Pawn

XVI Lila

I stood still as Lila circled me. She studied every detail in my face, my hands, even going so far as to make me show her the tattoo on my hip. When she brushed my hair from the back of my neck to see my VII, I tensed.

“They did a remarkable job,” she said. She sounded exactly like her mother.

“Celia was there to make sure they got every detail right,” said Knox. He leaned against the closed door, his arms folded across his chest. “Kitty gave a speech this afternoon in New York in front of thousands. No one suspected a thing.”

“That’s incredible,” said Lila, touching the three ridges on the back of my neck. “Where did they find her?”

“They found her at an auction,” I snapped. “And they lied in order to get her to do this.”

“Doesn’t surprise me. They lie about everything. You didn’t tell my mother I was here, did you, Knox?”

He shook his head, and I gaped at them. “Wait—Celia doesn’t know you’re alive?”

“Of course not.” Lila made a face. “She’s half the reason I did this. She made me give her speeches because she thought everyone would like me better than her. The attention was nice, and of course it’s terrible what some of those people go through, but it wasn’t worth my life, you know?”

The attention was nice? I stared at her, speechless. Everything I’d done, all the risks I’d taken to live up to her ghost, and she hadn’t even wanted to do it in the first place.

“But—” I sputtered. “How could you say those things to all those people and not believe it?”

“Of course I believe it,” she said. “I wouldn’t have gone along with it if I didn’t, you know? But it was all Mom’s idea. And if she wants to be prime minister, she can go ahead and give her speeches herself.”

“Her speeches?” I said. “But you’re the one—”

“They were all written by her,” said Lila, and she sighed, as if she’d explained this a dozen times before. “You have to understand—I love my mother, you know? But she ignored Grandmother’s warnings and insisted I stay and keep giving speeches. She said the rebellion was more important than any one life, even if it was mine. So—I mean, what would you do? Stick around? No, thank you.”

If Celia blamed herself for her daughter’s death, no wonder she’d become so unhinged. “So, what?” I said, deeply unimpressed. “You decided to run away and let your own mother think you were dead?”

“Yes,” she said. “Because I’d rather be on the run for the rest of my life than be eaten by worms.”

“Augusta suggested a trip to Aspen,” said Knox. “My father tipped us off about her plans, and Lila’s bodyguard volunteered to take her place.”

“Madison,” said Lila fiercely. “Her name was Madison, and she was my friend.”

“She wasn’t your friend. She was your double, and she had a sworn duty to protect you.”

“Double?” I said. I wasn’t the first to be Masked as Lila?

But both of them ignored me. “There were better ways to do it,” spat Lila.

“None that kept you alive,” said Knox.

“I don’t care. You should have warned me, and we could have come up with something else.”

“There was nothing else,” said Knox. “Madison knew what she was sacrificing, and she was happy to do it.”

“No one should have had to die for me,” she said viciously.

“No, she shouldn’t have, but it was our only choice. Your life was more important.”

“Only because you decided it was.”

“Stop it, both of you,” I said. “I’m sorry Madison died, and I’m sorry this had to happen, but none of it is going to help us find Greyson. And every second you spend arguing is a second we lose.”

Knox had the decency to look guilty, but all Lila did was glare at him and sit stiffly on the edge of the bed. “Fine. What’s your master plan for getting him back?”

“We go public with everything that’s happened with you and Kitty,” said Knox. “We don’t know where Celia is, but you can bet she’s glued to the news for any sign of what’s going on with Daxton. So we use the media to send her a message, offer her a trade. You for Greyson.”

Lila’s mouth dropped open in unison with mine. “Are you kidding?” she said. “How on earth did you come up with that gem?”

“I’ve been thinking about it since Celia first told me her plans.” Knox glanced between us. “She’s only doing this because she thinks you’re dead.”

“Yeah, and we worked long and hard to convince everyone. Now you want to undo it?”

