The ride through the woods was a rather long and uneventful one, Mr. White and Jayce traded amusing stories about the wealthy condition and it seemed much like life as usual. In between breaths of conversation Jayce gazed out the window and into the inky depths of Wilde Wood. The overwhelming darkness seemed held at bay only by the strength of the cars frame containing the dank smell of smoke and liquor.
Through his musing White's exclamation brought his attention to the massive entrance and the pouring in of other socialites made Jayce feel right at home. Carriages and motorcars all filing in one by one to take part filled him with joy, however the creeping feeling coming in the back of his mind as he turned his gaze to Thornbank Lake put damper on his spirits. Who knows what foul monstrosities lay at the bottom of the lake.
"I said, are you ready?""Of course I'm ready, I've got a Lady to wine and dine."The roguish smirk belittled the unease growing in Jayce's belly.
Mister White smiled in turn, although his gaze didn't leave Jayce for a moment.
"Quite."
The gaze finally leaving him, Mister White clambered out of the motorcar, hesitating for a moment in the doorway, seeming to breathe in the nights air, before turning, and beckoning Jayce to follow him. The air was crisp and cool as Jayce stepped out of the car and followed White's lead. As before at the hotel, he could feel the eyes of those around him as he proudly strutted past in Mr. White's escort. The whispers he heard, however, were not that if jealous men but something that felt darker and more distant. It was as if someone or something was speaking just out of reach of his ears in the peripheral of his mind. Jayce tried to shake these sounds from his head as he approached the door of the Wilde's manor, he had a job to do. A dozen or so other guests milled around Jayce as he made his way towards the door of Wilde Hall. Some moving in the same direction as him, some breaking off into smaller groups, hushed conversations, and stifled laughter, but all of them wore masks. The effect was almost surreal. Dozens of others, men and women, young and old, and yet all of them hidden. For a moment, Jayce wondered if he knew anyone else at the Ball. Would he recognise even his closest friend if they were to pass him by?
As he reached the impressive doors of the house itself, Mister White hesitated in his stride, turning back towards Jayce. He beckoned Jayce closer to him, his voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial tone, although none of the other guests moving past them seemed to even notice their presence.
“I’m afraid this is the point I leave you, my friend. For now at least. But know that we have a common cause, you and I. I hope that you find your evening… a success.”
With that, Mister White turned, and in a moment, was lost in the shifting crowd. Jayce suddenly found himself alone, despite being surrounded by other guests. The door to Wilde Hall was ahead of him though, and beyond that? Who knows. Jayce's eyebrows raised and White's statement, a common cause? This is an interesting turn of events and another piece was placed on the board just for him. Before he could respond to him, White vanished from sight in the sea of bodies pouring into the Hall. As he turned and faced the door he had to steel himself for what was to come, this was not like any other party he had want to this was going to be the next evolution of Silverhand Chemical and this was something that he would not let slip, creeping feeling or not. As Jayce moved closer to the doorway, the crowd continued to flow around him, masked faces moving all around him, few even seeming to notice him.
"A little overwhelming, don't you think?"
Jayce turns quickly at the voice in his ear, and sees that a figure has fallen into step beside him, although Jayce did not notice him emerging from the crowd.
Tall, a few inches taller than even Jayce, and well-built, the man was undeniably handsome beneath the simple black mask that he wore. In fact, black was the word that sprung to mind when Jayce took in his appearance. A carefully pressed black suit, black hair, long but pulled back into a tight knot, even the man's skin was heavily tanned. The voice was light though, the thin lips smiling, the dark eyes sparkling with some inherent humour.
As Jayce looked into those eyes, he suddenly realised that the man was waiting on an answer.
"Hmm, possibly. To a lesser individual I suppose, although you have to wonder; what are they compensating for? Seems a bit ostentatious to me."The man's laugh rang out like the tolling of a bell, attracting more than a few glances from the other guests, although if he cared about the attention, he showed no sign.
Composing himself, the man nodded earnestly.
"I knew I was going to like you. Mister Black, for the evening at least."
One hand was confidently thrust in Jayce's direction, and Jayce noticed, with little surprise, that the man wore gloves. Black gloves.Jayce eyed the man for a moment taking in his frame and all things about Mr. Black just to take it in.
"How interesting, first White and now Black. Curiouser and curiouser?" He took the mans hand as confidently as it was given and gave it a hefty shake,
"Call me, Mr. Silver. A pleasure Black. So are these events always so extravagant or is there something special going on tonight?"Mister Black’s handshake was firm, but not in the style of overcompensation that Jayce has become familiar with among men attempting to fill shoes too large for them. The smile on his face didn’t falter.
“If the White you speak of is the same White that I am familiar with, I do not envy you, Mister Silver. He and I are… regulars to these evenings, shall we say. I assure you, you are in better company now.”
Almost without Jayce realising, the two men reach the doors of Wilde Hall, and in an instant, they are inside. The chill of the night air is snuffed out, the long shadows fading away, to be replaced by bright lights, the murmur of lively conversation, and the intoxicating sound of jazz from further within the house. The corridor that Jayce now finds himself standing in stretches away, and he finds himself not only brushing shoulders with the same masked strangers, but also under the intense scrutiny of a dozen dark eyes.
