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Calculating, the Keeper rubbed his chin. “Yes, I knew you would come to her. It’s why I made sure Abraham and I were near you when we talked about our plans.” He paused, then tsked again. “There’s no stopping me. Eventually, I’ll get the other branches to believe in my way of thinking.” He looked my way and his normal icy glare was full of wrath. “I should have taken care of you like I did your mother.”
The words were a slap in the face as the wound of my mom’s death was abruptly opened. “It was poison wasn’t it, that killed her? Why? Why did you kill her?”
The Keeper put his gun away as he looked at me, deciding whether I was worthy of his response. Finally, he spoke, “I found a jar filled with money in the garden on a random sweep we did. After that, I had you both watched closely. There were things she did that were not acceptable.”
I spat at him, knowing he was lying. I’d dug all over that garden and knew there weren’t any jars there. “I don’t believe you. She followed the rules. I think it’s because you needed an heir for your son!”
Outside The Society, the Keeper seemed to be more agile than the fragile way he betrayed himself. He was still old, but the Keeper moved better. Was it all an act?
“Ah, so you know?” That was all he said to the subject of my mom. He gave a command before he walked about. “Abraham, watch them.”
The Keeper looked at everything in my apartment—picking up picture frames, going through cabinets, nothing was off limits. Abraham, with his dirty brown hair and muddy eyes, had the silver gun to his side. Occasionally, he’d wave it at us.
Guns made me nervous. Only the Watchers were allowed to use them when they hunted and the traps we’d set weren’t working. Disappearing upstairs, the Keeper left us with Abraham.
Matthew pulled me closer. “I’m not letting anything happen to you. I’m not losing you again.”
“I can’t lose you either.”
“Quiet, both of you!” Abraham waved the gun in front of our faces. I flinched. Matthew’s grip tightened on me.
A hush fell over us. I could hear drawers opening up in my room. Minutes ticked by. Footsteps came back down the steps. The Keeper was holding a frame.
He thrust it out to me. “Is this isolated?”
It was another picture from the day that Aiden and I had gone to Mount Kessler. “For the most part, yes.”
Laying the frame down, he adjusted his black coat. “You’re going to take us there or Abraham will kill Matthew. Do you understand?”
The thought of Matthew dying jolted me to my feet. “Please don’t kill him! Please! You can’t! Take me!”
Matthew stood, wrapping his arm around me. “No, do not hurt her. Take Me. Not her.”
“ENOUGH!” I’d never heard the Keeper speak that loud before as the echoing boom silenced us. He looked at me with that deathless stare. “You will take us or I will kill Matthew. We need to get away while we . . . talk some more.”
There was no way we were going out there to talk. He was taking us out there to die. At least that would buy some time for me to try and figure something out.
Nodding to Abraham, the Keeper spoke, “Let’s get them in the van. I’ll drive with Sarah in the passenger seat. Abraham, I want you to sit in the back with Matthew. If she tries anything, I want you to kill him.”
“No!” I screamed.
Abraham pointed the gun at Matthew and I stopped talking. This was bad. Very bad. The Keepers wiry finger motioned for me to come here. As I wiped my sweaty hands on my butt, I felt my cell phone in my back pocket. An idea formed.
“Before we go, can I use the restroom?” It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.
The Keeper eyed me. My T-shirt was longer, almost to the top of my thighs. Taking the normal Charge stance, humbly looking down and perfect posture, I tried the respectful route. “It’s about a twenty-minute drive and there’s nowhere to use the bathroom. Can I please go, Keeper?”
Glancing up, the Keeper nodded. “Abraham, stay with Matthew. Sarah, if you try anything, Abraham will kill Matthew.”
My lips trembled. “I know. I promise.”
Step by step, we slowly climbed the stairs. Hopefully my shirt stayed loose and didn’t show the bump of my phone. As we made it to my room, The Keeper motioned for me to follow him. He searched the bathroom as I watched. Satisfied I had nothing in there, he left me alone. The threat of Matthew was enough to keep me in line.
Scrambling, I lifted the lid and sat on it. I needed to pee slowly while I typed out my text.
Me: Society found us. Taking us to Mount Kessler. Not much time.
The response was almost immediate.
