 
Arrival of the Traveler

Waldgrave Part 1

By A.L. Tyler

More books by A.L. Tyler

<http://addisynltyler.blogspot.com/>

The Waldgrave Series

Arrival of the Traveler

Deception of the Magician

Secrets of the Guardian

Redemption

The Spider Catcher

Rabbit Bones

Serpent's Bite

Pale Hound

Lion's Shadow (coming July 25, 2015)

*****

Story © A.L. Tyler 2011. All rights reserved. http://addisynltyler.blogspot.com/ Cover art by A.L. Tyler, using images found at http://www.123rf.com/profile_massonforstock and http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=40706&picture=books&large=1

5th Edition.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination and used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

*****

Dedicated to my friends & family,

with special thanks to the sisterhood,

Ashley, Kelly, Kristen, and Jackie.

*****

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Preview: Deception of the Magician, Waldgrave Part 2

*****

Chapter 1

Abilene Collins came to live at the Waldgrave property the winter after her grandmother's death, and only two months after her father's. She had only met her father's brother for the first time fifteen minutes earlier, when a flight attendant had removed her travel badge and passed her off to a man that had only existed to her in theory up to that point. Riding in Uncle Howard's new sedan, it took almost four hours to get to a place that everyone expected would be her new home.

"How was your flight over?" Howard scratched behind his left ear, which had been a favorite nervous behavior since he had been young. Abilene sat slouched against the passenger side door, her forehead leaned against the chilled window, her eyes fixed straight ahead. "Abilene?"

"That's what my Gram called me."

"Okay. How was the flight over, Abilene?"

"I don't like Abilene. My dad called me Lena."

"Okay..."

There was a long silence. Howard tried to glance over at the girl occasionally, but the roads began to fidget more as they got further into the countryside. Lena liked the feel of the car following the road; all along the twisting way, she moved back and forth with the vehicle. It was a feeling she was used to. Closing her eyes, she shut out the dried, dead fields and hills around her, replacing them with the green vegetation of an Australian rain forest. She made herself believe that she was once again riding in the old Volkswagen they had bought in Sydney; the blue one with a mismatched door and no front passenger seat. She and her father had made some great memories, and eaten some not so great food, in that good old car. It made a slight hissing sound when it started up because it was so old. A pitiful car, really, but it had a good run—it got them through Australia. Six months later they sold the car to a teenager in Cairns because it would have cost too much to cart it to Greece with them.

"The flight was okay."

There was another long silence.

"You know, Lena, I know I never got the chance to really get to know you..." This was, in fact, a drastic understatement in Lena's mind. She had never spoken to Uncle Howard before this day; the nurse at the hospital had arranged the pickup. There were always holiday and birthday cards, but the elusive Uncle Howard had remained a mystery through her entire life. She liked to trace the long arch in the 'C' of his signature with her finger, jealous of his impeccable penmanship; Howard Collins, the uncle who sent her a hundred dollars with every card. She had never even seen a picture of him before.

"...I think I only met you once. That was a long, long time ago when you were just a baby. Did you know, you look exactly like your mother?"

She did. Her father had told her many times before. Again, she didn't have a picture to compare, and assumed her father was just being nice. She had never had the chance to meet her mother, who had died in childbirth. Given that there were no pictures, she thought her father's reasoning would have been along the lines that at least knowing what her mother looked like, and that she shared a connection with her, would be some sort of a comfort. It was probably the same logic Uncle Howard was using.

"Well, I guess I'm saying, I don't know about kids. I don't have any. I've got a boy who does the lawn and fishes the excessive green crap out of the pond, and he seems to like the property. So, we're going to have to help each other out here. A lot."

The terrain under the tires changed and Lena opened her eyes. They were now on a dirt road.

"Almost home..."

"She said that too."

Their eyes met for a brief moment—hers honest and challenging, his questioning and...hurt, maybe. Howard had gray eyes, she noted for the first time, so starkly different from her father's bright blue. But at least his eyes were alive—living, and not the distant, unfocused gaze she had recently become accustomed to seeing.

They pulled up to a gate and Howard pressed a remote on his visor to open it. As Lena got her first glimpse of the old house, she had to wonder why her father had never brought her to visit his brother before. It was colossal...and wild. A beast of this size could never have been kept in the city like a normal house. She counted four stories, and guessed their might also be an attic hiding under the pointy roof and a basement chaining it to the ground. There was a line of tall trees that surrounded the house fifty feet out, marking the line between the well-kept lawn and the rugged realm beyond. It was a mutt of a house; clad in brick, stone, different paints, and mismatched windows, it looked like the project of ten different architects who had never gotten around to deciding on one particular theme.

"You...live here?"

"It was passed on to me by your...grandfather. Well, actually it was passed on to your father by your grandfather, but he didn't want it. He was too much an adventurer to be kept in a house—even one like this. Too much to look after, I suppose."

Howard parked the car in a shelter next to the house. Lena unbuckled her seatbelt and went to open the car door.

"Lena! Wait just a minute." Howard had undone his seatbelt and twisted to face his new charge. Though he was not an old man, his hair was already graying, and invisible wrinkles were just starting to show on his brow. He looked very worried, and Lena knew what was coming. At that moment, Howard looked uncannily like how her grandmother had when starting the same conversation.

Lena settled back into her seat and waited. Howard sighed deeply.

"I know you're dealing with a lot right now and—"

"I'll be okay. I don't need to talk."

"—oh." Howard looked even more worried, glanced down at his fidgeting hands quickly and then looked back up at Lena. "I know people have their different ways of doing this—you know, what you've got to do—and all I'm saying is..."

"I know. It's just that I'm getting good at—"

"No, now stop! Just let me get this out." He waited, taking a deep breath. Lena finally nodded, staring down at her worn sneakers on the new-looking floor mat.

Howard exhaled slowly. "Whatever you need, if you need anything, you got it. You've got a lot on your plate now, with your dad, and your grandma, and..." He took another deep breath and sighed. "...everything else you're going to have to deal with now. So just tell me, okay?"

"Okay."

They stared tersely at each other, both attempting to judge the truth in what the other had said.

They exited the sedan together and Howard proceeded to open the trunk and pull out Lena's luggage. There were two good-size suitcases—one of which had previously belonged to Aaron Collins, and still contained his worldly possessions. Lena also had a carry-on, which contained a few trinkets from her grandmother's house, and those things which she usually couldn't bring herself to part with while on an airplane: a spare change of clothing (in case the suitcases were lost), toothbrush, book, blanket, granola bar, bottle of water, and a total of fifty dollars in various world currencies.

They entered the house through the side door, which was closest. Lena took a good look at her first view of the house interior. Coat rack, muddied rug, white tile floor, white walls and ceiling... It was really pretty basic. From somewhere nearby she could hear the uneven load of a clothes dryer throwing itself against a wall. For all the unique charm of Waldgrave's exterior, inside it appeared to be just a house.

They passed through an immaculate kitchen and into a large living room with oversized couches. At the other end of the room, there was a set of stairs which they ascended, Howard carrying both suitcases and leading the way. At the top of the stairs was a large library; they passed through a door and into a hallway. Howard turned to the left and led Lena past several doors before reaching one at the very end of the hall.

"The house is extensive, as you can see. You're welcome to look around tomorrow, if you like. There's quite a few bedrooms, and you're welcome to any of them, except mine, of course, which is on the fourth floor." Howard scratched behind his ear. "In fact, I'll tell you right now that the fourth floor is off limits. I work up there and I get very flustered when people invade my space."

"Okay. I can respect that."

Howard froze, dropping his hand and raising his eyebrows with a hint of a nervous smile. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk like you're thirty?"

"My dad didn't believe in infantilizing me." Lena shrugged, briefly directing her gaze down the long hallway. "He told me the truth about my mom from the start, and he treated me with the same respect he did other adults."

Howard looked worried. Lena wondered if he could actually produce any other expressions. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen. And a half." Lena tried not to blink. She was well aware that she had aged to an uncomfortable boundary between childhood and adulthood, and she was tired of being treated like a child.

"Well. In that case, I'll try to uphold your father's standard, if you like. But I must tell you, your behavior is somewhat...disturbing to me."

"Howard," Lena threw him a courtesy smile, "death can do that to you. My mother died before I was even born. I watched my father die on a train in Egypt. I found my Gram's body..."

"Okay, okay, stop! I know what you've been through. I can allow for your eccentricity. Don't talk about your dad that way."

"What way?"

"Like it was just another day. Like it didn't bother you."

Lena took a seat on one of her suitcases. "It did bother me. I cried, and now I'm over it. It's no use crying over spilt milk. Or blood, I guess." The last part seemed to anger and sadden Howard at the same time. Tears actually welled up in his eyes. "I'm sorry. My dad and I never believed in permanent attachments. Nothing in our lives was ever permanent."

"Except for your dad..."

"Well, apparently not." Seeing the look on Howard's face caused Lena to add, "I'm sorry for your loss."

Howard turned and started down the hall. His voice cracked a little. "Well, breakfast is at ten. I'll have the housekeeper lead you back to the kitchen when it's time. Good night." He walked several doors down the hall, opened one, and disappeared through it.

She had a hard time understanding the emotions of those around her. Everyone was so concerned with death—but death happens. Everyone, and everything, in Lena's mind, was mortal. She and Uncle Howard would both die someday, whether it was tomorrow or fifty years from now. In the grand scheme of things, fifty years wasn't even that long. Someday this house would pass on to new owners, who might value the land more than the house, and it would be bulldozed and die. Someday in the very distant future, what would only be the blink of a second to the rest of the universe, the sun would burn out, and this planet would die. Eventually, the speck of mud once known as Earth would break apart, and all vestiges of humanity—art, and literature, and pictures of families—would be decomposed into their elements, and would be scattered throughout the stars in tiny bits and pieces. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. She had dealt with the fact that things die. And because it all dies, none of it really mattered.

Lena, still seated on her suitcase, sighed and opened the cherry wood door next to her. She flipped the light switch just inside the door and gasped. The room had twelve foot ceilings and a king size bed. The bed, however, was dwarfed by the size of the room; floor to ceiling windows were on either side of the bed. Continuing the symmetry, there was a door on both the left and right wall. It was done up in a green color palette; the ceiling molding consisted of an elaborate vine design.

She dragged in her suitcases and closed the door.

"Good God, I hope this one doesn't die on me."

She took a running leap onto the bed. Upon hitting the silk sheets, she wondered what her uncle or grandfather or whoever had done to get so filthy stinking rich. She inhaled the clean smell of her bed, and momentarily she felt...

It was like a hotel room. It was like traveling. It was so clean, organized, and sterile. No one lived in this room. There were no personal knick-knacks, no family photos, no heirlooms, and no personal touches. The closet would be empty, awaiting her suitcase...

The closet. Lena got off the bed and approached the door on the left. She took a deep breath, hoping Howard wouldn't spoil her dream by having used it as spare storage, and opened it.

"Oh my...I have my own bathroom. This really is a hotel..."

The bathroom was also done in green, with silver tone fixtures. There was a shower, a tub, and enough counter space that it could have been used as a surgical table. There were towels folded neatly and laid out next to the sink, with a fresh bar of soap placed on top like a ribbon.

Lena ran to her suitcase. Moments later and she was arranging mini shampoos, conditioners, and lotions from the last hotel in the shower. It completed the picture nicely. Lena nodded her satisfaction and headed for the door at the other side of the room.

Her closet was ideal as well; it was completely empty, and while Lena was sure that it had gone used for some time, it still had the potpourri smell that some hotels used to hide a well-trafficked spot. She dragged the suitcases in, pushed her father's to the back, and opened hers up so that everything was within easy reach. It was all perfect. She used to sleep in the same hotel room with her dad, each with their own queen size bed, but it wasn't that big of a stretch to imagine they were on a luxury vacation together. She toyed with the idea of imagining him in the next room, or just across the hall...

No. It wasn't a luxury vacation, and he wasn't here anymore. There was only one bed, and it was for her. Things were transient in life, just as she and he had been, and this wasn't another hotel room. It had been their lifestyle, and now this was her lifestyle, and he hadn't liked thinking about the past.

A digital clock on the nightstand showed that it was 9:13 p.m. Lena took a shower, picked her pajamas out of her luggage, and dressed quickly. As she slipped between the sheets, she stared around the room with a strange sense of gratitude. This place, Waldgrave, didn't feel like a home at all. It was empty, quiet, and bland; her grandmother's house had been filled with overly colorful furniture with worn-in smells of home cooking, carpet with tracked in dirt stains, and throw pillows with things like "Home Is Where the Heart Is" embroidered on them. Lena had felt out of place in the emotional memories of that place, but at Waldgrave she felt like she belonged. She was in a place of impersonal emptiness.

She reached over and clicked off her bedside lamp, listening as the noise echoed in the large space around her, and went to bed.

*****

Chapter 2

As forewarned, the knock on her door came at precisely 10:00 a.m. Lena had set her alarm for eight so that she would have time to unpack her suitcase into the closet, shower (Lena was fond of showering; when traveling, you never knew when your next one would be), dry her hair, and dress. She wasn't sure what to wear at first, so she decided to wear her black corduroys and a white blouse—nice, but not formal. She hurried to the bathroom and quickly checked her appearance; she ran a hand through her straight dark hair, which always seemed to hang limp, and then hurried back out to answer the knock.

She opened her door to find a woman, perhaps in her late fifties, short and thin with sandy white hair, wearing a dark blue conservative dress. Her pale green eyes widened a little at the sight of Lena, already awake and ready for the day.

"Well, it's clear you get that from your mother's side."

"What?" Lena looked down, examining her clothing for anything out of place.

"Howard Collins couldn't get himself out of bed to flee a burning house. Dear Lord, when Masters Aaron and Howard were your age, they'd be in their bed clothes morning to night if I let them."

Lena smiled nervously. "My dad and I traveled a lot. Planes don't wait for late risers."

"I see." The woman smiled politely, her thin lips pursing into a crease reminiscent of the crow's feet around her eyes.

"I'm sorry...who are you?"

The small woman straightened up. "I am Mrs. Ralston. I've been taking care of your father's side for thirty-five years. I believe I'm to guide you down to breakfast this morning? If you're ready?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course. Let's go."

Lena stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. She followed Mrs. Ralston back to the library, down the stairs, through the living room and kitchen, and into the dining room. Howard was already seated at the far end of a table meant for twenty. To his right, there was a place set for Lena.

"Well, there you are. I've got to get to the housework." Mrs. Ralston excused herself from the room as Lena wandered toward her place at the table.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Lena."

She lifted the cover from her plate to reveal eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, and orange slices. They ate quietly for fifteen minutes.

"Uncle Howard?"

"Hmm."

"I'm sorry about last night. I was really rude, and I'm sorry." Lena let her eyes slide up to look at Howard from beneath her brow, but he was entirely engrossed in his food. He didn't seem too concerned with her prior impoliteness.

"Well, yes. You're grieving, and it's to be expected. By the way, this is for you. My number's in it, if you need to contact me while I'm working." He slid a rather modern looking cell phone across the table at her, which she caught and picked up for inspection. Howard rose and began making his way to a door different from the one Lena had entered through. She reflected, yet again, on how hotel-like the house was; it was too big to be a dwelling for so few people.

"Uncle Howard?" Lena chimed in, sensing that the air had been cleared between them.

"Yes?" He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"What do you do for a living?" Lena picked up the cell phone and flipped it open, examining it. She had never had one before, but presumed it was a newer design. It was shiny, small, and had a color screen. The buttons were tiny compared to the ones on hotel room phones.

"I told you already. I work here." Howard glanced back at her, but then diverted his gaze toward the floor.

"Yeah...but doing what?" Lena tried to keep her tone innocently curious.

Howard paused for a moment. "I manage the family inheritance."

"Oh. Okay."

Howard started for the door again.

"Uncle Howard? What did your dad do for a living?" Lena slipped the cell phone into her pocket.

This time Howard didn't turn around. He paused at the door only long enough to answer her question. "The same thing I do."

Left alone in the dining room, Lena finished her breakfast pondering how the Collins must have come to be so rich. Investing, maybe? Property development? Black market drug smuggling? She remembered a man in South America who had explained the drug trade to her once, and it was supposed to be very profitable, if somewhat illegal. Once finished with her meal, Lena sat for a moment, unsure of what to do.

"Well, I guess he did tell me that I'm welcome to look around," she murmured to herself. She stood and went back to the kitchen.

It was eerie how quiet the house was; there weren't even any old-fashioned ticking clocks to disturb the silence. The main floor of the house was composed of the kitchen, living room, dining room, entrance hall, some sort of large room that looked like it had been designed for guest entertainment, and the small side entrance she'd come through the night before.

Up the stairs and into the library, she inspected the room as she hadn't had the chance the night before. Most of the books were old, which didn't surprise her; Howard didn't seem the type who read a lot. The shelves seemed somewhat sparsely populated, and most of the volumes kept there were dusty. There were a few objects that she recognized as being from other countries, and others she didn't, but also suspected of being of foreign origin. There was a delicately painted boomerang, a blue glass evil eye, a hand carved totem pole, an onyx Egyptian cat, and several other items that she did or did not recognize, but seemed to be small souvenirs of worldly travel.

Lena sighed and moved out into the hall, looking at the many identical doors which lined the corridor. Deciding she needed a method, she walked to the far left of the hall, where her room was located, and determined to discover each new room successively while moving back the other way. But when she reached her own bedroom door, she noticed something that she hadn't the night before. There was a patch of slightly darker paint, just there, to the left of the door. It was rectangular. Lena blinked her eyes a few times to be sure it wasn't a trick of the light, but no, it was still there...

She turned around and looked at the wall across the way. It had two rectangular patches, and something else—nail holes, positioned at the exact top and middle of each patch. Walking down the hall, she found several more dark spots on the walls. She laid her hand against the cold, oddly bi-colored plaster of the wall as her brow furrowed.

Lena finally realized what was happening. Someone had recently removed a great deal of framed art from this hall. For cleaning, or some other reason? She distantly noted that she would have to ask Uncle Howard at lunch.

Going back to her starting point, she opened the door across from hers. Another bedroom, done in blue. The next door: bedroom, red. And the next: bedroom, white. She passed two more bedrooms (purple and yellow), and found herself back at the library door. She stared down at the two remaining doors and thought to herself: Let me guess, more bedrooms?

She was wrong.

The first door on the other half of the hall opened into yet another hallway. The walls were painted a black or very dark blue, and the only other door lay at the other end.

Now what could this be...

She started walking toward the other door, pausing halfway down the hall as a sudden fit of vertigo caught her. She leaned against the wall, staring down at the darkness, where she was sure the floor existed even if she couldn't see it; momentarily she fancied herself about to fall down a rabbit hole as Alice had done, but then dismissed the thought as childish. Grabbing the handle of the far door, she took a deep breath and opened it.

The space beyond was astounding. It appeared to be some sort of greenhouse, built off the back of the house. It was two stories tall, and made entirely of glass, and round—it only touched the main house at the door Lena entered through. There were plants of all sorts, but most of them were dead. Leaves of all shapes and sizes littered both the first and second story paths. Dead vines climbed the glass walls, as if they'd been seeking escape. A raised, wrought-iron path curved along the walls of the greenhouse, meeting at the far side of the circular space, where a spiral staircase led down to the ground level. Leaning over the rail, Lena could see statues of various forms poised throughout the dead garden; rabbits of quartz, frogs in jade, a dog in some sort of speckled black and white stone...

And in the very middle, there was a large, round pond. Bright orange fish swam about in it, watched over by a strikingly realistic carving of a young man. He had on workman's jeans, a tired old blue shirt, and had rather ruffled looking hair. Lena began to walk the suspended second story path toward the stairs to get a better look, wondering how a statue could be so perfectly carved to match life. She looked back and suddenly saw the statue was watching her. She inhaled sharply and stopped, wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry," said the stranger, smiling, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Lena gathered herself quickly as she felt his eyes on her. "Well, you did."

His demeanor seemed to change, and the amusement in his eyes went icy at her tone. "Maybe you shouldn't go wandering where you're not supposed to, then." He smirked and picked up a pond net that was lying behind some bushes.

"I live here. I can go anywhere I want to. You, on the other hand, appear to be hired help." Challenged by his reprimand, Lena crossed her arms; still stationed on the second level, she tried to look condescending. She immediately regretted this choice.

He stopped and turned to face her, letting the net clatter onto the stone paving around the pond. His face contorted into rage; although she couldn't tell when he was well collected, it was clear to Lena now that he was no more than a few years older than she was.

"What did you say?" If his eyes had glowed red, Lena couldn't have been more afraid.

"I...I..." She started to back away.

"No. Say it again," he said, sneering. He started for the stairs.

Lena turned and ran; back through the narrow passage, down the hall, and standing before her bedroom door, she paused and looked back.

Everything was quiet; for a moment, she wondered if it had been her imagination. Then, to her great horror, she saw the greenhouse door creep open as a face topped with brown, ruffled hair peered out.

Yelping, she ran into her room and locked the door behind her. She backed away, still scared witless, as she heard footsteps coming down the hall. She saw a shadow stop in front of her door, and thought she heard soft chuckling as the shadow moved away and the footsteps retreated. Lena swallowed hard.

She looked over at the clock and decided it might be a better choice to stay in her room until it was time for lunch. She got the book out of her carryon bag and started to read it, even though she had already read it four times before and there was a perfectly charming library less than fifty feet away. Two hours rolled by before a loud knock came at her door. Still scared, Lena was afraid to answer it.

"Who is it?" she called.

"It's Mrs. Ralston, dear, who did you think it would be!" Mrs. Ralston sounded very annoyed.

Opening the door, Lena saw Mrs. Ralston's face, puckered as though there were a sour taste in her mouth. "May I ask what you've been doing up here? Master Collins has been waiting for you to join him at lunch for nearly thirty minutes!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ralston!" Lena wanted to hug the woman for coming to find her, but thought this would be viewed as highly inappropriate, and settled for a good apology.

As they started down the hall together, Lena tried to explain herself.

"It was that boy—the one who does the yard work!"

"Yes, and what's he to do with your absence?"

"He scared the crap out of me!" Mrs. Ralston shot Lena a look of shear poison. "I—sorry. He really got me going though. We had a little fight in the greenhouse, and he chased me up to my room, and I swear I thought he was going to hurt me!"

"Well, David's no threat to anybody. I understand he can be a little intense at times, but really, that's all." They started down the library stairs. "He's a strange boy. He keeps to himself more than any other child I've ever known, and doesn't like to be interfered with."

"Mrs. Ralston..."

Mrs. Ralston stopped at the bottom of the stairs and faced the girl very frankly. Seeing that Lena was genuinely upset, she made the decision to intervene.

"David comes to this house from a troubled past, Lena. He won't discuss what his circumstances were before he arrived here, but suffice it to say that he has no decent family and something has happened to make him distrust the world. Leave him be and you'll both be the better for it." Seeing that this explanation did little to mollify Lena's concerns, Mrs. Ralston sighed, and then added, "I'll have a word with him, if it will make you feel better."

"Thank you," Lena said quietly.

Mrs. Ralston walked her to the dining room, where Uncle Howard sat impatiently crutching his head on one hand.

"Well?" He said, looking at Lena.

Blushing, Lena opened her mouth to speak, but Mrs. Ralston got to it first.

"Children at play, I'm afraid. We've already had our little chat, so you can go right to lunch."

Lena sat down.

"You know, you didn't have to wait for me," she said with a wry smile.

"In this house, Lena, disrespect is not tolerated. Even in response to another's disrespect," Howard responded flatly.

"I'm sorry."

"Well, try not to do it again. I'm happy to hear you've met our David; what did you think of him?" Howard smiled and started into his lunch.

"Uh...He's great."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. We got along just great..." Despite their earlier confrontation, Lena saw no reason to get him in trouble with both Ralston and Uncle Howard; she had been, after all, the one who had picked the fight. Really. "He's your adopted son, or something?"

Howard stopped with his knife and fork poised over his plate, like a musician awaiting the instruction of a conductor. "No...he's more like a foster child."

"One that works for you?" Lena asked curiously. She hadn't meant to do anything but make conversation, but the look on Howard's face seemed to make her think she had accused him of something.

Howard looked stumped, but then his eyes lit up. "He's not exactly a foster child either, no. We—Rosaleen and I—met him through some friends of friends, and found that he needed a home and some money to start out on his own when he was old enough. We took him in out of charity. It isn't a formal situation at all...he only pitches in like the rest of us. David keeps the grounds, Rosaleen keeps the house, and I—"

"Manage the family inheritance." Lena's voice echoed Howard's as he spoke.

"—exactly." Howard smiled good-naturedly. "I suspect that we'll need to find some ways for you to pitch in now, too."

Lena tried not to let the sarcasm she felt sneak into her voice. "Great."

Howard bowed over his food again. Lena watched him stare directly down at his plate, purposefully avoiding her gaze, and wondered if he was just as put off by his sudden circumstances as she was by hers. He had lived almost alone until she came along; he had eaten alone until today. It couldn't be an easy adjustment for him, either.

"Uncle Howard?"

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to ask you something about the upstairs hall..."

"Mmmhmm. Which one?"

"Oh—the second floor hall." Lena had almost forgotten the expanse of the house.

"Okay."

"Well, I noticed that there used to be some pictures or something hanging on the walls, and now—"

"They've been taken down to repaint. That's all. Redecorating. I didn't much like them there, anyway. They probably won't be returning." Howard cleared his throat, and clutched his silverware aggressively.

"Oh. Okay. What color is it going to be next?"

"Sorry?"

"You said you were repainting the hall..." Lena's voice trailed off.

"Oh...uh, same color. Same color as now." Howard was beyond annoyed with her; he was afraid.

"Okay..." Lena eyed him suspiciously. Howard was beginning to sweat, and she was starting to question if all of his odd behavior could be explained by an upset in his routine.

"Well, that was a good lunch, now wasn't it?" His food was barely touched. He patted his napkin gingerly to his mouth, scratched his ear, and rose, almost bolting from the room. Once the kitchen door closed behind him, Lena rose, intending to silently follow him, but stopped when she heard voices in the kitchen.

"Rosaleen, send David out for paint. I need the second floor hall redone." Lena's eyes narrowed. She didn't like being lied to.

"And when did we decide this?" Rosaleen's voice was softly interrogative, like a mother questioning the poor decision of a child.

"Just now. If you could have him on it by tonight it'd be much appreciated." Howard sighed heavily; Lena pressed her ear hard against the door as Howard's voice lowered. "...avoid further questions."

"Well, certainly Master Collins..."

"Thank you." And she heard footsteps leaving toward the living room.

"Is something wrong? Howard?" Rosaleen still had the quiet lilt of superiority tingeing her voice.

The footsteps stopped. "No, not wrong. Not as expected, perhaps." And he walked away.

What was that supposed to mean? And why was he so upset about the pictures in the upstairs hall? Having lived a life of constant change, Lena was not familiar with the feeling of intrigue that was boiling up inside of her. It made her mind race and her hands shake to think that there was something in this house that her uncle didn't want her to know; he had a secret worth keeping, even from a nobody like his niece. A complex interpersonal relationship—one very much unlike the open and honest relationship she'd had with her father.

It was the kind of thing that Lena had only read about in novels.

She waited a moment before entering the kitchen, intent on finding out before the curiosity killed her. She feigned surprise. "Mrs. Ralston, I didn't know you were in here."

Mrs. Ralston didn't seem impressed by Lena's acting as she glanced up from the small pile of burlap brown potatoes that she was peeling. "Well, yes, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the home, dear."

"Not with you around, ma'am." Lena said with a charming smile. "Everything just seems to fall in line."

Ralston raised her eyebrows at the attempted brown nosing. She'd seen the trick before.

Lena went on. "So, Uncle Howard and I were just talking about how he's been planning for a while to repaint the upstairs hall."

"The second floor?" Mrs. Ralston replied ordinarily. "Well, yes, I suppose he's been talking about that for a few days now..."

Lena waited until Mrs. Ralston seemed to have her attention back on the potatoes before she struck. "Yeah, and...Well, let me just ask you, what do you think of his color selection? I mean, honestly, I was a little surprised."

Mrs. Ralston's mouth fell slightly open, and she looked up at Lena, seeming to realize what had just happened. She turned away and didn't speak for a minute. When she turned back, she looked completely calm. "Well, I think the Master has fine taste in decoration."

Sidling up next to her, Lena whispered, "Mrs. Ralston, what color is Uncle Howard painting the second floor hall?"

Ralston turned away again, pretending to wipe up a spot on the counter. The slight blush that had graced her face before had left, leaving her cheeks very pale.

"I'm sure it's not my place to say." They locked eyes for a moment, and then Mrs. Ralston swept out of the room. Lena stood, shocked. Mrs. Ralston had just admitted, in her own prim way, that she was lying for Howard. Lena turned and tried to follow her, but she was already halfway up the stairs and moving at a fast pace.

"Mrs. Ralston!"

Up into the library, into the hall, to the right...

"Mrs. Ralston, wait! Please!"

Lena turned the corner into the second story hall just in time to see the hem of Mrs. Ralston's dress disappear beyond the last door at the right end of the hall.

She dashed after her, following Mrs. Ralston right into a room that seemed to be some sort of study. The odd thing was that upon entering the room, Lena saw a desk, a sitting area, some small bookcases, a mini bar...but no Mrs. Ralston. And no stairs, and no other doors. This room, which Lena had just distinctly watched Mrs. Ralston enter, held no Mrs. Ralston. She walked the perimeter of the room several times, attempting to ascertain where the aged woman had disappeared to, but found no suspicious seams in the walls or secret doors. There was a light buzzing in her head, like she had very suddenly come down with altitude sickness; it probably had to do with the fact that she hadn't eaten much at lunch.

Determined not to be outwitted, Lena grabbed one of the books from a nearby bookcase, sat at the desk, and waited. Mrs. Ralston had to come back at some point...

Five hours and two hundred and fifty-three pages later, there was a knock at the door. Lena looked over the top of her book, Moby Dick, at Mrs. Ralston as she entered the room.

"I thought I'd find you in here," Mrs. Ralston said high-handedly.

Lena sat up straighter in her seat. "How did you—"

"It's a big house, dear. And trust me, as far as houses go, those who clean them know them best." She smiled coyly.

Lena sighed and threw her book onto the desk, where it landed with a noisy clap. "Well, what is it?"

"Dinner is at seven. The Master asked me to remind you after the mishap earlier." Mrs. Ralston smiled again, this time wider.

"Thank you," Lena said in a defeated tone, her eyes wandering the room once more, searching for the secret escape hatch.

"It's been my pleasure." Mrs. Ralston started to leave, but then poked her head back into the room. "And dear, dinner at Waldgrave is a formal affair. I trust you have something to wear?" Mrs. Ralston raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, I'll find something." Lena had only one formal dress; because she had moved around so much, and no one but her father had ever seen her more than once in a formal situation, it had been all that she had required. It was a black dress that was supposed to be ankle-length, but she had outgrown it by three inches since she had bought it; she vaguely reflected that she had worn it to two funerals in the last month. It would have to do for tonight.

"Remember dear, seven o'clock." Mrs. Ralston turned and exited the room.

Lena made a face once the old woman had turned away. Seeing no reason to stay, she picked up Moby Dick, put it back on the self, and went out into the hall. It was half blue, half white now, and Lena crinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of the heavy paint fumes.

And standing halfway down the hall was the last person she wanted to see.

"Hey, princess!"

Lena turned and went back into the study. She closed the door, but to her dismay, found there was no lock. She sat with her back to the door, hoping to brace herself if David tried to come in. But he didn't. Standing outside the door, he started talking in an unexpectedly civilized manner.

"Look princess, Mrs. Ralston told me I gave you quite a scare earlier. You said some things you shouldn't have, and I forgive you."

In all her life, Lena had never met a hotel worker as impertinent as this one. He was talking to her as though she was in the wrong, and not him. His livelihood came right out of Uncle Howard's pocket, and Lena was now financially tied to Howard, so really he was her servant, too. She had never actually yelled at a maid or concierge in her life, but figured that now was as good a time as any to start. She mustered her anger, stood, and opened the door. "What do you mean, you forgive me?! Right now, I should be forgiving you! You ass!" She slammed the door shut and sat down to brace herself again.

"Well. You are a fiery one." David paused, but didn't seem upset. He chose his words carefully, like scouts sent to figure out the best path to an amicable relationship. "If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry you're upset about me. You've got a pretty face, and you shouldn't waste good looks acting like that."

Lena stood and opened the door again, intending to tell him off for his insolence, but quickly found she had nothing to say. So she just stood there, mouth wide open, feeling stupid. He was taller than she remembered. Taller than she was, anyway. With brown eyes.

"Girls are easy. Give out a compliment, and they shut up." He headed back to where he was painting, shaking his head and smirking slightly.

"Excuse me!" Lena called, hoping she would think of an insult at some point in the next few milliseconds. David turned and looked at her, still slightly bemused. "I...need to get dressed for dinner." Deep down, she was kicking herself.

"Yes. You do." He smiled and turned back to his work, dipping his paint roller back into the well of the tray and then squeezing out the excess. It made a sticky noise, like the smacking of gum on teeth, with every pass over the traction bumps on the tilted tray ramp; it disgusted David on a much deeper level than it should have.

Lena walked down the hall, quickening her pace after she passed him—David's temper had momentarily cooled towards her, but her mind had painted an unsettling image of him as a coiled snake. Charming, tranquil, and sleek one moment; fangs, rattling, and venomous pain the next.

Once she had her door open, she took a deep breath to steady herself before turning to look back at him, refusing to live in fear. She shouted, "Hired help!" and watched David turn beet red before closing the door and locking it.

It was an hour and thirty minutes until dinner started, and she wished she would have brought Moby Dick with her. Instead, she walked into the closet and shuffled through the clothes in the closet.

She sighed as she thought about her stunted collection of attire. In all, she had only five day outfits, and that wouldn't be enough now that she would be seeing the same people over and over again. She would have to ask Howard about money for shopping, a thing she truly hated to do, as she was already here on his charity.

But then, he is my legal guardian now, and is responsible for keeping me... Besides, it's not like he's a poor man...

It helped, but Lena still didn't want to have to ask.

As she searched for the black dress, she became puzzled.

I know I hung it up here this morning...right at the end of the line, just like always...

But it wasn't there.

How strange.

She went to her suitcase, which she had pushed up next to her father's, and opened it. There was the dress, the lone article left at the bottom, in a heap.

I know I didn't leave it like that...

But as she lifted it out, she saw that it wasn't alone in the suitcase—there, underneath her old black dress, was a brightly colored something she had never seen before.

It was a red dress, with glass beads done into the elaborate embroidery around the waistline. Entranced, Lena took it from her suitcase and out into the last of the daylight streaming through the gossamer drapes of the floor-to-ceiling windows that framed either side of her bed. The beads, no larger than pecks of birdseed, twinkled like stars and dispersed tiny bits of sunset light onto the walls and high onto the ceiling. The effect of the little pinpoints of red and orange on the dimming green walls was spectacular—like thousands of fireflies zooming around the room. It was dazzling.

They don't make dresses like this anymore... Lena thought, examining the hand-sewn details that traced delicate swirls around the fabric. I wonder who left it here? But for the moment she didn't care about anything except trying on her exquisite find.

She ran to the full length mirror in the bathroom to see how she looked, and at once felt ashamed that she didn't wear makeup. The dress was made for someone with a body and face to match, someone who wasn't her, someone who must have been much, much prettier than she was. Her hair had no volume, and her skin was too pale. It was embarrassing, to say the least—she was being outshined by a piece of cloth. She'd never owned anything as nice or as expensive as this dress, and she was beginning to see why.

People like me don't wear things like this.

It was too elegant and affluent and...good...for her. She liked the old dress, the one she traveled with, that her father had bought for her.

Lena was almost brought to tears. It hadn't been Mrs. Ralston, because she had questioned whether Lena had anything to wear at all, so it must have been Uncle Howard. And now she would have to wear it, looking like a boar in a ball gown, or risk insulting the only relative she had left.

She put her hair up as fancy as she knew how, but it didn't help. As she was washing her face with cold water, trying to ebb the tears that were drawing closer, a knock came at the door.

To her horror, it wasn't Mrs. Ralston.

"Whoa...princess..." David smelled of having showered, and had put on a clean shirt and worn-looking slacks.

"What do you want?" Now she really was crying.

"Howard wanted me to escort you to dinner, and may I say, you look...wow."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Her lip trembled. "I'm not hungry, so just go and tell Howard he'll have to eat without me tonight."

"Why are you crying? Are you sick?" There was a real concern in his voice as she turned and started to walk back into her room, not even caring enough to close the door in his face again.

"I'd like to continue this conversation, but I'm pretty sure it would be improper of me to follow you in there, princess..."

Lena sighed in exasperation. "You're such a jerk, you know that?"

He took two steps into the room, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her out into the hall, closing the door behind her.

"I'm not going to dinner," she said flatly.

"You are, and we're going to have a talk first." He pulled her down the hall and into the library. Forcing her into a chair, he stood across from her and took a deep breath, shaking his head.

"You're the only girl I know who couldn't enjoy living in a place like this."

"Really, and I suppose you consider yourself a field expert on women?"

He looked up at her, mock surprise on his face. "Of course I am."

She couldn't help herself, and smiled.

"See, now that's better." He grabbed the box of tissues sitting on the table next to him and thrust them at her. "Now, clean yourself up and tell me what this is about."

She mopped her face. "It's the dress."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. That's the problem. Someone like me shouldn't wear something like this."

"But you look stunning."

"No, David." She stood up in frustration and started pacing the room. "This dress looks stunning. I look horrible."

"Well, you do now, but like I said, that's more about your behavior than anything else."

Lena glared at him. There were footsteps on the stairs, and Mrs. Ralston's head bobbed into view.

"My goodness, what's going on in here..." her eyes were as large as the dinner plates she had just laid out. "Lena? David, what's going on here?"

*****

CHAPTER 3

"It's nothing. Nothing." Lena wiped her eyes one last time, blew her nose, and tossed the tissue into a wastebasket.

"Lena! What just happened here?" Mrs. Ralston's voice was becoming frantic as she eyed David suspiciously.

"I was...upset. About my dad, and stuff, and David suggested I take a moment to let it all out before dinner..."

"Don't lie to me, young woman," Mrs. Ralston was hysterical. She was almost shaking.

"Mrs. Ralston, nothing happened!" Lena pleaded insistently, struck by the irony that earlier in the day, she had hardly been able to convince Mrs. Ralston that David was a threat. Now, she was hardly able to convince her of his innocence.

Lena threw up her hands. "Besides, I wouldn't be the only one here lying, would I?" She was done crying. Something had snapped in her, and she decided she was done with all the lies that had sprouted up in the last twenty-four hours. She grabbed David's arm and started for the stairs, Mrs. Ralston running ahead of them, as though she'd just seen a ghost.

Lena walked down the stairs with her head held high. Her cheeks and eyes were still rosy from her tears, but she was more angry now than hurt, and really didn't care. Lena didn't know what she expected to find in the dining room, but it certainly wasn't what she found.

Uncle Howard, dressed in a not too formal suit, was standing at the end of the table; a terrified Mrs. Ralston was clinging to his right arm, partially hidden behind him. Lena was taken aback by the struck expressions on their faces, but decided she would remain in control and pretend that nothing had happened.

"Well, thank you for the dress, Uncle Howard. As you can see, it fits very well, though it might need some tailoring around the hem. It's just a little too long." David escorted her to her seat before maneuvering around the table to his own spot. There were four places set out, and Lena assumed David and Mrs. Ralston must normally eat dinner with Uncle Howard. The two adults exchanged looks.

"That dress..." Howard seemed to be in shock.

"I presume it was you who left it for me?"

Howard paused for a moment, studying Lena. "Yes. Glad it fits. It looks beautiful on you." He shook Mrs. Ralston from his arm and sat down, motioning for her to do the same.

"I see you changed your mind on the color of the hall." Lena pushed some food around on her plate.

"Yes. I did. At Mrs. Ralston's urging, actually."

Lena looked up. Howard was looking quite exacerbated. For all the calmness of his voice, his eyes held the fear of a doe in the headlights.

"Well, I must say, David's doing an excellent job. That hall looks much better in green."

"Thought it would."

Lena put her fork gently down on the plate, folded her hands on the table, and looked calmly over at her uncle. Mrs. Ralston hadn't touched her food yet, and didn't look like she was going to any time soon.

"But Uncle Howard, the hall's going to be blue now."

Howard didn't look up from his plate; Lena watched him as he slowly closed his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly.

"Lena, no more talking for now. You told me that you didn't want to be treated like a child, and I will apologize for having done so. Meet me in the second floor study after dinner. We will discuss your questions then."

Lena felt a little pang of triumph in her chest—she wasn't sure why she felt so victorious about knowing what color the hall was going to be, but she liked that she was more in charge than Howard at the moment. The rest of the meal went on in silence, though Uncle Howard and Mrs. Ralston kept shooting each other uncomfortable looks. Once they had finished eating, there was an uneasy peace as everyone sat motionless.

It was Howard who rose first, followed swiftly by Mrs. Ralston. Lena was about to stand as well, when Howard stopped her.

"If you'll allow me just five minutes before you come up, Lena?"

"Okay...five minutes." There weren't any clocks in the dining hall, and she wished she hadn't removed her watch before coming down, but the aqua blue plastic hadn't matched her red dress very well. As she watched Howard and Ralston walk out, she turned on David.

"Do you have a watch?"

"Not with me. Howard considers it rude to bring timepieces into the dining hall."

"What do you know about what's going on around here?"

"What's going on...what do you mean?" David had said the words, but didn't look confused at all.

"There used to be pictures or paintings or something in the hall outside my room. What was on them?" Lena pressed.

"How am I supposed to know?" He taunted.

"David, don't be like them..."

"I'm just the hired help," he smirked, "I don't usually get to come in the house." He leaned back in his chair and watched her become more and more flustered.

"Screw you," Lena hissed.

She got up and made her way back to her room. She changed out of the new dress and hung it carefully with the rest of her clothes, put on her pajamas, and walked down the hall to the study.

She had expected to be confronted by both Master and Housekeeper, but found Mrs. Ralston to be absent.

"Lena, please sit down." Howard had a drink in his hand which looked suspiciously alcoholic. As Lena took a seat in an old, cracked, brown leather chair, she watched her uncle shift positions nervously, one hand itching toward his ear. It had grown completely dark outside, and the only light illuminating Howard's face came from a desk lamp. He was the younger brother of Aaron Collins, which made him only thirty-five, but just now he looked much older.

"I'm going to be as honest with you as I can, Lena. You're going to have to accept that there are things going on in this household that don't concern children. Stay out of them." While he talked, he avoided her eyes, staring always at his drink or into the dark corners of the room.

"But I live here now, and I'm not a child. I think I have a right to know," Lena said, unshaken in her resolve.

Howard sat quietly, thinking over his response.

"You do have the right to know some things, and I'll have to beg your pardon for some of the things I feel you have the right to know. Your father apparently didn't want you to know some of the things I'm about to say. He wasn't entirely as honest as he led you to believe." This time, Howard looked her directly in the eye.

Lena sat in outraged silence. This man, who she had never met before in her life, dared to tell her he knew more about her father than she did?

"I'm not the Master of this house. I'm not even in line to inherit it. I'm a caretaker, like Mrs. Ralston. We look after it together; I hired on David to do the yard work because there's already too much to do in here. We keep it safe, along with everything in it."

"Then whose house is it?"

"It belonged to...your mother. Your mother's side of the family."

"And the paintings?"

"Only some were paintings. Most of them were family portraits. Your father didn't want you to have anything to do with your mother's side of the family. He was a good man, and I really thought it would be best to honor his wishes...at least for a while."

Lena closed her eyes and shook her head. "Then who was I living with last month? That was my mother's mother."

"Didn't you find it odd that she didn't have any pictures of her as a girl?" Howard asked, suddenly unimpressed with Lena's powers of deduction after her rather impressive display concerning the paint color of the second floor hall.

"She said there was a house fire."

"That woman was my mother, Lena. Your father's mother."

Lena shook her head more firmly. "No. My dad's parents are dead. Everyone on his side was dead except for you."

"Until last month, your paternal grandmother wasn't. We made it up, because we thought the truth about your mother's side would be too much of a shock. Aaron—your father—insisted that making up a fake family for your mother's side was the lesser evil, and it kept you from asking questions. They're bad people, Lena. Not your mother for the most part, but everyone else..." He shook his head.

Lena paused, trying to objectively consider what Howard had said, but she couldn't imagine her father would have been so conniving. "You're a liar. He would have told me."

"Parent's aren't perfect, Lena. Grow up." Howard took another gulp from his drink.

It was as if he had slapped her. And he was lying. He had to be. There's no reason for any of this...

"You're the liar. Not him." She stood and walked out of the dim study and back to her room. Howard didn't try to stop her.

The next few days went by quickly. Lena had boycotted talking to both Mrs. Ralston and Uncle Howard, however little she got to see him. According to Mrs. Ralston he was sick, which Lena made known she didn't believe, and had stopped taking his meals in the dining hall. While David was no great friend of hers, he did help to pass the hours.

"So, when did you first come to Waldgrave?" Seeing no reason to continue eating in the dining hall without Howard, Lena had taken to eating wherever David was around the noon hour. Today he happened to be out clearing a section of land to the south of the house; in the spring, it would be planted as a new garden. Lena sat bundled in her coat, watching, as David turned up rocks and tossed them aside.

"I've been here since I was ten." David said with a husky voice, breathing deep as he thrust the spade of the shovel down into the dry grit.

"Your parents let you do that?"

"It was an odd situation with my parents. I was sent here for an education, of sorts."

"How's that?" She leaned back on her elbows, staring at the overcast sky above. The clouds here were thick and bulgy, like marshmallows melted together on top of a sweet potato casserole.

"Well, I guess you could say I've known the Master for a long time. My family's not nearly as well off as yours, and I was offered a good private education for earning my keep here. I stayed on after because...I like it here."

"An education? From Howard? You know he's not the real Master, don't you?" Lena snorted. The thought of staying on at the Waldgrave property because one liked it was ridiculous.

David eyed her suspiciously, as if trying to decide something. Then he sat down next to her, setting down the spade on the ground and wiping his palms on his jeans.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked cautiously.

"He told me. He said he's just a caretaker, or some bull like that." Lena sat back upright so that she could speak to him properly.

David was conflicted, but decided to let it go. "Well, Ralston is what I meant by the education part. She's trained in teaching. I suspect she'll take you as a pupil next, seeing as there aren't any public schools nearby. Let's break out lunch."

Lena pulled out the sandwiches she had stashed in her pockets and handed one to David. She watched him unwrap the plastic around the sandwich and take a bite. Looking down at her own meal, she sighed.

"Well, that won't do."

"I assure you, she's an excellent tutor." David said.

"I don't want to learn anything she has to teach."

Oddly, this phrase made David's eyes seem to glitter. He passed a glance back up at the house, as if to check that they weren't being watched. He leaned in closer, and started to whisper.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"I suppose." Lena grumbled, still focused on the prospect of being trapped in a room with Mrs. Ralston for hours on end, solving math problems and learning about the Great Depression.

"No, I mean, really...can you keep a secret? A big one?" He glanced back at the manor, and this time Lena followed his gaze. There was a silhouette in one of the fourth floor windows, watching her, trying to develop new lies to hide the truth...

"I can't believe he's spying on me. I hate my uncle. I mean, if that's really who he is."

"Lena!" David grabbed her firmly by her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.

"Yes, okay! I'll keep your stupid secret, since you're so desperate to tell me!" The wind blew slightly, throwing a few loose strands of her hair across her face. She shivered and looked out at the western horizon. Darker clouds were gathering; the weather said there was supposed to be snow by tomorrow morning. The landscape was so dry here, she welcomed the change.

David pushed her away, frustrated that she cared so little, causing Lena to lose her balance and topple over.

"Hey! Do you mind?!" She pushed herself up and started to brush the dirt off of her clothes and pull bits of dried grass out of her hair.

"Stupid girl."

He got up and started back to work. Lena decided they were done for the day and removed herself back to the house, shooting David unnoticed evil looks over her shoulder. Entering through the front door, she saw Howard starting up the staircase in the entrance hall and decided to break her silence.

"Finally out of your cave, I see? Think of anything else to insult my parents with?"

Howard stopped and looked back at Lena. His face was unshaven, his hair uncombed, and he looked to be losing weight. In short, it appeared he really had been sick, but Lena didn't relent.

"Lena, please, just try to..." His voice was weak.

"No. I'll try to understand when you're ready to tell me the truth."

"I came down an hour ago to try and find you, Lena. We need to talk."

"Oh, an hour ago, you say? I saw you in your office window, or whatever rooms you keep up there, just a few minutes ago. So no, I don't think we need to talk just yet."

Howard went very pale; he hurried up the stairs and out of sight. Then something occurred to Lena... She went into the dining room, and found Mrs. Ralston clearing away a place setting. The woman looked up at her, and her tone was scathing.

"He wished you would have joined him for lunch, but I told him..."

Lena rushed back out of the house.

If Howard just finished eating in the dining room, then who...?

She searched the upper windows, looking for the shadow she had previously suspected of being Howard, expecting to find a human-looking coat rack, or something, anything that could have misled her. But the shadow was gone...someone, a man, had been upstairs while Howard had dined below. The house was enormous, and it was far too big for Howard to have gotten from the top to the bottom, or vice versa, in such a short amount of time. Even with an elevator he couldn't have done it.

It was getting colder. Lena pulled her coat tighter around her body as a powerful gust of wind swept across the land, blowing dust, leaves, brambles, and other loose articles around the property. Two large hands landed on her shoulders and she gasped, spinning around quickly.

David looked like he had been expecting her. "I'm only going to ask you one more time. Yes or no?"

"Yes..."

"Good." His cold eyes seemed pleased. "Meet me out by the barn after dinner. You'll have to be sneaky, because if they catch you, we'll both be in more trouble than you can possibly understand. Okay?"

Lena stared into his eyes...David was the last person at Waldgrave she would have suspected of keeping a secret of this magnitude. It scared her. He scared her. But she needed to know what was happening here, and why there were so many lies.

"Lena?!" David squeezed her shoulders hard and she let out a yelp of pain.

"Okay! After dinner! I won't get caught!"

He let her go and stalked away. Lena turned and ran back into the house...her right shoulder still stung a little, but she was determined to know now. There was a fifth resident at Waldgrave, someone who never left the upper floors, and someone that Howard seemed to very specifically not want her to know about.

She had never bothered to actually explore the third floor, using the time instead to visibly sulk in front of Ralston, but decided to do so now. Lena knew of no staircases on the second floor that led up to the third (though doubtless they existed, as Ralston seemed to use them on occasion), so instead she started up the entrance hall staircase, which she had not used up to this point. She didn't know how, but it managed to skip the second floor altogether, going straight up to the third floor landing.

The third floor was nothing like either of the other floors she knew. The hallway, instead of running in a straight line through the house, ran in a square—there were rooms on the outside of the hall, but there was no door leading into the center island room that the hall wrapped around. As she had done in the study the day Mrs. Ralston had disappeared, she ran her hand along the inside wall, searching for any hidden seams, but again didn't find any. She pressed her ear up to the wall, but didn't hear anything. She knocked on it in a few locations, but couldn't discern any echoes or irregularities.

She looked at her watch. Two hours to dinner. There were at least eight doors on the outside of the hall that could be investigated.

Lena walked back to the stairs and started to the right. The first room was empty. And the second, and the third; she was getting worried. Was it possible that all of the rooms on the third floor held nothing, except the one in the middle that she could not enter?

What's going on here?

When she came to the fourth door, and found it locked, she was almost relieved. Her relief faded as she found doors five and six also empty, while seven and eight were also locked. No stairs to the fourth floor, and all of the rooms empty or locked. She felt oddly like Bluebeard's wife, her curiosity about to lead her to a horrible fate.

This is getting very creepy...

She went back to the first room, opened the door, and walked in. She paced it from side to side, looked at the ceiling, the hardwood floor... It was just a room. A big, empty room, lit only by the setting sun through one good sized window. Despite its appearances, Lena had a creeping feeling that somehow the Waldgrave house itself was also lying to her, because deep down she knew the room was not empty. And the center room, it had to have a door—but the house was hiding it from her. Perhaps it was playing some sort of cat-and-mouse game with her, and the mysterious door slid around the next corner every time she got too close. It was purposely deceiving her somehow, so she wouldn't find something. Goosebumps broke out on her arms. Her adventurous spirit abandoned her.

She walked back down to the entrance hall, went to the living room, climbed the staircase to the library, and went into her room. Still having an hour and a half until dinner, and exhausted from the effort it took to simply navigate the house, she laid down on her bed to think. There's a room behind that wall. A room without a door. Maybe it really didn't have a door. She puzzled out that if there were a staircase, a hidden one that led up into the mystery room, it would have to be located in either the purple or yellow bedroom, or the library. Her head was spinning. A room with no doors, a lying pair of guardians, missing family portraits, a shadowy guest she'd never met, and a yard boy who seemed to know what was going on...

Lena's eyes drooped shut. Her mind was busy, but her body was tired. It was some time later that the sound of a door clicking shut awakened her.

She looked around. Had it only been in her mind, or had she just heard someone attempting to quietly leave her bedroom as she slept? She raced to the bedroom door and threw it open, expecting to catch the culprit in the act of fleeing, but the hall was as empty as five of the eight third floor rooms. The smell of the fresh paint woke her up for good. Looking at her watch, she realized she had only fifteen minutes left until dinner started.

She went to her closet to hang her jacket up, which she was still wearing from earlier, and stood in amazement. Howard had left more clothes. A lot more clothes. There were day dresses, formal dresses, dresses for the snow, dresses in every color imaginable...

Lena had never liked dresses. She found herself liking them even less now that they composed ninety-eight percent of her wardrobe. She wondered if Howard knew it had become socially acceptable for women to wear pants in the last few decades.

Nevertheless, she was happy to find a heavy, full-length coat. She would need it later. She changed into a simpler blue dress and headed down to the dining room.

"Where's Howard?" She asked Mrs. Ralston, who set a plate down in front of her.

"The Master is...busy tonight."

"Okay. Sure." She sat quietly as Ralston set two more places and then sat down. Once David joined them, dinner began.

"Mrs. Ralston, will you deliver a message to my uncle for me?"

Ralston looked up. "Certainly, dear. What is it?"

"Well, I do appreciate the clothes he's been getting me, but could you ask him to stop with the dresses? I mean, I'm much more of a blouse-and-black pants kind of girl. And I prefer doing my own shopping." This wasn't true, but she was willing to say anything to make the dresses stop.

"He's been getting you dresses?"

"Yeah." Lena furrowed her brow; the way the new dresses had been hung suggested a modicum of care, and she had imagined Mrs. Ralston must have brought them up—somehow, it was hard to see Howard tending to such a task. "Where did you think I got this one?"

Mrs. Ralston looked at Lena's apparel for the first time that night, and actually dropped her fork. It made a loud clank against the table before disappearing to the floor; Ralston looked as terrified as she had the first night at dinner.

"You said the Master got that for you?" Her voice had become a high whisper.

"Yes. Left it in my closet, along with all the others..."

Mrs. Ralston went back to her food, now using her spoon, but didn't actually eat anything. After ten minutes of pushing things around on her plate, there came a buzzing noise.

"My goodness," Ralston stood up, "Who would come calling at this hour?" She started toward the door. David kicked Lena under the table. When Lena remained seated, he kicked her again, harder.

"Ow!"

Mrs. Ralston turned around, bewildered. Lena stood up, glaring at David, whose gaze was cast in the direction of the housekeeper.

"Wow! I'm tired. I think I'll be going to bed early tonight. If it's at all possible, I'd like to not be disturbed. For any reason. I get very scared when people wake me up when I'm tired." She hoped it didn't sound as stupid as she thought it did. Lena faked a yawn.

"Okay, dear, I'll be sure not to bother you..." Ralston eyed Lena for a moment before another loud buzz summoned her, once again, to the front door. The second she was out of the room, David grabbed Lena's arm and started pulling her toward the side entrance.

"Ow! Wait! I need to get my coat!"

"You can borrow mine."

"What if she comes back? Or goes up to check on me, or something?"

"Trust me," He looked out the side entrance door to be sure no one was outside watching, "She'll have her hands full with the guest, and she'll be more than happy that you're out of her hair for the night."

Lena tried to keep up with David as they walked down toward the old barn, but she kept tripping, and every time she did, he only squeezed her arm harder and walked faster. They finally reached the barn and David pushed her in before him.

On the inside, Lena looked around and had trouble believing the building was fashioned as a barn on the outside. It had been done up as a sort of one room make-do apartment. It was a large space, considering how little it held. There was a cot, a wood-burning stove, a chest, and a three-legged stool huddled in one corner.

"Is this where you live?"

David glared at her. "Go sit on the bed."

Lena stared as he climbed up a ladder into what must have been the hay loft, rummaged for a moment, then reappeared, climbing back down. He had what appeared to be a picture frame in his hands.

"I said sit!"

Lena hurried over and sat on the bed as David pulled the stool up in front of her and seated himself. Taking a deep breath, he began.

"How much do you know?"

"About what?"

"About...your mother's side?" David was suddenly very serious, and Lena wasn't having as much fun as she had thought she would. She had never snuck out of a house before, but knew from television that it was supposed to be fun.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, or what?"

"Just answer the question!" He was getting angry again.

"Okay, fine! Um...well, my mom died shortly after I was born and I've never seen any pictures. I thought I met my maternal grandmother, but it turned out she was a dirty rotten liar like my uncle, who says my mom's side sucked anyway. The end."

"Great. That's just great." He tapped the picture in his hand.

"Can I see—"

"Not yet. Do you ever have strange dreams, princess?"

"Would you please stop calling me that?"

David smiled wryly. "Sure. Right after you stop acting like one. Strange dreams?"

She stared at him. Didn't everybody, at some point or other? "Can I borrow your coat now?"

He opened the chest at the foot of the bed and threw a heavy winter coat at her. It smelled sweaty and dusty, but she put it on anyways.

"I used to." Lena shrugged, diverting her gaze around the barn. "But I talked about them with my dad, and he said they were just silly nightmares. He told me to forget them, and I guess I had, until now. I don't dream anymore."

"Tell me about them."

"I don't want to." She immediately flinched, expecting him to be angry, but when she looked over, he was smiling.

"Princess, they weren't just silly nightmares..."

He handed her the portrait he'd been holding. It was Lena, but it wasn't. This woman...she was older. Same face, same body...they even had the same hair color, and wore it in much the same fashion...

"You got your father's eyes, I'm told, but I don't have a picture of him to prove it."

She was wearing a red dress. It was the exact same one that Lena had worn to dinner just a few days ago. That's why it fit so well.

"Turn it over." David said in softer tone.

On the back of the frame, there was a short note written in a serpentine crawl of black ink: Princess Avalon Daray, September 3rd, 1987.

"Princess?" Lena mouthed the word, unable to speak.

"That's what he doesn't want you to know. You're royalty."

Lena stood up very quickly. She smiled and thrust the portrait back at David. He had a look in his eyes that was confusing; reverence mixed with his frustration of her ignorance.

"I'm sorry David, but you're crazy. I've got to go now."

He lightly touched her shoulder as she walked past him, and she felt...something. A warmth ran through her. She looked back.

"If you stay a little longer, and I'll tell you who the man in the attic is."

"Who are you?" She stepped back, but he made no effort to stop her leaving. He already had her, and he knew it. His eyes were as dark as ever, but there was a new interest in them. They were alive with a force of passion. Possibly even obsession. "David?"

"I'm here because your grandfather asked me to be. That's the man in the attic. Your mother's father." He sat down on the bed, and continued to talk.

"That's what I meant by coming here to get an education. Your grandfather, the true Master of Waldgrave, has taken me on as an apprentice. But you can't tell Howard. Howard is the enemy."

Lena and David stared at each other. Understandably, she was having some trouble taking him seriously.

"Well, if he's trying to teach you to be a crazy hermit, you're both doing a great job."

David stood up and took several quick steps toward her. He certainly knew how to intimidate. "It's an honored position, and I won't let you speak of him that way again." He'd gone serious again.

Lena sat down next to the wall and held her face in her hands. I don't know why I let him bring me here...

"You let me bring you here because you wanted to know. And now you do."

Lena looked up. "What?"

"We're a race of very ancient people, Lena. And we're dying off. Some, like Howard, prefer it that way."

"David—you're crazy!"

"If I'm crazy, then how do I know what you're thinking?"

