Aimee Carter - Pawn

Celia nodded, and Knox moved to pat my shoulder again. This time I let him. “You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said.

Except as we drove down the winding drive, I was all too aware that there was only one way this could end, and it wouldn’t be with Celia or Knox taking the fall for me.

As a III, I would have never been allowed to set foot into Somerset. While thousands of people were crammed within the borders of the Heights, Somerset was equally as large and catered solely to the Harts. The only way for anyone else to get inside was to work there or be invited by a member of the family. The armed guards that patrolled the gates made sure of it.

As we drove up to the mansion, I tried not to gawk, but it was impossible. Standing five stories high, the outside was painted a shimmering white that reflected the deep hues of the sunset. A massive glass wall offered a glimpse into the luxurious atrium, and I craned my neck to get a better look.

“Is this for real?” I stepped out of the car, and the gravel drive crunched beneath my boots. “This is a house?”

“This is home,” said Celia, looping her arm in mine. Two guards opened the double doors for us, and we stepped inside, Knox trailing behind us.

The entrance hall gleamed with brilliant whites and silvers, crystal and glass, and there was even an elevator that rose through the atrium. Off to the side I spotted a sitting room, richly decorated in blue and gold, and in the opposite direction I saw a door that led into a magnificent dining room. Unlike the one in the Stronghold, it could easily have held fifty or more.

As Celia led me to the elevator, I noticed paintings of people I didn’t recognize. Their eyes seemed to follow us, and a shiver ran through me. Despite my success in convincing the people in Elsewhere that I was Lila, now that I was in her home, I was no longer confident. Something as simple as putting my shoes in the wrong place could give me away.

“Welcome home, Lila,” said a voice above us. Daxton leaned against the railing two stories up. “I’ve already checked with the staff, and they assure me your suite has been aired out and prepared for your arrival. Mother has scheduled you for a luncheon tomorrow for the grand opening of St. George Hospital. Celia, if you will, Mother requests you accompany her.”

“Of course,” said Celia. “Knox will be staying with us for the foreseeable future, so if you would also tell the staff to prepare his room, I would be much obliged.”

“Already done,” said Daxton. “On that note, that little problem we discussed earlier, Lila—Knox will help you with it.”

I gave Knox a puzzled look, and he bent down to whisper in my ear, “He wants me to teach you to read.”

“Oh.” How had he found out so quickly? I shoved my hands in my pockets and nodded up toward Daxton. Good luck with that one.

Lila’s rooms were on the fourth floor, across from Celia’s. Along with a guest room Knox would be using, they took up an entire wing of the mansion. Lila’s suite alone included a sitting room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen nook, and worst of all, a door that led into an empty room.

“Your future nursery,” said Celia. “For after you’re married.”

I made a face. Terrific.

Everything from her bedspread to the sofa to the rug laid out in front of a gigantic fireplace was made of white furs—fake, Celia informed me, but I couldn’t tell the difference. I took my boots off, and the hardwood floor was cool against my bare feet. The windows were wide and faced the sunset, and in the distance I could see the buildings that made up the wealthy downtown area.

The bathrooms were decorated with swirling marble floors and counters, and they were full of soaps that smelled like flowers and fruits and things I couldn’t name. I explored the suite under the guise of making sure everything was in place, and once I was done, I collapsed on the sofa and ran my hand over the fur.

“Get some rest,” said Celia, standing in the doorway. Knox lurked behind her. “I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”

With one final warning look, Celia shooed the servants away and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone in Lila’s suite.

No matter how lavish it was, I was standing in the middle of my prison cell. I’d noticed locks on the door coming in, and the only window that opened was the small one in the bathroom. Even if I could squeeze through it, I was several stories up, and dropping from that height would mean broken bones at the very least, if not a painful death.

Looking up at the ceiling, I noticed the opening to a vent in the corner. It wasn’t very big, but with some squirming, I might fit. I pushed an end table underneath it and climbed. Using the bookcase beside it as another step, I managed to move the grate aside and get a good grip.

My muscles strained as I pulled myself up and tried not to tip the bookcase over. Finally I made it into the vent, which was made of plastic and surprisingly clean. More important, it extended past Lila’s suite in either direction.

It was a tight squeeze, but no different from shimmying through sewer openings. Easier, even, because unlike the concrete, which rubbed and cut my skin, the plastic didn’t hurt. The vent extended in front of me with no visible end, though that wasn’t saying much considering the only light came from the grates. With effort I wriggled through it until I reached the next one, and I peered through the thin slits.

Directly below me, Knox sat at a desk, hunched over a folder full of documents. Relief washed over me. At least now I had a way out if I needed one.

I started to slide back to Lila’s suite, but a faint knock stopped me cold. “Come in,” said Knox, and his door opened and shut. He stood and removed his reading glasses, and I strained to see who was there.

“Knox. So good to see you.”

I cringed. Daxton.

“Sir. I hear your hunting trip was successful.”

“Ah, so she told you, did she?” I could hear the smugness in Daxton’s voice. “What else did she say?”

Knox cleared his throat, and I tensed. He wouldn’t tell Daxton about my deal with Celia, would he? He couldn’t. He’d be incriminating himself, too.

“She’s upset with you, and with good reason,” said Knox, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “You had her already, Daxton. You didn’t have to kill that woman.”

“I know,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “But it was so much fun, and there’s nothing quite like a bullet to make my point for me, now, is there?”

“There were subtler ways,” said Knox. “You’re better than that.”

“If you insist. Do let me know if there’s anything to report, will you?”

“Don’t expect much. She’s scared to blink the wrong way, let alone disobey you.”

“Good,” he said. “Peaceful and controlled, just the way I like it.” I heard his footsteps as he walked to the door, but before it opened, he paused. “No hard feelings about what happened to Lila, yes? It was a shame, but I tried to warn her. She knew the dangers of what she was doing. So did Celia.”

Knox was silent for a long moment. “Nothing’s changed,” he finally said. “Thank you for allowing my father to tell me ahead of time.”

“Of course,” said Daxton. “You’re a good man, Knox. You deserved the chance to say goodbye.” He paused. “Don’t forget, poker next Thursday.”

Knox nodded, and after the door opened and shut, he sank into his chair and buried his face in his hands.

He’d known. He’d known Lila was going to die, and he hadn’t done a damn thing to stop it. Had their entire relationship been for show? Had he been using Lila as much as Daxton was using him?