Haunting-Adeline

I open my mouth, ready to pry, but a quick warning glance from Zade
has me snapping my mouth shut.
He must be talking about the videos from the rituals.
“I’m sure they’re taking the necessary steps to make sure the video is
handled, alongside whoever leaked it,” Zade assures casually, swirling his
drink as if there’s spices res ng in the bo om of the cup.
“Are they ever!” Mark bursts out, slapping his hand obnoxiously on his
ornate desk. “The video is handled, it’sh finding the pershon who leaked
the videos that’s th-the problem. They’ve been interroga ng an-and
watching our every move for months now!”
I didn’t think it was possible for Mark’s face to turn any redder, but he’s
star ng to look like the Kool-Aid Man.
“Well, whatever the case, I’m sure it’ll be handled soon.”
Zade is careful with his words and is deliberately refusing to pry and dig
out extra informa on. I’m not sure if whatever Mark is saying is sufficient,
or if Zade is in for the long haul.
“Yeah, sure,” Mark mu ers. “Guessh the bright shide is that nothing can
happen to us. I-If one of us goes misshing and the Society ss-suspects foul
play, guess what? They will up and relocate within hourss.” Under his
breath he mu ers, “we all will know who to blame anyway.” I can’t hear
the rest of what he says, but for a second, it sounds like he says Z.
A pregnant pause passes, and it seems like Zade has to collect himself.
Mark is too wasted to be mindful of the word vomit spewing from his
mouth.
I don’t know what the fuck this Society is, but they obviously can’t trust
an inebriated Mark and his big mouth. He’s spilling all kinds of shit, and
though I can’t make sense of most of it—Zade clearly can.
“Good thing, wouldn’t want anything to happen to my new friend,” Zade
teases smoothly, his face morphing into a relaxed state as he lies to Mark’s
face.
Mark believes it, laughing alongside Zade and spending the next ten
minutes telling my shadow how grateful he is that they met.
I nearly snort from the irony. Zade is both Mark’s judge and execu oner,
and he’s too stupid to see it.
Zade sips at the amber liquid in his cup throughout the whole mushy
rade, but by the me we’re rising to leave, it looks like he barely