“Can I make one last plea that you take me with you?” she asks.
I shake my head. Having her in my arms makes not giving in torture, but I have to deny her this time. “Mrs. Montgomery really seems to hate you. She’ll never tell me what’s really going on if you’re there.”
“I know,” Olivia says quietly, “but I hate the idea of you being away from me. The Sentinels are desperate to stop you from going home. I don’t like this, Mason. It’s too dangerous.”
It is so tempting to agree with her, to sit back and stay safe. The truth is, staying here is the more dangerous option. I have to know the reason Robin is so eager to leave this world and worm her way into mine. Both Olivia and I are convinced what happened between us on the riverbank is key to her taking me home. Knowing that doesn’t help us make it happen again, though, and without that key piece of information, death is the only thing waiting for me on my birthday.
“Three officers are coming with us… and they’re bringing an armored car. We’ll be safe.”
Olivia bites her bottom lip. “Please be careful,” she whispers, “both of you.”
“I thought you forgot about me,” Molly giggles.
Smiling, Olivia reluctantly releases me and kneels down next to Molly. She takes her hands gently in hers and meets Molly’s eyes seriously. “I could never forget about you. You’re my family just as much as Mason is.”
“Like your sister?” Molly asks shyly.
Olivia grins. “Absolutely. And Evie feels the same way. She’s going to take great care of you while Mason and I are gone.”
Suddenly, Molly’s eyes well up with tears. “Will you please try to bring Mason back after he goes home and finds our mom and dad?”
Olivia sits back on her heels, startled by Molly’s question. I have to admit I am, too. I suppose I assumed somewhere in the back of my mind that Molly and I must have parents in the Aerling world, but I hadn’t really considered that I might actually meet them. I look down at Molly, waiting along with her for Olivia to say something.
“Molly, I don’t know what we’ll find in the Aerling world, but I promise you we’ll try to find your parents and come back for you. I don’t think I can bear waiting eleven years to see you again.”
Beaming, Molly blinks away her tears. “I knew you would,” she says.
“Molly,” I say, my voice sounding unusually thick, “maybe you should go get your scarf.”
She nods and quickly runs for the stairs. I turn to Olivia, who is already staring at me with a stricken expression. “I didn’t know what to say to her,” she whispers.
“It’s okay,” I say as I put an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe it won’t be a lie.”
Olivia presses against my chest and whispers to whoever she thinks might be listening, “Please don’t be a lie.”
Silently, I echo her plea as Molly rushes back down the stairs and slams into us. She starts babbling about something, but I don’t think either of us are really listening. A few minutes later, a harsh knock on the front door cuts Molly off. She forgets whatever she was talking about and freezes. I think we all do. It takes me a moment to collect myself and open the door.
An austere man stands waiting on the doorstep. There is an obvious bulge beneath his jacket where his gun is holstered. A slightly less intimidating man is a few feet behind him, eyes scanning the surrounding area for Sentinels. “We’re ready for you,” the first man says.
“Thank you. We’re ready as well,” I say.
Olivia’s hand clenches around mine briefly before slipping away. A panicked moment urges me to change my mind and take her with me, but I take a deep breath. “We’ll be back as soon as we can,” I tell her quietly. She nods and steps back. Molly takes my hand then. Her animation from a moment ago is gone, and it bothers me to see her so solemn.
The austere officer demands my attention when he gestures for us to follow him. My fingers tighten around Molly’s and I give Olivia a quick goodbye kiss before stepping out onto the porch. The minute my feet touch the worn wooden planks, I feel exposed. Concern for Molly only lasts a moment. The Caretaker Officer’s startled expression as he gazes down at her—or where she should be—alerts me to the fact that she has hidden herself. It gives me a small amount of peace, but I know the danger is still quite near for both of us.
