32 Family Secrets
Family Secrets
Present Day
“You’re one of the Kingsley sisters.” Calvin sounds stunned.
I can’t open my throat to answer.
“Yes, she is,” Adele confirms as she glances at Calvin dismissively.
She prowls forward, stops at the little table.
It’s set up to be deliberately on display.
I realize this was her plan all along. She runs her hand delicately over the collar resting on a velvet pillow.
She created her own weapon. Her hand is still covered in that silver-and-black abomination. My worst mistake.
“You thought you fooled the guards? They sent you this way, told me the moment you arrived. I’ve told you, we’re the same, you and I. I knew you’d come home to me. It will be like you never even left.”
Same, same. Self-loathing drowns out everything else.
“I believe you’re quite well acquainted with my eldest. Regina Kingsley. She has always had an unfortunate habit of running with strays.” Her lip curls in disgust as she regards Calvin.
“What have you done with Eldi?” I say, rising to her bait.
Zara snorts, and I whirl on her. “Don’t you dare laugh! You were the one who tipped her off. I thought you were better than that, but you betrayed me. She’s a child!”
Zara doesn’t even flinch, doesn’t move from her spot on the floor as she says, “You’d know all about betrayal, wouldn’t you?”
I scream in frustration.
“It wasn’t me, Reggie,” Zara says, as if it should be obvious.
“Who else would it have been?”
“Stop this childish fighting in front of our guest. This time, Zara’s telling the truth, Regina,” Adele says. She paces closer to Calvin’s cage. “Isn’t she? Do you want to tell Regina who tipped me off about that creature, or shall I?”
Calvin looks every inch the trapped animal as he looks up at her, wide eyes, rapid breath.
“What is she talking about, Calvin?” I say. The bottom has dropped out of my world. My voice is that horrible, emotionless monotone. I can’t even blame it all on the mask this time. A numb cold is creeping over me as I stare at Calvin, who is looking at Adele with more guilt than anger now.
“Yes, Calvin St. James, what is she talking about?” Adele says, in a mocking tone.
“Reggie, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know. When she contacted me, she said she was your mother. I thought—” Calvin’s stuttering excuses.
“Keep it together.” I hear Zara’s cool voice close to my ear again. I try to focus, try to breathe. Try to understand. Zara is helping me. Calvin has betrayed me.
“You told her about Eldi?”
“I didn’t know she was Adele Kingsley, and I didn’t know you were Regina Kingsley.” Calvin is still talking. “I thought you were on the run from an abusive boyfriend and your mom was just worried about you.”
“And you just believed her?”
“No, of course I didn’t just take her word for it, but she knew so much about you that I was convinced she was your mother. And it was a while ago, before I knew Eldi was anything but an ordinary toddler. She said she wanted to know you were safe, that’s all.”
“As if that makes it okay! Even if her story was true, you never should have told her anything.”
“Reggie, I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. She seemed so worried.”
“She lied. She always lies, convincingly, and you would have known that if you’d checked with me first!”
“Enough,” Adele says with a sharp rap of the Gauntlet against glass, to remind us who is in charge.
“You’re a fool if you think I wasn’t keeping track of you just in case, Regina.
You’d do well to remember your own sins before you start casting stones.
And on the topic of betrayal, I want to know which one of you two”—she gestures at Meredith and Zara—“betrayed me to Regina. Which one of you gave her the warning that I was coming to take back that little monster? Which one of you smuggled her that foul little creature in the first place?”
I’m swimming through so many layers of betrayal, I don’t know what to feel.
I know better than to blame Calvin for all this—I was digging my own grave long before Calvin grabbed a shovel and jumped in with me—but the shock of his betrayal still stings.
He looks at me, and I see in his eyes that he feels the same about me.
“Which one of you was it?” Adele demands again.
“I would never, even if I had the chance,” Meredith scoffs, as if offended by the idea.
Adele fixes her gaze on Zara, who rolls her eyes and sighs. “Haven’t I proven myself time and time again? The fact I’m even still here after the way you treat me should tell you everything you need to know about my loyalty. Why do I always get blamed for everything? I’m always the scapegoat.”
“Wrong animal,” Meredith says. “It’s not called being the scapegoat when you get caught doing the things you’re accused of. That’s called being a dumbass.”
I let out a bark of involuntary laughter at that. Teenage Meredith is exactly how I’ve been imagining her.
