“Harper!” Valentina shouted above me. “You had that in your bag the whole time? I carried you on my back at one point.” She pointed to her hurt arm. “With an injury!” I shrunk back a little.
“Wait,” Valentina added, finally registering what Cunningham said. “The brick was what you wanted us to find?” Valentina was breathless.
Cunningham crouched down and picked up the brick, his body inches from mine. “Well, I certainly didn’t expect anyone to destroy a crucial part of Order history, so no, I wasn't expecting you to bring me the brick.” My face fell.
“But,” he continued. “I expected you, or at least, some of you, to discover the coordinates hidden on the scrolls. If you make it to castle hill and find the bunker, you find the tunnel, which leads you to Rose Island. It just so happened you worked in reverse. But either way, I anticipated only the smartest recruits would discover the true history of the Order and our origin.” Cunningham tossed the brick up and down in his hand. “Or more specifically, the location of Malloy’s treasure, and the beginning of the Order of the Six, first formed in 1923 when the treasure was discovered.” He licked his lips and smirked, a sexy expression that probably worked on girls who liked the stereotypical douchebag type.
“The date on the wine bottles,” I whispered.
“Miss Fontaine, Miss Vasquez, welcome to the Order.” He finished. I glanced up at Valentina, who somehow managed to look composed. I don’t know why I’d expected her to jump up and down or something, but then again, she wasn't Nina.
I blinked. “Okay, so this was all for some history lesson? When we were getting kidnapped in the middle of the night, when Jamie was being thrown in jail, you didn’t care because you wanted us to learn a little Order history?”
“Harper.” Valentina barked.
“The challenges I put you through were intentional. It tested your bravery, intelligence, curiosity and cunning. All things The Order needs from this new chapter. Every recruitment year, someone tries to get the upper hand like Shane. And every year, someone comes out on top, and someone crashes and burns. With our new mission, my mission, we will likely run into resistance like you faced with Shane, but much worse. I needed to know who would prevail.”
I stood up. “Excuse me?”
Cunningham placed the brick down on his desk and looked back at us over his shoulder.
“To put it simply, the treasure our ancestors found on Rose Island was only part of Malloy’s treasure. The rest has been hidden somewhere in Newport for hundreds of years. And there is much, much more than the measly millions that were left in the well. Most people don’t know this. In fact, you are the only people outside of my family line that knows about it at all. And I trust, as new members of the Order, you will be discreet in our search.”
Valentina and I looked like twins with how low our jaws hung to the floor.
I picked mine back up momentarily to say, “The rest of the Order doesn’t know about it?”
Cunningham’s eyes gleamed. “This is what I meant when I said I was creating a new chapter of the Order. I want to make history. For us to make history.”
“You mean, this has all been about a treasure hunt?” Valentina’s voice was incredulous.
“Wait,” I interrupted, holding up a hand. “I thought Malloy’s boat was found a hundred years ago or something, and there was no treasure on it?”
“A decoy, created by the Order to dampen any interest by treasure hunters. Some were already suspicious of our family's sudden increase in wealth and power, but we managed to hide it well. The real boat was shipwrecked elsewhere. We just haven’t found it yet.”
“And the tunnel?” I asked. “What’s its purpose?”
“We don’t know. It’s all a part of the mystery of Rose Island. We do know it took Malloy over ten years to complete, and when he finally did, he died.”
“And you know all this how?” I asked, my hand on my hip.
Cunningham laughed. “Ah, you’re skeptical. I like that, Miss Fontaine. I knew we were right to bring you out here. Initially, I was hoping we’d have one member from each of the original six families to stick close with tradition in our search for the rest of Malloy’s treasure, though naturally, I stuck with the custom of recent years and opened it to other select noble families as well. Of course, with only two of you standing before me and such little time left, I think we may not need a member from all six families after all.”
“Wait.” I started, but Cunningham ignored me.