We are hurried into the waiting armored car feeling anxious and awkward. The drive across town to the Montgomery’s house is similarly disquieting. By the time we pull up to their house, Molly is pale and squeezing my hand as tightly as she can. I almost have to pull her from the car. As soon as we’re standing, the Caretaker Officers take up position in front of and behind us. We arrive at the front door a moment later, which opens immediately, revealing Mrs. Montgomery wearing an expression that seems somehow haughty and nervous at the same time.
“I’m surprised it took you this long to come here,” she says.
I can feel Molly bristle next to me, but I keep my expression relaxed. “It’s time for last resorts.”
She nods as though she expected me to say something like this. It annoys me that she thinks she can anticipate my actions so keenly. I keep my emotions tucked away for the time being. I’ll listen to what she has to say before passing any final judgment. Mrs. Montgomery opens the door and waves us in. As I enter the foyer, I glance around the house.
It’s almost disappointing to see bright, normal looking rooms. There’s even artwork taped on the door of one of the rooms down the hall from us. Something about that strikes me as odd, but Mrs. Montgomery directing us to the living room to our right distracts me.
The tips of my fingers are white, thanks to Molly. She doesn’t allow herself to get more than a few inches away from me. When we sit down on the couch, her little body is sandwiched next to mine.
“Molly,” Mrs. Montgomery says softly, “you don’t have to hide. I’m not going to try and take you away from Mason.”
Still invisible, Molly replies, “Why did you the first time?”
“I had no idea you were Mason’s sister. We would never separate siblings. The Brittons told us you had gone with Mason, but nothing else. Once we told them you were both back with Olivia’s family, they wanted you returned to them. I don’t know why they would try to separate you from your brother.”
“They didn’t know,” I say as Molly comes out of hiding. “The Parkers figured it out.”
Mrs. Montgomery nods slowly. “Well, that explains a lot, including why we didn’t know. Our families haven’t been close for a long time.”
I’m about to ask why not when a shrill, screeching voice splits the air crying, “Mama! Mama! Save me!”
Two seconds later, two little girls, one blonde and the other brunette, come crashing into the living room screaming for all they’re worth. Molly scrambles into my lap and throws her arms around my middle at the sight of them while I just stare in shock.
“It’s okay, Molly,” I say.
The numb quality of my voice makes it sound strange. The artwork taped to the door crowds back into my thoughts. I realize now why it seemed so strange. Robin told us she was an only child, and it was too juvenile to belong to anyone over the age of six. I swallow hard as my power reaches out in curiosity and sends another jolt through me. Robin also told us that her family was banned from raising another Aerling. I sit open-mouthed, staring at the two little girls in shock.
“You have an Aerling… and another daughter,” I say, still sounding strained.
Mrs. Montgomery sighs. There is a wary look building around her. I get the impression that she already understands why I’m so upset by these two girls, but she doesn’t speak to me right away. Instead, she turns a stern look on the girls. “Angelica, Violet, what did I tell you this morning?”
“That we had to be quiet and play on our own when your guest came over,” the little brunette answers. “Sorry, Mama.”
“Sorry, Mrs. Montgomery,” the little blonde Aerling echoes.
“You’ve be
en very impolite to our guest. He and his sister are the ones you should be apologizing to.”
Dutifully, the girls shuffle around to face Molly and me. “We’re sorry,” they both say.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they exist and it takes me a moment to respond. “Uh, it’s okay.”
The girls turn back to Mrs. Montgomery, who is still wearing a disappointed expression. “Was there a reason you were screaming and running through the house after being asked not to?”
“Violet was chasing me,” the little Aerling, who must be Angelica, says. “It was just a game.”
Mrs. Montgomery nods. “You may both go sit on your beds and think about how you will be better listeners from now on. No TV, no video games. Sit quietly and do not get off your beds until I tell you it is time.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Both girls troop out of the room and walking sedately to the hall. Violet heads down the hall, but Angelica step turns back and grins at her Caretaker mother. Her two pointer fingers come up in front of her chest and draw the shape of a heart in the air, mist trailing after her fingertips. One small motion pushes the misty heart toward Mrs. Montgomery, who catches it with one hand and smiles. She makes a shooing motion, then, and Angelica runs off.