Lucky guess.

"It wasn't. It isn't."

"Oh my God..."

"Let me teach you, Lena," He crouched down on the floor in front of her, pushing her hair out of her face and raising her chin so that she was looking at him. "You will learn these things, whether you are a willing student or not. You've been shown the truth, and it's only a matter of time before things start happening on their own. I suggest you take my offer...Master Daray won't be so kind as to give you the option."

What the hell does that mean? I don't believe this...

"Then ask your mother tomorrow at breakfast," he looked in the direction of Waldgrave, "Anyway, I suggest you find your way back before it gets too cold out."

There was a cramp growing in the middle of her stomach... her mother? At breakfast? Lena scrambled to her feet, dropped the odorous jacket, and ran out the door and away from David as quickly as she could. The pain in her abdomen grew with every step she took toward Waldgrave; icy tears were streaming down her face and sweat collected on her brow. Ten feet from the front door Lena collapsed in a heap, only to be discovered the next morning covered in a light dusting of snow and running a high fever.

*****

CHAPTER 4

"Out here! Out here! Howard, quickly!" Ava Daray had returned to her father's house. The past eighteen years of her life had not met anyone's expectations. "Howard!"

Howard took the stairs at a run as he raced to the front door. Rosaleen had raised the alarm early that morning, before Howard had risen, and his bathrobe trailed behind him like a powder blue cape. "Well how the hell did she get out here?! Rosaleen, call a doctor!"

"No! No doctors..." Ava knelt and held a hand to her daughter's forehead. "She's got a fever. We need to get her inside, but I don't think the weather's done her any harm." She looked around at the snow that had fallen over night, and then smiled into Howard's frowning face.

Howard picked up Lena and carried her up to her bedroom. Her mother sat with her for several hours, watching her beautiful child up close for the first time in more than ten years. She stroked her hair and knew that the coming days were going to be difficult for both of them. Around lunch time, David came looking for her.

Ava didn't move her eyes from her daughter's face as the door opened, closed, and footsteps slowly approached her side.

"What did you tell her?"

Only silence met her question, and Ava turned to face David.

"What in God's name did you tell her?!" She said in a deadly hiss.

"Only the truth." David sat down on the foot of the bed.

"Did she ask you to—"

"No. That's why I told her. Your father needed to know." His eyes rested uneasily on Lena's sleeping form. If he'd known the results would have been this detrimental, he might not have done it.

"You should have waited for her to ask..."

"Your daughter's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I had to give her something to go on, or she wouldn't have figured it out on her own. Not with Howard going out of his way to hide everything from her." He stood up and strode to the door, pausing, only for a moment, to look back over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.

When dinner time rolled around, Mrs. Ralston came in with a plate for Ava. The two didn't speak, and Ava never touched the food. The hours were beginning to wear on Ava, and around ten, she fell asleep in her chair. Time passed as it always did.

Sometime later, Lena's eyes fluttered. She had been dreaming again, very strange dreams...they weren't nightmares, like they used to be, but somewhere in her being she feared them just as much. Her eyes opened. She had to still be sleeping... There she was, asleep in a chair. Lena was watching herself sleep. What strange dreams...

Her eyes—well, those of the Lena asleep in the chair—opened very suddenly. Lena jumped. The other Lena smiled...

"Who are... Mom?" Her voice cracked. Her throat was dry, and a monstrous headache was starting to grow. Her gut still hurt like someone had punched her.

Ava nodded and reached her hand out to touch Lena's cheek. Had Lena been more aware and less unwell, she would have pulled away.

"Oh, Lena..." The woman who looked like her hugged her. A few moments passed as Lena gained control of the situation and her spinning head. She gently pushed the woman away.

"Dad told me you were...Why are you here? What's going on?" Her brow furrowed, and tears were starting to slide down her cheeks. Her mother had a look of compassion and frustration; Lena was confused and tired. It was too much for her to deal with.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific." Ava said, leaning forward to rest her chin on her propped up fist.

"What?" Lena shook her head and sat up, and then bent over and held her head in her hands. "What do you mean? Specific?"

"Sweetie, I know this must be strange to you, but you have to ask me very specifically..."

Lena stared down at the sheets. The nuisance of the past week came back to her very slowly—like paint drying...

"Why do I have to be specific?!" She said it more forcefully than she had intended to; but then, here was a woman she didn't remember, who claimed to be her mother, and everyone was lying to her, and David was crazy, and there were so many dead people in her life, and...

"That's as good a place as any to start, I guess. I just have to warn you, it's unsafe for me to tell you anything you're not ready to hear. It could hurt you...like David hurt you."

"David didn't hurt me, I just—"

"Well, yes he did," Ava looked away, and then quickly looked back, "That's very, very important."

"Why? You believe him?" Lena stared at the older copy of herself. She already knew that they had very little in common, and probably wouldn't get along well.

"I know you've got no reason to trust me just yet, so look at it this way: Howard's been lying to you. I'll try my hardest not to do that. I'll even keep your secrets for you. I know things that Howard doesn't, and you can keep those secrets from him." The idea of having a secret, and keeping it against Howard and Ralston, was very pleasing. But there was something wrong with the whole situation, and it was very bothersome.

"What's wrong with me?" Lena asked.

"David told you more than you were ready to hear," She reached toward the nightstand, opened a drawer, and tossed a box of tissues onto the bed. She waited for Lena to finish wiping her face and blowing her nose before continuing. "And he apparently saw fit to leave you out in the snow and unconscious for several hours."

"Why would he do that to me?" Lena felt a pang of disbelief run through her; David could be cruel, but he wasn't dangerous. She had trouble believing he would leave her to hypothermia.

Ava looked down at the sleeping gown she had been wearing since that morning, using her palm to smooth it against her thigh. "If he had told people you were out there, it would have raised questions. Howard can't know that he's the one who told you, Lena, or he'll be in a lot of trouble. As things currently stand, no one knows why you were outside, and you don't remember, either."

"Why?" Lena asked. "I could have died..."

Ava smiled pathetically. "Because Howard would make him leave. And while your immune system hasn't quite developed yet, a little cold hasn't hurt you. Some extra durability comes with the territory of the...changes, I guess, that you'll be experiencing. The information you received was actually far more worrisome to your health."

"The information?" Lena repeated.

"Your mind wasn't ready for everything you were told, and it made you very sick. What were you told, Lena?" Sitting forward in her chair, Ava looked more concerned than she had at any previous moment.

"By who?" Lena rolled her eyes. It seemed everyone currently residing on the Waldgrave property had their own version of things. Her head was pounding.

"I see. I know you've been getting some mixed messages here, and probably some straight lies," Ava pursed her lips and took a deep breath, "All I can do is say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. I'm sorry for everything, and I promise that I will never lie to you. I've lost a lot of time with you, and I want to make it up to you—"

We'll see about that, won't we?

Ava stopped speaking immediately and a troubled look spread across her face; Lena's eyes went wide as she realized the yard boy wasn't the only one reading minds anymore.

"I—I'm sorry. It just sort of... I can't believe anyone here. Everyone lies to me, and nobody cares." A significant pile of used tissues had grown in her lap, but the tears were finally fading. Both mother and child were silent until Lena remembered she was supposed to be answering a question.

"He told me that you were alive, and that Howard was hiding the fact that I'm a member of some sort of secret royalty, or something like that. Um... My grandfather lives in the attic; and David can read minds, and he's lying to Howard about why he's really here." Lena watched her mother's face as she said all this. Ava's worry seemed to weigh against her outrage for a moment, but the former won out.

"At least you have questions, then?"

"Is it all true?"

"Yes. I think the term 'royalty' is overstating it, but according to your grandfather, yes—you are descended of a noble lineage."

"What's your name?"

"Avalon Daray."

"It says Sarah Collins on my birth certificate." Lena had regained her footing. She wanted control of this conversation, and was going to get the answers she needed now that she had been offered the opportunity.

"It wouldn't surprise me if you haven't actually seen your real birth certificate; at that time though, I was going under the name Sarah Collins." Ava was tired; it was going on eleven, and she had been up early that day searching for a missing person.

"Why were you going under a fake name?"

"That's a very complicated question, and as I've said before, I'm afraid of giving you more than you're ready for. The simple answer is that I was hiding, and I didn't want to be found. Trust me when I say the rest will make you sick. For now, get some sleep, and we'll sort it all out tomorrow. Do you need anything? Water, or an aspirin?"

Lena shook her head. She still wasn't sure if she trusted her mother, and even though she had spent most of the day sleeping, she was exhausted. She could get her own water.

"Well, if you need anything, I'm in the room just across the hall." Ava rose, walked to the door, and then turned around.

"I love you, Lena."

"Okay. Thank you." It was the first time she'd heard those words since Egypt. She felt her eyes tearing up again, but bit her lip hard to keep them in.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight." The door clicked shut, and Lena cried herself to sleep, just as she had that night in the hospital.

By the next morning, Lena had almost fully recovered. She was groggy, and ached all over, but she seemed to have back her capacity to control her emotional states. She woke up late, wondering why no one had bothered to get her for breakfast, which would have already started. She was too bleary to get dressed and entirely ready without missing breakfast, but realizing that she was still in the blue dress she'd worn down to David's two days earlier, she elected to put on some pajamas and a bathrobe and just let it go. As she wandered down to the dining room, she remarked how different the house had become now that Howard had been forced out of his lies. Walking to her seat, she received a smile from her mother, but Howard had a look of remorse.

Sitting down at the table, she forged on.

"I see you decided to put those pictures back after all." She put her napkin in her lap and picked up her fork. Ava looked confused.

"Yes...they're back." Howard didn't look up.

Ava looked questioningly at both of them; it was Lena who spoke, because Howard didn't look up to it.

"Well, when I got here, I noticed there was some light bleaching around the places where the pictures used to be. Howard said they were removed just before I got here." Lena watched Howard slowly put down his utensils and sit in a purgatorial manner. "He had the hall painted blue, and I was told that they wouldn't be returning."

Ava glanced over at Howard, who let out a long sigh, and then she started to laugh.

"I was told you were going to great lengths, but you've really put yourself out!" She continued laughing, Howard's discomfort turned almost to indignation, and while Lena smiled politely, she had no clue what was going on until Ava calmed down. Remembering their conversation from the night before, Lena realized she was expected to press the issue over waiting for an explanation.

"What was going on with the pictures that's so funny?"

"Sweetie," Ava chuckled again, "Those portraits were never removed. Everything leaves a shadow, even if you can't see the thing leaving it." She turned her attention to Howard. "Apparently you were destined to failure. She knew something was up from the moment she got here."

"A...shadow?"

"A shadow. The mind is an incredible thing, and it protects you from things you're not ready for. That's why the general rule in this situation is to not tell unless asked. You weren't ready to see those things, and you weren't looking for them to be there, so you couldn't see them. But sometimes it glitches a little, and you see things you shouldn't—like shadows of things that otherwise aren't there. You weren't seeing light bleaching, but the shadows of portraits that were there all along. Now that you're ready, you know they're there, and you can see them. I think you'll be finding a lot of...interesting things...in the house now." Ava winked at her. She talked more than anyone else had. She seemed genuinely interested in answering Lena's questions, and that gave her more credibility. However unbelievable the things Ava said were, it was somehow easy to trust her information, because she seemed the type who was a poor liar. Howard sat silently, eating his breakfast, and generally seeming to ignore what was happening around him.

"Is that why...the library. Those shelves were half empty when I got here, and now they're not. You're telling me the books were always there, but they were invisible?"

"Ah..." Ava rested her head on her hand and stared into space, thinking. "That's a difficult one. Yes, they were invisible to you, but that's not all. They don't exist to you until you... well, that's not true either. Have you ever lost something, and haven't been able to find it, even when it's right in front of you?"

Lena reflected on how her father used to spend near thirty minutes some mornings looking for his glasses—only to finally find them sitting there on his face. She smiled gently at this thought, and suddenly realized Ava was watching her. As much as Lena liked her, the woman still hadn't explained herself and was therefore not worthy of her father's memory.

"I used to spend a lot of time looking for the hotel keys, and then realize they'd been sitting there on the T.V., in plain sight, the whole time," she lied.

Ava looked very pleased. "Exactly! It's just like that. Those books were lost to you, and you couldn't find them until you were prepared to. You might want to look through them when you go back up."

Mrs. Ralston rolled her eyes; Lena wondered if Ava knew what she was talking about.

"Is that what was happening with the clothes, too?" Lena puzzled.

Howard cleared his throat, glaring at Ava. "No, Lena, that's not what was happening with the clothes. But the issue has been addressed."

Ava wrinkled her nose. "Clothes?"

"Master Daray claims they were presents for his granddaughter." Howard did not look amused as he spoke in jabs at Ava. "The rest of us more or less believe he was directly disregarding a Council ruling that he not be allowed contact with her to facilitate her...conversion."

"Conversion?" Lena asked with more energy than she would have thought she could muster. Staring at her with grey, angry, concerned eyes, Howard was now the most interesting person in the household for having said so much. "Council ruling?"

Howard inhaled and opened his mouth, but Ava shrieked.

"No more!" She interjected. "Howard, she's in a sensitive state."

Behind Ava, Ralston rolled her eyes again, and Lena wondered how dramatically her new mother was overstating her condition.

"But I have questions! I want to look around—" She insisted.

"You need to rest." Ava insisted with equal fervor. "You'll need lots of rest after what happened. You can look around tomorrow. For today, just stick to the books."

Not wanting to upset her new teacher, Lena chose not to fight it. She finished her meal as quickly as she could before excusing herself and going up to the library.

There were more than new books to interest her. There were whole new bookcases that had materialized. New objects—relics, of some sort. The furniture looked different than it had before. There was even a new window, through which the greenhouse could be seen. She started to look at an object that appeared to be a guitar turned inside out; it had once been a bright red color, but the paint was peeling, revealing the wood grain beneath. She wanted very dearly to pick it up and see what it sounded like, but it looked too old to put up with too much handling. Lena yawned; Ava was right that she wasn't going to have a very active day.

She went to one of the new bookcases, grabbed three books, and then went back to her room. She set them on the nightstand while she showered and then put her pajamas back on. Sitting on the bed, Lena studied the hardback volumes more closely. Two of them were oversized and very thick, while the third was the size of an average paperback; the covers were entirely bare. She picked up the small brown one first, opening it cautiously. She expected answers—who she was, or what she was. Maybe a history of how people like David and her mother came to be, or what they were really capable of. She expected what most people would expect from a book: pages filled with writing on a particular subject, be it science, history, or fiction. What she got was an empty book.

Blank pages, all of them. Lena's mouth fell open in confusion and surprise as she flipped the pages front to back, and then back to front. It was completely bare. The first large book, a dull yellow one, contained nothing as well. Lena furrowed her brow. Something was going on here, and she desperately needed to know what. Her own curiosity would kill her if she didn't find out. Her mother's words at breakfast came floating back into her mind...

Maybe I'm just not ready to see these things...

She gingerly checked the last book before taking them all back to the library. This time, she took more care in selecting her reading material. She spent an hour flipping through empty books before she found one, a pocket-sized blue book, that actually had a title written on the inside cover, but nothing else...

Raised by Humans: A Case Study of Seven Silenti

"Silenti?"

To her astonishment, Lena watched the author of the book materialize in front of her eyes. She didn't exactly see it, though. She had blinked, and what hadn't been there before suddenly was.

By Dacian Lecrois

She turned the page. A single sentence faced her boldly from the first page. Lena sat down on a chair. In all her years of travel, this was the most astonishing thing she had ever seen.

Although it is doubtless that this unfortunate scenario has occurred countless times throughout history, little is yet known about the processes by which these individuals

The sentence ended there.

"But that doesn't make any sense... 'these individuals' what?"

Down the page, several more random letters popped onto the page. Two whole words, "with" and "and" appeared amidst the jumble, about two inches apart.

Well, that's helpful.

She flipped through the pages again. While most were still bare, some now contained similar alphabet soup. There were about a dozen complete words, and one more island of communication:
Chapter 5: Gregory Mason of Sydney

If she had tried a little harder, she might have realized why the book was so forthcoming of this particular information; approximately ten years earlier, when she and her father had first taken up traveling, they had stayed almost a full week at Mr. Mason's house. Sadly though, Lena had forgotten Mr. Mason, and wouldn't start remembering him for three more months. Lena sighed as she watched a handful of new letters appear below this title.

It's going to be a long, long day.

She went back to the bookcase, spent another hour finding books that had promising first words or letters written in them, and then took them back to her room. It was an annoying progression. She kept reading straight through lunch, which she skipped for not being hungry, and only got half a chapter's worth (not all from the same chapter, though) out of her first book; reading random words and short phrases over and over again, watching for new words, and rereading everything over, because every time she read something new, a few more letters and words appeared. Reading, and rereading, and getting so little back every time. It was maddening. She finally fell asleep, and was woken only a short while later when someone knocked at her door.

Lena rolled off of the bed and shuffled to the door. David was wearing heavier clothes and the jacket Lena had borrowed before.

"What?" She asked.

"How have you been?" He didn't look concerned, so Lena decided to lie and try not to think too loudly.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just catching up on some reading." She turned around and tried to casually walk back over to her stack of books, but a sharp pain in her side as she turned caused her to lose her balance, grab her stomach, and almost fall over. She regained her poise just in time and kept walking; when she turned back around David was smirking, leaning against the door frame.

"So I see. You're just fine." He looked very smug with himself, and Lena wondered if he was somehow proud of putting her in such a state. "How's the reading?"

"Slow." Lena sat back down on the bed.

"How much have you gotten through?"

"I don't know—maybe a quarter of the little one. I checked a little while ago though, and some of the other ones are starting to...develop? Would that be the right word?"

"Develop is a fine word. Just fine. You're just great at picking words."

"Shove it."

David laughed a little.

"I just wish the process wasn't so slow. It takes forever..." Lena was suddenly struck by an idea. "You don't think you could...read to me, could you?"

He frowned. "That's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"Why can't you just accept what's best for you?" David crossed his arms.

"Why can't you let me decide what's best for me?"

David strode into the room and looked through Lena's selection of books before picking one.

"Here you go—this should answer some of your burning questions." He had an impish expression on his face as he cleared his throat and started to read, " 'Of all the creatures most feared...'"

"Stop!" Lena was already nauseated. She sat down on the edge of her bed and glared at David, who continued to smile.

"See? I told you." He tossed the book onto the bed next to her. The title of the book—Unseen Danger—had appeared as David had read. He turned to go, but stopped in the doorway.

"Oh, I'm supposed to ask if you're well enough to come down for dinner."

"Yes." No.

"I'll have Mrs. Ralston bring something up, then."

Think you're so clever, don't you?

David smirked. He pulled something out of his jacket pocket. It was a small paper bag, which he threw back in Lena's direction. She dodged it, and it landed deftly on the bed. She picked it up to throw back at him, but quickly realized he'd been throwing it to her, and not at her. There was something in the bag.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." The door clicked shut.

In amazement, Lena opened the bag. There was a small box inside, and inside the box was a bracelet—it was made of a silvery metal, though Lena didn't know exactly which one. A pattern of leaves and branches made up the band, and a single ruby-red flower hid the clasp. It looked expensive.

He must've spent a year's worth of salary on this thing!

Deciding she couldn't keep it, she gently put it back in the box. While she was touched that David had bothered to get her a get well present, she couldn't accept something that would have cost him so much. She sat looking at the open box, which she set on the nightstand. She liked the way it looked. It was delicate, and pretty. It reminded her of somewhere she had been before.

It was mid-June, and she and her father had stopped in Yorkshire to admire the blooming roses. The hostel they'd stayed in had climbing roses; some came right up to their second story window. She remembered the old man who took care of the roses, and the way he whistled lullabies when he watered the flowers. They'd watched the beautiful, deep red blossoms slowly open over the course of a week, remarking everyday how perfect they were. She remembered the look in her father's eyes as they shared the glory of nature's wonder—those roses, so delicate, and yet so dangerous. The thorns were sharp, he warned, so they had to watch and not touch. Being only eight at the time, she wanted desperately to take one with her; something to remember the experience by. One particularly warm morning, she had reached out the open window and grasped one, intending to pull it free of the bush and hide it in her suitcase; when she pulled, her fisted hand had slid up the stem to the blossom, the thorns lacerating her palm as it went. Her father had so gently bandaged her, chastising her for not listening. He held her when she cried because it hurt, and told her it would be okay. Most children in this situation might develop a fear or dislike of roses—but not Aaron's daughter. Even afterwards, they watched the flowers bloom, and he let it be a lesson in respecting boundaries.

Lena wished she could have kept the bracelet, anyway.

There was another knock at the door. Before Lena could answer it, her mother had already opened the door and come in, carrying a plate of food. Lena sighed; did all parents just instinctually do this? She'd continually had the knock-and-wait-for-answer conversation with her father. It appeared her mother would need it as well.

"Do you mind?"

"Mind what?" Ava asked naively.

"You didn't wait for an answer after knocking." Lena went back to her bed.

"I'm sorry. I figured you were sick and I didn't want you getting up to answer it. I am your mother, after all."

"Yeah. I guess we'll have to work on that, won't we?" Their eyes met and a little smile crossed Ava's face. As she went to set the tray down on the nightstand, the bracelet caught her eye.

"Well, that's pretty."

"Yeah. It's a pity I'll have to give it back."

Ava looked confused. "To who?"

"David. He gave it to me as a get well present, but I can't keep it. He spent way too much." Ava looked somewhat uneasy, and yet a little proud; her daughter had received a very nice gift. Lena picked up a sandwich half off the plate. It was cut across, not down the middle, as Mrs. Ralston usually did. Lena realized her mother had made her dinner herself.

"Thanks for bringing me dinner." She said suddenly.

"You're my daughter. And you're welcome." Ava paused and sat down next to Lena. "We need to talk about David. I know that you two have been getting close to one another but—"

"It's not like that. I promise." Lena put the sandwich back down. She had already had the birds and bees discussion from her father, and would do anything to keep that discomfort from happening a second time. "I already know what you're going to say. Dad told me all about it, and believe me, that's not what's happening."

Ava smiled. "That's not the talk that I was going to have with you, but good to know. Good to know. I'd like to tell you some things about David, because he's not really who you think he is." Ava stopped and stared at Lena, who stared back, until she figured out what was going on.

Lena sat up straighter. "Oh! Okay... Who is David?"

"Nope, try again."

"Um...What is David?"

"More specific." Ava made herself more comfortable. Lena thought hard.

"Is David really a yard boy? He said something about being an apprentice."

Ava smiled and nodded. "He's a sort of apprentice. Go on."

Lena thought again. There were so many questions floating around in her head, it was hard to think of information that pertained exclusively to David. It was even more difficult to formulate those questions in a way that would illicit an answer from Ava.

"Why doesn't Howard know about his apprenticeship?"

"Aha!" Ava smiled again. "Now you've got it. Howard can't know, because if he did, he probably wouldn't be allowed to allow David to stay here."

Lena furrowed her brow. "What?"

"Stick with David questions." Ava replied quickly.

"What kind of an apprentice is he?"

Ava frowned slightly. "I can't answer that."

Lena sighed. Her mother still watched her expectantly, and she'd never felt so stupid in her life. She shrugged; her mother picked the bracelet out of the box and set it in her hand. She looked at Lena, then back at the bracelet; then back at Lena, and then at the bracelet.

Lena's eyes brightened with understanding. "How could David afford such an expensive gift?"

"Good girl. He's got a very rich family, so you really don't have to give it back." Ava said with a nod and a shrug. "Unless you want to."

"So...he can afford to get things like this for random people?" Lena put the bracelet back in the box. She remembered the talk she'd had with David not too long before, when he had said his family wasn't wealthy; somehow, it was different being lied to by David. Somehow, he seemed more the type who would lie, and that fact in itself made it less deceptive. She figured Howard didn't need to know about David's family's money, either. Yard boys typically don't have rich families.

Ava didn't really stop smiling, but she appeared to. Her lips seemed to relax a little, and she took on a serious tone. "You might not be so random to him."

Lena looked at Ava, confused by her sudden change in attitude. She looked...sad, almost.

"Whether or not you keep it is up to you." Ava rose and left the room. Lena stared at the bracelet. Did that mean she wanted her to keep it, or not?

Why does her opinion suddenly matter?

Lena started into her dinner. With the sandwich in her hand again, cut across and not down the middle, she knew why.

*****

CHAPTER 5

Over the next month, Lena and Ava spent many hours every day together, asking and answering questions. Lena was urged by her mother to spend any spare time she had reading, which she did. However, she found herself more bogged down by questions the more she found, or rather, didn't find, in the library. The house kept changing in disorienting ways—new windows and doors popped up overnight, furniture moved, pictures of people who she vaguely resembled appeared on the walls. The rooms on the third floor were starting to fill up, and one of the locked doors mysteriously unlocked itself one day. Behind it, Lena had found a staircase that spiraled downward before abruptly dead ending against a wall.

Lena hadn't spoken to David alone since the day he had given her the bracelet, though she occasionally saw him through the windows. She only saw him briefly at dinner, and recently not at all, due to the fact that he had become ill. Ava, Lena decided, was adjusting to parenthood in waves. At the moment, she seemed to be making up for the protectiveness she had not exerted since her split with Aaron. Lena had not stepped foot outside the Waldgrave house since her mother's arrival, at her mother's bidding. Lena would wander the house, discovering new things, thinking she was alone, only to turn around and find Ava, standing or sitting quietly, watching. Lena often wondered about the look in her mother's eyes; it was almost a crazed look, as though Ava were obsessed with her. She watched her day and night, sneaked into her room when she slept, ate every meal with her, sat with her when she read—it was as though she was afraid Lena would evaporate as suddenly as things in the house seemed to appear.

Lena was smothered. She had never in memory spent so much time in the same place, with the same strangers. They weren't strangers anymore, and while most people might have found that thought comforting, it was a foreign territory to Lena. A situation that needed to be remedied as quickly as possible. When the opportunity to temporarily escape presented itself, she fought for it as though her life depended on it.

They were at breakfast. As Howard started into his eggs, he raised the issue of shopping.

"I'm sending out Mrs. Ralston later to get supplies. Is there anything either of you need?"

"Can I go?" Lena asked. Ava almost choked on a piece of toast.

"N...no." Ava wiped her mouth with the napkin, and then grabbed her glass of juice.

"Why not? I haven't been out in, like, a month! Please?"

"I don't think it's a good idea." Ava set her glass firmly onto the table.

"Mom, I need new clothes. I've been wearing the same five shirts over and over again since I got here. And there's other things, too..."

"Your clothes are fine. They're beautiful. And you can always wear mine. What about all of my old ones that my father gave to you?"

Howard made a disgruntled face at the mention of the contraband clothing.

"Mom, it's not personal or anything," Lena chose her words very carefully, "I really need some personal space. I need some time away...because constantly being around the same people is starting to get to me. And I'm really, really opposed to wearing dresses all the time." Lena took a breath. "Not that they don't look great on you."

Silence.

Howard seemed to warm at the idea that Lena was rejecting the so-called gifts. "Ava, be reasonable. She's been trapped in this house for long enough—she should get out."

Silence.

"Only if David goes." Ava looked challengingly at Howard. How dare he challenge her decision that Lena wasn't going? She was the parent; he wasn't.

"Why David?" Howard looked confused.

"You know why." Ava threw down her napkin. Her lower lip was starting to tremble.

"Yeah—why David?" Lena looked at her mother. Ava's eyes were glassy. She didn't look up to answering the question. She looked to her uncle, "Howard? Why David?"

But Howard was ignoring her. "I can't lose both David and Rosaleen. There's too much to get done around here. Besides, David's been ill."

Lena looked back and forth from Ava to Howard; the two of them seemed locked in an invisible chess match. "Mom'll help you. Why is this such a big deal, anyway?"

Howard sighed.

Lena tried again. "Or, what if you went with me and Mrs. Ralston, and then David could stay and work?"

Ava's eyebrows raised in defiance. Lena was suddenly aware that they had been staring at each other quite intently for some time. Howard finally spoke.

"If I send David with the list, then can she go?" Howard spoke very quietly.

Ava pursed her lips as she considered the proposal. "Okay. Remember to take your cell phone."

"Please. It goes everywhere with me anyway." Though I don't know why. It's not like I have any friends.

Howard cleared his throat. "Well, I guess that will have to do. Lena, I'll have Mrs. Ralston make out a list of everything we'll need. David has a credit card he uses for living expenses, and he can charge it. Mrs. Ralston's very particular about getting the right brands, so be sure David doesn't just grab the first laundry detergent or toilet paper he sees."

An hour later, Lena found herself joyfully running toward the barn, a long list of household supplies clutched in her hand. Her mother stood just outside the front door, watching, until she saw her enter the barn.

Lena knocked and waited patiently. In a way, it pleased her that her mother was watching. Maybe she would learn from example.

A muffled voice came from inside the barn. "Howard?"

"No, it's me!" Lena replied cheerfully.

"Lena?" The door opened slowly.

"David--what happened?!"

She stared, though she didn't mean to. The majority of David was obstructed from view by a towel he was holding up to his face. It was crusted in places with dried blood, although a fresh red spot was forming where he held it to his nose. His complexion was pale, and his eyes were tired. In response to her question, he only turned and walked back toward his bed.

"Are you bleeding?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not! Let me...I'll run back up and get help!"

He turned around and grabbed her arm just before she got to the door. "It's just a nosebleed. Don't be such a girl."

"Let go!" She twisted free. "That's the worst nosebleed I've ever seen."

"It happens. It's dry here." He turned and watched her. "It's nice to see you're concerned about me, though."

"Me? I'm not concerned." She raked her brain for something plausible and insulting. "It'd just be a pity to lose an experienced worker."

David actually laughed. Not a humored laugh, though; it was a bitter, ironic laugh.

"I already told you. I'm here for Master Daray. And you are concerned—you hate blood, it makes you queasy." David looked over at her; she was shocked. How could he have known? "It's written all over your face, so don't even try lying to me."

"I'm not concerned. Howard sent me down to tell you we're going to the store. Otherwise I wouldn't even be here." She crossed her arms.

"Why can't Ralston go?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Lena explained the ordeal at breakfast. By the time she had finished, David's nosebleed had stopped, and he held the blood-soaked towel in his hands, listening very seriously.

"I don't know." David said flatly.

"You do too."

"I don't. I mean, I know why she didn't want you to go, but the rest I don't know." Something in his eyes made her believe him. He was as confused as she had been.

"Why doesn't she want me to go?" Lena asked.

"It's not safe."

"Why?"

David paused for a minute.

"Because... I'm not the one to tell you that." It was no secret to Lena that David enjoyed denying her information. It was a game to him—frustrating her with his vast knowledge of everything she wanted to know, and on occasion using it to make her sick. But as he said this, there was no fun in his voice. The smirk that usually graced his face was absent.

"I'm going to change. Stay in the barn."

Lena went and sat down on the bed to wait as David rummaged through his trunk for clean clothes and then retreated behind a door, which guessed must have led to his bathroom. Lena waited silently; if she was going to get more information, now was the time to do it. She had David to herself for the day, and he wasn't going to baby her about the truth like her mother did. David came back out, and Lena followed him up to the car port on the side of the house. Standing next to the sedan, he pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and started to pick through them for the right one.

"You're going to drive?"

"Well, you're just a kid. Who'd you think was going to drive?" David unlocked the car and awaited Lena's response. She knew he was hoping she would embarrass herself, so she fell back on the usual—an affront.

"Oh, I just didn't think you looked old enough." She got in the passenger side as David sneered and settled into the driver's seat.

They drove for at least a half an hour before pulling into the lot of a large economy store. Preferring not to press her luck, Lena didn't talk and hoped David would forgive her comment. He still looked sick, and he kept his focus on the twisting roads. They didn't talk while he drove. As they got out of the car and started towards the entrance, she tried to lighten the mood.

"I suppose that's one good thing about Americans. They're economical." She pulled the shopping list out of her pocket and started to look over it.

"Glad you like them. You're one of them." David grabbed a cart and then yanked the list out of Lena's hands.

"Hey! I'm not an American." She crossed her arms as they started towards the section of the store that had household cleaners.

"You are too."

"Am not. I was born in Peru."

"To American parents, who lived the majority of their lives in America. That makes you an American."

Lena's heart thudded a little faster. This might be her chance.

"And I suppose you think you know everything about my parents?"

"A lot. Maybe not everything, but everything your grandfather has told me."

They stopped and started to look for the cleaning products Mrs. Ralston had specified.

"David? Why did my dad tell me my mom was dead? And why can't Howard know about your apprenticeship?" Somehow in her mind, these two things were connected, though she didn't know why. She picked up a five pound bottle of soap and dropped it into the cart. David came up very close to her, he looked back up and down the aisle, but they were alone.

"Don't talk so loud about that here. In fact, don't talk about that at all."

"What?"

A woman pushed her half-full cart past the aisle in which they stood. Lena wasn't sure, but she thought she saw her slow down when she saw them, but then she was gone. Lena looked back at David, who was still staring down at where the woman had been.

"Let's just get this done quickly. You're not supposed to be here." He whispered.

"Why?" Lena whispered back. David was now grabbing articles off the shelves as quickly as he could; Lena, seeing her question was about to go unanswered, resorted to drastic measures.

"David, if you don't tell me about your apprenticeship--!"

He half ran back, dumped everything he had picked up into the cart, grabbed Lena by the arm, and pulled her with him as he started to push the cart towards the canned foods.

"Say it again and we're going home."

"I'm not a child!"

"Stop acting like one!"

"Treat me like an adult, and maybe I'll be less childish!" She shook her arm free. David stopped and looked at her. His eyes glowed with loathing.

"Answer my questions, and I'll behave."

They stared each other down. David wasn't going to let her have her way, so she was going to have to make it look like he'd won.

"Look," she walked over and looped her arm through his, "David," she smiled, "No one else is going to tell me this stuff. You offered to teach me, remember?"

He still looked quite angry. Lena wished she hadn't positioned herself so close to him.

"I didn't mean I'd answer everything," he sighed and started walking again. "I'll answer what I feel like answering."

Good enough.

It had better be.

"Excuse me?" Lena stopped.

"You heard me." David didn't stop walking.

"Yeah, I know I did. Why did I?"

"Because I wanted you to."

This was a highly unsatisfactory answer, but Lena was sure she'd be learning these things from her mother sooner or later, anyway. It was her father, and her mother's past, that she needed to press for.

"Why did my dad lie to me?"

David was now inspecting the list closely. He seemed displeased with some of Mrs. Ralston's choices, but obliged. As he grabbed cans of soup and vegetables, he started talking.

"He didn't want you to be a part of this," David replied.

"And how does lying about my mom fit into that picture?"

David took a deep breath. He looked at Lena very seriously. "Stop me if you start to feel sick. Okay?"

"Aww, you do care!" Lena smiled.

"We don't need to attract any more attention than we already have, and your vomiting or passing out won't help us to that goal."

Her smile fell slightly. "Okay. Geez."

"You know how Howard made me repaint the hall?" David started. "Well, what's happening to you now can happen in reverse. You thought you were seeing light bleaching, and in your mind, if the hall got repainted, it would go away. And it would have, because that's what would have made sense to you."

"I don't follow..."

"Look," he sounded a little frustrated, "Your mom wanted you to be a part of this world. To be with your own kind, and live up to your full potential. Your dad didn't. If he'd told you about her, you would have started to remember. You remember I asked you about dreams?"

She nodded. Her throat had gone dry, and a slight ache was growing in her stomach. But she didn't want him to stop.

"That happens when you try to repress things. He told you she was dead. You remembered her. He told you not to think about the dreams, and he may have irreparably damaged you. He managed to get her off your mind, that's for sure. Along with everything else."

Her stomach was truly sore now. She was walking noticeably slow as they started towards the aisle with the paper towels. David gave her a look.

"I'm okay. I think I'll go and look at clothes for a while..." She started away, but David grabbed her arm again.

"You're not leaving my sight. We'll get what we need, and then we'll go look together."

"Really, I think I'd rather..." She needed to sit down. Her head was starting to spin, but she wasn't about to let him think she couldn't take it. She grabbed onto the cart and leaned against it while he went and got what they needed.

"You don't understand." He said darkly. "There may be people here who want to hurt you."

"What?" Her eyes weren't focusing correctly.

"Lena!" She heard him hiss. She felt his arm around her waist, and she walked. Just...walked. Wherever he was taking her. A few minutes later she felt him tapping her on the cheek, and realized they were sitting on a porch swing. It was one of the store displays. The smell of fertilizer, coming from a rack of sickly looking plants nearby, got her to focus a little better. Her eyes fixed on David. He was telling someone that she had hyperglycemia, and would be okay in just a moment.

Minutes later they were alone. Her stomach still hurt, but in general, she felt better. Her throat was dry. David was trying to push an open soda can into her hand.

"Wa's this..."

"Drink it. It'll help. It's complementary from the store manager." He said the last part with a hint of anger.

She did. It tasted...off.

"Did you...?"

"Go slow. The effects are temporary, we need to finish the shopping, and your mother is not going to be happy about this."

Whatever he had put in the soda, it started to work almost immediately. Soon they were back to walking the store and doing Mrs. Ralston's bidding. They saved Lena's clothes for last, by which time she felt much better. She picked out jeans, long sleeve and short sleeve shirts, a new jacket, socks (most of her old ones had holes), and several other items. She suspected it was whatever she was drugged with, but she didn't even care that David wouldn't leave her alone when she picked out new bras and underwear, even though he did do a fair amount of blushing.

"Well, that's it then. Home we go!"

"Not quite." He grabbed her arm.

"What do you mean?"

"You need makeup."

Lena raised her eyebrows. "Was that an insult?"

"No."

"You just insulted me!"

"No."

Lena looked at another woman who happened to be shopping. "This guy just said I need makeup!"

"How dare he!" The woman rolled her eyes and went back to shopping.

David dragged Lena into the makeup section. He looked around desperately.

"How does this work?"

"Makeup? I dunno. Don't wear it." Lena shrugged.

"I can see that. You're going to start." He started picking up foundations and trying to match them to her face. He settled on the three he thought were closest, and then grabbed a few items of everything else he saw. He rushed the clerk through the checkout, and then rushed out to the car. Through her remedied haze, Lena noticed David was looking a little uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." David sighed.

"You look sick. Er. Sicker than before."

"I'm fine..." He turned the ignition. "Just tired of having to look after you."

She looked blearily closer at him. "No...That's not it."

He sighed. She still had the soda clutched in her hand.

"Here." She offered it to him, cringing with the realization. "It was for you anyways, wasn't it? You brought it for yourself, not me."

He glanced over at her, took a few sips, and then passed the can back to her. They rode home in silence. After parking the car, David walked back down to the barn. Lena rang the doorbell, and then disappeared to her room while Howard and Mrs. Ralston unloaded the groceries. She was sure she would be very upset over some of the things David had said that afternoon, but it would have to wait, because at the moment she was feeling too tired and blurry.

The next day Lena combated what she believed was her first hangover. However, now that she was certain David was willing to give up information, nothing was going to stop her visiting him as often as possible. Her mother watched her closely all morning, until just after lunch, when she felt it necessary to comment.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lena managed a weak smile, "How are you?"

"Has David been at it again?" She asked, looking around the library to be sure they were alone.

"Been at what?"

"Don't lie to me, Lena. That kind of thing can really, seriously injure you..."

"I'm fine, Mom! I probably just caught whatever David has."

Ava reached over and held her daughter's hand. "Sweetie, I seriously hope not."

"I was thinking I might go and visit him later." Lena said innocently.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You know, I realized I never thanked him for the bracelet."

"You're keeping it, then?" Ava looked away and out the window. She seemed to be lost deep in thought.

"I guess so. I mean, it was a gift."

"A gift, yes..."

Ava got up and walked away. She paused and turned around. "Lena, I think maybe you and I and David should talk sometime." Her voice had an odd quality to it, and Lena wondered why her mother was always so strange when talking about David.

"Sure. Whatever." Lena shrugged. Ava walked out of the room.

Over the next few weeks, Lena continued to hardly have a moment without her mother watching her. She managed to see David on almost a daily basis, but with her mother standing right there, she had to play the question game, which proved itself to go nowhere. And despite her small victories, with David standing there, smirking at her from behind her mother's back, she felt like she was making no progress at all. There were even subjects that her mother refused to discuss altogether; normally, these were the ones Lena had the most interest in.

Her reading had slowed almost to a halt. She kept encountering words she didn't understand, which her mother refused to explain for fear of hurting her. She really needed a moment with David, and so managed to slip him a note at dinner one night. He had winked at her, which she found annoying, but was happy he was open to the idea. Much later that night, she found herself creeping out of her room and into the greenhouse, where David was supposed to meet her.

The greenhouse was different at night. Moonlight streamed through the many-faceted walls and ceiling, painting everything a pale blue. Some of the plants had started to grow prematurely; while the ground outside was still blanketed with snow, and while the greenhouse itself was quite frigid, a few young leaves and vines could be seen reaching out from under the corpses of last years' growth. The cold seeped through her jacket and nightclothes. She walked to the wrought-iron spiral staircase, down, and found David sitting next to the pond, very close to the place where she had first met him.

"Now, I'm serious this time. If you get sick on me, I'll have to kill you myself." He looked down into the koi pond and smiled. He'd brought a flashlight that was now illuminating his impish expression. "I'm not even going to go into what your mother wanted to do to me the last time you made yourself sick."

She had brought several books down with her. She picked up the first one, a large, ancient looking volume, and started. "Okay. What does the word 'Silenti' mean? I'm seeing it everywhere now."

"Silenti is the word that commonly refers to the first ones of us. It's Latin."

Lena nodded. "Who were the first ones?"

"No—not specific people. Well, some of them were. Mostly it's a generic term. It means us. It's a word that separates the typical human from people like us."

"We're Silenti?" Lena asked, curling her legs beneath her and scooting closer.

"No. We're part Silenti. You especially." David's lips twitched into an entertained smile.

"Who are the Durands?"

"The who?"

Lena pushed a smallish book towards David. It had an understated brown cover; Lena wasn't sure if it had a title or not, but if it did, she couldn't see it. "I think it's a diary or something, but I'm not sure. It caught my eye because it has the name Daray in it too. Like my mother."

David picked up the small manuscript and flipped through the pages. His brow furrowed.

"Well?"

"I can't...I don't know who they are. You can read this?"

"Parts of it. Just a sentence here or there. Some of it looks like it's in Latin, but—"

Lena's cell phone went off. David jumped up, throwing the diary back down at her. "Don't lose that." And then he sprinted out a side entrance on the first story of the greenhouse that Lena hadn't noticed before. She reasoned that it must have appeared fairly recently, and then the lights in the house started to come on. She calmly gathered her books and walked through the first story entrance into the living room, and was quickly accosted by her mother.

"What are you doing out of bed at this hour?!" Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She grabbed her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again! Do you understand?!"

"Mom!" Lena tried to pry herself free and dropped several books in the process. "I was just reading! That's all! I wanted to read by the pond. I couldn't sleep."

Ava continued hugging her daughter and crying.

"Mom, why are you even up?"

Ava let go, but still rested both hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I just needed...to see if you were okay. I needed to know that you were safe."

Lena guided her mother over to a couch and they sat down together. "Don't you think you're being a little irrational?"

Ava smiled and laughed a little. It looked funny, because she was still crying. "You sound like your father." She reached over and touched Lena's cheek. For all the time she'd spent with her mother, this was the first comment of that nature she had made. Lena had wanted her mother to tell her about their relationship before, but Ava had so successfully locked Aaron out of her mind that she had always glossed over the topic or changed the subject. Now that it had come up of its own free will, Lena wasn't sure she was ready to hear Ava's opinion of him. She felt like she was going to cry again.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Ava asked.

"Why don't you ever talk about him?" Tears rolled down her face silently. Lena looked away. She always looked away when she cried, because somehow it made her feel less exposed. Ava reached over and held her hand. She squeezed it gently.

Ava spoke quietly. "There's a lot of things I wish I could tell you. I just can't yet."

"Did you love him?"

"That's a very complicated question, Lena. And a very personal one." Ava sighed and stood up.

"What?" The answer was not what she had expected. "Mom, no, it's not a complicated question. I asked if you loved him, and you're going to tell me it's complicated?"

"I'm sorry, Lena." Ava sighed again. She walked over to the window and looked across the snowy grounds. "You should really go back to bed."

She got up and left her mother standing there, the books still strewn about. She returned to bed and tried to stop crying, but she couldn't stop her brain from thinking thoughts that made her depressed. It seemed she was the only one who had loved her father. It seemed everyone else knew him better.

The next morning, Lena found the books she had dropped the night before neatly stacked at the foot of her bed. All of them but one.

"Mom? I think I'm missing one of the books I had last night. It's a little brown one."

"Sorry. Everything I found is up there." She looked over at Howard. Today was a rare occasion—Howard seemed to be taking some sort of a work break, and had decided to join Ava and Lena in the living room to watch television. It was reruns; Ava's choice. Lena wondered if it somehow felt like she was making up for lost time.

"Are you sure?" Lena shifted her eyes from Ava to Howard, who remained with his eyes fixed on the television. "Howard? Did you find any books down here?"

"No." His eyes didn't move. Since Ava's arrival, he had avoided talking directly to Lena as much as was humanly possible. She wasn't sure if he didn't like her, or if Ava had specifically asked him not to talk to her, but either way, Lena was starting to miss him; even though they'd never been friendly, there really weren't that many people in the house to talk to.

"So, neither of you found the book?"

"Apparently." Howard replied.

"Well, I'm going to go look for it, then. It was a very interesting little book." She stood up and watched their faces very closely, but couldn't detect any trace of deception. Usually when they tried to hide something from her, they had a tendency to stare at one another; now they were just two people watching television.

She walked up the stairs. Then, she saw something in the library that hadn't been there before. It was the largest transformation that she had ever seen the house make. There was a new staircase, but it wasn't just any staircase—it was the staircase. It led towards the middle of the house—perfectly past the third floor hall. It was the missing entrance to the mysterious sealed room on the third floor.

But as her eyes followed it up, it ran straight into the ceiling without stopping. There was no third floor landing. Not yet... Lena climbed the staircase up to where she had to duck to keep from hitting her head. She pressed her hands satisfactorily against the ceiling, impressed with her progress. The book, still at the back of her mind, would have to wait.

She went back to her room and changed into some warm clothes—it was late March, and while the snow that had lately whitewashed the Waldgrave property was melting, the chill remained. She used the greenhouse staircase to avoid her mother knowing she was leaving the house and started to look for David. He was turning fertilizer into the land that he had cleared not too long ago; spring was coming, and Lena allowed herself a wandering thought about what would eventually be planted in the space.

He smiled when he saw her. "Princess," he nodded. It had been a long time since he had referred to her that way.

"Hello, David." She smiled. He could tell she was pleased with herself.

"Can I help you with something?" He stuck the shovel into the muddy ground and leaned on it.

"Have you ever been up to the third floor?" She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders.

"Sure."

"What's in the middle room? The one the hall wraps around?"

He shrugged. "It's an office, I guess. Your grandfather used to keep important documents in there. Why?"

"I found the other staircase. The one that goes up to that room, but I still can't get in. I want to meet him."

David raised his eyebrows. It was an unusual request.

Suddenly, Lena heard her name being shouted. She turned around to see her mother running toward her.

"You'll be meeting him soon enough." David straightened up as Ava drew closer.

"Lena! You can't just go sneaking off like that..." Ava didn't have a coat on, and crossed her arms to keep warm.

Lena crossed her own arms in exasperation. "Why not?! You're so clingy, and you won't tell me why!"

"I'm your mother and I don't have to! And you!" She turned on David. "You shouldn't be encouraging her!"

"Nothing's going to happen. Trust me." He stared very seriously back into Ava's accusing eyes. She shivered. David took a few steps towards her, a strange glint in his eyes, "Leave her alone. I'll take care of it."

Lena turned and started marching back up to the house. She wanted to trust both her mother and David, but it was moments like that that prevented her. As honest as David was, he was going over her head, and she hated it. When she got back up to her room, she saw out the window that David and her mother were still talking.

Lena had hoped that hearing what was in the room would have opened it to her, but it didn't. That day she had wandered back to her room to read, slightly light headed, and continued to attempt reading. She was greatly pleased, however, that she was only light headed—she appeared to be gaining a tolerance for David's teaching. Her efforts to rediscover the lost brown diary went unrewarded.

She found herself going back up to the third floor constantly over the next several days, attempting to ascertain if anything had changed. She paced back and forth in the rooms, which were admittedly starting to fill up, but not with anything useful to her. There were dressers with old clothes, boxes of old lamps and empty picture frames, and covered furniture. She sorted through it all, because she knew there had to be some truth, or at least something that would spark her to find the way to the upper floors.

Finally, one day, she thought she had struck gold when she found a box of old picture albums. They were mostly empty at the time, but Lena reasoned they might work like the library books, and so secreted them off to her room, where she inspected all of the pictures very closely. Some were of people she didn't recognize. Some she did.

There were pictures of her mother as a girl. She knew they were her mother, because she had seen that face in starkly clean hotel mirrors every day when she was young. The pictures were old and slightly yellowed, but still in very good condition. She apparently liked wearing dresses then, too. The Waldgrave house hadn't changed much, unless the pictures lied—her mother, next to the koi pond, in front of the house, entertaining at a party, smiling in the garden... A span of several years of her life, and even a few photographs that seemed to foretell Lena's future; pictures of her mother when she was late in her teens. The last photograph of her mother was when she looked to be very early in her twenties, at some sort of party. She was standing in the living room as a man, who appeared to be her date, attempted to hold her hand. While he appeared to be having a good time, Lena quickly recognized her mother's forced smile. Not the one she had when she laughed, which was rare, but the one she had every time she talked to David.

The back of the photograph only bore three words: Avalon's engagement party.

Lena flipped the photo back over, and carefully analyzed the man. She could only imagine that Ava must have broken the engagement at some point, because the man in the photo wasn't her father. Curiosity urged her to ask Ava, but her better judgment told her the issue was too personal.

It wasn't until she went back through the photos a second time that she noticed something odd. A cat, with short hair and overly large ears, appeared in most of them. It was a reddish brown color, with blue eyes. A family pet, maybe? While young Ava made a crown of daisies, the cat stood still as a stone carving, tense, staring into the camera. Where she stood in front of the house, the cat could be seen leaping down from the window behind her. And there—peeking from behind the door, going up the stairs, glowing eyes in the shadows of the distant trees. But the thing that bothered her wasn't the cat itself, but rather the fact that it didn't seem to have aged in any of the pictures. However, Lena had never owned a cat, and wasn't really sure how long they were supposed to live.

There was one other item, tucked into the back of an album, that caught her interest briefly. It appeared to be a copy of her birth certificate; she remembered when her mother had retorted to her that her father had never let her see the original. She must have been right, because the certificate (which she decided to keep in a bathroom drawer for fear of having it confiscated) was almost entirely blank. It had her birth date on it, and her parent's names—that was all. Lena wondered how much her father had kept from her.

"Mom, is Abilene my real name?"

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?" They had run into each other in the library. Ava hadn't been nearly as clingy since the incident with David. Lena wasn't sure what Ava had been doing with her newly found free time, but she was definitely glad to have the extra freedom.

"I don't know. It's just..." Lena almost brought up the blank certificate to prove her point, but stopped herself just in time. If her mother didn't want her to know, there was a good chance the certificate would be taken away if she found out. Lena smiled, "I'm starting to...you know...question a lot about dad."

"Oh?"

It was almost painful, but Lena tried her best. "Yeah...well, he wasn't exactly truthful, was he?"

"Well," Ava sat down on one of the couches, "Well no, he wasn't. Aaron was like that."

Lena glanced over at the staircase and sighed. Ava noticed.

"You can see it then? You've never noticed it before..."

"See what? The staircase? Yeah." Lena didn't like the look on her mother's face. It screamed of Ava becoming her shadow again.

"You haven't been up it?" Ava's eyes were wide.

"No..."

"Howard works up there. And your...grandfather...too."

"So?"

"You're not allowed."

Lena had begun to learn her mother's game. When she cooperated, her mother didn't worry.

"Okay." Lena shrugged. "I'll leave it alone."

Ava stood to go.

"Mom?" Lena asked quickly. "When can I meet Grandpa?"

Ava turned around, shocked at Lena's choice of words. "Your grandfather. He's a busy man. I wouldn't be surprised if it's quite a while until you meet him. I don't think he wants to bother with you."

"Oh. Okay." Lena faked a smile. Ava smiled back, and walked away.

She stared up at the ceiling patch where the staircase ended. She knew he wanted to meet her; he had left her gifts of clothing. She had seen him watching her out the windows. She hoped it wouldn't be long. If both Ava and Howard didn't want her to meet him, he had to be the one with the answers.

That night, while she slept, she dreamed. Lena had dreamed often, lately; but it had been a long, long time since she'd had one of these dreams.

Girl...girl!

"Dad!" She sat bolt upright in bed. "Dad, it's late...it's... Dad?"

Across the room, a pair of glowing eyes were slithering toward her. She shut her eyes again. "It's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream... It's a dream."

She opened them again. No eyes. The room was dark except for the moonlight casting through the windows and onto the floor. Something reached out and touched her shoulder. In horror, Lena looked over.

There they were. Right up next to her face. A tongue shot out and licked sharply pointed teeth, and Lena sat terrified. It had one paw rested on her shoulder. The cat was seated on her nightstand. It got up and started for her door, which Lena didn't remember leaving open. It was then that her senses returned to her.

The cat from the photograph! She shot out of bed and ran to the door.

"Cat!" She whispered as loud as she dared to. "Cat!"

It had already disappeared into the darkness of the other end of the hall. There was only one window in the second floor hall, and it was in the wrong spot to let in light from the moon; Lena closed her eyes tightly so that they would adjust to the darkness. She stepped out into the hall and tried to figure out where the cat had gone. She followed the hall slowly, checking every door as she went, but they were all closed tightly. As she approached the study door, the last one in the hall, she expected to find the cornered animal. But that door was closed as well...

Did it get past me somehow?

Not far behind her, she heard a door creak open. Her skin went cold, and every hair on her neck stood on end. Cats, after all, can't open doors. Very slowly, she turned around.

The library door stood a few inches open. Beyond there was only darkness. Only six inches lower than the doorknob, fully the height of a toddler, a feline face watched her. That was one thing the photographs hadn't told her; this cat was an unusually large breed of some sort.

"Did you do that?" Lena asked in her friendliest, scared witless voice.

The cat turned and ran into the library. Lena followed it as far as the door, still questioning whether she believed cats could open doors, and looked inside. The library was shadowy in the dark; while the large windows did a good enough job in the day, the shadows cast by all the bookcases and furniture made corners and floors unsettlingly invisible. For a moment, she thought she had lost the cat, but no—it was there. Sitting and watching her from the edge of the stairs. It licked its teeth again, and then meowed in a very irritated manner.

"Here, kitty kitty..." She walked slowly toward it as it continued to glare disdainfully at her. "Kitty, kitty, kitty..."

At the foot of the stairs, she reached out to pet it. The cat leapt up a few stairs. Still on its feet, it watched Lena intently. Its ears flexed forward and back, and Lena suddenly had a bad feeling that the cat was listening to something she couldn't hear. The cat turned and darted up the stairs, Lena's eyes following. Just as it ran into the ceiling, or rather would have, a deep, stabbing, blinding pain brought Lena to her knees. She clutched her head, and laid down on the stairs. She might have screamed if she hadn't been gasping for air. When she looked back up, there was the cat, sitting on the third floor landing. Its thin tail flicked lazily back and forth. The staircase now led up to a door.

She pulled herself up onto her elbows, still lying on her stomach. She tried to think, but her head ached horribly. She had told her mother and her uncle that she wouldn't. They didn't want her to know what was up there, which meant it had to be good. The answers were up there, previously out of her reach; but now here she was, with nothing to stop her. She might have been able to do it the following day, but she was sure the cat would have made her sick enough to not be up to it, and her mother would probably start following her again.

There was a noise like a dripping faucet that disrupted her thoughts. Lena looked down into a small pool of blood, and wiped her hand across her nose. A nosebleed, just like the one David had had.

Lena grabbed a wad of tissues from a nearby table, and started to go up the stairs, steadying herself against the banister. The cat paced back and forth in front of the door at the top of the landing, meowing and scratching at the closed door. When Lena finally reached the top, she wrapped her hand around the handle dizzily. It was locked. She sat down on the top stair to rest.

"Figures. Thanks for nothing, cat." She said miserably.

A light came on from behind the door and spread across the landing, sending another jolt of surprised adrenaline into Lena's system. She looked over her shoulder as the door creaked open, and then fainted, falling raucously down the stairs and landing with a thud as the cat ran to its master.

*****

CHAPTER 6

"I had nothing to do with it. I heard the cat at the door, and I opened it. I swear, sometimes I just don't know how he gets out." Master Daray smiled thinly. His cat rested complacently on his lap; he was getting too big to be a lap cat, but refused to give up the habit. The Master was too proud to pet him, but the cat was too proud to be cuddled, anyway. The feline had its eyes fixed on the girl, whose form rested on a couch; she was unconscious.

Ava paced back and forth, crying uncontrollably. Mrs. Ralston had just returned to the library, carrying several blankets, warm water, and wash clothes. She spread a blanket over Lena, and then sat down on the edge of the couch.

"Let me." Ava went over to the couch.

Mrs. Ralston glanced over at Howard.

"Let her." Master Daray nodded to his daughter. He watched Mrs. Ralston as if asking her to defy him. Howard nodded to Ralston, and she rose. Master Daray smiled as she did so. Ava sat down and started washing the nasty gash her daughter had received when falling down the stairs. It spread from her temple back into her hair; Ava hoped it wouldn't leave a scar.

Howard continued pacing the room, deep in thought. He had been faced with complicated situations before—quite a few of them. At the start of winter, he had been asked to take on the task of guarding his niece in addition to her grandfather. He had made mistakes. The season was drawing to a close, and he had been presented with another very complicated situation. This time, there could be no mistakes.

"Daray, how did this happen?"

"You're a good man, Howard, despite your family's shortcomings. I already told you." The cat had had enough, and jumped to the floor before dashing back up the stairs, tail held high.

"The cat. I see. Who is it? You've got someone on the outside, and I want to know who it is. Now!" He stopped in front of the chair that Daray sat in. Even though Howard stood, his seated companion was still the more intimidating of the two.

"I don't know how you could suspect me of such a thing. It would be against the law." Daray leaned back and crossed his arms.

"I want to know who you've been talking to, and how, or so help me..."

On the couch, Lena was beginning to shift.

"If you'll excuse me, my granddaughter needs me." His voice was cold and victorious. He pushed past Howard and walked over to the side of the couch.

Lena twisted uncomfortably and slowly opened her eyes. The library was so much brighter than the darkness she remembered that she thought for a moment she'd gone blind. Then the faces started to come into focus. Her mother, tearful and familiar. Howard, looking as concerned as he had that first night in the sedan. Mrs. Ralston, her lips pursed tighter than ever. And a new face, that she vaguely remembered from somewhere... Sharp, dark eyes and gray-white hair parted on an angle. Even though it was late at night, he was wearing a formal business suit. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach that she didn't understand. It might have been the bloody rag her mother was holding, but she didn't think that was it.

"Hello, dear." He looked down at her. "You don't know how much I wish we could have met on different terms."

"You..." Her voice was hoarse. Her mother shushed her as she continued to wash the blood off her face.

"Abilene, is it? I would have named you Eden..."

Howard started pacing again. He was sweating. Lena looked back up at Master Daray, and just watched. At the time, it was all she was capable of.

"You look so much like your mother, and I guess we'll all have to be grateful for that little blessing." He knelt down by the side of the couch and started to examine her face. "Filthy, inferior human being. There's hardly any trace of your father there to remind us of the abhorrent mistake he was..."

A single tear slid down her cheek. Howard lost his temper in a way that Lena never thought possible.

"UPSTAIRS, NOW!"

"I will not be ordered about, not anywhere, and especially not in my own house!" Daray turned to Howard. He hadn't yelled, exactly; it was more of a whisper. His wrinkled face contorted, and she knew he was still more powerful than Howard, who was easily half his age. Lena was almost sure one of them would not be leaving the room alive.

"Let's not forget what happens to you without me, Daray. Let's not forget what happens to them." He nodded towards the couch. Ava looked pleadingly over her shoulder.

Daray sneered. "Now that she knows, there's no point in jailing me. I'll expect to see her on a regular basis." He turned and walked calmly back up the stairs. Howard was sure he saw him smiling.

