritated, but the feeling transformed to rash excitement when I saw Henry carving a path towards me.

  “Hey you,” he whispered, a little smirk playing on his full lips. He looked incredibly handsome, his features more pronounced and alluringly mature without his long hair. It made me feel a little shy.

  “What are you doing out here? We’re not supposed to be seen together, remember?” I wasn’t mad, yet it felt unfair because he had to know what I was thinking. I darted my eyes to the bright lights of the golf club. There was a line of windows up above the ledge, and if anyone saw us….

  “I know, believe me. I’ve been fighting with myself all night. But down here we’re almost invisible. You look so good in that dress. I’ve never seen you wear red before. You should wear it every day.”

  “That wouldn’t be fun on laundry day.”

  He smirked, snickering to himself. But the seriousness in his face, the intensity of his eyes, had started my blood churning.

  “I had a dream about you wearing a suit once,” I blurted.

  “Oh, really?” he asked. He ran his finger along my collarbone. “What happened?”

  “I don’t re
member. It was a long time ago.” I remembered, all right. But it had been nothing we hadn’t already done. I felt my eyelashes fluttering.

  “Why did you cut your hair?” I asked, trying to erase the blush on my cheeks.

  He ran his hands through it, as if he’d forgotten it was shorter. “My father made me cut it.” In response to my look, he said, “I have to choose my battles.”

  “You look great,” I said, my cheeks two red hot apples. I turned away from him, trying to get a hold of myself. “Did you overhear anything? Anything referring to the cult or the girls?”

  “Not so far. Just boring stuff. Maybe their plans were interrupted; it’s been a long time since the girls were killed.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I know I promised you I’d keep a respectable distance. But I don’t think I can.”

  He reached out and grabbed my hand, a shiver of pleasure running up my arm and to my heart. I turned to face him. Suddenly I felt warm and scattered, my lips going numb from cold and his presence. Lights glinted and sparkled off of the snow around us. I could barely feel the cold anymore and all it did was heighten my senses.

  My heart beat hard in my ears and I suddenly found it hard to breathe. The world seemed to speed up, like we were in a spot where time moved faster for us than for those around us.

  The danger of the situation only heightened the excitement, as foolish as it seemed. Henry ran his hand through strands of my hair like they were made of silk. He undid the barrette in the back of my hair for better access. “I can’t get you out of my head, no matter how hard I try. You’re always there.”

  When our lips met I thought I was going to burst. I had to restrain myself from going crazy. I clung to him, his own urgency awakening mine into a frenzy. I pushed him up against one of the tables and he pulled me into his lap, my leg ungracefully slung up over his waist. The chemistry was undeniable, his hands slipping down over my hips. My throat tensed up as our lips moved together.

  “Ah, the sight of young lovers.”

  Henry and I broke apart, horrified. I almost slipped into the snow, but instinctively Henry shot his arm out and caught me.

  Dr. Briggs stood on the veranda overlooking the patio, smiling down at us.

  CHAPTER 26

  HOW MUCH HAD he seen? It didn’t matter; he’d obviously seen us kissing, and that was bad enough. He’d arrived at the worst possible moment.

  Dr. Briggs held a cigarette in his lips, struggling to light the tip in the brisk wind. Henry and I remained as still as the ice sculptures, which now seemed like grotesque gargoyles. The cold suddenly hit me without the heat of wanting Henry and I shivered uncontrollably.

  “I just stepped out for a cigarette,” Dr. Briggs said when he’d finally lit it and taken a drag. He must have been mistaking our upset faces for the silly cigarette. “Never smoke, it’s a horrible habit. I had to get out of that building; is it just me or do they have the heat cranked to a hundred and twenty?”

  I just nodded, unable to form words.

  Henry was still holding my arm, but he dropped it as soon as he realized it. He shifted a step away, putting his hands together.

  “If you’ll excuse us, we have to be getting back,” Henry said in a strained voice, starting off and leading me back up the path.

  “We’re screwed,” Henry said with haunted eyes. “He’s with my father all the time; there’s no way he won’t tell him.”

  “But he seems…different than the rest of them,” I tried to protest. “Nicer. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and he won’t put two and two together. Maybe he won’t say anything.”

  But I knew that wouldn’t happen.

  Henry and I parted just inside the door, much like we had practiced at school. People were beginning to gather in the front room, with Phillip standing in the middle.

  “What are they doing?” I asked the nearest girl, who was wearing a thigh-length purple dress and a vapid, open-mouthed look.

  “They’re naming the newest members to Thornhill,” the girl whispered in a gossipy tone.

  “New members?”

  The girl nodded, her eyes wide in surprise that I didn’t know what she was referring to. “Of course. They’ve been testing them up until now, tonight was like the big induction. That’s why the women catered the event.”

  Phillip quieted the crowd and started speaking. “Thank you for coming tonight, everyone. I know we’re probably all ready to go home and crash after this great evening together, but I didn’t want to keep our hopefuls waiting any longer to see if they got into Thornhill. As you know, we took our votes earlier this evening.”

