all in vain

[Juliet]

Juliet sat behind her computer desk, the green eyes formerly belonging to Cassadee Hawkins narrowing on her screen. A frown played across her lips, the name forming lightly. Jesse Fforde. She remembered her 'sibling'. Once upon a time, they had been family. And then he had left Altaire, Phoenix had been upset and then, because of it, Juliet had disliked the man. Of course, during that time period, he had also gripped her by the throat, so her dislike wasn't entirely unwarranted.

But, times had changed.

She no longer was Altaire, a decision made after her sire had so easily disappeared without a word. A decision made after her sire had left Blake and Calix in charge, rather than someone else the line was more familiar and comfortable around. It was disappointing, and more so after Phoenix had returned... the anger that the brunette felt still danced around in her heart. Although her bloodline was the Rayne line, her own childer having their own lives, Juliet had chosen to use the surname Hawthorne. Roderic's name, as he was one of the few individuals in her life who proved to be trustworthy.

In all truth, he was the only sibling she claimed.

However... the words on the screen had her frowning. Disenthrall or die. "Typical." The woman murmured under her breath. Her green eyes moved from the computer screen to her open door. Some of her employees wandered in front of it and away, dressed in their Halloween costumes. Her fingertips drummed against the table. "Not everyone chooses their bloodline..." And with the expectation that Roderic would be lecturing her  in the near future, she pushed herself up from her seat and moved to her bookshelf.

The tome hadn't been purchased from the auction, but would it particularly matter? Juliet had never quite liked the faction. Athena, Phoenix, Legion, Roderic... most of those she had liked had been involved. And, they had also hurt she cared for. Her heels clicked on the marble tile as she inclined her head, frowning in search. Finally, she pulled it off the shelf and focused, connecting to the auction mentally. What price should it be? 10k, more? She pondered.  She didn’t want to profit heavily from it. She didn’t need the financial background - but 5k was affordable for those who put their minds to it.

Five thousand.

Yes, that was it.

Up on the auction for a week, Juliet set the sale in place and began to prepare the tome to be sold. After a moment, though, the woman returned back to her computer. She sat down, pulling up her email. Typing in Roderic's email, the woman paused. What was she going to say? He was away with Dominique, so was he even involved with that mess? She frowned. It was better to just tell him...

I'm selling the disenthrallment tome for 5 grand because it's too expensive to make a point that anyone can get their hands on it.

No, that wouldn't do. Her pointer finger tapped against the key multiple times. She reached for her blood thermos, taking a sip before she ultimately typed out:
 
Before your faction assumes anything, I bought the tome out of the shop for 10k. Reselling it at 5k because it's just a book and overpriced anyway.

Julby.

If he had questions, it wasn't as if her brother would be incapable to find her. Juliet wasn’t ever hard to find. Her businesses, her home. To and fro was all that she went.