17. Summer
The grand mansionperched atop the cliff, its black gates entwined with ivy and a lion-head knocker embedded in the tall, dark door. I’d had to go through two security gates to get here, with serious-faced guards checking my credentials. Every step closer made my stomach twist and the pain in my head pulse.
Gulping in the scent of blossoming flowers, I shoved my waitress uniform in the car. After two weeks of restless anticipation, Olivia had finally responded, and I’d barely eaten or slept.
Hopefully the money would come soon.
Staring at the house from the partially hidden space in the parking lot, I smoothed my newly changed clothes and spritzed perfume to cover the smell of fried food.
At the beep on my phone, I silenced it, ignoring Amara”s incoming message. I’d spent a lot of time these past two weeks listening to her, offering my support when I could, but now, I had to focus.
I hadn’t said a word to her about my decision to sign the contract—she had enough to worry about.
Besides, I couldn’t afford to let her talk me out of it.
My knock reverberated loud and deep, quickly opened by the same woman from the bank.
“Oh, hi,” I stared at her, surprised, quickly trying to remember her name, “Lux? I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Summer, come in.” Her solemn response made panic blossom. I pressed my hand to my chest, pulling in a deep, quiet breath. Forcing my racing heart to calm. “Follow me.”
I was greeted by a grand space, with high ceilings, intricate crown moldings, and black chandeliers. Through large glass walls, the sky blazed orange and yellow. As Lux wordlessly led me through the foyer, I watched the ball of red slowly sink into the bay.
Symbolic—the sun was setting on my old life.
It was the worst decision of my life, but I had no choice.
We stopped at a large and imposing door marked, ‘Private’, opened by another skeleton key, similar to the one at the bank. With tight lips, she said nothing as she unlocked the door.
I stepped forward, when suddenly, her hand snapped out, grabbing my wrist.
Startled, I blinked up into her intense, russet brown gaze. ”Are you sure you want to do this?” Her fingers tightened, gripping, her eyes expressing a sense of foreboding, dread…
Terror.
”I...” The words stuck and I froze, unable to move back or forward. I have to, I wanted to say, but the words were stuck in my throat. ”I...” I tried again but my mouth was dry, tongue thick.
Her fingers dug into my wrists, her eyes pleading with me to turn around and run away. “Don’t?—”
”Miss Duvall,” Olivia”s crisp, sharp tone cut through the tension. Lux”s grip on me was suddenly gone. She stepped back, her eyes on the floor.
”Well?” Olivia stood in the doorway, her clothing almost identical to the last time I’d seen her—a grey pants suit and crisp white button-up shirt. She gave me an impatient glare, her cheeks flushed. ”Are you coming?”
”Yes?” My face felt hot. I was pretty sure sweat marks were spreading under my arms.
“Is that a question? Or do you know your own mind, child?” Olivia was giving me a choice—no one was dragging me through this door.
“I…”
There was a small movement from Lux. I felt her judgement, and shame made my face blush. Both Rook and Lux had warned me but I—I was going to do it anyway.
I straightened to my full height, lifting my chin.
“Yes, ma’am.” I met her gaze with a determined one of my own. “I’m sure.”
Smirking with satisfaction, Olivia stepped back, her frigid gaze assessing me.
This time, I’d dry-cleaned my dress; it was sharply pressed and wrinkle free. My hair was pulled up in a tight bun, clipped with pins to make sure there were no strays.
I felt like I’d just injected Botox into my face, it was pulled so tight.
When she was done, she turned her back on me. ”Follow me.”
I glanced at Lux, who wouldn”t meet my gaze. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the darkness, the door clicking ominously behind me.
There were no windows—no view of the stunning bay—or lights overhead. Candles flickered, lined around the edges of the room. The smell of freshly cut magnolia flowers filled my nose, mixed with a delicious aroma of food that made my stomach rumble.
Once again, I was struck with a sense of grandeur that made everything about me feel outdated and inadequate.
In the candlelight, a lone man sat at a table. His suit was a bespoke blend of merino wool and silk, and his black and blue African bead necklace absorbed the light, creating an eerie dark aura around him. He blended into the shadows, like a sentinel in the room”s center amid an eerie stillness.
