“Pardon us, please,” he says and he grabs Raine by the elbow and briskly pulls her into the foyer. The others instantly resume conversation, almost on cue, like they know not to interfere with the Secretary and his daughter.

I only have a side view of both of them, but I can still read every word.

Would you mind explaining?

I’m sorry, Father. I had my clothes laid out for the evening but—

But what?

I spilled tea all over them. And my others are—

Then you’ll wear the wet ones. Go change. You look like a whore.

But, Father—

Are you speaking back to me?

She lowers her eyes. No, sir.

He yanks her back by her elbow as she turns to walk away. There will be consequences for this, Raine. And pull your hair back before I cut it off myself.

I force my clenched fist to open and relax as he returns to the group and smiles. “The teen years. So trying. You understand, don’t you, LeGru?”

LeGru’s lips pull back in a skeletal smile that makes my skin crawl and he agrees heartily with the Secretary. Big surprise.

“Continue on,” the Secretary says to the rest of us. “Mr. LeGru and I have business to discuss in my study. Dorian will get you anything else you need and Raine will return shortly.”

Everyone in the group responds with thank-yous and the groveling replies that the Secretary expects as the two of them walk away and disappear down a long hallway.

I feel sick. I know why Raine did it. She did it for me. She didn’t want me to see her in the drab institutional getup that the Secretary insists she wear, especially now that I’ve seen the other side of her.

“Excuse me,” I say to the others. “I need to use the facilities.”

“I’ll show you where—”

“I know where it is,” I say, cutting Shane off.

I walk down a hallway I’ve memorized a dozen times over. So far, the layout is true to form. If I get “lost” it will be by design. I figure I can use the lost oaf premise at least once if I get caught.

I know where I need to go. Downstairs. That’s where the Secretary and LeGru went. I might at least be able to pinpoint his office. But where I really want to go is straight to Raine. I know where her room is—at least I think I do—and I still ache remembering her stricken face as the Secretary pulled her away. I more than ache. I want to hold her and never let go.

Fallen for her? I’m not sure what that even means. But I know something visceral vibrated through me when I could see but not touch her, an urgent need that rattled through whatever fabricated bones Gatsbro gave me when I wanted to run to her but couldn’t. But I look for the stairway that leads down, because now the Favor is just as important to Raine as it is to anyone, even if she doesn’t know it.

The hallways are narrow and dark. One point two meters across, exactly as the plans indicated, but at my very first turn, another hallway exists where there was none on the plans. I stop and listen, straining to hear any sound, any voices that might lead me to the Secretary and LeGru. Now I have to rely on my instincts more than antiquated plans. As much as my BioPerfect can instill dread in me, wondering what sort of unpleasant surprises it may hold, I’m counting on it right now. I feel the rush in my head, the buzz, and then the silence as my hearing divides the static from the distinct—the distant sound of Vina’s laughter, the click of heels on the marble floor upstairs, and then the lowest of murmurs. Hushed voices that could be the Secretary and LeGru. I head down the unknown hallway, walking close to the wall to avoid creaks. The murmurs grow louder, and at the end of the hall a narrow shaft of yellow light streams through where a door has been left ajar. I edge closer trying to keep my breaths shallow, the sound of my heart pounding so loudly in my ears, I’m afraid they may hear it too. I take another step and the floor creaks. I freeze.

Damn these old houses.

I hold my breath listening for movement but I hear only the steady murmur of their voices. I say a prayer for the floor, the first prayer I’ve said outside of grace in years, and step closer. The floor cooperates and I ease myself into position until I can see through the eight-inch gap in the door. It’s a very large room and at the far end I see LeGru’s back. He faces the Secretary, who sits at a desk. LeGru paces like he’s agitated. I hear a few words but mostly they keep their voices so low, I can’t follow what they’re saying, and with LeGru’s pacing, I can’t read their lips either, but at least I know: This is the Secretary’s office. A critical piece of information for when I have the opportunity to return and look for information.

I’m just about to ease away when I hear movement behind me. I spin. Raine has snuck up on me.

“What are you doing?”

I step closer to her, trying to keep my voice low. “I was looking for the restroom. I must have taken a wrong turn.”

Suspicion flashes across her face. “Down here?”

I shake my head and backtrack. “I was looking for you.”

I hate lying to her but it works. She nods like she understands and holds her hand out to me. “Let’s go back up.”

The office door swings open wide and light floods into the hallway. “What’s going on?” the Secretary asks.

“Locke got lost,” Raine says. “He was looking for the restroom.”

“Really?” LeGru steps past the Secretary. His beady eyes narrow, making him look even more ghoulish. “That’s quite a wrong turn you took, boy,” he says. “Upper floor. Perhaps you should ask directions in the future before you begin wandering.”