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“That’s what you say now. You’re young and your hormones are running riot. But if you really think about it, you have to admit that there’s a much better choice.”
“Then it’s lucky relationships aren’t calculated decisions – or at least they shouldn’t be. And that’s why Ayden’s with me and not with Claire. I assume that’s where you’re going with this?”
“Claire’s a goddess. Do you understand what that means? If she wants Ayden, she’ll have him. She can simply take him once her powers are fully awakened. You have no chance against Claire. She’s already an excellent fighter – something that she and Ayden have in common. You, on the other, aren’t a match for him at all, and sooner or later, he’ll break your heart. Why don’t you just give up now and find someone you can actually hold on to?”
I can’t believe what this woman is saying to me. Is she actually serious?!
“Just give it some thought. I hope you’ll make the right decision.”
With that, she turns on her heel and leaves me brimming with rage, hate, and fear. Could she be right? No, Ayden would never give me up; I have no doubts about that. But the Council could make our lives really difficult. And that’s what I’m afraid of. For a few seconds, I just stand rooted to the spot and try to collect myself. So now Claire’s mother is trying to come between me and Ayden too? Will she give up eventually? Probably not until Claire chooses someone else. And right now, that looks unlikely.
“I’m really sorry. My daughter can be quite ruthless when she thinks she’s in the right.”
Surprised, I turn around to see Albert Cunningham standing in the doorway.
“I was on my way to the hall and overheard Matilda. It wasn’t hard – she wasn’t exactly speaking quietly.” He slowly enters the room. “I’ll talk to her as soon as the party’s over, don’t worry.”
He too stands at the bookshelf and fingers the books – a mannerism that his daughter must have picked up from him. But the expression on his face is very different: sensitivity, calm, and a kind of dreaminess.
“This is one of my favorite rooms in the house. It’s one of the smallest, but maybe that’s why I treasure it. Simple and sparse at first glance, but when you take a closer look, you can find everything you need here. Thousands of worlds to escape into and learn from.”
“Is there a book with tips on how to deal with the Council? A kind of code of conduct for prisoners?” Because that’s how I feel.
“People who ask a lot of questions and pursue the answers are often not too popular. You, Miss Franklin, keep shaking up old patterns and therefore our world. So it’s not surprising that some people react with a lack of understanding or even in anger.”
“It’s laughable that anyone feels challenged or attacked by me. I’m the one who has to prove herself in tests, who gets shunted off to a strange family and mistreated by them. Hardly surprising that I don’t accept it in silence.”
Mr. Cunningham’s expression changes. The roguish look in his eyes becomes more serious, maybe even concerned. “I assumed the Fabricis wouldn’t make things easy for you. But if they’re mistreating you, well, I’m very sorry to hear that. If there’s anything I can do …”
I dismiss this with a wave. “The Fabricis don’t have anything nice to say about you and your family. And it seems to go both ways.”
The amused expression returns to his face, and he replies knowingly, “You have good insight into human nature. There’s not much that escapes you. No wonder you rub people up the wrong way sometimes.”
“It doesn’t take much insight to recognize that.”
“You may be right. Our families haven’t seen eye to eye for a long time. But that’s not your problem. Right now, I’m sure you have more important things to worry about. The way my daughter spoke to you just now wasn’t right, and it was unfair what she asked of you. Don’t let her shake your confidence. Matilda’s just trying to make Claire happy. The girl doesn’t have it easy. She was a small child when we first suspected she may be a miraya. That put a lot of pressure on her. She was forced to lead a very different life from the other children. And Matilda just hopes that her daughter can be happy despite all that.” He takes a few steps and looks at me apologetically. “Claire has clearly taken a shine to Ayden, but people aren’t toys that can be taken off a shelf at whim. Hopefully, she’ll learn that one day. Anyway, don’t be discouraged.”
“I won’t.” I’m grateful for his words of encouragement. At least there’s one Council member who’s kind to me.
“I love my granddaughter dearly,” he adds. “But it’s no use trying to protect her from life. Pain and disappointment are part of it. I know that she missed out on a lot in her childhood, but that doesn’t mean that we should coddle her now. She can’t have everything, and she’s sure to experience defeat now and then. You should think about that too: work on yourself, try to get your powers under control, because if Claire fails, then you’re the biggest trump card that the Council will have against the Noctu. And in order to keep you onside, the Council will have to be on good terms with you. Never forget that.” He gives me a mischievous wink. “I should go and join the others. I’m already late.” He smiles at me as he walks out.
I watch him go, amazed. Does he really think Claire could fail? I’m surprised at how off-hand he was about it. But I guess he has to approach the whole idea matter-of-factly, which makes me feel sorry for Claire. As her grandfather said, she hasn’t had a normal life, and she’s had to forego so much. It would be awful not to have anything to show for it in the end.
I head back to the party. Ayden’s still standing with Claire, her father, and the others. They’re still absorbed in conversation, and I don’t really feel like joining them. Instead, I go back to the buffet to look for Kate again. But I can’t see her anywhere. I wander around the room, weaving my way through the crowd. Where can she be?
Eventually, I take out my phone – no message from her. I select her number and wait for her to pick up. But that doesn’t happen either. Maybe she went outside. I hope so. Trying to find her in this huge house could be difficult.
So I leave the party and head down the corridor back out onto the street. I glance in every direction, but she’s nowhere in sight. I’m about to go back in when I see a small garden gate to my right. It’s open. Following some instinct, I go to it.
It’s cold outside, and I wish I’d thought of bringing my jacket. I push open the squeaky gate and see trees in a large open space. A narrow path leads me through a beautiful garden. The lilac bushes are not in bloom, but there are a few flowerbeds. Particular attention has been paid to an impressive selection of trees and immaculately pruned shrubs. Here and there I see statues, and there’s a little fountain and a couple of benches.
Beside one of the statues, I spot a figure illuminated in the moonlight. I slowly approach the person. They have their back to me and don’t seem to have noticed me. My heart beats faster the closer I get. The wind whips up her hair. Is that really Kate? She looks so vacant, almost statuesque herself. She doesn’t turn around, although she must have heard me.
“Kate?” I whisper. “Kate, is that you?”
A cool breeze makes me shiver. I wrap my arms around myself and keep walking. She still doesn’t pay any attention to me. Her head is slightly raised, and she seems to be staring at something.
When I’m only two steps away from her, she turns to face me. I get such a fright that I stagger back. I can’t tell if it’s the moonlight or if something’s wrong with Kate. She looks pale, and her eyes are huge and dark. She looks totally unfamiliar to me.
