They would have to leave soon. There wasn't much time for an argument, not that I was about to resist. There was no doubt in my mind that Dunningham would kill my family and friends if I didn't go back. I would never let that happen.
I looked at Dunstan.
"Go. Go with them," he told me. "Colden, you too. Send him back with the lifestones, and I'll send my doctors and medical equipment." Dunstan went back to looking at his maps.
I grabbed my cloak from the chair and followed the others outside.
Colden walked ahead of us while I lagged behind with Chase.
"So what's the deal with him?" Chase asked, nodding in his direction.
"He's a jerk. He hates me and all Grims."
"He looks kind of like that pretty boy you fell in love with at Kennedy High," Bram said over his shoulder.
I couldn't believe he was bringing that up again. "Really, Bram?"
"What boy?" Chase demanded.
"Nobody," I answered curtly.
"Not nobody," Bram said. "He's the reason Naomi botched the job. She risked her life for that kid. She wouldn't do that for nobody."
Chase searched my face for answers.
I sighed. "Okay, he was a guy and I liked him, but I wasn't in love with him. And he wasn't the sole reason I blew that job. It wasn't that serious."
Chase didn't answer me, but I did catch him stealing a glance at Colden. Bram was wrong, Colden and Hunter were nothing alike. Hunter was sweet and gentle. Colden was mean and abrasive.
As we neared the wall, Chase was wheezing, Bram was coughing nonstop, and Keira was having trouble breathing. They needed to get over the wall and soon.
Everyone was better at wall climbing than me, even though I had climbed the wall a lot more times than they had, but I was still weak. We walked through Litropolis, looking and talking to no one.
"So have you thought about it?" Keira asked Bram.
"Yeah," he answered shortly.
"Thought about what?" I asked.
Bram said nothing, so Keira answered for him. "Dunningham needs more Watchers. A lot of them were injured, and there weren't that many to begin with."
That was true. Nowhere had always been peaceful. Except for the occasional Forager intrusion, there was nothing to worry about. The Watchers mostly spied on us and turned us in when we broke the rules.
"You can't be a Watcher. You haven't been confirmed yet," I reminded him.
Bram looked at me from the corner of his eye. "I know. All I have to do is get engaged. That's being arranged."
"Yeah? With who?" A lump formed in my throat and I hoped he didn't say Keira.
"Senka."
Senka lived a few streets over from us. I didn't know much about her, but she seemed nice enough. She was much prettier than Rosaleen, a homely girl my parents had attempted to set Bram up with.
"Oh," I answered, looking at Keira. She looked straight ahead, her face emotionless.
Keira and Bram loved each other, although they'd never admit it. Keira would be seventeen very soon. Even if Bram waited a year, there was no chance Keira's father would let her marry him. My brother was a troublemaker. Keira had already gotten years subtracted from her life because of him.
I looked at my brother. He never looked happy, but I could tell something was really bothering him. "You're going to have to be at Dunningham's beck and call all the time. Watchers have no lives. Do you really want to be a one, Bram?"
"Sure. I love having authority."
I didn't think that was a good enough reason to want to be a Watcher at all, but whatever.
We crawled through the wall that separated Farrington and Litropolis and crossed the stream. The whole time we walked, I wondered where the Foragers were hiding, and if they were watching us from secret places.
"Dunningham will be coming to the house," Bram announced.
"Super," I mumbled under my breath.
At the back door I gave Keira a final hug. Chase hung back, probably angry about the Hunter situation.
Keira pushed him toward me. "You may never see her again, Chase."
His face softened. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward him. "Bye, Nay."
"Bye, Chase."
"Can we move this along?" Colden asked.
Bram shot him a dirty look, but Colden didn't seem to notice. The last thing I needed was someone else who acted like Bram.
Keira and Chase went their separate ways and Colden, Bram, and I entered the house. Unfortunately, Dunningham was already sitting on the couch of our living room, with my parents and little brother. I'd been hoping for at least a moment to spend with them alone.
Dunningham sat in Father's special chair, cracking his knuckles. Doyle stood behind him.
