Suspect: Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Five of the Heirs of Kalistar
Hello and happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going well. This chapter is one of the shorter ones, but its the one we’ve all been waiting for…the moment when Sera is mentioned and noticed
Chapter Twenty-Five—Suspect
CORDELIA
There’s something about this mirror that haunts me.
I’ve stood in front of it every morning of my life, sometimes with a maid, sometimes alone.
Mostly alone now.
I used to love getting ready. I’d braid my hair, pick out my best dress, spritz perfume on my wrists. Sometimes I’d go to my parents suite and dig around in my moms jewelry if I felt like my pieces weren’t fancy enough. I’d never wear much makeup.
I guess I liked getting ready so much because of him.
It felt almost scandalous. Like I was setting a trap for my unsuspecting prey. I would hang my necklace a little closer to my cleavage than normal, plump my lips with gloss, elongate my legs by wearing heels.
I loved getting ready because I knew Cadmus would see me.
But now, I feel as if I have nothing to get ready for. I hate how women are made to feel this way. Like we have to doll ourselves up just to be in the presence of a man.
I hate how we are made to believe we need to out-do the rest.
I think there’s always been a competition between Nora and I. We’re the same age. Our families have always battled for power and wealth, up until recent years.
But now, I could care less about the bitch. And I swear to God if Tobias lays a hand on her again I will personally knock his lights out. He’s a man. He just cant see whats good for him ninety percent of the time.
I finish tying my hair up in a bun, pulling loose strands out to frame my face. Today, I’m wearing a gray, long sleeved sweater with a matching pleated skirt. Knee high black boots and a purse to match. I’ve always been a gold girl, so I went with pearl and gold earrings and a matching necklace.
All designer.
I knock the lights off and close my bedroom door, stepping out into the Wing. Beaux’s door is closed. He’s probably still sleeping.
I walk across the hall to the elevators, grateful that most of the men haven’t showed up yet. I don’t have to deal with the conversations, or the attention. The glances and stares.
I wait in front of one of the golden doors, staring out of the windows straight ahead, by dads office.
The ding of the door shakes me out of my trance and go to step on, then recoil.
“You,” the disgust in my voice is tangible, all-consuming. Nora smiles, her white teeth peeking through her red stained lips.
“I see the bruises I gave you are healing up nicely,” I return her fake smile. Does Tobias know that I beat her up on the night of the Banquet Ball?
No.
But I’m sure word will circle around eventually.
She stands on the threshold of the elevator, preventing it from closing, and preventing me from getting on.
“I like attention, Cordelia. If anything you gave people more of a reason to stare. Thanks.”
“Anytime.” She tried to cover up the marks with makeup, but failed.
“You know, I really was shocked by how strong you are. Did your dad teach you that? Oh wait, I forgot. You were an officer in training, weren’t you?”
“Keep my families business out of your damn mouth, Nora.”
“Look, I’m sorry I talked to him, okay?”
“If I would have caught you yesterday, you’d be a whole lot sorrier than you are right now.” I mutter.
“Yesterday?” She asks. Her hands instinctively tug upwards on her strapless dress as a group of guys walk by, no doubt some higher ups sons.
I’ll never forgive her for what she did to Tobias.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Nora. I chased you from the library. Tobias even admitted it was you!”
“Tobias knows the rules of the game just as much as I do. Don’t act like hes a saint. He’s a boy who wants something.”
She’s such a damn liar. The girl had waist length blonde hair, she was the same height, the same build. Who the fuck else could it have been?
“It was you. You can deny it all you want.”
She puts on a fake scared face.
I want to make her eat this damn marble floor.
“Cordelia, I don’t have the reputation of being an honest do-gooder. I’ll give you that. But believe me when I say I haven’t been in that library with Tobias in years. He had another girl with him.”
“Then who was it? Why did he run? He obviously didn’t want me to know who it was, and after what happened at the banquet, I figured it was you.”
She’s quiet for a long time. Her green eyes search the walls in thought, her lips moving slightly as she bites the inside of her cheek. Finally, she seems to find her answer. A grin spreads on the outer corners of her mouth.
“Do you have access to your fathers office?”
“Yeah.”
“Get a key to room 505. I think you’ll find what you’re looking for in there.”
Room 505 would be near the Dougherty Wing. It’s almost completely empty over there. Locked up too.
“Why would a girl be locked up in room 505?”
She shrugs, “better to ask her yourself. Oh, and I’d have your fighting techniques at the ready. She’s a feisty one.”
With a wave of her fingers she struts off, leaving me in the corridor. I should go to Tobias first and make him tell me who it was. I guess she’s right. I grew up with him. He has a way of answering questions that makes you forget what you even asked.
I abandon breakfast and let the elevator close. I continue down the hall, straight for dad’s office.
Bonus Content:The Turning Point
As the author, this was a crucial moment in the book for me to write.
This is one of those chapters where everything starts to shift. You can feel the ground under the story beginning to move.
Sera being discovered changes everything. Up until now, she’s been this secret — something Tobias could compartmentalize, something hidden in the walls of 505. But once Cordelia gets involved, secrecy collapses. Tobias can’t protect her and keep his own life together anymore.
It sets off a chain reaction for the rest of the story. From here on out, Sera will be more involved. Her life will matter more. Which means that Tobias and Sera are going to have to get along somehow.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I’ll be back next Wednesday with another one. Let me know if you have any thoughts, I always love hearing them.
With all the words
—Chloe
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