Other shadows lined the room, looming tall and unnaturally motionless—bodyguards.
“Miss Duvall,” the man stood, his voice deep and authoritative. “Welcome.”
“Hello.” As I drew close, I recognized one of the men from the bank.
“We’ve spoken before, but I did not give you my name. It’s Emerson Forten. You may call me Emerson.” Reaching forward, I gripped his hand in a firm handshake. His eyes met mine, and a deep, foreboding chill followed in its wake. “Please sit,” he gestured across the table towards a lone chair.
Apprehension crept up my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and my palms go clammy.
I wasn’t sure what it was about him that made me so nervous.
It might have been his towering height over me, the candlelight glinting off his balding head and flickering in his eyes. Maybe it was his hard gaze, piercing straight through me, making me feel invisible. Or his trimmed, black and grey beard that swallowed his mouth, as if hiding secrets whispered in back rooms.
Or it could just be the dark room—its muted stillness like being underwater.
Whatever it was, it made my hands clammy and I found myself clenching my dress. As soon as I realized it, I released the cloth, hoping it hadn’t left a stain.
I’d been so careful not to get anything on it.
“Summer?” Olivia had pulled out the chair and was staring expectantly at me.
I sat, my back straight, trying to be the right amount of proper, and took in the table setting.
A beautiful magnolia flower centerpiece, with dark green ivy crawling between us. There were two plates covered by a silver cloche, silver cutlery, and a folded napkin. I picked it up and placed it in my lap, my hands resting there, waiting.
”So,” Emerson didn’t move. “You”ve decided to join us.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know anything about the Magnolia?”
I swallowed hard. “Not much.”
“We’re a chapter of the Obscura Veritas, a non-profit that, among other things, sponsors charity cases like yours.” I squirmed with embarrassment. “Obscura Veritas means vigilant truth,” he continued, “and we vigorously seek and guard it. One of our beliefs is, in mendacio est veritas—in lies, there is truth.” He picked up a glass of red wine and swirled it, the dark, red color reminding me of blood, “Do you agree?”
My face paled. I hadn’t expected some kind of test. Maybe sign some documents or fill out a form or something.
Aware of the eyes on me in the room, I swallowed hard. “Absolutely. When someone lies, they can reveal a truth about themselves.”
“Exactly,” he gave me an approving smile, “and when we are smart enough to find it, that is where you will find true power. Quod latet, inveniendum est—what is hidden, must be discovered.”
There was a pause, as if expecting me to speak, his eyes studying me.
I felt like he was trying to tell me something—was it about Rook? Or possibly my father? My heart picked up. My mother?
The Magnolia itself?
“You have no idea how powerful that can be, Summer. It’s an indomitable force in this world. With it, we protect each other. We also use it to take what we want. To fulfill dreams…” there was a pause, “such as yours.”
“Thank you.”
“And,” he gestured towards me with his glass, “the truth will be inside you, too, Miss Duvall. Have you ever been afraid?”
I tried to keep up with the abrupt change in subject. “Of course.”
A smiled crawled up his face, and he suddenly boomed out. “Fear thou not! For I am with thee. Be not dismayed, I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. Will help thee.” His voice rose with the incantation, growing stronger, louder. “I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. With the God of truth, we have nothing to fear.”
He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming, “If you’re accepted into the Magnolia, all that fear will go away. Because truth will inhibit your body. Will swallow you whole like Jonah and the whale. You will have nothing to worry about. For the rest of your life. Would you like that?”
Friggety-fuck, what the hell was all this?I needed to get out of here as fast as possible. “Yes, sir. I would like that.”
“Good.” He nodded, his eyes still gleaming in the candlelight, then he gestured his head towards my plate. “Eat.”
Clenching the napkin in my lap, I mirrored Olivia, who was lifting Emerson’s silver cloche, then gasped in shock, my hand frozen on the handle of mine.
At her glance in my direction, I quickly clamped my lips shut, grit my teeth and removed my own.
Fire roasted vegetables, a small bread roll, and...and…in the center, a black bird, was spread out across the plate.
