The Decoder - Chapter 24

Avery

“Where is she?” Avery murmured to himself as he stood before Edith’s dorm, devoid of a soul in the corridor. After several knocks, he was greeted with silence. It was past nine, well past working hours. All the employees have retired to their respective dorms for the night. Well, at least most of the employees. He tried knocking once more and when there was no answer, Avery swore under his breath, “blast it.”

He left the dormitory grounds and made his way to the Health Department. If she was not at the Health Department, his last resort was the Encoding and Decoding Department. As he appeared at the intersection between the Health Department and Administration Building, a voice called out to him. He turned and caught Teo jogging up to him, slightly out of breath. He stopped before him and heaved several breaths, releasing puffs of breath into the cold air. It was late winter and day by day, the temperature dropped further. In just several weeks, year 761 of the Sola Year would be ushered in.

Avery waited patiently for Teo to gather his breath, certain he had something to report.

“Captain, I think you might want to head to Cyel Street, to The Boor Pub.” Teo said the moment he gathered his momentum.

“Why?” Avery asked, not having a good feeling about this.

“Miss Edith is there.”

“How on earth did she even left the Militia when it’s not the weekend?” Avery pulled out his leather gloves from the pocket of his double-breasted overcoat and tugged them on, preparing himself to head out into the freezing weather.

“By lying to the guards, I presume.” Teo shrugged.

“And you did not stop her?”

“No. I was in the assumption that she might meet with Miss Sera again. With that opportunity, at least I could track her hideout.” Teo reasoned.

“Thank you, Teo.” Avery said and strode past Teo to the entrance. He couldn’t afford to waste any more time standing here in the compound of the Militia. Whatever Edith was doing or whoever she was meeting at the Boor Pub, he needed to get her out of there and speak to her. It had been a week since he last spoke to her and he was growing frustrated with not only the need to be near her, but for answers for his assignment. He had confronted Ira about the spectacle he had witnessed earlier in the day and she had explained the entire situation from her rage after finding out that Merille had decoded the message from her while she was at Hathage gathering information. He had comforted her and convinced her that the mistake was not deliberate. Merille was the only decoder in the entire Militia. They had yet to find another to fill in the vacant spots left by previous decoders and encoders. Well, there was Edith, but she was in the Health Department.

He made his way down the street from the Militia, past Aven Street, past Bren Street, past the City Square before reaching the archway that lead to Cyel Street, the night life of Rayard. The Boor Pub was a pub that was located few shops away from The Thistle, a pub which was regulated by Avery himself and Lucien.

At the sight of him, people parted, stepping out of his way, which made it easier for him instead of having to push his way through the crowd. People made way for him not out of respect for him, but of fear. No doubt, the Elite insignia sew onto the collar of his black uniform and his scar repelled people away. On regular days, it bothered him a little, but not tonight. His goal was only getting to Edith.

Avery arrived at the entryway of The Boor Pub and was taken aback by the scene before him. He did not expect to see several men surrounded a round table at the centre of the pub. Not the table per se, but a familiar lady with her dark brown hair let loose, cascading down in silky waves to her waist. The said lady was leaning forward in her seat and a pint of ale in her bandaged right hand. She took a swing of the ale and set the glass down with a satisfying smack before declaring to the four men who were surrounding her.

“I don’t understand him at all. One moment he is sweet and charming, the next he is cold as the northern ice.” There was a hint of sadness in her tone.

“It sounds like this man doesn’t deserve your affection.” The man who was seated opposite her said.

“Do you love him?” Another man seated to her right asked.

“I do…” She said and began to sob.

“I’ve known him since childhood…Back in those days, I see him as part of the family, but…that have changed recently.”

Avery’s stomach worked into a knot. She was obviously talking about him in her drunken stupor.

“I love him…” She sobbed harder and dropped her head in the crook of her elbow on the table.

Avery couldn’t believe his ears at her confession. He was elated, overflowed with emotions of joy. Though it was a confession through a drunken stupor, it was nevertheless a confession. When one was drunk, one often expresses their true feelings.

“There, there.” The man seated to her left patted her head. The gesture enraged Avery. He didn’t like other man touching Edith, his Edie. The thought of another man touching Edith made him mad with rage. He knew it was possessive of him to think in such a way, but they had known each other in their childhood years, hadn’t they? Granted, that he was not her first childhood friend, he was still her childhood friend, nevertheless. He secretly thanked the man who asked that question.

“Don’t touch her.” Avery said darkly, a warning in his menacing tone. He stepped into the pub and approached the group, four pair of eyes turned his way.

“Who are you?” The man opposite of Edith asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

“The man she was referring to.” He stood behind Edith who was dozing off.

At the sight of his Elite insignia and his revelation, the men’s eyes widened and remained silent as Avery bent slightly and lifted Edith into his arms. She murmured something indiscernible as he cradled her to his chest protectively. He had never seen Edith this drunk before and it astonished him that she would even turn to spirits. And that means he couldn’t question her tonight.

Without a word, he slipped out of the pub. The men remained seated at the round table. It was a move for if they had put up a fight against him, God knows if Avery would turn the entire pub into a wreckage. Sometimes, being an Elite had its benefits.

He carried her all the way back to the Militia and instead of heading for her dorm, he headed for his. Back in his spacious room, he approached the king-sized bed and gently laid her down onto the sheets. She murmured something once more and seemed to be in a deep slumber. He proceeded to pull the blanket under her very slowly, lay it over her and sat on the edge of the bed, examining her sleeping face. He smiled as he remembered the memory from their childhood days, particularly the ones they spent by the lake, laying down on the grass side by side and conversing innocently about the nature, skies and dreams.

Avery brushed a stray lock from her serene face and brushed away the tear marks on her cheeks. He proceeded to caress her cheek with the back of his knuckles and bent over to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“I love him.” He recalled her confession and his heart leaped with joy, he felt as if he was on cloud nine. He was aware of their attraction for each other, the pull of desire for one another. But he needed a verbal confirmation. He had loved her for years and he’d believed it was one-sided, unrequited. For years he had been hoping and he never imagined his feelings would be returned and it drove him mad with desire.

And then, there was the matter of his engagement. No, he would not think about it tonight. He wanted to bask in the knowledge of Edith’s love for him, the love he had been hoping, had been seeking all these years.

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