“Jonah.”
I stopped, surprised I hadn’t noticed Eliot standing in front of me.
“What happened?” He hurried toward me. “Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Then whose blood is it?”
“Bo’s.”
He sighed in relief. “Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
He touched my shoulder. “I came to take you to see Mr. White and my brother. They would like a word with you.”
“Then we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
*
“Quite a day you’ve been having,” Mr. White said after I told them what I’d done.
The Director had sent someone to check up on Bo, but none of them seemed overly concerned, making me think I should have maimed the bastard long ago. We were sitting in the dungeon for some reason, the four of us in a circle. The Director and Eliot seemed tense, glancing at each other.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
“You’ve created quite a predicament,” Mr. White said. “Saving the life of a Society member must never go unrewarded, however, we rarely find ourselves in life-and-death situations these days, and they never involved someone in your… position.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, sir.”
“You deserve a reward, Jonah, and I have the means to grant it to you.” Mr. White held my gaze. “What would you wish for?”
I shook my head. “You can’t give me what I want.”
“Ask,” The Director said, his voice rasping.
Next to him, Eliot nodded in encouragement.
I rubbed my face. They were playing with me, fucking with my head. But I was exhausted, mentally and physically, and I had nothing to lose by saying, “I would like my freedom back.”
None of them seemed surprised, and why would they? It wasn’t like I was going to ask for nicer clothes. I waited for them to say that it could not be done, but Mr. White’s next words sent a shockwave through my heart. “That can be arranged.”
I watched his mouth, waiting for a crooked smile, for a laugh. He said, “However, it might require abitmoreconvincing for the other High Council members to agree. We will need to be creative and show them how truly worthy of freedom you are.”
“You’re lying,” I spat. “You won’t ever let me leave this place. I’m not stupid.”
“He’s telling the truth.” Eliot sounded as if he could barely believe it himself.
I opened my mouth to call him a liar—because wasn’t he the biggest liar of all? But I couldn’t deny the honesty in his eyes, and it rattled me to my core.
“What… what do you mean by being creative?” I asked Mr. White, scratching my knees with my nails, wishing for a needle.
“We need to know that we can trust you, Jonah, that you won’t speak about your time here to anyone.”
“I won’t.” My eyes began to sting, my breath quickening. “I swear.”
“Actions speak louder than words, as they say.” Mr. White turned to a guard by the entrance. “Bring him.”