He walked back towards Lena, and spoke to her over the back of the couch. She was crying.

"He's not someone you should trust." Howard said. "I know how rarely you trust anyone, but you should especially not trust him. He'll say anything to get you to do what he wants. He'll do anything. Don't trust him." Lena raised a hand to her face and wiped away the tears that had settled in her eyes. There wasn't any anger in Howard's face. His knuckles were white where he grabbed onto the back of the couch, and there was nothing but fear in his eyes.

"So you met him? What'd you think?" David smiled at her. It was two weeks later, and while most of her symptoms had cleared up, she still had nose bleeds from time to time. She had stayed in her room for most of the duration of her sickness, her mother at her side almost twenty-four hours a day. Howard had visited frequently, and told her not to worry, that Master Daray would not be allowed to see her again for quite some time.

In response to David's question, Lena could only shiver. In her mind, "quite some time" was sadly too soon. Spring was arriving very slowly at Waldgrave; Lena had watched the transition through her bedroom window. As David removed a hornet's nest from under the carport, Lena sat on the new grass nearby.

"I told you." He sprayed the nest furiously.

"David, was my name originally Eden?" She squinted a little as she tried to watch him. It was nice to finally feel the sun on her skin again.

"How would I know?"

"Um...He never mentioned it to you?"

"No. As far as I know," David climbed down the ladder, "You've always been Lena Collins."

"Abilene Collins."

"Whatever." He grabbed the ladder and glared up the nest. It was only baseball sized, but it just refused to die. As he started walking back down toward the barn, Lena got up to follow him.

"Well, the thing is, I found a birth certificate." He walked faster than she did, even carrying the ladder, and Lena was forced to half run to keep up.

"Uh huh."

"And I know it has to be mine, because my parents and my birthday are on it, but it won't even show me my name!" David stopped. As he turned around to face her again, Lena took a few steps back to avoid being hit by the ladder.

David's expression was guarded. "And you think that your name must have been changed, and that's why it's blank?"

"Unless there's something you know..."

David sighed and turned back around. He was quiet for a minute. "I think... that's an excellent explanation." He started walking back towards the barn.

"So then you think it's true?"

"I think you should talk to your mother about it. You might want to take the certificate with you when you do." David nodded back towards the house. Through a window, Lena could clearly see Ava watching over her. She said her thanks and goodbye to David, and walked back up to the house. After retrieving the certificate out of the bathroom drawer, she sought out her mother, who was busy making lunch in the kitchen.

"Mom? Can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure sweetie. You know you can ask me anything." She smiled and turned around. She had a mustard stain on the front of her dress, but Lena decided not to point it out. Ava was particular about her appearance, and would insist on changing before they continued.

"Why don't you let Mrs. Ralston do that stuff? I mean, we pay her to cook, right?" Lena asked.

"I just enjoy it, that's all." Ava's smile faded a little. Lena doubted this was the real reason, as she'd never seen Ava make anything other than sandwiches. "Besides, I don't like her cooking all that much. You came down here to ask me why I cook?"

"Not exactly." Lena thrust the piece of paper she had clutched in her hand at her mother. "I can't read the name on it. Why can't I read the name on it?"

Ava's expression softened, and Lena could see she was about to fall to pieces. Her whole manner changed and her voice became small, like a child's. Tears stood in her eyes. "Where did you find this?"

"It was...Mom, what's wrong? It was in a photo album I found upstairs."

Ava walked slowly into the dining room and sat down. She held the birth certificate with both hands, as if she were afraid it would break if she dropped it. She just stared at it. Lena went to sit with her, and not too long after Howard appeared at one of the other dining room doors.

"Is everything okay in here?" He walked over toward them, and Ava held the certificate out at him. She got up and walked to a window at the other end of the room. She stared listlessly out across the yard, toward a small clump of trees further out on the property, as Howard started to talk.

"You're...sure? You don't want to do this yourself, Ava?"

Ava nodded.

"Uncle Howard, what's wrong?" Lena looked frantically from her mother to her uncle. "If I'd known it was such a big deal, I wouldn't have..."

"What do you know about this?" His voice was more gentle than accusing. Lena slowly took the birth certificate back.

"It says my parents' names, and my birthday...but everything else is blank. Was my name changed, or something?"

"Lena, this is...this is not your birth certificate."

"But it has my birthday—the right year, and everything!"

Howard looked uneasily back over towards Ava, who still stared firmly out the window. "This belonged to someone else, who lived here a long time ago."

Something was starting to come together in Lena's mind. The reason her mother was so anxious about her safety.

"Who used to live here?"

Howard took another deep breath and set the birth certificate on the table. "Your brother. You had a brother."

She'd had a brother. From the window, Ava let out a quieted sob.

"He came to live here a long time ago, after your parents split up. Your father took you, and your mother took Thomas."

Thomas...

"He died. When he was five, and because he was with your mother, I guess your dad just didn't...didn't want..." Howard's voice broke, and he looked purposely away from the piece of paper in his hands, trying to collect himself.

"He never told me the truth about anything, did he?" Lena's eyes were tearing up, but she wasn't sure it was out of sadness. It was shocking. Somehow, she'd made peace with the fact that her dad hadn't wanted her to know her mother. But to hide a sibling? His own child? Her brother, the one person in the world that would have understood her predicament, the friend that she had so desperately wanted, so many times, when she'd never stayed long enough as a child to form any real friendships. Everyone that was her friend was dead, leaving her with her psychotic mother, the deceptive Howard, and the horrible man in the attic. She was living in a personal hell, and part of her wanted it to just be over. She wanted to be with the family she belonged with...the dead family. She got up from the table, and started to walk away; Howard reached out and touched her arm. She shook him off and started into a run.

"Lena!" Ava screamed. "Stop!"

Out of the dining room, out of the house, out of the orderly green yard, and farther. She ran until her lungs burned, and finally collapsed under a large cottonwood tree. She sat with her back to the tree, and stared in a direction that was anywhere but towards Waldgrave. She looked at the mountains, and the sun hovering just above them.

Her brother, father, grandmother...everyone was dead. Everyone dies, after all. Why did she care? She didn't know. It was all pointless anyway, wasn't it? So what if her parents had never loved one another—or if she'd never gotten the chance to meet her own brother? So what if her grandfather was...the way he was? Her father wasn't the person he had claimed to be—by far. But the more she tried to justify it to herself, the harder it was to understand. She had cried a lot lately, and now her head just hurt. Her whole life and being hurt.

Everything was so perfect before...

"It's not that bad." Lena twisted around. She was surprised to see Howard. "I mean, it could really be a lot worse. Trust me."

Lena stared at him as he sat down by her.

"What?" Howard looked concerned.

"It's just...I think this is the first time I've ever really seen you outside."

Howard laughed a little, and Lena smiled.

"I guess I need to get out more."

They sat silently. Lena tried to get a grip on what she had just learned; she had a brother. Part of her wanted to know what she could about him, because they'd never had the chance to get to know one another. Maybe she would be able to find a picture in one of her albums now that she knew; she wondered if they looked anything alike. Her lungs were still burning, and her eyes still stung. Lena was happy that Howard was looking out toward the mountains and not at her; she wondered if he'd read her mind to figure out she didn't like when people watched her being upset.

"How did he die?" Lena looked over at Howard, who picked a tall piece of grass from the ground and started to fidget with it. He stayed focused on it while he spoke.

"He went out to walk his dog, and we don't know what happened." Howard's voice cracked; Lena had always found this to be a little disturbing. She'd never seen her father cry, and seeing adults cry in general made her worry. "He liked to walk his dog, and he went out every night an hour before dinner. That time he just never came back. He was five."

"He never came home? Isn't it possible he's still...out there, somewhere?" Lena asked hopefully.

"No...We found a body. Bodies. Both him and the dog. We started looking when he didn't turn up that night, and we found them early the next morning. He was always so happy to go out with that dog, it's hard to believe that someone could...at least they were together. It's good that he wasn't alone."

"You let a five-year-old go wandering off by himself?"

Howard allowed himself a pause. "I wasn't living here then. He's one of the reasons why I'm here now. But I did know him—I was his uncle, after all. Rosaleen and I were visiting when it happened, though. But Waldgrave wasn't always the way it is now. It used to be a much safer place, before it happened."

"How did he die?"

"I'm not going to tell you that, because frankly I don't like to think about it. It's not something I want you to think about. He was murdered."

That certainly got her attention. In the back of her mind, a sleeping memory stirred; a sort of déja vu feeling crept under her skin. Lena almost felt bad for having such a morbid curiosity, but she had never actually known her brother. If he had been anything like her, she was sure he would understand.

"Who killed him?"

Howard took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled it. "We don't know." He looked out at the setting sun. It was halfway behind the mountains. Lena let it go. It was clearly upsetting to Howard. Her brother's killer was still loose somewhere. But then Howard continued.

"Lena, I know you know I've lied to you. I've had to, and you deserve to know why. I'm here because your brother's death was...political in nature. We're not a united front, people like us..."

"The Silenti?"

"Yes. Not everyone thinks like your grandfather, thank God, but our situation is so...extremely divided...that you're in danger. Just for being born. No one deserves the life you have in front of you. No one." Howard looked over at Lena for the first time since he'd sat down. Seeing that he had a captive and attentive audience, he thought it would be best to get it all out at once. "In the past, the Silenti were led by a monarchy, but not too far back they started to lose power as the world advanced. To make a long and bloody story short, those who followed the Darays wanted complete segregation from humans to keep the Silenti abilities and blood 'pure,' while the opposing party wanted more integration.

"Well, one night someone from the opposing party set fire to the Daray house while they slept, hoping to end the issue by killing all members of the royal family. Your grandfather and your mother, who was only a little girl, were the only ones who got out alive. The Daray supporters retaliated with a series of murders aimed at integrated Silenti families, and it's escalated from there ever since. The monarchy has always been led by a male figurehead, and when Thomas was brought to Waldgrave, fears ran high that the monarchy would reestablish itself. And, well..." Howard settled his head into his hands. Lena could see he was trying not to cry. How could someone kill a little kid? "Lena, you need to understand that to some people in our little world, you present such a threat yourself. Please forgive me, I've only been allowed to tell you what the Council—part of our governing system—has told me I'm allowed to. If I'd have broken that rule, they would have removed me and stuck you with someone else. I honestly don't know who I can trust anymore, and since your grandmother's death, you're the only family I have left." He buried his eyes into his palms. For several long minutes they sat there, two people being alone together.

"You know, you really shouldn't be so hard on your father." Howard kept his head in his hands.

"He lied to me. You hardly know me, but you know I don't like liars." Her voice was barely a whisper, but she was surprised at the anger and sadness it held. She felt bad for Howard because she knew what it was like to feel alone, but at the same time it wasn't fair that this had been dumped on her all at once—and her father had to know it was going to happen eventually.

"He had his reasons."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Have you been paying attention to anything over the last few months? Can you really blame him for trying to keep you out of all of this?" Howard wiped his eyes and stood up. "We need to get back before it's dark."

Howard reached out to her. Lena took his hand and he pulled her up. "I guess."

"He was a good man, Lena. He loved you more than you can ever know."

"I guess."

"You're as stubborn as he was."

Lena looked over at Howard. He hadn't meant it as a compliment, but she took it as one.

"He was stubborn as a mule when he was your age." Howard said with a reminiscent smile. "Willful, and adventurous, and selfless. He did it all for you, and you shouldn't remember him badly for it."

"Yeah?"

They walked slowly back towards Waldgrave, neither speaking, as if allowing for a moment of silence after everything that had just been said. Lena would never be able to think about her life, or her future, the same way again.

"I remember one time he ran off to Australia because one of his friends needed help—his wife had recently passed on, and he had a small child. Aaron was always a giver. He never thought of himself...gave his life savings to that little boy's college fund." Howard laughed a little. "Our mom almost killed him. Dad just thought it was really funny."

"Why?"

"Well, he was just under sixteen at the time." They both laughed.

"How did a fifteen-year-old get all the way to Australia?"

Howard related the whole ridiculous tale, which involved a series of fake identities and a lot of bribery, as they walked back to the house, and it was only later that night that Lena wondered if it was all really true. Knowing her father, it could have been.

The next morning, breakfast was a breath of fresh air. Howard made an announcement that brightened Lena's outlook more than anything up to this point had.

"Lena, I'm sorry I haven't told you before, it wasn't supposed to be until September." He glanced over at Ava, whose eyes were still somewhat puffy from the day before. "There's going to be a sort of get together here next week."

"A get together?" Lena took a bite of toast.

"It's a tradition. A sort of planning holiday; I guess we'll probably have the one in September too, but the important thing is that starting next Monday, a lot of people are going to be visiting."

"Okay. One—will I have to give up my room, and two—how long are they staying?"

"No, and one or two months, maybe. Some longer than others."

"Months?!" Lena exclaimed; it wasn't that she was opposed to the idea, but the length of the stay seemed unusually long.

"Calm down." Howard smiled at her enthusiasm. "You've been out of the world for a while now, and I think you'll enjoy the company. It's a sort of party, really. We get together, discuss issues, and try to enjoy ourselves. It's a time when we don't have to censor ourselves for fear of humans overhearing."

"So... Everyone there is going to be a Silenti?"

Ava smiled at her daughter. "See? I told you you'd figure that word out for yourself..."

"Oh..." Lena smiled cautiously at her mother, "Of course. Mom, you were so right! Thanks."

Ava smiled.

"In answer to your question, mostly. They're all Silenti, except for some of the integrated families. Your dad always came to them, even though he was human. But mostly they'll be Silenti...the family Representatives need to figure out what to do about your...situation."

Lena smiled. She wasn't too sure how great partying with Howard's business buddies would be, but the event did mean she'd have more people to talk to. More people who would be able to tell her about who she was.

"Oh—and on a side note, Mrs. Ralston is going to start tutoring you."

"What?" Lena shot a look at her mother, who was giving Howard a look as distasteful as her own.

"Your dad home schooled you?" Howard asked.

"Yes..." Lena wasn't sure if the term 'home schooled' exactly fit, as they'd never really had a location known as 'home.' And there had never actually been any 'schooling.' Lena had an amazing aptitude for reading and writing, and she'd seen a fair bit of world history in person, but she had only acquired basic math skills because her father had never liked the subject.

"And you've had quite a break. It's time to start back up again. Aside from the usual subjects, you're going to need to learn some things that normal schools don't teach." Howard nodded at her. It was funny how he had a way of putting a positive spin on things lately.

"I'll teach her. I don't want her going near my daughter." Ava was still giving Howard a look that somewhat resembled a glare. She was attempting to smile.

"Ava, you know you won't."

To Lena's surprise, she actually heard a mocking tone in his voice. Howard was smiling like Ava's suggestion was a joke. Ava looked indignant.

"Mom..." Lena gave her a look that agreed with Howard's statement.

Ava stood and stalked out of the dining room. Howard sighed, shaking his head as he looked after her.

Lena raised an eyebrow in agreement. "Why does she hate Mrs. Ralston so much?"

Howard looked Lena in the eye; both of them were grateful to be beyond keeping secrets. "It's...ugly. Rosaleen was born to human parents, and your grandfather invested a lot of time when she was little teaching your mother not to trust people identified as 'integrated.'"

They fell silent for a moment. It was ugly—it was bigotry. The morning had been going so well before that little piece of information. For the first time in a long time, though, Lena felt like being an optimist.

"So. A party, huh?"

Howard and Lena continued to eat, as if Ava's outburst had never happened.

"Yeah. I'm not trying to say you need it, but people generally try to make a big deal out of these meetings." Howard smiled. "You're mother's clothes are fancy enough, and they certainly suit you well. You can have money for makeup, if you like."

Lena nervously smiled back, trying not to give anything away. "Yeah—makeup. I think I might already have some."

After breakfast, and Howard's promise that he would find Ava and be sure she was okay, Lena sought out David. He seemed to be taking the day off, and was sitting in the shade on the opposite side of the barn from the house. When she turned the corner and found him, she was unpleasantly surprised by a visitor.

"What is that doing here?!"

The cat, who had been sitting on the ground in front of David, darted off around the other side of the barn. The headache and introductions the cat had provided her not too long before were fresh in her mind.

"He doesn't mean any harm." David stood up and dusted himself off.

"That cat—"

"He had orders. He brings me messages." He grinned at her confused look. "What's on your mind?"

"So, this party-gathering thing that's about to happen." Lena crossed her arms. "How did you know?"

David continued to smirk as he walked around to the barn entrance and motioned for her to follow. Once inside, Lena noticed things had changed a little since last time.

"Hey! I can see your table now!" Lena said excitedly.

"No, actually that's new. It used to be on the fifth floor, but Howard needed a place to store it."

Lena looked disappointed. However, it did give them a better place to sit when they talked. Lena pulled out one of the chairs and sat down.

"He said he'd be meeting you soon." David winked at her. "I knew if you two met, there would have to be an emergency meeting to figure things out. Those idiots in the integration party thought he'd infect you with his ideals if you were allowed in the same room. So, I figured you'd want makeup for the gathering when we went shopping."

"I'm not going to wear it." She crossed her arms.

"Not the first day. But I bet you will once you see the competition."

"The what?" Lena smiled.

"Okay." David seemed exuberant that she didn't know. He leaned onto the table, as though he were going to tell here a secret. "Howard told you what these meetings are for, right?"

"Business."

"Officially, yes—but a lot of people like to use them for other things." He watched her carefully, and was disappointed that she hadn't picked up on his allusion. "It's for the families. Families send their representatives. Usually, it's the male head of the family who votes for the family, the wife, some household servants, and the children."

"Children?"

"Young adults." David clarified.

"I'm not following you..."

"Unmarried young adults."

Lena laughed. "You're kidding!"

David smiled broadly. "Look. Rich people like to keep the blood rich. It's a way to get Silenti children to continue marrying with others of their kind, and keep the humans out of the family. Inter-human marriage is greatly discouraged, because..." He gave her a look. Because inter-human marriages produced situations like hers.

"That's crazy. I'm still not wearing it." She leaned back. No one was going to put her in any manner of arranged marriage. Her father had taught her to respect many world cultures, but the one thing he could not tolerate was the subjugation of women through arranged marriage, however indirect the process was. She was beginning to think that maybe his outright disgust at the practice had really been meant for her to see, in case of the situation she was now facing.

David smiled at her. "We'll see."

They stared at each other.

"Shouldn't you be scrubbing bird poop off the windows, or something?" Lena mocked.

"Howard gave me the day off. Apparently he thinks we all need a few extra breaks since your middle of the night episode."

"Very funny. I'm going back up to my room, where I'm going to read a book, and then fall asleep in my silk sheets on my king size bed." She raised her eyebrows defiantly as she walked toward the door. Just as she reached it, David grabbed her arm.

"Yes?"

"About the meeting..." He looked briefly down at the floor. "You'll save me a few dances, right?"

Lena just stared at him. She hadn't known there would be dancing. She didn't know how to dance—not the way teenagers do.

"Sure you will." David pushed her out the door and then closed it. Puzzled, Lena walked back up to the house.

*****

CHAPTER 7

On Monday, the guests started arriving. Just after breakfast, when the doorbell rang, Howard hurried to answer it himself. Lena, unsure if she was really in a mood to meet new people, stood in the doorframe between the dining room and entrance hall as a short man in a black waist coat strode through the door. His face was a gleeful bright red, and his hair was the messiest Lena had ever seen on a man in his forties. His boots, a shiny leather brown, made clicking noises on the stone floor. He was followed by another, younger looking version of himself, and two girls. All of them were toting large suitcases.

"Greg! No Serena this time? Eric...girls..." The smile on Howard's face was contagious.

"No, I'm afraid she couldn't make it this time. She's in Malaysia visiting her sister. She sends her best." There was an oddly recognizable ring to the man's voice...as though he were almost on the verge of chuckling. The two men shared a brief hug and a warm handshake. The young man—Eric—looked tentatively at the expanse around him, and smiled when he saw Lena. He waved. His gaze was quickly followed by that of the older man, who also offered an encouraging smile.

"My niece..." Howard walked over to usher Lena into the entryway. "Lena, this is Mr. Mason, and his children Eric, Daisy, and Rose."

"Hi." Lena smiled timidly.

The two men nodded in her direction, while the girls murmured quiet hellos.

"Well, I'll take you up then." Howard took the suitcases from the two younger girls and started leading them up the stairs. Mr. Mason offered another smile and waved goodbye as he disappeared after Howard. There was something about his smile that was vaguely familiar to her; it made her think of people shouting at a television screen in a room with a bunch of sports jerseys.

Lena turned back into the dining room, where her mother was still seated.

"Mom, do I know Mr. Mason?"

"I honestly don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me. He used to be one of Aaron's close friends. He used to be friends with a lot of integrationists. A lot of very extreme, very bad people...I don't know what I was thinking..."

As Ava continued to mumble, Lena went into the living room, where she hoped she was strategically positioned to intercept the family when they came back down from unpacking. Daisy and Rose didn't take long; they came running down the stairs, and then into the living room, and seemed to be headed toward the greenhouse.

"Girls! Girls!" They stopped and looked over at her. "Come here a minute!"

They were both blonde; one appeared to be ten, with the other a few years younger. The younger one had on a purple skirt, and was apparently trying to hide behind her sister as they approached Lena.

"You're Daisy. I love your name." The girl smiled and nodded as Lena tried to make eye contact with the younger sister. "And this little lady must be Rose." Rose smiled and blushed. "My, what pretty eyes you have. And such a pretty skirt." The little girl nodded and smiled.

"Are you Uncle Aaron's little girl?" Rose had a voice as soft as feathers.

"She's not a little girl, Rosie. She's older than me, and I'm not a little girl."

"He used to send us birthday cards and candy." Rose's toothy grin spread across her face. It sounded like something the Dad that Lena remembered would have done. She smiled. Lena looked up to see Mr. Mason watching from the living room entrance.

"Girls, why don't you go and see if the roses are blooming yet."

Rose jumped up and down excitedly as they ran back off toward the greenhouse, apparently fond of seeing the flower that was her namesake.

Mr. Mason sat down in a chair. "I bet you never knew you had little cousins."

"Are they my cousins? Really?"

"Well, not exactly. Your dad and me liked to think of ourselves that way, though, so yes. I'd be honored if you'd think of us that way. I know your dad never talked about us with you, but now..." Greg looked out towards to the greenhouse.

Lena nodded. "They're lively. We should definitely spend some time together."

Mr. Mason laughed a little. "They seem quite taken with you. You don't know how happy I am that you turned out okay. You probably don't remember, but we've met before."

Lena smiled a little. "I thought so. You're the one with all the rugby stuff in your house."

He nodded. "You've got a good memory—it's been a long time since your last visit. You would have been...wow, younger than Rosie. I know your dad had his reasons, so we won't talk about that now. But how have you been? Are you getting on okay with your...transition?"

A light in Lena's mind was suddenly switched on; she had a book with this man's name in it. It had been one of her first books at Waldgrave; it dealt with the subject of human-raised Silenti.

"You're like me, aren't you?"

Mr. Mason smiled warmly and nodded.

"Well, Mrs. Ralston has been teaching me. Or trying to. I'm not good at it." Lena shrugged.

"You're as good at it as you should be. Of course you're not going to get it all at once—and maybe not at all. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

They talked for quite a while afterward. Lena decided Howard's business buddies weren't as bad as she had initially thought.

As the week wore on, more and more families poured into Waldgrave. Lena had to speculate as to where Howard was putting them all; to her knowledge, there just wasn't enough room. But they continued to come, and Waldgrave continued to accommodate them, well into twenty families—and then the tents started to go up. Surrounding the house, thirty family-size tents were set up. And they kept coming. The Martins, Riveras, Astleys, Brendons, Bartons, Crittendens, Evans, Perrys, Abbotts...

Most of them came in families. Some came alone, or without children. Many of them kept to themselves, which David claimed was common until after the first dinner after everyone had arrived—a custom involving something about equal political opportunity. So they came, and settled in, and it was good that many had brought extra help for Mrs. Ralston, who would have otherwise been bogged down entirely in the kitchen. And then, on Saturday, a meeting to remember.

The doorbell rang. Mrs. Ralston answered it. Lena had made a habit of being there to see the families as they arrived, and so stationed herself in her usual spot in the dining room door. Two figures walked stiffly into the entrance hall.

"Hesper, stop fooling around. Get in here." There was no humor in the man's voice. He had very dark hair, and walked with an air of purpose. The chiseled features of his face left nothing to the imagination of his mood; he was a sour man. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but Lena couldn't put her finger on it. His arrogance and conceited nature echoed in her mind. He glared down at Mrs. Ralston, who quickly clasped her hands before her as several more figures started carrying in suitcases. And then a girl, perhaps Lena's age, wandered in.

"Stand up straight." Her mother chastised. She was the first woman Lena had seen with posture possibly better than Mrs. Ralston's. The girl complied after a glare from her father.

"Might I inquire as to the whereabouts of the Master?" The man removed his coat and passed it off to one of his servants.

"Master Collins is predisposed at the moment." Ralston gathered the courage to look him in the eye, but then quickly looked away. The man's upper lip curled.

"Howard Collins," he growled, "Is not the man I was seeking."

The woman moved her hand to touch her husband's arm.

"What?" He hissed.

It was only then that Lena realized the woman's eyes were fixed on her. Suddenly, all eyes were fixed on her. The man looked over and smiled amusedly; a gesture which made Lena quite uncomfortable.

"May I show you to your lodging?" Mrs. Ralston muttered.

"Yes...that will do." He started towards the stairs, with his eyes still on Lena.

"Sir! Sir!" Mrs. Ralston called after him.

He stopped.

"I'm afraid the only space left is out in the tents." She explained.

He turned on her. Lena took a step back as he walked toward Mrs. Ralston. For a moment, it looked as though he were going to slap her.

"What?!" He was right in her face. "What did you say?!" A vein popped out on his neck. Much to Lena's amusement, the daughter was rolling her eyes and sighing heavily at his overreaction.

"Rosaleen...is there a problem?" Howard walked quickly into the entrance hall. He threw a look at Lena and gestured for her to leave. She ducked out of sight, but stayed next to the door where she could hear.

"You expect me to sleep in a tent, with both my wife and my daughter, like any common family? Collins, you've let this place go to the dogs!"

Howard's voice was cool. "It's first come first serve, Darius, just like always."

"Not like always! And it's Master Corbett to you, mutinous filth!" Lena's interest was piqued. This was by far the most politically outspoken family she had yet encountered. The man scared her in a way that she'd never thought possible. It was clear that his radical views constituted most of his life, and Lena silently thanked Howard for his warning of the existence of such people. The girl, however, seemed remarkably normal. There was an unconcerned confidence about her that Lena found reassuring—she might make a good friend, and the effort was worth a try, anyway. Out in the hall, Lena heard pacing. "I deserve—"

"It's been first come, first serve, for the last ten years. If you wanted a room, you should have arrived days ago."

"I will not sleep on the ground, cramped in with both my wife and child!"

"Then you can leave!" Howard snapped.

Lena made an impulsive decision and jumped back into the doorframe. "She can stay with me!"

Everyone stared. The man, Darius, was standing with his face inches from Howard's.

"It's not a problem. Us girls can stay in a tent together, and they can have my room! Really, Uncle Howard, it's not a big deal..." Lena went on.

Master Corbett looked disgusted. Uncle Howard looked amused; strangely, he was actually smiling.

"Well, there you go, Darius. You and your wife can have young Miss Collins' room, and she and your daughter can sleep outside. I'm sure Master Daray would be very pleased with that arrangement." He downright smirked. Master Corbett seemed to be thinking it over—clearly this man was one of those under the belief that Daray and his kin were royalty.

"Fine. We will sleep in the tents." He spat. Then he looked over at Lena. "But not with my daughter."

"Lena?" Howard looked bemusedly over at her. Lena nodded her approval, and a moment later found herself leading her new friend up to her room. After the family servants had dropped the luggage and left, she looked over at her stunned companion.

"I'm Lena Collins," she smiled.

"Hesper Corbett." The girl started walking around, analyzing the room. "Thanks for pulling me out of the cuckoo's nest, if you catch my drift. They're really heinous when they have to travel, and we don't get along well to begin with if you couldn't tell."

"It's not a problem at all. I've been very lonely lately, and I'll appreciate the company. So really, you're doing me a favor." Lena hoped she didn't sound too desperate. She wanted this girl—Hesper—to like her.

"You're nowhere near as stuck up as I thought you'd be." Hesper sat down on the edge of the bed and started to take her shoes off. "You're all I've heard about for, like, the past few months. But you're really nice, you know? I mean, personality wise. I'm not just saying that..."

Lena watched her. She was pleased with herself. In fact, she was more than pleased with herself. Lena was a little concerned that she had been a gossip topic, but Hesper seemed very friendly.

"What? Am I really that special?" Hesper smiled up at Lena as she threw her shoes and socks to one side of the room, and started to rub her feet.

"I don't get to talk to many people my own age." Lena smiled and sat down next to her.

"Well, you're lucky." Hesper muttered. "Most of them are flaming morons."

Despite her preppy look, she had real brains and personality. She was cheekier than Lena had expected. She was bold, and independent, and fun. Not at all what she would have expected from parents like the ones she had just seen in the entrance hall.

Hesper went on, as if in response to Lena's thoughts. "Well, Griffin's the favorite. He's done everything, and really I just don't even try. I'll never live up to that. Besides, it's not like I'm going to marry up now, am I? Really takes the pressure off."

Lena tried not to let her smile slip. "I'm sorry, are you reading my mind?"

Hesper shot a shocked look over at Lena.

You can't do it?

No...Who's Griffin?

"Wow." Hesper looked across the room and into space. She seemed to be thinking.

"I still can't do it, Hesper..." Lena said quietly.

The guest shook her head and looked back over at Lena. "I'm—sorry. It's really surprising, that's all. A lot of people expect you to be, like, really talented, or something. I mean, with a family like yours, and all."

Lena sighed. "Well, that's just great..."

Hesper stared at her. Several minutes later, she started to speak again. "You have no idea who he is, do you? Griffin?"

"I will if you tell me..."

"Nope." Hesper stood up and started walking to her suitcases and pulled them over to the closet.

"Why not?" Lena was almost offended. They'd gotten on so well up to that point.

"It's not personal. I'm just afraid of hurting you. You know, the whole transition issue."

"David does it all the time." Lena got up to help her with her unpacking.

"David?"

"Oh...the yard boy. He's kind of a friend, I guess."

"Oh, I see. Well, that's different. And don't ask because I can't say why."

Lena sighed and silently helped Hesper hang up her clothes. She had a lot of designer clothes, most of which still had store tags on them.

"You bought new stuff just to come here?" Lena finally asked.

"Yeah. I buy new stuff every time I travel." She was meticulously organized. Every article of clothing had its place, and she organized from shorter blouses and skirts down to pants and dresses.

"I guess you don't travel a lot then." Lena pulled out pairs of shoes and passed them to Hesper, who organized them by color. "These look expensive."

"No, I get out. Not as much as I'd like to, but I got to spend some time around Europe last summer. You've really got a thing for dresses."

Lena cringed as she looked around the closet. "No. They're my mom's old ones. I hate wearing dresses."

"I'm sorry. I'll take you shopping some time, if you like."

"That'd be great!" The last time she'd been to buy clothes, she'd been somewhat inebriated, and had bought some things she wished she hadn't, including a pair of sweats in shocking canary yellow...she couldn't imagine what she'd been thinking. Before that, she and her father had only bought what was practical. Hesper seemed to have a preternatural sense of fashion, and would probably be more than happy to help.

"What are you wearing for tonight?" Hesper asked, flicking through the cloths in the closet.

"Not makeup." Lena replied.

Hesper turned on her. "Do you have a social death wish?"

"I'm just not into the whole formal thing." Lena explained. "And, I told someone I wouldn't, and I don't want to seem like a hypocrite..."

"Sweetie, sweetie!" Hesper grabbed her by the shoulders and steered her into the bathroom. Her fingers waved around Lena's face, indicating each feature as she mentioned it like a car salesman. "Have you looked at yourself? You've got a fabulous figure, and you'd look great in some eyeliner and a pale pink lipstick. I'm thinking high gloss, matching blush, most emphasis on the eyes."

Three hours later, they were both ready for the big dinner. After having tried on twenty different outfits, Hesper had decided for Lena that she'd be wearing an ankle-length deep green dress from Ava's collection. It had a low-cut back and embroidery running up and down the length every few inches. Hesper had initially decided to put her in high-heeled shoes, but decided against it when she saw that Lena was hardly able to walk, let alone dance. She did her makeup and hair for her, and generally seemed to enjoy herself during the whole process. Lena enjoyed the company, if not the copious fittings, and they got to know each other very well. Hesper had just turned seventeen the week before, and was surprised to hear that Lena was only about to turn sixteen. She liked makeup, clothes, shopping, and angering her mother. Lena tried to talk about the person named Griffin again, just to make conversation, but Hesper stayed fairly quiet on the subject. She made a vague allusion that he was her brother, and apparently it was a regular practice for 'high ranking' wealthy families to hide their sons as a means to prevent assassination. The Silenti were a cutthroat bunch.

Around seven, there was a knock at the door, which Hesper answered. For a moment, she didn't know exactly what to do. David nodded at her; he looked at her curiously, as though he wasn't sure why she was there. He looked past Hesper at Lena, and then back.

"You must be David." Hesper said awkwardly, taking in the plain, though nice, pants and shirt he was wearing.

"I am." David nodded. "Are you ladies ready to go down? Master Collins sent me to retrieve you."

As they walked down into the living room, Lena could immediately sense the difference in attitude from previous days. People were smiling, laughing, getting to know one another—groups of adults, groups of teens and children, all talking quite happily. A few glanced over at the group as they descended the stairs, but most kept to their talking. Once they reached the bottom, David excused himself and left Hesper to introduce Lena to the people she knew. She led Lena over to a group of teens.

"Lena, this is Bianca Channing, Martin and Dorian Colburn, Serafina Perry, and Ryan Ashmore. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Lena Collins."

The chatter ended immediately. Lena tried to keep smiling; Bianca, Martin, and...Lena scrambled to try and remember all of the names before they vanished from her mind. Dorian, Serafina, and Ryan. They were staring at her with stunned expressions. Hesper cleared her throat and looked at Bianca.

"Bee, how have you been since last summer? I was just telling Lena earlier about our little trip to Europe." She raised her eyebrows as Bianca continued to stare.

"I—oh," Bianca regained her poise. She had unnaturally blond hair and a fake tan; she had a thin but athletic build, green eyes, and a vacant expression. "Yes, it was nice, wasn't it?"

One of the boys, with lighter hair and a stern looking face, nodded and offered his hand. Lena shook it. He kept watching her until Hesper intervened.

"Out loud, Martin dear." She said impatiently, and seeming slightly embarrassed.

Serafina's jaw dropped. Eyes went wide, and Lena had the uncomfortable feeling that they were talking about her in their minds, where she could not participate. Was it really that big a deal that she couldn't read minds?

Martin looked quickly over at Hesper, and then back at Lena, trying to recover from acting rude. "Martin Colburn. Pleased to meet you."

There was a moment of silence, during which Hesper gave Bianca a desperate look. Bianca struck up a conversation again, and Lena glanced nervously over at Hesper. Hesper grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the group and into a corner. Lena noticed the other girl, Serafina, was leering after her.

"They don't like me." Lena watched as Serafina started flirting with Martin.

"You're not what they expected." Hesper explained.

"Why?"

"I told you. You come from a very well-known family—not the Collins, but the Darays." Hesper smiled and waved in the direction of some other young adults; Eric Mason was the only one Lena recognized.

A man was walking toward them. He stretched out his hand toward Lena as he stopped in front of her. Hesper looked somewhat annoyed; the man glared at her before smiling back over at Lena. He wasn't as well dressed as most of the other people in the room, and the glare off of his spectacles complemented the gray hairs that were starting to spring up in his dark hair.

"Miss Collins. I'm Warren Astley, a friend of your father's." He shot another poisonous look at Hesper. "I'm so sorry about your loss. Sometime, I'd like to get to know you. I think we'll have a lot to talk about." Lena hesitated before shaking the man's hand. Hesper was about to say something, and by the looks of it something impolite, but just then Howard ran up.

"Lena! Good, you're here. Making friends?"

Mr. Astley walked away. Hesper seemed to be winking at Bianca.

"Not exactly. Well, one." Lena smiled over at Hesper.

Howard looked like the stress of the busy room was exhausting him. "I'm sure you'll know everyone here before the month is out. May I escort you two to the dining room?"

Hesper took Howard's left arm, and Lena took his right. As they walked, Howard dropped a quick warning that her grandfather, Master Daray, would be attending. He then refreshed his caution that he shouldn't be trusted, and that she should ignore him if he tried to get to her through some sort of manipulation.

As they entered the dining room, Lena noticed that the room had grown significantly. She blinked a few times and looked around. She was almost sure the room was now too big to fit inside the house; the wall that divided the dining room from the entrance hall had jumped nearly thirty feet further out. Several smaller tables now surrounded the large main table, and the entire room had been decorated in silver and gold streamers and banners. Howard seated Lena and Hesper near the head of the main table before excusing himself to find Ava, and asked if either of them had happened to see David in a while. They hadn't; Lena decided to use the time before the hall filled up as best she knew how.

"What was up with you and Mr. Astley?"

"Oh, he's a big pain." Hesper said plainly. "His whole family is."

Lena frowned. "So you don't like him, then? I mean, he seemed nice. Maybe a little weird..."

"Ya think? Don't trust him. He's a serious manipulator, and his whole family is kind of screwy. His dad is a huge political pain in the butt, and he's a huge religious pain in the butt, and I'm sure his kids are working on innovative ways of becoming pains in the butt in the future. I've never met his kids, by the way. No one has ever seen any of them, which is, well..."

"Really weird." Lena finished the thought for her.

For such a small group of people, Lena remarked how divided they were. Howard didn't trust Master Daray, the Corbetts didn't trust Howard, Hesper didn't trust Mr. Astley, Hesper's friends didn't trust Lena, and Ava didn't trust anyone. Lena looked over at Hesper.

"Why—"

"Religion, politics, and money." Hesper responded.

"Well, isn't that always the case..." Lena thought back to several places she'd been before. "Which religions?"

"Old Faith and New Faith."

"I haven't heard of those before...Which are you?"

Hesper shifted uncomfortably, and Lena realized she had been rude to ask. "Old Faith."

"Oh." Lena looked around the room as more people filed in and took their seats. She usually made a point of finding out about new religions, but didn't want to lose Hesper as a friend. Besides, her father had always taught her that money, politics, and religion, while needing to be discussed, were not topics for dinner conversation. Hesper sensed her curiosity.

I'll tell you later, okay?

Okay.

Lena smiled as Ava and Howard walked over to the table. They sat across the table from Lena, and Hesper's parents were soon seated to their daughter's left. A few more people Lena didn't know seated themselves around her, and she would have introduced herself, except that the entire room went silent at that point.

Lena looked in the direction of all the gazing faces, and saw Master Daray. She shivered and turned back to Howard, who met her eyes. The old man was dressed very nicely in a suit, new looking shoes, and had his hair slicked back. He was walking leisurely toward the head of the main table. A man twelve feet down the table from Lena shot up from the table, as if to protest, but Howard waved for him to sit down.

Hesper nudged Lena with her elbow. That's Master Pain in the Butt, Senior.

Lena looked down the table at the man; sure enough, Mr. Astley was seated next to him. While the father looked enraged by Daray's presence, the son only looked anxious. His eyes switched very suddenly from Daray to Lena, and she turned to look at Master Daray to avoid eye contact.

Daray smiled and nodded at several families as he walked. When he finally reached his destination, his eyes scanned down the table until his gaze fell upon Lena.

"Good Masters, I welcome you to my house. Before we begin the celebrations, I'd like to introduce my granddaughter, Eden Daray, who has recently been recovered from the unlawful custody exercised by her father."

Lena's mouth dropped open. Not only had he just called all the attention in the room to her—he had changed her name and called her father an unlawful guardian. It might have made her angry if she hadn't been so embarrassed. She tried to slouch down in her chair, but quickly noticed that everyone seemed to know who she was, and was clapping and staring at her. She felt her face go red. Howard had closed his eyes and was silently shaking his head; he seemed to be meditating. Daray went on.

Ignore it, Lena. He's just an old man trying to find a way to control you. The words were quiet in her head, like a whisper. She nodded gratefully at Howard.

"I have another announcement."

Howards eyes shot open. He looked over at Daray with a confused expression. Daray smiled serenely.

"After much rumination on the subject, and given my current situation and inadequate family, I have chosen to name an heir outside of my own family."

There was a silence in the room as Daray's smile broadened. Howard looked away and back at Lena. His eyes had gone very wide. He wasn't panicked, but he did look worried. Several people, Hesper included, looked taken off guard by this additional piece of information.

Lena, don't let it get to you. Howard's voice was in her head. He's not in control here, remember that...

"After much thought, and many years of planning, I have discovered a boy of promising talent. It's my wish that he become the next in my family line. He will be respected as I am—as a member of the House of Daray. Darius, join me at the head of the table."

Master Corbett rose, walked calmly toward Daray, and bowed before taking his place at the patron's side. Howard's hand moved of its own accord to cover his mouth.

We knew it...we don't know where he hid him, but we knew it would be the Corbett boy...Lena, try to act casual, don't give him anything that says he's getting to you...

"My heir, Griffin Corbett..."

Across the room, Lena saw Rosaleen Ralston's jaw drop. A horrified expression crossed her face, which she attempted to cover with her hands. As Lena's luck would have it, David had walked into the room at the same time, blocking her view of Daray's heir. She strained her neck to see around him, but then she realized...He was dressed nicer than Lena had ever seen him—a suit, similar to the one Daray was wearing. David was...Griffin, the heir. The 'apprentice,' as he had called himself. She looked back to Howard, whose eyes had narrowed to slits.

*****

CHAPTER 8

Howard didn't act betrayed, though he certainly felt it. He studied the boy—the lost Corbett, whose birth he'd been sure of, but that he'd never seen. Daray was a clever one, for sure; Howard had taken Griffin in willingly, believing he was a child in Lena's situation, as so many were. Human-born Silenti were themselves not rare, but finding one capable of rehabilitation was pure luck. He'd believed David—Griffin—to be a lucky child to be found. To Howard, he had been a boy from a broken home, needing an understanding family; after losing his nephew, and fearing that he would never see his brother or niece again, he had thought that helping out David was a way to find peace.

All these years, Howard had known Daray would take an heir because he didn't have a male in his own line to lead the household. He had even guessed it would be the missing Corbett boy; but he had never been able to find him. No one had. He's been outwitting me all this time...They both have. But Howard kept this thought to himself. He suddenly found himself second-guessing the last ten years. If Daray had had enough contact with him, enough time alone, Griffin could be a formidable opponent; dangerous, even, under the right circumstances. Howard's eyes drifted back to Lena; he'd let them go into town together, alone. He secretly counted his blessings, because the situation could have been much worse than it already was.

As Griffin walked up to the table, only half of the people in the hall clapped. Lena could tell the difference, even across the expanse of the dining room; he was holding himself differently, acting differently—even more arrogant than he had been before. The rest sat about, sending nervous looks to one another.

"I'll now turn the evening over to Howard Collins, who, I believe, wishes a word." Daray sat down looking very smug, with Griffin to his right, and Master Corbett to his left.

Howard stood immediately; he took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"First, I'd like to congratulate Griffin on achieving such an...honor." He nodded toward the head of the table, where Daray was still smiling, a glass of wine in his hand. "Second, I'd like to say goodbye to him, as he will no longer be permitted to live on this property."

Daray stood back up with surprising agility for his age. "You cannot strip me of my heir, Collins. I have a right to him."

"You have a right to an heir. There's nothing in the law or our mutual agreement that says you have a right to keep him on this property."

Howard and Daray stared at one another across the table. Lena wished she knew what they were communicating to each other; the entire room was silent, but she could see people looking at each other. They were all talking, but she couldn't hear any of it. Eventually, both Howard and Daray sat down, and servants started bringing in food. The dance, which usually followed the first dinner, was cancelled.

Back up in Lena's bedroom, a cot had been delivered to accommodate the extra guest. Lena insisted that Hesper take the bed. In the back of her mind, she knew she should have told Howard about David's apprenticeship, but she had only started to trust Howard recently, and David really hadn't seemed that threatening... He'd been her only friend for so long.

"What do you think is going on down there?" Hesper was removing her makeup in the bathroom. She left the door open so she would have someone to talk to.

"What d'you mean?" Lena had just finished making up the cot, and threw herself down on it. Hesper had forced her into nail polish for the big dinner, and the feeling of it on her nails was beginning to annoy her. She wanted to chip it off, but didn't, as Hesper had spent almost forty-five minutes getting it just right.

"They're down there talking about something."

"Who?"

"The household representatives. Master Daray created quite a stink tonight—I'm surprised they're still down there, actually. They usually take it to the Council hall upstairs." She walked out of the bathroom and into the closet. A moment later, she reappeared in nightclothes. Seeing Lena, so calmly reposed on the cot, and seeming not to care, worried her. "What do you think about all of this, by the way? You've been quiet."

Lena shifted her doe eyes over to Hesper. "I guess I didn't like it that he changed my name. That was...weird. What he said about my dad was obviously not true, so I guess I don't care about that."

"No...about the other thing." Hesper walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it, facing Lena.

"Did you...know? I mean, you said you haven't seen him in years, so..." Lena realized she was attempting to chip at the nail polish and stopped herself. She looked up at Hesper, who was watching her fidgeting hands. "What? I don't mean to do it, really. I'm just not used to having my nails done."

"I recognized him, when he came to the door, earlier. They never told me where he was though. Shocking, really. I didn't know he was going to announce it tonight, but I guess my dad did. He didn't seem too surprised. I guess I don't really care—it's not like I know him like you do."

"What do you mean by that?" Lena rolled on her side to face Hesper.

"Well, you said you two were friends."

"We are. Were. I don't know about now. I guess I always felt like he was more of an older brother type...You know, we kind of bully each other." But really, it had been Griffin doing most of the bullying.

"Sweetie," Hesper went and sat on the cot. Lena sat up to accommodate her, and Hesper put an arm around her shoulders. "You really don't get it, do you? This is a patriarchal system. It's changing, which is for the better in a lot of people's minds, but it's a patriarchal system. When someone names an heir, it's assumed that person is their son or grandson or something. When someone names an heir outside of the family, it's assumed that person is about to become part of the family...usually by marriage."

Lena stared at Hesper, who stared back at her. How could she have missed that? It made perfect sense.

The look on Howard's face after Daray had started talking.

Something David had said to her was ringing in her ears. You'll save me a few dances, right?

Suddenly, a feeling came over her. One she hadn't experienced but a few times in her life. She stood up and started for the door.

"It won't do any good!" Hesper stood up, and followed Lena. Lena kept walking. "Hey! Hey, slow down!"

Lena whipped around so fast that Hesper actually ran into her.

"So what? I'm just supposed to sit up here? Hesper, I just got engaged in front of a room full of people without even knowing it!" Then she said some things that made Hesper's eyebrows rise in shocked surprise. Lena turned around and walked briskly toward the library.

"Lena!"

Lena felt Hesper make a grab for her arm and started into a run, which she maintained until tripping on the last stair. She fell flat on her face, but managed to get back on her feet before Hesper caught up. Her knees and palms stinging, she sprinted to the dining hall and had her hand on the door, ready to barge in and raise hell.

"YOU KILLED THAT BOY, DARAY! EVERYONE KNOWS IT!"

Lena froze. She felt Hesper grab her and push both arms to her sides. The yelling in the dining room continued.

"YOU DID IT! YOU!"

Hesper's eyes were wide. She seemed unable to move. The dining hall had gone quiet. The door opened, and a red faced Master Mason appeared. Behind him, she could see Master Astley Senior, flushed red with anger, staring down Master Daray. Warren Astley was seated next to him, watching the floor nervously. Around the room, several other Representatives were watching Lena and Hesper through the doorway, or talking silently amongst themselves.

Hesper was shaking; she and Master Mason stared at each other. Lena would have wondered when she would finally be privy to such conversations, but her mind was already busy with what she'd just overheard. Master Mason closed the door behind him, and silently led Lena and Hesper back upstairs. He nodded for Hesper to go back in the room, but kept Lena in the hall. He sighed.

"Lena. I need to get back down there, for your own good. I want you to know, you can't say anything to help that isn't already being said. I promise you that, so don't come back down." He started walking down the hall.

"Master Mason!" Lena's breathing was too fast; she thought she might be about to hyperventilate.

He turned around.

"Did he kill my brother?"

Master Mason shook his head, and looked at the carpet. "That's not something I could tell you." He walked away.

Lena turned and knocked on the door across the hall. When Ava didn't answer, she knocked again. Then she opened the door, but her mother wasn't in her room.

They probably had a special summons.

What?

Your mom. She's probably down there as a witness. I told you, you really can't do anything. Can we just go to bed, please?

Lena walked back to her bedroom.

"Who did he kill?" She asked.

Hesper looked shaken. She was tucked under the blankets of the bed, but she appeared to be shivering.

"You're going to get me in trouble." Hesper pulled the blankets further up over herself and curled halfway into a ball. She was suddenly childlike; Lena could feel her fear, and she was sure it wasn't any sort of special ability allowing her to do so.

"Why?" Lena pressed.

Hesper's words were muffled by the blankets. "We don't talk about it."

"I won't tell..."

"They'll know, whether you tell or not."

Lena thought hard. There had to be something she could say to persuade Hesper to tell her. If there was one lesson she'd taken from Turkey, it was that everyone had a price.

"I'm the heir," Lena reasoned. "Or I would be, if I were a boy. I order you to tell me."

Hesper remained silent.

"I'll...extend my protection to you?"

Hesper didn't turn around. "Only Griffin can do those things now."

"You promised to tell me about the religions, anyway." Lena sat down on the cot. It didn't look as though she'd be getting anything more out of Hesper. She may have even lost her as a friend.

Hesper sighed. "I guess I did."

Lena looked over. Hesper was sitting up in her bed; she smiled weakly.

"What do you want to know?"

"Start from the start, I suppose."

Hesper went and retrieved a small box from the closet, and motioned for Lena to join her sitting on the bed. Hesper opened the box.

"Tell me what you see."

Lena peered in. "Nail polish, nail clippers, nail file, box of cigarettes..."

"Don't tell my parents about those." Hesper interjected.

"...Clipped magazine articles, self-photo..." Lena reached in and shifted the articles in the box. "And a necklace."

Hesper seemed to be anticipating something. Lena moved the objects around in the box again.

"And...the nail polish is pink?" Lena added in frustration.

"Tell me about the necklace." Hesper hinted.

"Silver chain...Oh," Lena saw it as she lifted it from the box, "It's got a pendant on it! It looks kind of like Celtic love knots, with a circle in the middle."

"Bingo. We're good. Settle in. Stop me if you need to, but I think you'll be okay." Lena and Hesper shifted so that they were facing each other. Hesper took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Where to begin. No one really knows the truth. It's just like any other religion—stories passed on over millennia. But we haven't always been here. We're almost sure about that much. The Circle in the Square," she indicated the pendant in Lena's hand, "is a religious symbol. It represents the portal, but that's probably not what it really looks like. We don't know for sure if anyone's actually seen it. But, anyway—it's just a symbol. The portal is how we got here."

Lena raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"I know. It's weird. But it's true—at some point in time, a long time ago, a sort of doorway was opened. No one knows what's on the other side, but the scriptures claim we came through it, and ended up here. There's a long story concerning the history of the portal, but to sum it up, we don't know where it is now. The religious deal is that half the people here want it to stay closed, and the other half want to open it. They don't believe we belong here, and that we should return to a world where we don't have to hide ourselves from humans."

"Hiding?" Lena almost laughed. "Who's hiding? Hesper, you could see this house from space. Several hundred people came in from outside the country to stay here for a couple of months. This isn't exactly inconspicuous behavior."

Hesper shrugged. "It's a mansion in the country, and lots of people come here for the skiing and hiking. Besides, the house and most of the rest of it was made by Silenti—it's doubtful humans would take much notice unless someone carefully pointed it out. And they take a great deal of care in orchestrating the travel so that people have a staggered arrival and departure so it doesn't look like a gathering. Even if someone did notice, the Council would pay them off or have them die in an accident."

"That's a little drastic." Lena remarked.

Hesper tilted her head back and forth. "It usually doesn't happen. I guess I should have said that people want to leave here because they don't want to have to deal with humans, and not because we're hiding. Humans are kind of simple-minded compared to Silenti. Not that I'm saying anything personal here, but imagine that you're stuck in a world where everyone around you has an IQ that's half of yours. Would you want to stay?"

Lena smiled sardonically. "You think I'm stupid?"

"Not stupid." Hesper rolled her eyes. "Just slow. And I told you not to take it personally—you're going to get better. My point is that humans don't have telepathy. They don't see the future or talk to each other in their minds, or anything that a typical Silenti would find normal. They're cumbersome to put up with, so we work around their systems so we don't have to. Think about it this way: imagine that you're stuck on an island with a bunch of chimpanzees or something. I mean, they're smart, and they feel, but they're really not operating on your level."

"Because you're so much more evolved than the rest of us?" Lena jabbed.

Hesper stared her down. "Lena, I'm trying here. My first words were spoken in my thoughts to my mother before I was even born. Do you really want to challenge me on who's more evolved? I'm just trying to explain the perspective."

Lena sat quietly, considering how weird it would be for an infant's first words to occur before birth. "Fine. Continue."

"Okay...where was I?" Hesper sighed in relief.

Lena thought. "The part where some people want to go through the portal to another world. That is weird."

"Only as weird as any other religion. Walking on water, talking flaming shrubbery, boats big enough to hold every animal on the planet, holy cows, dreams of white elephants...and then there's Scientology. Wow, don't even get me started on that one..."

"Okay..." Lena handed the pendant back to Hesper, "And who's who? I don't mean to be rude, but which are you?"

Hesper took the pendant and put it on. "My family believes in the Old Faith—that the portal will be found, and that it will be opened by the heir, and we will return to a world where we can live in harmony with our own kind."

"And...Griffin's the heir?" Lena said, once again in disbelief.

"Oh, you're kidding me!" Hesper smiled broadly. When Lena returned only a blank stare, she started to look worried. "Good Lord. How long have you been here, and you haven't figured it out? Lena, this world—our world. It revolves around your family. The Daray Family is royal; we practically worship you, because only a Daray can open the portal."

"Why?" Lena was trying to seem calm; of all the religions she'd encountered, this was by far the most crazy and stupid. Well, maybe not, but it was certainly up there on the list.

"It's recorded on the portal. Only members of the royal family can read what's on the portal—the instructions to open it." Hesper said, as though this must be obvious.

"So," Lena sighed, "You believe that I'm royalty."

"Yes."

"And this fact is recorded in invisible ink on a portal that no one has ever seen?" Lena tried not to laugh.

"Yes. Well, there are some unverified claims, but yes."

"And that portal, which only my family members can open, leads to another world?"

"We don't know where it leads, but that's basically right. Only a Daray can open it—not Master Collins."

I'm sure Howard was very sad to hear that.

Hesper rolled her eyes. "He's against opening it anyway, so I don't think he really cares."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Oh, were you? You're too quiet when you try to do it." Hesper yawned, and Lena could tell she was tired.

I'll have to work on that.

"Yes, you will," Hesper retorted.

"Well, thank you."

"'Welcome."

They settled into their beds. The information about the religions was interesting to Lena, but something was still weighing heavily on her mind...She decided to try one more time.

"Hesper? Just theoretically, why would he have killed my brother? His own grandson? The heir?"

Hesper was quiet for a moment. "Well," she paused, "Theoretically, if you believe the New Faith version of events, it was because Thomas wasn't a Silenti. He was a human, and it was theoretically an embarrassment Master Daray just wouldn't tolerate. With Thomas dead, he had a right under our laws to petition for custody of you. You never wondered why your dad ran? Not that I believe such stories..."

"Of course you don't..."

They said their goodnights and retired to their beds. In the darkness, Lena was finally at peace with her father. She knew why he had lied now, and was able to forgive him. Thank him, even. For fifteen years, he'd saved her from exposure to a cult of insane religious fanatics—no matter how friendly or likeable some of them were. She was related to a man that could have theoretically killed a child for not being able to read minds.

Breakfast the next day became a complicated matter. Lena refused to go down after the events of the night before, and asked Hesper to test the waters for her. Hesper refused, insisting that hiding would only make matters worse. If she appeared confident and collected, she would gain much more respect. So they went down together (after much fussing and makeup application), and Lena tried to appear aloof to the chatter that ceased—or rather, became inaudible to her—every time she entered a room. Hesper tried desperately to make casual conversation, and her friend Bianca even came to sit with them, but it was no good to Lena. She wasn't Silenti; not in the sense that everyone here was. Every foreign place she'd ever visited felt more like home than this.

Just before lunch, she started looking for Howard. Her mother was talking endlessly with two women who were apparently old friends of hers, Mrs. Burr and Mrs. Perry, and didn't have the time to dismiss her from her "social responsibility," as Hesper called it. When she couldn't find him on the first or second floor, or outside in any of the tents, she figured it was time for a new approach. Standing in the entrance hall, she concentrated as hard as she could.

Howard, where are you?

I'll be down in a minute, and please don't shout in the house!

She heard quieted laughing around her. A few of the teenagers were staring, including Serafina Perry, who was walking up to her.

"My, my, one would think a Daray would have better manners." She crossed her arms; the flock of teenagers she had emerged from were all watching intently as the scene unfolded. Serafina had the sickly thin look of a high-fashion model; her arms were practically toothpicks, and her eyes looked sunken in. It wasn't attractive, and Lena wondered what Martin saw in her.

"And I'm sure you're bothering to tell me to be polite." Out of the corner of her eye, Lena saw Hesper hurrying toward her.

"No. I'm saying it because no one else will. You're a disgrace to your family," She tossed her hair as Hesper arrived.

"I'm not a Daray. My last name is Collins."

Serafina winked at Hesper. "Well, then I guess such behavior is to be expected." She turned and walked away. Lena took a deep breath.

"Sorry," Hesper smiled weakly, "I don't like her. She's elitist. And quite frankly, sometimes she's a real—"

"Lena! Everything okay?"

Lena turned to see Howard walking briskly down the stairs. He was half smiling, still amused from her earlier blunder. Lena told Hesper she'd see her later, grabbed Howard's arm, and led him to a quiet corner of the room.

"Do I really have to stay here?" She pleaded.

"Why? I thought you'd be overjoyed to have some people your own age around. I've been told you needed a friend, recently." Howard's smile was gone. He was looking at her sternly.

"What?"

"I understand. I was trying to keep two teenagers in a house with a bunch of old fogies." She had only ever heard her father say the word "fogies" before, and smiled. "...It was natural for you two to become friends. I even encouraged it. But get this straight, Lena: no more secrets. David was a good friend. Griffin Corbett is dangerous—especially after last night."

Lena frowned. She had barely even thought about the fact that she'd continued keeping the secret from Howard. Admittedly, it was a big secret, but up until last night, she hadn't realized the magnitude of what she was doing. In her mind, Griffin was her friend—the only one she'd had, until Hesper. And in some immature way, she'd even relished keeping the information from Howard, because he had deceived her so frequently in the beginning.

"Howard, don't you think you're overreacting just a little? I mean, he's really been..."

"No. No more secrets. Especially if someone asks you to keep them from me specifically. I need your promise."

"Okay, I promise. Does he really have to move away?" Part of her had become lonely at the thought of David leaving, even if he was Griffin and not David. Even if her grandfather had sick delusions about their marrying later in life. Even if he continued to be an arrogant jerk, he was still the only person keeping her company. Without David, there were only adults who treated her like a child.

"Yes. And that's not up for debate. Now, what were you going to ask me?"

Lena looked back over her shoulder at Serafina Perry. Children being children, as Mrs. Ralston would have said. It seemed too trivial a matter considering everything else that was happening in her life.

"It's...nothing." She shrugged.

Howard looked at her questioningly. "Are you sure?" Lena nodded quickly. "I'll see you at lunch." He set off, back up the stairs.

Lena, alone again, turned and faced the crowds. It was going to be a long few weeks.