"Sit, child," Dunningham ordered.
I sat on the couch next to Dorian. Bram sat on the other side of me. Mother and Father sat on the loveseat. I could tell by Mother's red, puffy eyes that she had been crying. My parents had definitely been on an emotional roller coaster those past few days. Colden stood off to the side.
Dunningham glared at me. "You were granted a nice little extension, weren't you?" I said nothing. "I've been doing some thinking, Naomi—" Then he was distracted by Colden, like he had just noticed him. "What is that doing here?" Dunningham asked Bram.
"Your brother said the only way he would send doctors and medical supplies would be if you gave him one thousand lifestones." He pointed at Colden. "Dunstan sent him to take them back."
Dunningham clenched his jaw. I could tell he was furious. He hadn't expected his brother to counter his commands, but simply to comply.
Colden stared back at him, eyes full of hatred.
"Sorry, sir, he wouldn't negotiate," Bram answered.
"Fine, we’ll arrange something," Dunningham said. But I didn't believe him. That was a lot of lifestones and he had given in too easily.
Dunningham focused his attention on me once more. "As I was saying, I've been doing some thinking about you, and I think an execution is not the way to go."
I looked at my parents. Mother exhaled and Father squeezed her hand. They looked relieved, but I wasn't.
Dunningham pointed to Doyle. "Thank him. He vouched for you and changed my mind."
I glanced at Doyle, but I wouldn’t thank him. There was some reason he wanted me alive, probably for the project Dunstan had mentioned.
"So, what will happen to Naomi?" Mother asked.
Dunningham never took his gaze from me. I shuddered like something was crawling up my leg. He smiled with only one side of his mouth. "Naomi will come work for me."
I shot up from the couch. "No, I won't!"
"Naomi!" Mother shouted.
"I won't, Mother! I'd rather die than work for him the rest of my life. Kill me. Just kill me."
Dunningham didn't look surprised by my reaction. He was amused. "Young Grim, calm yourself. This is not up for discussion. The decision has been made."
I looked at Doyle. "What did you do? Why did you do this?"
"When can I get those lifestones?" Colden asked before Doyle could answer.
I walked over and pushed him out of frustration. "Thanks for your concern!" Then I proceeded to hit him repeatedly. Colden raised his arms to shield himself.
Father came over and pulled me away.
"Nay, you're making a fool out of yourself," Bram said from the couch.
I tried to kick him, but Father was holding me too tight.
"Darkness, stop it," he whispered in my ear. "There's nothing any of us can do about this. It's better than death."
But Father was wrong. This was much, much worse.
Chapter 41
My heart sank into my stomach as we pulled up to the gate of Dunningham's massive mansion. The tall wrought iron gates opened on their own as the carriage pulled onto the driveway.
I'd seen pictures of Dunningham's estate, but I'd never seen it in person, since I'd never been allowed in the Upper Estates.
The
ride through the city had shown me streets of identical-looking mansions sitting on acres of lands. The homes looked like something out of a story book. Father and Bram would have definitely loved it here.
Once again, I sat between Dunningham and Doyle. Another carriage would bring Colden to the mansion as he waited for the lifestones he was supposed to take back to the Outskirts. I shot Doyle dirty looks he tried to ignore. Dunningham's mansion was astonishing. I'd never seen anything like it. I thought there was enough room for everyone in Farrington to live inside.
The large Victorian house looked like a castle with its rooks and steeples. There had to be at least fifty windows on the front of the house alone. I felt sorry for whoever had to keep the house clean, then I remembered that would soon be me.
A large courtyard surrounded the building. Perfectly pruned shrubs shaped like skulls sat in each corner. The Grim emblem we each had branded on our shoulders, was etched into the lawn in the middle of the yard. Two men were on their knees, pulling weeds.
The driver took us around the circular driveway, where we stopped at the mansion's entrance. Immediately a man in a three-piece suit opened the door on Dunningham's side. I didn't even see where he had come from. I slid out after him and looked at the ground, trying my best not to seem impressed by his spectacular home.
