The Aldean Chronicles: Spotlight (Part 2)
Chapter 3

I hear Caroline before I see her. Her voice is lower than I expected. It's loud, but not shrill.

I turn back with a smile. "Caroline, it's lovely to meet you."

She smiles back. "Princess Cassandra. Or Cassandra, I'll just call you that. We're cousins." She laughs.

"Why not."

"It is amazing to meet you, you're even prettier in person."

"Thank you I..."

"Tristan and Dillon Oisin, wonderful to see you both again." She seems to be done with me.

"Caroline." Tristan shakes her hands.

"Caroline." Dillons does the same. "Might I say, you look breathtaking."

She does. Her pretty blonde hair falls to her midback in loose curls and her dark brown eyes are sparkling. She's wearing a light blue bodycon dress with a white belt.

I smooth down mine. It's green, chiffon, and stops just below my knees. A black belt cinches my waist, it's the same shade of black as my heels.

Tristan is wearing a dark blue shirt and dark pants while his cousin is wearing a black shirt. We're standing at one of the beautifully decorated tables, the event starts in five minutes. Caroline was fashionably late.

"Should we go in?" I pick up my black and white purse. I don't wait for a response, I just walk away.

"Cassie." Caroline jogs up to me. She loops her arm in the crook of mine. "So, how are you? We have so much to catch up on."

"Of course." I nod. "How has your tour been?" She took a year off to tour Illyria, she made official visits, visited charities, and attended functions. Everything she's already been doing, just in different places. Her father convinced aunt Freya to put her stamp of approval on her trip. She represented the family during her visits.

"It was nice, got lonely at a point. But overall alright."

"How's your sister?"

"Jessie, she's alright. We haven't spoken in a while."

Of course they haven't. Jessie and Caroline are polar opposites, appearance is the only thing they have in common. Jessica is quiet and more reserved, she lives with their family in Sanders.

"Father's still trying to convince her to come to Brimstone in September." She snorts. "She has her heart set out on some backwater school in a neighboring town."

I don't know what to say. Luckily, I'm not given a chance to talk. Caroline really doesn't stop talking. "So, I was in Calais and I had lunch with the First Lady. She mentioned that her son attended Brimstone, do you know him? His name is Peter." I don't bother correcting her. Jason and Peter literally have no similarities. "Sounds like a swell lad. Anyway, so the First Lady and I were talking about things we should do for the community."

We reach our seats. This field isn't nearly as big as the arena. And the seats are white and wicket and are arranged in a semi-circle. We walk to the front. Only three chairs are available.

"Oh no. There aren't enough for all of us." Caroline sighs.

"Let's just stay..."

She doesn't hear me. "Hi," she says sweetly to the man at the edge of the front row. He looks up from his phone. "How are you?"

He smiles. "I'm good, it's a nice day."

"It is, will you be spending the game here?"

"I will be, I'll get a good view of my daughter. She's competing today, I'm so proud of her."

"Oh, she's competing today, that's amazing. What number is she?"

"7, Violet Emerson."

"Emerson." Caroline muses. She shakes her head. "Can I trouble you for a favour?"

I sense where this is going and intervene. "Can you wish her good luck from all of us? Enjoy the game."

I drag Caroline away. "I was just about to ask him to give up his seat for us." She says.

I'm livid. "You can't do that, it's so rude. We'll just sit in the second row."

She looks appalled. "Why would we do that? That's demeaning."

"Well, then we could have gotten here earlier." I point out. "We still have good seats."

She slowly smiles. "Oh, I get it. It will be bad press if people replace out we asked him to leave, I understand. I'll talk to one of the coordinators, it will be taken care of and it can't be traced back to us."

"No." I whisper-yell. "There are three seats, you guys can stay at the front if you want. I'm staying here." I plop down on the seat at the edge, directly behind the man. "Hello again, good luck."

He smiles. "Thank you so much, princess."

I bring out my phone. Caroline sighs and takes the seat beside me. "Fine, I'll stay in the second row. It doesn't matter though, we're here." I don't like the way she said 'we.'

Tristan offers me a small smile and sits beside the man, Dill sits beside him. He types something on his phone. A second later, I get a notification.

Tristan: Sorry, can't be beside her

Me: But I can?

Tristan: You deal with your terrible family, I'll deal with mine

I scoff. He looks back at me and stifles a laugh.

"Hello," Caroline greets the woman who just sat beside her.

"Caroline Harrington." The woman sounds surprised. "How are you, it's been months."

"Liege Parsons, how are you?" Caroline gives her a brief side hug. "How is your husband? I hope he's alright."

The woman laughs. "When is he ever, he's 80. I'm still waiting for him to kick the bucket."

I focus my attention on her. The woman is gorgeous, her straight brown hair is flowing down her shoulders. She has oval black eyes and her skin is the color of milk. She adjusts her slim, graceful figure on her seat. How is she so thin? She looks like a KPop star.

"Princess Cassandra." She says sweetly. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"Hello, Liege Parsons." I smile. "We were supposed to meet at tomorrow's state dinner, I didn't know you'd be here." Liege Parsons inherited her title from her father, as is the custom for all eldest children. Unfortunately, a title was all she inherited, her family was very broke. Their family home went to their mother who eventually bequeathed it to her favorite child. That child was not Liege Parsons.

She married a shipping magnate when she was 22. They had two children and then got divorced. Unfortunately for her, she signed a steel prenup. She needed to once again marry rich. She settled on a dying millionaire twice her age.

"Yes, I cannot wait for it." She notices the people in our front. "Dillon and Tristan Oisin." They both smile at her. "Oh, Dillon. I watched your match yesterday, on a screen though. I couldn't make it, I had an appointment. You were excellent"

"Thank you so much. Did I by any chance inspire you to compete next year?"

