I jumped a little at the sound of my name. It was the first time anyone had actually acknowledged our existence without prompting.
“During our last communication, you told me that Saul had appeared before you in Marrakesh.”
I nodded. “He told me a bunch of cryptic nonsense, then disappeared.”
“But our scanners didn’t pick up his signature,” Sibyl continued. “We wouldn’t have even known that he’d been there if you hadn’t told us. Saul must be able to mask his frequency again.”
The Sect couldn’t trace him for weeks after his signal went dead in Greenland. What if that was where he’d regained control of himself? If Saul had gone back to masking his frequency weeks ago, then it had to have been the dead soldier whose Effigy frequency Communications tracked to the desert hideout. I shook my head, considering the possibility.
“Saul could have taken her in her room.” Belle folded her arms across her chest. “Even if she is his final goal, we have to assume he’s planning something bigger.”
“Like an attack?” Chae Rin asked. “Maybe. Right?”
“He told me he wanted to change the world.” I squeezed my fingers into my palms. “But we’ve got his ring, so he can’t control phantoms anymore.”
“He’ll come for you regardless,” said Sibyl. “He’s been fixated on you from the start.”
I sucked in a deep breath, closing my eyes to keep calm. Yes, Saul wanted me. I was his gateway to Marian, the Effigy swimming around somewhere in my subconscious with all the others. Only she had the information he wanted—where to find the rest of the stone from which his ring descended. Only then could he grant his ultimate wish, whatever that was. Belle was wrong. Marian was his final goal. I was just the sack of flesh standing in his way.
The sound of metal scraping the hardwood floor stopped the conversation dead. Blackwell pushed out his chair slowly, deliberately drawing out the noise.
“Ah, yes, good,” he said, pleased, maybe, that he’d succeeded in gaining our attention. “Plan your next operation. I won’t stop you.” Standing, he adjusted his long jacket over his shoulders. “But I should remind you of this, Arthur. I am the voice of the Council.” He looked menacing as he said it. “The Council wants results. And if they don’t get them, they’ll surely make adjustments needed to the organization itself—including the chain of command.”
The two men glared at each other.
“None of that is a worry to me, though,” Blackwell added, his fingers playing with the cuff links on his sleeve. “A handed-down, ceremonial position offers its own benefits, Arthur. Job security, for one.”
And with that, he left, the slam of the double doors echoing across the ceiling.
Prince’s bottom lip curled, but he kept himself in check. He shut his eyes. “What are you proposing, Sibyl?”
Sibyl tapped her fingers against the table. “If Saul is planning an attack, he’ll need his rings. With them he could control phantoms again.”
“Both are still in your custody?”
Sibyl nodded. “Yes. Fortified and under twenty-four-hour supervision. But we—”
The director put up his hand once more to silence her, much to her annoyance. This time, it was to take a call he’d just received. He gave a few curt nods before answering back. “Very good. If he’s already arrived at the facility, then tell him to head directly to the briefing room. I’ll speak to him there.”
“Sir,” Sibyl said once he hung up. “Who are you referring to?”
“To be honest,” Prince said, “I’ve been considering this ever since it was clear that you were struggling to recapture Saul.” His Adam’s apple slid against his skin as he swallowed. “Like you said, Saul wouldn’t launch an attack on the Sect or make another attempt for Maia without arsenal. At this point, he’s at a disadvantage. He’ll need at least one ring. However, with the current situation of our recent breaches, I’m not confident that the rings are safe at your facility under your care.”
“Since Saul escaped from our custody, I’ve made sure to conduct intense screenings of our agents here at the London facility,” Sibyl said in a low voice. She didn’t let on, but her rigid posture told me she was on the defensive. “I’ve done everything I can to ensure their security.”
“You’ll forgive me if I’m not convinced,” Prince answered flatly. “Don’t worry, Sibyl. This is good timing. I’ve already been preparing for the possibility of moving the rings to a more secure location. It’s a delicate operation that would require the support of the Effigies and only a handful of trusted agents. I have a few I can spare.”