“To answer your question, the Cunninghams have been passing down stories of the treasure for generations. And in fact, we have letters written by Malloy himself, recovered from Rose Island.” He said, “Written to the love of his life and eventual wife, he details his plan to hide his gold and retire on Rose Island with her.” So, Nina’s parents were right, I thought. Malloy did fall in love and stashed his money away.
“At the time of their romance, she was a lighthouse keeper on the island, which is why she always signed her letters to him with a rose. He signed his letters with a compass, promising he was on his way back to her. When they finally came together, and their love story officially began, the rose compass crest was formed, and later adopted by the Order to signify their triumph and continuation of Malloy’s legacy.” Cunningham said. So, that explains the floral wallpaper and the undeniable woman's touch displayed all around the lighthouse. “Of course, that’s where the trail stops, and precisely why I recruited you all.” He added.
“Wait,” I said more firmly this time. “So, I was right. The Order did bring me out here. You’re the one responsible for the fire at my school? For framing me?” My voice came out strangled. “You went through all that just so I could be recruited into the Order?” My blood boiled. “Cunningham, one of my friends was sent to juvie for that. He’s turning eighteen next month. He could go to jail.”
I felt Valentina’s eyes land on me, probably full of questions. But instead of prying, her hand simply grabbed mine, and my shoulders fell slightly. I threw my hands up. “Well? I’m here. What the hell do you want with me?”
Cunningham shook his head, amused at my outburst. “The Order will do anything to ensure it secures the best members, Harper. Of course, there are going to be casualties. You were the only heir from the six families missing from Newport. It’s been a long time since we’ve had all six families participate in a recruitment year. I wanted to change that. And guess what? My plan worked. You arrived and were, in fact, the strongest candidate of the bunch.” He said, and I winced, imagining how Valentina was probably reacting to hearing that. “And I’d do it again, too.”
I bared my teeth at him. “You need to pull your stupid strings, Cunningham, and get Zeke out.” I spat.
He tsked. “I’m not the one who burned down the building.” He shrugged as if these kinds of things were inevitable.
I took a step towards him. “And if I went around blabbing about this second treasure?”
Cunningham’s nostrils flared, and he growled. “That would be a very bad idea, Harper. One you would undoubtedly regret.”
My pulse quickened, and I swallowed. Come on, Harper. Think of something. Jack wants our chapter of the Order to make history. He wants the glory all for himself. “And if I told your sister about your little vanity project? How would she react to the news that you’re using the Order to assemble your very own team to search for the treasure without her? I assume if you know about it, she does too. I don’t think she would find that very fair, do you?”
Cunningham’s mouth pressed into a flat line. Got you, I thought.
“Not to mention,” I added, hoping to seal the deal. “With Zeke taking the fall for the fire, I’m free to go back to New York. My old school has to take me. I could leave Newport tonight. Is that what you want?”
“Fine. The thug boy goes free if you stay in Newport. You’re lucky I’m feeling friendly today. But the treasure stays between us. No one else in the Order
is to find out. Understood?” His eyes stayed on mine until I nodded.
“Harper? Valentina?” A male voice echoed from across the room, both frantic and relieved at the same time.
“Adan?” Valentina replied, dropping my hand.
Cunningham narrowed his eyes. “I see you left the hatch open, Miss Vasquez.” He said, referring to the exit Valentina left open when she was checking out the floor above us.
“Harper?!” Nina’s voice echoed from behind Adan as the two of them ran down the spiral stairs.
Nina threw her arms around me and squeezed. “I’m so glad you guys are okay! What happened?” She squealed.
I laughed. “It’s a long story. I can’t believe your mom let you out of the house.”
A guilty look spread across her face. “Well, she doesn’t know I’m out. But it’s almost 6, and Adan and I promised we’d wait to call the police again until we were sure you weren’t going to make it here on time. But you did! Thank god.” She looked around. “And good one on finding the secret room. Adan definitely didn’t find this the million times he checked.” Adan cut her a dark look, and I snorted.