Wildes from ages past line the corridors walls, their portraits capturing stern faces and lavish outfits. When Jayce manages to tear his gaze away from the paintings, he found that Mister Black was watching him, the ghost of a smile dancing across his face.
“I hope you have an appetite for the extravagant, Mister Silver. Lady Wilde has… interesting tastes.”
With more than a slight sense of unease, Jayce couldn’t help but notice that Mister Black had not entirely answered his question.
The one overwhelming feeling that grips Jayce when he watches Mister Black’s face is a deep sense of unease. He cannot entirely explain it, but something about the man’s face, about the way it moves and shifts as he talks, the way his lips shape around the words, is wrong. Every time Jayce attempts to focus on it, to pin it down, it flits away, but every instinctive part of him, every primal fibre, is suddenly screaming at him to get away from this ‘Mister Black’. Taking a moment to compose himself Jayce fought against his very instinct and stared Black directly in his eyes and give a cheeky grin,
"Isn't it the duty of the rich and powerful to have extravagant tastes? Tonight I plan on taking in everything that Lady Wilde has to offer, and hopefully contribute some...'interesting tastes' myself. So Mr. Black where should we begin?"The dark eyes of Mister Black did not leave Jayce’s face for a moment, before the other man’s expression broke into a wide smile, and the laugh rang out again.
“Very good, Mister Silver!”
The two men had continued along the corridor, other guests flowing around them, and as they moved further into the house, the sound of jazz music swelled. All at once, Mister Black’s stride paused, and Jayce found himself standing before one of the grand portraits that lined the corridor, the corridor itself bending away to the left.
The woman captured in the portrait is striking, dark eyes seeming to burn out from the painting, midnight black hair spilling down to her shoulders. She is the picture of grace and hidden strength. Jayce's gaze moves down to the name plaque, but in truth, some part of him already knows what he is going to find.
Avery Wilde.
Jayce will be suitably impressed by the portrait, although he has seen the like of it hanging in his own family hall. The women captured in the painting matches the reputation that precedes Avery Wilde.
After a brief pause, Mister Black broke the lull, leaning in slightly.
"Our hostess for the evening. Quite the women, I assure you."
"So I've been told. Someone of her renown is known even in the lowest of circles. Between you and me Black, what's her secret? I've read up on the Wildes' and Avery's ascension to matriarchy but something like that can't be something that comes quickly or easily?"Mister Black seemed lost in the portrait before them for a moment. When he did turn back towards Jayce, he first cast a quick glance over his shoulder, towards the masked guests that continued to flow past them.
With all the theatricality of a showman, Mister Black raised one slender, black gloved finger to his thin lips, his voice hushed.
“Not here, my curious friend. These walls have ears.”
Another quick glance over his shoulder, his hand dropping to his side, Mister Black spoke again, his voice louder now.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Mister Silver.”
An exaggerated wink from behind the simple mask followed, before Mister Black turned on his heel, apparently losing interest in the grand portrait, and instead moving along the corridor, and towards the depths of the house. The invitation for Jayce to follow was unspoken, but still, it hung in the air all the same. A raised eyebrow under his mask piqued Jayce's curiosity. There was something
under the table happening with Avery Wilde. The game was afoot now to discover the greater mystery. As the pair walked deeper into the house the guests quickly became a sea of darkened shadowed masses as he followed Black's lead where ever it was he was leading. As he traversed the halls Jayce quickly grabbed a drink from one of the servers and leisurely sipped it as they moved through the crowd,
"So my monochromatic friend, show me one of the great attractions of a Wilde ball! I'm dying to know what pleasures are in store!"Beyond the portrait of the Wilde matriarch, the corridor opened up into a grand room. Two doorways to Jayce’s right were wide open, guests flowing through as fluidly as water. More doorways opened in the far wall, ahead of Jayce, more guests, more noise, but two things dominated the room, and drew Jayce’s gaze. The first was the source of the greatest noise, the lively, almost frantic music that had seeped out into the night.
Tall windows broke the wall on the left, nothing but darkness beyond them, but at the foot of the windows were ten musicians, all wearing simple black masks. Ahead of these ten men, the sea of guests moved in rhythm, a dozen men and women, maybe more, dancing to the pulsating jazz.
The staircase was the second thing that caught Jayce’s attention. It was wide, dark wood and rich red carpeting climbing upwards one way, and descending down the other. Grand decorations lined the bannisters, but it was the promise of it that intrigued Jayce. What lay above them? What below?
So caught up in his thoughts, Jayce almost collided with the suddenly halted shape of Mister Black. The tall man had stopped in his stride, a golden pocket watch appearing in one gloved hand. Glancing at the watch, and then back towards Jayce, there was an obvious sparkle in his eye, thin lips breaking into a wide smile.
“You may be in luck, Mister Silver. Here comes the greatest attraction of the Wilde Ball herself!”
Mister Black’s gaze left Jayce, and Jayce followed it back towards the top of the staircase. As the band struck up a new tune, a figure began to descend.
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