Chapter 142

    The summer passed uneventfully. His wife stayed out all night and slept all day and avoided him whenever possible. He avoided her as well. Luckily, his family didn’t expect them to become bosom buddies. She was too old and he was too young. He started school eagerly. It gave him an excuse to get out of the house for a time. Even when his wife slept, he was keenly aware of her presence. The first day of school was typical, but when he arrived home he walked into an argument between his wife and his father.

   “You whore!” His father shouted. “I’m going to the Council to dissolve this marriage!”

   “I’m not a whore! It’s your grandchild I’m carrying!” She screamed back at him.

   “Pedophile! Ben’s only twelve! He can’t be the father!”

   “You’re so old, you’ve probably forgotten what it’s like to be twelve,” she sneered.

   “That is not the point!”

    “Your son practically attacked me. He begged me to have sex with him. He said he loved me, that he couldn’t wait until he was older.”

    “Lying slut!” he growled. Ben shivered as air flowed violently around him. His father was normally very even-tempered. Even when he did lose his temper, he never once lost control of his powers. Hesitantly he stepped out of the elevator into the room.

   “Um, Hi.”

   “Benjamin, this, this woman claims she’s carrying your child. Is this possible?” Blade  struggled to sound neutral.

   “It’s possible, Father Blade. I did have sex with her. Once. She insisted.”

    “Don’t tell me you believe his story?” She protested at Blade glared at her. “He’s just a child.”

    “He’s my son. I’d believe him over you. Especially considering the reports I’ve had of you partying at clubs all night with strange men.”

   “Nobody wanted this marriage. Least of all me. I’m not planning on waiting until that child grows up to have my fun.”

   “The Council wanted this marriage.”

   “The Council is a bunch of senile old women, scared of their own shadows. There is no plot to fulfill the prophecy. I don’t see why I should be sacrificed to their paranoia.”

   “You’re a married woman. You can’t have your ‘fun’ as you put it. You need to bear Ben a child first.”

   “Why do you think I seduced the brat first?”

    “If I might interject,” Onyx said from where he had been quietly observing the discussion, “if there is doubt regarding the child’s paternity, shouldn’t we wait until after the child has been tested to start laying blame.”

    “She raped a twelve year old boy. I don’t care if he’s her husband, he’s still too young and legally he can’t consent.”

    “Blade, there was a time when children of that age were married off all the time,” Ice reminded him.

 

    “That doesn’t make it right.” Then they were off arguing again. Ben edged his way around them and fled to his room.