She snorts. "Please." She adjusts the blue and green scarf on her neck. Liege Parsons is a combatant, she never officially picked a weapon. Staying so long in Brimstone made me believe Illyria behaved a certain way.

I thought everyone was as invested in their powers and fighting as the students are, only five percent of the population is like that. A lot of schools don't even ask students about their magic or specialty before admitting them. Most Illyrians live normal lives.

The races begin, and I don't have trouble following them. The riders go neck and neck and the game ends up coming very close.

"This reminds me of the Equestrian championship in Owan a few months ago," Caroline says loudly. "It was far better than this though. You should have seen the horses, majestic breeds."

I try to ignore her, Liege Parsons looks through her glasses. "Greg is doing very well, he might win."

"Who?" Caroline asks.

"My stepson, I'm here representing the family." She doesn't sound too happy about it.

I refocus my attention on the game. There are eight contestants, only four will make it to the finals. I hang on the edge of my seat, anxiously waiting to see who'll win.

The first four cross the finish line, and photographers take so many pictures. "That was exciting," I say. I've been here for over an hour. Caroline was very late.

Tristan leaves his seat and walks up to me. "Are you ready to get out of here? You still have two hours till your family dinner."

Caroline perks up. "Family dinner, I thought that was tomorrow."

"That's a state dinner, tonight is just for Seb, Grey, Lilian, Kat, and me."

She nods slowly. "Sounds fun."

I stand up and whisper to Tristan. "If she comes, I'll kill you."

"Sorry." He whispers back.

A young woman runs up to our section. She hugs the man who sat in my front. "I did it, dad."

"You did, I'm so proud of you. I saw the whole thing."

She can't stop smiling. "I came fourth, so I'm going to have to train extra hard for the finals."

She takes off her helmet, her brown hair is in a very tight bun. She places the helmet on the seat and looks around. That's when she notices us.

"Princess Cassandra." She says. "I didn't see you there."

"Congratulations. Your race was riveting, I couldn't look away."

"Thank you." She smiles. Her dad puts his arm around her.

"Liege Parsons, I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow evening."

"You too." She picks up her designer purse and sashays away.

"It was lovely meeting you, Violet Emerson. You too, Mr. Emerson. Good luck with your finals." I offer them a smile and they leave. "Caroline, this was lovely." Lol.

"It was alright, I still think it would have been better if we sat at the front." I bend my head to the side. "Oh, you meant our meeting. Yes, it was lovely."

Tristan takes my hand and leads me away before I do something I'll regret. "Kat owes me for this, seriously owes me," I say ask we exit the stadium.

"Of course she does," Tristan says. "Now, where are we going? We have two hours." I forget Caroline and focus my attention on him. "Where do you want to go?"

"Well, we can't go to a restaurant, or any public space. And I'm so tired, how about we go back to mine?" I offer.

"Is anyone home?"

I smile and say coyly, "No."

"Lead the way then."

We head for my car. We get in and Dave takes us home. Halfway there, I get a notification. It's Arin. I call him.

"Hey," I say with a smile. "How are you, it's been a while."

"Yeah. I'm good. I'm alright. I'm not dead." I laugh. "What about you, how've you been since the pledge? How's your summer going?"

"Who's that?" Tristan mouths.

"Arin." I mouth back. "I'm scared and excited for the next few months."

"Me too, still trying to convince myself I made the right choice staying here."

"Both choices were the wrong ones." We laugh.

"Anyway, I just wanted to check up on you. We'll be seeing each other tomorrow night."

"Yeah, the state dinner."

"Yep, I'm my grandfather's plus one. And I will be for the rest of summer. Sounds promising."

I can't stop smiling. "Your break's going to be as bad as mine," I say.

"Yeah, can't wait."

"Yeah. Goodbye, I have to go."

"Bye, princess." He cuts the call.

My heart flutters a bit at that. "You talk to Arin?" Tristan asks.

"Yeah. We're friends."

He nods. "Good to know, just friends."

"Yes, Tristan. Just friends." My tone is harsh.

"Sorry, it's just you confessed that you liked him a few months ago and you're both still... friendly."

"You're right, I said that, months ago. I don't anymore. Or have you forgotten, I'm with you."

He has a small smile on his face. "I know, sorry."

"It's okay, I should have told you we're still talking."

"Thanks." He pulls me into his side.

We get back to the house. "I can't remember the last time I was home alone." I kiss Tristan.

"Yeah, what do you suppose we do now?"

I pretend to think. "How about we try you know what again?"

He kisses me. "Oh really, you want to do that?"

I nod. "Yes." He kisses me again.

"Wow, can't you just say sex like normal people?" A strange voice breaks into the foyer. He has pretty blonde hair and hazel eyes. He's wearing a black shirt and grey sweatpants and is holding a glass bowl filled with chocolate ice cream.

"Who are you and why are you in my house?" I demand.

"Your cousin let me in." He walks deeper into the room. "You're Cassandra, pleasure to make your acquaintance." He bows mockingly.

"Be polite, Myles." Kat walks up behind him. She dips a second spoon into the bowl and licks the ice cream off it.

"Myles Wester?" Tristan asks. "It's really you."

"Tristan Oisin, how are you?" He doesn't wait for an answer. "So, how are we spending our late afternoon?"

I look annoyed. "Tristan and I were going up to my room. But you guys can do whatever you want."

Kat scoffs. "Really, Cassandra. Blowing your cousin off for a guy, I'm disappointed."

"Too bad." I take Tristan's hands and pull him up the stairs.

"That was harsh." He says.

"Do you want to spend the only time we'll have all summer on them?"

He shakes his head. "Screw them."

I laugh. "That's better."