“But we don’t know what’s in there, orwho’sin there, or if there’s food and-and-and water,” Erith the Diamond girl breathed.
“There’s nine of us,” I said, more for my own benefit. “We’ll figure something out.”
“The Labyrinth is a big place. And it’s notemptyor anything. Back home people said it required work every day year-round,” said the other Diamond girl Anika, and…
“That’s correct.” The voice of the Timekeeper Kohen came through a second before he slipped out of the darkness again, like he’d materialized out of thin air. Which made me even more curious to see where that place led. “The Labyrinth is never empty, especially the main palace. There are workers of all kinds permanently stationed there, and plenty of food, water, and beds. You will be perfectly fine while you search, I assure you.”
Then he and the younger Timekeeper came all the way to the table and dropped two bags onto the edge.
“Clothes, for some of you. I’m afraid we took you…unprepared.” His eyes were on me when he said this—because I had only a nightgown on underneath my mother’s leather coat, and I was barefoot, too.
I wasn’t the only one, though. Erith, Seth and Cook wore pajamas, too, and Anika had fluffy slippers that looked like clocks on her feet.
“We’ll be right there, whenever you’re ready. Just leave everything here and we’ll take care of it.”
Kohen was in a visibly better mood since we’d made that deal. He was almost smiling—almost. The other one wassuspiciousof us now, though, didn’t roll his eyes, didn’t look bored, but continuously watched us out of the corner of his eye while he and Kohen leaned against the wall near the doorway, and waited.
“All right, then. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we’ll know the truth. Let’s get dressed,” Seth said, standing up from the table first as he rubbed his hands, and went to look at the bags the Timekeepers brought. Everyone else followed.
“I could use a new pair of sneakers. Mine are spent,” said Mimi.
“And I could do with a jacket. I’m always cold.” Cook.
“Maybe they have a cute pair of shoes in there, somewhere.” Anika.
Meanwhile, March stayed seated and looked at me.
Just…looked.
I couldn’t bring myself to stand up if I tried. The gears in me twisted faster, and my heart skipped so many beats she had me worried, but I didn’t move.
Time’s Teeth, he was perfect. Every line of his face, every shape and every color was exactly right.
“Hi.” The word slipped from me again—too many words had slipped from me by accident today.
Hi.Sparetime save me, I was going to slap myself.
Half a smile—just a slight curl of the right side of his lips. “Hi.”
I felt like I was drowning.
“I just…you’re…you’re very familiar.” Again, the words rushed and stumbled out of my lips like drunks, and if I had a moment of privacy to strangle myself, I would.
For a split-second there, I thought he might laugh at me.
Instead, he said, “And you’re very,verybeautiful.”
Did I hear him right?
Because that couldn’t be. And his voice had changed, too—like he was a completely different person from the guy who spoke earlier—to the Timekeepers and the other former Hands.
Heat on my cheeks. I wouldn’t be surprised to find them melting.
“Oh. Thank you,” I barely choked out—and I was just happy that I didn’t sayyou, too,or something even more cringe-worthy.
“My eyes know your face,” March said, and he still smiled just a little, but somehow he looked…sadin the eyes. Very sad.
My heart beat and beat like she was hoping to escape from me and go to him. His words made sense to me—perfect sense because my eyes knew his face, too. My mind knew it in detail.
