And then, before I knew what was happening, he stepped right up to me, brushed his bare hand down my bare arm and pulled me into a hug.
“For all the—” Left Ned muttered, but I wasn’t listening to him.
“I’m sorry, Matilda. Please believe that,” Right Ned said. “I never wanted to hurt you.”
And then he stepped back and walked away, swallowed by the jostle of humanity.
“Matilda! Matilda!” Elwa pushed her way through the crowd, her sharp, short steps puncturing the roiling mass and thrusting her through the crowd like a needle.
“We’ve been looking for you,” she said, catching hold of my sleeve as if to keep me from drifting away. “Abraham said he dropped you off an hour ago. Where have you been?”
She hadn’t waited for my answer, but was already tugging me up to the front door of the building, her steps still brisk enough to make me jog a bit to keep up.
She waved a hand impatiently at whatever camera or scanner or other identification device lingered in the clear glass, and the doors opened for us.
I’d never come into the building this way, but Elwa didn’t give me time to take in any details. Maybe marble, certainly clean, unfailingly gray. And then the elevator opened and I was pushed inside and whisked to the upper floors.
“Have you seen him?” she asked.
“Who?”
“Abraham.” She shook her hand like swatting a fly. “No matter. He will arrive in time. Abraham is a warrior, a soldier, a liberator. He knows how much punctuality matters.”
I was ushered out of the elevator and then off to my room, where Elwa grilled me on if I needed food or if anything was wrong, and if I had packed yet, and when I was going to take time to prepare for the gathering.
I finally got her to leave by promising her I just needed a little time to collect myself.
After she left, I pulled a chair up next to the door and sat there with my handgun in my lap.
I was numb, my thoughts scattered and raw. I didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know how to keep Grandma safe. And I most certainly didn’t know whom to trust.
House Orange had Quinten captive. My brilliant brother would have gotten free if there had been any chance to do so.
Abraham was there now meeting with Slater Orange.
But whose side was Abraham on?
Neds were spies, Boston Sue a hired thug.
All I wanted was to get away. But if I broke my deal, Reeves would kill the people I loved.
There was a soft knock at the door.
I got up, stiff from what must have been hours sitting utterly still. I held the gun ready and opened the door.
“I brought you a late supper,” Elwa said, letting herself in, despite the gun in my hand. “And a few things you need to study for the gathering. We’ll be leaving tonight. Soon.” She set a tray with silver domes over the plates down on the table. “Here is information about the gathering and how you will represent House Gray.”
“Wait,” I said, rubbing at my forehead and trying to track her words, which seemed to tumble together too quickly. “What do I need to do?”
“Read this.” She pointed at the thin screen. “You are galvanized. Important, valued. You will stand in the great arena as the pride of House Gray. Your name and face will be projected across all the breathing world. And since you are the unexpected discovery, there has already been speculation. People are curious. People are placing odds. . . .”
“There are wagers being made? On what?”
“If you’ll be pretty, strong, ancient, young. If you’ll be advanced or a throwback like the First. And, most of all, who made you and why have you been a secret for so long. What is your purpose? Why have you emerged now, of all times? Isn’t that exciting?” She clapped her hands once and laced her fingers together.
“No. It’s not,” I said. “Will all the heads of Houses be there?”
“Yes, of course. Here is your schedule, some history of previous gatherings, a list of things you will be expected to do, a list of mistakes that will cause our House grief and therefore you will be expectednotto do, etiquette guidelines, current House loyalties, current House standings, current House projects under negotiation. Tell me you know how to operate chopsticks and walk in high heels.”
