The Fandom(34)

Saskia and Matthew begin to laugh.

‘I’m serious,’ Thorn says.

The laughter stops abruptly.

‘But – but – she can’t possibly take Rose’s place.’ Saskia raps on the pew with her knuckles, as though trying to drum all the frustration out of her.

‘What choice do we have?’ Thorn says. ‘Rose is dead. And we still need a pretty young Imp to infiltrate the manor house and befriend Willow Harper. Little Flower here is the best hope we have.’

I hate the way he calls me Little Flower; he never called Rose that.

Saskia’s knocking increases in volume. ‘But we don’t know anything about this girl. How do we know if we can even trust her? She and her idiot friends killed Rose, for Christ’s sake.’

Thorn looks a little unsettled, but he papers over it with a stern expression. ‘They didn’t kill Rose, the Gems did. The day we start blaming each other for the sins of the Gems is the day we fall apart. But I share some of your concerns, Saskia, which is why you and Matthew won’t let them out of your sight. You will make sure they’re onside and on-task every second of every day.’

Dammit, I think. Saskia and Matthew worked at the Harper manor for almost a year before they pulled Rose from that street fight – that’s how they identified Willow as a target. They helped Rose blend in at the estate, told her about Willow’s routine, and just generally supported her. But they’re coming with us to criticize and kick us if we fall.

And it seems Saskia isn’t too happy about it either. Her knocking crescendos and then cuts out. ‘Who the hell are these weirdos?’ She hurls the words like weapons. ‘At least tell us that. They turn up in the Coliseum claiming to be spies, dressed up as . . . God knows what.’

Katie turns to me and whispers, ‘Was she this much of a tit-turnip in the book?’

I risk a little shake of the head, wishing I could replace that gag.

Thorn arranges his features into a controlled expression. ‘I don’t have to explain myself, Saskia. I want them on that Imp-bus tomorrow night. Got it? They aren’t from this city and they’ve never worked in the Pastures, so make sure they pass for slaves. OK? If they get shot for trying to cross the border illegally, I will hold you personally responsible.’

Silence.

‘All of them?’ Matthew finally asks.

‘No, only Little Flower and the boy.’

‘Don’t send the lad,’ Matthew says. ‘It could be really dangerous, and he’s only young.’

‘I’m fourteen,’ Nate says.

Thorn smiles. ‘And Violet’s obviously very protective of him. His presence will serve as a constant reminder of what’s at stake if she fails in her mission.’

I think about that knife, pushed into Nate’s throat, and the words I’m about to say fade to a whisper in my mouth. ‘What about Alice and Katie?’

Thorn studies Katie. ‘So, the one in black, Katie is it?’

‘That’s right,’ she replies.

He lets his gaze linger on her a little too long. ‘Well, Katie, you’re my insurance, my leverage. If Violet is successful in her mission, if she gets those secrets, then you will live. But if Violet does a runner, or betrays me, or simply fails in her mission, then I’ll kill you myself.’

Katie’s tremble becomes more pronounced, sending rhythmic waves up my forearm. ‘You can’t be serious?’ She gives him that look, narrowing her eyes and pressing her lips together like she’s back in class dealing with Ryan Bell.

‘Katie, don’t.’ I squeeze her thigh.

‘No,’ she says, her voice rising with indignation. ‘If this dicksplat thinks he can intimidate us then—’ She never gets to finish. Saskia whacks her around the back of the head, pretty hard judging by the sound of it. Her red hair whirls forward and she nearly falls from the pew.

‘Katie, don’t,’ I say to her again.

She must see the panic in my eyes, because she falls silent.

Thorn kneels before her and leans in close. ‘I admire your spirit, Katie, but you must never insult me like that again. Do you understand?’

Say yes, say yes. The words repeat over and over in my head, but the pause keeps on stretching until it becomes a full-on tumbleweed moment, and Katie just stares back at him, tight-lipped and hard-eyed like a cowboy waiting to draw.

‘Do you understand?’ he repeats. He stands, looming over her, his single eye flitting up and down her form. He adjusts his eyepatch and I’m reminded of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, hiding his fangs beneath a poor disguise.

‘Katie, please,’ I whisper.

Very slowly, she nods her head.

He runs his tongue across his bottom lip, a flash of pink against the darkness of his skin. ‘Then we’ll get along just fine, Katie.’

‘And what about this one?’ Saskia says, jabbing a finger into Alice’s back.

‘Ah, the Gem lookalike?’ Thorn shifts his gaze to Alice. ‘Gem on the outside, Imp on the inside. At least her blood is decent,’ he says.

‘We could cut her open and see,’ Saskia says.

Thorn laughs. ‘Steady now, Saskia. I need to keep her Gem casing intact . . . at least for now. I’ve got a very special job for her.’

‘What do you mean?’ Alice asks.