“A task force,” Sibyl said.
“I’ve already generated a short list of agents from my division. Some have worked well with your team in the past. I sent them to London the moment I heard about the mission’s failure. Especially now that Saul’s declared his intentions, I think it’s time we move up my original timeline.”
Sibyl frowned. “Which agents have you contacted?”
“He should be here shortly.”
We didn’t have to wait too long.
I was already on my feet by the time he walked in.
I should have known.
Two months since he’d nearly died protecting me against Saul. He looked perfectly fine standing in front of me, his black hair trimmed, a healthy flush to his high-angled cheekbones. During the weeks he’d spent at a London hospital recuperating, I’d visited only when I knew he’d be asleep. And once he was released, I ignored him, even after he’d gone back to his own post in rural New York, together with all of his unanswered texts, to resume his original job as a run-of-the-mill field agent. His voice messages were still saved on my phone.
And for a time, I thought it would work. I thought that if I didn’t see him, didn’t speak to him, didn’t talk about him, and didn’t think about him, then I could properly deal with the fact that he may have murdered Natalya. I could take the information Natalya herself had given me, real or not, and stow it back in the recesses of my mind. I could forget him.
I should have known.
“Rhys.” I stupidly stared at him with my jaw slack, my shoulders slumping hopelessly.
But Aidan Rhys did not look at me, did not even respond to the sound of his name from my lips. His eyes had already found the screen at the front of the room, and the man whose stone gaze he matched.
“Aidan.” Prince clasped his fingers together, peering down at the young man with a businesslike chill in his expression. “Good, you’ve arrived.”
I’d never seen Rhys so stiff. “Yes,” he said with a formal voice and straight back, though the sharp glint in his eyes told a different story. “Hey, Dad.”
7
“WAIT.” LAKE LOOKED AT RHYS, then turned to Prince. Then back to Rhys. Then back again. “You guys are father and son . . . seriously?”
The two men left the question unanswered as they stared each other down.
Rhys had told me once that he belonged to one of those Sect legacy families—the ones who’d been loyal for generations.
My dad fought. I could hear his voice in memories. My brother, too.
What he hadn’t told me was that his father was the leader of an entire Sect division. He’d left that little detail out.
“Not ‘Dad.’ Director Prince,” Prince said, correcting Rhys’s initial greeting, and it was then that I noticed the difference in their surnames. Was Rhys a pseudonym? Code name? Was it for security reasons? Personal reasons? My mind raced. There was so much I didn’t know about him. Too much.
“Director Prince,” the older man repeated.
Rhys straightened his jean jacket with a sharp tug, but said nothing. The delicate contours of his lean face tightened with his frown, the muscles in his long neck stretching as he lifted his chin. Even with his soldier-like, attentive posture, he was challenging the man childishly. But then, he didn’t outright disobey him either.
Standing, Sibyl approached him to shake his hand. Only then did he s
eem to relax his body. “It’s good to see you again, Rhys.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” It was like the spell his father had cast had finally worn off. His expression softened. Rhys gave Sibyl one of his friendly good-boy grins that seemed to light up his soft brown eyes. Then, finally, he turned our way. “Girls, hello again. And sorry, Lake: Yeah, this is my . . . dad.”
His inviting smile strained at the word but didn’t waver until his gaze passed over me. His body quirked curiously once we made eye contact. But not even that lasted long. “Good to see you,” he said in one breath before he turned back to Sibyl.
“I already heard some of what’s been happening on the way here. The mission to capture Saul.” He snuck in a wry grin. “And that press conference. Phew! That was a nice bit of theater, but it doesn’t help us much. It’s already all over the news.”
“The increased public scrutiny puts us in an even more delicate situation,” Sibyl said.
“Director Prince has already discussed with me the possibility of moving the rings,” Rhys said. “I know we’ll have to operate in secrecy. I came here ready.”
Prince responded with a curt nod. “This mission must be executed with the utmost precision. Sibyl will catch you up on our present situation. The three of us will consider the plan of operations and go over the short list of agents from the North American Division I’ve generated. We need to get preparations under way as quickly as we can.”
