The Black Key by Amy Ewing Page B

made.”
    It’s after midnight. I know I should be sleeping, but I stayed up, hoping Raven would contact me. Sil has an arcana similar to Lucien’s—meaning it can contact all other arcanas. Mine is only a receiver. Garnet’s can only contact Lucien’s and mine.
    â€œSo the servant is just as ruthless as the master,” Sil says. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
    â€œWhat’s she like?” Raven asks. I know she means Coral.
    â€œShe’s strange. Like an overgrown child. She’s demandingand babyish. I don’t think Garnet likes her much.”
    â€œOh,” is Raven’s only response, but I can hear the tiniest bit of relief in her voice.
    â€œWhat about you girls? Are you all packed and ready for the final trip around the Marsh?” This day feels like it has lasted a week.
    â€œWe’re more than ready.” I can hear the smile in Sienna’s voice.
    â€œSil is coming with us, to Westgate and the other facilities,” Raven says.
    â€œWhat?” I sit up.
    â€œI’m not going to wait here with no idea what’s going on,” Sil says. “The Whistler can take care of things in this part of the Farm. I belong with the surrogates.”
    â€œYou do,” I say. “I feel better knowing you’ll be there.”
    â€œYou shouldn’t,” Sil says. “This whole plan is like a house of cards. We have to rely on the surrogates at the facilities keeping quiet. We have to rely on the royalty to stay stupid. We have to rely on who knows who to plant the key bombs the night before the Auction. We need to rely on you to send up the signal to set those bombs off. Then we have to cross our fingers and hope that eighty-odd surrogates can break down that wall and that the Society forces are already in place on the Bank side, ready and waiting to flood the Jewel. We could all be marching slowly to our deaths.”
    Seeing as Raven and I were already labeled to die being sold as surrogates, this idea doesn’t bother me as much as it should. “It’s like Ash said,” I remind her. “I’d rather die fighting the royalty than serving them.”
    Sil snorts. “Brave words. Tell me that when bullets are flying through the air and people are dying around you.”
    â€œIs Ash there?” I was too cowardly to ask for him earlier, but I want to hear his voice. I want to know he’s not still mad at me.
    So I’m completely unprepared for the silence that follows.
    â€œWhat?” I ask. My heart kicks into a sprint. “Did something happen to him?”
    â€œAsh is gone,” Raven says finally.
    â€œWhat do you mean gone ? Where did he go?”
    â€œTo the Bank,” Sienna says as Sil mutters, “Damned fool.”
    It’s like all the air has been sucked out of the room. The Bank. Ash has gone to the Bank .
    â€œNo,” I gasp. “Raven . . . tell me it’s not true. Please. He . . . he’ll die there.”
    â€œHe left a note,” she says, and I can hear paper crinkle. Then she reads aloud. “Violet. I’m sorry but I had to try. I hope you can forgive me. I couldn’t just abandon them. I need to be worthy of a place in this new world we are fighting for. I love you more than my own life. I will see you again. I will be there on Auction Day. Stay safe. Ash.”
    â€œForgive him?” I spit. “Is he insane? I won’t get the chance! He’ll be dead before he makes it five feet in the Bank. He’ll be—”
    â€œViolet.” Raven’s voice is soft and steady. “He’s gone and all the shouting in the world won’t change that.”
    â€œBut he . . . he . . .”
    â€œRan off without listening to you? Yeah. He did. You two are pretty well suited for each other, to be honest.”
    I fold my arms across my chest. “I had a plan. I have people helping me. What’s he going to do, bang on doors and ask