My heart pounds now. Hatred needs an outlet. “Wait. You’re telling me the Tether… it’s some sort of death match?”
Grandmère strokes the stem of her champagne flute. “It always has been.”
My brain is going to explode. “Always? You mean there have been other Tethers?”
“Yes, little bird. Several in my lifetime alone, and more before that. They don’t happen on a regular schedule, but the one thing this family can count on is that they do happen.”
I study her face, trying to discern what’s going on behind it. “And you think the next Tether is going to happen soon?”
Grandmère glances toward the windows. “I’m certain of it. The fog you saw at the circus, the gathering of ravens—they’re omens. The next competitors will be chosen imminently.”
My throat tightens, my whole body shaking with rage. I knew my family hadn’t been honest with me.
“How exactly are the competitors chosen?” I ask.
There’s a proud light in Grandmère’s eyes when they meet mine. “The Tether chooses us. It will happen soon. That’s why I showed you the vision. To prepare you.” Her gaze is impatient, as if she’s waiting for me to catch up.
And then it hits me.
“Are you… are you suggesting that I’m going to be the one chosen to compete?”
She smiles, looking almost… delighted? “I’m sure of it. This is your moment, little bird. Out of everyone in the entire extended Baldwin clan, the Tether is choosing you.”
My head spins. I think back to Demetri’s stricken face when the fog rolled into the big top. Of Mom going pale at the sight of the raven. Demetri saw the fog too. We’ve all been seeing the ravens. Why would it be me?
Grandmère answers as if she’s read my mind. “It’s an honor to be chosen for the Tether. It means your abilities are strong.”
“Strong enough to fight to the death?” My voice rises.
I swallow the hysterical laughter that’s bubbling up inside me. I don’t want this life, the running and the performing. I certainly don’t want to be stuck in some kind of death match, especially when this whole time my family has been keeping me in the dark instead of explaining our overwhelming hatred of the Davenport family. The threat of laughter dies away, replaced by a wave of betrayal so strong it almost chokes me. “I hope you have a plan B in mind. Because there’s no way I’m getting into some mortal combat for a family that can’t even be honest with me.”
With a wave of her fingers, she draws a bright beam of moonlight twisting and arcing from the window to us. The space around us ripples and shifts. She reaches for my hand. I look into her eyes, but it’s as if a switch has flipped. They darken from brown to inky pools. Grandmère grabs my hand hard. Her nails bite into me, making crescent moons of blood pool and spill on my dress as I gasp and struggle to break free.
“You don’t get to be eighty-two and Black without surviving several versions of hell. This family has clawed its way up from dirty cotton fields to the luxury you see now by being disciplined soldiers and making hard sacrifices.”
My mouth falls open. All around us, people talk and smile. They can’t see what’s happening. Grandmère probably has them seeing an image of us clinking champagne glasses as she speaks.
“So if you disrespect my orders or defy me again…” Grandmère exhales and releases me. “My perfect little bird, I’ll clip your wings.”
Shaking with rage and heartbreak, I swivel and dash toward the door. Grandmère is mad. This whole family is mad if they think I’m gonna blindly obey their rules or risk my life on their behalf when all they do is constantly lie to me. Tears blurring my vision, I dart across the room, just wanting to get away.
The Bentleys are still out front.
I can time-travel someplace far from all of them and leave their betrayal—and the Tether—far behind me.
Mom is waiting for me as I storm from the ballroom. She smooths the fabric of her elegant dress as she comes closer. I don’t know what she was going to say, but she changes her mind when she actually sees me. “Emma, you’re bleeding! What happened to your hand? Are you okay?”
“No!” I cry. “You’re all liars! You’ve been hiding the Tether from me—and God knows what else.”
She grabs my arm and pulls me into a corner. Her eyes urging,Keep your voice down.
“The game plays us.” Mom tightens her grip. “I’m sorry, baby girl.”
“Sorry?” I can’t believe that’s the best she’s got after all the secrets and lies. I try to pull away.
“Emma!” She yanks me to a stop. I turn to look at her and find her eyes wet with tears. “We had to.”
I can’t think of a justification for this.