Chae Rin leaned in, glancing at the rest of us. “What about us?”
“It’s late and you’ve just come back from a mission,” Sibyl said. “If this is going to go smoothly, we all need to be at our best. Eat. Rest. Train. Like usual. We’ll handle the operational logistics.”
“But—”
“We’ll send for you once you’re needed, not before.”
Chae Rin jerked her head back, but Sibyl, who’d already turned away, didn’t notice. Sibyl probably hadn’t meant it so bluntly, but Chae Rin knew the ropes as well as I did. We were the muscle. What did that pigeon-faced conservative senator Tracy Ryan call us once? Right. Biological weapons of mass destruction. A little dramatic, but the point was clear: We Effigies only pretended to be heroes for the rest of the world and the adoring fans with their homemade signs and handwritten letters. The reality was, we were tools of the Sect. They pointed us at whatever they wanted blown up and we did our best not to die.
We followed orders. But Natalya’s death had already taught us that working for an organization with as many secrets as the Sect meant trust was a luxury.
“She’s right,” Belle said as I watched Rhys from the corner of my eye. “There’s a better use of our time. Let’s go.”
She didn’t need to say much else. Following her cue, we stood up to leave.
With the breaches plaguing the Sect, Prince was being careful, controlling the variables of the mission right down to the agents he allowed in his task force. But we Effigies had our own mission. We’d have to be careful too.
Rhys turned his head slightly as I passed, as my shoulder grazed his arm. It was even worse than not being acknowledged at all. For one fleeting moment, my heart sped up. I almost hated myself for it.
I was the one who needed to be careful.
“Rhys.” I caught Prince’s voice just as I reached the door. “You know that I chose you to be a part of this task force because despite everything, I trust you. You are and always will be a soldier of the Sect.”
I knew it. Natalya knew it too.
• • •
My stomach hit the couch hard, my legs awkward and stiff over the armrest. That’s when I felt something crinkle in the pocket of my sweatshirt.
The fan letter. I reached inside and pulled it out. The pink envelope was sealed by an adorable bunny sticker.
“What’s that?” Chae Rin shut the door behind her. “Is that the fan letter?” She came up to the couch and, before I could shove it back into my sweater, snatched it out of my hands.
“Hey!” I tried to get it back, but she danced out of the way.
“Let’s see what we have here.” Quickly peeling off the bunny sticker, she slipped out the letter. “Ooh, it’s handwritten!”
I could see the girl’s tiny cursive writing through the thin notepaper. Chae Rin made sure to annoyingly alter her voice as she read.
Dear Maia,
You’re so cool! All my friends like Belle, Lake, or Chae Rin—
“Damn right.” Chae Rin puffed out her chest.
—but to me you’re totally the coolest because I feel like you’re kinda just like me. I hope you don’t read the comments online and feel bad about all the people saying you’re not super-hard-core enough. You started like a month ago—and your scythe is so cool! I’m even making one out of cardboard!
“Did you hear that?” Tilting her head, Chae Rin let out a loud, affected sigh as she held the letter to her chest. “She’s making one out of cardboard. Oh, you’re just . . . just the coolest!” She’d said it as if literal tears were dripping from her voice.
My cheeks were burning. “Shut up,” I grumbled, though it wasn’t easy hiding how pleased I was. Someone thought I was cool. Maia Finley. Well, better late than never.
There’s a fan convention coming up in August and I would love for you guys to show up! Please think about it!
“That would be fun!” I said.
“All those neckbeards. No, thanks.” Chae Rin tossed the letter, then the envelope, back to me. “Well, congrats, kid. You finally have a wittle fan! It’s like you’ve come full circle: from an Effigy fan to an Effigy fan’s soon-to-be disappointment!”
“Oh, just. Quiet.”
I could hear Lake giggling as she passed by us both. Shoving the letter back into my sweatshirt, I flopped onto the sofa as Chae Rin walked away.