The days passed slowly. Lena got to know Bianca, who was very much like Hesper, if not as politically informed and outspoken. They both loved gossip, clothes, and makeup, and while they were both very friendly, Lena had little in common with them. Eric, Master Mason's son, introduced her around. Lena was sure this was at Howard's asking, because Eric was twenty and seemed very concerned with being viewed as an adult. He did eat with her and Hesper, though, and was very polite about the entire situation. She managed to meet a few new people who were willing to talk to her. However, she missed Griffin, and she didn't know why. Friends don't lie to friends about secretly being your betrothed. While she questioned if the friendship had all been a manipulation, she missed him. Not the person he was now, but the person she had thought he was. She framed that fact very carefully in her mind because it was exactly as Howard had said; he had been deceiving them all, especially Lena. It wasn't complicated. But at the end of the second week, while Lena brushed out her hair before bed, Hesper suddenly made things complicated again.

She threw a folded up piece of paper onto Lena's cot. "He asked me to give this to you. Apparently he's really coming home." Hesper looked a little disappointed. Over the years, she'd been allowed a sort of freedom that most wealthy Silenti women were not afforded. With Griffin in the highest seat of power possible, she had never felt the pressure of needing to 'marry up'—a concern that Bianca constantly expressed. With Griffin returning home, she was sure the greater part of her life, once filled by travel and study, would become a matter of painstaking business parties and propaganda for her brother.

Without speaking, Lena picked up the note. It only had her name on it, but just looking at it stunned her; it was an incredibly intimate and illegal gesture. She opened it, and read it quietly.

Lena,

Sorry it turned out like this. We lost at the trial that was held concerning my right to stay here with Master Daray. I'm leaving with the Corbetts. Howard doesn't want me to see you again, and there's some debate about whether or not he'll win on that issue. For the time being, I'm not even supposed to speak to you, so don't tell anyone about this. I hope you're well. I'll miss you.

Sincerely,

Griffin

"Did he really sign it 'sincerely'?" Hesper was half smiling.

Lena looked up. "What?"

"You read out loud to yourself in your head. Is that really how he ended it? Sincerely? The second most powerful person in the world, and he can't even write a stupid love letter. Somebody needs to smack him..." She started her routine to get ready for bed. The lengths she went to for something as simple as washing her face intrigued Lena; there was makeup remover (one for her skin and one for around the eyes), then exfoliation, several kinds of skin softeners, zit cream, lotion...

"It's not a love letter. I agree that he needs a smacking, though." Still holding the note, Lena read it over again.

"Oh please. He's male. It's amazing he even remembered to write—that means you're special." Cleansers, things to prevent wrinkles, stuff to put oils in where skin was dry, stuff to pull oils out where it was too oily...

"Tell him I don't think we should be talking."

"What?" Hesper almost dropped her makeup-smudged washcloth.

"I don't know him. I don't think I want to know him. He's been lying to me ever since I met him." Lena settled into the cot, and pulled the blankets over her. "You don't know him either."

"He lies to protect you. You're right—I don't know him. I think the last real conversation we had concerned who had the more awesome cell phone when we were eight, but you know what? You're going to have to trust me on this one. You aren't a quarter of the Silenti I am, and I know what he was feeling when he handed me that note. He's concerned for you."

Lena turned over and looked into the bathroom, where Hesper was watching her through the mirror. In the reflection, their eyes met. At that moment, Lena wished she could have read her friend's mind. She wished she could feel people's emotions, and know with such certainty who was lying to her. She wanted very much to believe Hesper, and she wanted a medium through which to do it; she'd lost all faith in blind faith since the time Howard had repainted the second floor hall. She was almost certain Howard hadn't lied to her when he said Griffin was dangerous. She was almost certain she could trust Hesper, her friend. But she was also almost certain she couldn't trust everything that she was being told by both of them at the same time. She looked back down at the note.

...so don't tell anyone about this...I'll miss you.

She needed advice, and she had no one who could give it in an unbiased fashion. She folded up the note and stuck it in her pillow case. Then, on second thought, she pulled it out and stuck it in the nightstand drawer. Without another word, she pulled the blankets over her head and pretended to sleep while Hesper finished the rest of her routine. Hesper probably knew she wasn't sleeping, but Lena was beginning to become accustomed to the feeling of others knowing more about her than she did.

"Mom?" Lena had woken up early, hoping to catch her mother before she could start any conversations with her friends. Lena was surprised to find her up as early as she was, already picking out her clothes for the day and putting on makeup.

"Lena! Sweetie, why are you up so early?" She was wearing a bathrobe and holding different dresses in front of her while looking in the mirror.

"I need advice..."

"Do you think the blue, or the green?" Ava continued switching the dresses in front of her.

"I...the green one. I got a note from Griffin."

Ava threw the blue dress onto her bed and smiled at Lena. She walked into the bathroom to change.

"Um...Griffin gave me a note..."

"Well, that's great! You like him, don't you?" Ava shouted through the bathroom door. She sounded somewhat disconnected from the situation.

"I don't know. He's kind of been lying to me for a while now, and I don't think I really like him that way. We're really kind of just friends..."

"Lying to you?" Ava opened the bathroom door and started applying makeup. "About what?"

"Don't you think it counts as a lie that..." Lena walked into the bathroom and grabbed the lipstick out of her mother's hand. "Please listen to me!"

"Lena!" Ava slapping her hands onto the bathroom counter in frustration.

"Mom, he never told me about the whole engagement thing! That counts as a pretty big lie, don't you think?"

Ava stared at the lipstick, which was still firmly in Lena's hand. Her eyes slid up to meet her daughters. She carefully reached out and took back her lipstick.

"We didn't tell you because I thought it would upset you," Ava replied.

"Well, yeah. Arranged marriages have a tendency to do that to people. And another thing—isn't that illegal in this country? In most countries, for God's sake? And you knew? How can you possibly be okay with this?! I'm not marrying him. I'll go to the police." Lena was shaking. She had never been so angry in her life; finding out that her mother not only knew, but was partially responsible for the whole ordeal, was almost too much for her.

"Forced marriage is illegal, Lena, not arranged marriage. It's years and years from now. Don't you think you could consider it? He's grown on you a little, hasn't he?" Ava had gone back to doing her makeup. She set her gaze into the mirror as she talked, and refused to make eye contact.

"No. I don't think I can consider it."

"Don't be so stubborn!" Ava scoffed.

"Mom, do you—"

"You think I don't know what this is about?! I know what it's about! You're a stupid teenager. You can't make your own decisions! Sure, I could let you do whatever you want, but do you know, can you even possibly know what will happen to you?" Lena shrunk back against the wall. Ava's eyes were livid, and her face was red with shouting. "Do you want to be me? You'll take that marriage, and you'll be happy with it! Maybe not today, and maybe not tomorrow, but you won't be me!" Quivering, Ava stopped to take a breath, and seemed about to start again but then didn't. Her form seemed to collapse slightly, and she started to cry. Not knowing what to do, Lena remained frozen in place. When Ava looked back up at her and spoke, her voice was filled with abhorrence, not sadness.

"My father hates me, Lena. He hates me. I killed Aaron by marrying him...and I buried a child for it. I'll live in fear until my death. I've lost everyone's respect—even yours. I used to be you, and I should have listened to the people who knew what was best for me. I ran off with Aaron just to prove I could, and you know what? You're the unfortunate consequence. This all happened because of two weeks of misguided independence." She grabbed a washcloth of the counter to blow her nose. "Don't make my mistake. Take the arranged marriage."

They stared at each other. For Lena, the room suddenly seemed both too big and too small. She didn't want to be there anymore. She didn't want to comfort anyone who would encourage what her mother was encouraging, even if she was her mother. Ava lifted herself up; she washed her face and started reapplying her makeup as Lena watched in horror. Her mood had changed entirely.

"And you can just live here, like that? You think of me like that?"

"I have social responsibilities to the other families. I'm Avalon Daray, after all." She started sifting through a bag of eye shadow compresses. "I don't make those decisions anyway. If you'll excuse me, I need to prepare to impress my friends."

Ava gestured for Lena to leave. Half in disbelief, she did. She couldn't stay; there was nothing to keep her here. It was less than three months until her birthday in July; she was too young to do it herself. She needed an adult—her father. She needed to run, as he had run, so fast, and to so many places that they would never catch up to her. She would escape from Waldgrave.

No. Running didn't work, as her current situation indicated. She walked to the library and looked forlornly at the upward leading staircase. She was afraid of him. She knew he wouldn't help her, but she knew he needed her. As much as she believed Howard and Master Mason when they said everything that could be done was being done, she needed to face this demon herself.

Dreams can't hurt you, Lena, they're just dreams... Her dreams were real. Her father had known, but these words still gave her comfort. Master Daray wouldn't hurt her—he needed her, after all.

"What am I waiting for?" She reached out and touched the banister, but didn't move. She wondered why she didn't just run; if she knew he wasn't going to help her, really, it was her only choice. But then, at least she would have faced him, as an adult and an equal.

You may enter.

Lena jumped. She stared up at the door at the top of the stairs, her throat gone dry and goose bumps forming on her skin. She started to slowly back away from the staircase.

Come now, Eden. I've been expecting you for quite some time. Years, even.

She took a deep breath. To back down now would be to admit defeat. Her chest was tight and every part of her quivered like a leaf. She forced herself back toward the stairs, every move as halting as a marionette. She climbed the stairs, not knowing exactly how she managed to do it. The adrenaline pulsing in her brain was causing her ears to buzz.

Open the door...

She reached her hand towards the knob, half afraid that it might bite her. She half expected it to jerk open in front of her, revealing a menace that would cause her to faint down the stairs again. She turned it slowly, and then pushed it open.

Good girl.

It was a much simpler room than the library. Bookshelves, orderly and alphabetized, covered one entire wall. Muted light came from wall lamps which vaguely resembled giant leaves, and the room was carpeted in a deep burgundy. It might have been her fear, but Lena thought it was meant to resemble blood. Various artifacts littered the room; tapestries, rugs, framed mirrors, coat racks, giant wooden trunks, and even the skeleton of a giant creature Lena couldn't identify. It had the form of a cat, ready to pounce, except that it appeared to be more lizard-like than anything else, with a sweeping skeletal tail behind it and two horns sprouting from its forehead. And in the middle of it all was an oversized desk, carved very elaborately, and behind the desk...

You will never be my equal.

"I don't want to be your equal."

His upper lip quivered. He smiled in a way that scared her. "And yet you wish to face me as such. Have a seat."

"What...?" Lena suddenly felt dizzy. A chair had condensed in front of the desk. She walked towards it, trying to seem unimpressed, but the dusty smell of the artifacts was getting to her. The chair itself smelled moldy; it probably hadn't been used in—

"About ten years. I haven't been allowed many guests since then." Daray picked up a pen from his desk and casually examined it. His face was old, and his eyes had a look that Lena had too frequently seen in her short life.

"You're dying." She said, before she had even had time to think about it.

Daray froze, the pen suspended haphazardly between two fingers. His shallow eyes drifted to Lena, and a crooked smile overcame his thin lips.

Clever girl... "Since the day I was born, as it goes. I am not so easily impressed. But since it's death you wish to speak of—"

For a fleeting moment, Lena feared he would start in on her father again. He flashed another smile at her and continued.

"—your brother, I mean. He was a fine boy; it's really too bad. If he hadn't been murdered by zealots, well, we'd know each other on different terms. If your mother hadn't chosen to run off with a damn human, we wouldn't have to know each other at all." He set the pen down. "And I think..." He pushed himself up from the desk, and began wandering toward one of the wall mirrors. "Those may be the only things the two of you had in common. My decision concerning young Master Corbett stands."

"I won't stay..." Lena whispered. He was old, yes—but so regal. His movements were as strong as those of a man fifty years his junior, and even so, there was no mistaking that look. Lena had experienced it first with her father, and then with her grandmother. When someone is going to die, things come floating to the surface like rot in a bog. Baby eyes are deep and dark as the ocean, but dying souls push everything up and out, until the eyes are so light and clear and there are only a few specks of condensed color flecking them. Lena could see death hovering around Master Daray.

A movement across the room caught her eye, and Lena looked over to see the cat, sitting stark still next to a bookcase and watching her. Lena greatly disliked that cat...He seemed to always be watching her.

"He's a portal cat, Lena. I know you've never heard of such a thing, as he's the last of his breed. A sad thing, really. You see, when the original Silenti came through the portal, some of them brought pets." She saw him nod at the gigantic skeleton. "There were only a few portal cats, but they have very long life spans. Some were known to reach well over five hundred years and weigh over fifteen thousand pounds. They are natural companions for Silenti, as they share some of our abilities. Remarkable animals. Genetically, they can interbreed with house cats. It's even been suggested to me that I try to repopulate the species by breeding him with a regular house cat," Daray turned and looked over his shoulder at Lena, an ironic smile on his face, "But I wouldn't do him the dishonor of forcing him to propagate impure, weakly offspring. Such creatures have no place in the world."

You're sick... "I'm not staying." Lena simply restated her earlier assertion. She wasn't going to let him get to her, as Howard had said he would try.

"I won't force you to. I'm not the enemy. Howard, however..." He turned back to the mirror and straightened his clothes. "Well, I doubt he would ever give you such an offer. My rules were always simple, Eden. Live by them and you can do what you want. I would let you travel the globe again, given that you acquiesced to a few simple requirements. One or two little things, that's all I ask, and then I'd give you the world. Howard would never do that for you."

"You're just saying that because he says not to trust you."

"If you believe I'm the one keeping you here," He turned to face her, and started walking toward the chair. "Then go with my blessing. Howard is a jailor, and we have more in common than you think. I'll even release you from the marriage if you prove me wrong."

"You're lying. There's nothing he wants more than to keep me away from you."

Daray laughed quietly. He waved Lena away as he sat down to his desk; Lena went immediately back to her room, with Daray's blessing that she might leave Waldgrave forever, and started packing.

*****

CHAPTER 9

She set her sights on the end of the family meetings. She would fulfill her social duties, say her goodbyes all at once, and then set off like everyone else. She knew she had nowhere to go, and no one to stay with, but she was sure she would figure it out somehow. The Masons were friendly enough, and might be willing to take her. She was sure Howard would know of somewhere she could go to be safe until she was eighteen—he had admitted to her that he had secretly been supplying the money that had funded her father's travels. But until then, she at least had the fact that Waldgrave was a temporary exile.

"My, you're in a sunny disposition today." Hesper looked at Lena from under her dark eye makeup.

Lena smiled over at her. "Breakfast is good today."

"Sure..." Hesper eyed Lena suspiciously; the eggs were cold, the toast overdone, and the oatmeal slightly too dry.

"Oh! I forgot!" To Hesper's slight annoyance, Lena's face lit up further. "I wrote a note. Do you think you could..."

Hesper took her meaning at once, and her mood lifted. "Absolutely."

Lena pulled the note out of her pocket and put it gingerly in Hesper's hand. It was dishonest to let Hesper believe it was a love note, but Lena was sure that was the only way it would get delivered. She wanted to say her final goodbyes to Griffin. To tell him thanks for being a friend, even a false one, and not to look for her once she was gone. She smiled at Hesper; she wished they would have met in any other situation. It was unfortunate that she was Griffin's sister, and even though Lena would have liked her as a sister-in-law, she was in a position where it would only happen over her dead body. There was only a little over a week to go until she left this world, the Silenti world, forever.

Everything was different over the next few days. Lena even found it in her to smile in spite of Serafina and her band of venomous friends. Even one particularly nasty remark, about how being raised by humans made one suitable for nothing better than servant work, didn't dampen her spirits. Lena had simply smiled, walked up to her, and asked if she was jealous.

"You know, Sera, you'll never be a Daray, so stop pretending."

Serafina's jaw had dropped in disbelief. Several people in the room had stopped talking and turned their heads to watch. Some of them had even giggled—music to Lena's ears. Serafina had blushed, speechless, and walked away. Not back to her friends, but out of the room. It had been magnificent.

Howard was hard to come by. After three days had passed, and she still hadn't managed to run into him (even at mealtimes, which was very uncharacteristic), she sought out Mrs. Ralston to ask about him. She was in the kitchen, which was usual nowadays.

"Mrs. Ralston, I need to find—"

"Excuse me, dear!" She turned around, carrying a rather large platter with several garnished Cornish hens on it. Lena stepped backwards and into another kitchen helper.

"Oh! Sorry! Mrs. Ralston, where's Howard?" The kitchen was busy. People were everywhere, mixing things, washing things, stirring things on the stove.

"He's upstairs, like usual." Mrs. Ralston bustled, adjusting her grip on the tray as she gestured at Lena with her elbow. "I need to be where you are."

Lena stepped aside again, this time being careful not to bump anyone. "Can you go and find him for me?"

Mrs. Ralston set the hens down, stripped off the oven mitts, wiped her hands on her apron, then planted them firmly on her hips. A few strands of hair had slipped out of the tight bun on the back of her head and fell across her face.

"I'm a little busy, if you haven't noticed. We're short staffed this year, so I'm very sorry. No."

"Well..." Lena looked around. She really needed to talk to Howard about leaving, and she knew she wouldn't be able to navigate the upper floors well enough to find him. She sighed, and looked back into Mrs. Ralston's strained face. "What can I do to help?"

Mrs. Ralston pursed her lips; she clearly thought that Lena's presence in the kitchen was more likely a hindrance than a help. "Sink. Ask Lynn where she needs you."

Lena slouched over to the sink, where a burly woman with blond hair stared at her with beady eyes. "Lynn?"

The woman threw a towel at her and pointed to a spot next to a boy who was drying dishes as they were passed to him. Lena walked over and took a spot next to him.

"So, do you come here often?"

Lena rolled her eyes before looking over at her drying companion. At first, she had thought he was a child. Now she saw that he was only short, and perhaps only a year younger than herself. He had a sickly pale complexion and a lopsided smile.

"I live here," she replied.

The boy glanced around the room, as if trying to place her. "Haven't seen you on the drying line before..."

"I'm...um, new to dish work." Lena looked down at her hands, not wishing to embarrass the boy, who obviously thought she was one of the staff.

He smiled and passed her a dish, which she dried and passed on to her right, where someone was taking stacks to re-shelve.

"I'm Devin." He stuck a hand out at her.

"Lena." She extended her hand, and they shook.

Lynn glared at them, and they went back to their dishes. Lena threw a look over her shoulder to see if Mrs. Ralston was watching her, but was unpleasantly surprised to see Serafina Perry. Leaning against the wall near the door to the dining room, she had a tight smile on her face.

Finally found where you belong, I see... She said with a pleased sneer.

She walked slowly out of the room. Lena was sure Serafina would make her regret her decision to help. Sure enough, a few moments later, Lena noticed heads poking through the door, and heard laughter in the living room. She felt the blush spreading up her neck, and tried to focus on the dish and drying cloth in her hands.

"Just ignore them. They think they're so much better than us, but they're not."

She looked over at Devin. "What?"

Devin glanced back at the door. "We should be equals, but we're not."

Lena shrugged. She really wasn't sure how to respond to Devin's remarks.

Devin went on. "I mean, I've only been here three years, and even I know it."

"I've only been here since early February." Lena smiled weakly.

"Oh, wow. Kind of sucks, doesn't it? I mean, you find out you're special, and then you wind up being a second class citizen." Devin was scrubbing the dishes as they came through now, which really wasn't necessary, but certainly added an emphasis to his words. Lena tried to change the subject. She wasn't in the mood for more politics.

"Some of them are nice..."

"You haven't been here long enough. I mean, they're born to fortune, and the best we can hope for is that they let us stay on as help? It's really not fair. Just because you're found and brought into the community, instead of being born to Silenti parents, means you're less of a Silenti..." He looked over at Lena. She suddenly found it hard to meet his eyes, but tried to. She was relieved to see Howard walking into the kitchen out of the corner of her eye.

"Devin, it was nice to meet you. I've got to go. Excuse me..." She finished off the plate in her hand and then put down the towel and walked out into the living room with Howard. She sighed deeply and smiled at him.

"I've decided I'm leaving." She said.

Howard smiled bemusedly. "Yes, Griffin told me he thought you would want to leave. It's odd, really, how well he knows you. Where are you going?"

"I was hoping you could send me somewhere until I'm old enough...you know, to be on my own."

"Lena." The look on his face wasn't promising. "That's just not an option."

Lena looked around the room. Deciding she needed more privacy, she asked Howard to follow her up to the library before continuing.

"What do you mean, not an option? I want to be away from here! Everyone here is sexist. And I'm not marrying him!" Lena threw herself down on a couch. "I even got his permission..." She nodded toward the stairs.

Howard sat down next to her. "I agree you're not marrying him."

"I'm not a political plaything! I shouldn't have to deal with this. I want you to tell me I can date whoever I want, marry whoever I want, and do whatever the hell I feel like doing with my life!"

Howard stared. "I'm sorry. You can do those things, but I can't let you leave. For your own good."

She pounded the couch with her fists, gritting her teeth. "You said I was here because he wanted me to be, and that you had to be here so he wouldn't make me twisted or something. He said I could go, so it really makes sense that I leave, because it'll take a lot of strain off of everyone." She took a deep breath to steady herself. She couldn't believe she was actually having to fight Howard on this issue. "Including me. Being away from here would make my life a lot easier."

Howard was silent for a moment. His first words weren't what Lena wanted to hear. "I know it feels unfair. I think you've misunderstood my role here, and it's complicated, Lena. I'm your uncle, and I care what you're feeling about all of this. And I'm a legal guardian of this family—your mom, Master Daray, and you. Perhaps you most of all. And I have to be both, Lena, I can't be one before the other...and there's precious few other people that the Council would trust in my position. I doubt any of them would be willing to take this position. So that's the situation...I have to stay here where I can watch Daray. And I have to stay with you so nothing happens to you." Howard nodded his head back and forth. "So you can see, by extension.."

"But if I left..." Lena stammered. "If I just left everything..."

"In some people's minds—probably most people's minds—you'd still be affiliated with him, because it's not about you. It's about your children, if you ever have any. He'd find a way, Lena. You can find the most obscure and remote corner of the planet, but he will find you. He wants an heir. A male one, as is tradition. If you ever had children, you'd never be able to let them leave your sight, and even then, Thomas was murdered less than a hundred yards from where we're sitting now. People are crazy. Leaving won't solve this. I have to keep you here, with me, where it's safe. I am sorry."

She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to run down the stairs, down the road, and hitchhike to...anywhere. She couldn't believe that he would keep her here. He had a way of making it all so...simple. Not arguable. But it was complicated, because she couldn't stay here. She just couldn't. She wouldn't. Without a word, she got up and walked back to her bedroom, speechless. In the closet, her suitcase was packed. In her mind, she was leaving. It wasn't safe for her here, and that was for sure. She would take her chances on the road; her father had managed it, and if she was careful, if she changed her name and just kept moving, well...

For the first time during her stay at Waldgrave, she went to her father's suitcase, and opened it. After rummaging for a few minutes, she found his wallet. It contained five-hundred and ninety-six dollars. She knew he had an account somewhere, but Howard was probably in control of it now. Where could she go on almost six-hundred dollars?

As she walked to the bathroom to retrieve her toiletries, she tried to make a list. Budapest was supposed to be cheap. There was India, Turkey, or maybe somewhere in Africa.

She scooped up her toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, soap, and everything else. She went back out into the main room and dumped them all on the bed. Six hundred dollars wouldn't be enough; she'd need to pass for at least sixteen to get a job—at least until she got somewhere without labor laws, but working in those countries was most definitely not a good idea. As much as she disliked the idea, she knew she'd need makeup to make herself look older. She went back to the bathroom and threw the drawer open. Hesper kept hers in a travel bag by the sink, but had taken great joy in organizing Lena's for her. There, perched very neatly inside the drawer on top of her mascara and foundation, was another note. It was odd to think he had risked the delivery.

Griffin...

She picked it up and opened it.

Meet me by the barn at twelve. I can help.

She sighed. He knew everything, and it was very annoying. Daray must have told him at some point, and he wanted to play the knight in shining armor. Coming to her rescue, convincing her to stay, helping her hide, he would do anything to keep involved and in touch with her. Trying to control her like Howard did. She took the note and her makeup back to her bed, and sat down. She could show the note to Howard, and he would trust her more. Possibly, this would give her the little freedom she needed to escape. Or, she could not tell Howard and meet Griffin, who could certainly supply her with enough money to make it to Fiji and further. Once she was there, she would sever all ties with him, and then she would be on her own.

It was a big gamble. She knew Griffin would anticipate her attempting to escape him, but she also knew he liked to be in control. If he was helping her escape, he would be in control. It was more likely than not to work. She folded the note, and stuck it in her pants pocket. She packed a bag small enough to carry with her down to the barn, taking only the necessities and a few mementos of her father. On an afterthought, she pulled out the family album and looked through it until she found a picture of a little boy with big ears, bright blue eyes, and one of his front two baby teeth missing. He was cuddling a Labrador puppy that had a bright yellow bow tied around its neck; judging from the decorations in the background, it was his birthday. She peeled the picture off the page and tucked it in her bag; Thomas, the only person who ever could have understood her.

Dinner that night was the typical affair, except for one incident. Lena and Hesper arrived late, on account of Hesper's inability to pick a dress that "didn't make her butt look huge." The spot where they usually sat at the main table was already taken, and rather than making a big deal out of it, Lena insisted that they sit with Bianca at a side table. They found a spot with Alexis Alarid, who Lena had met a few days earlier, and who was strange, but not in the Serafina Perry kind of way, which made her a friend in Lena's mind.

Dinner was brought out to their table by a regrettably familiar face...Devin. He paused, a stricken look on his face, several feet from the table when he saw her. A plate of Cornish hens and greens was balanced carefully on his left hand. Lena sat wide-eyed, unable to talk. Devin cocked his head and smiled a little. Lena smiled back.

"Are you okay?" Alexis looked at her, and then glanced over at Devin. "Do you know each other, or something?"

"Um," Lena looked at Alexis, "Yeah...Yes, we do. I—"

"We've met through my family. Miss Lena knows the Colburns." He set down the food, smiled wider, and winked at her when no one was looking. Really, she wouldn't have minded if Hesper or anyone else at the table had known that she had been doing dishes. They would probably get a kick out of it, but none of them were the type to hold it against her. She managed to catch Devin's eye a few times throughout the night, and they shared a few more friendly smiles. It made her glad that Devin seemed to be okay with the situation, and she hoped he wasn't being nice to her for fear of retribution.

After dinner, Lena felt she owed Hesper an explanation. As they walked down the hall toward the bedroom laughing and joking about her kitchen experience, Lena used the jocular atmosphere to carefully explain her situation.

"I'm sneaking out tonight." She pulled the bedroom door closed behind them. Hesper was still smiling.

"Sneaking out? That's great! Where should we go?" She walked into the closet and started changing out of her dress.

"Not that kind of sneaking out..." Lena said seriously.

Hesper poked her head out of the closet. "What do you mean?"

"I'm...going to see Griffin. He left me a note."

"Oh..." Hesper turned around and winked suggestively at Lena, who was not amused. "You two are funny. When did he do that? He didn't say anything to me."

Hesper walked out of the closet in her pajamas and went to the bathroom to wash off her makeup. Lena went to the closet, and started to look for something comfortable enough to wear for the night...and possibly the next few weeks.

"He's got his ways, you know. I think it was supposed to be a secret—just between us. But I trust you."

"Where are you going?" Hesper asked.

"Down to the barn."

Hesper froze, as if she had heard an odd noise. "No, you're planning on traveling..."

A pang of fear shot through Lena. She scrambled to think of a way to keep Hesper from prying. "Griffin said it's a secret. No one can know. Something about orders from Master Daray."

There was silence. Lena crossed her fingers, hoping she would back off.

Hesper finally shrugged in indifference. "Well, good luck, then."

She heaved a sigh of relief. Hesper got ready for bed, and Lena got ready to sneak out. They stayed up talking until around ten, when Hesper became tired, wished her friend good luck one last time, and then fell asleep. Lena stayed up, planning her next moves. She wrote a quick note to Howard and her mother, and another one to Hesper, wishing them good lives and asking them not to look for her. She took the cell phone Howard had given her and placed it neatly on top of the notes, afraid that it might contain some sort of satellite tracking device. She had a feeling, though, that the Silenti weren't the kind to go to the police or ask help from "inferior" official authorities.

At eleven thirty, she became too antsy to wait any longer, and grabbed her bag. Out in the hall, the lights were off. She exited Waldgrave via the greenhouse, and walked around the edge of the house to the front. The property looked very different covered in its maze of tents. A few lights were still on in some tents, which she avoided with care. The tents stopped almost a hundred feet from the barn, and Lena had to walk slower to avoid tripping in the dark the rest of the way down.

When she finally reached the barn door, she checked her watch, and saw it was only eleven forty-five.

Oh well.

She pushed the barn door open and slipped inside. All the lights were out. There was not so much as a candle or flashlight to break the dark.

"Dav...Griffin!" She said in a loud whisper. There was no reply.

She felt her way over to the bed. It was empty. She found a lamp near the bed and switched it on. No Griffin. It was still only eleven forty-seven, so she sat down and waited. Maybe he was detained up at the house? Something was wrong...she brushed the feeling off as nerves.

Twelve came and went. By ten after, she was starting to worry. She pulled the note out of her pocket, and reread it. Something was very wrong...she was so nervous that it was getting hard to breath. Her neck itched incessantly.

Meet me by the barn at twelve...By the barn!

Lena stood up, cursing her own stupidity, turned off the lamp, and walked out of the barn. She walked around the edge and turned the corner to the side of the barn that faced away from the house. A voice came out of the darkness.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming."

A chill ran down her spine. It wasn't Griffin. She squinted to see the source of the voice that had come out of the dark. A shadowed figure stood there.

"Who are you?" Lena asked, backing away.

"You understand, don't you? Why I have to do this?" The figure, a man, was walking toward her. Still in the shadows, she couldn't see who he was, but he was carrying a length of rope.

She realized too late that the note wasn't from Griffin. He always signed his work.

Lena turned and ran. She had heard stories before of people who had lost their voices in fear. She'd never believed them until now; her throat had gone dry at the stranger's words, and try as she might, she couldn't force out a single sound. She managed to run thirty feet back toward the house before tripping over a rock that jutted out of the ground. She looked up toward the tents and saw two familiar blue eyes. The cat! It was running toward her! Lena started to scream, but felt a hand close over her mouth.

She felt the noose slip around her neck, and with horrifying swiftness it went taut. There was hissing and blood as the cat leapt onto the man's face, slashing viciously at him. Even as he was lacerated, he held her down and pulled harder on the rope. He let go for half a second and grabbed the cat, throwing it hard. Lena managed to cough and take a last breath before he was back to yanking the rope tighter. She kicked and swung at him as hard as she could with her arms, but it was getting harder to just move. The cat hissed, and ran back toward the house.

Lena stared at the man's face, directly into his glassy eyes. There was sweat on his brow; as she stared at him, he was desperately trying to avoid her gaze. She knew him...she'd met him, at some point... He watched the cat with fear in his eyes. He was afraid. He put one hand to her neck to hold her down, using the other to hold the rope tight, and redoubled his efforts. Lena choked, still trying to scream, feeling her skin burn and tear under the tightening rope, as each breath came less easily, air escaping in disrupted bursts as her throat gasped open and pinched shut, until the last little leak was finally sealed. She kicked at him, and struggled as best as she could, but it was getting harder.

Her world went dark. She heard yelling. And then, there was nothing.

*****

CHAPTER 10

On the fifth floor of the Waldgrave house, a trial was taking place. A representative from every house was present, and the verdict was arrived at very quickly, though many found themselves voting against what was truly, in their hearts, the best interest. Pyrallis Daray, the man against whom the crime had been committed, had asked for death. Banishment, a fate for some that was worse than death, had been the verdict. Warren Astley, a man who had once been a good friend of Aaron Collins, had been caught in the act of murdering his daughter. Master Daray had also asked a sentence for the boy, Thomas, killed some odd ten years earlier, but as there was no evidence, the sentence could not be carried out. Many regarded this as getting away with murder.

On the floor below, a girl lay quietly in a bed, composed very carefully by her family to assure her comfortable repose. In a world she did not understand, she was wondering from domicile to domicile, some huts, some lofts, some tents, asking people she did not know if they had recently seen her father—a taller man with blue eyes and blond hair. He might be traveling with a boy. But no one had seen them, and then she knew that she wasn't dead. A shadow fell over her, and there, towering above the apartments, hotels, igloos, and RVs, was the majestically monstrous Waldgrave house. It looked like a tombstone to Lena, her final resting place, whose halls she would haunt for all of eternity...

Lena!

Her eyes opened. She was in a place she had never seen before, and she was sure she was still in her dream. She had never seen these walls and ceiling. She did not know the bed in which she rested, but she knew the worried face standing over her. She knew she was about to get lectured, and despite the fact that she hurt all over, she knew she deserved it.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was hoarse. Her entire neck was bruised; it felt as though it was bruised clear through from front to back. Though she could not see it, the distinctive pattern of the rope was still brazenly coiled about her neck.

Don't talk. I told you, no more secrets... Howard's eyes were bloodshot. He had been drinking.

Where's my mom?

She's been too distraught to see you. She's been too distraught to do anything. Howard sighed and pulled up a chair to the foot of the bed. He sat down and rubbed his temples as though he had a headache.

That certainly sounds like her. Lena retorted; the tinge of cynicism in her thoughts surprised her. She was getting better at controlling this new mode of communication.

Howard smiled a little. "Be nice. She loves you."

She loves herself more.

"It's who she is." Howard sighed dismissively. "Who she was raised to be. Are you hungry?"

She was. She felt as though she hadn't eaten in several days, and Howard informed her that that was, in fact, the case. She had been unconscious for almost forty-eight hours, screaming through her mind in a tortured way every once in a while, which was why she had been brought all the way up to the fourth floor—Master Daray had given up his bedroom so she would have a comfortable place to rest. Lena looked around at the oversized bed and heavy comforter and cringed, wishing she hadn't asked; now she was going to have to think about him and his dying eyes lying in the bed, exactly where she was now. Howard had Mrs. Ralston bring some oatmeal, and Lena thanked her profusely. Mrs. Ralston looked different somehow; she had grabbed Lena's hand and asked briefly how she was. She gave her the well wishes of the entire kitchen staff, and gave her a note from Devin ("I guess some of them are nice. I hope you're better, and I hope to see you well again soon --Devin"), before pulling a tissue out of her pocket and excusing herself to tend to the departing families.

They're leaving?

"The meeting's over. About half of them are gone already. Alexis and Bianca asked me to give you their well wishes. As did Hesper and...Griffin."

"They're..." Her voice cracked. They're gone already?

"Yes. Hesper informed me that if you weren't disallowed from visiting the Corbett's home in California, she would ask you to come and visit. You are disallowed, by the way. Until you're legally an adult, and even then, I doubt it would be allowed." They smiled together at the irony. Howard picked up a letter that was on the nightstand, and handed it to her. Lena started to open it, but Howard stopped her. "We need to talk about something first. That letter is from Hesper. I trust Hesper; she's proven over the years that she can think for herself. She doesn't buy into her parent's fanaticism."

Okay.

"There's a fine line here between your personal space and things I need to know."

Lena looked down at the thick envelope in her hands. She wouldn't have expected Hesper to write so much.

She understood what Howard was getting at.

"So, here's the deal. It's been decided, by a vote, that you stay here. He's leaving. The engagement has been dissolved, and while I can't stop you from writing to Hesper, your friend, communication between you and Griffin is illegal now." Howard leaned back in his chair, waiting for the protests to start.

Why do you have to enforce it? Lena clutched the letter. She knew her personal opinion wasn't going to overrule the Council, but it might overrule Howard.

Howard looked up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to figure out where to begin. "Even though you've given me little reason to trust you, I trust that you have no romantic interest as far as Griffin is concerned. Others aren't so convinced, and so there will be no communication until you're a legal adult. You wouldn't believe how hard I had to fight to get you that much."

Lena thought for a moment. Thanks, I guess. What about...him? The attacker? Did he kill my brother?

Howard took another moment. "Warren Astley—the man who..."

I know. He introduced himself the night of the first dinner. Somewhere in her dreams, seeing his face over and over, she had placed him.

"He may or may not have killed Thomas. They don't know. He's always been a little strange; he's never fit in here, but I don't think anyone ever thought he was dangerous. All the same, we're looking into the well-being of his children. There's quite a few people who want the Daray line dead, to prevent the opening of the portal. Do you know about all that?"

Hesper told me. But why are people so opposed to opening it? I mean, why can't they just open it, and the people who want to leave will leave, and everyone else can stay?

"Did Hesper tell you that every known opening of the portal has corresponded with a major pandemic? Well, every supposed opening, anyway. There's no proof that this object even exists...modern science would almost demand that it couldn't." Howard nodded at Lena's surprised expression. "We don't know what's on the other side, really, but people aren't the only entities to have come through. The late eighteen hundreds is the last known time it was opened, and almost immediately afterwards, a pandemic plague started that killed millions worldwide. Most of us don't believe it's a coincidence. We don't know for sure, but we think cholera may have come through it, too."

A chill ran down Lena's spine. He thought I'd start another pandemic...

"Not you specifically. I can see why she wouldn't tell you this part, after how upset you were with the engagement. It can only be opened by a male heir, which is why your grandfather is anxious that you marry a Silenti, and not a human—even if you were to produce a male heir, he wouldn't be able to read what was on the portal if he were human."

Oh, my God...Thomas...

"Lena," Howard leaned forward, so that he was closer to her. "There's no proof. He may be a bigot and an asshole..." Hearing Howard use this word made Lena's eyes go wide, "...but you shouldn't automatically blame him for something he may not have done. You're a Daray; I'd be equally as unfair to say you're anything like your mom or grandfather. Innocent until proven guilty."

He had a point. But what about my mom, couldn't she have more kids? I mean, isn't she just as big a risk as I am?

"There were complications with her pregnancy. She won't tell anyone exactly what happened, but we do know that you and Thomas were delivered via cesarean in a hospital that wasn't spectacularly well prepared. She can't have any more children, and that puts you in a complicated situation."

Lena stared at him. Yes, that did put her in a complicated situation. She could possibly kill a whole religion by merely refusing to have children.

"But to get back to the point, that's why I have to enforce the decisions. I'm the lucky moderator between both sides of the argument. The Old Faith believers have agreed to let the dispute go as long as the Darays remain in power, and the others agree to leave the Darays in power as long as they're not trying to open the portal. So here I am, enforcing the agreements so you, your mother, and your grandfather can live with as much freedom as is allowed."

Lena met his eyes. She probably owed him thanks, but couldn't see how a life at Waldgrave could be called freedom. And Mr. Astley?

"Well, Daray wanted him dead, but because he didn't actually manage to kill you, he got away with banishment. He'll never be allowed back into this world."

That hardly seems fair. Lena would gladly have traded places with the "unfortunate" Mr. Astley.

"For a Silenti, it's torture. The human world is hardly adequate to meet our needs—with no other Silenti to interact with, he'll be trapped in his own mind. It's very much like serving a life sentence in seclusion. He will suffer."

Lena sighed. It wasn't fair. She wanted to rant, but she was tired again. She finished her oatmeal, and was about to doze off when Howard started speaking again.

"There's one more thing." He sounded worried, as if he were telling her something he didn't really want her to know, but was sure she would find out eventually. "Griffin saved your life, no matter what his motive was. We're all thankful for that. Frankly, he took quite a beating from Astley to ensure your safety before finally subduing him. So, don't open that letter in front of me. Don't tell me what it says, or who it's really from. As long as it's nothing more than letters back and forth, I don't want to know. But if you ever hear of something that I need to know, I do expect you to be responsible enough to tell me, now that you understand. Now get some sleep."

Lena watched Howard leave the room and close the door. She looked down at the letter, but was too tired to open it, and fell asleep with it still clutched in her hand.

"Breakfast started ten minutes ago. Up!"

Lena squinted as Mrs. Ralston threw open the shades of her bedroom with a clap and light flooded in. She pulled the comforter over her head.

"Up! Up!" Mrs. Ralston yanked the covers off of Lena's bed.

"It's my birthday...that means I get to sleep in." Lena pulled the pillow out from under her and hid her head underneath it. She mumbled into the bed.

"What?"

Go away.

"I'll let you out of school early. That's all the birthday you get." Ralston grabbed the pillow as well, managed to harass Lena into getting out of bed, and then went back downstairs.

School. The last several months had been a rude awakening; with Griffin gone, and visitors restricted, Mrs. Ralston had been the only company Lena had. She had started out years behind on math and science, but thankfully, her reading and writing skills were above average. With all day access to her pupil, Mrs. Ralston had put her on an accelerated program. While Lena had resisted at first, she quickly found that attempts to tune out lessons were futile—when she became too distracted to listen or read, Mrs. Ralston was promptly talking inside her head, and it was impossible to ignore. In just a few months she had nearly completed the required curriculum.

Lena rolled out of bed, showered, brushed her teeth and hair, and dressed. She even found it in her heart to put on some eyeliner and mascara, in Hesper's honor. She looked at herself in the mirror. In a time span of less than a year, she'd done some serious rearranging in her life. Her reflection hadn't changed since the day before, or the day before that, or the day before that. But since one year ago, when she'd looked at herself in a mirror in Brazil, she had grown a full inch. Her face was filling out, she wore makeup at the urging of a friend, and she'd finally enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in. It was the same mirror she'd be looking into next year, she reminded herself solemnly. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. It hadn't been a very good year, but a year good for growing up nonetheless.

Every year for her birthday, her father had given her the same thing. It was usually in conjunction with something else, but there was always a new pair of shoes. Shoes wear out in about a year, and Lena looked forward to the new sneakers; her father had said they were a symbol of moving forward. They were the vehicle of the journey of her life; this year, though, there would be no shoes. It was part of the journey forward. It was part of saying goodbye. Moving around the Waldgrave house didn't wear shoes out the way her previous lifestyle had, anyway.

She walked down to the dining room, as she habitually did, and sat in her usual spot at the table, with her mother and Howard, who both wished her a happy birthday.

"You've got cards." Howard pushed a stack of envelopes at her. She thumbed through them briefly, noting that Hesper's was thickest—notes from the Hesper were frequent, and usually contained more than one letter. Howard pretended not to notice, but Lena knew he did because he gave her a very serious look every time she received one. Today, even though he had to know there would be a card from Griffin, he only smiled and scratched behind his left ear.

After breakfast (Mrs. Ralston stuck a candle in her pancakes, which was somewhat cliché but still appreciated), in the living room, Ava gave her daughter a small box wrapped in brightly colored paper. It contained a necklace, which looked suspiciously like a bracelet she already owned. It had a silver leaf pattern with a jewel rose pendant.

"I thought it would look good with the one you have..." Ava smiled, leaning her chin on her hand.

"Thanks, mom. It's gorgeous."

Howard gave her a somewhat larger box, and winked at her as she opened it. A new pair of shoes.

Lena's eyes snapped up in surprise. "How did you—?"

"Family tradition. My dad used to do it for us; Aaron said a long time ago that he was going to do it for you, too."

Mrs. Ralston appeared at the door between the kitchen and the living room, carrying a plate of cupcakes. An envelope was sticking out of her apron pocket.

"Ah, thanks Mrs. Ralston!"

After setting down the cupcakes, she handed Lena the envelope. Lena started to open it, but Mrs. Ralston tapped her hand with another piece of paper. Lena looked up; Mrs. Ralston was smiling sweetly—almost smugly—as Lena took it from her.

"I told you, I'm letting you out of classes early." She said.

Lena smiled in surprise as she opened the paper. It was a home-printed graduation certificate. Really?

Mrs. Ralston nodded. Really. But don't get complacent, or I will start remedial lessons.

Lena nodded solemnly.

The cupcakes were passed out, and Lena started to open Mrs. Ralston's card. It was a simple birthday card with a traditional greeting on the front. But when she opened it, airline ticket vouchers fell out.

I called in a few special favors. Send me a postcard. I'm told the shoes are all the fashion in Sydney.

Love, Howard, Mom, and Mrs. Ralston

"Uncle Howard, you rock!" She got up to hug him. Perhaps a little too tightly, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Now, it wasn't all me!" Howard laughed. "Mrs. Ralston agreed to take you...and your mom is going too. You're welcome."

Lena couldn't stop smiling. She looked back at the vouchers; a trip to Australia...

"This is legal? I mean, I can actually tell people we're going?"

"As long as Mrs. Ralston is with you. I made some phone calls, and you'll be staying with the Masons. Try not to cause trouble."

At the end of breakfast and cupcakes, she gave another round of hugs, and then went back up to her room to call Hesper about her trip to Australia. When she walked into her room, she saw the cat sitting on her bed, with a paper-back sized box in front of it. The cat, on seeing her, ran from the room. Lena approached the package cautiously. She read the note on top without touching anything.

For your secrets. Happy Birthday.

She opened the paper quietly, and found a small, empty journal. It was blue, with a sort of family crest printed on the front—silver horned cats arranged in a triangle. Inside the cover, there was an inscription in Latin in the same handwriting. Lena thought back to another journal she'd once found, and lost, that was of similar size and language. She sighed.

I guess I'll have to learn Latin...

She picked up her cell phone and called Hesper. The phone rang twice before she picked up.

"Happy Birthday, you crazy kid! Did you get the card?"

Lena smiled. "I haven't opened it yet, but thanks."

"He sent a card too. I read it. You really need to read it."

"Hesper!"

"What? You're telling me you wouldn't?"

"Well, you're not supposed to tell the person you did it!" Lena went and retrieved her stack of envelopes, several of which appeared to be courtesy cards sent by people who knew her grandfather. There were cards from Bianca and Alexis, and two from the Colburn residence—one of them was probably from Devin. She found the card with the Corbett's return address and tried to rip it open one handed.

"Okay. Pretend I didn't say that, then."

Lena ripped the envelope open, quickly read Hesper's card, and then moved on to Griffin's. To her eyes, it was just a birthday card...much to her relief, Griffin still signed everything with 'Sincerely.'

"What am I looking for here?"

"You don't think it's cute? He's so cute when he does that. He was nervous and everything when he wrote it. You can't tell that he was nervous?"

"No." While Lena had become slightly better with her abilities, she was not the Silenti that Hesper was. She probably never would be. Lena pushed the thought out of her mind in favor of something happier.

"I'm going to Australia next month. Think you can talk your parents into letting you go?"

There was laughter at the other end. Lena didn't need to be a mind reader to know the thoughts that were running through Hesper's mind. Staying up all night. Surfing. Flirting with cute, ignorant humans who didn't care about politics or religion, and maybe even dancing the night away with a few of them. It would be a spectacular waste of time, and Lena was greatly looking forward to sharing it with the first best friend she'd ever made.

Hesper finally calmed herself enough to reply. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I assume you'll be staying with the Masons?"

"How did you know?"

"Oh, I've got my sources. They're really nice, though. Not the types my parents really want me hanging around, but nice. Hey, hold on a sec, the Boy Wonder wants to talk to you." She tried to keep her voice enthusiastic, but Lena heard her falter. She hadn't been enjoying life as much since Griffin had moved in.

Panic shot through Lena. Having just won her freedom, she was in no hurry to lose Howard's trust. Again. "Hesper, don't! I'm not supposed to—"

A deep, arrogant tone cut her off. "Happy birthday, Princess."

"Griffin!" Lena felt herself blush. She wondered if she should hang up the phone.

"So, you missed me. That's good to know."

"I have not! And give the phone back to Hesper before—"

"You get in trouble and lose your precious trip to Australia?"

"That's annoying. Quit it, and give the phone back."

Griffin laughed. "Well, I see I'm not invited then. I couldn't have come anyway. Master Daray wants me there at Waldgrave while you're gone."

Lena felt herself blush again. "It's not that you're not invited. We're not supposed to be talking. Communicating. Contacting each other in any manner. You especially."

"But you like talking to me."

"I like Hesper more." Lena walked to her closet, mostly to muffle her voice in case someone happened to come to her door, and started grabbing clothes that looked trendy and travel-appropriate. She grabbed several blouses, piled them on the bed, and started to pick through them for the ones that Hesper would approve of.

Griffin went on. "So you don't want to talk to me at all then? It's been so long, and I never really got to check up on you after the incident. Go with the blue—you always looked great in blue."

Lena grabbed the blue blouse off the hook and rolled her eyes. "Okay, smarty-pants, you win. You're a genius at this and I'm not worthy of the family name."

"Just sharing an opinion."

"You mean showing off. Give the phone to Hesper before I get you in trouble."

"Well, well. Somebody hasn't been doing her research."

"And what does that mean?" Lena put a hand on her hip.

"Silenti are officially adults at age sixteen, so you can now call me at all hours of night and day like I know you've been wanting to. But since you seem in no mood to discuss the details, I'll give you back to Hesper."

"Griffin, wait!"

Hesper's voice answered. "Hello? No, he's gone. I think he's got a meeting—that's been happening a lot lately."

"Am I an adult?" Lena asked anxiously.

"Is this a theoretical discussion?"

"Hesper!"

"You mean, technically? Yeah, I guess so. Congratulations, you can now be tried as an adult in our legal system. Woohoo."

Lena sat down on the bed and thought. What rights did she garner now that she could use to her benefit?

"Is Griffin coming back? He said something about coming here while we're in Australia."

"I doubt it. The Council wouldn't let it happen. It's one thing for the two of you to talk, but you pose too much of a threat living in the same house. A lot of them probably don't even want you to talk, but indiscriminate contact with other members of the community is one of our basic rights. He'll probably leave before you get back."

"Can I leave?"

"No. The Council probably won't let you." Hesper said dryly. "For good reason, as I'm hoping you've figured out."

Lena? Are you available?

Lena looked back at her bedroom door. "I've got to go, my keeper wants me."

In the background, Lena heard Griffin yell something.

Hesper sighed. "Griffin says you need to take your new journal with you. I don't know what that means. Later."

"Yeah, bye." Lena hung up the phone. She picked up the blue journal her grandfather had given her and tossed it in with her clothes. Yeah. What is it?

I need to talk to you about something—meet me in the study.

Lena walked the long hall and made a left into the room at the far end. Howard and Ava were seated in a couple of the plush reading chairs in front of the desk, both looking very serious. A new door had appeared on the right side of the room.

Lena pointed at it. "Is there a spiral staircase behind that door? The one that goes up to the third floor?"

Howard glanced briefly over at the door. "Sure."

This response usually meant that the guess was wrong. Lena made a mental note to check it after the impending lecture was over.

"If she can't even navigate the house yet, how can you possibly think this is a good idea?" Ava crossed her arms, stood up, and walked to the window. She gazed out in her usual effort to look dramatic.

"She might never gain that ability, and she's learned enough that she's not getting a mental shock anymore. Lena, do you have any interest in politics?"

"Politics?" Lena sat down in the chair her mother had vacated. "This isn't about Griffin, is it?"

Howard shrugged. "It is, a little."

"I'm sorry. I know I should have just hung up, but it was really just a few seconds, and Hesper said that I'm a legal adult, so—"

Howard raised his hand to silence her. He wasn't smiling. "As long as it happened today, you're within your bounds. You're old enough to make those decisions for yourself now. But this is about family representation. I want to name you as my heir for legal reasons."

"Like what?" It came out in a ruder tone of voice than she had intended. It was flattering, but a huge surprise—she hadn't exactly given him reason to trust her. Lena's only experience with the naming of an heir was Griffin, and up to this point, she had thought it was a process reserved exclusively for males.

"Now, I can't make any promises," Howard said simply. "But I think it could work. As my legal heir, you'd still be my legal responsibility, but you'd be entitled to make decisions independent of the will of your grandfather. Even though he can't force you into the marriage, he does retain the right to make your life a living hell if you don't go willingly. You could also attend the Council meetings and have a hand in the decisions that control your life. Master Daray has an influence on his situation, and I think it's only fair that you do too. At the very least, you'd inherit the remaining Collins' earthly possessions."

"Earthly possessions?" Lena repeated.

Howard shrugged. "There's a trust fund, and that's probably the only thing with real monetary value. Family photos. Your grandfather's old archeological tools, and ownership of some of the items he recovered. Most of them are in museums now, or on display here in the house. Master Daray laid claim to some of the Silenti artifacts, which he's squirreled away somewhere here." Howard glanced around the ceiling, as if he suspected the old man might have hidden some of them in the very walls. "My mother's house would be in your care as well, in the event of my death. But I'm planning to sell it soon, because it's too much trouble to maintain in addition to everything here. I suppose you would also get my music, wardrobe, books, and a very fine collection of Sunday comic clippings from my youth. Stuff like that. The main value for you will be the access to the Council, and the influence you could gain over your situation."

Lena looked at her feet and nodded.

"It will never stand." Ava turned and looked directly at Lena, who looked back at Howard—it had sounded too good to be true.

Howard nodded his head back and forth. "A woman has never been an heir or a Representative, and if I name you, you will inherit the position upon my passing. There's nothing in the law that says I can't do it, but your approval is dependent on a forty-percent vote of Council assent."

Ava glared. "As your mother, I'm telling you not to do this."

"She is your mother, and you should consider that, but you are of legal consenting age and the decision is yours." Howard said with finality.

Lena looked from Ava's face, bleached by the light coming through the window, to Howard, who was watching her eagerly. "What are my chances? Do you think they would vote a girl in?"

"I don't know. But I want to try, for your sake. For reasons you can't even understand yet, but you will. You'll be able to plead your case for yourself, and I think you'll gain a great deal of respect for it."

Ava hissed. "You're a Daray, not a Collins, Lena!"

"Mom, Griffin is a Daray. That's why he's the heir, and not me—I'm a Collins."

"Lena!" She pleaded.

"Howard, I'd love to be a Head of Household and inherit your crap. And thank you. Really, thank you." Without looking at her mother, Lena went back to her room and packed her luggage in solitude.

*****

CHAPTER 11

The few days until the trip passed uneventfully. Ava had made an unsuccessful plea to Master Daray to interfere with Howard's plan to pursue Lena as a named heir. Master Daray had more or less ignored her, probably believing that the Council would never approve a woman.

She used the free time she had since "graduating" to read a few books, assist Howard and Mrs. Ralston with their daily chores, and talk on the phone with Hesper more often. Before she knew it, the day of the trip had come.
Lena stuffed her boarding pass into the automated reader at the gate and grabbed the stub that popped out the other side.

"Have a good flight." The woman at the gate chirped.

She nodded at the flight attendant and walked down the jet way, immersed in the smell that all airplanes innately gave off—a mechanic-automation smell; it smelled slightly of rushing ionized air, grease, hydraulic fluid—cold and awakening. It was the smell that Aaron Collins always had in his clothes.

She looked down the gap between the jet way and the plane as she stepped over the threshold and savored the fleeting moment of vertigo. She took in the miniature kitchen and the stacked plates of desiccated airplane food, the flight attendants, the horrifically dated orange fabric that covered the stiff and uncomfortable chairs, and the narrow aisle between the seats where she would inevitably smack a leg on an unforgiving arm rest. Except that this time possibly she wouldn't; it was the first time she had ever flown first class.

"Lena? Is everything okay?" Behind her, Mrs. Ralston was already shoving her carry-on into an overhead bin. Lena took her seat, put her own bag on the floor, and pushed it under the seat in front of hers with her foot.

"Yeah, it's all here." Lena said, still looking around.

Their eyes met. Mrs. Ralston smiled. She sat down in the seat across the aisle from Lena. In the galley, Ava had already found someone to harass.

"...and a glass of white wine...well then, as soon as I can have it!"

Ava took her seat next to Lena. Her hair was already ruffled and she seemed to have realized that wearing a stylish dress onto a ten-plus hour flight might not have been the best idea. She'd brought along two carry-ons, one of which was in her lap, the other of which was being stowed by an annoyed-looking attendant. She looked over at Lena, who was greatly bemused.

"I hate traveling," she murmured, shaking her head and licking her lips. "Too many memories."

The flight passed more slowly and miserably than any other flight Lena could remember. Ava took a sleep aid and then drank a glass of wine, which made her more or less dead to the world for the duration of the flight. Mrs. Ralston had brought a book, and sat quietly with her magnifying reading glasses perched on her nose for most of the flight. Lena looked out the window, or else sat back in her chair with her eyes closed, imagining. She wondered where she would be, right in that moment, if her father hadn't died; it was possible that she would have been on a plane. Maybe even this plane.

The flight ended too soon. Greg Mason picked them up from the airport and drove them back to the house; they arrived early in the morning, but already tired. Lena woke up that afternoon to go back to the airport. Mrs. Ralston and Ava had given consent for her to go with Eric to pick up Hesper so that they could correct their sleep schedules.

As Lena and Eric sat in a smallish and overpriced airport café, enjoying generic coffee of the sort that Lena had been missing since the train accident in Egypt, they heard Hesper's approach before they actually saw her.

"Oh! My! God!"

Lena twisted around in her seat to see Hesper strutting toward her, a large wheeled pink suitcase in tow. Her broad smile was somewhat negated by the look in her eyes.

"What the hell, Lena? What the hell!" She made an exaggerated gesture with her free hand.

"What?"

"You're petitioning to become an heir! Are you crazy?!"

Lena stood up, grabbed Hesper's arm, and walked as far as she was legally permitted, given that Eric was supposed to be keeping a close watch on her.

"So?" She asked.

"So?! People are pissed! And I don't just mean the ones who already didn't like you—like, everyone. You pissed off the entire Silenti community in one fell swoop. While I do find that impressive, and I am a little jealous, this isn't going to make life any easier for you! And more importantly, I have to hear about it, like, all the friggin' time because Griffin's Butt-Kissing Brigade is always at my house!"

Hesper stopped to take a breath. She sighed; Lena was half smiling.

"This isn't funny." Hesper said in a high-pitched voice.

"'Butt-Kissing Brigade.' Good one."

"Yeah, I thought it up somewhere over the Pacific Ocean."

They walked back over to where Eric was sitting. He smiled politely at Hesper, asked if everything was okay, and then they walked to the car and started the long drive back to the Mason residence. Although Lena had decided that Eric was young enough to still be considered a cool adult, she wasn't comfortable discussing her highly politicized situation with him. He was very quiet about his own political beliefs, and since the incident with Astley, she'd been wary of people who didn't openly express their affiliations; in retrospect, Eric had hung around entirely too much during the last meeting. He gazed into the rearview mirror and at Hesper.

"Was it a good flight over?"

Lena gave Hesper an apologetic look.

"It was fine, thanks." Hesper turned and looked out the window with a sly smile. Eric stared at her a moment longer, and then kept his eyes on the road. The rest of the drive passed in silence, and they didn't arrive until after dark.

The Masons owned a good deal of farm-type property on the outskirts of Inisfail, Australia. Smack in the middle of it, there was a red two-story house with a gravel drive-way, framed by some surrounding foliage. Eric carried Hesper's suitcase in for her and up to the room that she would be sharing with Lena. The rest of the house was already asleep; Hesper and Lena were still on U.S. time, and so decided to stay up talking in the kitchen for a while.

"Thanks for coming. I mean, Daisy and Rose are cute, but they're not exactly great conversationalists."

Hesper shrugged. "Hey, I told you—I wouldn't miss it for the world. This is going to be great. But we really need to talk about—"

Lena cut her off in exasperation. "Look, it can't be that serious, can it?"

"Yes. It really can. I can't even believe Howard is trying to do this..."

It's unheard of. But it's a step in the right direction. Would you girls like something to eat?

Hesper and Lena went silent as Serena Mason walked into the kitchen. Lena had only had one brief conversation with Serena since arriving at the house, but she seemed nice enough. She had long, dark hair that was often pulled back into a ponytail, a thin frame, beach tan skin, and bright, challenging green eyes. She wasn't like most of the other women and wives Lena had encountered in the Silenti world; she was outspoken, well-educated, and had a commendable amount of common sense which Ava lacked. She was a very confident woman, and Lena wanted to stay on her good side.

"I'm sorry...we didn't mean to wake anyone up."

"You didn't. I've been waiting up. It's good to see you again, Hesper. I'm making sandwiches. Turkey? Ham? Hesper's a vegetarian, of course."

"You are?" Lena looked over at her friend, surprised that she'd never noticed.

"Since I was thirteen. It's great for the figure." Hesper struck a pose, making Lena stifle a laugh.

As Serena walked over the threshold and into the kitchen, she rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, complain about your figure when you've had two kids. Complain about your figure when you're forty. But trust me when I say your figure doesn't need any work or complaints now." Serena pulled out the necessary implements and made a stack of sandwiches. She set the plate in the middle of the table and sat down with Lena and Hesper. "Now. Have you decided what you're going to say to the Council?"

"What I'm going to say...?" Lena asked.

"You get to give an exposition." Serena nodded. "A campaign speech, of sorts. And probably a really fantastic one, if you're hoping to get in."