"Graham, this is Naomi. She'll be joining the cleaning staff. Please fetch Hesper," he told the man.
The man nodded and headed up the stairs to the steel double doors.
Another man opened the door for us and ushered us inside. Doyle, Dunningham, and I stepped in the humongous foyer, which was everything I had imagined and then some. We stood on a beautiful marble floor filled with fancy designs and silver swirls. The windows were covered with intricate black drapery. Plush black leather furniture and expensive silver accessories filled the living room, or whatever room we were in. I took note of a beautiful candelabra on the fireplace's mantle.
A plump woman came down one side of the double staircases, proceeding delicately onto each carpeted step. "Welcome back, Mr. Dunningham, sir. You called for me?"
"Yes, Hesper. This is Naomi." I hated how he pronounced by name. He always called me Ni-o-me. It hadn't really bothered me until then. "Naomi, this is Hesper. She's in charge of the cleaning staff. You'll do what she tells you."
I met the woman's dark eyes and looked down. She was an older lady with gray hair pulled back into a bun. I wondered what her deal was. Was she in her position because she was being punished? Yes, I guessed. Her gray hair and hints of aging weren't a good sign. I could sense her looking me up and down. Little did she know, I wouldn't be doing anything. I had no intention of lifting a finger to serve Dunningham.
"Hesper," Dunningham continued. "Please be sure to give her a proper run-down of the rules and procedures. This one here likes to do as she pleases."
Hesper gave me a look, and I rolled my eyes.
"Naomi—" Dunningham began.
"What?" I snapped.
Both Doyle and Hesper gasped.
"I mean, yes, Mr. Dunningham, sir." But there was still an edge of attitude in my voice.
Dunningham paused for a moment, as if trying to decide whether or not he would let that slide. "Hesper will show you to your quarters and then she'll show you where you will be assigned to work. You may speak to no one except for Hesper."
"Yes, sir," I muttered.
"This way," Hesper said.
I followed her down the long corridor filled with closed doors and tall windows that ran from the ceiling to the ground. Somewhere I heard a dog barking, either Black or Blue, Dunningham's pit bull and bloodhound.
Finally we reached the end of the hallway. Hesper opened a door, and I followed her down the flight of stairs. The dark, dank room reeked of mildew. When we got to the bottom, I noticed two rows of twin-sized beds covered with gray sheets. I counted about twenty.
"These are the maid's quarters. You can have the bed there against the wall."
"That's your uniform," Hesper said, pointing to a garment folded on the end of the bed.
I unfolded the ugly black dress and a white smock. I'd much rather stay in my jeans and hoodie. I tossed the uniform back on the bed.
"Go ahead and change," Hesper said, "and I'll show you where you'll be stationed."
"Stationed?"
"Yes. We can use more help in the kitchen."
That's about the last place I wanted to be. "I can't cook."
"You'll learn." Hesper began up the stairs. "Change. I'll be back down in a minute."
I sat on the bed, listening to the door close at the top of the stairs. There was no reason for her to come back. I wasn't changing. I wasn't doing anything. I refused to spend the rest of my years—I wasn't even sure how many I had left anymore—being Dunningham's slave. I ran my hands over the coarse sheets that covered the bed. At least it would be better than sleeping on the floor of a shack.
Hesper came back down the stairs and sucked her teeth. "Why aren't you in your uniform?"
"I'm not wearing it."
"You will wear it. It's not optional."
I stared at the ground and said nothing.
Hesper sighed. "Well, you can go explain to Mr. Dunningham why you won't do as you're told."
I stood and folded my arms across my chest. "Fine, I'll do that."
Hesper looked at me as if I'd just said the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. "He's in his study."
I followed her to Dunningham's study, an elaborate room off to the side of the staircase. Hesper knocked on the door and looked at me sharply.
"Yes?" Doyle called.
"We have a problem with the new girl, sir," Hesper answered through the door.
"Come in," Dunningham called, sounding tired.
Hesper opened the door, and I entered. She closed the door behind me and went about her business probably glad to be rid of me for the moment.