Molly, who stopped strangling me a few minute ago, looks up at me with a confused expression. I’m right there with her. Mrs. Montgomery must notice our exchange, because she sighs. When I look up at her, she seems tired and worn.
“Why don’t we start with whatever lies Robin has told you about us?” she says.
I nod slowly. “Well, for one, she told us she was an only child.”
“We have four children. Robin is the oldest and Violet is the youngest at four. Angelica is also four. Our other daughter, Sienna, is nine, and our son, Ash, is twelve.” Mrs. Montgomery crosses her arms over her chest. “Why do you think it was important that Robin made you believe she was an only child?”
She asks the question like she’s giving a test and if I answer correctly I’ll be rewarded. My eyebrows knit together at that, but I need answers. “Sympathy,” I say. “She told us that she was your family’s only chance to carry on the Caretaker legacy, that you would never let her leave you.”
“Robin is not our prisoner.”
“It made her stories of abuse more believable too,” I say, testing her now. I watch her reactions carefully for any sign that the abuse isn’t a lie. The only thing I see is anger.
Mrs. Montgomery crosses her arms over her chest and becomes the impenetrable wall I am used to seeing. “Neither me nor my husband have ever given Robin more than a spanking for bad behavior. Any stories about us hitting her are a blatant lie.”
“And the bruises?” I ask.
“Self-inflicted,” she says through her teeth. “She’s been doing it for years. It started as a way to get Eliana into trouble.”
“What do you mean?”
Mrs. Montgomery shifts in her seat, as if memories of Eliana are more painful for her to bring up than talking about her daughter, who I’m beginning to suspect is a habitual liar. Her eyes are glassy as she begins to speak. “Robin was jealous of Eliana from the first day she arrived. She was only a toddler at the time …”
“Wait,” I interrupt, “weren’t she and Robin the same age?”
Mrs. Montgomery shakes her head. “No. Robin was almost two years older.”
“Why would Robin lie about that?”
“Because it makes her look more innocent,” Mrs. Montgomery says. I start to ask another question, but she holds up a hand to stop me and continues. “At first, Robin would hit or pinch Eliana just to make her cry, but when she started getting into trouble for her actions, she figured out a better way.”
I nod slowly as realization dawns. “She hurt herself and blamed it on Eliana.”
Mrs. Montgomery grimaces. “And it worked, unfortunately, but only for a while.” She relaxes her posture just for a moment, but stays sitting very stiffly. “We thought Eliana was finally starting to fight back, but eventually we realized the truth, and Robin was punished more severely. Not beatings, mind you, but she had very little toys and privileges left after a while. Instead of realizing that she was making herself miserable, she blamed Eliana for her problems and the fighting only escalated. We had to keep them apart from each other after a while.”
“How did you do that?”
“As most Caretakers do, we homeschool our children. It keeps the Aerling children from being left alone so often and we can combine basic education with Aerling training. When Robin’s behavior became out of control, we enrolled her in public school in order to give Eliana time away from her.” Mrs. Montgomery’s chin begins to tremble. “It was the biggest mistake we’ve ever made.”
I fear hearing anything more, but I know I have to ask. “Why?”
Mrs. Montgomery blinks back tears as she says, “Because that’s where Robin found the answer to all her problems.”
My stomach churns as the answer I didn’t want to hear settles over my mind with finality. “The Sentinel girl at the sleepover.”
“There was no sleepover,” Mrs. Montgomery corrects. “We never would have allowed Robin to spend the night at someone else’s house. She was too unpredictable and couldn’t be trusted. No, she simply told the Sentinel girl at school about Eliana and sat back to watch the consequences play out.”
I drag my hands down my face, feeling sick. “How did Eliana really die?”
