“Listen, I upset Ender, and I don’t really want to deal with him anymore, so can we change?” I ask quickly.
“Your friends are nice,” Mercy says. “And they really like you.”
“Yeah, Rei was a monster when we met, but she’s cool now. As is Sora, but she’s a Common, so she wasn’t invited, and I completely forgot to tell her. I would have snuck her in rightunder Tamsin’s watchful eye,” I say. “And did you speak with Spider, my little psycho?”
“I’ve never had friends,” Mercy whispers. “It was kind of nice to spend time with them.”
I pause when we’re halfway up the stairs. Guilt slides down my throat like acid, burning me from the inside out. We were both stuck on that estate for so long, it robbed us of our youth. We weren’t allowed to attend school. Warrick hired a range of tutors for our education. When Mercy got her letter, I wonder if for a sliver of a second, she had wanted to experience a world outside our father’s control.
“I’m so sorry, Mercy,” I say softly. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to be trapped in this place.”
“It’s not terrible,” she replies. “I read, garden, and sometimes the chef lets me bake.”
“Does Ender keep you company?” I ask. “He seemed attached to you tonight?”
I keep my tone dry and uninterested. Even though what Ender felt tonight was far past attachment, he was downright obsessed.
“It’s not like that, Vee,” she says. “He avoids me—all the time. I was surprised by his attention to you, especially during the dance. He looked at you like…”
“Like what?” I ask nervously.
Mercy smiles tightly. “It doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t go for him. You hate anyone who serves the regime.”
“I do,” I say. The words weigh heavily on my tongue. I wasn’t thinking straight tonight. A few hours with Ender being bearable, and I forgot my entire purpose. It is pathetic.
I steel my shoulders, prepared to put this entire night behind me. And to never think of it again.
We resume climbing until a curt voice forces us to a halt.
“Where are you going?”
I turn slowly to face Ender. His eyes twinkle with a cruel glint. I resist the urge to challenge him. My emotions are frayed from everything: the meeting with his father, Warrick’s taunts, the dance with Ender. A lot has happened, and I need a second to process it all.
“Mercy is going to switch into her uniform,” I say. “Knox is taking her back to the Forge.”
“Excellent,” he says. “Can I have a word with you while she gets ready?”
“She needs my help,” I say.
“Doing what?” he asks. “Fastening her trousers.”
“If you want a candid response, the truth is that we are going upstairs to talk shit about you,” I snap. “Bye.”
Ender takes the stairs two at a time. His hand closes around my wrist, firm enough to steal my balance, and I release Mercy just before she stumbles.
He doesn’t slow down or look back, just pulls me with him, back down the steps. I can feel the heat of his body as he moves ahead of me. All the reporters are gone, and the foyer is startlingly quiet.
“We’re going to wait right here while your sister prepares herself,” Ender says coolly. He turns his head to address Mercy. “You have five minutes.”
“I need to speak with Haven,” Mercy says, panic sharpening her voice. “It’s important.”
“It can wait,” Ender replies. His tone unyielding.
It hits me like a punch to the gut. Heknows. The infuriating satisfaction in his eyes confirms that he’s known for some time, and he’s been letting it all play out, watching to see how far we’re willing to go before we confess.
Mercy stares at me, waiting for a sign, but I have nothing.
“Go on then,” Ender says. “Get ready,Mercy.”