It had been cut open and splayed out. The feathers were still intact, somehow pinned to the bone china. It”s dark eyes stared at me accusingly.
All appetite fled me, and I had to swallow down the bile lurching up my throat.
The soft squishy sound coming from Emerson”s direction broke me from my frozen stare. ”It”s raven,” he nodded towards the plate, a fork and knife in hand. I watched in morbid fascination as his lips folded over the white meat, chewing quietly.
”Eat,” Olivia urged, ”I think you”ll find it to your liking.” There was a sneer to her tone, as if she was sure I was used to eating ramen noodles all day. Well, joke’s on her—Rook had given me the good stuff.
A knot was stuck in my throat but, at the stern look from Olivia, I skipped the bird and slid my fork into a potato. It jammed in my throat going down. I coughed, gulping down some mineral water. It only made the burn worse.
”Try the raven,” Emerson prodded after I’d choked down a few vegetables, his gaze watching me closely. ”It”s an exquisite delicacy.”
I avoided touching the silky, shimmering-black feathers, keeping my eyes away from its face. The meat easily slid from its carcass and I had to grit my teeth to keep from vomiting.
It melted in my mouth, spices sparking on my tongue, and Emerson beamed. “Very good, Summer.”
I forced a smile to my face, though my throat had swollen around it.
“Intelligent creatures, ravens,” he said, “incredible cognitive abilities. They use tools to solve complex problems,” he made a scraping gesture with his fork, mimicking the motion. “When they’re done with their tool—a stick, perhaps, or a pebble, they squirrel it away, in case they need it for future use. How incredible!” He shook his head in astonishment as he continued to eat. “They even respond to the emotional state of other ravens, did you know that?”
I shook my head, the blood pooling from my face to my stomach, where it sat like a lump.
“Oh you should hear them during the culling. How they screech and squawk!” He flapped a hand in the air, chuckling. “But don’t worry, they’re used to it. From birth they keep them in the same kitchen where they kill them, so they know their fate.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “They live in these little wire cages. And they only feed them greasy lard and eggs so their flesh will be juicy and fat.” I clenched my jaw, fighting back bile as he raised a piece, pure white and glistening with juice. ”Irresistible, don”t you think?”
“Delicious,” I grit out.
He suddenly stilled, his eyes meeting mine, “Are you a raven, Summer?”
I practically choked on a seasoned carrot, “I’m sorry?”
“They like to collect shiny objects—do you?”
“No. I don’t think so, anyway.”
“But you don’t know?”
“No, I don’t.” I’d rather have soft, squishy ones, like my sister, I wanted to say, but didn’t dare.
“You said you don’t collect shiny objects, but you’ve asked for money. Seems a bit greedy, don’t you think?”
Ohmygod, how was this happening?
I swallowed my food, steeling my spine, my eyes meeting his. Fuck this shit.
”This,” I gestured at the set up, the whole room. “All this. So elaborate. Impressive for someone applying for charity. Yet you laid out your fancy plates and delicacy. Why? Am I your next shiny object to collect?”
There was a silence, except for a small gasp coming from where Olivia stood dutifully behind Emerson.
I sat back, assessing them as they’d done to me. I knew why I was here, but this…it was a lure. A trap. Why? “I’d say you like collecting shiny objects more than I do.”
Emerson laughed, his white teeth flashing in the dark room, sounding genuine and warm for the first time. “Oh, I like this one. You’ve done well, Olivia.” He spoke as if Olivia had anything to do with my decision. “Yes, I do think you”ll be a good addition to the Magnolia.”
He didn’t answer my question. Had no intention of it.
When he was done, he tapped on a black leather portfolio next to his plate.
Olivia immediately responded, a small smile to her lips. Picking it up, she placed it by my plate, holding out a dark black and gold fountain pen.
It was heavy in my hand.
I curiously opened the folio.
The paper was crisp and thick, and felt like cloth. A magnolia flower was pressed into the top center, like it had in the papers I”d found in my father”s secret office.
”Take your time,” Emerson instructed. ”Read over it very carefully.”
Unexpectedly, I thought of Lux. The fear in her eyes. The way she”d gripped my wrist.
