I return everything to the way it was and race back out. I stand in position and resume time, strolling over to the bathroom like nothing is amiss. Whoever watches the camera footage won’t be able to piece it together. It will appear seamless.
Once I rinse my hands, I return downstairs.
Mercy is flipping through a page of her book. Her soft voice carries in the air while Knox just looks at her with silent devotion.
I wonder if she even knows that he likes her.
I clear my throat, and Knox leaps away from her, and Mercy snaps her book closed.
“So,” I say brightly. “What did I miss?”
Ender never ends up coming home for dinner. He’s probably busy planning out his attack. It sickens me that he can disregard the lives of innocent children. He knows that the laws will condemn them for their parents' actions. Yet he carries out a strike, knowing the repercussions.
Knox has been shifty since we got in the vehicle.
“About Mercy…”
“You like her,” I cut him off.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he huffs.
“Okay,” I say slowly. “What about my sister?”
“Well, what books does she like?” he pauses. “Whatlegalbooks does she enjoy?”
I bite back a smile before I name her favorite authors. Or at least the ones that are regime-approved. Knox nods along as I speak, keeping a mental tally of them.
We spent the rest of the ride talking about my sister. It’s kind of nice to speak freely about her and our childhood with someone who cares to listen.
The second I make it to my room. I lock myself in the bathroom and reach for the comm device that I stored in an empty face cream bottle.
“They are hitting the settlement at Prosperity Falls.”
“That’s a big one,” Idris says, exhaling sharply. “Thanks, Haven. We’ll start evacuations within the hour.”
“Idris,” I say softly. “Keep them safe.”
“We will,” he says. “We’ll be in touch if we need anything else. Great work.”
I slide the device back in the container and seal it shut.
Back in my bedroom, I collapse on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
My stomach is in knots about tomorrow. I hope the intel was solid, and I didn’t come across the wrong message. But if Idris confirmed that there was a settlement in the region, then there probably is.
Now all that is left to do is to wait.
chapter
thirty-three
Ender
I’ve been planning this attack for days. Ever since we received word that a settlement was discovered, we’ve been preparing for this. Black Star, along with a small tactical unit, will execute the raid. The sun hasn’t fully risen as we prepare to leave the Forge.
The engine is running as I give my usual speech.
“Don’t die,” I say. “And don’t embarrass me out there either.”