“I’m not in the mood for games,” Adele says. “You have a choice, Regina. Tell me which one of them has been passing you information?”
“Why would I do anything for you?” I say.
She stares at me for a moment, then walks out the door and returns with that tiny little cage, Eldi locked inside. She’s hissing and trying to grab at Adele. But the cage is too small, the mesh too tight for her to do anything. I can see the fear behind the anger, though.
“Eldi,” I call, “Eldi, it’s me. I’m under the mask. It’s Reggie.”
Eldi stills, looks at me in horror before resuming her thrashing.
“Eldi,” Calvin calls to her, too, and she turns to him.
“Calvin!” she cries. And my heart breaks. Of course she wants a familiar face.
“This is why you’ll tell me which one of your sisters it was who tipped you off.” She lifts the Gauntlet, deliberately.
“You wouldn’t,” I gasp. But I know she would.
Calvin growls a warning, a deep noise that sends shivers up my spine. Even with the suppressant, I can see the wolf struggling to emerge.
“Oh, don’t worry, you’d go first if it comes to that,” Adele says to him.
“Please, please—” I say. I’m frantically thinking, maybe I could fight it. Control the Gauntlet again. But I wasn’t strong enough when she hurt Zara or when she stole the Gauntlet from me. I’ve failed already.
“I believe it was you who said pain is a crude and unreliable method of control, was it not?” Adele says coolly, cutting through my begging.
“I have better options now.” She lifts the collar, twists it so it catches the light.
“One of you gets to leave this cell. But you’re wearing this before you do. ”
I can fight it. It’s worth the risk. A little pain for their sakes.
Just like Adele took the Gauntlet from me, I can take this collar from her.
Almost everyone I’ve ever cared about is in this basement.
If I can escape, I can come back for them all this time.
Doubt churns in my gut. There’s no reason to believe I’ll succeed now, and even more people I love are at stake.
I think of Luca, how he was willing to die rather than become a weapon.
What does it say about me that I’m willing to become that weapon?
“Me. Let me put it on. You can have me if you let Calvin and Eldi go. Let Meredith and Zara out.”
Adele stares at me. Without warning, she turns, raises her hand, and twists her fingers.
Calvin falls, screaming and writhing in pain in his cell.
I fight this time, instinctively. Before I understand just why Adele has attacked.
It’s harder than I thought, from a distance, to control the Gauntlet.
My hand is outstretched. It’s like pulling on an invisible string with all my might.
It’s so much harder to hold back the pain rather than wield it.
Shielding Calvin from the pain takes ten times the effort that inflicting it does.
I know I won’t be able to stop it entirely.
I won’t even be able to hold it for long.
Eldi whimpers as Adele releases Calvin and turns toward her.
Eldi cowers. I feel the tears roll inside my mask.
This time, to save Eldi, I have to funnel some of that pain back at myself.
The pain is worse than I remembered: sharp, immediate, and all-consuming.
It’s agony, but Adele withdraws abruptly.
I lean against the cell bars, my knees barely holding me up.
I dimly sense Zara is behind me, her hand clenching mine.
It’s her touch that allowed me to fight this time.
Even with her help, it’s taken a toll. I try not to give away that I can barely stand.
I’m no longer sure I can fight that collar, I realize with a sinking heart.
Only the extra second Adele takes to steady herself reveals the cost she suffered.
So it hurt her too. Good. My triumph is fleeting when Adele smiles grimly at me.
I showed her my hand. I proved I would fight.
Because I couldn’t let them suffer, I’ve ruined any chance of having Adele put that collar on me.
I’ve ruined my chance at fighting the thing myself.
I’ll have to sacrifice one of my sisters instead. An impossible choice.
“Motivation has always been your biggest obstacle. I’m not stupid enough to waste the collar on you.
It takes a considerable amount of magic and control to create.
And even more will to come back afterward.
That’s why I was impressed when I truly realized what you had to do to make this. ” She gestures once more with the hand.
“So tell me. Which one of your sisters is more loyal? Which one are you going to keep down here with you for some sisterly bonding time?”
“I vote Zara.” Meredith raises her hand. “The original two members of the Disappointing Designer Baby Club can have a reunion. I’m Mom’s favorite, anyway.”
“I’m inclined to believe Meredith is telling the truth. I think it was Zara who sent you running again. Do you agree, Regina?” Adele says icily.