She shifts the plate of pastries to her right hand, offering me her left.
“I… I’m Yosh,” I manage.
“Nice to meet you, Yosh. Welcome to Heatherfell, my home.”
My home.Not our home, despite all the people in the room that grew up here. Interesting.
Effy turns and walks back to the group.
Tom described her exactly like this, modest. A wallflower. But the thing is, she has this golden glow around her. Sheisn’t chasing the spotlight like her sister Joan does, sheisthe spotlight without even trying, or wanting to.
Amber curls, loosely braided over her shoulder—she’s Tom. Same eyes, same hair, same expression and features. This is so bizarre.
I search Tom’s face for a reaction. Nothing. The idiot shuts her out like she isn’t even in the room. And I know right then, this is going to be rough.
“Come, come, I’ll introduce you to everyone!” Joan grabs my hand, guiding me into the living area.
Tom follows, but his face is numb and distant.
Names start firing at me and they all find a place in my head.
Luca. Eli. Janice. Alex. Mary. Sergei. Neutral greetings mixed with the more distantwhy on earth are you here?
Finn leans in for a cheek kiss. I clasp his slender hand tight, perhaps a little painful, but I need to make a point; I do not appreciate scratches in my palm.
My bro hug with Calvin goes much smoother, and for the first time since stepping through that door, I feel relief. I’m happy to see a familiar face from my world.
“Hey Cal, straight in from Miami?” I ask. He tugs me aside, steering us out of the crowd.
I glance back at Tom. He’s working his way through greetings, everyone he hasn’t seen in months. When he gets to Effy, it’s just a quick hug.
“Dude, what the hell?” He slicks a strand of hair back into his bun. “Get out of here. Now. Tiffy’s going to kill me if something happens to you!”
I lean back a little, folding my arms. “What do you think’s going to happen to me?”
His eyes dart sideways, scanning for eavesdroppers.
“Listen. There are tools in the shed. Take a pair of scissors, go into the forest by the South House, and cut your way throughthe fence. Keep going straight into the woods. After like twenty minutes, you’ll find a road. Follow it west until you get into town. From there you can take a train back to Amsterdam. Fucking run and don’t look back.”
Clear instructions coming from Calvin, the master of escape routes. It makes me wonder if they all have their own exit plan.
Everyone’s smiling, laughing even, but I feel tensions simmering. Are they putting on a show? Are they really happy to be here?
Some maybe. Not all.
Janice gives Calvin a quick nod to come over, like he’s not supposed to be talking to me. Her name clicks the moment I notice the burn scars along her neck. She shoots me a look before draping an arm over Calvin’s shoulders and steering him back to the group.
Beside me, I catch Finn grabbing Tom’s wrist. My hearing sharpens.
“Why did you bring him here?” Finn hisses. “You know the rules. You looking for ways to kill yourself, mate?”
My eyes slide to the window. To Tom’s car.
Sprint. Engine. Gate.
Could I crash through if I had to?
Why does this feel like a Scandinavian noir where someone won’t make it to morning and every person in the room has both motive and opportunity?
