I tell them about Spence and his grandmother, about the rebellion and the treasure. I tell them everything from the moment the former prime minister cornered me in the shadows and Ms. Chancellor picked up a gun. Never before have I felt so many secrets tumble out of me. I can’t stop. I might as well try to hold back the tide.
But as fast as I spill the Society’s secrets, I still can’t bear to tell my own. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite. But I’m a hypocrite who doesn’t want her friends to know she shot and killed her own mother. And, honestly, I’m okay with that.
“And that’s it,” I say when I’m finished. I sit back and wait for them to laugh, to tell me I must be joking. Or — worse — that I must be hearing things, misremembering things. Crazy.
But before anyone can argue, Alexei says, “It’s true. We saw Ms. Chancellor. She was with the new prime minister. They spoke of the cadet and of Grace.” Alexei cuts his gaze toward me, as if asking permission. “And of Grace’s mother.”
I shiver beneath the towel I have thrown over my shoulders. But none of my friends move to comfort me. It’s like they already know me too well.
“Wait. No. This is Ms. Chancellor we’re talking about?” Even Megan sounds confused. “Eleanor Chancellor?”
“Yes,” I say.
“She shot the prime minister and this society or whatever covered it up?” Megan says.
“Yes! I know how it sounds, okay? And I know how it looks, but it’s true. This time, I swear that I’m not wrong.” I’d give anything to be wrong. “It’s true, and …”
My voice cracks. My vision blurs.
“Say it,” Noah demands. “Come on, Grace — say whatever it is you’re afraid to say.”
“I think Spence got stuck in that tunnel on the island and then came out the other side. I think he ended up inside the Society — someplace he was never meant to be.”
“And what else?” Noah prompts.
There are truths you think and truths you feel and truths that, deep down, you know but pray you’ll never have to bring to the surface. So I dig deep and look Noah in the eye and whisper the words I’ve been too afraid to voice for days.
“And I think they killed him.”
It’s not hard to make a to-do list. We’ve been here before and we know how this goes. It’s just that, this time, I hope it goes better.
“Check every camera you can find,” I tell Megan. “I don’t think the police ever considered the possibility he wasn’t murdered on the island. It’s possible they missed something big.”
“On it!” she says.
“We need to find some other suspect. Any other suspect,” I say.
Lila considers this a moment, then asks, “What about that creepy guy? He seems like he could break somebody’s neck.”
“What creepy guy?”
“Scar Guy. You know, the one who was following you,” Lila says, and I can feel the room shift.
“The Scarred Man is following you?” Noah asks me.
“No. Yes. I mean, I’ve seen him around.”
“He’s following you?”
“It’s nothing, Noah,” I say.
“Do I need to remind you that two weeks ago you swore that the Scarred Man killed your mother?”
“And do I have to remind you that I just told the story of how Dominic saved my life?”
“But what if he did kill your mom?” Rosie asks.
“He didn’t. I know for a fact he didn’t.” I don’t even try to tell them why I am so certain.
“And yet you’re convinced that Ms. Chancellor and my mom are criminal masterminds now?”
Noah has a point, but I don’t say so. “I think they’re hiding something. I think we need to find out what. Now, do you have a problem with that?”
Noah shakes his head and backs away. I know he wants to fix this — fix me. He doesn’t yet know that his best friend was broken long before he met her — that I’ll never really be okay again.
“Can I follow the new prime minister?” Rosie asks. “Please. I’m really good at following prime ministers.”
Megan and I share a look before I cautiously say, “Okay. But be careful. And … take Noah with you.” Noah looks less than excited about this prospect, but he doesn’t bother to protest. “Don’t approach her. And don’t follow her anywhere that isn’t totally public. Okay?” I ask, but Rosie says nothing. “Rosie, okay?”
“Okay.” She sulks like I never let her have any fun.
“You almost act as if you’ve done this before.” Lila laughs, but Noah shrugs. Instantly, Lila registers the truth. “You’ve done this before?”
But we don’t have time for Lila’s shock or outrage.
Megan gives her a that’s old news hand wave and starts making notes for what she has to do.
“And I guess that leaves us,” I say, looking at Lila. “I mean, if you want to help.”
“That depends. What are you going to do?” Lila sounds more than a little skeptical.
“We’re going to the Society,” I say. “We’re going to claim our birthrights.”
Slowly, we all stand and gather our things. Once we’ve cleared away any evidence that someone has been inside Iran, Alexei takes my hand and pulls me aside.
“I believe you forgot to give me a job.” He’s smiling, trying to tease. To flirt. He doesn’t want to hear what I have to say and, already, he knows it.