Staring at the paper, I placed the pen down and took a nervous sip of my water, trying to read it.
The words blurred under my gaze. It was suddenly hot in the room, and Olivia hovering over me wasn”t helping.
I took another sip of my water, trying to let the words sink in.
The jargon confused me. What did ab initio and caveat emptor mean? I think clasula exire meant release.
But I wasn’t sure—I was definitely in over my head.
I should’ve pestered Terrance until he called me back, should have somehow forced him to come with me. I should’ve—there! Familiar wording,
…in exchange for a predetermined sum of money, the contracting party would be under obligation to perform duties as seen fit by its custodian…it went on. Assuming that custodian meant the man I picked, I understood that part. And that was the most important thing, wasn’t it?
The room was silent as I flipped through the thick pages, with only the sound of the swallow of Emerson”s throat as he sipped his wine.
I finally got to the end, my hand clammy as I picked up the pen.
Two sets of eyes stared at me, and Olivia even leaned towards me, her eyes on the pen tip poised on the paper.
”I uh..” My voice came out a squeak, ”I have a question?”
”Yes?” Emerson raised an eyebrow at me.
Had they turned up the heat?
I pulled on my dress top, fanning my face, noting the way Emerson”s eyes tracked the movement. ”Do I...” I tried to think of a question. Any question. Just something to seem like I had any clue as to what the heck I was doing.
”Do I, uh...” I stared down at the pages, the pen gripped in my sweaty hand, trying to think of something to say, ”do I sign every page or...?”
“Right here,” Olivia”s bony finger landed on the small line with the word, ”initials” typed neatly underneath it. ”An SD on each page will suffice, except on the last page, where both you and Mr. Forten will sign it. And then I will certify it.”
”Oh.” I stared dumbly at the line. ”Of course.” I felt very small.
My palms itched, my fingertips tingling. Sweat was pouring down the side of my face and my underarms. I didn”t want to glance there, knowing there was probably a large sweat stain, and draw attention to it.
I felt the shifting—the bodyguard that towered over all the others, and realized it was Maxon. I hastily looked back at the paper, not wanting him to know that I’d recognized him—he’d also been there that day at Magnolia Bank.
Even though he was several years older than me, we’d grown up in Greybone together. And even though he wasn’t particularly friendly towards me, his familiar presence in the room somehow made me relax a fraction.
I scribbled out a SD, initializing each page as quickly as possible. I needed out.
Finally, after nineteen pages, I managed to scrawl out a neat, Summer Duvall, on the last page.
When I was done, Olivia slid it out from under my palms, where there was a sweat stain on the paper. Embarrassed, I looked away as she held out her hand.
I blinked up at her.
”The pen?”
”Oh.” Oh my god, could this get any worse? I quickly passed it over.
Olivia handed it to Emerson and, as he began to sign each page, I noticed he was wearing a gold ring, stamped with the OG insignia.
The same as my dad, and—and that guy. The one who handed me papers for the lien on my house. A knot filled my throat, deep suspicion filling me. I opened my mouth to ask about it?—
“That’s done then,” Emerson stated boldly, with a finality to his tone, and I swallowed down my words.
Olivia stamped and signed it, while he sat back, his gaze burning through me once more.
“Um,” I pulled a strand of hair behind my ear, ”what next?” I needed an infusion of cash. Immediately.
”Go home, Summer,” his tone had cooled considerably. “Olivia will reach out to you.”
“I need money. Now.”
He blinked and I think I—I think I surprised him. But he didn’t speak, only nodded his head towards Olivia. She held out a small, rectangular piece of paper. “Quit your job. Today.”
”How did you?—“
”This will tide you over until you”ve chosen a custodian. Members of the Magnolia shouldn”t be waitresses.” She said that last word with scorn, pressing the paper into my hand. “I’ll email you a list of what you’ll need to purchase in the meantime.”
”Thank you,” my words sounded small, even to myself.
My feet felt heavy as I walked from the room, feeling like I”d just made the worst mistake of my life.
Lux wasn’t waiting for me when I left, and somehow, that made everything seem worse.
But, I had what I needed, and that was all that mattered. I could begin to dig myself out of the hole I was in.