“They came for her at night,” she begins. “Eliana was sleeping in the nursery with Sienna. Poor Sienna started screaming when they attacked Eliana. We heard her screams and ran to the room, but we were too late. Everyone was shocked and hysterical… except Robin. She simply went back to sleep.”
Shaking my head, I try to picture a young Robin being happy about Eliana’s death. The Parker’s words push me to believe Mrs. Montgomery, but it’s hard to reconcile her story with the girl I know. Could Robin really be that good of an actress? A quiet sniff from Molly reminds me of her presence, and her talents. I look down at her hoping to see some indication that the master manipulator is not Robin, but her mother.
The tears in Molly’s eyes are answer enough. It’s all true.
Trying to process that information is impossible, so I force myself to move on to a new topic with the hope that it will stave off a meltdown. “What about you guys getting a new Aerling? It made sense when Robin said your family wouldn’t be able to get another one, and her grandma said she was marked. Why did she lie about that?”
“Robin is marked,” Mrs. Montgomery says. “She revealed Eliana’s presence, and now she will never be allowed to raise any Aerling children. We, however, are obviously not under the same restriction. We are allowed to raise Aerlings so long as Robin is not permitted to be involved in their training or spend a significant amount of time with them, which is part of the reason she still attends public school.”
“But couldn’t she still tell someone about Angelica?” I demand.
Mrs. Montgomery’s mouth twists into a sour smile. “You didn’t think the Caretaker Officers are only here to police the Sentinels did you?” Her smile withers into a look of pain. “Robin is not only marked throughout the Caretaker community as a traitor, but she has been barred by the Caretaker Officers who investigated Eliana’s death from ever revealing another Aerling.”
“Barred?” Molly asks quietly. “What does that mean?”
“Caretaker Officers are chosen for their positions because they have the ability to compel other Caretakers. They use it only to punish those who have betrayed the trust of the Aerlings.” Mrs. Montgomery lets Molly think about that and looks back to me. “I know we are a strict family, and we deal with Robin harshly at times, but we have to. She can’t be trusted. That’s why we were so adamant about training you instead of Robin.”
Feeling more frustrated than I can express right now, I say, “Why didn’t you just t
ell me all of this in the beginning?”
“You wouldn’t have believed me,” she says simply.
“Yes I would have,” I argue. “Molly knows when people are lying. Why do you think I brought her with me? I would have preferred not to expose her to all of this if I didn’t have to.”
Clearly startled, Mrs. Montgomery opens and closes her mouth soundlessly for a few seconds. Finally, she grabs hold of her words again and says, “How was I to know that?”
Realizing she’s right doesn’t do much to calm me down. I think of all the information Robin has been exposed to since we met, since I got home especially. What could she do with it? I don’t believe for a minute that whatever compulsion the Caretaker Officers have put on her is fool proof. Robin is very intelligent, and if she wants to give me up to the Sentinels, I’m sure she’ll find a way. The only reason she hasn’t yet is because she thinks I’m her escape plan.
“Why does Robin want me to take her back to my world when I leave?” I demand.
Mrs. Montgomery’s eyebrows rise. “She wants to go with you? How?”
“I don’t know how!” I snap. “I have no idea whether it’s even possible, but she’s determined to come with me. I don’t even want to think about what she’ll do to make it happen.”
Slowly, Mrs. Montgomery shakes her head back and forth. “I have no idea.” Her face scrunches. “It’s obvious that she wants to escape the restrictions she’s under here, but I have never heard of an Aerling being able to take anyone with them.” She shakes her head again. “What kind of escape would that be, anyway? She practically killed Eliana herself. I can’t imagine Eliana’s parents or any of the other Aerlings would be happy to see her.”
“Then why?” I ask.
We stare at each other, completely confused. There has to be a reason Robin wants to come with me so badly, but I can’t see what it is. What would she gain by escaping to my world? After the surprise Mrs. Montgomery showed at even the idea of her leaving, I wonder what makes Robin so certain it will work.
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