Lena's stomach churned. Howard hadn't said anything about giving a speech.

"There's a few different angles to consider. Master Daray's supporters don't want you in at all, and they'll likely only let you in if you present yourself as submissive and malleable: an extra pocket vote for Old Faith interests. The Integrationists won't let that happen; they want you to be independent—an insider that supports and encourages Daray's house arrest. Of course, everyone is going to be a skeptic, because there's never been a woman before. So what's your angle?"

Serena picked up a sandwich and started to munch. Lena looked desperately at Hesper, who rolled her eyes. I told you, it's a big deal...

"I haven't really...I don't know." Lena said, wide-eyed.

Serena smiled and nodded knowingly. "Well, try not to worry too much about it. I'll even help you if you need...it'd be a great thing for equal rights if this happens. But enough of that now—what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"Well, I suppose I should go shopping. I somehow managed to forget that it's winter down here...I've been away from travel too long." Lena sighed.

"We can do that." Serena nodded.

Hesper's eyes lit up. "Can I pick your clothes? You'll need makeup, too. And some jewelry—have you ever considered piercing? Oh, wait! Manicures! Can we get manicures? Or what about a trip to the spa?"

Serena smiled broadly. "Well, of course! And I know of this great place where we can—"

"Lena?" Ava's head poked in through the kitchen door. She looked very sternly at Serena and the plate of sandwiches. "It's time for bed. You need to get your sleep pattern on track. You too, Hesper."

"Sure...We'll go up in a little while. We're just making plans for tomorrow."

"Five minutes, Lena." Ava stood in the door until they had all said good night, and then walked Lena and Hesper up to their bedroom. Lena waited until she was out of earshot.

"Geez. I wonder what crawled into her girdle..."

Hesper didn't seem concerned as she pulled out her makeup bag and started to wipe off her face. "Oh, it's just your mom. As always. Serena's, like, the foremost in equal rights leadership here, and it just doesn't mesh with Old Faith ideals. She's probably doubly ticked because of your political antics."

"Well, whatever." Lena yawned. Out in the hall a floorboard creaked. Both girls looked in the direction of the door.

It's your mom... Hesper rolled her eyes.

They changed into their pajamas and went to bed.

The next day flew by, as did the rest of the week. Serena was the most fun that Lena had ever had with an adult, and while she annoyed Ava, which was expected, the tattoo across her left shoulder was more than Mrs. Ralston could handle.

"It's not right to treat one's body as a billboard." She had said in her driest tone; Serena had laughed and pulled her cover-up back over her swimsuit, sending the Latin script into hiding.

Eric was hanging around uncommonly too much again, always looking and watching Hesper. Lena was happy that for once someone was paranoid about a person that wasn't her because it made her feel trusted, but at the same time she was very worried for Hesper. Obsessed people could be very dangerous, and given the political situation that Hesper's family was in...

Lena hadn't said anything to Hesper because she didn't want her to worry. Even though she was an integrationist, she was also a believer in the Old Faith, and the threat on Lena's life several months earlier had greatly deepened the divide between Old Faith and New Faith believers. The Masons, to Lena's knowledge, were New Faith believers.

"We should go out to dinner tonight." Hesper smiled and winked at Lena; they'd been trying all week to lose the adults and spend some time in town alone since the night they had noticed Ava eavesdropping. And while Serena was fun, she hadn't let up on Lena about the Council situation. It seemed she wanted to turn her into some sort of political prodigy, and talked incessantly about how great it would be to have a woman on the Council pushing women's issues.

"Not tonight girls...Greg's working late and I need to watch Rose and Daisy." Serena was in the kitchen washing dishes and watching her daughters play in the yard outside. "But you're welcome to the car, Ava, if you want to take them."

Ava glanced up from the sofa in the other room, where she was watching TV and winding down with Mrs. Ralston and Eric. They'd been to the beach again that day; it was an activity that Ava found particularly taxing.

"Not tonight, Lena. I'm too tired." Ava didn't look away from the television.

"Well, I'm technically an adult now, so I think I'll go anyway." Lena said in an annoyed tone.

Ava turned around and stared at her daughter. "Excuse me, young lady?"

"I'd like to go out with Hesper, so we're going out."

"I'll chaperone..." Mrs. Ralston, looking tired after chasing teenagers all week, started to get up out of her chair.

"Not unless I'm going, and I'm not going." Ava glared at Rosaleen, who sank back into her seat; even after all the time the two had spent together, Ava still thought Mrs. Ralston was untrustworthy. Ava steadied her gaze back on Lena. "Neither are you. You can't go unless chaperoned, and you have no chaperone."

"Mom, why do you always..."

"Me? No. That's the law, Lena. We all have to abide by it."

By 'we' she had meant the entire Daray family, who were under supervision for the chaos that many believed they would bring upon the world if left to their own devices. Triumphantly, Ava turned back to the TV.

Sitting in the chair across the room, his eyes fixed on Hesper, Eric spoke up. "I'll take them."

Hesper smiled. Lena's heart dropped. Ava was now glaring at Eric, who realized too late that he had just challenged the authority of a mother on the edge. He glanced nervously at Rosaleen, who gave a reassuring look and then shook her head slowly; she'd given up on Ava being reasonable the day she'd met her—a spoiled, rich, arrogant little girl who preyed on the ambitions and hopes of others.

Lena shook her head, trying to get him out of the corner he had backed himself in to. "Oh, no...Eric, if my mom says..."

But Hesper was determined to go. "Lena, don't be ridiculous. Eric is an approved chaperone, so why not?"

"Really, it's okay. We can just—"

Lena! Shut up! Hesper gave her a strict glare.

Eric glanced nervously at Hesper. Ava's icy stare was still fixed on him.

"I mean, everyone wins. We'll be out of your hair, and probably out so late that we'll be too tired to do anything tomorrow..." Hesper's voice died into the silence.

"Griffin said we should spend some time out together." Lena wasn't sure if it was a lie or not; Hesper was certainly acting desperate enough to give it a try, though.

Ava turned back around and looked back and forth between the two girls, considering. "I want a phone call every half hour. If I don't pick up, leave a message."

Lena smiled at Hesper, who was already headed out the door. Eric gave Lena an ambiguous glance before following Hesper out to the car.

A moment later, and they were cruising off the property and off towards city lights.

"Where are we eating, ladies?"

Lena looked over at Hesper, who had produced an array of makeup in her lap and was putting on a fresh coat of lipstick using a compact mirror.

"Well..." Lena said uncertainly.

Hesper's mirror snapped shut. "What about that place we saw yesterday?"

"You're too young." Eric kept glancing into the rearview mirror.

"You're saying I look it?" Hesper's tone was challenging.

Lena shot another look at Hesper, eyebrows raised.

"I'm saying she does." In the rearview, Lena saw Eric's eyes fall on her.

"Well, what about that other place? The one out on the beach?" Hesper asked.

"You want me to drive all the way out there?"

Hesper smiled at Lena. All the way out to the beach...

"Lena?"

Lena met Eric's gaze in the mirror. "Yeah, that sounds great."

And the forty-five minute drive commenced. Lena glanced over at Hesper several more times before she finally took the hint.

What's up? You really wanted to stay back at the house?

Lena checked to be sure Eric wasn't watching before shaking her head.

You want to go somewhere else?

She shook her head and threw another look at Eric. Hesper pursed her lips.

What about him?

Lena rolled her eyes. Hesper knew she wasn't able to use private thought-speak; anything she said could be heard by anyone within the vicinity.

Hesper sighed. Look, it's a complicated situation. We'll talk later. "So Lena. Anything interesting happening at Waldgrave lately?"

"Not in the slightest. And how is California?" Hesper lived with her parents on a private horse ranch in Northern California; many Silenti had made the trip out to visit in the past few months to mooch off of Griffin's newfound political situation.

"Well, you know. Bunch of old guys hanging out and kissing Griffin's butt. And Eric, how are you?"

"Well, I'm going out to dinner with two lovely ladies who're making small talk to fill an awkward silence."

"Indeed?"

The place Hesper was talking about, it turned out, was called the Sand Dollar. There was an ocean-front deck strung up with holiday lights and fake Tiki memorabilia; the smell of charring beef and shrimp permeated the atmosphere inside and directly outside the restaurant. A waitress seated them at a table out on the deck, and Eric excused himself to the restroom after making Lena swear not to move and to scream for help if anyone so much as looked at her for too long. After he disappeared back into the Dollar, Lena looked over at Hesper to continue their conversation from earlier. She was fixing her lipstick again.

"You're doing that a lot lately." Lena observed in an annoyed tone.

Hesper pursed her lips and blotted them on a napkin. "Those of us who wear makeup know it requires maintenance."

"No, even for you you're doing it a lot lately...Are you nervous, or something?"

Hesper's mirror clicked shut. She carefully capped her lipstick and stuck it back into her handbag. Lena's eyes narrowed as she watched Hesper carefully compose herself before looking over.

"No. I'm not nervous."

"Yes you are."

"I'm not and you can't prove it. I've blocked you out completely, since you're in such a prying mood."

"I don't need to read your mind to know you're nervous."

Hesper pulled her lipstick back out of her purse. "And how would you presume to know otherwise?"

Lena sat back and waited until Hesper was absorbed in fixing her makeup. "You're doing it again. You just did that less than a minute ago."

"So?" Hesper shot an annoyed look at Lena, who sighed. Lena wondered if Hesper had any ability, outside of her inhuman empathic abilities, to read what others were thinking or feeling.

"Is it Eric?" Lena asked.

"It's nothing for you to concern yourself with..."

Lena shook her head. "Look, there's something going on here, and I wish you'd just tell me what—"

"Has the waitress been through yet?" Eric sat down and picked up his menu. Hesper and Lena stared determinedly across the table at each other before Hesper looked out across the surf. The tide was coming in, and a spectacular number of stars were out. "Nope. No waitress yet."

"What are you going to order?"

"Salad—"

"Chicken—"

Hesper and Lena looked at each other again and went completely silent. Eric looked from one to the other. "Is there something going on here?"

"I don't know. Is there?" Lena looked at Eric. Eric glanced at Hesper, who was staring back out to sea, and then took uncommonly too long to answer.

"I think I'll get the crab legs. Would anyone like an appetizer?" Eric finally said into the tense silence.

Hesper was digging into her purse again. She pulled out her mirror and a tube of mascara. "Some of those cheese biscuit things would be nice."

They ordered and ate. Eric insisted on paying even though Ava had sent Lena with enough cash to treat everyone. Lena couldn't help noticing that Hesper had been avoiding eye contact the whole time, as well as the fact that Eric seemed to always be looking at her. It was a little creepy, but Lena reasoned that as long as she and Hesper stayed together, nothing could happen to either of them. He couldn't leave Lena alone because the law decreed so, and as long as Hesper stayed close, they could protect each other.

After dinner they wandered down the street to where some shops surrounding the late night bars were open. One of them happened to be a higher-end lingerie store, which Lena insisted on going into, and Eric offered to sit out front and wait for them.

"Do you know what he's going to think we're doing in here?!" Hesper was more annoyed than she normally was in such a situation. Most of the time, she wouldn't care, or would even flaunt, being in a store that her parents wouldn't approve of. Lena reasoned that Griffin's situation was starting to get to her.

"Buying bras?" Lena looked over at a store model that vaguely resembled an extraterrestrial in undergarments made out of dental floss, fake flowers, and latex. "Really weird bras..."

Hesper glared at her from under her dark eye makeup.

"Look, I'm just getting a really creepy vibe off of him. I don't think it's a good idea that we're out alone with him." Lena pleaded.

Hesper gave a slight laugh. She walked over to a bin of underwear and began to quarry through them. "You've got a creepy vibe? A creepy vibe? You suck at this—he's completely harmless." She picked up a pair of blue lace panties that were studded with large rhinestones and held them up to model. She then smiled and made an exaggerated wave at Eric, who quickly turned back around to face the street on his bench.

"You're just trying to make me feel better about this." Lena accused.

Hesper laughed, but still sounded annoyed. "No, I'm really not..."

"Yes, you are."

"You're way off base. Trust me, he has no unsuitable intentions concerning you or your health. He's no Warren Astley."

Lena followed Hesper to a wall covered in sleepwear. "Hey, I'm getting better at it—Mrs. Ralston says I'm fair at blocking my thoughts now, so I don't go around wearing my every thought where others can feel them, and I'm even starting to pick up on other people's thoughts. A little. It's not me I'm worried about."

Hesper picked up a set of pajama bottoms with a frog pattern printed on them, and then turned around with a broad smile on her face. She was far too arrogant for Lena's liking; she was too much like Griffin at times, and it was bad for her health.

"I'll be fine. Trust me."

"Hesper..."

"Lena," She reached and put a hand on Lena's shoulder, "You might be getting good at this, but trust me when I say I've got a handle on the situation. And I swear I'll tell you if I ever get in over my head."

"You swear it?"

"On Griffin."

Lena paused for dramatic effect. "Not good enough."

They shared a laugh. Hesper shook off the previous conversation, and seemed to go back to her old self. "So, since we're here, have you ever been lingerie shopping before?"

Lena looked around the store again. The faceless extraterrestrial underwear models with jutting hips and bald heads were watching her. "No."

"Have any desire too? I mean, just for the heck of it? Because this may be our only chance to ever do it alone?"

Hesper and Lena picked out some matching pajama sets. Lena picked out some bras that weren't the conservative white that Mrs. Ralston always got her—nothing that would qualify as lingerie, but much prettier than she was used to. Hesper started a competition to see who could find the ugliest bra, and then another one to find the piece or outfit that Mrs. Ralston would find the most offensive. She went around the store and picked out a few items for herself, then a few "to scandalize her mother," they made their purchases, and finally walked out to find Eric.

Hesper threw a daunting smile at him. "I believe we're ready to go back to the house now."

"Okay." Eric got up off his bench and they walked back to the car. Lena watched him looking into the rearview mirror at Hesper the whole way home.

*****

CHAPTER 12

The next day was spent at the house on Ava's orders. It was a Saturday, which meant Daisy and Rose, the two youngest Masons, were home from school. They liked spending time with Lena and Hesper. The four girls did makeovers and painted each other's nails, which the younger two greatly enjoyed, and Hesper even told them she would send them some of her old hand-me-down clothes, which made Daisy practically scream with excitement. Hesper bought new clothes every season, so her clothes were rarely ever worn more than a couple of times. Later in the day they left for a sleepover at a friend's house; a human friend.

"They don't talk like we do," Daisy pointed out to Lena in her wide-eyed, innocent way. "But they're nice and I like them anyways."

Later, when Lena asked Greg if he ever worried about them saying too much about the Silenti world, he only laughed.

"They're kids," he shrugged, wiping away a tear from his eye as he continued to chuckle. "They have active imaginations. When they're old enough to be taken seriously, they'll either cut it out when they see how serious it is, or their peers will start to mock them for being crazy. Problem solved."

Lena forced a smile.

Greg set a hand on her shoulder. "Lena, I wasn't born into this world. I was brought in, like you. When I was twelve, I ran away from a militant boarding school my parents sent me to. They sent me because I wouldn't stop lying about being able to hear what people were thinking. Everyone at school thought I was a freak as well, so I left. Human-born Silenti often find themselves on the outskirts of human society because people find them odd. That's how the Council can scoop them up so easily without anyone noticing." Greg paused to smile and shake his head. "Someday, they're going to figure out that humans won't believe them, even if they tell the truth. I just hope that they decide the friends they've made are worth the extra effort."

Lena had never considered it before, but Greg was right. No one would believe the truth about the Silenti world, especially coming from a child. She supposed that someone might try to prove their advanced abilities using a trick of telepathy, perhaps by having one person read another's mind to determine the number and suit of a card hidden from view. But hadn't this been done already? There were reports of people with almost every Silenti ability she had encountered so far, and most humans didn't believe it. The ones who did believe it were regarded as crazy. Even if a person were to see it for themselves, they would probably still believe there was a trick or "rational explanation" at work.

As Hesper and Eric sat in the living room watching television, Mrs. Ralston was doing a cross-word puzzle in the kitchen, and Ava was battling a headache in her bedroom, Lena found the Masons sitting at their respective desks in the office—Serena eating a bowl of cereal and chatting on the phone, and Greg playing solitaire on his computer. The office was still done up in rugby regalia, the same as it had been when Lena was little.

"Uh huh," Serena looked over at Lena as she talked into the phone. "Of course. I completely agree. Can I call you back a little later? Something important just came up...Uh huh. Bye."

Lena shook her head. "You really didn't have to—"

"You want to discuss your exposition! Nothing is more important." Serena smiled gleefully.

Greg turned his chair around and gently folded his hands.

Lena looked back and forth between them. "How did you...?"

Serena nodded. "It's been on your mind for a while now. How much have you figured out?"

"Um..." Lena looked over at Greg, and then back into Serena's dark eyes. "Well, not a whole lot, I guess. I need help."

Greg stood up. "Good luck." And he walked out of the office. Lena stared after him; had she said something wrong?

"He's not allowed to help. No one on the Council, excepting your uncle, is allowed to help you with the exposition. Too much of a chance for bribery and coercion." Serena took a last bite out of her cereal and set it on her desk. "We'll need notes..." She pulled out a legal pad and a pen, gestured to Greg's empty chair, and Lena sat down. "Now. I know this is going to be difficult for you, but your exposition needs to contain your full opinions on current events. The political situation, the religious situation, and the social situation. And don't lie, because they'll know."

Lena's jaw fell open. She knew she would be cast as a radical considering her political beliefs. Her perspective on Silenti religion was—unique—to say the least. She hadn't even known that a social situation existed. "Oh, my God."

Serena pointed the pen at her and then started jotting onto the page. "You believe in a God...it's a start!" She looked back up at Lena.

I'm never going to get in... Lena thought.

Serena tilted her head to the side. "And that's going to be a problem. First, you're going to need confidence. And second, was it your intention to just broadcast that to the house?"

"No, I was just..."

"Try again, and this time think exclusively at me." Serena said.

Lena closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Is this any better?

"It was okay. The exposition is usually given in the Silenti language...in thoughts, not words. As I'm sure you know, the assemblies are constituted of a great many people from all over the world. Some don't speak English well, and communication through our thoughts—which is universal to all Silenti—is a key point in becoming a family representative. You're going to need to work on your skills in that area."

Lena flinched. Mrs. Ralston had given her copious lessons on Silenti thought-language, and the truth was that she just wasn't very good at it. Her public speaking came across muffled, and she had no ability at all to hear the public thought-speak of others. It had to be specifically directed at her for her to hear it; she couldn't generate private thought-speak at all. But she was willing to work on it. "Okay."

Serena nodded resolutely. "Let's start with the easy question, then. Where do you stand on our social situation?"

Easy question? Lena thought. "I'm sorry, which social situation?"

Serena crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "You've only been to one assembly, but I assume you noticed that the beds were always made, the food cooked and served, and the clothes always washed?"

"Yes, because the Families bring their house hands to help." Lena said.

"House hands, servants, slaves...There's different dogmas and situations the world over. The big situation is that the Silenti do not regulate or have any laws concerning the ethical treatment of the lower classes. They don't have representation in the Council because most of them are recovered children—human-raised Silenti who never gain what can be considered full Silenti abilities..." Serena paused. Lena was in such a situation, except that she was in the dining room and not the kitchen. "Recently they've been asking for it. They want representation, and many are hesitant to give it to them on the grounds that the family representative speaks for the entire household; others say that they shouldn't have it because they aren't full Silenti."

"I'm in favor. They deserve to vote." The family representatives voted out of self-interest, and the lower classes were feeling it. Devin had told her so once while they dried dishes together.

"That won't do well before the Council." Serena looked up very solemnly.

Lena shrugged in frustration. "But if I'm not allowed to lie, then—"

"Try to think about it from a different angle," Serena tucked the pen behind her ear as her hand movements became more animated. "You're well-traveled, yes? How many times has intervention from an outside force caused a people to stand up, unite, and peaceably agree to a new governing system? Rarely, if at all, to my knowledge. It takes a revolution."

"You think the lower classes would revolt?" Lena asked.

"It happened in France, and many other places. But it's not about what I think...It's about the fact that, historically speaking, you can only be sure that a vote will be used responsibly if it's taken by those who want it." Serena reasoned.

"So..." Lena mulled Serena's position over in her mind. "You'd rather the Council waited for a violent upheaval that would probably divide the community further, rather than settling it now? Is that what you mean by taking it?"

Serena threw her hands in the air. "It's not about me! It's...look, you're insane if you think the majority of people on that Council would vote to give their servants a voice in the law. It's good to be the king, right? Same reason they've kept it a system of mostly first-born males. It's self-preservation. Change won't happen overnight. What I'm trying to say is this: they won't let you in if you have an agenda concerning the lower classes. None of them are really from the lower classes. So you need to frame your opinion carefully—overnight change never works, fair statement?"

"Sure." Lena replied. It seemed to have worked for France.

"So maybe you do support better representation of the lower classes, but not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next year. You support a system that will prepare everyone, the lower and upper classes, for a new governing system. Slow, gradual change—because we have a problem and it needs to be fixed. Just try to avoid defining 'slow' in concrete terms." She looked over at Lena, who wasn't convinced. It was the biggest load of bull she had ever heard, and yet she had heard it several times before from various politicians. "Just think about it. Maybe talk to someone about it."

Lena shook her head. "I'll think about it. It's not right, though."

Serena scribbled onto the page and looked back up. "What about politics?"

"Integrationist." Lena replied flatly. "That's not up for debate."

Serena scribbled onto the page. "And where do you stand on religion?"

Staring at the ceiling, Lena sighed. "Nowhere. I don't believe in the portal. I'll respect the religions of the Silenti as long as they don't intrude on my life."

Serena cocked an eyebrow. "You don't believe in the portal? Not at all?"

Lena leveled her gaze. "Nope. It's never actually been confirmed as real—probably just lore."

"That's very interesting." Serena raised her eyebrows, turned to a new page on her legal pad, and scribbled.

Suddenly feeling as though the session had taken a turn to becoming a psychological examination, Lena felt defensive. "Just because I'm a Daray doesn't mean that—"

"Not because you're a Daray." Serena looked up quickly. "Because your mom is the only living Silenti who claims to have actually seen it."

Standing in the doorway of Ava's bedroom, Lena looked at the strained figure lying on the bed. She had changed into a silver nightgown and cotton candy-like pink bathrobe, and her face was obscured by the eye mask and cold towel compress on her forehead. An open bottle of aspirin sat on the nightstand.

"Mom?"

"Is it important, Lena?" Ava moaned.

"When did you see the portal?" Lena asked.

Ava lifted the eye mask just enough to peek out from under it. "You've been talking to Serena. There's no point in my telling you because you've already got your opinion."

"All she told me was that you saw it. I need to know what you saw because...I never thought it was real, I guess." Actually, Serena had said that Ava was the only living person who claimed to have seen it, but Lena felt it best to leave that tidbit out.

Ava removed her compress, sat up, and pushed her mask up. She spoke in an exhausted tone; each word dragging out like it weighed too much to easily travel the distance from mouth to ear. "Sit down. It's a long story."

Lena sat down on the bed next to Ava. She was hoping what her mother was about to say would decide her mind for her by being either entirely ridiculous or revolutionary—anything in between would stick her in a difficult spot.

"Fourteen years ago, Aaron and I were in Ecuador diving the reefs for our third anniversary. We lived very much like you lived, I suppose. Place to place, one right after the other. No real home." Ava shuddered. "I wanted to go home, but I didn't want my father to have you. He was so angry with me, he said he'd kill me if I ever tried to come home. When he found out about Thomas, he started petitioning to gain custody because he immediately named him his heir. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"I was selfish and I wanted to prove to him that I could do what I wanted when I wanted, but it was hard. It was so much harder than I ever thought, because you and Thomas were such a handful. I never knew taking care of kids could be so hard—you were always hungry, or sleepy, or needed changing...did you know that kids don't toilet train until they're three? Sometimes you two would just cry and cry for no reason. One of you would start to cry and wake up the other...I was overwhelmed. Two small children, and we were always traveling to keep Thomas away from him. It was hell.

"And then there was Ecuador. Aaron wanted to take me scuba diving for our third anniversary...I didn't want to celebrate it at all, but I guess it worked out lucky for me. He took me out on a private tour...one of his friends had a boat and was certified. He stayed up on the boat with you two. When we were down there, we found a box partly buried in the coral. A big old trunk, just like pirate's treasure in the movies. Aaron said to leave it at first, because the coral was growing all over it, but then I saw what was written on it. It was in Latin, which I didn't know, but there on the lid...smack in the middle of the lid...was the word 'Silenti.' And I knew. I just knew." Ava looked over at Lena, who sat with her eyes straight ahead, focused on the wall opposite the bed.

"Wait." Lena furrowed her brow. "I thought the portal was old. Like, older than Latin--older than the word 'Silenti'."

"The adornments were added later." Ava shrugged. "It's in one of those old books. Aaron couldn't see it...he was human. Only I could see the writing. We pried it out of the coral and swam it back up to the boat. His friend was really upset that we had destroyed part of the coral formation until I said what I thought the box was. Aaron was livid—he said I should have left it in the coral. Another fifty years and it might have been covered completely. But then we had it, and we had to decide what to do with it. It was heavier on land, so we left it in the boat at the dock. Aaron said we should dump it back in the water the next day, and I told him we would. But as I lay there in the dark, another possibility came to me.

"I waited until he fell asleep and then I snuck back out to the boat with Thomas. I knew that I couldn't dump it back out at sea because I'd never find it again. I hired some locals to help me move it out of town. I hid it in a little cave just outside of Manta. Then I took Thomas and went to the airport, and I went home. I asked for full amnesty from my father in exchange for Thomas and the location of the portal. So I was allowed back, and the nightmare was over." Ava smiled over at Lena, proud of her cleverness, but Lena was frowning.

"You just left me and dad there? You didn't say goodbye to me, or anything?"

"Well, I only really needed Thomas, and I couldn't cart both of you out to the airport. It would have been such a hassle." Ava crinkled her nose. "My father only wanted a boy. Tough luck for him when he found out Thomas was human."

Lena sighed. It should have upset her, but such attitudes just didn't anymore. Her mother was as self-centered and arrogant as any other Daray. "What happened with the portal?"

"I went before the Council and told them the location, a representative was decided on, and he went out and retrieved it. He was murdered on the way back, and the portal hasn't been seen since." Ava shrugged.

"Who killed him?" Lena asked.

"Oh, we never did find out..." Ava yawned and reached for the hairbrush on her nightstand. She started to pull it through her matted hair.

"Investigative services really suck here." Lena observed.

"Don't use that word." Ava replied indifferently. "It's unbecoming of a lady. We're sure it was someone with the New Faith, and that's good enough."

It was all very convenient. Too convenient. A Daray, the only Silenti who would be able to find and identify the portal, just happened to be scuba diving in the exact location where the portal is. And then the portal disappeared before any conclusive evidence could be gathered? It wasn't enough to earn Lena's blind faith, but it was worth asking around for more information.

Lena got up and walked back to her room. Since Hesper had helped her pick out a new winter wardrobe at the start of the trip, she hadn't unpacked any of the summer clothes that she had brought in her suitcase. Now she was digging through them unceremoniously, looking for something she had packed on Griffin's suggestion.

"There you are..." She whispered.

She pulled the journal free from a mess of shirts. She flipped it open to the inscription on the inside cover and tried to read it again, but to no avail. She flipped through the rest of the pages, wondering if she had missed something, but it was empty. She thought hard; if Griffin thought that she would need it, odds were that she would. But why would she need an empty book?

The rest of the next week passed Lena by without any need of the blue journal. She denied her impulse to call Griffin and ask what the book was for; she would figure it out on her own. But with only one more week to go, and her chances of figuring it out by herself getting slim, she finally enlisted Hesper's help. After making her swear that she wouldn't tell Griffin, of course.

"You know he'll probably know anyway, right?" Hesper said in a bored tone.

"I'm asking that you try, that's all."

Hesper rolled her eyes. "I'll try. Does this mean that I can ask you a favor, too? No questions asked?"

"Sure. Whatever. You're my friend." Lena looked sternly at her. "Do you read Latin?"

Hesper stared. "No. Lena, why the hell would I read Latin?"

Lena sighed. She really was going to have to learn Latin. "It's...nothing. No reason. What do you need?"

Hesper checked the hall, closed the door, and lowered her voice. "I'm sneaking out tonight, and I need you to cover for me."

Lena's defenses went up. From experience, it wasn't good for political figures to go sneaking out alone. "That's really not a good idea, Hesper..."

"I'll be fine. Look, you can sound the alarm if I'm not back by two." Hesper implored.

"Where are you going?" Lena asked.

Hesper's expression softened and Lena started to worry again. She was keeping another secret. "I want to tell you. You have no idea how bad I want to tell you. But your blocking isn't that great yet, and you live with one of the most powerful living Silenti in the world. Not to mention Griffin. I just can't tell you yet, okay? I swear I won't be in any danger."

Lena didn't want to let her go. It was a bad idea to go out alone. Hesper was Griffin's sister, which made her a potential target. Her death wouldn't go unnoticed; it would be a powerful political statement. It was fraught, especially with the way Eric had been following her around... But Lena agreed, and as sickening as it was to her, asked her to call every half hour or so to check in.

Lena laid awake in bed, flipping back and forth through her journal. It was possible there was something written in it, but very doubtful. Lena had been able to read every book in the Waldgrave library for several months, and in general had no issue reading Silenti scripts anymore.

iter itineris susipio hik

Hesper had set her look to be a little more punk than usual that evening, wearing a pair of black jeans, a corset-style top, extremely dark eye makeup, and even putting temporary blue streaks in her hair. She had spent nearly two hours picking out clothes and putting on makeup, which was unusually long, even for Hesper, before she finally slipped out the window and down a ladder. As her blue pigtails disappeared into the warm night air, Lena had to wonder who had set up the ladder for her.

Why wouldn't Hesper tell her? She could keep a secret. And it wasn't safe to go out alone. That was one of the things that Hesper and Lena had in common. They should be best friends, but they weren't. Hesper was keeping secrets because she didn't trust her, Lena, who had thought they were best friends.

iter itineris susipio hik...

She could keep a secret. What could be so important in her life that no one could know, anyway? Lena had bigger secrets. She had bigger problems. And Hesper knew about all of them. Lena rolled over and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. Two forty-six.

Maybe she should ask Mrs. Ralston, who knew everything, but might not want to help, given who the journal was from. Ava didn't speak Latin; she had said so when she talked about finding the portal. Hesper didn't know. Daray would certainly know, but Lena sure wasn't going to go asking him. And she certainly wasn't going to go to Griffin. She could imagine the smug expression on his face, the conceited tone of voice he struck when she admitted he had something she needed.

iter itineris susipio hik...

The journey begins here.

Lena turned around. Serena was standing in the doorway, wearing a plush green bathrobe and holding two steaming coffee mugs. Panic stricken, Lena sat up and started to babble like an idiot.

"Hesper had to...she's in the...she had to pee. Hesper's peeing." Wow. Maybe she really was bad at keeping secrets. "I mean, diarrhea. She ate something, and she'll probably be in the bathroom for a while."

Serena smiled and closed the door behind her. She sat down on the bed where Hesper was supposed to be sleeping. "It's okay. I know she's out. Reading up on your Latito?"

Lena stared. Serena pushed a mug of hot tea into her hand. She had to be the coolest adult she had ever met. "Latito?"

"It's Silenti. The way our language is written. No one knows it anymore, in favor of whatever one's first spoken language is, but it's still used on occasion to document the formal Councils. It's good that you're learning it. Might impress the current representatives." Serena yawned and looked down into her mug.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." Lena said.

"Oh, I was up anyway. I'm up a lot, lately." Serena traced the rim of her cup with her index finger. Her hair was done up in a bun that bore a striking resemblance to a pastry. "Just worried. Politics and whatnot. That must sound really stupid to you." She looked up and smiled.

"No. I worry sometimes, too." Lena sipped her tea. "I thought it was Latin."

"It's not Latin. It was Latin at some point, I guess, but someone way back when took it and made it ours. Now it's ours. Only the Silenti can see it, and only the learned Silenti can read it." Serena said.

"Could you teach me?" Lena asked.

"Oh, no. My Latito is terrible." Serena frowned. "You'd need to ask a specialist, or get your hands on one of the older grammars."

"But you just translated that passage for me..."

"That's different—it's from the oldest known Silenti text. The opening inscription: iter itineris susipio hik , kod hik is vadum terminus, per nuskam varius tamen ki reverto. 'The journey begins here, and here it shall end, with nothing changed save those who return.' The book was supposedly written by one of the First Ones, and it's been copied down through the generations. Who knows how close it is to the original now, but it's still held as our greatest story of all time." Serena yawned again.

"Do you have a copy? I mean, one I could borrow?" Lena asked.

"Sure," Serena stood and walked to the door. "But tomorrow, okay? You really should get some sleep. We need to get in some more time on your exposition before you leave, and the girls want to go out to lunch with you tomorrow. And shopping. And to the beach. And to the zoo. And to dinner."

Lena smiled nervously. "I don't know how I'm ever going to pull that exposition off..."

Serena gave her a reassuring smile. "Look on the bright side. You've already got two votes...Howard and Greg. Greg is actually very proud of you—more so than he's allowed to say. Confidentially, of course."

"Of course." Lena repeated.

Serena winked. They said their goodnights just in time for Lena's cell phone to go off. As Serena closed the door, Lena answered Hesper's call. There was loud music playing in the background.

"Hey yo, I'm not dead yet." Hesper yelled over the background noise.

"That makes me very happy." Lena replied.

"It should." Hesper yelled.

Lena's phone beeped. "I've got another call."

"Okay, talk to you at three-thirty, mother."

Lena hit the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hello, princess."

"Isn't it early morning yesterday where you are?" Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or the fact that she had just figured out the riddle of the inscription, but talking to Griffin didn't faze her the way it usually did.

His tone, however, sounded different—stretched thin. "It's not that early here, but why are you up? I was going to leave a message. Is Hesper sneaking out again?"

Lena felt her heart rate surge. This was what Hesper hadn't wanted.

"It's nothing new. Why so worried?" Griffin said lightly.

He was always inside of her head, and it annoyed her. "Why do you even have to ask?"

Silence. "I can't help it, Lena. You get to know people and it just sort of happens. I wouldn't expect you to understand, of course."

Lena sighed. He was always so...frustrating. "It's the exposition, that's all."

"I doubt that, but don't worry about it. Your...Well, Master Daray has decided to support your decision, so I don't think it really matters." Griffin said.

"What?" Lena couldn't believe that she'd heard him correctly. In fact, she had partially made the decision to become and heir to irritate Daray and her mother. "Why the hell would he do that?"

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, as they say. I don't know. Everything here has been so..." There was silence on the other end of the line as Griffin's voice trailed off.

"Griffin? Is everything okay?"

When he spoke again, his words were strained. "He's dying, Lena..."

She looked away out the window, and then rolled her eyes. "He's had that look about him since I've known him. Doesn't really surprise me."

"He's getting worse." Griffin insisted. "He's not able to walk right anymore. He gets too tired too quickly. He's not...well."

"You sound worried." Lena said. "I think that's a first, for you."

Silence. "I think you should get back here soon. That's all."

Lena rolled over on her stomach, picked a magazine out of the stash next to Hesper's bed, and started flipping through it. "I realize you care, Griffin, and I'm sorry. Really. I really doubt he'll die because he's just not done making my life a living hell. I mean, we're not married yet, right?"

Silence.

"Griffin?"

Silence. Lena closed the magazine and threw it back in the pile. His silence wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Griffin?! Please tell me this weird little culture didn't pronounce us man and wife when I shook your hand or called you a jerk or something?!"

"No!" Griffin replied, clearly irritated that she was making light of the situation. "We're not married. Yet, as you so aptly put it."

"I have no intention of marrying you." Lena said. "Ever. And I sure as hell have no desire to ever be a parent. And that's why that cantankerous old butt wart won't die. Because he's not done screwing up my life. Trust me, he's dying, but I doubt he'll go any time soon. I'm just not that lucky."

More silence. "Thanks Lena. That actually...helps."

"Oh, I wasn't trying to help. And you're really twisted if my suffering makes you feel better." Lena said.

"I never said I felt...anything. Because I don't. I'm not worried."

"Whatever. Is that all?"

Griffin snorted. "You're all business, aren't you?"

"I'm tired. I need sleep."

"You need to stay awake until Hesper gets home and grill her. She's doing something she shouldn't be doing."

"Whatever." She snapped the phone shut. She picked up another magazine to keep herself awake until three-forty, when Hesper hauled herself back through the window. Her hair had moved from pigtails to a simple ponytail, her makeup was faded, and while she was exhausted, she seemed to be in good health. She changed haphazardly into some nightclothes, mumbled a goodnight, and crawled into bed. As Lena closed the window behind her, the ladder was already gone.

Eric was practically smothering the last week of the trip, and even though she wasn't feeling too great about her friendship with Hesper, Lena made the extra effort to always be at her side. She didn't like that Hesper was keeping secrets, but she wasn't about to let something horrible happen to her. Hesper, however, was really starting to get annoyed.

"What the hell, Lena? I promise, nothing is going to happen to me inside this house! You can stop following me to the bathroom! You can stop following me to the kitchen! Just stop following me around!" She finally snapped.

But every time she stopped, Eric was there, following her around instead. He would pop up at the most unexpected times—one time Lena saw him leave for the market, so she went upstairs to read. Fifteen minutes later, when she came down to grab a sandwich, she had found Eric and Hesper standing on different sides of the kitchen island, staring at each other.

"What's up?" Lena tried to act unsurprised and unworried.

"Nothing. Just fixing lunch." Hesper looked over at Lena and faked a smile. She clearly thought that her friend had been following her again.

"Weren't you going to the market?" Lena opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of soda. She opened it as nonchalantly as possible.

"I was...I forgot which kind of bread Hesper said she wanted." He glanced over at Lena, and then went back to Hesper. "You're so picky about what you eat. We don't have the same things here as you do in California. So I thought I'd come back and take you to the market with me. That way you can pick your own food."

For the first time, Hesper looked nervous. She looked over at Lena, and then gathered herself. The arrogant, fiery, immortal look came back into her eyes, and she looked confidently at Eric. "Sure. I'd love to go to the market."

Lena set down her soda down on the counter. "I'll go too."

Hesper rolled her eyes. Lena crossed her arms.

Nothing's going to happen! It's a public place! Just stop being so paranoid and let me live my damn life as recklessly as I want to! Hesper stomped out of the room. Without looking at Eric, Lena followed her back up to their bedroom. Hesper had put on her mp3 player and had the music on so loud that Lena could hear the lyrics from across the room. When she saw Lena standing in the doorway, she picked a magazine and started to fiercely flip through it.

It's not safe, Hesper!

Hesper continued to almost rip the pages out of the magazine.

You know, you haven't been the best friend lately. Lena went on. In fact, you've been a pretty bad one. But I'm not going to let you get hurt. I'm sorry.

Lena grabbed her book, Serena's borrowed copy of Viator kod Venefikus, and walked back down to the living room. She looked out at the driveway; Eric's car was gone again. Throwing herself down on the couch, she cracked open her book and started to read it.

"Are you girls fighting?" Ava was sitting in a chair watching television. Lena was surprised she had missed her.

"Yes." She said dully.

"It's not good to fight." Ava remarked. "You'll be sisters someday."

"Thanks Mom. You always know what to say." Lena tried to focus on the text in front of her, which was thankfully a translation into English.

"You love each other." Ava said. "Maybe you've just been spending too much time together."

"No, it's because Hesper's being a total brat lately. And a really bad friend."

"How so?"

"Well, she's been..." Lena stopped. She peeped over the corner of the book at Ava, who looked oblivious enough, but couldn't bring herself to talk about what had transpired over the course of the trip. If Hesper wanted to keep it a secret, there was probably a good reason. Or a good enough one, anyway. "Nothing."

Ava went back to watching television. Lena went back to her book.

Why do you have to be such a damn good friend?

Lena looked over at the staircase. Hesper was sitting on the top step, looking miserable. She went back to her book; the two of them didn't speak much over the remaining three days of the trip.

*****

CHAPTER 13

Standing at the gate again, Lena couldn't believe the trip was already over. Greg shook her hand and pulled her into a hug the way he usually did with other male members of the Council. Serena gave her a long hug; they had put the finishing touches on her exposition the day before. Lena hadn't told her about Master Daray's decision to support her, because votes were supposed to be confidential, but the exposition was still very good. Serena probably would have made a fair Councilmember herself, and seemed to be living the dream vicariously. She was crying as adamantly as little Rose and Daisy as they stood at the gate, much to Ava's chagrin. Hesper was standing off to the side; her plane didn't leave until the next day. She still hadn't told Lena what was going on, and had never apologized. Eric was standing just behind her.

"And remember...whatever you say, say it with confidence, even if you think they don't want to hear it. And look them in the eye. Oh! And practice your volume and tone," Serena smiled maternally at Lena, and then pulled her into a suffocating hug, "And I'm already planning the party for when you get in."

"Well, I guess that's it then." Lena sighed and picked up her carry-on. "Thanks so much for letting me stay."

"Any time. Any time you want to visit you're welcome...you're family." Greg smiled.

Lena turned and handed her boarding pass to the attendant.

Wait!

Lena turned around. Hesper was holding an envelope out towards her.

Don't open it until you land. She whispered.

And you be careful until tomorrow... Lena whispered back.

She took the envelope and gave a small smile. It wasn't an apology, but it was a start.

Lena had always found flying over the Pacific to be more tiring than most flights. Perhaps it was in her head, but crossing the time barrier between days somehow seemed to be more work. She spent most of her time reading Viator kod Venefikus, which turned out to be a fairly good fantasy story—except that most Silenti probably didn't classify it as fantasy. It was the story of the opening of the portal and the arrival of the Silenti, except that they were referred to as Venefikus—"Magicians"—in the story. It also told about the apocalyptic amounts of human and Silenti death immediately after the portal was opened.

It wasn't until the layover in Los Angeles that Lena realized she hadn't turned her cell phone back on since turning it off during taxi and takeoff. When she did, she saw that she had close to forty messages, all of them in the last hour. Most of them from Griffin and Howard.

"Mom, have you talked to Griffin or Howard lately?" She asked.

"Nope. Mine's been off. I'm trying to get a jump start on resetting my sleep schedule. You should too." Ava wandered off to find a place for them to eat. Mrs. Ralston had fallen asleep sitting up on a bench.

The cell phone went off again. It was Griffin.

Well. This can't be good. She opened the phone and put it to her ear. "Your Majesty?"

"Where's Hesper?" He sounded aggravated.

"What?"

"She missed her flight!" He yelled.

"Griffin! Calm down! Have you tried calling the Masons?"

"When they went to get her this morning, she was gone. Eric Mason is missing too. So help me Lena, if you know anything about this, you'd better start talking now!"

Lena's blood ran cold. Hesper was missing? And so was Eric...

"I don't...no, I don't know anything."

"She didn't say anything? Dammit, you're supposed to be looking out for each other, Lena!"

"I don't..." The note! "Griffin, I've got to go. I'll call you."

Lena picked up her carry-on, unzipped it, and dumped the entire contents onto the floor. She rummaged through the mess as strangers gave her funny looks until she finally produced the envelope and ripped it open.

Lena,

By now you've probably heard that I'm MIA. Griffin is freaking out, and so are my parents, and I'm laughing my ass off at an unknown location. PS—I'm married!

I'm so sorry about all of this. I wish I could have told you. I wish I could have had you here with me. We couldn't risk Griffin or my parents finding out. Eric and I are going to be in so much trouble! I really wish you could have come. Just so you know, I wanted you to be my maid of honor. Oh well, maybe at the vow renewal. Or, if I don't get kicked out of the community, maybe at the formal ceremony this September during yearly Council.

Eric's sorry for all the grief he caused you. He really likes you. I'll be in touch, so tell me how this goes over, and if I'll ever be welcome back.

Lylas,

Hesper

Lena carefully closed the letter, put it in the bottom of her bag, and piled the rest of her stuff on top of it. Her cell phone was going off again. This isn't going to go over well...

She stared at her cell phone. It stopped ringing. A moment later, it started ringing again. It cycled through three times before Ava found her way back to where she was sitting on the floor.

"I found a food court. Most of it looks gross but...What's wrong?"

Lena continued to stare at her ringing cell phone. How could Hesper have done this to her? The sister of the Daray's prodigy heir had run off with someone of opposite political and religious standing. Not that she personally found the situation a taboo, but how in God's name was she supposed to tell Griffin?

"Lena? Honey?" Ava prompted.

Ava picked up the phone and answered it. "Hello? Yes, she's here..." Ava held the phone out to Lena. When Lena continued to stare at the place on the floor where the cell phone had been, Ava put it back to her ear. "She's...predisposed at the moment."

Ava went quiet as she listened. Her eyes went wide; then they started darting back and forth like a synchronized Ping-Pong battle. Her jaw even dropped momentarily. With the cell phone still held stiffly to her ear, Ava looked down at Lena. "Lena, do you know where Hesper is?"

Lena shifted her gaze up to her mother's face. "Who's asking?"

"Why would that matter!? You little—Why do you have to cause so much trouble? You're always getting me into trouble!" Mrs. Ralston woke with a start, looked confused for a moment, and then fixed her gaze on Ava. Ava's eyes lifted from Lena and focused on something down the terminal. "Well, she is! She's the worst...Don't tell me how to parent! You've never even been a parent!"

Mrs. Ralston looked uncertainly at Lena, who was doing her best to ignore Ava's comments.

"You just...Fine. Fine. Howard wants to talk to you." Ava practically threw the cell phone at Lena, and then went stomping off. "I need a coffee..."

"Howard?" Lena's throat had gone dry at some point, and she heard her voice crack.

"Do you know where Hesper is?" He asked calmly but urgently.

Lena paused. She considered her options carefully. "Yes."

Howard's voice became somewhat distanced as he turned away from the phone. "She says she knows where she is..." And then he was back. "Is she okay?"

Lena considered her options again. Mrs. Ralston was watching her quizzically. Somewhere, something was about to hit a fan.

"Lena?" Howard asked.

"Uh...Is Griffin in the room with you now?" She asked.

"No."

"Okay. You might want to sit down. Are you sitting down?"

There was a pause and then, "Yes."

"Now, if I tell you this, you have to do me a huge favor. And I mean a really, really big favor." Lena said.

"Lena, this is not a time for games! You need to tell me where Hesper is now before—"

Lena closed her eyes. "Howard! Just, please! All I want is for...Just tell Griffin. I don't want to be the one to tell him."

"Fine." Howard replied quickly.

"You're sure you're sitting down?"

"Lena!"

She licked her lips. "She gave me a note before I got on the plane. I didn't read it until a minute ago. She ran off with Eric Mason and got married."

There was an audible gasp from Mrs. Ralston. Howard went dead silent.

Lena went on. "I don't know where she is because she didn't tell me. She said she'd keep in touch, though."

Howard took a deep breath. Lena could imagine the face he was making—his eyes would be all squinty like he had a headache. He might even have one palm pressed to his forehead, if it wasn't already wrapped around a glass of something alcoholic. "Please tell me you didn't know about this."

Lena thought back to all the things Hesper hadn't told her. It was almost embarrassing to her to admit that she hadn't known—Hesper was her closest friend. "No. I didn't know."

"Okay...okay." Howard took a deep breath. "I've got some things to do now, so I'm going to hang up. Try to steer clear of your mom for a while, and I'll see you back here later. Bye."

"Bye."

Lena clicked the phone shut. Mrs. Ralston's jaw was still slightly ajar.

"It's that Serena Mason! Oh, she is a bad influence! Running off like thieves in the night...it's not proper!"

Lena shrugged. She looked down the terminal and saw Ava, sitting on a bench and holding a large latte, glaring at her.

By the time the three women arrived back at Waldgrave, Griffin still hadn't left. He had been granted a reprieve of circumstances due to his "family situation" so that he could be near Master Daray in what were possibly "his last hours." Lena didn't buy it, and Ava just didn't seem to care. Several other Representatives had apparently shown up to discuss Hesper's recovery with Griffin—his "Butt-Kisser Brigade," as Hesper had so aptly termed them. As the one person who should have seen it coming, Lena was almost terrified for her life.

Meals were particularly uncomfortable. Griffin had usurped the position at the head of the table and conversations were dominated by talk about Daray's health and Hesper's wellbeing; both of these topics inevitably led to disturbingly long silences when everyone turned to look at Lena. After dinner on the second day, she decided to make an appeal to Howard. He was in his office on the third floor.

"Can't I just eat in my room, like he does?" She begged.

If Howard had been affected at all by Griffin's extended stay or entourage, he wasn't letting it show. "He's very sick. And if you want to get onto the Council, I strongly suggest you get used to people looking at you. Shying away from a few of Daray's cronies doesn't exactly exude confidence."

Lena flopped down into a chair. "Well, can't I just go back to Australia until they all leave? There's nothing to do here..."

"I doubt the Council will let you go anywhere since the ordeal with Hesper." Howard said wryly.

Lena sighed. It wasn't fair. There wasn't anything to do at Waldgrave; she would read, eat, avoid people, and sleep. Griffin wasn't the distraction he was before, and spoke to her very little because he was so busy with the politics of his situation.

Shrugging over a stack of papers on his desk with a highlighter, Howard wasn't compelled. "I know it's boring, but maybe you'll make new friends."

"I believe that would require that I meet new people, Howard." Lena replied.

"Fred Crittenden—he's a social worker—found some kids and was looking to place them. Well, as I no longer have David, Rosaleen and I figured we might as well. The boy, Pete, got here while you were in Australia, and—"

"I haven't seen him around..." Lena said curiously.

"Oh, he's on vacation. David used to get two paid weeks a year to do whatever he wanted. He'll be back next week."

"Oh." Lena said.

"And we're expecting two girls. I think the names are Charlotte and Mary. They should also arrive sometime next week. Of course, we'll all be walking on eggshells for a while just like we did for you. Be careful what you say and try not to walk through too many doors in front of them, use your voice and not your thoughts as much as possible, and whatnot, until they've adjusted."

So Lena resigned herself to reading and helping Mrs. Ralston around the house. Lena got funny looks from the visiting representatives whenever they saw her doing laundry or vacuuming, and Griffin even expressly told her to stop once, but she didn't care. She was bored out of her mind.

The end of Viator kod Venefikus was fascinating. The hero, a Venefikus referred to only as Viator, "the traveler," organized those of the Venefikus who had not been killed off by disease. It was rumored that he had been a great king before passing through the portal. They were deaf and dumb, because in their homelands they communicated using only thought-speak, and became a troop of roaming gypsies; they performed magic tricks, read peoples' minds, and foretold the future to earn their living. As time went on, they fractured and integrated with the humans, and most of the original Venefikus abilities were lost in part or whole. The remaining community of human-born Venefikus still communicated using thought-speak, which earned them the name Silenti—"silence"—from the Romans.

Howard became less and less available as time wore on, and Hesper's situation was seemingly getting worse and worse. At first people were worried, and then they were angry.

"Well, I don't know what will happen to her. It's up to the Council. They haven't practiced leniency in these situations in the past." Mrs. Ralston pulled a sheet of dinner rolls out of the oven and set them on the counter to cool.

"But she's Griffin's sister...I mean, don't you think..." Lena looked up from the soup she was stirring. Mrs. Ralston sighed.

"When your mother ran off with Aaron, I thought I'd never see him again. And I didn't. Marriage is a public affair for women of a certain station in life, and breaking that tradition results in expulsion from the community." She said simply.

"If you don't like it, then you can leave?" Lena said.

"Exactly." Mrs. Ralston grabbed a head of lettuce out of the refrigerator and started to hack it into salad. Lena took the soup off the burner and got the dinner plates out of the cabinet; Mrs. Ralston started to arrange rolls and green beans onto the plates.

"So where are the new kids going to stay?" Lena asked, fetching the soup bowls from the cabinet by the sink.

Mrs. Ralston didn't look up. "Well, the barn is still available, but I expect they will stay with me in the room off the side entrance."

Lena hadn't even known there was a room off the side entrance, but suspected that it wasn't designed for three. "Why don't they just get their own rooms? It's not like we have a shortage of space."

"Those rooms are for accommodating Council members and their families." Mrs. Ralston said.

"But you can't be comfortable..." Lena insisted.

"I'm fine, I assure you. The room is quite too big for me already. When Waldgrave was built, Master Daray intended a staff of fifty." Mrs. Ralston grabbed a plate of vegetables and started chopping them up and tossing them into the salad bowl. When she saw that Lena still looked concerned, she continued. "Human-borns are inherently more gregarious and sympathetic than full Silenti. We prefer company to privacy. It's one of the reasons I always found David a little...strange."

Lena considered this for a moment. "He made the room for fifty?"

"Of course."

Lena had finished spooning soup into the bowls and had distributed the rolls. She checked the timer on the oven; the pork chops wouldn't be ready for another five minutes. Lena watched Mrs. Ralston as she chopped up a carrot, scooped it into the salad bowl, and then started creating decorative ringlets out of a red onion.

"Mrs. Ralston, does Howard pay you?" She finally asked.

Mrs. Ralston paused. "Pay me? For what?"

"For the stuff you do around here. All the cooking and the laundry and stuff." Lena said.

"Well," Mrs. Ralston raised her eyebrows as she finished decorating the salad and brushed a loose lock of hair out of her face. "The Council funds his expenditures for looking after you, your mother and Master Daray. On top of living expenses I do get a modest allowance, so yes, he does pay me." Mrs. Ralston looked directly at Lena. "I'm here because I choose to be, so that I can be close to you and Howard. I've been looking after Howard since he was born, a few years after I was brought into the Collins' household. The Council never recognized it as more than a simple found child placement, but they raised me as their daughter. I was fifteen when Aaron came around, and then Howard a little later." She leaned in toward Lena with an uncharacteristically warm expression. "I was a third parent to them, and they needed one with all the hell they raised. We're family."

"But...Howard is on the Council." Lena shook her head. "People talk to you like you're a servant. If you're like siblings..."

Mrs. Ralston smiled again, the same warm smile she'd had when talking about Aaron and Howard as boys. "Lena, as I said, human-borns are more social. We don't isolate ourselves to protect our political images or sensitive hearts. I made a choice a long time ago that I didn't want to become one of those women who sit at the tables in the dining hall. Howard is on the Council with a mission and a purpose, as are you." She wiped her hand on her apron before reaching out to touch Lena's cheek. "You have appearances to keep up, so that people will take you seriously when you say people like me deserve more respect than we have. But you'll always be welcome to eat in this kitchen when you want."

Lena smiled; she had known that Mrs. Ralston had been caring for Howard for a long time, but hadn't known it had been forever. "What about the kids?" She asked. "The ones you're taking in?"

"I'm a little old to be a mother now, and I won't bother spoiling them like a grandmother would." Mrs. Ralston sighed. "They'll live here free of charge and receive a Silenti education. They'll have my guidance, and each other's friendship. A family."

"And Howard pays them." Lena said.

"Yes, but not for helping out around the house. They earn their own keep doing that. Paying them is more about giving them a start in the Silenti world—so they don't wind up spending a whole lifetime earning their keep." Mrs. Ralston explained. "The Collins began as household servants, and worked their way up and into the Council. We want to give them that same chance, if they want it."

Lena nodded. That was the argument that the Council used to bring in children; they had potential to rise in the Silenti world, and to live a fuller life than they possibly could while living among humans. "Was Ralston your first name? Before you were adopted by the Collinses?"

Rosaleen had just turned the faucet on, and her hands paused inches from the running water as she looked straight ahead. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes darted back and forth, but then she looked back at Lena, and her expression fell resolutely back into order. "No. I was a Collins before I got married, and then I was a Ralston. My husband died, a long time ago, but I kept his name."

Her face fixed in determination, Rosaleen went about the business of washing and drying her hands, and then started to wipe down the kitchen counters. Without a word, Lena picked up a hand towel and started to help, taking Rosaleen's diverted gaze to mean that the conversation was done.

He died in a riot.

Lena looked over her shoulder, but didn't stop scrubbing. Howard had stopped in the kitchen doorway, caught between one obligation and another, and overheard their conversation. His gaze was distant.

There was rioting after Thomas died. Howard went on, unnoticed by Rosaleen as she started washing out the sink basin. Suspicion fell on the human-borns because they had access and they were easy to blame. They didn't want them at the funeral, and someone accused him of murdering Thomas, and then the riot started and someone shot him.

He raised his hand to wipe his face. She doesn't ever talk about it.

Lena frowned, turning back to Rosaleen, and Howard started to walk back towards the stairs, sleepwalking through his daydream of memories. Rosaleen looked over and smiled at Lena. She tossed her cleaning rag into the sink, pulled a few loose strands of hair back into the bun on her head, and then crossed her arms and sighed in satisfaction.

The oven timer went off and Mrs. Ralston pulled the chops out of the oven. They finished making up the dinner plates together, and then Lena ran upstairs to get dressed for dinner. When she came back down, she took her place next to Howard, Ava, Griffin, and the visiting Representatives as Mrs. Ralston served the table.

It was Lena's first autumn at Waldgrave, and it was spectacular. In light of Master Daray's impending death, Griffin hadn't had time to deal with Hesper's situation, which had remained blissfully out of the spotlight. She still hadn't called.

While Griffin was sitting at Daray's bedside, or wherever he was on the upper floors, Lena had exhausted her book supply and took to walking the grounds. The row of trees that surrounded the perimeter of the lawn were all yellowish-orange and had begun to shed their leaves. The garden that Griffin had planted only earlier that year had prospered; the perennial flowers were all dead, but looked to have rooted decently enough that they would be back next year. Lena sat down in a drift of leaves next to the garden; it was positively eerie to think that she had sat there so short a while ago. The wind cut through her jacket just as it had that day. Could she keep a secret? That's what he had asked her.

She shivered in the wind and watched the leaves blowing around on the dead lawn. Off in the distance, the aspens were turning on the mountainside; the sun was setting a crimson red, and she half expected to see fireflies out, but it was both the wrong season and the wrong region of the country. She didn't know why she thought fireflies should have been there.

Lena sighed. The sun was almost down, and if she wasn't inside soon, Ava would come looking for her—but she wanted just a moment longer. The wind was starting to blow harder and she curled her knees up to her chest. It was so cold, and it was only early September. She had barely gone anywhere since January, and somehow her life felt like it was moving faster than it ever had before, barreling forward and careening out of control.

Something brushed her shoulder and she jerked around. Daray's cat was already trotting back up to the house. Her gaze lifted to the upper windows, where a dark figure was watching over her.

It's time to come in, Princess.

"Why should I? I'm under surveillance twenty-four seven." But she still got up, brushed the dying leaves off of herself, pulled her coat a little tighter, and followed the cat inside.

Lena chose to sleep in the next day, much to Griffin's chagrin. She had become lazier and more anti-social than he had ever believed possible, and it wasn't befitting of a Daray. But, she reminded herself, she wasn't a Daray...she was going to become a card-carrying Collins when she was accepted into the Council. But then, Howard wasn't very happy with her lethargy either—she wasn't acting like Council Representative material. She couldn't tell him that her entrance was practically ensured, but she was sure he wouldn't care anyways because he took the position very seriously. So she tried to clean up her act.

Pete arrived back from his vacation late one night, and on Howard's urging, Lena walked down to the barn the next day, where the boy was reorganizing some gardening supplies, to introduce herself. She knocked, and a moment later the door was opened by a squirrelly looking boy with blond hair and freckles. He looked to be about ten, and immediately developed a deer-in-the-headlights gaze when he saw Lena.

"Pete?" She asked gently.

"Yeah..."

"I'm Lena. We haven't met before, but I'm pleased to meet you now." She held out her hand, but Pete didn't take it. Lena looked a little closer and saw that he was still experiencing the shell-shock of a major life transition. She pulled her hand back. "How was your vacation?"

"Vacation?" He repeated.

"Where you just came back from..."

"Oh," Pete looked wide-eyed back at the house. He fidgeted in his clothes, as if they were too tight or rigid, and Lena realized that he must have been given new ones—as she had—when he had arrived. "Oh, it was okay. I stayed with a really nice family. They told me all about...you know."

"Yeah," Lena smiled, "I know."

"And...um," Pete leaned in closer to her and squinted his eyes a little, "Are you...um..." Lena saw him pull something out of his back pocket and glance at it on the other side of the barn door. "Are you, um, Lena-Eden Collins-Daray-Corbett?"

Lena rolled her eyes. "Was that note given to you by an overly thin vegetarian wearing too much makeup?"

