“What?” That was Hayden. “You can’t be serious! You know what they’ll do to her there.”
“Better than what she’d do to us,” Gabe spat.
“You have no idea what it’s like there,” Hayden said. “I do. She doesn’t deserve that. We could try to work with her.”
“Hayden,” Cromwell said, clearly exasperated.
“What? We could try to control her gift.”
“She’s not gifted.”
I didn’t recognize the voice, but his words were cold.
“The damn girl is a freak of nature, and if anyone belongs at the Facility, she does. Her sister is one thing. That little angel has a gift, but Ember doesn’t.” There was a pause, and then the man laughed. “Oh, for the love of God, Hayden, don’t look at me like I just kicked a baby. I’m just stating the truth.”
“Kurt, you’re an ass,” Hayden said. “She should’ve hit you harder.”
My eyes snapped open. The lion man—the one in the cowboy duster—was here.
“Whatever. At least I’m not the one hung up on the Grim Reaper,” Kurt retorted.
A string of curses erupted. Behind my head, the wall trembled. I jumped back, staring at the wall. It writhed like a snake for a second, then stilled. Plumes of plaster floated down from where the wall met the ceiling.
“Hayden, don’t!” Cromwell ordered sharply. “She stays for now. It’s done, and I refuse to continue to argue it. And Hayden, stay away from her.”
Someone snorted loudly. I’d put my bets on Gabriel.
“I know you think you can help her,” Cromwell said. “And I know you want to help her, but I won’t have you risking your life for her. You have no experience with a gift like that. I know what will happen.”
“Father—”
“I won’t lose everything I have worked for—I won’t lose you for anyone. If you push this, then I will remove her from this house.”
Out of the stark silence that followed Cromwell’s warning, Hayden finally spoke, “That won’t be necessary, Father.”
Wishing I hadn’t eavesdropped, I pushed away from the wall. My heart thundered in my chest as I crept down the hall, feeling sick to my stomach. What was this place called the “Facility,” and did he really think I’d let him turn me over to them?
I roamed the many rooms until I stumbled upon my sister and two people I hadn’t seen yet. They looked so much alike I knew they must be siblings.
The guy was handsome in a cold, methodical way, like he’d been chiseled out of stone and someone had forgotten to give him a touch of warmth. He didn’t look up, although he stiffened when I entered the room.
The girl was playing dolls with Olivia. She was stunning, with black hair, bright green eyes, high cheekbones, flawless skin, lush red lips, and a body I’d kill for. She was kind of girl that I wanted to look like and knew I never would.
Olivia shot to her feet once she spotted me in the doorway, screeching my name loud enough to make me cringe.
The guy glanced up from the book he was reading. His stare wasn’t hostile, but I wouldn’t call it friendly. The girl, on the other hand, stood and motioned to the guy. They left without saying a word to me.
Sitting down beside Olivia, I tried to ignore their reaction to me. I picked up one of the dolls and realized it was the one Olivia had been whining about for weeks.
“Emmie? Did you know that Parker and Phoebe are twins?” She pointed at the door the siblings had used. “I like the people here.”
“You do?” I made the doll walk over to hers.
She bounced her head up and down. “And Liz is nice. She plays dolls with me when Mommy is sleeping.”
“Who’s Liz?”
“She lives here.”
I dropped the doll on the floor, irate by the idea of some stranger buddying up with Olivia. “Has Liz been with you since you got here?”
“Yes. She came to the school when we left home and got me a Happy Meal.” She picked up my doll.
Happy Meals—the unofficial way to a child’s heart. How devious of this Ms. Liz.
“Everyone is nice,” she went on, dancing the dolls between us, “to me and Mommy.”
Hearing that just pissed me off, and I knew it was stupid, that I should feel relief that everyone was so damn nice to Olivia. I stood, scanning the huge room for a window to throw open or break.
“Don’t you like it here, Emmie?”
“It’s great.” I frowned down at her bowed head. “But this isn’t our home, Olivia.”
“Ms. Liz said it was our home now.”
Oh, did she? I was really starting to dislike this woman.
“And Emmie… I like it here,” she said in a small, tentative voice.
Of course Olivia liked it here. All the toys in the world to play with, and Liz, who could pick her up and hold her hand.
She dropped the dolls. “I wanna stay here.”
I kicked one of the dolls, sending it clear across the room. It hit the wall and the head fell off in the process. “We can’t stay.” My stomach turned. “This isn’t our home.”
Olivia watched me, eyes wide and lips trembling. “But I like it here.”
“I know.” I pulled a hair tie off my wrist and yanked my hair up into a messy bun. The back of my neck felt damp. So did my forehead. “But these people are strangers, Olivia. We can’t trust them.”
“I trust Ms. Liz.” She climbed to her feet, her hands balling into little fists. “They’re nice to me. They said I’m gifted—”
“I don’t care what they say—dammit!” I dropped down in front of Olivia. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired… and I don’t know what to do.”
She took a step back, eyes wide.
I let out a sigh. “Olivia, I know you like it here. They have all this stuff to play with, but this is not our home. Our home is in Allentown.”
Olivia’s cheeks puffed out, a sure sign she was about to have a major throw down again. She picked up one of her dolls, a porcelain one with pink-painted cheeks. I so knew what was coming next.
“This is our house!”
“No,” I said quietly, coming to my feet. “This is a nice house, but—”
“No!” she screeched as she launched her doll across the room. The face cracked and a leg fell off.
“No! No!”
I winced and rubbed my temple. “Olivia, knock it off. My head is pounding.”
“No! I don’t wanna leave! Ms. Liz—” My temper snapped. “Ms. Liz isn’t your mom, Olivia. Your mom is upstairs! And if I say we have to leave, then we have to!”
Like a mini-volcano, Olivia erupted into a fit of screams and tears. For someone so small, she could make a lot of noise. Seeing her like this didn’t make me feel good. I felt terrible, like some kind of evil creature hell-bent on destroying all her dreams.
She hit the floor, stomping her feet.
I tried to get her to stop, but not being able to touch her complicated the whole process. So I stood by helplessly, hoping she’d just tire herself.
“Is everything okay? Sounds like a freight train coming through the house.”
A slender, dark-haired, and neatly-polished woman stood in the doorway.
It seemed a switch was thrown; Olivia’s temper tantrum shut off. Now on her feet, her eyes fastened on the woman. “Ms. Liz! I don’t wanna leave.”
Liz smiled fondly. “Honey, you don’t have to leave. I’ve told you already. This is your home as long as you want it to be.”
I snapped. “Shut up! Stop telling her that. This isn’t her home. You aren’t her mother!”
She blinked, taking a step back. “I’m not trying to take your mother’s place, Ember.”
“Bullshit.” Anger and something akin to hatred boiled through me. I stalked across the floor.
Olivia darted in front of me, cutting me off before I could reach Liz. She held out her arms, wiggling her fingers. In one quick swoop, Liz cradled Olivia in her arms.