Page 50 of They're Watching You

“Okay,” I say, because I don’t know this person well enough to force him to confide in me. But irritation rubs at me like a grass burn on soft flesh. He said I could trust him. “I confessed my task, though.”

He reaches out, placing a hand over mine. “Hey, it’s not even worth talking about. Seriously.” He smiles, and I feel my insides playing tug of war over whether to feel angry or to melt under the blazing heat of his touch. “I’ve gotta get to the weight room. But we’ll talk later, okay?” He squeezes my hand, gets up, and speeds off to join his friends by the exit.

The anger wins, smashing that bubbly feeling. I told him my task. I ruined my chance to get another clue.

And he hasn’t told me a single thing.

Maybe he did receive the same task. And he’s planning to use it to sabotage me before the next meeting.

Nineteen

When I get to my dorm room after lacrosse practice, I nearly step on another envelope stuffed beneath the door.

My heart sinks. Flopping onto my bed, I tear it open.

Dear Maren,

You are cordially invited to attend tonight’s meeting of the Gamemaster’s Society, located in the old cathedral. Please arrive promptly at 11 p.m.

Victory or Dust.

Sincerely,

The Gamemaster

Another meeting. How can anyone survive on the society’s grueling, sleepless schedule?

After a shower, I try to sneak in a nap. But my conversation with Remington gnaws at me, keeping me wide awake.

He must’ve received his invitation by now. If he was tasked to keep me from the meeting, what would he plan? Seducing me, like he did Donella, and then telling me to meet him somewhere, only to ditch me?

He wouldn’t resort to more dangerous means. He’s in this whole mess for the same reason I am: to help someone.

Still, I can’t keep my doubts at bay. Like the image of me walking to the meeting beneath a starless sky, only to have him throw a bag over my head and lock me up somewhere.

I grab my phone and dial Gavin. “Hey, Maren,” he says, tone aloof.

“Gavin, hi. I need an escort to the meeting tonight.” He starts to laugh and I blurt, “Not whatever kind of escort you’re thinking! I just…I think Remington might be involved with this whole Polly thing.” A necessary lie. “And I need to make sure he stays away from me, at least until the meeting starts.”

“Oh, thank God you finally see it,” Gavin says, his reserved tone cracking apart. “I tried to tell you.”

“Yeah, well, he told me you asked him to hold his phone.”

“Asked him to—why would I hand over my only connection to the outside world, my only source of light in that serpentine dungeon, to someone I don’t trust?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you going to tell me now why you made me throw the game?”

I chew my lip, torn. “Do you remember a girl named Jane Blanchet? She would’ve been in the society last year.”

“Yeah, Remington’s ex.”

“Right. Well…” I’m still battling myself over how much of his secret I can reveal when another call comes through.

Remington.

“You know what,” I say, “I have to call you back.”

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