He gave her a suspicious look, squinting up his eyes. "Maybe."

Lena reached for the note, but Pete pulled it away. He smiled lightly, and Lena had the intuition that his playful nature would be a good addition to Waldgrave.

"Yes, I'm Lena-Eden whatever, just give me the note. And please don't tell anyone about this."

Pete handed the note over, and Lena quickly unfolded it. She wished she could have asked where Pete had gotten it, but knew that anything she knew would be public knowledge via Griffin, sooner or later.

Hey You!

The honeymoon was great. Just wanted to let you know that I'm okay. Ditched my cell so they couldn't track me; like an idiot, I forgot to get your number out of it first. Hope everything is well, and I hope to talk again soon on a disposable cell phone if I can get my hands on one. So long until then...

Hesper

P.S. He's a cute kid, isn't he?

"She thinks I'm cute?"

Lena looked back at Pete, who was standing on his tiptoes trying to read the note. Lena was taken aback; the ten-year-old was already better at thought-speak than she was.

"She's married, so don't get your hopes up." She replied tartly, tapping the top of his head with the note.

"Does she have a sister?" Pete cracked a sideways smile. Lena was relieved to see that he hadn't lost his sense of humor in the last few weeks of his life.

"It was great to meet you, Pete. I know exactly what you're going through, so if you have any questions, please ask. I'll see you at dinner." Lena started walking back up to the house.

Behind her, Pete was yelling, "It was nice to meet you, too!"

The next morning, Marie and Cheryl, whose names Howard had been getting wrong for a month now, were dropped off by Mr. Crittenden. He was a short, balding man with an inconspicuous jalopy and kind brown eyes. Cheryl, 12, and Marie, 9, were both tired looking and wearing Dickensian type attire. Mrs. Ralston ushered them inside and into the room off the side entrance. Lena didn't see either of them until several days after the initial introductions.

She had come down from the study, where she had been discussing her exposition with Howard, to make herself a snack before dinner. Silenti families from all over the world would be arriving at Waldgrave within the next week, and Lena had precious little time to finish preparing. When she walked into the kitchen, Marie was sitting by the prep table reading a book. She jumped to her feet when she saw Lena walk in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." Lena said.

Marie continued to stare at her. Lena looked down at the book in her hand and saw a familiar cover.

"Is that Peter Pan? Or one of the adaptations? I loved that book when I was little. I read it again last year—it's amazing how different it was. Do you like it?"

Marie's eyes fell to the floor.

"Marie? Are you okay?"

Her eyes came up to meet Lena's. I'm sorry, Miss. I don't speak your language. I'm trying really, really hard to learn.

Lena was shocked. She didn't speak English? Did Howard know? Where are you from?

South, I think. La Paz, Miss.

You don't have to call me 'Miss.'

"Yes, she does."

Lena spun around. Griffin, looking less and less as she tried to remember him, was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Marie had averted her eyes again and ducked back off towards the side entrance hall. Lena glared at Griffin.

"She's just a kid. Leave her alone." She scoffed.

Lena went to make the sandwich she came for. Griffin still stood in the doorway. He wasn't smiling.

"You could make her do that for you." He said.

"She's a kid, Griffin. And her life's just been turned upside down, and she probably doesn't know what's going on. Leave her alone." She said.

Griffin cocked an eyebrow. "Well, you have a maternal instinct. That's good."

"I have a decent human being instinct, that's all." Lena rolled her eyes and went back to her sandwich. Griffin watched. When Lena had finished making her sandwich and was sitting down at the prep table to eat it, and Griffin was still just standing there, she started to worry.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

"Because you're supposed to be upstairs waiting for my grandfather to kick it."

Griffin flinched. "You could show a little compassion. He only wants what's best."

"Best for you." Lena said.

"Best for all of us. For every Silenti on the planet. Did you ever stop to wonder if maybe, just maybe, it's all true? What if it's true, Lena?"

"Maybe it is true. But there's one thing that all world religions have in common, and it's faith. Faith because there's no proof. There will never be any proof, Griffin, not in either of our lifetimes, and probably not ever. It's all a beautiful mystery, and that's all it will ever be." Lena ate her sandwich, eyeing Griffin because he was still standing there. She finished and put her plate in the sink. "Okay. Why are you here, really?"

"He asked me to get you. He wants to talk to you before the Representatives start arriving." Griffin said seriously.

"Well, good luck with that, because I don't want to talk to him." She said.

"He just wants to talk. That's all. You're expected to come up tonight after dinner."

Lena turned and looked Griffin in the eye. "And who the hell are you to tell me when I'm expected to do anything?"

Griffin turned and walked away. Lena watched him silently walk back up the stairs toward the library. When you talk to Hesper, tell her she can come back. They won't be welcomed, and Eric Mason will never sit on the Council again, but they can come back. Tonight after dinner. He'll receive you in his office.

Lena sat across the desk from an empty chair. Dinner had been over twenty minutes ago, and she really wasn't fond of hanging around in Daray's office. It was a truly disturbing place; everything in it was decrepit. She didn't exactly have fond memories attached to the office anyway.

Aside from the preserved skeleton of a giant feline lizard, there were many other oddities that evoked a sense of unease in her. There were mirrors that Lena couldn't see herself in, artifacts that appeared to be made from human hair, books she couldn't open, and even a shelf of skulls that didn't have ear canals. The whole room reeked of mold, dust, and mothballs.

A door across the room opened, Master Daray stepped into his office, and Lena caught a glimpse of a small spiral staircase before he closed the door again. He was walking with a cane, but otherwise looking well. It wasn't until he sat down on the other side of the desk that she noticed he was too clean—he had showered just before coming down. It was a show for her benefit.

He didn't look directly at her, instead fiddling with the cane he used to walk. "Eden, I know—"

"Lena." She corrected.

"—we've had our differences. I've had a good run, a hard fight, and it's coming to an end. Griffin has been a good son to me, but there are things that even he can't do. Family business. Which is why I've asked you here."

The look in his eyes was getting deeper. However, Lena was still fairly sure he wasn't going to die any time soon, no matter how sick he claimed to be.

"I had long hoped to pass this on to a grandson, and someday I expect you to pass it on to my great-grandson, but you'll obviously have to do for now. I don't trust you to keep them as they need be kept, so I'm leaving their safe keeping to Griffin in case of my death, as I am all of the artifacts that I have safeguarded. But you'll need to access them, so you two will have to work that out for yourselves."

Lena kept her anger checked. "That's a very convenient arrangement considering your motives."

"My motives? Oh, Lena," Daray clucked. Lena was shocked that he had actually used her name. Her real name. "My motives are by far the least of your concern. At least you know my motives. If I were you, I'd be much more concerned with the motives of others. I've been nothing but forthright with you since our first encounter, and if you were a perceptive one, you might have noticed that all the lies—all of them—have come from the other side of your heritage."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lena asked.

Daray turned and looked her in the eye. She immediately wished she hadn't asked, because she was almost sure she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. "I don't know how you go on being so blind. Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Do you even know how Howard came to safeguard this family? I thought not. I used to spend long hours with your other grandfather researching and documenting Silenti history. Our children spent much more time together than I would have preferred, given your father's...condition. As a young man, Howard was quite taken with my daughter. Much more so than your father ever was. I think it broke his heart when the two of them ran off together, and when she left your father he all but moved in here. She begged him to speak on our behalf in the Council when Thomas was murdered, and she's the only reason he's here protecting us now. It's quite pathetic, actually."

Lena looked down at her feet to avoid Daray's intense stare. She wanted to believe he was lying.

"It's all true, I assure you. You can ask him about it. In fact, I encourage you to ask. It's time he stopped living the fantasy that you're somehow his daughter." Daray said with a cruel disregard.

Lena looked up. "You're a liar."

Daray ignored her and went on. "Since the origins of the Silenti, my ancestors have kept a detailed record tracking our history and the known whereabouts of the portal. Many of these precious volumes were burned to ashes with my own parents and wife in a fire several years ago." He stared at Lena unblinkingly. "It was set by unbelievers with the intention of killing us all. Your mother and I barely got out alive."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Lena said emotionlessly.

"Not nearly as sorry as I was for the loss of my father and the texts he devoted his life to preserving. I wish to pass on to the next male in my line what remains of them. Some of them are so old that only those descended of the noble family line can read them, and these are the ones that I am particularly concerned with. Your mother was no great student, but I've noticed you have a certain aptitude for literature. In case of another...disaster, I need you to memorize what is contained in them."

"Memorize?" Lena said with disbelief. "I don't think so..."

"You need to know them. The older ones are in Latito, which Griffin or I will instruct you in. You will write the passages out in Latito, then translate them in English line by line until I am satisfied that the knowledge will not be lost."

Lena rolled her eyes. "That's the most time consuming, stupid, pointless undertaking I've ever heard of. I don't even believe in the portal anyways, and I'm not going to do it."

"You might change your mind after you've read some of them. And you'll do it if you want to get onto the Council. And believe me, if that's not enough, there are many other persuasions we can explore regarding your future here." He shook his head with a sickly smile.

They stared each other down for a minute, and then Lena sighed. "Can I go now?"

Daray smiled. "I knew we'd work something out, Eden. Now, these are sacred manuscripts, and no one outside of the family can know about them for reasons of safety and security. You'll start tomorrow."

*****

CHAPTER 14

The call from Hesper arrived with the forerunners of the Council meeting. Lena told her what Griffin had said; Eric was crushed, but Hesper seemed fairly pleased that they hadn't been entirely exiled. She asked if the marriage would be recognized.

Lena froze, unsure how to answer. "Recognized? What do you mean?"

"Did he say anything about a ceremony? A consecration ceremony?"

Lena thought back. "No, he didn't. But then, he didn't exactly give a lot of details. I think he was just trying to bribe me to...do something."

There was a quiet pause. "Wow."

"Not like that!" Lena blushed. "Geez. Sick mind, Hesper, sick mind. So when are you coming?"

Hesper laughed. "I don't know. Tomorrow, I guess."

"Tomorrow? That fast?" Lena asked.

"Sure. We're only fifty miles away right now."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. She arrived the next day, as promised, but even though there was still room inside Waldgrave, Griffin insisted that she sleep in a tent outside. Later that day he asked Lena to meet him in Daray's office, where they began the tediously mind-numbing process of translating the texts. As Griffin couldn't read any of the older ones, and Lena couldn't read Latito at all, they decided to start with a more recent account. It was written in the early 1940s.

"Is eram tunk ut miles militis venit sumo nos absentis...It was then that the soldiers took us away...miles militis eksuro domus kod panton in is...They burned the house and everything in it...Are you getting all of this?"

Lena had been staring at the giant cat skeleton again. "Burned the house and everything in it. Yep. Continue."

"Say it in Latito."

She looked over at Griffin and cracked a smile. He had become a real jerk, but now that they had the chance to be alone, she could see he was still the kind of jerk she remembered him being before. "Griffin, as long as I have you, why do I need to learn it? I'm just a stupid female after all, right?"

He went on as if she hadn't interrupted the lesson. "Miles militis eksuro domus kod panton in is. Say it."

"Miles militis eksuro...something, something, blah blah blah. Can't you just paraphrase it for me? He just wants me to know what it says."

Griffin snapped the book shut and sighed. He indicated she was giving him a headache and started to rub his temples. "You'll never get through the older ones. I can't help you with those."

"So I'll rewrite them out so you can read them and then you can tell me what they say. What's the big deal?" She shrugged.

"I could understand if this were boring material, but it really isn't. These are your ancestors. They're being taken away by Nazis and you don't even care." Griffin shook his head.

Lena looked at the disappointed expression on his face and sighed. "Fine. Let me see the book."

She copied down the phrases as Griffin read them in Latito and English. Everything was going perfectly monotonously until Griffin reached a phrase that piqued her interest.

"Instituo prodigium inhumatus in kinis kineris...They had found the portal, unburned, in the ashes. Keperunt prodigium. Is eram absentis eks meus os inskeko duos annus laksus...They took the portal, and I never saw it again until two years later."

"Wait—" Lena looked up from her notebook. "What?"

"Keperunt prodigium—"

Lena raised a hand to stop Griffin. "No...he actually had the portal? I mean, the portal?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Griffin asked.

"Well, I mean, the forties weren't that long ago..." Lena puzzled.

"And?"
"And...it was real? Like, a real physical object, that you could put your hands on and touch, and it was...real?" Lena asked.

Griffin turned his chair so that he could face Lena. He was half smiling, and Lena had never seen his eyes light up so vividly. "Real. A real object, like you like, because you don't believe in faith. It was so real that the Nazis actually took it and tried to open it...that's one of my favorite parts. They burned everything in that house, and one of the only things in Dobry Daray's house that didn't burn was the portal. It wouldn't burn. They wanted to know why it wouldn't burn, so they took it."

Griffin was almost giddy. It was bizarre to watch.

"...And they couldn't open it. A few years later they found Dobry and took him out of the concentration camps because they wanted him to tell them where he got it, but he didn't, and he couldn't open it for them, and so they shot him. That part is in..." Griffin looked over the stack of books sitting on the floor next to them and pulled one out, "This one. It's his son's, naturally. Obviously Dobry couldn't have written about his own death, so his son—your great-grandfather—wrote it down. It's amazing that we have as much as we do, given Dobry wrote most of it from inside the camps. These are actually recopied journals, done by his son, because the originals were all scribbled on stuff that wasn't real paper—clothes, walls, he even scratched his last words into his skin."

Lena looked at Griffin, so happily clutching the personal diary of Master Daray's father, and tried to smile a little for his benefit. Somehow, she just couldn't get as happy about a man scratching his final epitaph onto his own hide. "What happened to the portal?"

"Ah...nobody knew, until just recently when your mom found it."

"In Ecuador." Lena filled in.

"Off the coast, technically."

"Might I ask how it got all the way from Europe to Ecuador?"

"Oh," Griffin looked slightly crestfallen, "Well, we don't have any first-hand accounts of how that happened. I suspect that it was probably taken by a fleeing Nazi officer. Some of them wound up in Central and South America."

Lena looked down at the carpet and tried to avoid Griffin's gaze. It made more sense than she had hoped. It was even plausible.

The door to the library stairs clicked open, and Marie poked her head cautiously inside.

"That's far enough." Griffin said disdainfully.

When the girl didn't respond, Griffin glared at her and repeated the command in thought-speak.

Marie withdrew slightly. Dinner's being served downstairs. The door clicked shut again.

Lena glared over at Griffin, who was still glaring at Marie through the closed door. "Don't be such a jerk!"

She pushed her chair back from Daray's desk. She needed to get ready for dinner, and she didn't want to be around Griffin anymore. He was being...as arrogant and offensive as he usually was, actually, but it was different when he directed it at a child. As she tried to walk away, Griffin's hand closed tightly around her wrist. When she couldn't shake him off, she turned and glowered at him.

"What?!" She spat.

"Sit down." Griffin replied, unflustered. "We're doing something important, and you don't follow her orders. If dinner's being served, she can bring it up for us."

"Why do you have to be such a jerk about it?! She's new!"

"She's a servant. You're not doing her any favors by teaching her otherwise." Griffin said evenly.

Lena shook him off. She dressed and went down to dinner. In the kitchen, she passed Marie, who was struggling to hold a large plate of food level as she walked towards the stairs.

Hesper and Eric had settled nicely into their tent. It wasn't much; in fact, Mrs. Ralston had been forced to apologetically place them in one of the older, smaller tents so as not to raise hell with the other families. There was a small hole towards the back, and the zipper door didn't close all the way, but the roof was leak proof and Hesper seemed in her usual high spirits. Eric had gone off to have "a serious discussion" with his father, who had just arrived; Serena, Daisy, and Rose were also present, but sleeping off their jet lag. Lena had forgotten once again to ask after Hesper's consecration ceremony.

"I'm so sorry—I really meant to ask. I'll ask tonight when we...see each other." She said apologetically.

Hesper and Eric hadn't done laundry since eloping, and Hesper was sorting out everything that needed it from their collection of suitcases. "Oh, it's okay. I really don't care that much about it. I'm just curious. What are you two doing later?"

"Just stuff. Hanging out." Lena said.

"You're a horrible liar."

"Secret stuff. Family business." Lena shrugged. "Nothing special."

"And since when, in your mind, does the phrase 'family business' include you and Griffin at the same time? You didn't even come out to talk last night when we got here because you needed to do something with Griffin." Hesper accused.

Lena sat down on the edge of Hesper's cot and watched her shaking out cramped messes of clothing. She had never been so messy in all the time that Lena had known her, and didn't look happy about the state of the suitcases. She pulled one of Eric's socks out of a pair of her jeans and grimaced. Lena stared at the criminal sock. "Why did you get married?"

"To annoy my parents—why else?" Hesper replied.

Lena looked up at Hesper and was relieved to see that she had a sarcastic look on her face.

"We got married because we're in love. It wasn't a snap decision, and we've been looking for the opportunity for about a year now. It never would have happened if we'd left it to our parents to decide...well, my parents were the big issue, I guess. Greg and Serena have been great about it."

"They knew?" Lena asked.

"Yeah, they knew. Not about the marriage thing, but I'm pretty sure they knew everything up to that point." She tossed another bundle of clothes into a laundry basket without even bothering to untangle them. The zipper on the tent started to unzip, caught midway, was jerked a bit, and then opened the rest of the way.

Eric stepped into the tent. "Oh. Hi."

"Hey."

Eric and Lena stared uncomfortably at each other for a moment. Without ever stopping sorting the clothes, Hesper began to talk.

"Hi, Lena. Hi, Eric. Lena, I'm sorry I kept a really huge secret from you over the summer. I haven't been able to shut up about how guilty I feel...No, Eric, I'm sorry, I thought you were trying to kill my best friend because I'm psychotically paranoid. Do you forgive me? Of course. We're going to get to know each other very well in the near future because we're lucky enough to be the two most important people in Hesper's life, so we might as well start now." She threw the last of the dirty clothes into the pile, put her hands on her hips and looked up at Lena and Eric. "Capisce?"

They shared another uncomfortable moment, which was broken when Eric decided to change the subject. "Well. My dad's happy for us. Not happy in general about the ordeal, but happy for us."

Hesper sighed and braced herself. "Why?"

"Well, I've been kicked off the Council, which means he no longer has a family heir and we've lost a vote for our side." Eric said sheepishly.

Lena was confused. "No longer has a family heir?"

He went over to sit on the edge of a cot. "I can't serve as heir unless I serve on the council, because the head of family has to vote."

"Can't he just name Daisy?" Lena reasoned. "I mean, I know she's young, but in a few years maybe?"

Eric stared at her. "Not unless you're planning to make some serious changes, with light speed, after you get in."

"Maybe I will." Lena said airily.

Hesper laughed.

"What?" Lena asked.

"You're just so confident, that's all." Hesper nodded at the pile of clothes in front of her. "Now help me take these back up to the house."

The three of them managed to carry several weeks' worth of laundry back up to the house in one trip. Once inside the laundry room near the side entrance, they dumped it on the floor just in time for Mrs. Ralston to walk in, look at the mess, and sigh heavily.

Hesper looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'll help, if you want."

Mrs. Ralston looked up at Hesper. "You've never done laundry in your life."

"No, I haven't..." Hesper held out her hands.

Mrs. Ralston surveyed the mounds of clothes again. "Well, I can't teach you with these. Some of them will need dry cleaning, and the rest will require special attention." She looked back up at Hesper. "You're newlyweds. Just let me handle it this time."

Mrs. Ralston turned and walked back towards the kitchen. Once her back was turned, Hesper did a mock victory dance. She grabbed Eric's hand.

"Come on—we need to go talk to your dad again and figure out where we're going to live and what we're going to do for the rest of our lives. Lena, could you please tell Mrs. Ralston that everything in this pile that's mine can go to the Mason's room for Daisy and Rose?"

Seven more families arrived that day, the Perrys and the Colburns among them. Apparently Serafina and Martin had become engaged over the summer, and planned to get married during the weeks of the Council meeting. Ava made very clear that this was the correct way to go about engagement and marriage. In Lena's mind they did make quite a couple; she was sure they would have very stuck-up, elitist, skinny children someday. Also, they were only in their late teens. It seemed too early to get married, but Howard assured her that marrying young was considered tradition in the Silenti culture, especially among the more affluent families.

Even though she had never actually been fond of the Colburns, she made a point of swinging through the kitchen to catch up with Devin when she heard they had arrived. He had gotten taller and had developed a sidekick that went by "Tab" since their last encounter. Tab was a short, skinny kid of fourteen with red hair and brown eyes. He was as predisposed toward cheesy pickup lines as Devin was, and though the two of them looked nothing alike, they gave the impression of being brothers.

Mrs. Ralston and Cheryl sorted through and washed all of Hesper's and Eric's clothes surprisingly quickly, and had sent everything that Mrs. Ralston deemed "age appropriate" on to the Mason's room. Lena was sure it was all Daisy would be wearing the entire month of the meeting, even though many of the clothes were probably too big for her.

After dinner, she found herself in Daray's study once again, writing and reciting Latito with Griffin. On a whim, Ava had chosen to join them; Mrs. Perry, who had been Ava's constant social acquaintance at the last meeting, couldn't stop bragging about her daughter's impending marriage. Whether Ava was avoiding Cecelia Perry due to jealously or annoyance Lena wasn't sure, but from the way that Ava kept looking at her, she guessed it was probably the former. After a solid hour of nothing but listening, writing, and repeating had passed, Lena couldn't take the boredom any longer.

"So, you're sure it was the portal? The box you found in Ecuador?" She asked, looking to Ava.

Ava, who had been resting her head on one hand and gazing in a frustrated way at Lena, sat up straight. She looked bewildered, and chanced a small smile when Griffin turned to look at her. "Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't it have been?"

Lena pursed her lips and glanced around. "It's just that looking at this room, and listening to your dad talk, it sounds like there's a lot of Silenti junk that's floating around out there. So how do you know? Did you open it?"

Ava's eyes darted to Griffin, who was now staring with interest at her. She looked back to Lena. "Only the heir could open it. Everyone knows that. I didn't bother to try. But it was the portal—I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure?" Lena said skeptically.

"I felt it." Ava replied simply.

Lena looked at Griffin. He continued to watch Ava, then looked over. "What?"

"Well, is there anything else that might help us to identify it? Anything you've read?" Lena was thoroughly unimpressed with Ava's conviction. There had to be something else—a symbol, or a phrase—that was unique to the portal and could be used to confirm its identity.

"The fact that she's a Daray, and that she believes with certainty what she saw, is enough for me. Her description also closely matches the descriptions left by Silas Cassius. He fashioned embellishments for it while it was in his possession." Griffin said with finality. Ava smiled deeply and looked proud. Griffin continued. "From the letters we received from Benjamin Collins, just before he died, he also thought it was the genuine article."

Lena stared at Griffin for a moment. It seemed like an eternity before what he had said sank in. "Benjamin Collins? Collins?"

Griffin stared at her for a moment, but then cleared his throat and averted his eyes. He started to nervously thumb through the pages of Dobry Daray's journal. Lena turned her gaze on Ava, who was once again looking rather bewildered.

"I'm related to the guy who died bringing the portal back?" Lena asked.

"So?" Ava looked to Griffin for help, but he was focusing very hard on the manuscript in front of him.

"So?" Lena said in shock. "Who was he?"

"Howard and Aaron's father...I really don't understand why you're getting so upset about this, sweetie." Ava laughed lightly.

Lena wasn't sure what to do. She started to talk and then stopped. She looked at Griffin, then at Ava, then she drummed her fingers on the table. After she had gathered herself and was able to speak again, she looked over at Ava and smiled sardonically. To no one's surprise, Ava smiled back in the shallow way that said she was confused.

"Well, my other grandfather, the normal one, died bringing back something that we're not even sure was the portal." Lena spoke slowly, hoping that Ava was keeping up. "You don't think that's important? Not even at all?"

Ava was still smiling. "But I found the portal. That's the important part. Nothing else matters."

Lena stood up from the table. Griffin looked up with an uncertain expression on his face.

Still looking down at Griffin, Lena nodded in Ava's direction. "That's the kind of woman you want me to be."

She left the office and went down to Hesper's tent, where her friends were good enough to let her spend the night. Even though she had a horrible back ache the next day from sleeping on the ground, it was worth it to have people near her who cared and understood.

Howard was very busy over the next few days, and Lena never had the chance to talk to him about Benjamin Collins, though her curiosity was certainly getting intense. People kept on coming until the last family finally arrived and was situated into a tent. Although Hesper had been looking forward to seeing the look on her mother's face, she never came; only Mr. Corbett and his entourage of personal servants were in attendance, though his usual sour expression had turned downright nasty. The night before the big dinner, while Griffin and Lena studied, she asked him why.

"It's family business." He had said quickly. "Instituo prodigium—"

"Not good enough." Lena said. "Hesper wants to know why."

Griffin sighed and looked uncomfortable. "Hesper doesn't have a right to know anymore. She's no longer a member of that family."

Lena put her pen down and crossed her arms. Even though learning Latito had become the most boring task she'd ever taken on, it had afforded her certain benefits. The chain of command was clear in her mind—Daray wanted her to learn the manuscripts. He'd given Griffin the responsibility of spearheading that effort. Griffin wanted to stay on her good side for reasons she hadn't figured out yet while at the same time doing Daray's bidding. She could wait him out as long as she pleased; he couldn't force her to learn.

Griffin cast a glance at the abandoned pencil, went over the options in his mind, and then looked at Lena and raised his eyebrows. "She's pregnant."

She hadn't seen that one coming; Lena's jaw dropped. "But she's...old."

"She's only in her late thirties. Instituo prodigium—"

"Was it planned?" Lena interjected.

"Okay..." Griffin closed his book and turned to her. "This is not what we're supposed to be using these sessions for. And I'm going to let that last question slip because you don't really have parents, so I'm guessing you don't know that what you just asked is rude, and on some level, a little disturbing to me."

Lena smirked. She did know it was rude. She was also enjoying the fact that Griffin seemed to be getting so flustered.

"Or maybe you do know." His expression soured. "I haven't had much time to speak to him, but I think he sees it as replacing the child they lost."

"Oh."

"Instituo prodigium—"

"Why is he so upset about it?"

Griffin sighed and stared into the text in front of him. His expression became very somber. "They've lost both of their children. Unless they produce another male child, the Corbett family will die with Master Corbett."

"Your father." Lena said.

"My father." Griffin leaned back in his chair to stretch. "But not my family. Master Daray wasn't happy with Hesper's little charade. We've decided to petition for my becoming a Daray, and Master Corbett is not pleased with that decision."

Lena gawked. Master Daray had pulled the carpet out from beneath the Corbetts in one fell swoop. Where they had once stood to inherit Daray's full fortune, they were now another powerless family. A dying, desperate, powerless family. It was almost disturbing that Griffin seemed completely at ease abandoning them, but then, he had been raised and primed by Master Daray to do just that. Lena gave a crooked smile. "So you're joining the family? Don't you find it a little sick that after that happens you're going to have a crush on someone in your family?"

Griffin sneered; he apparently didn't find the situation amusing. "I will go down on paper as the official inheritor of the Daray possessions and responsibilities, and my loyalty will officially be to the members of this family, but my name isn't changing. I'm giving up the rights bestowed on me by my father for those bestowed by my mentor, because I can't legally inherit both votes. May we return to what we're here to do now?"

Lena sat back in her chair, distancing herself from the pen and paper on the desk. "One more thing. I want Hesper to get a consecration thingy."

Griffin sighed deeply and was beginning to look extremely irked. Lena feared she might have pushed too far, but then he spoke. "She can't have a consecration ceremony. For all she's not my sister any more, it still looks bad."

"Fine." Lena made as if to get up from the table. Griffin caught her wrist.

His eyes were burning. "I'll see what I can do. I might be able to have it recognized, but there won't be a consecration ceremony. It wouldn't be fair to do it back to back with the Colburn-Perry ceremony as if they were equals."

Lena sat down and they went back to doing lessons for a while. After finally making it through Dobry's narrative, which ended rather abruptly, Griffin said they were finished for the evening and would begin the first of Edward Daray's journals at their next mutual availability—provided that Griffin could find them. Despite the fact that they were amongst the more recent accounts, he'd had problems locating them in all of Daray's many collections. The dinner was to take place the following evening, followed by the dance, and then by council meetings, and eventually, Lena's exposition; their mutual lack of availability was about to make study sessions a little more challenging.

The next morning, the Waldgrave house underwent the typical transformation that signaled all of the necessary families had arrived, and every public area available was overrun with people chatting about their interests, the upcoming marriage, and other affairs. Many of them were talking about politics.

In light of her decision to make a run for the Council, Lena had been asked by Howard to start dressing more professionally. She asked Mrs. Ralston to help her with her hair, makeup, and clothes, and then started the lengthy process of being introduced to every crusty old Council member that Howard deemed an ally. She shook hands until she felt like her arm was going to fall off, but it did seem to be working. Howard wanted her to sit with him and some other Council members at the big dinner so she could "make a good impression," so after she was done shaking hands, she sought out Hesper for a quick information exchange.

"Hesper, dude, you aren't going to believe this." Lena whispered excitedly, grabbing her arm when she came down the stairs so no one else would get to her first. She tried to look around the room to be sure no one else was paying attention; everyone seemed to be involved in their own circles.

"Did you just call me 'dude'?" Hesper raised an eyebrow.

"Sit down."

Lena forced her friend into a chair in the corner of the living room. She could barely contain herself, and Hesper was already laughing a little.

"Okay—no, wait! I want to guess. My mom had an affair? Or my dad?" Hesper's eyes lit up.

Lena shook her head. "Oh, it's too good..."

"She caught a freakish disease during their last trip to Europe?"

"Nope." Lena said.

"The kitchen staff finally rebelled and killed her?"

Lena sat down on the arm of the chair and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Your mom is knocked up."

Hesper let loose a squeal that caused the room to go quiet for a moment. When everyone had gone back to their previous engagements, she turned to Lena. "You're kidding! She is not!"

"She is. According to Griffin, anyway."

Hesper leaned in close. "Was it planned?"

Lena giggled. "You know, I asked Griffin, and he was really evasive about answering that question..."

Hesper's jaw dropped. "This is the best wedding present I've received so far. Lena, thank you so much."

"And speaking of, your marriage will be recognized, but there will be no ceremony. Whatever that means." Lena said.

"Oh! That's fantastic! Basically, we'll retain all of our rights, but there won't be a party. That's much better than I thought we'd get, actually." Hesper furrowed her brow. "I wonder why he's going to allow it..."

"Who cares. What's done is done, so let's all be grateful." Lena looked over and saw Howard walking towards her. Behind him, people were starting to file into the dining room. "And there's my date. I'll have to see you later."

Howard escorted Lena to a spot around the midsection of the main table, where they sat down together. Seated around them were the Brendons, the Abbotts, and the Riveras. They were dressed very much like everyone else, in suits, dresses, and stern expressions. Lena introduced herself to all of the various wives and sons who were already serving or were planning to serve as heirs, and then the inquisition began.

Mrs. Brendon, a mousy woman with a stately and respectable manner, folded her napkin in her lap and looked at Lena without smiling. She wasn't well-liked among most of the other Silenti women; she owned a ranch in southern Colorado that she ran by herself while Mr. Brendon lived in Albuquerque. Hesper had explained once that they weren't divorced, exactly, because Silenti laws didn't permit divorce. Mrs. Brendon spent far too much time entertaining humans, and many people felt that she should no longer retain the right to attend Council meetings as a family member. "Well, I can't say we weren't surprised to hear about your ambitions. Do you really think it's a woman's place?"

Lena looked at Howard. Howard merely looked back, leaving her to fend for herself. "Well, I feel that every person has a right to hold influences over his or her own life. The times are changing, and I don't see any reason why a woman shouldn't be on the Council."

Mrs. Brendon smiled politely. She picked up the glass of water in front of her. "You don't think it will have an effect on your raising a family?"

It was a loaded question, and everyone within earshot had stopped talking to listen to Lena's response. It was well known that for Lena, the very personal decision of whether or not to have children was considered a matter of public concern. She weighed her options carefully; in the end, she decided it was best not to lie. "I love children. But I don't plan on ever having any."

Sitting next to her, Howard looked like he was about to be sick. There were several shocked faces sitting across the table from her. Mrs. Brendon, however, was smiling.

"You don't scare easily. That will serve you well." She raised her glass to Lena, and then took a polite sip before resigning herself to her pork chop.

Master Rivera cleared his throat. "You don't believe in the prophecy, then?"

"Oh, well, I wouldn't go that far..." Lena thought desperately hard to put her feelings into words. She needed to make a recovery—saying that she didn't believe in the prophecy would tag her as a radical, greatly reducing her chances of getting onto the Council. Howard reached and scratched his ear next to her. "I just believe that if the prophecy is true, then my not having children shouldn't affect it."

"How's that?" Master Rivera looked puzzled. He was a tan-skinned man with dark hair and sharp, serious eyes.

"Well..." Lena shut her mouth. She didn't want to babble until she knew what she wanted to say. "I've studied some of the ancient texts that concern the matter of the portal and the heir...and knowing how far back the original ancestor dates to...ah...well..."

"You don't believe your family line represents the only descendants?" Master Rivera guessed, raising a hand to his chin.

"Yes!" Lena breathed a sigh of relief. "Exactly. Why, I suppose it's true that any one of us could have become entangled in the mess generations ago. Even if the stories are true, I couldn't possibly be the very last one. It's a sacred prophecy, and if it's for real, nothing I can do will stop it."

There was silence again as her dinner mates took in what she had just managed to spit out. Mrs. Brendon was actually looking impressed, which was more than could be said for everyone else sitting around her. Polite silence filled the space between them, and Lena realized that she had fumbled the question; people didn't care what her thoughts were. They cared about her actions. She was going to greatly displease half of society, and both sides wanted to know it wasn't going to be them; she couldn't please everybody. Eventually, she was going to have to pick, because statements of compromise weren't going to get her anywhere.

Lena allowed her eyes to wander briefly before the next hard question was put to her. Master Daray, looking to be his usual fresh-pressed self, was once again sitting at the head of the table—Master Corbett was conspicuously absent from his side, and indeed anywhere at the head of the table. To Daray's right, on the opposite side of the table from Lena, was Griffin. He'd been watching her for some time.

You look lovely tonight.

Lena's eyes snapped back to the disappointed faces in front of her. Thankfully, Master Daray stood up and started talking at that point, and while he did manage to blather on for a good ten minutes, he didn't say anything as offensive or shocking as he had at the first dinner of the last gathering. When he went silent, and the food was being brought out, Master Rivera's son and heir, Jason, finally spoke.

He was paler than his father, and had a thin, though athletic, build. It was well-known that Jason had attended a private boarding school in Maine for the last several years of his life, which was considered odd for the first born child of such wealthy parents—most eligible Council heirs spent their youths learning and networking with Silenti families. Lena had heard Hesper coin his new nickname, "the third culture kid," when he had arrived in the entrance hall wearing a shirt supporting the campaign of a human politician. Lena had immediately developed an interest in him; like her, he didn't belong here.

"I've never heard that position before. The implications are...unsettling and astounding, to say the least. You really believe the fate of the prophecy is out of our hands?" He asked.

The serving staff arrived. Next to her, Howard was happier than she'd ever heard him. "Food! Excellent! No more politics tonight. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the exposition. So, Orville, I'm told you made a trip to Belize over the summer?"

A small smile appeared on Master Abbott's face and he glanced over at his wife. "Well, that's a funny story, actually. Katia and I were..."

As her dinner salad landed in front of her, Lena noticed a small piece of paper sticking out slightly from under one edge of the bowl. She turned around and saw Tab, Devin's new and slightly younger protégé, wink at her. She discretely took the note in her hand and unfolded it as she set her napkin in her lap. She took care to read it without reading it out loud in her head.

Don't eat the potatoes. Trust me. –Dev

She looked over at the kitchen door, where she saw Devin wave and then give her a thumbs up. She looked back at her dinner plate. Beef, greens, and mashed potatoes. Across the table from her, the Brendons and Abbotts had already sampled the forbidden food; Lena tried not to laugh make a face to give away the situation, though she was secretly mortified. As dinner and conversation went on, she tried to pick around her plate as inconspicuously as possible.

*****

CHAPTER 15

The dance followed the dinner in the ballroom on the opposite side of the entrance hall from the dining room. The ballroom had been decorated with elaborate displays of fresh flowers and was lit by candelabras and chandeliers. Off in a far corner, there was a small group of musicians playing various dances. To Lena's relief, no one was in the mood for politics once the dancing began. She tried to keep herself hidden in a corner, but it wasn't long until Griffin sought her out to annoy her.

"Princess." He said with a nod and a pleased smile.

Lena had been busy watching Hesper and Eric across the room. They had stolen a different corner, and were dancing together, very close. Hesper was laughing at something he had said; Eric was smiling in his subtle way. "Why can't you just be happy for them?"

"Who?"

Griffin followed Lena's gaze out to the dance floor. He sighed.

"The petition was granted, and I'm officially a Daray now." He held out his hand. "Would you give me a victory dance?"

Lena rolled her eyes. "No."

"Suit yourself." And he walked away.

Lena stared at Griffin's retreating form in surprise. Had that really just happened? Not only Griffin asking her to dance, but then accepting 'no' as an answer? She watched him disappear into the crowd, and then he reappeared a moment later on the far side of the room. It wasn't long before he was dancing with Bianca Channing, who looked more than happy to oblige to his request. Lena wasn't sure why, but Bianca's blond hair and flawless bright smile annoyed her after that, as did the way that she laughed every time Griffin said something. He wasn't that amusing. She turned her attention back to Hesper and Eric, but quickly became bored. She shared a few dances with Howard, and then excused herself to go to bed.

Exiting the ball room, she couldn't help but feel slighted. Griffin had broken the rules; he asked, and she rejected. Then he insisted, and she still rejected. He hadn't insisted this time, and she wasn't sure what it meant, or why it mattered to her.

As she passed through the library, she heard loud voices coming from Daray's office. People were shouting at each other, and she paused for just a moment too long. The voices went silent.

Eden, you will join us for a moment. Lena jumped and her heart bounced as adrenaline flooded her system.

It didn't matter how many times he did that—every time Lena wanted to run and hide like a scared four-year-old. She took a moment to gather herself and then walked as confidently as she could up to the office. She cracked the door and stuck her head in. "Yes?"

She glanced around the office. Standing opposite the desk where Master Daray was seated was Master Corbett. He was red in the face, a vein pulsed on his forehead, and as he turned his gaze to Lena he had the look of a crazed dog.

"Join us in the room properly, Eden. I have some business to finish concerning Master Corbett, and as you aspire to a political career, I feel you should learn from example." His stern, dying gaze fell on Lena. You will now join me next to the desk.

Lena tried to keep her flinch to herself, but felt the terror drawn on her face as she approached the two men. She took her place next to Daray and turned to face Master Corbett. Master Corbett smiled, revealing slightly crooked, off-white teeth. They weren't disgusting or unkempt, but somehow seemed to betray Mr. Corbett's groomed exterior.

"Darius, you've been a good friend over the years, and you make an interesting proposal. Given your years of devoted service, I'll consider accepting it, but as I'm sure you know it won't benefit me either way. It's a worthless proposal. As I'm sure you've heard, my dear little Eden will soon be a Collins. It's a good thing Astley didn't kill her, isn't it? We all know how concerned the Council has become of late regarding her safety. I'd hate to think of what would become of anyone found to be involved in such an ordeal."

There was a pause. Lena was confused; did that mean that he knew of someone trying to kill her? Daray raised his eyebrows as if waiting for Master Corbett's response, which he promptly supplied. "The Council would surely seek swift justice, as we both know."

"Indeed. Eden's safety is paramount. But as she is going to become a Collins, it does leave me in quite a bind. I need someone to continue the Daray line, and it does not befit me to give Griffin back. I apologize for the inconvenience, as well as for the loss of your daughter." Daray gave a look that was more mocking than apologetic, and Corbett started pacing the floor. After a moment's pause, and never looking directly at Daray, he gave an outcry that was more of a whine than a demand.

"You can't do this to me, Pyrallis! He's my son!"

Master Daray shook his head. "Not for a long time, I'm afraid. I'll consider your offer, but that is all for now."

As Master Corbett stormed out of the room, Lena turned on Daray, who was looking rather pleased with himself.

"What the hell does that mean?" She had meant to speak with the anger she felt, but her voice had gone dry and flat. "Do you know about something...something going on? I'd really appreciate knowing if you know someone's trying to kill me!"

Daray hissed between his smile; he looked like he wanted to laugh. "Darius is in a tight spot; he does not command the respect of his family, and he's lost favor in the Council since your little friend disgraced his name. I'm afraid he's taken to blackmailing many of them to keep his voice in the vote—he angered a great deal of them over the summer by being so presumptuous of the fact that his family was going to inherit the throne. But that is obviously no longer the case, and his greed has caused all of them to reject him. How he loathes you, Eden. They all do, for one reason or another, but I wouldn't worry about it. The zealots loathe me too." He turned his dying eyes on her. "You're perfectly safe here, Eden, as you'll always be inside this house."

Lena left the office with her skin creeping and the look of satisfied dominance burned into her retinas. Once in her room, she found she wasn't actually tired anymore. Unable to think of anything else to do, she pulled out her journal and her notes on Latito and practiced her conjugations well into the morning.

Breakfast the next day dragged on for hours. People had been up so late the night before that many didn't come down from their rooms until well after ten. Lena, however, was up bright and early, and sat down to eat with Alexis Alarid and her six-year-old brother Ivan. Alexis was unusual in the Silenti world in that she wore a lot of dark clothing; she wasn't exactly Gothic, but almost. Lena liked her because she looked different than everyone else; she wasn't as outspoken as Hesper, though she did seem to have her own views on things. Ivan was a very creative child, and entertained himself by creating a sculpture of an airplane out of his oatmeal and toast.

"Did you enjoy the dance last night?" Lena asked.

Alexis yawned. "I didn't get to come down until late. My parents made me watch Ivan until he fell asleep...I didn't see you there, though."

"I went up early." Lena frowned, remembering the way that Griffin had slighted her. "Anything fun happen after I left?"

"Same old, same old." Alexis replied, looking at Lena somberly. "Bunch of old people dancing, then the old people got tired and went to bed, then there were a bunch of young people dancing, then the musicians finally stopped playing, then people kind of went their own ways. The respectable ones go to bed, and the others tend to hang out in dark corners. It was a little bit disturbing, actually. I'm not too fond of those occasions."

"Why?"

"I don't like dancing. And I really don't like the exchange of bodily fluids...it bothers me to see the way some of those kids will just kiss anyone that crosses their path. It's like a giant germ factory—God knows what they're brewing at those parties, but let's hope it doesn't mutate and become airborne." Alexis shivered.

Lena cringed. "Gross. Glad I left early then."

Alexis and Lena watched as Ivan grabbed a stack of napkins and started to papier-mâché them around the oatmeal frame of his masterpiece.

"Ivan, are you going to eat anything?" Alexis finally asked.

"I'm not hungry." Ivan replied, using his spoon to draw in windows. His accent was much thicker than any other member of the Alarid family; Lena had noticed that this was often the case with the younger children of Silenti families. Hesper had explained that younger boys, especially, were somewhat of a novelty to richer wives. The eldest son was the only one that really mattered, and they were often sent away into hiding to protect the future political stance of the family; the younger boys stayed at home, much like the girls, but they didn't have nearly as confined upbringings because they didn't have to advertise themselves for marriage. They were superfluous, and often left to their own devices. Many of them were expected to grow up and become artists, musicians, or scholars, bringing glory to their families by creating beautiful or novel works that would be admired by others. No one ever planned for Ivan to do anything but live in Russia as a secondary member of the family, and possibly take a wife to support a political alliance if it was requested of him, so it really didn't matter if he spoke English with a strong Russian accent or not.

Alexis pulled his plate away from him. "Then go find some other kids to play with."

Ivan stared at her with large blue eyes, and then hopped down out of his chair and trotted off. Alexis pushed her eggs around her plate.

"So, I hear you don't want kids." She said finally.

Lena sighed. "Well, that got around fast."

Alexis laughed a little. "Well, it was shocking. My mom almost had a heart attack...She's been kind of hoping that she'd see the portal reopened within her lifetime. Now, it might not ever happen. I don't get how you could just crush so many people's dreams like that. It's your fate, and you're just going to turn your back on all of it."

"I don't believe in fate." Lena shook her head.

Someone on the kitchen staff came out and cleared Ivan's plates from the table. Alexis sighed. "Are you going to Serafina and Martin's ceremony tomorrow?"

Lena thought for a moment. "I guess I'll have to. It'll probably look bad if I don't."

"Unfortunate." Alexis said.

"You're not going?" Lena asked, picking up her milk to take a drink.

Alexis shook her head. "No. I really don't care for Serafina or Martin. And it's just one more occasion for my parents to try to fix me up with some loser. You're so lucky."

Lena snorted and milk almost came out her nose. "Me? Why?"

"You're young. You've still got a few years to avoid it, and even then, I'm betting you hold a lot of influence over the situation...it's not like they can disown you, is it? And Griffin's not that bad, all options considered..." Alexis had an expression on her face that was almost bitter.

"Don't even. Just don't even go there." Lena went back to her oatmeal.

Alexis raised her hands and smiled. "I mean, I'm not blaming you, but you really do have a unique situation. You're just lucky, that's all. You don't seem to enjoy it as much as you should."

Lena tapped her spoon idly against the rim of her bowl. "It's not all it's cracked up to be. I mean, I can't even go to the bathroom or take a walk without someone needing to know where I'm going. I'm under house arrest. I can't even leave the property without getting special permissions, and even then, my life isn't mine. People vote on where I get to live, who else gets to live there, how much time I'm allowed to spend with those people...It's insane. I feel like I'm suffocating."

"So why don't you change it?" Alexis asked.

"I...can't." Lena looked up, surprised, as though this should have been obvious.

Alexis looked her in the eye. "There are two types of people in this community. The ones who worship you and the ones who want you to be treated just like everyone else. Well, okay, three types if you count the ones who want to kill you. But my point is, it's all about you, Lena. If you can't change it, then who can? I thought you didn't believe in fate..."

They finished eating in silence. After breakfast, Lena went back to her room to work on her exposition—even though she was sure she already had it the way she wanted. She went over her note cards four times and corrected a few spellings. Around two, Howard asked Lena to meet him in the second floor study. He sounded tired, but was looking very hopeful.

"You created quite a stir in the first meeting today." Howard looked at her warily.

"I'm sorry." Lena said quietly. "I just didn't know what to say, and I didn't think I should lie, so..."

Howard reached one hand up, loosening his tie and then ruffling his smoothed, greying hair as he spoke. "I think you did very well last night, given the circumstances. Mrs. Brendon was trying to trip you up. It's a hobby of hers to pick on the new ones, and it's a good sign that she didn't see a reason to lay off of you. You didn't panic, and that was very impressive, even if your answers weren't."

"My answers sucked. Just go ahead and say it." Lena made a face.

Howard cocked an eyebrow. "Your answers sucked. I've got to get going to another meeting here in a moment, but I suggest you work on your answers now that you know people aren't going to be polite about their questions. I'll see you at dinner."

Smiling just a little, because Howard had reminded her of her father just then, Lena went back to her room to work on her exposition again. Having spent nearly the whole morning on the exposition, however, she soon became restless and went downstairs to find some other entertainment. Upon entering the living room, she was almost immediately pulled into an uncomfortable conversation by Ava.

"Lena, this is Mrs. Perry, I believe you met last spring." Ava smiled and nodded at Lena expectantly. Lena smiled, emphatically said how happy she was to see Mrs. Perry again, and then tried to make the encounter as brief as possible.

"Oh, well don't run off so quickly now! I was just telling Cecelia about the lessons Griffin has so graciously been giving you." Ava looked at Lena, who looked at the expectant Mrs. Perry. She realized she wasn't going to be leaving until Ava was appeased, and so resigned herself to some creative diplomacy.

She chose her words carefully, and smiled broadly. "Oh yes. The many hours I've spent with him have been a fantastically invaluable use of time."

Ava beamed. Mrs. Perry smiled politely, but Lena could see that she was somewhat thwarted. "You've been spending a lot of time together, then?"

Lena made sure to keep her smile fixed. She knew what Ava wanted, and it was to have a daughter with better marriage prospects than Cecelia's daughter, Serafina. And on the subject of snubbing the Perrys, Lena was on the same page with Ava. She didn't want to say anything that supported Griffin, and so voiced her thoughts as covertly as possible. "Griffin is very intelligent, and clever to a fault. It's been quite unwarranted."

"Even with the restrictions placed by the Council?" Mrs. Perry's mood became slightly more agitated, and Lena could hear the sharp edge in her tone.

Lena let her smile fall slightly, as she thought would be appropriate. "Oh, well, I'm sure you know my dear grandfather is barely clinging to life...that fact is quite tragic. Griffin has had less time for me since the meetings started and my grandfather's improved—so, so sad." She shook her head. Ava was still glowing, and Mrs. Perry was looking more dissatisfied by the minute. "And then there's Griffin's political career. I must say that his devotion to his work and my family have been...well, just short of obsessive, really. Where politics are concerned, one could say he's definitely the lead rat in the race."

Mrs. Perry, still wearing a false smile, sighed. "Well...aren't you a lucky one."

Lena strained to keep smiling. "Oh, you can't even imagine..."

Mrs. Perry crossed her arms and her eyes wandered back to Ava. "It's every mother's dream to see her daughter successful. Sera and Martin are already planning a family."

Ava eyes looked pleadingly over at Lena. "Are they, now?"

"Oh yes. Sera has always wanted a lot of children." Cecelia beamed, looking maliciously back to Lena.

"Well," Lena looked from Mrs. Perry to an expectant Ava. She couldn't believe people so young considered themselves ready to be parents—Serafina still acted like a child. "Good for them. Please excuse me."

Lena made a beeline for the kitchen before Ava could entrap her further. She wasn't going to lie about her future plans regarding children...there were some things a person just couldn't say without twitching. Once inside the crowd of kitchen staff, she started evasive maneuvers to avoid Mrs. Ralston by hanging back in a corner. Her eyes scanned the room, and though she hadn't had much time to get to know the kitchen staff at the previous meeting, she did recognize a few faces.

"Hey." An arm landed across her shoulders and pulled her into an awkward side hug. Lena turned her head and saw Devin smiling broadly. "You didn't eat those potatoes, did you?"

"Devin!" Lena smiled and hugged him back. "Yeah...I didn't eat them. What was that about?"

Devin had grown significantly since the last time Lena had seen him. He was actually bordering on being taller than she was now, and his light brown hair had grown out a little, but his lopsided smile hadn't changed at all. He glanced around the kitchen and eyed some of the older adults suspiciously before turning back to Lena.

"Maybe later. Maybe..." Devin looked around the kitchen again. "Do you have anything to do tomorrow night?"

Lena looked around the room like Devon had before whispering back to him. "When tomorrow night? What's happening?"

At that moment, Tab walked into the room and nodded at Devin. "Look for a note." And Devin walked briskly back to the sink area, where he started directing drying and stacking activities among some younger teens. And then Mrs. Ralston floated in, toting a huge basket of dirty laundry, and started doling out jobs for dinner preparation.

"...and Lena, your mother is looking for you. I need some help with the laundry first, if you have time." Lena gratefully followed Mrs. Ralston and Cheryl to the laundry room, where she took a current load out of the dryer and started folding them. Cheryl moved the washer laundry to the dryer, and then helped Lena fold as Mrs. Ralston sorted the newly arrived wash.

"Where's Marie?" Lena asked curiously.

"She's having some difficulties with the transition, so I thought it best that she take some time until the meeting is over." Mrs. Ralston picked up a pile of towels and tossed them into the washer.

"She's okay, isn't she?"

"It's mostly the headaches," said Cheryl, "And the nosebleeds. She had a really bad nosebleed a few days ago."

"She saw one of the guests walk through a door that wasn't there," Mrs. Ralston explained. "You remember how it was. She's disoriented and confused with so many people around."

Lena turned her attention to Cheryl. "How are you doing?"

"Okay, I guess. It's about the same as where I was." Cheryl said with a polite little laugh. There were times when Lena thought she acted far too old for her age.

"Oh? How's the transition going?" Lena asked.

Cheryl looked confused for a moment. "I'm not like her...I grew up here. I already know all this stuff. I used to live at the Evans." She went back to her folding as if this explanation resolved the issue.

"Oh..." Lena looked over at Mrs. Ralston, who was still busy sorting the laundry. She wasn't sure what Cheryl's exact status was, but she didn't want to embarrass her, so she let the issue go for the time being.

Mrs. Ralston was folding the clothing more aggressively than usual. Finally, she sighed and threw down the jeans she had been holding. "Young Master Corbett is looking for you, too."

Cheryl rolled her eyes at the mention of Griffin. Lena continued to fold but looked up at Mrs. Ralston's disapproving expression.

"He is?" She asked innocently.

"Nothing frantic, but you know how displeased he gets when kept waiting. I suggest you forgo visiting with your mother since I've kept you here." Mrs. Ralston said gratingly.

Lena smiled a little, but Mrs. Ralston still looked displeased. She folded a last towel and turned to leave.

"You've been seeing a lot of each other lately." Mrs. Ralston added, indicating that the conversation wasn't done yet.

Lena paused. "It's a political duty. That's all."

"Of course." Mrs. Ralston had sorted all the laundry. She straightened her dress and walked over to Lena. Your mother is going around telling people how clever and devoted you find Griffin, and how much time you've spent together. You said these things to her?

"Whoa." Lena held her hands up. "I said he was clever to a fault, that his interest in the Darays bordered on a freakish obsession, and that the time we spent together was unwarranted. That's what I said. Whatever my mom heard was what she wanted to hear."

Mrs. Ralston sighed, and a fleeting smile graced her tight lips before she became serious again. I trust you know you're putting yourself in a precarious situation, and I don't need to remind you to remind yourself that it's only a political obligation. If it's ever anything else, it's illegal. You'd need to tell Howard or me, and we'll take care of it.

Lena tried ineffectively to stare down Mrs. Ralston as Cheryl looked back and forth between them, trying not to laugh, which was her usual reaction to tense situations. "It's just political. Nothing else."

Mrs. Ralston was looking very sternly into her eyes. Her arms were crossed. She sighed again and very suddenly pulled Lena into a hug. Lena wasn't sure what to do, so she waited until Mrs. Ralston released her, smiled at her, and then they walked into the kitchen together. As Lena made her way to the stairs in the living room, she listened to Mrs. Ralston shout orders back in the kitchen.

"What?" Lena threw herself into one of the armchairs that sat opposite Master Daray's desk. It was the first time she'd ever actually seen Griffin sit at the desk, and it was slightly unnerving. He looked entirely natural behind Daray's desk.

"Master Daray's health has improved. He asked me to tell you."

Griffin turned his attention back to some papers on the desk that he had been studying. Lena looked down at the paperwork, then back at Griffin. Time seemed to move at crawl, and for the first time, Lena noticed an unusual ticking noise coming from somewhere in the room. She twisted around in her chair, but still couldn't find the clock that the noise was emanating from. She turned back to Griffin, who was looking at her again.

"Why are you still here?" He asked in a stern tone.

Lena stared at him for a moment before his words sank in. "Oh...That was it?"

"Yes. That's all." Griffin went back to his papers. He picked up a pen and started to make notes in one of the margins.

Lena looked around the room again. He had called her up just to deliver a simple message?

He was glowering at her again. "I'm very busy. If you'd like to continue your studies the books are on the side table, but otherwise please go."

Lena stood up. She watched Griffin doubtfully for a moment, and then slowly made her way back towards the library stairs. When he didn't try to stop her, she turned around.

"Okay. What's going on?" She asked doubtfully.

Griffin looked annoyed. He put his pen down and glanced up at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're just...that's all you wanted? To tell me something that I don't even care about?" She accused.

"Apparently." He watched her a moment longer, and when she didn't speak, he went back to his previous engagement. Lena looked around the room again, looking for an answer or something else to say, and then left down the library stairs.

That night at dinner, Howard seated Lena at a side table with some other aspiring heirs. The conversation wasn't bad, and politics hardly even came up—Lena had a sneaking suspicion that at least some of them didn't think it appropriate to discuss politics in front of a lady. She'd had enough politics for the day, so she didn't push the issue. Master Corbett was sitting in a corner with a family Lena didn't recognize; he had taken to drinking a good deal of wine, and was staring suspiciously around at the other Council members. Bianca Channing had made her way to near the head of the main table. She was sitting next to Griffin, and while it didn't really bother Lena, she found that she kept glancing in that general direction. Griffin and Bianca didn't seem to be talking too much, though she did see them share a few brief interactions. That was typical for Griffin, though—from what Lena could remember, he didn't ever talk much at dinner. What was different, and Lena was surprised it bothered her, was that she hadn't caught Griffin looking at her once; he didn't whisper compliments from across the room or once meet her eyes. Master Daray was deep in conversation with two Council members Lena hadn't met yet; he was acting in higher spirits than usual. He looked up at Lena and smiled; Lena turned back to her tablemates, and joined in a conversation about white water rafting. She had actually been before, and Ryan Ashmore invited her to go on a group trip the following summer ("...with Council approval, of course").

After dinner, Lena found a few moments to spend with Hesper and Eric. Hesper was looking more tired and worn than Lena had ever seen her, and she guessed the tent was starting to get to her. She offered Hesper her room, but the offer was turned down.

"It's just a stomach bug." Hesper leaned in closer. "Serena and Greg are letting us room with them, so don't worry about us. Thanks for the offer, though."

Lena found her way back up to her room, and saw that Mrs. Ralston had picked out three outfits that she deemed appropriate for the Perry-Colburn consecration ceremony the next day. Lena hung the clothes up at the front of her closet, changed into her nightclothes, and climbed into bed. When her head hit the pillow, it made a crinkling noise—she reached inside the pillowcase and pulled out a sheet of paper.

Colburn and Perry staff has off tomorrow night because of the ceremony tomorrow noon. There's going to be a party if you want to come.

Outside greenhouse 8 p.m.

\--Dev

Lena still wanted to know what had happened to the potatoes, and decided she would have to go if she was ever going to find out. Besides, she didn't have anything planned for that night, and it sounded like fun.

The consecration ceremony was straightforward. It was conducted in Latito, so Lena only understood about half of it, but it involved a lot of the same type vows and promises that most marriage ceremonies did—love, honor, fidelity, and so forth and so on for about forty-five minutes. Near the end of the ceremony he said something about the portal that she didn't quite understand, but it made her uncomfortable nonetheless. Serafina and Martin kneeled at an altar-type table on the lawn outside the greenhouse and the ceremony was led by Martin's father, Calvin Colburn, who was a chubby man in his mid-fifties. Serafina wore an elaborate golden dress that was very conservative given her normal standard, and the attendants were composed of various younger siblings and cousins of the two.

There was food and dancing afterward that lasted for about four hours and kept the kitchen staff on their feet. Hesper left during the dancing because she was sick, Alexis was absent as promised, and Bianca was still staying very close to Griffin. Howard was talking with a group of Council members about something that had happened at a meeting the previous evening, and Ava was talking with Serafina and Cecelia Perry. With nothing else to do, Lena wandered into the greenhouse where the younger children were playing. She wanted to sneak out early to get some sleep because the real party was starting at eight. She played some synchronized hand clapping games with Daisy and Rose for a while, and then looked over her shoulder and saw something that concerned her far more than she would have expected.

Griffin was off at the far corner of the house, almost hiding around the other side, and a young woman in a powder blue dress was with him. Lena turned around and stared through the clear glass wall at the two, squinting to get a clearer view. They appeared to be talking; Griffin was leaning casually against the side of the house, and then he straightened up. The girl turned her head to look back at the party, and Lena got a clear view of Bianca's profile. What happened next, she wasn't sure exactly...she replayed it over and over in her mind, and it never made any more sense. Griffin put a hand on her cheek and kissed her—and kept kissing her.

The next thing she knew, Lena was suddenly outside the greenhouse and floating across the lawn toward Griffin and Bianca. By the time she arrived, they had stopped kissing, but it seemed to have taken her an eternity to get there. Then she was standing in front of them. They were laughing—laughing, a thing that Lena wasn't entirely sure she had ever heard Griffin do before.

With more force and volume than she intended, she's said, "Great party, isn't it!"

Bianca turned around, startled, red in the face, and looking so guilty that Lena wanted to scream it to the world. "Oh! Lena! Yes, it is a good party...I think...goodbye!"

