“Come along, your boys should be heading back now. Don’t want to deprive them of your services,” George said, turning and walking toward the exit.
I looked back at the row of deformed soldiers and then turned to George. I had no idea what his plan was or why it involved me, but one question forced itself to the front of my mind: Was George my father’s man on the inside? They seemed to be after the same thing. And he had been present at my bidding.
“George? Are you telling me this because you want to stop the end of days?”
George paused and slowly turned around to face me. “No, Tessie. I’m telling you because I want you to help me speed it along.”
Chapter 26
Terrance was waiting for me outside of his family’s living quarters when I returned from my adventure with George. Slumped against a wall, he held his hand gingerly to his face. I couldn’t miss the swollen lump that was growing at an alarming rate underneath his eye. Upon seeing me, he drew a flask from his pocket and brought it to his mouth.
I fought back a sigh. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with a drunk. I had to find a way to keep the map from George and figure out what was going on with James.
James. My heart skipped a beat just thinking about him. The way he looked at me—that couldn’t have been an act. I remembered the words in his letters. Had he truly forgotten me? Could I entirely blame him if banishing me from his memory was the only way he could survive?
“Wipe that look off your face,” Terrance sneered.
I bit the inside of my cheek and looked down. I was growing tired of his antics, but George had been right—I had a part to play. I kept my head down as I moved past him, but I didn’t get very far. “I didn’t excuse you,” he snapped.
“Is there anything you need from me, sir?” I mumbled. I had tasted freedom in the woods while living with the Isolationists, and even knowing my father was on his way to take me from this place, playing the part of enslaved servant was near impossible. I would never accept that life again.
“Is there anything you need from me, sir?” Terrance mocked. He shoved his face into mine. “What did you do with it?” he growled.
I swallowed. “With what? The map I found? I gave it to your father’s chosen one.”
“What did you do with the second one?” he asked darkly. “I know you have it.”
I shook my head, keeping my eyes on the floor. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir. I found the map accidentally. There was a loose floorboard. I nearly tripped on it fetching your brother.”
Terrance’s hand jutted forward and clutched me by the front of my blouse. I could smell the alcohol wafting from his breath. “I know you have it, and I want it back!”
“Is there a problem here?”
I managed to turn my head to find James staring at us from down the hall. Terrance grimaced at the sight of him, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been responsible for the black eye. “Don’t you say a word,” Terrance whispered to me.
“I asked if there was a problem,” James repeated, walking toward us. Terrance trembled next to me, and I couldn’t blame him. James had always been someone bred to enforce the will of others, but the power that oozed from his voice was overwhelming in its magnitude. He had power of his own.
“No problem, James. This wench here is late with my supper. She is constantly forgetting her place,” Terrance said, shoving me hard against the wall. I nearly fell from the force of it. My head smarted and ached. I reached a hand up to the back of my skull, and when I pulled it away, I found blood. I wanted to claw the bastard’s face off. “I’m not going to repeat myself,” Terrance spat, pulling back his hand. Before he could smack me, James grabbed onto his wrist.
“I think she got the point,” he said.
James had stopped Terrance from striking me. Despite the pain that radiated inside my head, a warmth spread through me. “Your father suggests you go back to looking. I’ll make sure the girl fetches your supper.” Terrance narrowed his eyes and looked from me to James. “I wasn’t making a request,” he warned.
Terrance, too afraid of James, didn’t dare say anything or even look at me as he stalked back inside his living quarters. Apparently, his father knew he had stolen the blueprints of the headquarters, and he would do just about anything to get them back. The map wouldn’t be safe in there, and I was wondering if I could ever be safe with Terrance. Things were moving too quickly. Everybody seemed to be in motion except for me. I needed to figure out my next step.
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed that James had been staring at me. I tried to stop the blush from creeping up my neck to my cheeks, but I couldn’t help it. I had never been able to control my body when it came to James; it had always wanted him desperately. James cleared his throat and my legs nearly gave out from under me. I knew what it meant when he did that.