When Stars Come Out (When Stars Come Out 1)

I glance at Roth. I owe my life to Natalie and Shy—and mostly to myself—but clearly a different set of events have been communicated to the Order. “You must be eternally grateful to him.”

“Very,” I say tightly.

“Eurydice,” says Elite Cain, his eyes remain on the projection at the center of the table a moment longer before someone switches it off. Now there is a clear view across the table. “Why don’t you tell us the events of Friday?”

“I have told you everything I know,” I say. “I’m not sure what more I can bring to the conversation.”

“Just your perspective, Eurydice,” Elite Cain says. I have a feeling those words are supposed to be encouraging. They aren’t.

I begin with the fight in the cafeteria between me, Shy and Natalie, realizing Lennon was responsible for revealing Lily’s secret and my life on Roundtable, then move on to game night when the Valryn guard attacked me. Some looks are exchanged, as if to say—how can you believe this child? I ignore them and plow through to the part where Thane kidnapped me instead of taking me home to my mother.

Elite Ezekiel interrupts me.

“So you willingly left with him because you did not think we had your best interest in mind?”

“Well, one of your own did attack me twice,” I say. “And you wanted to keep me away from my mother, the only person I have left in this world. What if something happened to her?”

“We wouldn’t let that happen, Eurydice.”

“Well, I don’t believe you.” I feel a pang in my chest and I have this gut feeling that my words hurt Shy, but

he doesn’t understand.

The Order is silent for several moments.

“Please, continue, Eurydice,” Gwen says.

I do. Explaining where I’d woken up, the conversation I had with Thane, that he was eaten alive by Influence, and wanted his mother back. Then we move onto Lennon.

“And you say there were no signs prior to Friday night that Lennon Ryder was an Abomination?” Ezekiel asks.

There were signs, but they were subtle, comments she made about Lily and Shy that suggested the two were on different sides.

“No,” I’m surprised when Mr. Val answers for me. “Lennon Ryder was one of my students. She showed no obvious signs of being anything other than human.”

I nod. “My first impression of her was that she couldn’t see the dead. She seemed bored, and I guess, in a way, she was.”

And she’d found entertainment with my coin, which translated to devastation for the rest of us.

“Tell us what you saw of her demonstrated powers,” Elite Cain prompts.

“She seemed to be able to manipulate the Occulates.”

“But not Influence?”

“No...I think...It was too strong.”

“And you were possessed by Influence briefly?” Elite Ezekiel asks.

“I was.”

“How do we know you’re not possessed?”

“Because I’m not.” It’s a weak response, but I’m not sure how else I’m supposed to convince someone I’m not controlled by Influence.

“How was Influence removed from your mind?”

“I can’t...explain it.” It was too personal of an experience, and I don’t want to give these people any more of myself.