The Eve of War by Gee Rae

Author:Gee, Rae [Gee, Rae]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-05-24T16:22:46+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Seated in one of the horseless carriages, they ambled through the city. The evening air was cloying and dusty with the promise of rain lingering in the heavens. From his vantage point, Cedo watched the city pass by, marveling at the tall buildings, tubes of glowing colored glass spelling out the names of companies, beverages and entertainments clinging to the brickwork. Every street and avenue had at least one building that was lit with the new technology.

Railway lines stretched between the tall buildings, raised hundreds of feet from the ground. Through the darkness, trains had rolled along them, the empty tracks swinging to connect to another building and carry another line of carriages on its journey.

They stopped at a theater, unlike those that graced the streets of Svenfur. Standing proudly on Shaftesbury Avenue, the Palace Theater was awash with lights. They twinkled above the entrance, and above the lights, dancing along the canopy, was a chorus of oversized fairies. Electric lights glittered from their costumes, wings fluttering back and forth. Several moved, powered by unseen mechanisms, pirouetting before the theater’s intricately decorated frontage.

Dressed in a suit of blue, Cedo followed Erus’ black, tail-coated back. The top hat was pushed onto his head, red hair billowing behind him. His cane swung from his hand. Weaving through the gathering crowds, they were greeted at the door by the theater’s manager. The young, well-dressed man led them through the horde of people, opening doors and guiding them through until they reached a box. Seating them, he gave a final smile and gestured to a bell on the wall, advising them to ring it should they need anything. Glancing over the edge of the box, Cedo admired the architecture, the beauty of the building lifting his spirits. For the first time in many months, he felt as though he had arrived home, the call of the theater drawing him to its light.

As the door closed, Erus pulled Cedo back to his seat and looked at him. The redhead’s lips pulled back into a sneer and he removed the hat, shaking his hair out before placing the garment to one side. Cedo felt his heart pick up pace, hammering against his ribs.

Snapping his fingers, his Master pointed to the red carpeted floor before them. “Kneel.”

“Why?” he softly asked. Around them, he could hear the noise of the audience, of people taking their seats, talking, and of the orchestra warming up.

“Do not ask questions.” Erus’ voice was deep and gritty. “Kneel.”

Unwilling to defy his Master further, Cedo slipped from the seat and to the floor.

“Head down, eyes on the floor. Do not move until I instruct you to.”

Heat rushed to his cheeks, his hair thankfully hiding his humiliation. He knew that it related to his earlier outburst that, rather than punish him in the privacy of their room, his Master would do it in public. It was unlikely that Cedo would protest in such a place.

With his jaw tight and hands balled into fists, Cedo stared at the floor.

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