“Yes,” he said. “For Greyson’s sake. She kidnapped him because he is what Augusta values the most, and she thinks Augusta did the same to her. Once she understands that you’re alive, she won’t harm him. She isn’t a monster. Besides, Kitty’s proven to be more controllable than you were.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off, still focused on Lila. “There’s a chance Augusta will let you go once she has Greyson back.”

“Yeah, and then she’s going to sprout wings and a halo and be declared a saint,” said Lila. “I’m not that stupid.”

“Do you have a better idea?” he said, and then he glanced at me. “Or you?”

“Yeah,” I said. “How about we do something that doesn’t involve Augusta having me killed the first chance she gets? I’m only alive because everyone thinks Lila’s dead.”

“And I’d like to keep it that way,” she said. “Come up with another plan, because I’m not playing along with this one, either.”

“We do have another option,” said Knox, and we both looked at him expectantly. “We could let this play out. Celia will kill Greyson if she hasn’t already, and then Kitty can become prime minister after Augusta bites the dust in another twenty years.” He drummed his fingertips against the wall. “I like it.”

I bit my lip. He was being sarcastic, but that was exactly what would happen if Lila didn’t help us. Greyson would die, and this time it really would be my fault. If I’d told Augusta ahead of time, or if I’d done more to convince Greyson to stay safe, this would never have happened. I could take the coward’s way out and keep myself safe, or I could do this and risk Augusta’s wrath.

And as much as I hated to admit it, Knox had a point. I might not have been cooperative all the time, but I was more willing to listen than Lila was. If Augusta had me killed, things would go back to the way they’d been before this whole mess had started, and she couldn’t afford that right now, not with Daxton’s life hanging in the balance.

“Maybe we should do it,” I said quietly. “Greyson did nothing to deserve this.”

Lila rolled her eyes. “You can try to guilt me all you want, but I’m not going to die for my mother’s dream.”

“No,” I said. “You’d rather have Greyson die for yours.”

Lila glared at me, and I returned the look. Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed heavily. “You’re both going to make me do this, aren’t you?”

“No, we’re not,” said Knox. “But I’m hoping that you will for Greyson. Once it’s over, I’ll do everything I can to help you get away from them. If we did it once, we can do it again.”

She closed her eyes, and suddenly I felt like an intruder on a private conversation. I glanced at the door, wishing Knox wasn’t leaning up against it so I could slip out, but he probably wouldn’t let me anyhow.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll do it—for Greyson, not for either of you.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” I said, and she gave me a strange look.

“Why do you care?”

“Because he’s my friend,” I said. “And I really don’t want to be prime minister.”

“No one does except Daxton.” She looked at Knox. “He doesn’t know you know, does he?”

Knox shook his head, and I frowned. “He doesn’t know you know what?” I said.

To my surprise, Lila grinned viciously. “You want to know the real reason why Daxton wanted me dead?”

“Because he tried to sleep with you and you didn’t want to?” I said, and that wiped the smile right off her face.

“How do you know about that?”

“He tried the same thing on me. Said you refused him, too.”

Her mouth twisted into a dangerous smirk. “Yeah, well, turns out that Daxton isn’t really Daxton after all.”

She watched me, as if she expected me to faint at what she clearly thought was an earth-shattering revelation, but I shrugged. “Yeah, he’s a V. I know that already.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Knox! You told her?”

“Of course not,” he said, uncrossing his arms and straightening. “How the hell did you find out?”

“I felt it on the back of his neck,” I said. “You know, too?”

“I felt it when he went after me,” said Lila. “I mean, my uncle was rotten, but he’d never do that, you know? The next day, Knox told me Daxton’s replacement was going to have me killed. If you know, too, then how are you still alive?”

I shrugged. “Because I stuck a syringe in his neck and tried to kill him.”

“Ah, so you’re the reason he’s in a coma instead of a coffin.”

I bristled. “Does anyone else know who he really is? Celia? Greyson?”

