All except one. The cell I’d been kept in is down here.
Caelian brings Ms. Poitier up to a different door and throws it open. I rush to squeeze myself through and block his path.
“You’re going to let her explain, right? Cael…”
“Didn’t I say go up to bed?”
“Didn’t you say we’re partners?”
Caelian grits his teeth in a deep scowl. “Nevi, I won’t go easy on her because you happen to like her.”
“We’ll get the truth out of her. She’ll tell us everything,” I say. I round on Ms. Poitier. “You’ll tell him all about what you’ve been up to, won’t you?”
Ms. Poitier seems to regain some of her usual sass and confidence. She folds her arms as if she has nothing to hide. “I’ve already told you two chicken heads. I was out for a midnight stroll?—”
“Sit down!” Caelian barks, pointing to the chair in the middle of the room.
We’re in another cell. Empty and dark except for a solitary lit bulb dangling above and the chair he’s directed her into.
Ms. Poitier defiantly waltzes over and then plops down with an expected stubborn air.
Caelian turns to me once more. “Go ahead, bella, if you think you can get the truth out of her. We’ll do things your way to start. Then when it doesn’t work, you can’t guilt trip me for my methods.”
I gulp for Ms. Poitier’s sake. She better divulge whatever it is she’s been up to or else she’ll have to face Caelian’s interrogation. The stubbornest person can admit it’s a fate they’d rather not face…
“Ms. P, you’re going to have to be cooperative,” I begin gently. “You have to tell us the truth.”
“Ihave,” she snaps. “It’s not my problem if neither of you believe me.”
“We know you sneak out every night at the same time. You go straight into the woods and then come out minutes later.”
“I don’t have any idea what the heck either of you are talking about.”
“Fine, then lie! We’ll do things the hard way,” growls Caelian. “If you think I’ll take mercy on you, then you haven’t been paying as close attention as I thought?—”
“No, wait!” I call out.
I’m still between the two, still acutely aware the room isn’t as empty as I initially thought it was. In the far corner, I spy a table with devices on it. A shudder racks through me at the thought this really is one of the rooms where Caelian and his men have tortured and interrogated people.
Grabbing both of Ms. Poitier’s hands in a sincere plea, I urge her again to divulge what she’s hiding. For her to come clean and tell Caelian what she’s been up to all these late nights.
“Tell him,” I say. “Whatever it is, it’ll be handled better if you just?—”
“I told you!” She wrenches her hands out of mine. “What’s gotten into you two? You really think I’m doing something I shouldn’t be?”
But there’s a quiver in her voice. The slight shake of someone trying their best to bullshit their way through a moment. I may have only known Ms. Poitier for a short time, but even I can tell there’s something fishy going on. She’s been doing more than taking late-night strolls.
“I can’t help you if you won’t come clean,” I beg. “We’ve seen the security footage. You’ve been going out every night.”
“I’m not going to explain myself again. You either believe me or you don’t.”
We reach a stalemate, with Ms. Poitier stubbornly crossing her arms and Caelian lurking feet away as if to pounce. He’s a current of tense energy that makes me desperate.
But I can’t help Ms. Poitier if she’s not willing to help herself.
Sighing, I say, “I wish you’d just be honest.”
I’m fully expecting Caelian to dismiss me and for the real interrogation to begin. He’s made it clear no matter who it is, if they’re a traitor, they’re his enemy. Ms. Poitier is like a mother to him, but that still won’t prevent him from doing what he deems necessary.