I’d left my suitcase by the door, but Belle was already dragging hers up the stairs of our dorm. Our little home.
Home. I hadn’t been home in two months. Sibyl’s training regime denied us access to our homes and families to stay focused. Even Lake, who lived in London, was not allowed to venture into the city to see her mom and dad. I knew Uncle Nathan was alive, at least. But I hadn’t had the chance to tell him with my own mouth that I’d become an Effigy. He certainly knew by now. After losing his brother, sister-in-law, and niece to a fire, he’d lost his other niece to destiny.
Uncle Nathan was the only family I had left. I should have told him right after I knew I’d become an Effigy. It was too late now. Though maybe it was easier not having to face him.
In either case, I had a new home now, for the time being. Since I’d left New York in April, this round, two-story flat had become Effigy Central, and it was trashed accordingly: cookie crumbs on the carpet, dirty dishes in the sink, empty bottles overturned on the table next to a sticky television controller. Lake always tried to keep the place clean and Belle was very tidy, but these days, as the missions and stress piled up, not even Lake’s nagging could keep the combined sloth of Chae Rin and me in check. I was sure half the dirty pairs of socks on the floor were mine.
As I picked one up and inspected it, Lake went straight for the fridge. It was all an open space with no walls separating the living room and kitchen, so I could hear her loud and clear when she said, “Okay, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since that fried crap at the airport. You guys want something? Let’s see what we have here.”
Lake pulled out one of the many containers labeled with her name on it—not that it ever stopped me or Chae Rin stealing them. “Maia.” She waved one container at me. “Plantains?”
Pulling myself up, I could see the banana-like fruit was already cut, but uncooked. Being Nigerian, Lake had a similar love for certain foods my Caribbean mother would cook back when she was alive. A few days ago we went on a supervised venture into town—supervised because Sibyl had to be sure Lake wouldn’t try to escape and see her family in Woolwich. Little did Sibyl know, Lake’s parents knew the owner of an
Afro-Caribbean store in Southwark.
“Your parents are still in Nigeria right now, right?” I asked her. “For that wedding or something?”
“Yeah, that’s what they told the store owner to tell me.” Lake let out an overly dramatic sigh as she was predisposed to do. “They’re off having fun while their daughter is trapped in this facility doing missions instead of joining in the festivities. They’re so cruel. It’s like they don’t even miss me.”
I doubted that was true. Mr. and Mrs. Soyinka had gone to great lengths to protect her in the past. The seventeen-year-old was as sheltered as you’d expect from a pampered only child. But it was fun going to the Afro-Caribbean store with Lake—a nice little connection between us. A decidedly more normal one than the cosmic link we already shared.
With Sibyl’s ban on seeing our families, it was a connection we both needed.
As she poured the oil in the frying pan and turned on the heat, Chae Rin bent low and pulled some soda out of the fridge. “You know, I thought I’d be more tired, but weirdly it’s like I’m wide-awake. Why is that?”
“You’re a scary adrenaline junkie.” I got onto my knees and dangled my arms over the couch.
Chae Rin walked over to the utensil drawer. “You could be right,” she said.
Then she threw a knife at me.
“Hey!” I caught the tip inches away from my forehead. “Um, what the hell? Are you bored?” I added as Chae Rin laughed.
“Just keeping you on your toes, rookie.” She leaned back against the fridge and took a big slurp of her soda. “Looks like all my training is really paying off. I’m impressed.”
“So you’re bored.” I tossed the knife onto the kitchen table a few feet away. It clattered against the wood. There was a reason why Chae Rin had her own room. Same as Belle. There were only three to spare anyway, and Lake and I rooming together decreased the likeliness of a pillow suffocation happening.
The four of us were a team. It was what I kept telling myself. And on those long nights I couldn’t sleep for fear I’d see Natalya, those nights I’d stayed awake trying not to think of Uncle Nathan or my dead family, it was the comfort of knowing there were three other girls with me that made life more bearable. But things weren’t always easy, no matter how much I wanted them to be.
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