“Just Augusta, as far as we can tell,” said Knox.

“Why not let them know?” I said.

“Because Greyson’s lost enough family already, and Celia’s too much of a loose cannon right now. There’s no telling what she would do if she knew.” Knox set his hand on the door. “Come on, both of you. If we’re going to do this, we need to do it quickly.”

Lila slipped on a pair of shoes and snatched a leather jacket hanging from a hook. “It’s Kitty, right? He’s going to kill you when he wakes up.”

“Then I guess I should make sure he never does,” I said.

Lila smirked. “I like her,” she said, and as she skipped out the door, Knox and I followed.

Lila led the way back to Somerset. She knew every twist and turn through the alleyways, and once we were deep inside the dirt tunnel, I asked how she knew the route as well as Knox did.

“Who do you think showed him?” she said cheekily, nudging Knox in the side. He grimaced and shrank back. I didn’t blame him.

Once we returned to Knox’s room, he disappeared out the door, leaving me and Lila alone. I was too nervous to sit down. Instead, as Lila stretched across the sofa like she owned it, I stood in the corner, insignificant and afraid. I tried to reassure myself that Augusta still needed me, but I didn’t know for sure. Now that they had the real Lila, they could do whatever they wanted with her, and chances were good that I would be dead within hours if I stayed. I couldn’t run away and let Celia kill Greyson, though, despite what it could cost me.

No, I thought as Benjy entered the room. He was the one price I wasn’t willing to pay. No matter what Augusta did to me, I trusted Knox to watch his back. Benjy was a VI in his own right. With me dead, there would be no reason for Augusta to threaten him anymore.

“You’re back,” he said, not yet spotting Lila lying down on the couch.

“Yeah, it didn’t take long.” I walked over to Benjy and tucked myself underneath his arm. He turned to give me a kiss, but before his lips met mine, he stopped.

“Is that—” he said, staring at Lila. She grinned and waggled her fingers at him.

“It is. Turns out she’s alive,” I said, forcing a small smile. “She’s not exactly what I expected.”

“Can you leave now?” he said, and the hope in his voice nearly killed me. I gave him a quick kiss.

“Not yet. Knox is trying to get Greyson back by using Lila as bait. Augusta is going to need one of us to stay, and Lila doesn’t want to.”

“Oh.” Benjy frowned, worry clear in his eyes. I rubbed his back.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” said Lila, flashing him a coy smile, and I scowled.

“Lila, this is Benjy, my boyfriend,” I said, and her eyebrows shot up the same way Knox’s did when he was surprised.

“Boyfriend? Is this a recent thing? Did Daxton let you break up with Knox? Lucky.” She sighed. “Not that I don’t adore him, but we’re, you know. Just friends.”

I shook my head. “You and Knox are still engaged, but Benjy and I’ve been together for a few years. We grew up in the same group home.”

“And he followed you here?” she said.

“I earned a VI,” said Benjy. “I’m Knox’s assistant.”

Lila let out a low whistle. “Congratulations. That makes you the smartest person in Somerset. Only two percent of the population gets a VI, you know.”

Benjy cracked a smile. “I know.”

He stayed with me as we waited for Knox to return, neither of us bothering to make ourselves comfortable. He must have known what was coming, but at least he didn’t try to reassure me that everything would be all right. I held on to him tightly, not willing to let go. Especially not with Lila looking at him the way she was.

After what felt like hours, Knox returned. By then Lila was dozing on the sofa, but the moment the door opened, she sat up, suddenly wide-awake. When I saw who entered behind Knox, I understood why.

“I see you’re not dead after all,” said Augusta. “Pity. We paid all that money for your empty crypt.”

“I’m sure you’ll find use for it eventually,” said Lila, all traces of playfulness gone. “Did Knox fill you in?”