  He began reading off a short list of inductees. I saw Claire watching, hovering on her toes with the fingers of both of her hands crossed behind her back.

  “…And Rachel Reed. Anyone whose name wasn’t read, better luck next time.” He raised his glass. “Umbra regnum.”

  “Umbra regnum,” the crowd repeated robotically, also lifting their glasses. The people began separating into groups again, talking cheerfully to the excited new members.

  Claire was still standing in the same spot, her face frozen in shock. Her hands slowly came out from behind her back. I went up to her and put my hand on her shoulder. Claire flinched away, glaring at me. Then she realized who I was and relaxed.

  “We’re getting out of here,” she growled. She went to the table and downed one last champagne flute, then stalked off.

  I turned and watched Rachel Reed, Jenna’s mother, shake Phillip Rhodes’s hand. What is she doing here? She wasn’t any more qualified than my mother. Didn’t she sense that Thornhill had something to do with her daughter’s death?

  I realized my mother was probably getting irritated with me and ready to leave. Hopefully, she hadn’t left without me. I went towards the cloak room. I could hear Claire inside, arguing with other women, among them Deana Ford and Harlow Briggs. I peeked around the corner for just a second and saw Claire sitting on a bench in the back. Deana was holding one of her hands.

  “I didn’t know what it was,” Claire was saying. “If I had, I never would have given it to her. It was among my mother’s last things at the hospital. I just thought it was a special token, since she died with it.”

  “Oh?” Deana asked innocently.

  “I looked everywhere for it,” Claire said. I stopped just out of sight, squeezing up against the wall.

  “Of course you did, honey. We all did.” Deana was laying on the sweetness thickly.

  “Then why is he using it against me? Barring me from entering?”

  “I think it’s because of your past. Maybe Cheryl doesn’t want you in. You know that the special powers are intimidating.”

  So she really was looking for the necklace. I thrill of fear rushed through me.

  I heard them scooting around, and I stepped away. Claire came out, shot towards me and tossed me my coat.

  “Were you saying your goodbyes?” I asked in a falsely cheerful voice. I just wanted to get out of there. Any minute, Briggs could tattle to Phillip and then things would get dangerous.

  “We’re leaving. I’ve never felt so betrayed in all my life.” She whipped around, her hair tumbling out of her beautiful updo, and shouted across the room. “I hope you get what you deserve, Phillip!”

  He gave her a snide little smirk, looking eerily like Henry, and lifted his wine glass.

  “I will,” he said.

  “Jealousy doesn’t become you, Clairy,” Cheryl Rhodes called. Roger snickered from beside her, the first I’d ever seen him laugh. It was completely mirthless, more like a sneer.

  Claire and I stormed out and towards her car, not even getting her dishes back.

  ###

  “Experts are saying that the snow this year will be reaching record highs, an unparalleled pattern of heavy accumulation and cold temperatures. A blizzard advisory has just gone into affect for Livingston and Genesee counties and we are urging people not to leave home unless it’s an emergency…”

 
; Claire stabbed the radio buttons until she reached a jazz station. Only now was I realizing just how much alcohol she had imbibed at the party and how much it was impacting her reflexes.

  The car swerved liberally on the road, which was swiftly transforming into a glistening sheet of black ice. The sky was pitch black behind the endless torrent of thick white flakes.

  “This is a nasty storm. I think it’s a good idea if you pull over and I take the wheel,” I told her firmly. I didn’t have great experience driving in snow, but at least I wasn’t drunk.

  “My driving is fine,” Claire said through gritted teeth. I could smell the alcohol starting to seep out of her pores. Her eyes were puffy from crying, her lips set in a tight pout. “I can’t believe they used me like that. And then they figured out I didn’t have what they wanted, and dumped me like trash. How could they?”

  I knew her questions were rhetorical, but I wondered if I should attempt to answer them to keep her lucid. I watched out of the windshield as the snow started to fall even more heavily, whiting out the view so that only a foot of the road was visible.

  “We should really pull over,” I said, fear starting to race through me. This wasn’t good. The tires weren’t gripping. Each jerk of the car shot another dose of anxiety through me.

  “I already told you, my driving is fine!” Claire said. She turned towards me. “If you weren’t so busy second guessing me—”

  “Claire, watch the road,” I said anxiously, my eyes darting around the windshield. It was hard to make out anything. But Claire was too busy glaring at me to focus on the road. The back of the car started fishtailing.

  “—Then you would realize that I am perfectly capable—”

  “Mom, watch the road!”

  She turned, but her reflexes weren’t fast enough. A black figure, in the shape of a large deer, stepped out into the snow. As the front of our car met the animal, I saw for a split second that it was the black dog. Its hollow eyes stared serenely at me before it shot up into the air and hit the top of our car with a hard thud.