And she scurried off back to the clusters of people nearer the greenhouse. Lena turned to face Griffin, who was looking more annoyed than she had ever seen him.

"Griffin." She said uncertainly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He pushed past her and walked a few steps in Bianca's direction. Then he stopped and turned on Lena. His eyes were almost glowing red and he was now standing between Lena and the party. She took a few steps backward, he followed her, and she suddenly found herself standing around the corner of the house. They were alone, and Lena was at a loss for words.

"What was that?!" He pointed back to where they had been standing a few moments earlier. He wasn't yelling, but Lena wished he would—it might have attracted attention to their location. "Who do you think you are, to be interrupting me like that? I'm the heir. I'm the talent. I enforce the decisions made, and someday I will be the one making the decisions here, and you will not challenge my authority!"

Lena tried to fake that she wasn't scared and rolled her eyes. Griffin shoved her hard enough that she fell backwards onto the ground, smearing dirt on both palms as she caught herself. She looked up, stunned.

"You're beneath me." He turned and walked away.

Lena sat on the ground for a few minutes, trying to figure out what had just happened, and not for the last time in her life, the weight of her situation came crashing down on her. After the shock wore off, the pain in her palms finally reached her brain. Embarrassed, and maybe a little hurt, a tear slid down her cheek and she pulled herself up. She walked around to the front door to avoid the crowd, slipped inside, and went upstairs and laid down on her bed. She cried a little less than she used to, and eventually fell asleep.

Around six, there was a knock on her bedroom door. It was Griffin, still dressed for the party and looking a little tired.

"I've got time tonight if you want to try to work through some of the older texts. Nothing late, though. The meeting that was supposed to happen tonight was rescheduled to early tomorrow morning."

He was just going to ignore what had happened earlier? When she didn't respond, he shook his head and laughed quietly.

"I've been under a lot of stress lately, and you're not making it any easier." His eyes were glassy, like he hadn't been getting enough sleep, and his clothes were slightly more disorganized than Lena was used to seeing. His shirt wasn't tucked evenly, the top button of his shirt was undone, and he was leaning in the doorframe; she supposed this was what Griffin looked like when he was under stress, but he didn't look much different than usual.

Lena glanced at the clock and decided she had time. It wasn't like she was able to say she already had plans...if she told Griffin about the party, she was sure he wouldn't want her to go.

Finally, she sighed and let her guard down; at least he was talking to her again. "Fine. You're forgiven."

I wasn't apologizing.

"Well, you should." Lena said, crossing her arms again.

Griffin stared at her, hard, and Lena realized things hadn't gone back to normal. He was still angry with her for some unspoken reason. "You pissed me off. I don't apologize."

"You shoved me." Lena hissed with more bravery than she would have thought possible of herself. "I scraped my hands!" She held up one of her hands in front of him as proof.

Griffin's eyes fixed on her palm, which wasn't actually scraped, bruised, or even red; it did have some stains where the mud had really gotten into the creases. Lena suddenly felt ridiculous accusing him of anything, because the whole thing seemed so childish—she had caught him kissing a girl, and he had pushed her in the mud. It was something that seven-year-olds would do on the playground. But as Griffin's eyes flicked from her hand to her face, Lena could see he took it much more seriously than she did.

Are you hurt? He asked.

Lena closed her hand and withdrew it back to her body. "No."

Griffin nodded, looking down.

She agreed to meet him in the study in fifteen so that he could change.

Once in the study, Griffin pulled an archaic looking book out of the stacks and opened it on the table. He had dark circles under his eyes, and she really didn't want to be around him anymore.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" She asked.

"It needs to get done."

Lena gave Griffin a sidelong glance, and then looked down at the text. "This one isn't in Latito, Griffin."

"What?" Griffin looked at Lena. He didn't make any effort to look at the text, so Lena guessed it was one that he couldn't read.

"It's just a bunch of pictures. Sketches, I guess."

"What of?"

Lena flipped through the pages, and found that some of them did have some Latito written on them, but many of them were just sketches of places and things. "Let's see...there's a house, a dog, a chair, a bed...just stuff. This section says something about...something."

"That's very helpful, Lena." Griffin sneered. "Do you see any names?"

"Initials. L. C."

Griffin took the book, closed it, and put it back on a shelf. "That one was written by Lenore Cassius."

"So then, why can't you read it?" Lena asked.

"Lenore was one of the royal blood."

"Why isn't it worth reading?"

Griffin gave up on finding another book and sat back down in the chair next to Lena's. "Lenore wasn't really involved with the portal. Dobry and his ancestors had had the portal for generations without ever realizing what it was. It wasn't until the family brought it to a gathering in China and had a chance meeting with Silas Cassius in the mid-eighteen hundreds, and he identified it, that they realized their coffee table was a religious relic. That's when he designed the carvings for the exterior of the box to assure that it could be easily identified."

"Why didn't he open it?" Lena asked. Silas Cassius being one of the royal blood, it seemed obvious that he would have done the most obvious thing possible to test if an unknown object was the portal.

"He did." Griffin retorted. "He opened it right when he found it, just to see if he could, and then he closed it again. There was just as much controversy back then as there is now, and they wanted to control it. Well, less than a week later, people started dying. A lot of people blamed the portal, but they couldn't destroy it, so they entrusted it back to the Darays. The two families remained close, and years later Lenore Cassius and Dobry Daray were married. The only reason Lenore and their child survived the Nazi raid was because they happened to be visiting her mother at the time the Nazis took Dobry away. I meant to give you Silas's account, not his granddaughter's scribble book."

Lena looked at Griffin, slouching in his chair and looking drained. She decided it might be best to just let him go to bed. "Maybe that's enough for tonight..."

Griffin brought a hand to his forehead and sighed. "Maybe. I wouldn't want you to be late for your party."

Lena's eyes went wide. "It's...just a little party tonight, that's all."

"You're an absolute disgrace to your family, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to make you otherwise. Not anymore." Griffin, who had been sitting hunched over, leaned back in his chair. Worn out, his eyes fell on Lena, who was slightly surprised by what he had said.

"Why not?" She asked in a small voice.

Griffin's gaze fell heavy on her. "You're not worth it."

Lena froze. She fixed her eyes on Griffin's and tried to detect what he was up to. "Liar. He told you to say that, didn't he? He told you to do all of this..."

But Griffin didn't flinch. There was no reaction at all—he stared aimlessly into a corner. "Yes and no. In fact, he was very displeased with the situation at first. But the fact of the matter is that you're not suited to be a Daray, and eventually he agreed with me." Griffin sighed.

Lena gawked. "And Bianca is. You're saying she's a better Daray than I am? Is that supposed to make me jealous or something?"

"No. Why? Does it?" Griffin glanced back over at Lena, and then continued very matter-of-factly. "The bloodline is obviously still yours, and only your son—your Silenti son—will be able to open the portal. But if you don't want my help and protection anymore, then I won't force it on you. I've moved on—Bianca Channing has a strong family line and far more devotion to the concept of family than you do. It's a good match, and as Master Daray said it would, having her around has helped me to understand what your place should be. You've been allowed too much liberty to ever become a respectable wife."

Lena and Griffin locked stares. She wanted to believe that he was saying it to get a rise out of her, and possibly to get her to argue with him by saying that she could be a great wife—a better one than Bianca could. But as she looked at him, there was no hint of a smirk on his face, just as there was no humor in his tone.

The annoying ticking was still present in the room. After what seemed like an eternity, Griffin stood up to leave. Lena's voice dislodged.

"So, that's it then?" She said.

"That's it." Griffin walked to the stairs that led to the upper floors, then paused in the doorway. "The Council's going to be doing the expositions toward the end of the meetings this year. As long as you keep at the translations, he'll still help you get in." And he was gone.

Lena looked at the empty doorway as if she expected Griffin to come back down any second with a message from her grandfather that she was forbidden to go to the party because it wasn't befitting of a Daray. But he didn't, and Lena continued to sit in the empty office. After a while she shook herself loose from the spell of Griffin's leaving and looked around the room for the clock again, but she still couldn't see it, so she went back down to her room. It was already eight by that point, and without thinking, she changed into some older jeans and a comfortable top, grabbed a pullover, and snuck down to wait by the greenhouse.

*****

CHAPTER 16

Autumn was in full force, and it was a windy night. Lena pulled her sweater around herself and crossed her arms tightly. It was funny how much things could change in such a short amount of time. She hadn't even known Griffin a year, and she was already missing him. Well, not missing him...Griffin had been oppressive. He had stalked her around the house and told her how to act and what to do. It had been annoying, really. Lena didn't know why she cared so much that he didn't care anymore, but she knew she didn't want to feel what she was feeling. He hadn't been her friend, and she wasn't going to let herself miss him. A party was just what she needed. Stupid Griffin—she was going to prove she could be happy without him. If only the image of him kissing that whore would get out of her brain.

"Hey...sorry I'm late."

Lena looked over her shoulder and saw Devin walking toward her. A group of about twenty other kitchen staff members were walking out of the greenhouse entrance behind him.

Devin looked concerned. "...Are you okay? Did you break up with your boyfriend, or something?"

Lena stared at Devin, then cracked a smile and laughed it off. "I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Well, not anymore, if you broke up with him..."

Lena frowned. "I never had a boyfriend to begin with. I mean, geez, where'd you get that from?"

Devin gave her a sidelong glance. "You can't bullshit me. I spent months learning to recognize that look so that chicks would think I was sensitive. You just broke up."

"No, I didn't."

"Okay." Devin put an arm around her shoulders and lowered his tone. "I won't tell anyone, but really—did you just break up? I need to know if my skills are slipping."

Devin's eyes were impish in the moonlight, and even though his questions were starting to annoy her, Lena couldn't help laughing. All the same, she was happy that Devin had never developed the ability to read minds. "No. I really didn't. So where's the party?"

"Sure." He winked. "Well, we were going to go into town and find an all-night place to crash at. If anything looks interesting on the way we might stop off."

"Into town?" Lena asked, biting her lip.

"Well, sure. We get a night off and we're sure as hell not going to spend it here." Devin laughed.

Lena couldn't believe she hadn't seen it coming. It made perfect sense...she wasn't supposed to leave the property. She would be in more trouble than it was worth if she got caught. Devin still had his arm around her shoulders, and she was happy for the comfort. Dinner at a restaurant sounded good. She'd had a rough day, she wanted to be with her friends; these people were her friends. Looking back up at Waldgrave, most of the lights were already out—people were tired from the activities of the ceremony. No one would notice, and no one knew except for Griffin...and he didn't care anymore. She looked back at Devin and smiled gently.

"No. It's not a problem at all, if you can keep a secret."

"Oh...you wouldn't believe the secrets we can keep." Devin gave her a side hug, returned the smile, and the group set off across the lawn for the series of rented cars parked near the covered garage on the side of the house. Apparently the cars for the Colburns were rented in the names of the older members of the kitchen staff because the Colburns themselves didn't like to drive. Lena pulled her hood over her head to be sure no one in the tents would recognize her, and she slid into the rear passenger seat of a silver sedan.

"You don't want to drive?" Devin asked.

Lena shot Devin an irritated look as he sat down in the seat next to her. "I don't have a license."

"You're sixteen, aren't you?" He pressed, with another lopsided smile.

"I don't see the point in getting one." Lena said miserably. "It's not like I'll ever be going anywhere without someone else who can drive."

Tab took the front passenger seat and a woman in her mid-twenties with blond hair and pretty eyes sat down in the driver's seat. She had an accent that Lena couldn't quite figure out, but it sounded slightly English. "See, now that's just not right. A girl your age should be excited about getting her license. At your age you need your freedom and your privacy, and it's not right that they keep you locked up the way they do."

Lena shrugged. Devin introduced the woman as Pepper, the daughter of the Colburn's head of staff, and they rolled down the driveway. Lena sunk low in her seat and held her breath until she saw that they had passed the gate that marked the edge of the Waldgrave property. Her heart raced as she realized she was now in violation of so many Council laws. She looked over at Devin, who was staring anxiously out the car window—he was just as excited to be out and away from Waldgrave. Lena caught his eye, and they smiled.

"So what happened to the mashed potatoes?" She asked.

The car swerved slightly. Pepper was yelling and trying to reach around to the back seat to swat at Devin. "Dev, you swore on a month's rations you wouldn't tell anyone about that! You dog!"

Tab was cracking up. Devin laughed, but pulled himself together when he saw Pepper glaring at him in the rearview mirror. "Give me a break! I couldn't let her eat them!"

Pepper's frantic eyes moved to Lena. "You can't tell anyone, or I'll be in so much trouble! Swear on—on—"

"My grandfather's grave?" Lena suggested hopefully.

"Sure. Please don't tell anyone!"

Lena laughed a little. "I swear I won't tell. What happened?"

Tab unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face her. "You are looking at the reigning King of the Potato Race!"

Tab watched her with anticipation. "That's...great." Lena said. "How do you race potatoes?"

A glitter came into Tab's eyes. Now kneeling on his seat so that he could face Lena in the backseat, he started an animated explanation. "Well, the potatoes don't actually do the racing. Let's just say the race involves a metric butt-load of potatoes and a bunch of people wearing baggy pants."

Lena stared at Tab, then gazed over at Devin. His eyebrows were raised, he was staring straightforward, and he appeared to try to look innocent. "The potatoes went down your pants?"

Devin licked his lips and kept staring forward. He tried to suppress a laugh. "Technically, they went down Tab's pants. I refereed this year."

Lena looked back at Tab. "Does produce frequently find its way into your drawers?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Sha! More than it should!"

Everyone laughed. The rest of the way into town, Devin regaled her with stories of the many items that Tab had put down his pants on a dare, including various fruits and vegetables, sharp kitchen utensils, a live eggbeater, and even an unlucky lobster. Pepper assured her that pants foods were usually things that had already gone bad, or boiled severely in the case of the odd Potato Race; Lena was still happy she hadn't eaten the potatoes. As it turned out, Tab was quite the aficionado of dares; he had actually earned the nickname "Tab" after downing an entire bottle of hot sauce in under thirty seconds.

As they pulled up to an all-night diner and got out of the car, Lena was so giddy from adrenaline and laughing that she had almost forgotten about Griffin entirely. Almost.

"So anyways, next Wednesday, when the adults take the night off again, we're having our annual Pudding Race, if you want in..." Tab was saying excitedly.

The rest of the caravan pulled up, and everyone went inside and were seated at adjacent tables. It was almost 9:45, and the restaurant was completely empty besides the twenty or so of the kitchen staff. They ordered food, chatted loudly, and Devin introduced Lena around. Everyone knew that she shouldn't have been there, but no one seemed to care; they would keep the secret. Pepper informed her that she had become somewhat of a celebrity among the house staff.

"It's because you're like us." She said with her oddly charming accent. "That's why you're not stuck up like the rest of them. You're like us."

Lena hadn't thought to bring any cash since she hadn't known she was leaving the house, but Devin offered pay for her so she could eat with everyone else. He was apparently trying to save up so he could leave the Colburns and get into a regular job somewhere. Eventually, he wanted to have his own house.

"You can do that?" Lena asked.

"Sure. I mean, they only pay us...not enough. But another few years and I'll have enough to get started. I'm not working for them my whole life." Devin said proudly.

Pepper saw the shock on Lena's face and started to explain. "It's the way most of them go, because the Colburns pay them a little every week. Some of them come back because it's not easy...it's not like you go out into the world with references or anything. But some of them make it. I think some of them even get established enough that after a few generations they can apply for their families to be represented in the Council, but that's a rare situation. I mean, I could never do it—my family's been with the Colburns for generations. They're my family."

The food came and Devin, Tab and Lena shared stories about what their lives had been like before coming into the Silenti world. Lena talked a lot about her father, and all the traveling they did, and the way she had never known about any of the rest of the mess she eventually became involved with. Tab had also done a fair bit of traveling after he had run away from home; before that he had lived with his dad, who had been an alcoholic. He'd gone to a family called Dale for a few months, then had been transferred to the Colburns. Devin had been raised by his elderly grandparents, and on their passing had gone straight to the Colburns at the age of twelve. After they had finished eating, Pepper thought it might be best to stop talking about things that depressed them and find something fun to do, so they were back in the car and driving around again.

They rode grocery carts around a twenty-four hour store for a while, played hide-and-seek in the dark in a public park, had a splash fight in the fountain, and then decided to go night swimming in the reservoir because they were already wet. The wind had died down, the stars were out in force, and with the moon playing across the water it was too much too resist. For one night the world was theirs, and between the criminal adrenaline in Lena's system, the emotional numbness of Griffin's rejection, the resurrected memories of her father, and the caffeine from all the soda at dinner, she didn't even care that the water was icy cold. It wasn't until four forty-three in the morning that Lena realized that they had been out for far too long. Still wet, they climbed into the heated sedan and drove back to Waldgrave, the four of them crammed into the front bench seat for warmth.

When they reached the covered parking at the side of the house, and Lena got safely into the living room, she thought she was safe. She would have a heck of a time explaining wet clothes to anyone who caught her now, but no one would be able to prove that she had been out. She climbed the staircase to the library and started for the hall door, then froze. Her heart almost stopped; there was someone sitting on the couch across the room.

"Who's...there?" A raspy, slurred voice called from the shadows. The figure stood up, wobbled into a strip of moonlight cast through the window and grabbed a bookcase for support. "Don't...come any nearer! I see you there!"

Lena backed against the wall and watched as Master Corbett walked past her and grabbed another bookcase. His face was covered in sweat and his hair looked greasy; he hadn't shaved in a few days. He swung at thin air and collapsed onto the ground with a look of confusion. He turned over on his back, and unsuccessfully tried to get back onto his feet. He stared around the room with a paranoid expression. "Where...where'd you go? I'll find you! You're not going to...going to..."

He broke down in tears; it was evident that he had been drinking heavily that night. Lena made for the door again.

"Don't...please don't! Don't, don't, don't..."

She turned and looked back at Master Corbett, still sprawled on the floor and weeping uncontrollably. Something didn't feel right.

"I'll do it...I'll do...Don't kill me!" He shrieked.

The light in Daray's office went on and Lena shot through the door and into the hall. What she had overheard was disturbing, but she was sure it was the alcohol. He was in a bad spot lately, and adding alcohol to the situation was making him paranoid. As powerful and well-liked as the Corbett family was, she doubted anyone was actually trying to kill him, and she was too tired to worry about it if someone actually was. Whoever was in the office was bound to hear him and take care of it, and if it was Griffin or Daray, it would be better if she wasn't there when it happened.

Lena snuck back up to her room, threw her drenched clothes into the bathtub after she changed out of them, and collapsed onto the bed.

Too early the next morning, there was a loud knock on her bedroom door. Knowing that Mrs. Ralston always let herself in, she rolled over, cracked one bloodshot eye, and saw that it was already nine in the morning. She was still asleep in her pajamas.

Who is it? She grumbled.

Open the damn door, Lena!

Lena sat straight up in bed. In an uncoordinated effort, she tried to make it to the door to lock it before Griffin burst in. She only made it halfway.

Spinning on her heel, she shot into the bathroom, slammed the door, and locked it just in time. She looked desperately around, willing an escape hatch to appear somewhere. She heard Griffin close the bedroom door and walk over to the bathroom; her heart shot into her throat.

"Lena, open the door." He said in an acid tone.

"No."

"Open the door now, damn it!" He yelled.

"No!"

She watched Griffin's shadow pace back and forth in front of the door and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Her clothes from the night before were still there and smelled heavily of pond scum. The jeans were probably ruined, but Mrs. Ralston was very good at getting stains and smells out.

"We need to talk." He said, his voice sounding forcibly calm.

Lena swallowed, shaking. "Well, the only way that's happening is through this door, or in the presence of...at least ten other people."

The shadow paused before the door. "You are the most reckless, irresponsible, naive...disrespectful...ungrateful..."

"Is there a point coming?" Lena ventured.

Griffin smacked the door so hard that the wall shook and Lena jumped. "You can't just go off like that!"

"Why the hell do you care! You said you're done being my keeper, so I figured I might as well enjoy the freedom!" Lena turned around and turned the bathwater on. It was a good pair of jeans, and if she washed them by hand they might be salvageable. "Who told?" She asked.

"No one. I—today at breakfast, it was on a lot of minds. You remember the last time you went off like this? You remember the last time I had to save your damn life?" Griffin hissed. His shadow was square in front of the door; Lena imagined that he had his arms crossed.

She dumped some lavender-scented shampoo into the water. "It wasn't like that..."

"You know, I just want you to know that it's very disturbing to me that you actually trust those...servants."

She stood up and walked to the door. "People? That I trust those people, Griffin? You're the thought sponge, you tell me if any of them have designs on my life!"

Griffin was silent for a few minutes. "I spent years with them. I know how they feel about people like us."

"People like you." Lena accused. "You know they don't want to hurt me. You know. You just don't like that I went out and had fun."

"I don't like that you went out and broke the law, Lena. I don't like that you put your life in jeopardy—"

Lena rolled her eyes. "My life wasn't in jeopardy, you jerk!"

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you would be in if they knew? You sure as hell wouldn't get on the Council—you'd be lucky if they didn't remove Howard to instate a stricter guardian and put an ankle monitor on you!"

Griffin went silent. Lena turned the water off. "They don't know?"

Griffin sighed, disgusted. "No one knows but me, and the servants downstairs who think you look like a drowned rat when you're wet. Bury this one deep, and never speak of it again. I can't believe you went swimming in a reservoir...disgusting. So, so stupid..."

Lena stood and opened the door. She half-grinned at Griffin, who was looking calmer, but still disgruntled. "I thought you were done helping me. If you don't care, then why don't you just turn me in?"

Griffin kept his distance. He looked at Lena, shook his head disapprovingly, then gave a small, defeated laugh. He turned and walked out the door. "Don't let it happen again."

Lena turned and waltzed back into the bathroom. She took her wet clothes out of the bath, wrung them out, and hung them on the towel rack. Then she climbed into the warm bath water to soak. She turned the hot water back on and started to scrub the crusted mud stains off of her feet. She knew something had been going on; it wasn't in Griffin's character to suddenly stop being a manipulative jerk. She wasn't sure exactly what he had been trying to accomplish, but she was sure he would quit it now that she knew he was up to something.

Much later that day, after a long soak in the tub, a few hours of leisure reading, and a room service lunch compliments of the kitchen staff, Lena received a summons from Howard to meet him in his office down the hall. She gathered her notes and the current draft of her exposition and sauntered down the hall, expecting that Howard wanted to see her latest draft. Once she stepped into the office, she knew something was wrong. Howard was sitting behind the desk and had a very disappointed look on his face. Griffin was seated in an armchair.

When Howard looked up at Lena, Griffin smirked in a way that awoke feelings of vengeance in her so deep that she had never have thought such emotion possible. He had told, and she was going to kill him in his sleep.

Howard cleared his throat and reached up to scratch his ear. "Lena, did you leave the house last night to get drunk?"

He had it coming this time. She could play hardball, too. With Howard in the room, she felt safe enough to rip him to pieces, and she certainly had the will to do so at the moment. Lena slapped her papers onto Howard's desk, glared at Griffin, and sat down in a chair across from the desk. She took a relaxing breath and started. "Yes, I did."

Howard's eyebrows raised. "You did. You know that what you did violated several laws and the rules I personally laid out for you?"

Griffin was enjoying this too much. What an ass...she was going to get him back for this. Lena kept her eyes on Howard. "Yes."

Howard leaned forward in his chair. "Why would you do that?"

"Well," Lena took a moment, glanced briefly over at Griffin, sighed deeply, and then looked back at Howard. She made the saddest face she could. "It was complicated...I suppose it happened because I was in a state of emotional upset at the time."

Howard was matching her expression. "Oh?"

In the peripherals of her vision, she saw Griffin stir uncomfortably.

"It was late, I needed a friend, so I went down to what I thought was going to be a yard party. It wasn't, but I really needed someone to talk to after everything that's been happening." Lena said, raising her hand to partly cover her mouth.

Howard glanced over at Griffin, and then his eyes went back to Lena. "You were upset? What happened?"

Lena leveled her gaze on Griffin, who was now glaring at her as sternly as she was at him. "Oh yes. Griffin's been pursuing me quite aggressively these past few weeks—you know, while we were reading over the collection of family journals—and it's been very upsetting. I've been afraid to say anything because he threatened my chances of getting into the Council."

The silence was thick. Griffin had gone red in the face. Howard's eyes had narrowed; he watched them both closely.

Griffin finally burst. "That's a lie! Master Collins, you can't possibly—"

Lena dropped her pretense. "And I went out to get drunk?! That is such—"

Silence!

Griffin and Lena looked back at Howard, who was remaining very calm through all of this. "I'm trusting we all have motive to keep this between the three of us. Griffin, you're excused. I'll handle the situation from here."

Griffin walked over to the desk, shaking his head. "I promise you, I never—"

Howard waived him off. "Just go. I'll handle it."

Griffin stalked out of the room, glaring heartily at Lena on the way, and Howard sighed. "The two of you act like children. I'm waiting..."

Lena took a deep breath; she knew she only had a few seconds before Howard pounced. "I was upset. I know Griffin and I are supposed to have an entirely professional relationship or whatever, but we are friends. That's all, it's nothing else, I swear. We got in a little fight yesterday right before I went down, and I swear I didn't know they were planning to leave. I made a really stupid decision, and I'm sorry."

Howard was quiet for a few minutes as he thought. "Does anyone else know?"

"Not unless Griffin told. The kitchen staff—"

"How many were there?" Howard pressed.

"Twenty. Ish."

Howard sighed; he was worried. "Can they keep a secret?"

Lena rolled her eyes. "You have no idea, thank God, Howard."

Howard went quiet again. "You're grounded."

He'd spoken so softly that Lena wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly. "Excuse me?"

Howard stood up and paced to the other side of the desk. He remained standing in front of Lena's chair. "You're grounded."

Lena eyed him suspiciously. She'd never seen him like this before. "How do you propose that's going to happen? I'm an adult now, and you're not my mother. Besides, I think I'm grounded already. What exactly are you planning to do to make my life worse than it already is."

Howard raised his eyebrows again, clearly undecided on what 'grounded' really meant, but determined to make it a worthwhile punishment. "I'll be discussing it with Mrs. Ralston and Master Daray. You're grounded, effective as soon as the guests leave."

There was a crazed look in his eye, and Lena decided she wasn't going to push the issue further. "Okay."

"You can leave now." He said.

"Okay." Lena stood up and went back to her room. When she went down to dinner that night, things were surprisingly normal—Bianca Channing went back to sitting at her usual table, Lena sat next to Howard with a group of Council members, and Griffin, though still very somber, knew he had managed to get her into trouble and seemed rather pleased with that fact. He was sitting without Master Daray, who had taken to eating in his room again on the pretense that he was working out his will. Everything was so surprisingly normal that Lena should have seen it coming.

In the middle of dessert, a shriek issued from the kitchen, silencing the dining room. As the screams continued and multiplied, Howard excused himself from the table and ran to the kitchen. Mrs. Ralston, white-faced, met him at the door. They disappeared into the kitchen together as Marie, crying and hysterical, issued forth into the dining room with a handful of other frightened kitchen staff. As Lena stood up to get her, she saw Devin pull her aside and out into the main hall.

Seconds later, Howard asked a few other Council members to join him through the kitchen doors and the whispers started. As Griffin stood and left, Lena excused herself to find Devin and Marie. They were huddled in a corner together near the stairs; Devin was holding her close and consoling her quietly.

"What happened?" Lena asked, bewildered. "Marie, are you okay?"

Devin looked gravely up at Lena, still holding Marie's head to his shoulder. She was shaking. "A guy hung himself out in the covered parking—Council member from the looks of how he's dressed, too. She found him."

Lena stared around, unsure of what to do. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach. She walked towards Devin, then stopped. "Are you..."

Devin nodded. "We're fine. We'll be fine here."

Lena nodded and walked briskly to the kitchen via the living room. As she neared the side entrance, she slowed down. There was a great deal of commotion in the laundry room, but Griffin was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall and his head in his hands. As Lena approached, he turned his head and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

Don't go out there, Lena. He ordered firmly.

There was a brief opening in the chaos at the side entrance, and the noosed body turned just as it was cut down. Master Corbett was dead.

*****

CHAPTER 17

There was a brief memorial the next day, and then the Corbett servants took the body back to California and a pregnant Mrs. Corbett. Lena wasn't sure what was going to happen to her; Griffin had gone into seclusion to grieve, and she couldn't ask him. From the old wash bucket that had been kicked out from under his feet, it had very obviously been a suicide; most people were of the opinion that the disgrace of losing a daughter and being politically outpaced by his son had been motivation enough, without recently having fallen out of Master Daray's good graces. Hesper attended the memorial, though she wasn't nearly as upset as Griffin was. She had never gotten on well with either of her parents—Griffin had been their star production, and she was just extra expense. She paid her dues but refused to be upset about the loss.

"Serena's taking me shopping. Think you can come?"

Hesper wasn't looking well. She had gone beyond queasiness and started vomiting. Her face looked blotchy and her hair was in a perpetual state of greasy disorder. She was spending most of her time crashed in the Mason's room on the third floor, lying on an inflatable bed in her pajamas reading and playing games on Eric's laptop. Despite the fact that she acted miserable, she insisted that she felt fine. Better than fine, actually—she was in the mood for shopping.

"I think I'm grounded." Lena explained. "Or wait...no, I can go. I'm not technically grounded until after everyone leaves. I mean, if I get permission and all that jazz."

"What'd you do?" Hesper asked with disinterest. Most of the things that got Lena in trouble ranged from boring to mild.

Lena made a face. "I can't tell you now, but it was really, really bad. Hesper, I promise you'd be proud."

"Well, as long as I would be proud. You'd better go ask now, because we want to go this afternoon." Hesper said doubtfully.

Lena asked Howard, who wasn't happy that she was asking to go, but wanted to keep up appearances...Council members don't get grounded, after all. It was more complicated than the last time because Hesper wasn't on anyone's good side anymore, but Howard had the afternoon off because of the funeral and was available to take her. She felt guilty at first for making him do this, but once they were actually in the store she was very happy she had come.

Hesper made a beeline for a stack of sweats, passing up her usual designer-wear. At first, Lena thought this was because she wasn't buying on her parent's card anymore, but then a pattern began to emerge: pants with elastic waistbands and really baggy shirts. Lena looked at Hesper, and for the first time noticed that even though she had been vomiting every morning for a week, she was actually looking slightly fuller than usual. She grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind a tall display of magazines.

"Are you pregnant?" She asked in an excited whisper.

Hesper rolled her eyes. "No, Lena, I just think tent shirts are all the fashion right now. Of course I'm pregnant."

The two stared each other down for a moment. Lena shook her head in disbelief, and cracked a smile. "Was it planned?"

They laughed. Hesper said it kind of was, but it was kind of a surprise. "You and Eric...Serena knew, like, the day I got sick. The day. She knew before I did, and it was really creepy. Don't tell anyone, though. I'm really not ready to get henpecked to death."

They walked out from behind the display, and Serena ran up to them. "This store actually does have a maternity section."

Howard caught on pretty quickly after that, offered his congratulations, and then wandered off to the appliances section nearby under the pretense that the washer and dryer needed to be replaced. Serena was absolutely thrilled, and walked around picking up things for Hesper to try on.

"I can't believe there's going to be a baby in the family! This is so exciting!" She grinned.

Hesper smiled and gave Lena a look. It was exciting. At the same time, Lena couldn't believe Hesper was going to be a mother in less than a year. It was a little scary, but she seemed happy, so Lena tried to be happy for her. They tried on clothes for about an hour, met back up with Howard, checked out, and then Howard took them out for an early dinner to celebrate. It was amazing to Lena how much like her usual self Hesper seemed to be.

"I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother, Hesper." Howard said, putting his napkin in his lap as the waitress delivered their food. "Congratulations again. Have you thought about names at all?"

"A little, but we're not sure yet. What are you smiling at?" Hesper laughed at Lena's expression.

"I don't know. It's just weird, that's all." Lena said.

"What?" Hesper asked.

"Well, you just got married, and I'm not even over that one yet, and now you're having a baby. Weird." Lena took slow, steady drinks from her soda to avoid talking any more. Hesper laughed again.

"It's not that weird." Hesper said. "Lots of people get pregnant. You're telling me you don't think there will be little Grifflets running around someday?"

Howard and Lena simultaneously choked on their food. Lena coughed. "No! Hell no!" She coughed again. She had carbonated beverage in her nasal passage. "For God's sake, we're eating, Hesper!"

Hesper smiled coyly. Yeah, whatever Lena.

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence as everyone stared at each other. Finally, Serena changed the subject by bringing up the exposition. It was drawing ever closer, and Howard informed the group that the meetings were progressing somewhat faster than usual since part of the year's business had been dealt with during the unplanned meeting in April. Lena only had six days left, but she was ready. She had put a lot of thought and effort into the exposition despite the fact that Griffin had all but ensured that she would get in anyway, even if she got up and recited limericks, and she was as ready as she would ever be.

The next few days passed very much as Lena expected them to. Howard made some last minute introductions involving retired members of the Council and more recent family heirs, Lena continued to overlook Ava's exaggerations involving Griffin as graciously as she could, Hesper kept to herself in the room on the third floor, and Serafina had gone from being a much avoided obnoxious teenager to a much avoided obnoxious newlywed.

The text translations continued with Griffin, though he remained somewhat distant and tired. Lena had to wonder what he was doing that caused him to be so perpetually fatigued; it was weird to see him expressing emotion so openly. Openly for Griffin, anyway; he claimed it was because he was work-exhausted. She had never told anyone that she had seen Master Corbett in the library the night before the suicide; she doubted it would have made any difference if she had, but there was a nagging guilt in her stomach that she hadn't tried. They had gone over Dobry Daray's journals again because Edward Daray's journals were nowhere to be found, and then Griffin had finally found Silas Cassius's books stowed in an out of the way corner on the fifth floor—one of the house hands must have thought they were junk. They certainly looked like junk.

The earlier books were fairly dull except for one fact: Silas had taken it upon himself to write out a list of special abilities possessed only by those of the royal blood. He was a very bright man, and apparently somewhat of a scientist, as he made mention of what he called "innateness that is passed from parent to child"—genetics. He commented that while Silenti of the "common" blood appeared to have abilities resembling and on occasion exceeding those of their parents if special attentions to training and education were given, some of the abilities possessed by those of the "royal" blood were exclusive—no other Silenti had ever expressed them. As Lena started translating the section, she couldn't help but notice that Griffin seemed unusually attentive.

"What?" She asked.

"I've never read this one, obviously." He said. "I've never heard this part."

Lena looked back at the script. " 'Me and all of my kin possess...Osneks?' Griffin?"

Griffin furrowed his brow. "Well, os neks—two words—is 'the sight of death.'"

"The sight of death..." Lena shivered. She knew exactly what Silas was talking about. It was a look; there was a look in someone's eyes before they died, and she had seen it several times. It was like a person's soul was pushing out. She had seen it countless times in her travels...as a child, she had thought it was something like eye color, because some people had it and some people didn't, and she never stuck around long enough to hear about people's deaths. Then there came the moment they had stepped onto the train in Egypt...her father's eyes had changed. She hadn't known what it meant, and thought it was a trick of the light. And then there was the week her grandmother's eyes had changed, and she died, and Lena drew the connection. She knew what Silas was talking about. She looked up and saw that Griffin was watching her intently. She focused her attention back on the book.

"'It is also of note that creations from the hand of one of royal blood might only be destroyed by another of royal blood.' Wow, really?"

Griffin shook his head. "I guess so..."

Lena stared at the book for a moment, and then something dawned on her. "How can that be true? Master Daray said some of these books were destroyed in a fire, right?"

Griffin looked confused, and opened his mouth to answer, but a voice from across the room cut him off.

"That ability died out generations ago, I'm afraid..."

Lena spun around and saw Master Daray standing in the door frame, wearing his usual style of suit and still toting a cane. The color had returned to his face, but that look was still in his eyes. Osneks. Lena shuddered. Griffin stood up and offered his chair, which Daray took. Daray's cat came trotting into the room, jumped up onto the desk, and stretched out to take a nap.

"Silas was the last of our kind to allege that ability. It was thinning of the blood, if the ability ever existed to begin with. I'm sure you'll find several things in those old books that aren't quite accurate—Silas was a little overzealous about his position over the other Silenti, and he made many claims that went unverified for years. Griffin, fetch a pen and paper from the desk, and the book of matches from the mantle."

Griffin brought the requested items, and Lena watched as Master Daray wrote something out on the sheet of paper and then passed it to Griffin. "Burn it."

Without hesitation, Griffin struck a match and the paper curled into ashes.

"There—you see? If you read on, he also claims something about how all royal blooded Silenti are innately strong thought-speak users and how they live with full sight of everything in the Silenti world...Of course, you're proof those things aren't true, Eden. Truly gifted Silenti are diamonds in the rough as often as not; just look at the rest of Griffin's family if you need further proof. The clock is on the bookshelf, by the way. "

Lena glanced over Daray's shoulder. The bookshelf stretched in a nauseating way and books sorted themselves to the left and right as a glass-covered clock jerked up between them. The ticking that Lena had been hearing for weeks finally had a source. "So it would seem. Why are you here?"

"First and foremost, it's my office, in my house, and I come and go as I please." Daray said. "Now I've come to ask after the progress of your exposition."

Lena's eyes shifted to the door that concealed the library staircase. Daray laughed hollowly.

"You're actually worried about the rules of it?" He said dismissively. "Howard has had quite an effect on you. It's not cheating, it's politics. All I asked was how it was going for you, not what you're going to say."

Lena looked down at her lap, unsure if it was really against the rules or not. "It's going fine. I'm ready."

Daray nodded and his thin lips curved into a smile. "That's good, then. You're devoted, and I admire that. You're devoted to the wrong things in life, but I assure you you'll see the light eventually. You remind me very much of my wife."

Lena was taken aback. "I doubt that."

"Why?" Daray asked.

Lena scoffed. "Someone as intelligent as me wouldn't marry someone like you. And I doubt you'd ever want to marry someone like me, because I don't want kids. I deal with those issues on a daily basis."

Daray's smile fell slightly, and Lena watched in horror as he extended a hand that landed firmly on her shoulder. "Want has nothing to do with marriage, Eden. Marriage is about responsibility and duty. And you are like her. For that reason, I'm sure we'll come to an understanding." The hand withdrew, and Daray stood. Lena stared into the empty chair he had been occupying, unable to move. Her heart was thudding out of control.

He struggled to straighten his poster, crutching heavily on the edge of the table. "Griffin, I need you to help me with the paperwork for the year's travel arrangements. I've left a list of all the cities and dates in the desk drawer. I'm going to be predisposed again this evening, and won't be able to make it to dinner, so have something sent up."

"Of course." Griffin replied.

Daray turned and started for the stairs, but then stopped. "Oh. And forget that Silas Cassius garbage. Move on to...well, I'll find it for you. It's an account by Dominic Cassius." Daray closed the book on the table and took it with him as he left.

Griffin sat back down at the table. He ignored the fact that Lena was still gazing blankly into the thin air that used to be her grandfather. "He's taken a liking to you. He doesn't talk about his wife much."

Lena finally released her stare and focused on Griffin. "I don't care what he says. If she was married to him, we were nothing like each other."

"He's not that bad." Griffin said. "He's offered nothing but support for your campaign to get on the Council, even though he doesn't like it."

"I'm sure he's getting something out of it. He has to be." Lena shot a look at Griffin. "What do you know about that?"

But Griffin only smirked. "You're so suspicious of him...did it ever occur to you that it might just be because you remind him of his wife?"

Daray didn't seem the type to be nostalgic, but Griffin's words still made her shudder again. She suddenly found herself hoping that he actually did have some sort of cruel and devious plan circling around her admission to the Council. He had to—Master Daray had never acted purely for the sake of anyone else's interests. There was something missing. "Why wasn't he angry at me?"

"For what?" Griffin asked.

"For going out that night. If you knew, he had to know. Why wasn't he angry?"

Griffin averted his eyes for a moment, then shrugged. "He knew you were gone in the first place, and I think he finds your passive-aggressive rebellion somewhat entertaining. You treat the laws set out by the Council with the same disregard that he does. The family resemblance is stronger than you think." Griffin smirked at her again. "Ironically, after you did it, he started to think you would be a good wife again. Not a great one, but your blatant disregard for Council rulings means we're on the same page at least part of the time."

Lena must have made a horrified face, because Griffin laughed. He set up a few more meeting times to work through Dominic Cassius's writings. Griffin excused himself to start doing Master Daray's paperwork, and Lena went back down to her room to read and unwind from her encounter.

The meetings drew to a close, and sooner than she would have thought possible, Lena found herself sitting in a waiting room attached to the main Council hall on the fifth floor. There was a stack of index cards clutched too tightly in her left hand, and five young men, ranging in age from their late teens to their mid-twenties, seated in the room with her. There were no windows, and talking amongst themselves had been prohibited. A guard, who had been chosen at random, stood next to the only door. As Lena's luck would have it, it was Master Astley Senior; the father of the man who had tried to kill her only a few month earlier. Astley watched her closely, and Lena tried to ignore him by keeping her eyes focused on the wall directly in front of her.

I could have you kicked out of this whole ordeal, you know that? All I'd have to say is that I saw you or heard you do something illegal. They'd believe me.

Lena felt her throat go dry. She tried to ignore the voice in her head.

I want you to know he was framed. My son is a Christian, and he wouldn't have tried to kill you. He was good friends with your father when he was younger. He wouldn't have done what he's been accused and exiled for.

Lena looked over and met the pained eyes of Master Astley. He was a ruddy-faced man with a barrel chest, thinning hair and a very wrinkled forehead. His eyes were watery, and she was finding it hard to not speak back to him. She wanted to call to Howard, but she knew that the Council was likely to take the word of Master Astley over hers. It wasn't worth the chance.

I'm very sorry for what happened to you, and I hope you can forgive my son and my family. We've never gotten along, my family and your mother's, but we've never wished harm on you.

The door opened, and Howard summoned Lena into the Council room.

Master Astley's last words shocked her; the look in his eyes and the tone he took left her feeling they couldn't be anything but genuine. Good luck.

Lena gave a last look over her shoulder at Master Astley, and then tried to push him from her mind. She tried not to think about the night it had happened, but it was coming back to her. She had never really thought about that night since it had happened, and as was her luck, it had to surface again before the biggest public speech of her life.

Lena walked out before the whole of the Council more than slightly rattled by the encounters she'd just had with Master Astley and her memories. She had initially put on a white blouse that morning, but then Mrs. Ralston had put her in a black one. Now that she was sweating profusely, she was glad she had made the switch. There were at least a hundred people staring at her. Happily, she saw that there was a stack of paper cups and a pitcher of water next to the podium she was going to speak at. She prepared herself a cup and took a tentative sip. She forced the feeling of the rope closing around her neck as far away as possible, and tried to focus on Howard's face; he was sitting in the fourth row from the front. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she stepped up to the podium and began.

Members of the Council, my name is Abilene Collins. I came to live here at Waldgrave the winter after my grandmother's death; I'm sure you're familiar with the story. Though I'm the youngest hopeful to speak here today, I have probably experienced more than any of the others. In fact, I have probably experienced and survived more obstacles than many of the people in this room. My life has dealt closely and frequently with the issues that you vote on, and I feel the consequences of the decisions made here. I've had the pleasure of speaking with many of you on a personal basis over the past few weeks, and...

Lena said her bit into the silence, finished, and was led out of the room by Howard. He wasn't allowed to speak to her until the voting was done the next day, and so passed her off to Mrs. Ralston, who took her back to her room and brought up a large lunch because Lena hadn't had the stomach for breakfast. Lena went over and over her speech in her head, hoping it had been good enough. She had never wanted respect so badly in her life; she knew she would get in, but was only now finding out how badly she wanted to get in by herself. She wanted the respect and the dignity of getting in the way that typical named heirs do, because after this point in her life, at least in her mind, she was no longer Pyrallis Daray's granddaughter.

The next day, an hour before the last dinner the collective of visiting Silenti would share together, Howard called Lena to his office. He told her to sit down, because they had a lot to discuss concerning the way the next few years were going to be handled. There was a stack of paperwork on his desk more than a foot thick and a half-empty snifter of brandy sitting next to it. Lena wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not. She looked up, and Howard was smiling.

"You made it." He said.

Lena smiled and tried to act surprised. "How much? How many wanted me in?"

Howard raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his chair. "Seventy-two percent. I have to say, that was a little surprising to me, but there was evidently more at play than I knew about..."

Lena's heart almost stopped; he knew about the deal with Daray. "Oh?"

"Well, when it got down to it, there were more reasons to let you in than I anticipated. I think your grandfather slowed us down a bit—some spoke against you on the grounds that it might prevent you from ever marrying or raising a family, but I think that won you as many votes as it lost you. A lot of people spoke in favor of you, too, but not for the reasons we had hoped. You still have a lot of proving ground to cover. It seems many, mostly in the New Faith group, wanted you in because they feel they can keep a closer eye on you if you're tied up in meetings."

It was true; when Council was in, Lena hardly saw Howard at all except at meals and the odd event of emergencies of some sort—like the time Griffin had snitched on her for sneaking out with the kitchen staff. "Well, at least I got in. That's good."

"It is." Howard smiled. "I don't think I've ever been so proud in my life. Your dad would have been very proud. There were some complications, though. Not unforeseen, but more difficult to manage than I had thought they would be. You're officially on the books as a Collins now, and your status as an heir means that you share equal standing with all the other heirs. You should have seen the look on Daray's face, Lena," Howard's demeanor changed, and he frowned slightly, "I haven't seen him so happy since...well, since you came to live here, actually. Your status as an independent means that there's no legal recourse to keep Griffin out of this house anymore. We were only able to keep him out before because your grandfather was your vicarious legal custodian, and he wasn't the type the Council wanted making decisions for you. Before, you were a young woman in need of protecting, and now you are expected to do that for yourself to a higher degree. And before you ask, no, you can't leave either. Your name has changed but your status as a personage of conflict hasn't—for your own safety, you still have to keep approved escorts and clear your travel plans with the Council."

What little pang of hope she had experienced at the words 'your status as an independent' was fading quickly—politics sucked. Even when they acknowledged that she was fully within her legal rights to make her own decisions, they weren't going to let her. And now Griffin was coming back to hound her every day for being less than she ought to be in her grandfather's eyes; she had known the two of them were up to something. But still, her status now was better than it had ever been, even though Griffin was going to be allowed to hang around and harass her about her life goals.

Howard sighed. "So. Here's how it's going to work. Griffin lives on the upper floors and you live on the lower floors, excepting meals and meetings. Any time spent together needs to be scheduled beforehand and may only involve business, and if either one of you needs to break the pattern you have to get approval."

Lena met Howard's gaze. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. How can they impose those rules? I mean, you just got done saying how we're both independents and equals and all that."

"Oh, those are my rules, not the Council's. I'm still the custodian of this family. It's my duty to keep everyone out of trouble and in good political standing, and believe me, it's more necessary than ever. The Council wasn't happy about Griffin moving back in, and what with the stories your mother's been telling about how close the two of you have become over the past few weeks, I had to promise to do something about it."

Lena heaved a sigh, and the two sat quietly for a moment. Ava and her obsession with keeping up with the Perrys. The last few weeks hadn't been easy for her; every time she opened her mouth Lena could swear it was to say something about how all of her friends' kids were getting engaged, getting married, or having kids. Even Hesper, though no one knew about her condition yet. Even though Lena had accomplished becoming one of the youngest junior Council members, and the only female, she was somewhat lacking by the standards of female Silenti social success.

"Well." Howard stood up and clapped his hands gingerly, as if trying to break the spell that had come over them. "I'm proud you made it in. It was an excellent exposition, especially compared to some of the others. I suggest you dress up tonight because a lot of people will want to congratulate you, and then after dinner you can get to work."

"Work?" Lena asked. "Is there a meeting tonight? I thought they were done after the expositions..."

Howard clapped a hand down on the pile of papers on his desk. "These are the year's petitions that we went over this Council. They need to be organized by subject, date, and then alphabetically, and then put into binders." Howard's eyes went wide and crazed; he had found his definition for being 'grounded.' "Welcome to the pond, new fish."

Lena stared at the pile of papers, and then looked up at the deliriously happy expression on Howard's face; Lena got the feeling that he wasn't intending to do much of his own paperwork anymore. "You didn't say anything about doing your filing when I signed up for this."

Howard walked around the desk, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood in front of Lena. "Nor did my father. Someday, I hope you get the chance to pass on the tradition. Until then, I hope you enjoy alphabetizing things, and remember it the next time you want to go sneaking out. The Council is thoroughly outdated technologically, and you'll find there's always things I can find for you to sort, resort, make copies in triplicate, find, file..." Still smiling, he walked toward the door.

As she watched his retreating form, she suddenly realized that there had been something bothering her since the exposition that she had meant to ask him about. Lena twisted around in her chair. "Howard?"

"Hmm?" He paused.

"Well, it's just...someone told me something. Someone told me that Warren Astley was a Christian, and that he used to be friends with my dad. Is that true?" She asked.

Howard turned and leaned against the door frame. He didn't quite frown, but she could see she had evoked some sort of memory in him. "Who told you that?"

"Just someone. I don't remember his name." Lena lied.

Howard looked questioningly at Lena. In an apprehensive voice, he started. "Yes. He was a good friend of your father's for a long time. They shared the same political ideology, but I think they grew apart when Warren became more devout in his beliefs. He moved away and spent several years in seminary school before coming back to serve on the Council, and in that time he changed a great deal. He got married, had several children...and your father, well, he was off somewhere with you. I don't think they knew each other very well after the age of fifteen."

Howard let the silence sink in. Lena thought for a moment, and then got at what was really bothering her. "If he was a Christian, then why did he want to kill me? If he doesn't even believe in the portal? What did the Council say about that?"

Howard sighed and tried to think back to that day. He had paid close attention, but the evidence had been so condemning and the trial so short that there wasn't much to think back to. "Well...it wasn't his religion. It was the fact that he's...he was caught in the act of strangling you, Lena. That was good enough for a lot of people. Why does anyone want to kill someone else? I can't answer your question..."

Lena nodded, and Howard nodded back. He walked out of the hall and continued on to his previous engagement. His answer hadn't been anywhere near satisfactory for her, but he had made some excellent points. Murder was a horrendous crime, and frequently it didn't make sense at all—many people were murdered over the matter of whatever little money they had in their wallet that they didn't want to give up, and it happened on a much more regular basis than most people liked to think about.

But there was something that Warren Astley had said that night; something that she hadn't thought about until Master Astley had brought it back to her earlier.

"You understand, don't you? Why I have to do this?" He had said those words to her. And as she thought about it, she realized she didn't have the slightest idea why. Why he had to do it; he had said it like he expected her to know. She had assumed, like everyone else, that it had been about the portal...but now she wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps Howard was right; maybe it was senseless. Maybe Lena was paranoid, but a chill ran down her spine thinking that Warren Astley really did have a reason, and he was still out there.

Lena continued to stare at the pile of papers for a few minutes longer; the reality of the situation was starting to sink in. She had come a long way from hotels and carry-on, and she still had a long way to go. She eventually found her way back to her bedroom, where Mrs. Ralston had already laid out her victory attire for her. She changed, did her makeup, and put on the only jewelry she owned: Griffin's bracelet, and Ava's necklace. Stepping back from the mirror to look herself over, she had the sudden realization that she wasn't a child anymore. Somewhere in the past few months, she had grown into her life, and things were finally starting to fit.

End of Waldgrave Part 1.

*****

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Deception of the Magician

Waldgrave Part 2

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CHAPTER 1

"I'm telling you I'm done." Hesper groaned. "I don't care what Serena says, the little parasite is sapping my energy and I want her out. You know, I've been taking care of this baby twenty-four seven for the last eight months straight—the second I pop, the next nine months are Eric's."

Lena and Hesper laughed. They hadn't seen each other in months, but they had been on the phone almost every day. Hesper's last visit had been in January, and she hadn't been allowed on planes since. It was now May, and Hesper was ready to welcome her daughter to the world. Really, really ready.

"Now, have you actually confirmed with the doctor that it's a girl?" Lena asked. "With one of those scan dealies?"

"No, I told you—it's a girl. I just know it's a girl. It's a Silenti thing...you'll understand when..." Hesper paused, and both of them knew what she had been about to say. But due to her family's unique status in the Silenti world, Lena had sworn time and again that she would never have children. "Well, just trust me."

"Yep. That's right." Lena smiled. "I'm going to have to take your word on it. So when are you coming to see me?"

And that was the other thing that had changed...given the results of her last trip to Australia, and the new Council restrictions on her leaving Waldgrave, Howard hadn't been able to clear any further travel plans for her. Even to be there for the birth of her best friend's daughter.

"Well, you know—as soon as a pilot can look at me without freaking out." Hesper laughed. "June eighteenth, if I can't get my hands on some castor oil and make it happen sooner. Or a few days after the eighteenth, I guess."

She wasn't serious about the castor oil. She was sick of being pregnant, but Lena was sure she wouldn't take the chance that it would harm her baby. She had put a lot of time and energy into that baby, as she so often whined. But Lena had called Eric and warned him just to be sure; a pregnant woman was a hormonal woman, and Lena knew better than to trust the judgment of a hormonal woman.

"How's Eric holding up in all of this?" Lena asked.

"Oh, you know him. Internet college, and all that. Like I said, he'd damn well finish before mid-June because that's when he goes on diaper duty. He's already got a job proposal for some IT place."

"Well, that's good." Lena grinned at the way that Hesper's words had slowly morphed since her move to Australia; it wasn't a dramatic change, but she was starting to lose her California accent in favor of one with a hint more Outback twang.

"Yeah, it is. He's worked hard for it, and I'm proud. Bloated and fat, but proud." Hesper said with more than a hint of dissatisfaction.

Lena was happy to hear a knock on her door. She loved Hesper, but didn't want to have to hear about how bloated she was again.

"I've got to go."

They hung up and Lena answered her door. It was Cheryl, balancing a basket of clean clothes on her hip and a heavy catalog under her arm. "Rosaleen wants you to pick some clothes out of here." She pushed the catalog at Lena. "She said no more tee-shirts and no more teen clothes, and you need to pick out some suits from the ladies' professional section. No short skirts."

Mrs. Ralston had been cracking down on the style that Hesper had brought into Lena's life since meeting her. There weren't any female Council members for her to base Lena's look on, so she had made the decision that Lena was going to dress extremely formal and professional in any situation that involved other Council members. While it was true that Lena had a need to be viewed as serious and qualified, getting a hold of new clothes was becoming an issue. There weren't any designer shops in the nearby town, and since Griffin had moved in, there wasn't anybody to take her out anyway; Howard couldn't leave, and neither could Mrs. Ralston because the number of Darays at the house was now too big for either one of them to effectively watch alone by Council standards. Plus, there was the fact that no one on the Council trusted Lena anymore—not even to run into town to look at new clothes. She was left to guess at sizes and order out of a catalog; they wound up sending back almost three-quarters of what they ordered in the first place.

Cheryl walked over to the closet and started unloading clean clothes. Lena threw the catalog onto the bed and went to help. Cheryl gave her a look reminiscent of Mrs. Ralston. "She wants your selections by dinner, so you'd better get moving."

"I know." Lena walked into the closet and started pulling out some of her older outfits, fondly eyeing a pair with rhinestone swirl patterns on the back pockets. Some of them weren't even that old, but Mrs. Ralston wouldn't let her wear them anymore, so they had to go. She carried a pile of blouses, sweatpants, tee-shirts, sneakers, and jeans out and threw them on the bed. It was really a shame to see some of it go, but then, there would always be new clothes. "You can take whatever you want, as always. Marie too."

Cheryl hung up the last shirt and walked out to the bed, where she dug through the pile. "You know Marie won't. The old bat upstairs doesn't like us to wear your stuff."

"It's not my stuff. It's your stuff after I give it to you." She picked up a tee-shirt—she was sure she'd only worn it once—and held it up to Cheryl. "It's a little long in the sleeves, but I bet Mrs. Ralston could alter it. Are you in a size nine shoe yet?"

Lena picked up the three pairs of shoes she was getting rid of; one of them was a strappy pair of black sandals. Lena had made a direct plea on their behalf to Mrs. Ralston that black was professional, but the older woman insisted that skin seen through straps, and especially black ones, was scandalous.

"I'm an eight and a half, but close enough. Marie's a seven, I think. Tiny little feet." Cheryl sighed and picked up a shirt with a butterfly motif on it. The shirt was a pale pink that made Cheryl's mousy brown hair and delicate features seem deceptively childish. She was still a child, but part of the nature of being a Silenti was growing up quickly. Cheryl was already taking studies at a high school level, and some days, Lena was sure she was the most emotionally mature person in the house. "She'd love this, too. I don't know why she's so scared of them. Did you know she won't even go upstairs anymore? She won't do any of their laundry or cleaning? It's a pain. I'd call her a brat, but she's so sensitive."

It was true; Marie was sensitive. Lena couldn't blame her, because she hated being around her grandfather just as much. If anyone had a problem it was Cheryl for being so fearless. She had even told off Griffin once for staining a new shirt, letting it sit, and then getting angry when Mrs. Ralston couldn't get it out. Griffin had almost gotten her kicked out for that stunt, but Howard had refused to do it, and in a rare twist of events Master Daray had chosen to abstain from backing Griffin up; Lena had to wonder if he found Griffin's sudden ambition of leadership within the household a challenge to his own authority. Cheryl collected the clothes that she wanted, and the ones she thought might fit Marie, and left.

Lena!

What?

Ryan Ashmore's on my cell phone for you—I'm in the office!

Lena's term at Waldgrave was becoming too drawn out again. She needed to get on a plane or in a car, but as things were, there was no hint of a promise that she would ever be allowed to leave again. Her whole life was stuck in a cyclical rut, and there would never be anything to look forward to besides birthdays, Council, and the rare occasion that Cheryl badgered Griffin for making a mess. And, apparently, unexpected phone calls.

Lena rushed from her room to the office down the hall, where Howard was sitting diligently at his desk, typing on the computer with one hand while holding the cell phone at arm's length with the other. Lena grabbed it and sat down in a chair.

"Hello?" She said, trying to keep her voice level after her jog down the long second floor hallway.

"Lena, nice to hear from you again." Ryan Ashmore's voice came back at her, as pleasant and confident as ever. Ryan was a confirmed Council heir, and a natural at the political games the Silenti liked to play. When he spoke, Lena could imagine the easy smile that would grace his eyes. "We're settling all the planning for the rafting trip on the Colorado next month, and I was wondering if you're still interested in going?"

Lena flinched. She wanted to go more than she'd ever wanted to do anything in her life, but composed herself to sound professional. "Ryan, it's nice to hear from you, too. Life's been a little hectic around here lately..."

"Oh?" He asked; he sounded so concerned. Lena had to wonder where he had learned to fake such wonderful social skills, because she was sure his interest in her was merely political. They had only managed less than a handful of meaningful conversations in the time that they had known each other.

"Oh, yeah...Paperwork." Lena responded, hoping she sounded half as genuine as Ryan did. "Howard's got me doing a lot of paperwork, and there's been some hassle with the arrangements for Mrs. Corbett." Mrs. Corbett had given birth to a son last March, greatly complicating the future of representation for the Corbett household. Griffin was in the process of trying to arrange for his last remaining blood family to live at Waldgrave until other arrangements could be made. "And I'd love to go, I really would." Howard stopped typing and his eyes wandered over to Lena. "But I'll need to work out my schedule first. What date were you planning on leaving?"

"The reservation's been made for July thirteenth."

"Reservation?"

"For the first camp site." Ryan responded.

"Oh, right. Well," Lena looked over at Howard, who was still watching her, "I'll look things over and get back to you later today, alright?"

"That sounds great." Ryan smiled. "Have a good afternoon, then."

"Yeah, you too..."

Lena hung up the phone and Howard crossed his arms. Trying not to blink, Lena shaded the phone call as best she could. "I've been invited on a political outing with some other heirs, and I believe it would benefit my future on the Council to go."

Howard sighed; his arms remained crossed. "And where is this outing being held?"

"Colorado." Lena said quickly.

Howard didn't move anything but his lips. "Where in Colorado?"

"Well..." Lena tried to think, but there was no other way to say it. "Progressively downstream on the Colorado River."

Howard went back to typing. "Don't get your hopes up. You'll need an escort. I have to stay here with your mother, grandfather, and Griffin. And to my knowledge, Rosaleen doesn't do rivers."