“It was Valentina.” I offered, and she flashed me a smile. I blushed, and Nina’s mouth dropped into a small “o.” Heat flooded her cheeks, and she squeezed my hands.
“Oh my god, you guys totally boned!” She screeched almost inaudibly to me as our foreheads touched.
Valentina stepped back next to me, so the four of us formed a line in front of Cunningham. “Okay, Jack, we’re all here,” Valentina said. Cunningham frowned at the casual use of his first name. “We figured out your riddles, and we’re done. That means we’re all in, right?”
Cunningham looked thoughtful. “Harper and Valentina were the only two to complete all parts of the riddle in full.”
I rolled my eyes. “Adan and Nina helped us to get to this point. And they found us here, at the metaphorical finish line. We’re a team. We need them to find the treasure.”
“Treasure?” Nina squeaked.
“Long story,” I said, brushing her off.
Cunningham tapped his fingers to his jaw.
Nina leaned into my ear. “We can’t join, Harper. None of us can. What about Jamie?”
I closed my eyes. She was right. But there was no way Valentina was backing down. That left only one option.
“And Jamie.” I said, “Jamie helped us too. If the Order is as powerful as everyone says it is, you can surely work some connections to get Jamie out of jail and keep Shane off our backs.”
Cunningham nodded. “It certainly wouldn’t be a problem.”
I spoke up before he could think about it too hard. “Then it’s settled. Adan, Nina, and Jamie are in. Shane is out.”
Cunningham leaned back casually on his desk as though the entire situation wasn't a big deal. “Well, Harper, you certainly are in a bargaining mood today, aren’t you? I admire your drive. Nonetheless, the Order doesn’t usually make exceptions to these kinds of things. Jamie simply isn’t here. It’s one thing to get a delinquent out of jail. It’s certainly another to accept someone into the Order on nothing but your say so.”
I huffed. “Either you take all of us, or I’m out.” It was a risky move, I knew. If Jack decided not to take me up on my ultimatum, Zeke wouldn’t be set free either. But I wasn’t going to sacrifice one for the other.
“Me too!” Nina chirped.
I spoke up before Adan could take sides again. “One, two, three, four, five, six.” I pointed at each one of us as I spoke, including Cunningham and leaving an imaginary space for Jamie. When Cunningham left six scrolls to be found at the last challenge, he wasn't betting on all six making it this far. And he was right. Only two of us had truly made it. Yet still, if Cunningham was willing to bend over backward to get me out here just to mimic the six families that found the original treasure, having six members in his chapter must be important to him. “There can only be six, remember? Look around, Cunningham. You need us.”
Cunningham’s eyes moved slowly down the line, his gaze stopping on each of us. A devious smile crept up one side of his face. “Done. But you will be required to attend all Order events, parties, and ceremonies. No exceptions. All of you.” I nodded.
“Being that we are missing a member, I will reschedule the induction ceremony for this evening. Jamie will be available by then. At that time, you will learn what it means to be a member of the Order of the Six. You two have already been briefed about our chapter's individual mission.” The treasure hunt, I thought. “Adan and Nina, stick around for a moment while Harper and Valentina try on their robes.”
Valentina whirled around to the rack sitting in the corner. I smiled at Adan, whose attention was now redirected towards me.
“Why didn’t you call us?” He asked, an intense look in his eye.
I reached into my backpack to grab my phone. “Our phones were dead. I’ll tell you later.” I flashed the black screen at Adan, then pressed the “on” button. The little apple logo lit up the screen, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Yes, finally! I thought it was toast. Valentina’s definitely is.”
“Adan.” Cunningham waved Adan towards him and Nina, and he squeezed my shoulder before he jogged over there. I took a moment to check my messages when ten voicemails popped up from my dad.
“Oh, shit,” I said, speed walking to the spiral staircase and fumbling outside as swiftly as possible without drawing attention.
