Page 72 of A Dead Man's B-Side
I almost bit my tongue in the process of grinding my teeth before I turned to Ajax, an idea forming in my head. “Hey, I feel like skipping. Do people do that around here?”
Ajax blinked at the abruptness of my question before letting out an amused huff of air. “As long as you have a reason. Shouldn’t be a problem, considering Jett is bound by the Society to do what we want.”
I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes to the ground. “I’m… not sure that’s how it works.”
Ajax sighed almost regrettably and shook his head. “You have so much to learn, and I blame Wolf for keeping you in the dark for so long.”
It wasn’t long before we were settled in the student lounge at Abbot House with Ajax lying down on the sofa and I on the singular cushioned seat facing him.
This room reminded me of a medieval castle’s sitting room with its crown-moulded walls and chandelier. It was heavily coloured with shades of royal blue and red, dusty green, and soft pink. There were pairs of velvet cushioned seats, a chess table sitting in between, next to both windows, and the fireplace was lit and crackling, its orange flames licking at the charred wood.
The entrance wasn’t a door but two thick curtains that Ajax pushed aside and held above for me to enter, jokingly roleplaying a servant to a king.
It was a show of wealth I’d never thought I’d be privy to, no matter how short or long my life would be.
“Let’s start with the basics.” Ajax sighed, settling in. “Rain Atlas Jett, head of the hierarchy.” He made a show by lifting his hand as high as it would go. “At Castle Hill, what she says goes. No student or professor would dare question her because the board personally endorses the student body president's office. It’s like their very own, well-oiled, propaganda machine.”
I furrowed my brows, already aware of this information. “So, she’s in constant communication with the board?”
Ajax laughs and picks at the soft pillows underneath his head. “No. That would be absurd. The dean, yes. Rain? No. She receives a weekly agenda, by order of the dean. Except everybody knows the dean is essentially a puppet.”
Aren’t we all?
“How do you know this?”
“I was her… secretary once. Boring stuff, I’ll tell you.”
I blinked. “You?”
He sent me a sardonic look. “Yes.Me.”
“Why did you stop?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Ah, well, Rain and I both agreed that we just wouldn’t work well together. Besides, it didn’t suit me—being so compliant.”
I didn’t voice my thoughts because I didn’t know when he would stop dishing out this free information, and I wasn't willing to stop him myself.
“She oversees things students are most concerned about. Curfews, disputes among students. The kicker here is, Rain hasturned what should have been a puppet position into a role of monopoly, which I’ll admit, is impressive. She does what is required of her, of course. But she’s also made an empire of it. Students can pay in various ways to sneak off campus, sneak thingsontocampus, stay out past curfew, or have their assignments handed back with perfect grades. There are many worse things she’d assist with by having a hand in, if the price is ever worth it.” His voice turns bitter, “And trust me, it never is.”
He waved his hand as if pushing away his cloud of thought. “Listen, the Founder’s Society will be the only place Rain will look out for you. However, don’t ever mistake her willingness to help as anything other than self-preservation.”
However deep Rain Atlas Jett’s hands ran within the inner workings of Castle Hill, it almost made me applaud her despite her mother’s downplay.
This was certainly something I could have been privy to before going head-to-head with her, but maybe it was better this way. I had proven my worth, and our obligation to the society, as Ajax put it, was a plus on my side.
But there was still something nagging me. “So, what’s the deal with Wolf, then? He wouldn’t accept her price for something?”
Ajax laughed then. He laughed so deeply and so loudly, I hadn’t thought he’d calm down.
His reaction made me even more eager, to the point of leaning forward in my seat. “What’s so funny?”
Ajax threw his legs off the sofa and onto the ground, sitting up. “So, you noticed that star-crossed tension as well, huh?”
I reared back. “I’m sorry?”
Ajax took an exaggerated blink and nodded in glee. “Yeah. Yeah.” He sounded excited to be the one telling me this. “If you’d believe it, once upon a time Rain and Wolf were inseparable.”
My features fell. “You’re lying.”