Dunningham's study was huge. Books lined shelves from floor to ceiling. He sat behind a large marble desk while Doyle and Colden sat in two chairs in front of him.
"What is your problem?" Dunningham asked, taking a drink from a glass filled with dark liquid.
I looked him dead in the eyes. "I'm not wearing that uniform, and I'm not working in your kitchen," I said firmly.
He put his glass down and made a face, clearly frustrated with me. He closed his eyes. "I can't win with you, can I? You and your mother should have been killed when you were born, but I let you both live. Then despite your mixed blood, I give you and your family an amazing opportunity and you blew it. Then I overturned your death sentence, at Mr. Doyle's persistence, and gave you a chance at life, and you won't put on your uniform. You're not leaving me very many options."
I looked at Colden, who looked back and forth between Dunningham and I. What was Dunningham up to? He was probably trying to negotiate with Colden over the lifestones.
"I don't want to work here," I whispered.
Dunningham sat back in his seat, stroking his chin. "So you peel a few vegetables and wash some dishes. What's the big deal?"
"I don't want to spend the rest of my life working in your kitchen, that's the big deal. I'd rather be dead!"
Dunningham glance at Doyle, who shook his head. I wanted to ask him why he was keeping me alive. I knew what I was doing. Doyle was Dunningham's right-hand man and biggest influence. He wouldn't let Dunningham kill me.
"I see," Dunningham said. "What if I let you have a visit from your friends from time to time? Would that be better?"
"You would let my friends visit here?" I was confused. "Why?"
"Whatever I can do to make you happy, dear."
"Let me go home."
"Besides that," Dunningham answered. "Now go put your uniform on and find Hesper. Either that or someone else has to pay your debt. You can work here, or your mother can."
"No! I'll do it." I wouldn’t let my mother pay the price for me, even though I knew she would do it in a heartbeat. "Can someone show m
e where the kitchen is?" Doyle would have to, since Colden didn't know the house and Dunningham never did anything.
As I expected, Doyle rose from his seat. "This way," he said, sounding annoyed.
I followed him out. "What are you doing?" I whispered to him once we were out of the room.
"What are you doing?" he asked back. "I'm trying to save your life here."
We stopped in the foyer. "I know that," I said, "the question is why."
Doyle sighed and looked around. "Dunstan needs you for something. Don't worry, you won't be here for long. I just need you to play along and do your job. Stop causing trouble. You're worse than your brother." He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the kitchen.
"How did you get Dunningham to change his mind? What did you tell him?"
"I showed him a way to get something he wants."
"What does he want?"
"Don't worry about it," he said, pushing the swinging doors open. "Ladies, here's some more help. Keep an eye on this one." Then he shoved me inside.
Chapter 42
After I steadied myself, I looked around the kitchen where two women worked quickly. One was busy flattening a ball of dough with a rolling pin and the other sprinkled spices on some meat.
I cleared my throat. They ignored me, so I just stood there.
"So, Mr. Doyle told me you've come to your senses," Hesper said, entering the kitchen and shoving my uniform against my chest. "Follow me." She led me to the largest refrigerator I'd ever seen where she removed a basket of vegetables. "Today you'll chop the veggies for the salad and do anything else Selima tells you to do. That's the only time you may speak to each other. Selima's in charge of the kitchen. Do as she says. You may go into the storage room and change," she said, pointing to a door off to the side, then left me standing there with the basket of vegetables.
I looked around Dunningham's state-of-the-art kitchen. The entire first floor of our house in Farrington could have fit in it. I'd heard rumors that this house had two kitchens. What would anyone need two kitchens for?
I left the basket of vegetables on the counter and went to the storage room to change. All sorts of food and supplies filled the room from top to bottom, like a grocery store. I changed quickly from my jeans and hoodie to my hideous uniform. I didn't know what to do with my clothes, so I folded them neatly and left them on the floor.
Naomi Grim: Complete Novel (Parts 1-4) (The Silver Scythe Chronicles) Page 4