“Yes. It is a horrendous idea with more holes in it than I care to count.” Augusta glanced in my direction. “The servants will help you both clean up and even out your appearances before we do this. Cooperate.” She looked at Knox. “Make sure they’re both ready in an hour.”

“Of course,” he said, and without another word, Augusta left.

“Does this mean I have to bathe?” said Lila, and she was lucky Benjy had a grip on me, because I itched to wrap my hands around her throat and squeeze. Greyson could have been dying at that very moment.

“Yes,” said Knox. “And it’s about damn time. You’re disgusting.”

“No worse than you on an average day.”

She stood and flashed him an impish smile, and then she skipped into his bathroom like it was her own. Knox exhaled and turned his attention to me. “I’m sorry about this.”

“Don’t apologize,” I said. “It’s not your fault.”

“Yes, it is,” said Benjy, and I squeezed his hand.

“He’s right,” said Knox. “And I promise I’ll do everything humanly possible to make sure you both remain safe.”

So I wasn’t imagining the risks after all. The game had changed, and my time was limited. “If—” I swallowed, unable to look at Benjy. “If they decide to get rid of me, don’t let them send me Elsewhere, okay? Even if you have to pull the trigger yourself.”

Beside me, Benjy stiffened, but I tightened my grip on his hand. I would rather have died here than be hunted like an animal.

Pain clouded Knox’s expression. “Kitty, I can’t—”

“Yes, you can,” I said. “You can and you will. Say it.”

He closed his eyes, and after a long moment, he nodded. “I won’t let them send you Elsewhere,” he said. “Even if I have to pull the trigger myself.”

Benjy made a strange choking noise, and before I realized what he was doing, he let go of me and stormed into the hallway. I stood paralyzed, wanting to follow, but I couldn’t. As much as it hurt, letting him go now was the kindest thing I could do for him. At least then he would have time to prepare.

“Thank you,” I said to Knox. “Really.”

“Don’t thank me for promising to kill you. Thank me for doing everything I can to make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

I forced a small smile. “I will when all of this is over.”

Any hope I had left was fading fast, though, and I needed to start preparing myself for the inevitable as well, no matter how many promises Knox made. He couldn’t control the outcome, and neither could I. But we could both control the way I died.

Sometime during the month she’d been away, Lila had cut her hair above her shoulders, and the woman Augusta sent to even out our appearances cut mine to match. I’d never had it that short before, and my head felt strangely weightless. I could barely stop touching it long enough for her to put on what little makeup was supposedly necessary to hide any other differences between us. I couldn’t see them, and I doubted the public would, either, but Augusta was adamant. We had to look identical.

By the time a guard led us to the drawing room, Augusta was there with a small camera crew. As we entered side by side, dressed in the same soft gray sweaters and black pants, the reporters gawked at us. I kept my head down, too worried about everything else that was going on to bother with them. Would Augusta get rid of me as soon as the cameras stopped rolling, or would she make sure Greyson was safe first? Or did she know she could never control Lila and I was her only shot?

Was I going to die today or not?

I swallowed my questions as a member of the crew positioned Lila and me on either side of Augusta. The same crew member told me to cross my legs, and Augusta agreed. There had to be some differences between us so Celia didn’t think it was some kind of camera trick.

Once we were settled, Augusta handed us both cue cards to read. I stared at mine blankly, unable to sort out the words, but Knox knelt down next to me before the cameras started rolling.

“It says, ‘My name is Madison, and I have been working as Lila’s body double for the past three years,’” he said. “That’s all. Got it?”

I nodded, and he patted me on the shoulder. A cameraman called for him to get out of the way, and he moved to the side, still within my range of vision. He gave me a small smile, but I couldn’t return it.

Bright light flooded the room, and I flinched. The same cameraman counted down, and I threaded my fingers together and struggled to keep from fidgeting. Beside me, Augusta sat up straighter and lifted her chin, and as the countdown reached one, she took a breath.

And then we were live to the entire nation, and there was no going back.