Lena tried to keep the desperation out of her voice. "There will be lots of other people there—people who will be on the Council someday. It's not like I'll be alone. Isn't that enough?"

"They may have status as adults in our community, Lena, but we still recognize them as a bunch of naïve teenagers. They're young and stupid—and I'm not sure how I feel about you going off with a bunch of young, stupid boys, anyway." Howard looked away from his computer screen just long enough to see the depressed look on Lena's face. He shifted uncomfortably. "Get me a list of names and I'll see what I can do."

Lena jotted down Ryan Ashmore's number from Howard's cell phone and headed back to her room. Convinced that she had to make it work or she would die of seclusion, she programmed the phone number into her cell phone and called it. A moment later, she had acquired the guest list—and she wasn't sure if it was longer or shorter than she would have liked it to be. There were only seven people going besides her, and of the names she knew, at least three were from Old Faith families. She made another jog back to the office, where Howard looked over the list with an uncertain expression.

"Lena, I don't know..." He said, scratching behind his ear.

Lena pouted. "Please, Howard...Please. I really want to go. I need to get out. And I'm pretty sure I'll really need to get out after two more Corbetts have moved in here. Please, please, please let me do this!"

Howard continued to stare at the list and heaved a sigh. "Let me think about it, and even then I'm not too sure how the Council will react to this request. We'll see."

At dinner that night, with everyone gathered around the table (excepting Cheryl, Marie, Pete, and Mrs. Ralston, whose presence at the table had annoyed Master Daray to such an extent that they now ate in the kitchen instead), Howard was unusually quiet. This was typically a sign that the answer was going to be 'no,' as he liked sharing good news. Instead, the conversation turned to Griffin's family.

His three-month-old brother was in good health and his mother wasn't doing nearly as well since the loss of her husband, who she still refused to believe would have killed himself. Hesper was going to pop any day now, which would land her arrival to visit with Lena around the time that Mrs. Corbett was planning to move in. Ava was the only one who didn't see a problem with this inconvenient fact, as she was too overjoyed to have babies in the house again—ones whose diapers she would not be obliged to change.

Griffin was acting as though the situation was a bomb that needed to be diffused. "You'll have to tell her to delay her trip, Lena. My mother's dealing with enough already, and having the family disgrace in the house might put her over the edge."

Lena fought the temptation to hurl a fork load of peas at Griffin. He had become entirely too bossy in the past months, even given how little she had seen him. "She's my best friend. In fact, she's probably closer to being my sister than yours. So no, I'm not asking her to delay, and I'm not going to be making her stay out of your mother's way any more than your mother should have to stay out of hers. She's my guest, and I want to meet my niece. Your niece."

"Yes, it's a pity it's not a boy. Mason will never get an heir now—not that it's a bad thing. I voted against letting him in to begin with." Lena tried ignore Master Daray, but he had known her long enough to have figured out exactly which buttons to push. "But then, these things do tend to happen. Similar types are drawn together with similar results; that's why the girl went off with them to begin with. She goes off with young Mason and then they have a girl, and their only blessing is that they're both too stupid to mourn the loss."

Lena's jaw dropped and Howard set his utensils down to hold his face in his hands. He shot an apologetic look at Lena.

"Excuse me." Lena stood up and took her plate into the kitchen, where she sat down to eat between Pete and Mrs. Ralston. She felt bad for leaving Howard in the dining room alone, but was sure he understood.

The next morning, Howard confirmed that the Council was, indeed, refusing Lena's request. Even one of the families represented on the guest list had spoken against her going, and this fact particularly upset Howard, even though he had only been cautiously okay about her going to begin with. Apparently he felt insulted on a very personal level because his heir was being snubbed for reasons that didn't have much to do with the political disagreement surrounding her bloodline. Lena, however, was just upset that she wasn't going to go.

"Why can't I go? Why?" Lena was trying to hold the tears back, and was failing miserably. She was starting to hyperventilate, and on a perverse level she was hoping it might require someone to take her to the hospital—anything to get out and away. "I'm going to die here. They're going to keep me trapped here until I die, and there's nothing I can do about it..."

Howard walked out from behind his desk and sat down in the chair next to Lena. "Stop being so melodramatic. You'll get your chance. You've just got to find a way to make them trust you. My father was the foremost among researchers, scholars, and historians who specialized in the portal, but he was also married to a human woman with two sons, and one of them was human. He was a hard-core integrationist and believed in equal rights and representation for our lower classes, but he still found a way to get along with your other grandfather to continue his studies." He passed her a box of tissues. "He found a way to make it work, and so can you. It might not happen quickly, but you can make them trust you."

"How?"

Howard took a deep breath and looked out the window. A moment later he looked back. "I don't know. But you know what? You're a smart one. You've snuck out of this house twice without anyone knowing until after the fact, you've managed to learn the whole of Latito in only a few months, you know exactly what to do to aggravate every person living here, and you got yourself onto the Council with a much better margin than anyone expected. And you've been here just over a year—it's truly impressive what you've accomplished so short a time. You're clever, and you'll figure it out. You'll find a way to make them trust you."

Lena smiled. It was good to know that someone had faith in her—maybe she would figure it out. She certainly didn't think she would, but if Howard did, then maybe she would.

June 30th was as bright and cheerful as anyone could have asked. The lawn was a deep, sultry green and Pete had been keeping up well with the gardens. Marie had been helping him since she wanted to stay as far away from Master Daray as possible. She had quite a gift, and as Lena and Howard sat outside waiting for Hesper and Eric's arrival, he commented that he had never seen the flowers look so bright before. Reds, yellows, oranges, whites, and pinks danced in the slight summer breeze as butterflies, the first ones Lena had ever seen at Waldgrave, flittered about between them.

A grey sedan pulled up the drive and parked at the side of the house. Howard and Lena helped the guests move the luggage into the house where it was cooler, and then they settled into the living room. Hesper lifted the blanket cover from the car seat carrier, revealing a pink, wrinkled little body clothed in a bright white creeper with a glitter heart on it. Her name was Maren Delaney; the former name came from Eric's mother, who had died when he was very young. 'Delaney' had been the name on a piece of mail accidentally delivered to the Mason household on the day of the birth, and Hesper, tired and delusional from all the drugs, had liked it so much that she had written it down on the birth certificate. Maren yawned and stretched her tiny arms, then settled back into her nap.

Eric took her up to a room on the second floor to let her nap and to unpack their bags, and Hesper and Lena sat in the living room a while longer. Ava had wandered off when Maren left, and Howard excused himself to give the two friends some privacy.

"So. You're looking good." This, in fact, was an understatement. Hesper didn't look any different than she had before the pregnancy.

"Thanks. I've got three more pounds to go." Hesper and stretched out on the couch. "How are you?"

"Good." Lena shrugged.

Hesper gave her a look and smiled coyly. "Just good?"

Hesper bobbed her eyebrows suggestively, and Lena laughed. "What do you mean?"

"Griffin moved back in, didn't he?" Hesper pointed towards the upper floors.

"Oh. Yeah." Lena's voice deflated.

"Shut up. You've always had a crush on him and you know it."

"He's not the way he used to be. And you shut up, because I don't. He's a jerk." Lena sighed.

Hesper rolled her eyes. "How's everything else, then?"

"Well, speaking of Griffin, he's going to get back tomorrow with your mom. Apparently there's been some trouble with the family servants, so they'll probably both be in a great mood when they get here."

Hesper cracked a wry smile. "You're just one big freakin' ray of sunshine today, aren't you? What happened?"

Lena sank down on the couch. She had only heard what Howard had been told by Griffin, who had basically slated it to sound like an unfounded mutiny. "Well, you know your mom was a little high strung to begin with, right? And then there was the thing with your dad, and she's alone in the house except for the baby, and she started drinking a little so the staff took the baby away to keep him safe. Well, your mom still maintains that your dad didn't kill himself and that he was somehow murdered. She thinks the staff are trying to kill her and Darius Jr., and they got so fed up with her abuse that some of them walked out. Griffin disbanded the rest of the house because he's bringing the two of them here."

Hesper remained quiet for a moment, a pensive look on her face, then sat forward. "I guess it was bound to happen someday. My dad was the only one keeping order there. The baby's okay?"

Lena stood up and started walking to the kitchen; she needed something to rip apart with her teeth. "Yeah...about him. I'm not sure what's going to happen to him. Griffin is about ready to have her legally declared incompetent, and I think he thinks I'm going to surrogate his little brother, which isn't going to happen." She threw the refrigerator door open and pulled out some leftover meatloaf.

"He wants the baby to stay here?" Hesper asked in a surprised, slightly twanging tone. "Can't Ava take him?"

Lena shut the refrigerator door and glared at Hesper, raising her eyebrows sarcastically. Ava couldn't be trusted to take care of herself for more than a few hours, let alone a baby.

"Oh...right. Well, what about Mrs. Ralston?"

"Do you want some?" Hesper accepted the offer, having briefly forgone her vegetarian diet during her pregnancy and breastfeeding, and Lena pulled down two plates and started hacking away. "My grandfather doesn't believe that human-borns should be allowed to raise 'high-blooded'—his words, not mine—Silenti. So we have a competent parent who's unacceptable, an incompetent parent who is acceptable, and me. And I am sure as hell not going to adopt the kid, because I have no freaking clue how to raise a child, and I'm not going to ditch my political career to learn how. Griffin can get in touch with his maternal instinct."

Hesper took her meatloaf and they sat down at the table. "You're a little stressed out today. What's really up?"

Lena sighed as she fell into a chair. She'd been a little vicious with the meatloaf, and it wasn't really a loaf anymore. She stared at the meat crumbs on her plate. "I've got to get out of here. I've got to get out of here before I'm responsible for a child and I can't leave. And I can't leave because they don't trust me not to bring about the apocalypse."

They ate silently for a while. Lena could sense Hesper's sympathy, and wanted to feel better for it, but her life was just too dark. She couldn't shake the cloud that had been hanging over her since she had been disallowed from the rafting trip, no matter how hard she tried.

"I'm sorry Lena. I really am. If the portal hadn't been stolen so many years ago, this wouldn't be happening, but it is, and there's nothing we can do about it. Whoever had it probably got rid of it, but for a lot of people here there's a fear and a hope that it's out there waiting to be found. A lot of them are scared or wishful that it's a lot closer than we all think." She smiled and reached out to touch Lena's hand. "Come on. Let's go play with a baby—I promise it will make you feel better."

Lena smiled. Playing with a baby could make anyone feel better—just as long as it wasn't her baby.

Dinner that evening was a quiet affair. Howard had greatly hoped that Master Daray would have taken to eating upstairs while Hesper and Eric were visiting, but he hadn't. Everyone sat at the table staring at each other uncomfortably, except for Maren, who was cooing contentedly in a carrier in the chair next to Eric. Her intelligent little eyes kept darting to Master Daray's face, and she would smile at his almost comical level of displeasure. She was definitely taking after Hesper.

The next day Lena hid upstairs with her guests as Griffin settled his mother and brother into a room, and then they found themselves at yet another awkward dinner. Unfortunately, Hesper wasn't going to be nearly as shy with Griffin as she was with Master Daray.

"So, Lena says you've been a real jerk lately." She said, serenely lifting her fork. You really know what women want, don't you?"

Lena flinched and gazed into her broccoli trying to think of something to say. When she looked up, she saw Griffin staring at her. He wasn't smiling, but his eyes were very amused. He smirked and confidently looked back at Hesper. "Lena's a Council member now, not a woman."

"Uh huh. Sure. So why are you being a jerk lately?" It was evident that Hesper was trying to help, but Lena wished she would just stop. Fighting with Griffin never worked out well for either of them, because the stalemate enforced by the Council often resulted in drawn-out conflicts where they both tried to subtly sabotage the other without getting caught. And, much to Lena's chagrin, when the adults in the household finally did realize that something was happening, they were much more apt to try and stop Lena. Griffin didn't take orders from anyone but Master Daray.

Griffin kept cutting up his steak. When he had a bite ready on his fork, he looked back at Lena. "Lena? I'll differ this question to you."

Lena looked over at Howard, who was trying very hard to ignore the situation in hopes that it would go away, but Lena wasn't going to let the opportunity slip since no one had yet told her to behave herself. She looked back at Griffin. "Maybe it's because your lips are perpetually attached to someone's ass, Griffin. I'd imagine that kind of behavior would make anyone a little cranky."

Ava gasped and Howard almost choked on a mouthful of greens. Hesper tried not to laugh, Eric looked uncomfortable, and Master Daray had chosen not to honor her quip with a response of any kind. Griffin raised his eyebrows, but didn't look phased—in fact, he was looking at her like she was an animal doing a trick. She wanted to wipe the smug look off his face by saying something low, but he beat her to the punch.

"How's Australia, Hesper? I'm going to be spending some time in Cairns next week. After that I'm going to England to visit relatives, and then I'm going to a small political function in India. After that, if Master Daray can spare me for a week, I might take some time off in Greece." He looked back over at Lena. "I'll be sure to send you a postcard."

Lena took a deep breath. She was going to say something really low, something about his mother being a crazy, incompetent, old widow with a swinging husband, but Howard intervened. Don't. Just stop.

She looked back into her broccoli. Unfortunately, Griffin wasn't ready to let it go. I really will send you a postcard. I mean it. He's got me picking up some sort of artifact that someone dug up—cost him a load, too. It's another book; we'll read it together after I get back, but until then I'll be enjoying my vacation on the beach.

Lena tried to hold back her tears with some success. She would be here, like she always was, sitting around reading or helping with the chores, or doing Howard's paperwork, or trying on clothes so that Mrs. Ralston could send them back to get the next size up. Hesper reached over and grabbed her hand under the table, and the rest of the meal passed in silence.

Mrs. Corbett wasn't seen at all over the next few days, and Lena got a shred of revenge one day when she caught Griffin taking food up to her 'like a common servant.' Apparently Mrs. Corbett had become so paranoid when Mrs. Ralston had arrived at her door the first day, she wouldn't eat anything unless it was provided by Griffin. She kept her baby close, and no one had seen little Darius yet. Hesper was starting to worry that her mother would hurt the baby, and though Griffin wasn't openly agreeing with her, he was getting very anxious about the situation. Lena wasn't sure what was going to happen to Mrs. Corbett and her baby, but she was glad it wasn't her decision to make.

When Lena woke up on one bright July morning, and saw a card pushed halfway under her bedroom door, she assumed it was because Griffin was going to miss her birthday due to the fact that he was living a life she was desperately jealous of. When she opened it, she was filled with a mixture of amused anger and outright disbelief. Since she had become a member of the Council, he hadn't been able to push her around or tell her what do as much. As a result, he had become much more devious in his methods.

You'll be caring for my mother and brother while I'm out of town. They're staying in one of the larger bedroom suites on the east side of the fourth floor. I've attached a schedule—be prompt, as she gets very irritable when she's kept waiting.

My plane left at six this morning, and if you're waking at the typical hour, you're already late for her breakfast. I suggest you run.

Griffin

Well, that's just great. Lena checked the schedule on the next page, looked over at the clock on the nightstand, and saw that she was late by almost an hour. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Griffin. He didn't answer. Taking a deep breath, she grappled with her options.

She was the only one who knew. Mrs. Corbett wasn't likely to trust any of the kitchen staff Waldgrave currently had, and judging from what Lena knew of the late Master Corbett, she probably wasn't fond of Howard, either. Hesper and Eric weren't on a favorable list either, even if Lena had had the heart to try to make them do it. Ava was just short of completely hopeless. That left Master Daray; there was a snow ball's chance in hell that he would be providing services to anyone, even a mother in need.

Lena sighed, got dressed, and went down to the kitchen, where breakfast had already been prepared. She shoveled some eggs, bacon, and toast onto a plate, poured a glass of orange juice, and ignored Hesper's funny look before making her way to the fourth floor. She knocked and waited at three different doors before Griffin's inept directions led her to the right one.

Only two or three seconds after Lena had knocked, the door had opened just a crack, and a darkly outlined, clear blue eye had looked her over sharply. A moment later, Mrs. Corbett walked away from the door, leaving it slightly ajar. When she hadn't come back after several minutes of waiting, Lena timidly pushed the door open.

"Mrs. Corbett?" She shifted the tray awkwardly in her hands, trying to be sure none of the juice sloshed.

"I'm waiting." And indeed she was. Lena looked around the room and saw her seated at a small table, her hand resting on a cradle that was tucked closely next to her chair. She was a stern looking woman in a blue blouse, a semi-fitted black ankle-length skirt, and expensive, designer shoes. Her deep brown hair was done up in a perfect bun, and her makeup was flawless. For a woman who planned to stay in the same room all day, and for nine o'clock in the morning, she was looking better than Lena did on most formal occasions. Lena suddenly realized that Mrs. Corbett's piercing blue eyes were still watching her. There was an annoyed, sour look on her face.

Lena started to walk toward the table.

"Shut the door." She snapped.

Lena kicked the door shut with her foot, which caused Mrs. Corbett to give her a disapproving glare, and continued on to the table. She set the tray of food down and turned to leave.

"You'll stay and watch the baby while I eat, and then take the tray away with you. It lessens the intrusion of my needing to answer the door a second time." She said all of this without looking at Lena, who paused, turned around, and looked into the cradle. He looked exactly like Griffin, except smaller, chubbier, and balder. She reminded herself that he wasn't cute; he was the enemy. The enemy she wasn't going to get attached to.

"He's sleeping." Lena said.

As Mrs. Corbett placed her napkin firmly in her lap she glared up at Lena again. "Then you'll sit and wait in case if he wakes up."

Lena looked around and saw a chair against the far wall, which she sat down in. She watched Mrs. Corbett eat her breakfast; her stomach growled, as she'd skipped her own breakfast to get Mrs. Corbett's to her faster. When she finally brought her napkin to her lips—being careful not to smudge her sleek lipstick—and set it on her tray, Lena got up to fetch the plate and claim her freedom until lunch was due. When she reached out for the plate, though, Mrs. Corbett caught her arm.

"Not so quickly. Turn."

Lena gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Turn. Turn around, so I can look at you."

Lena hesitantly took a few steps back and turned around, keeping her eyes always on Mrs. Corbett. She made a mental note not to bring up a knife next time. Mrs. Corbett sighed and relaxed slightly into her chair. She crossed her legs.

"You're a beauty, but those pants don't suit you." She said. "That—shirt—is a size too large and your hair needs a professional. You need makeup and your eyebrows need waxing, but you have potential."

She looked at Lena a moment longer, and Lena wondered if she was waiting for a reply of some sort. She wasn't going to get one. Then she started talking again.

"Everything was cold. I don't eat bacon or eggs cooked in bacon grease, and the orange juice had pulp in it, which is already upsetting my stomach. It won't happen again. I'll have a turkey sandwich on wheat for lunch with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on one side of the bread. Keep it light. I want the crusts trimmed off but still on the plate, not touching the rest of the sandwich. One apple, cored, cut into small enough pieces that I won't smudge my lipstick while eating it. A mug of hot water and a glass of cold water, no ice, and an unopened individually sealed tea bag. Is that clear?"

"Sure..." Lena said, not sure what else to say.

Lena turned and walked toward the door, beginning to see for the first time how possible it was that someone had become annoyed enough with the woman to want to kill her. She rolled her eyes. At least I have potential... She thought to herself.

"Sarcasm is not appealing." Mrs. Corbett remarked sharply from behind her, and Lena flinched. "It won't happen again."

Without a word, Lena left the room. She had been exceedingly careful to keep that thought to herself, too. She went down to the living room and crashed on the couch with Eric and Hesper. They were watching a daytime game show and eating popcorn. When Lena sat down, Hesper looked over at her sympathetically.

"She's a pill, isn't she?"

"Not the word I was thinking of, but yeah, she is. Does everyone in your family have the ability to hear private thoughts?" Lena shot a pained look at Hesper. It was going to be a long few weeks until Griffin got back.

"Oh." Hesper blushed. Behind her, Eric was nodding enthusiastically. "Well, yeah, I guess so. My mom's the only one who abuses the advantage, though."

Eric went from nodding to shaking his head. In one swift motion, Hesper swung her elbow back and nailed him in the gut. Eric threw a fistful of popcorn at his wife as Ava came running into the room carrying Maren at arm's length in front of her.

"Take it! Take it!"

Eric stood up and took Maren. "What's wrong?"

"She's got that look again!"

Lena felt her stomach drop through the floor. She spun around and searched Maren's eyes for disaster, but didn't see anything wrong. While the Corbetts were apparently attuned mind readers, everyone in the Daray line had the ability to see death in the eyes of the soon to be deceased. Eric had forgone actually looking at Maren and had instead leaned in close and smelled her.

"Yep. I got it." And he started for the stairs. Hesper smiled dreamily after him, then turned back to Lena.

"Just don't take her crap." Hesper shrugged easily as Ava wandered away again. "If you're lucky, you might even end up like me and get to never talk to her again. How's Darius?"

"He was sleeping when I was up there." Lena said, fidgeting with the remote to turn up the volume on the television.

Hesper waited a moment to be sure that Lena wasn't intending to add anything. "And?"

"And what? It's a baby, they're all the same, right?"

Hesper laughed, grabbing the remote and turning the television off. "No! Now tell me what he looks like, because I haven't seen him. I probably won't get to see him until he's old enough to be out in public alone. He's my brother, Lena."

"Um, okay..." Lena thought back. It was a baby—bald and pudgy as they all were. She was trying not to focus on the fact that he was already showing a distinct resemblance to Griffin; it bothered her for some reason. "He's bald and chubby." She said simply

Hesper stared at her a moment longer. Then she gave a frustrated sigh and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and started to find the camera mode. "You're going to take a picture. For me, because I want to know what my little brother looks like."

An image of Mrs. Corbett attacking her at the mere suggestion of taking a picture flashed into Lena's mind. "He looks like Griffin, okay?! Geez! Why's that so important?!"

Highly amused, Hesper smiled. "Why does that bother you so much?"

"Because I am not getting attached to this baby, and I am not living out whatever sick fantasy Griffin has about my becoming the surrogate mother after yours gets committed!" Lena stood up and paced to the window. She turned and leaned against it, facing Hesper, who was still looking very amused at her friend's frustration.

"I wish they'd just give him to me. I'd take him." Hesper smiled. She closed her cell phone and put it away.

"Ha! Doubt it!"

"Well, who knows...I mean, they might vote to just dispose the Corbett house from the Council this year now that there aren't really any of us left. God knows where our servants are, even. I'd be truly surprised if Griffin gets them to put a hold on it until the kid's sixteen."

It was true, but Lena gave the Corbett name a better chance than Hesper did. Griffin had mentioned something about Master Daray wanting to keep the Corbetts on the Council because they had always voted in his favor. And if he got to raise another child under this roof, it was ensuring yet another generation of protection for the Daray family. History had proven that Daray held enough sway on the Council to enforce his will when he needed to.

The clock on the wall caught her eye. She only had an hour and a half before Mrs. Corbett's lunch was due, and she still hadn't showered or eaten breakfast. Turkey on...something. Lena excused herself to go upstairs and shower, kicking herself for forgetting the order. When she came back down to the kitchen she made three sandwiches, hoping one of the guesses would be correct, and drudged back up to the fourth floor.

She knocked. Three minutes later, when no one had answered, she knocked again. Her second attempt went unrewarded. Slightly perturbed because the weight of the tray was starting to cut into her arm, she cracked the door and peered inside. Mrs. Corbett was seated at her table, with the baby in her arms, apparently unable to be bothered by getting up to answer the doors or even call a simple, 'Enter!'

Lena walked in and set the tray on the table. Mrs. Corbett held the baby out towards her, and Lena froze. She didn't want to hold him. Mrs. Corbett turned and glared at her.

"Don't be unnatural, take the baby!"

Their eyes met, and Lena quickly looked away. She reached out and took the baby; he was heavier than she had expected, and never having held a baby for longer than a few minutes, she wasn't quite sure what to do. Darius was heavier than Maren, and he wiggled far too much. She tried holding him the way she had seen Hesper hold Maren, but it didn't work—he immediately started squirming and whining, arched his back, and Lena almost dropped him. Mrs. Corbett was on her feet immediately, grabbing the child back from her.

"Oh, for goodness sake! A girl your age should have more experience!" She glared at Lena as she swayed on her feet, clutching Darius close to her chest. "You've never held a baby before? Never?"

Annoyed and embarrassed, Lena lashed out. "Only your daughter's! I'm sorry, but I've been too busy doing more important things to have done much more than that!"

"So you've made clear to the world." Mrs. Corbett said disapprovingly. "Put your arms out."

Lena gaped at her. "What? I don't want to hold him!"

"This isn't about what you want. This is about you being here to help me, and you're going to hold him." She once again held Darius out and away from her.

Lena gave an exasperated sigh, looked longingly at the door, and then put her arms out in front of her. Mrs. Corbett carefully handed Darius back to her.

"You're going to have to hold him closer." She directed. "There. Now, if he starts to fuss you need to move by walking or swaying."

She sat back down and started eating a sandwich. Lena was terribly uncomfortable; he was heavy, and he kept looking at her like he knew she was a novice. He stared for a good ten minutes before he started turning his head to look around the rest of the room; his eyes landed on Mrs. Corbett and he arched his back again. Lena struggled to keep him from pitching himself at his mother, but he never cried, and the rest of the meal passed without incident.

Lena took the tray and the garbage out of the room. Mrs. Corbett's dinner order had been even more complex than her lunch order, and in addition she had asked for more diapers and baby formula. After she cleaned up the dishes in the kitchen, Lena asked Hesper if she would be willing to make a run into town for her to get the requested supplies. As Lena watched the car pull away and down the drive from the front door, the spring season making the rest of the world so vibrant and warm, and with nothing to look forward to but serving Mrs. Corbett's dinner and processing the RSVPs for the year's Council, she was again struck by how depressed her life was making her. She needed to get out, and she had no idea how to make it happen.

*****

CHAPTER 2

Summer wore on and eventually wore out; in a perverse kind of way, Lena almost enjoyed watching the lawn turn brown and the flower gardens die. Waldgrave's exterior was finally starting to match what she felt on the inside. Hesper and Eric had gone back to Australia at the start of August, and though Mrs. Corbett was becoming slightly warmer towards Lena, the best they could hope for was agreeing to disagree. Postcards from Griffin had been arriving all summer, which hadn't bettered her mood any. He had decided to take his extended beach vacation in Greece. She hadn't spoken to him since before he left, and he wasn't answering her calls—Lena suspected that he was as fed up with his mother as she was. He was due back any day, as it was only two and a half weeks until Council was in again; the first families were expected to arrive the following week.

Her seventeenth birthday had been somewhat anticlimactic after the plane tickets the year before, but it had been nice to have Hesper, Eric, and little Maren there to share it. She had received cards from all of the usual families, one signed by the entire Colburn staff, and one specifically from Devin. He had stuck some dry-pressed flowers into the middle.

Flowers for my uptown girl.

Happy Birthday, Dev

It was very nice, and had even raised her spirits for a few days, but in the end she was still living at Waldgrave, scrubbing out Mrs. Corbett's bathtub because she didn't trust anyone else in the room, and that thought alone depressed her so much that she began to lose track of time. Every day was the same as the last, and it all blurred together too easily. The year had gone by far too quickly and uneventfully, and Lena knew she had to be going crazy the day she was happy to be spending time with her grandfather.

"I'll be requiring new suits this year, Howard." He said, clearing his throat and staring expectantly.

Howard carefully folded his hands on the table. "Are you making an announcement of some sort?"

Lena looked up from her cheese broccoli soup at her grandfather, who was making a face that was all too innocent.

"No. I merely require new suits; I trust you can make the necessary arrangements?" Master Daray asked.

Howard's eyes went slightly squinty; he suspected something. The other Council members would too, and it spoke of trouble. Excitement, Lena reminded herself, but surely a good deal of trouble as well. Anything her grandfather did inherently landed on her at some point in the future.

Howard spoke again. "You can order them."

"I don't want to order them. Only custom fitted suits will do. If it's her you're worried about," he nodded at Lena, "Then why don't we make it a household outing of sorts? Surely no one will object if we all go; it will be the exact same as if we were here."

Lena wanted to leap across the table and hug him; it was then that she realized she had been cooped up far too long. It was only a clothing run, after all. With her grandfather, of all people. But it was something to do other than sitting around, waiting on Mrs. Corbett, changing Darius's diapers and dealing with last minute travel changes for various Council members—these were often hard to deal with, as the visas had to be planned months in advance.

A few days later, after Howard had cleared the arrangement (though doing this was not easy), Lena found herself happier than she should have been to be crammed in the backseat of the sedan between her mother and Mrs. Ralston. Howard drove, and Master Daray gave an ongoing commentary from the front passenger seat.

"It's been a few years now since we've done this, hasn't it Howard? I see they've finally finished the repairs to the road from so many winters ago. Lazy humans—can't even patch up potholes in a decent time span. When I rebuilt Waldgrave after the fire, I used only Silenti labor, and the house was up in less than two months. Lucky the original foundations survived the fire; that did help. Of course, human-borns have always inherited the laziness and other weaknesses of their less-than-pure heritage, and I was constantly on them to get it done that quickly..."

He trailed on from there about the details of the house and how much he hated humans, human-borns, and the general prospect of servants ever gaining the political standing they were recently asking for. Lena began to tune him out, but he noticed, and so said something she couldn't ignore.

"I made them sleep in tents until the house was done enough for the servants' quarters to be livable. That was a harsh winter; I believe we lost five or ten to pneumonia and hypothermia, but in the end it was well worth it."

"They died?" Lena asked.

"Hmm...from the cold. It wasn't a huge expense, though. After the house was finished I turned all of them out. I wasn't sure who I could trust, you see, so they all had to go. I took on a modest amount of servants the following spring, and even with the time it took them to adjust to the way I liked my household to be run, I still consider it worth it. Of course, I inevitably threw all of them out again when Thomas was murdered...lazy, sneaky, self-serving, back-stabbing rats."

Lena looked over at Mrs. Ralston, who was looking stoically out the window. She grabbed her hand and tried to ignore the biological relationship she shared with the man in the front passenger seat.

"Most of the new servants were children between the ages of eight and fourteen given as tribute from faithful supporters of our family—"

Howard interjected. "You're done. No more talking until we get there. And so help me, I'm not above turning this car around and giving my recommendation that you never leave the house again."

Howard kept his eyes on the road, but Lena could see he was clutching the steering wheel a little too tightly. Daray sighed and turned his head to look conceitedly out the window. Five minutes later Howard's cell phone started buzzing; he unclipped it from his belt and threw it over his shoulder in Lena's general direction.

Lena opened the cell phone and pressed it to her ear. "You've reached Howard Collin's personal number, he's unavailable at the moment, how may I direct your call?"

"Lena, put Howard on." Griffin's tone was...defeated. Maybe a little angry.

Lena raised her eyebrows, surprised to be hearing Griffin's voice. "He's driving."

"So tell him to pull over, dammit!" The anger in his voice was rising, but after he had ignored her for so long, Lena wasn't in the mood to bend to his wishes over a little yelling.

"Oh, okay, calm down now! I'm not going to—"

An eruption of yells and expletives came out of the phone so loud that everyone in the car could hear.

"Griffin, just take it down a notch and tell me what you want!" Lena hissed into the phone.

There was dead silence on the line. In the rearview mirror, Howard watched Lena's expression go from annoyed, to shocked, to devilishly amused.

"Okay. I'll tell him, and he'll get back to you as soon as possible. And remember, soap on a rope is your friend." She clicked the phone shut, smiling as Howard hadn't seen her do in several months.

"What?" Howard glanced back up into the rearview several times to try and keep eye contact.

Lena handed the cell phone back to the front, still looking far too happy, and Howard reattached it to his belt. "Griffin's being held in a slammer in New York and needs you to post bail."

Ava grabbed her arm. "What?!"

Master Daray spun as far around in his seat as he could without undoing his seatbelt. "Did he say anything about the relics? Are they okay?"

"What did you do? What the hell did you do this time?!" Howard pulled the car over. "Out. Get out of the car now."

Howard and Master Daray got out of the car. Through the windshield, Lena and the other two women watched intently as Daray calmly explained something and Howard went red in the face. Then it was Howard's turn to talk...or yell, as the case may have been.

"Is he okay?" Mrs. Ralston whispered. "Griffin?"

Lena looked over at Mrs. Ralston. Her eyes gave nothing away that she was concerned; Lena wished she had the power to seem so calm. "He's a little miffed that he's in jail, but I think he's okay. He picked a fight with some guy in customs when he tried to confiscate one of the relics...apparently there were seeds in it, or something organic. So yeah, now he's in jail, and I guess he needs someone to bail him out."

Lena's eyes went back to the drama unfolding in front of the car. Howard was holding his cell phone to his ear with one hand and making animated gestures as he talked with the other. Lena wasn't sure who he was talking to, but the conversation was very brief. The two men got back in the car, and without anyone saying anything, they continued to drive to their shopping destination.

The shopping was similarly curt as far as verbal communication went, and Howard was looking the way he usually did when a load of unnecessary paperwork landed on his desk. Mrs. Ralston took the opportunity to fit Lena for new formal wear, and Ava bought herself some new dresses. The car ride home was silent, but as soon as they were in the door Howard asked Lena up to his office.

He sat down at his desk and immediately put his cell phone down and rubbed his head like he had a really bad hangover. He sighed deeply then looked up at Lena. "Okay, so here's where we stand. I haven't told the Council yet, because it would have looked too suspicious that it happened while we were out and away, and I'm absolutely sure this part of Griffin's excursion wasn't planned. So if anyone asks, I didn't get that phone call until we were back. Greg Mason's been on the phone trying to get a hold of one of Griffin's cousins to post the bail for him, if he even has cousins, but he hasn't called back yet."

"Why a cousin?" Lena settled into a chair in front of the desk; she knew it was a big deal, but Howard was acting unusually perturbed.

"Well, I'm sure you know that we try to fly under the radar, and we don't want someone random posting bail because it might be cause for attention. We think he's got a cousin through his mother's side who's old enough to do it, but we're not sure where he is because he's in hiding...the way Griffin was and the way several others are. It's...complicated, to say the least."

Howard's cell phone started buzzing again, and Howard answered it. "Greg, please tell me...Huh. You're kidding, right? An American would be better, but...okay. Sure." Howard grabbed a notepad and a pen and started writing something down. "You're sure the birth records and the marriage licenses are on the books, in case they check?...Okay. Thanks for your help."

Howard closed the phone, set it down, and continued to write for a moment. He silenced Lena as she was about to speak by raising one finger as he picked his phone back up and dialed a number. "Hello. Yes, is this the Croft residence?...May I please speak to Jim Croft?" He paused for a moment, tapping his pen one the desk. "Jim, this is Howard Collins. This is an emergency situation, and I need to know the whereabouts of the Alarid boy. His father says he's with you." Howard's eyes met Lena's for a moment, then he quickly glanced away again. "I see. I understand. If you could please get back to me as soon as possible, then? Of course. Goodbye."

He hung up the phone. Lena couldn't contain herself. "Alarid? Like the Alarids?"

"Mrs. Alarid and Mrs. Corbett are sisters. Most of the older families here are interrelated somehow, but I'm a bit surprised that they would have sent their heir off to live with the Crofts...They're applying for Council membership this year, and if I remember correctly, the Croft's ancestors used to be the Alarid's servants." Howard thought for a moment, and then shrugged. "I guess it's not that surprising."

"Political favor to assure getting in, maybe?"

"More like 'must be'." Howard's phone buzzed again. He answered it. "No, not here. New York. I'll wire the money to his parents immediately, and they can send it on from there..."

Howard gave all the details, and then hung up. He sighed, looking exhausted. "Well, I guess that's it, if you want to go."

Lena held up her hand. "So...wait, Alexis Alarid is Griffin's cousin? She's never said anything..."

Howard shook his head. "Historically speaking, the Silenti have never put a great deal of importance on the mother's heritage because all the representation, until very recently, was done through the male line. I doubt she knows she's related to Griffin, or if she does, that she cares. I doubt she even knows that she has an older brother, to be frank. The only reason we know now is because we asked and Master Alarid was kind enough to tell—he didn't have to, but there's usually huge political returns for doing this kind of stuff. Especially since it's Griffin we're talking about."

They stared at each other for a moment. Howard finally broke the spell. "I'll see you at dinner, then?"

"Guess so. Good luck with all of this."

Lena left and prepared for Mrs. Corbett's dinner; she hoped Griffin wouldn't be kept long in New York, as the woman was becoming more finicky than ever. She had stopped requesting fixed food and instead asked for things that she herself could make her own sandwiches with. She wouldn't drink from cups anymore, instead preferring unopened sealed beverages. Darius was becoming more of a handful, and while he wasn't mobile yet, Lena was sure he would figure out how to crawl any day, and Mrs. Corbett had warned her that when that happened, he would need constant supervision. Part of the problem seemed to be that he was bored with his toys and Mrs. Corbett was too paranoid to let Lena bring in any new ones. While Lena felt slightly bad that Griffin was in a jail somewhere, she harbored a small grudge that he had managed to delay his return.

The next two weeks came and went, and still no Griffin. Howard informed Lena that Griffin had to make a court appearance, which had been scheduled for the day before the first Council meeting. Master Daray was almost as furious as Lena with the whole situation.

With the arrival of more house servants with the other families, and the fact that they kept wandering unknowingly into her room to try to change the bed linens and clean the bathroom, Mrs. Corbett had gone from eccentric to near hysterical. She had stopped eating food that was "easily tampered with" and would only eat unpeeled fresh fruits and sealed store-bought goods. While it certainly cut down on the time required to prepare her meals, Lena was having a hard time justifying to Mrs. Ralston the fact that Mrs. Corbett required a fresh box of cereal to open every morning because she thought her old servants were sneaking into her room at night to poison the box from the previous day.

Lena's time was at a premium. It seemed Mrs. Corbett was mere hours from losing the last cards in her deck, and Lena didn't feel right leaving her alone with the baby for long periods of time. She was doing Howard's paperwork and playing all the social games she could to keep favor in the Council. In addition, she was spending as much time as possible with the kitchen staff in the evenings to keep her sanity and her sense of humor alive.

The Masons hadn't arrived until three days before the first Council because of a scheduling conflict with Greg's job. Because there were only tents left, and Lena's concern for Darius's health was reaching a crescendo, she offered to let the entire family use her room for the duration of the Council and she moved herself up to sleep on a cot in Mrs. Corbett's room. Mrs. Corbett was not happy with the arrangement, forcing Lena to lie and say it had been Griffin's idea and it would only be until he got back—at that point, the rules regarding Lena needing to stay off the upper floors would kick back in, anyways. She wasn't sure where she would be sleeping at that point, but there was a new baby in the Mason family, and they needed her room more than she did.

The first dinner and the dance went as they usually did, and that night Lena got to sit through her first Council. Because she couldn't hear the public thought speak used by Representatives addressing the Council, Howard had to quietly translate for her. Most of the first meeting was a summary of everything that was going to be covered during that Council term, part of it was ceremonial, and it lasted until well past midnight. The first order of business for the next morning was dealing with Griffin's arrest; Lena wasn't sure if he would even be back in time.

After the Council, Lena found her way down to the kitchen, where she met up with Devin, Tab, Pete, and a few other staff members. She could hear them all the way from the bottom of the stairs in the living room. They were sitting around the table laughing raucously and playing some sort of card game.

Devin caught her out of the corner of his eye. "Lena!"

"Lena!" The rest of the table looked up and echoed Devin's yell. Tab gave up his chair next to Devin so that Lena could sit and pulled a stool up between Pete and a staff member Lena didn't recognize around the other side of the table. He was tall, lanky, blond, and perhaps in his early twenties; he gave Lena a small nod as she took her place at the table.

Devin threw an arm around her shoulders and started pointing around the table. "Lena, I think you remember Jen and Phil from last year, and the new guy's Rollin, but we all call him The Captain here. Thinks he's a revolutionary. This is Lena Collins, a friend."

Rollin's stern expression never changed through the introductions. He carefully put down his hand of cards. "So, you're Daray's last stand. I must say, you don't live up to the stories." The table went silent, and after realizing his faux-pas, Rollin started speaking again. "It's just that there's these...stories, that's all. Where I come from, you're a living legend for the life you've led. You're a politician, right? The only human-raised politician on the Council?"

Lena gave Devin a hesitant sideways glance. For someone who she didn't know, he knew a lot about her; there were a few human-born Silenti on the Council, but to her knowledge she was the only human-raised one. There weren't many people who willingly or consciously made that distinction. She smiled, trying to bring back the airy atmosphere that had existed before she came into the room. "I guess so."

"Tell me then, do you have any desire to help our cause? The rest of the human-born Silenti?"

Rollin was trying to stare her down. She turned to face him and held his gaze. "Absolutely. I believe everyone has a right to be fairly represented, and I hope someday—"

"Someday. You see now, that's the problem. Are we some sort of hobby to you? From what I've heard, you come and go here as you please, just like the rest of them. You have your fun and then you go back up to your rich life, and you don't give a damn what happens to us in between. You claim you care, but this house was built by slave labor and you still live in it. You have access to enough money to change the lives of every person at this table, but you don't do it. You eat the food we cook, wear the clothes we wash, and sleep in the beds we make. Seems to me you enjoy this system more than anyone else at this table. You're just like the rest of them, asking our friendship on the promise of a 'someday.'"

Lena stared at him for a moment. "That's not true!" She stammered. "There's work being done on your behalf..."

"No?!" Rollin shot up from his seat, almost toppling Tab from his stool in the process. "Let me ask you this, then. You just came from the Council briefing?"

Lena nodded.

"Was there any mention at all about the fifty-two people who were put out of their home last spring when the Corbett household was dissolved on a whim? Did anyone ask, or even care, what happened to us and where we went? Because I can tell you the most of us are starving with nowhere to go and no past. Some of them can't even get government aid from this country because we don't have birth records to prove citizenship. We're starving in the streets, and it'll be a cold day in hell when the Council decides to do a damn thing about it! You claim you're like us, but I'd bet my life that that particular fate is something you've never had to worry about."

Lena stared at him. He stared back. The tension was so thick Lena thought she could feel the air pulsing around her, but then she realized it was her own heartbeat. Rollin looked like he was ready to jump across the table and attack her for everything that she represented in his eyes. And then a new voice joined the fray.

"Lena, what the hell are you doing down here? What's going on?" Lena looked over at the laundry room door. Griffin had just come in through the side entrance, and she hated to admit that she was happy to see him. A second man, about Griffin's height and weight, with dark hair and Griffin's nose, was standing just behind him looking bewildered. They were both wearing long coats, suggesting the weather was starting to turn again. Griffin and Rollin had locked eyes.

"I want you out of this house." Griffin said. His tone was serious, and his eyes were filled with a pointed hatred as he stared at Rollin.

Lena didn't know why, but she felt compelled to speak on Rollin's behalf. "It's okay, Griffin, you don't need to—"

"Shut up, Lena, you don't know anything about this. Get out. I want you gone by tomorrow morning." He didn't blink. Neither did Rollin. After a tense few seconds, Rollin left the room, roughly pushing past Griffin. Lena heard him go into the servants' quarters, and then he left through the side entrance, slamming the door as he went. Griffin turned to Lena. "You shouldn't be here."

"I'm not leaving." Lena stayed in her chair. She wasn't afraid of him—Rollin's point was starting to hit home. She wasn't like them at all; she didn't have to leave when Griffin told her to. Had her mother been anyone else, though, she would have followed his orders like anyone else.

"We have a meeting tomorrow morning." Griffin said coolly.

"So?" Lena met his gaze. She suddenly realized that Devin still had his arm around her shoulders. She hoped Griffin could tell how disgusted she with what had just transpired.

Griffin stared at Lena for a moment longer, and then decided to move on. He was too tired to deal with her now. He looked over at Pete. "Show my guest to the Alarid's room; they'll be expecting him."

Pete got up and walked silently from the room, and the dark haired man followed him without a word. Griffin threw Lena another annoyed look before stalking out; Lena dreaded the conversation they would inevitably be having the next day. Everyone remaining in the room was completely silent.

"I'm sorry." Lena murmured.

"I think I'll call it a night." Tab avoided Lena's gaze and went back to the servants' quarters.

There was another minute of silence. Devin finally looked over at Lena. "I don't know what he was talking about. That was pretty damn legendary, if you ask me."

There was an audible sigh of relief, but no one was laughing. Phil looked over at Devin. "So, are we still playing?"

"Sure." Devin collected the cards from around the table and shuffled them. As he dealt the cards out, he looked over at Lena. "Have you ever played poker before?"

"Yeah."

They played a few rounds before Lena found her way up to the fourth floor. She alerted Mrs. Corbett to her presence, as she had done every night to be sure she wasn't mistaken for a servant and attacked, and collapsed into the her cot. She didn't sleep well that night.

"You can have your mother back now." Lena had waited outside the Council hall on the fifth floor to talk to Griffin. They were expected to be seated inside, ready to begin, in ten minutes—this way she wouldn't get pulled into any long lectures about how she was supposed to be acting. She was bleary from the fight the night before, but found herself surprisingly alert given how little sleep she'd gotten.

"How's she doing?" Griffin was looking about as tired as Lena felt.

"They're okay. I mean, your mom is crazy, there's no way of sugar-coating that fact, but the kid looks like he'll be crawling any day now."

"Healthy?" Griffin asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Lena rolled her eyes. "She won't take him to a doctor and I don't have a clue."

"I'll see what I can do." He walked away and took his place next to Master Daray in the Council hall. Lena followed him in and her place next to Howard. All four of them were sitting toward the front of the room that day because Daray, Howard, and Griffin were going to have to speak about how and why Griffin had ended up incarcerated in New York.

A moderator called the meeting to order and asked Griffin to explain what had happened. His testimony was backed up by Howard and Daray, and his cousin, Nicolas Alarid. Nicolas was going to be giving his exposition for Council approval at the end of the present Council term. Things appeared to be going well until someone asked Griffin what he had been so desperate to get into the country, and he replied that Daray had sent him to India to collect some Silenti relics from an archaeologist there. Howard's translation of the events suddenly stopped. People were standing up, yelling, and through the commotion the moderator finally got everyone to calm down.

Lena leaned over and whispered. "What's happening?"

Howard glanced over at her before fixing his eyes on Griffin and the moderator at the front of the room. They're upset because he doesn't know what he was bringing back. Master Astley is now making the point that Daray was put under house arrest to prevent his further dabbling in dangerous Silenti artifacts—he could have found the portal, for all anyone knew, and Griffin would have brought it back to him without ever knowing. It's a grave transgression if those relics are found to be anything but ordinary.

Griffin was excused back to his seat, and Daray was called to speak.

Howard started his commentary again. He's saying the relics were just collector's pieces, nothing special, and that they were so insignificant he didn't even think the Council would care. He could have had them delivered, but as Griffin was going anyways, he thought it would be easier and safer to have them picked up. Howard gazed around behind him. Okay, Master Astley is saying that as Griffin is a member of the Daray house, and he's proved himself not trustworthy, he should have the same restrictions placed on him that you, your mother, and your grandfather have...Master Perry is saying that it's a stupid idea, as the only reason we have such restrictions is for your own safety and to prevent Daray from actively seeking and opening the portal. He's making the point that any person here could try to find the portal and bring it here, Griffin is no exception...Master Astley is getting very upset, Master Alarid is asking why we even bother with such a trivial issue, he's out of prison now and the relics look fairly innocuous.

Displayed at the front of the room, they did look innocuous. There was a small wood chest, maybe only twelve inches long, a large book, and a shard of a mirror. Lena wasn't sure how they had managed to get them back from customs, but she was willing to bet the government didn't know they were missing.

Master Mason is siding with Master Astley, as if the habit is allowed to continue it allows Daray a means of searching for the portal without Council knowledge. There was a loud sound from the back of the room, and several people spun around in shock. Master Alarid had slammed his fist down on the desk. Okay, Master Alarid is now making the point that the portal belongs to Daray anyways, as it had belonged to his ancestors, and he finds it ridiculous that the Council has restricted religious belief and practice so definitely. Master Astley is...using expletives, and is generally unhappy with Master Alarid's position, because the Council has not restricted religious practice. It has restricted the use of possible unknown biological weaponry...

And the use of the word 'weaponry' started a whole new debate. Lena looked around her and saw people rolling their eyes and sighing heavily. Apparently this debate had happened a few times before. It went on until lunch break was announced by the moderator, and everyone filed down to the dining room, where the debate continued.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe we're wasting time on this again." Greg Mason sat down next to Lena and Howard. "Can't we just, for once, know the issues, sit down, and take a vote on whether or not we think punishment or restrictions are in order?"

Howard gave him an almost sarcastic look of disapproval. "Now, Greg...This was all new for Lena, wasn't it?"

Lena nodded. "Parts of it, anyway."

"Yeah...I bet you never thought Council was so...chaotic." Greg grumbled.

"Uncivilized? Yeah, it was getting a little hot in there. I'd never have guessed that everyone was toning it down so much when they were outside that room." Lena looked around the dining room, surprised to see everyone so instantly calm as the food was brought out. A plate landed in front of Lena, and she looked around and saw Devin. He winked. Lena started looking for the note, and found it in the napkin that was wrapped around her silverware.

Don't eat the soup.

Cards tonight 10:00 p.m.

Lena's eyes shot to the people sitting across the table from her. They were all sitting at the smaller, round tables because it created a "sense of equality" more so than the large head table that was used for dinners. Other than Howard and Greg, her only other table mates were Masters Abbott, his heir, Perry, and some guy whose name she couldn't remember, but who she remembered hanging around her grandfather a lot during the last Council. She looked back at the note, careful not to think too loudly about what it said. A lot of things could have happened to that soup.

Greg didn't seem too interested in his soup, which was good, but Howard already had a spoonful en route to his mouth. Lena caught his arm as inconspicuously as she could and shook her head when he looked over at her. He put the spoon down and pushed his soup away. He didn't want to know what was wrong with it, but he was certainly glad that Lena had friends in the kitchen.

*****

CHAPTER 3

"Mrs. Corbett?"

After the evening meeting that day, Lena went to collect her belongings from the room on the fourth floor. Griffin had told her there was a small guest room elsewhere on the floor that wasn't being used, and though she hadn't found it yet, she was determined not to spend another night in the same room with Mrs. Corbett and her son. It was too...unnerving. Lena had stayed awake at night, afraid that if she fell asleep Mrs. Corbett would forget who she was and she would awake to find the woman standing over her with a knife, or worse, having done something to Darius.

"Mrs. Corbett?" Lena cautiously walked into the room. Mrs. Corbett was sitting on her bed, calmly reading a book. When she didn't see Darius, she walked over to the crib; it was a little early to be putting him down...

It was empty. "Mrs. Corbett, where's your son?"

She looked up from her book, confused. "How should I know?"

Lena ran to the bathroom, but he wasn't in there. She ran to the closet, checked under the bed, and checked everywhere else she could think to look as Mrs. Corbett watched her disdainfully. Finally, she spoke up.

"Don't you know where he is?" Mrs. Corbett asked calmly.

"No, I don't!" Lena said anxiously.

She paused. "That's good. I prefer it that way. Now, what are you looking for?"

Lena stared at her for a moment, then ran back out into the hallway and across to the other side of the house, where she frantically pounded on Griffin's bedroom door. He didn't answer, and she tried to decide whether or not she should just go in.

Griffin!

What?!

She pounded on the door again, and a minute later he answered the door in a bath robe. Apparently, he had been in the shower.

"What?!" He snapped again.

"Your...Darius is gone." Lena said quickly. "I was just in your mom's room and I can't find him, and she's gone crazy Griffin, it's like she doesn't even care! She's gone totally—"

Griffin looked annoyed; she was overreacting. "Okay, calm down. I took him. No one's supposed to know where he is, because that's the point."

Lena stopped. "What?"

Griffin turned and walked back into his room. He left the door open like he expected her to follow him, but she wasn't sure if it was appropriate. He gestured for her to follow him and she stepped inside and closed the door, knowing full well that she would get a load of paperwork if Howard ever found out. Griffin's room was larger than hers, and she wasn't sure why, but it evoked a slight sense of jealousy in her. It was done up with a dull red color palette, except the molding and curtains which were a deep bronze. Griffin walked back into the bathroom and closed the door. Lena sat down in a sitting area next to the windows and tried not to feel unnerved by the fact that she was hanging out in Griffin's bedroom.

I took him because she clearly wasn't going to be able to take care of him much longer. He's been placed with a family until he's of age to take his place in the Council. Assuming, of course, that they agree to hold the position for him. The door opened, and Griffin came out again, dressed in his nightclothes. "Though it is nice to see you concerned for him. I distinctly remember you being entirely against their moving in here to begin with. Grown a little attached?"

Lena sighed, lightly touching the velvet curtains. "Just...concerned. You checked out the family?"

"He'll be fine." Griffin walked over and sat in the chair across from Lena. "Unless you want to keep him?"

Lena looked out the window. Griffin's room had a good view of the mountains, and it was a completely cloudless night. The stars and crescent moon were spectacular. She cast her eyes back at Griffin. "No. I'm glad he found a good family."

Griffin sat back in his chair and studied the view out the window. "Have you found your room yet?"

"Of course." Lena lied, standing up and starting toward the door; it was a little intimidating to be on Griffin's turf. It gave him a psychological advantage that she didn't want him to have.

Griffin got up and started walking behind her. "I'll show you where it is."

Lena turned around when she got to the door. Griffin was smirking; she hadn't seen him do that in a while. "Good trip?"

"Yeah. It was good...until the end."

"I bet. You make any new...friends...in jail?" She jabbed.

Griffin put his hand on the door, stopping Lena from opening it. "It seems you made some while I was gone."

Lena's eyebrows raised. "Those are old friends."

"More than friends, if you ask me."

"No one asked you." Lena crossed her arms and raised her chin a little. Griffin's expression soured slightly. "You're wrong. And you didn't have to go all spastic last night, because I had it under control."

"Rollin is trouble. I've already spoken to some of the other families about him. And you didn't have it under control; he was the one who caused all the trouble after my father died. He's the reason we had to disband the whole household."

Lena stared at him for a moment. There wasn't any hint of a lie in his eyes—he had known Rollin far before that night in the kitchen. Lena hated to acknowledge the fact that he might know more about it than she did; she still didn't agree with what he had done, especially given the fact that Lena felt Rollin had made several valid points. She had found herself unable to stop thinking about how passionate he had been.

"Devin is just a friend. That's all." She shook her head.

Griffin tilted his head slightly. His expression was still very serious. "That's not what he thinks."

"Oh...whatever. Sure, Griffin."

Griffin opened the door and gestured her out into the hall. He walked her down a hallway to the left, made a sharp turn, and Lena found herself at a dead end. Griffin opened a door to what was little more than a large closet, but there was a bed.

"It's not much. I think Master Daray used to keep his personal attendant in here, but it should do, since you're obsessed with helping the less worthy. It goes without saying that you're not sleeping here until tomorrow night, after you've run the idea by Howard, I take it?"

Lena nodded. "That would be correct. Thanks, Griffin."

"You're welcome. I'm sure my mother won't object to sharing her bathroom, either."

Lena wasn't entirely sure he was right, but she had seemed significantly calmer without Darius around. "Okay. Thanks."

But Griffin continued to stand there.

"What?"

Griffin was suddenly too serious, but he was smiling a little. "We're going to set some ground rules now that Council is back in session. Are you going to get jealous again if I try to live my life the way I want to?"

Lena studied him. She wasn't sure if he was teasing her or not. Without saying it, they both knew he was talking about the incident involving Bianca Channing the previous year. "I wasn't jealous of her."

Griffin almost laughed. "Sure you weren't. But if you're going to date...those types, then I think I should be allowed to explore my own options."

"We're not dating." Lena narrowed her eyes.

Griffin furrowed his brow. "Then you want me to wait..."

"Yes. No! I meant no. I mean, that's not what I said, I was just asserting the fact we're not dating. He and I. Or you and I. None of the three of us are dating. Just friends, now and always. Clear?" Lena felt her face go red. She had said something that she knew Griffin would interpret as a Freudian slip, if he had caught it.

Griffin gave her a sidelong glance. "No."

Lena nodded curtly. "Then date whoever you want to. I don't care."

She did care, but not the way she expected to. Probably not the way he expected, either. After a great deal of introspection, she had decided she cared merely because she liked the attention; not because she liked him that way. It was because there was so little to do around Waldgrave, and Griffin provided entertainment, and if he started being interested in anyone else, her distraction of having him around to entertain her was done for. For this reason she had a vested interest in his remaining single—not for any other reason.

Griffin took a deep breath, let it out, and nodded. "Well. Goodnight then."

He turned and started back down the hallway. Lena watched him go, then walked into her new room; it dawned on her that she had left her overnight supplies in Mrs. Corbett's room. She grabbed the pillowcase off the foot of the bed and tied it around the outside door handle to be sure she could find the room again, retrieved her things, and came back. She made up the bed, read for an hour, and then fell asleep.

"And you play cards with them? Lena, please tell me you win..."

A week later, the Council had worn itself out fighting and a vote had been taken to take a day off. Lena was using her spare time to talk to Hesper and play with Maren, who was much louder than she ever remembered Darius being, but was still filling the gap of familiarity that she missed since his departure. Maren was still so little, but Hesper was trying to get her to participate in what she called "turtle time"—laying her on her belly so she would learn to hold her head up.

"Well, yeah. It's fun really. You should play with us sometime." Lena knew that Hesper would reject the offer; she didn't seem like the poker-playing type.

"I don't play cards. It's too easy...You don't think it's easy? Can't you tell what everyone else has?" Hesper looked concerned.

"No..." Lena replied, feeling stupid.

"Well...That's the reason most Silenti don't play each other. You might as well be playing with exposed cards. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's how some of the families got started financially—playing humans. They wouldn't have a chance."

Maren's big, quizzical eyes explored the room. They eventually landed on a bottle half sticking out of her diaper bag and she whined until Hesper got it for her and flipped her over on her back so she could drink it.

Hesper changed the subject. "So how are the meetings going, then?"

Lena sighed. She hated going to Council; it made her depressed. The idea that Griffin could have been bringing the portal back had inspired enough votes to garner Council time to decide on the reinstatement of current travel policy or on the instatement of a new policy.

Under the new policy, members of the Daray house, and descendants of it, would not be allowed to leave the property at all unless if extreme extenuating circumstances demanded it—and even then, if somebody had to be rushed to the hospital the request would have to meet with emergency Council approval first. There would be no guests outside of yearly Council meetings, either. Lena was fairly sure the new measures wouldn't pass, but all the same it was going to be a closer vote than she preferred. It was getting ridiculous; she was never going to leave Waldgrave again.

On top of it all, Howard had vetoed her plan to sleep in the small room on the fourth floor because he was afraid other Council members wouldn't like the idea. Lena was bunking in Ava's room on the second floor until Council was out, and she really wasn't happy about it.

Hesper gave her a sympathetic look. "Surely it can't be that bad. I mean, your biggest deal two years ago was being sure you didn't marry Griffin, right? And you managed to make it happen. You can do this too, and a few years from now you'll think you were stupid to worry about this."

The way they argued in that room, Lena doubted it. People were too stuck in their own ideas, and no one was willing to budge for the sake compromise. Too much was at stake on all sides. She looked down at Maren, so blissfully unaware of the world she was growing up in, and how imperfect people had made it.

"It's all because of that stupid portal, Hesper. It probably doesn't even exist, and people are all up in arms about it anyway."

"Hey now, that happened because of the normal side of your blood, remember? A lot of the New Faith believers never took any of the stories seriously until your mom found it and your other grandfather confirmed it—he was an expert, after all. I do agree it's sad that Griffin's caused such a panic, though. Can you imagine if he actually had brought the portal back here? People would really be freaking out then." She laughed.

Lena stretched out on the carpet next to Maren. What if he had brought the portal back, and the Council had intercepted it? Daray would have been furious, Griffin would probably suffer some sort of house arrest punishment, the New Faith believers would seize control of it in the ultimate checkmate...and there wouldn't be any reason to hold the Daray family hostage anymore. If the portal were under lock and key, Lena wouldn't have to be.

She sat bolt upright, as if she were a puppet on an invisible string. Hesper stopped laughing. "What is it?"

"I found a way to make them trust me." Lena smiled. "I'm going to find it. I'm going to find it and bring it back."

Available Now!

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A.L. Tyler lives in Colorado, with her husband, two cats, and three turtles. When she isn't writing or creating art, she's probably hiding in the garden.

To find Addisyn, or more of her books, start by going to her blog: http://addisynltyler.blogspot.com/.