“Harper, wait,” Valentina said, her shoes crunching on snow as she chased me from the lighthouse. “Where are you going?”
“I have to call my dad back.”
Valentina looked out at the sun slowly climbing up the horizon, then looked back at me. “Cunningham just said we’re a part of the Order now. You and me. We’re the only ones that did it, really did it. Just the two of us. Aren’t you happy?” She took a step closer to me, both the desperation from yesterday and the excitement from earlier washed away. On her face was a soft smile, a gentleness she so often tucked away under fiery glares or harsh words.
I grabbed her hands. “I am, V. I just need a minute.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “Is this about this morning? About the attitude I was giving you?”
I glanced down at my phone in my pocket, eager to call my dad back and find out why he called me so many times when he was usually so absent during work trips. “No, it’s not that.”
“Look, I’m sorry about that.” She said, ignoring my comment. “It’s just, this morning I was feeling… guilty.”
“About Adan?”
She bit her lip, then rolled her eyes, seemingly at herself. “About Adan. Adan is the only thing that kept me together when our dad died. I owe him everything. And Harper, he likes you. You don’t even know how much. If I took you from him -”
My dad melted away from my thoughts as I clicked into the same old argument I’d been having with myself since I got here. “You can’t take something from him that he never had in the first place,” I said.
“If I took you from him,” she finished. “It might flip a switch in him. He used to be… Well, you don’t want to know the Adan I grew up with. I can’t be responsible for making him that person again, not after everything he’s done for me.”
“Valentina, it’s not your responsibility. Adan is amazing. He’ll get over me. I don’t think you give the guy enough credit.”
She bounced on her heels, an uneasiness I wasn't familiar with seeing. “I know. And that’s why… I don’t even care anymore.” Valentina leaned in and kissed me, her neck bending down a little bit to reach me fully. I instinctively pulled her in, both arms wrapping around her neck.
She pulled away after a moment but kept me close in her embrace. “Seeing what we did today... Look how amazing we are together. Look what we can do. Yes, Adan makes me sane. But you make me better.” Valentina said, her hand smoothing down my hair. “I don’t need him if I have you.” She bent down
and kissed me again, but this time I pulled away before our lips touched, my stomach sinking.
“V, I just want to make sure...” I hesitated. How could I phrase what I was thinking so she would understand? “I just want to make sure you realize that you don’t need either of us to be amazing.” Valentina’s smile fell, but I continued. “I need to be certain you’re not using me to fill some kind of… I don't know, void in your life.”
“Void?” Valentina’s tone hit like she’d slapped me, and I dropped my arms, taking a step back.
“You know what I mean.” I said, “I’m just saying you’re stronger than you think you are.” I reached out a hand and touched her elbow. “I want this. I want us.”
My phone beeped, and I rushed to check it.
“V, I want you in my life. But can we talk about this in a second? My dad called me like ten times last night. Something could be wrong. I have to call him back.”
“Forget it, Harper. I think we’re done talking about this anyway.” Her tone grated on my nerves, her sudden nonchalance unfitting for the topic at hand.
I gave her a look. “No, V, we’re not.”
Valentina turned away from me. “V, something could really be wrong,” I added, and she huffed. I dialed my dad’s number and paced a couple of steps away from Valentina. My dad answered on the first ring. I blew out the breath I’d been holding when he told me everything was okay, but after the news he dropped on me, I wasn't entirely sure it was.
“Fuck.” I said, jamming my phone into my pocket. I clenched my jaw and spun around to face Valentina.
“What?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. “Did my mom go on another bender? Tell him to water down the vodka when she’s not looking.”
I rolled my eyes. “No, it’s not that.” I wish, I thought, then silently took it back, realizing how selfish that sounded.
“So,” I started. “You know how I said I wanted you in my life? Well, it turns out I got my wish. Our parents are getting married. Welcome to the family, sis.”
There Can Only Be Six Page 17