An immaculate table awaited us. Every seat and setting reflected the beauty of L’Autre Bête. Staff members measured the placement of every plate, spoon, and glass. The crowd filled in behind us. I scanned the people, searching for the man.
“Is everyone eating with us?” I asked Enzo.
“Only a hundred,” he responded. “I chose the small hall and was very selective, so you wouldn’t be overwhelmed.”
“So not everyone is here?” No wonder I no longer saw the ordinary head.
I fidgeted, overwhelmed and nervous. I scanned the table, and when I was done, I felt no better than before. The ordinary head was gone. He wasn’t one of the selected 100.
Lady Poppy and her husband sat at the far end of the table. Manon was three seats from me. Amenity was on my right and Dryden to my left. Freddie sat directly across, smiling at me.
The servers carted out trays of food, and I expected a fancy, beautiful appetizer like I’d seen on cooking shows. Imagine my shock when the attendant placed a bowl of vegetable soup with Cheez-It crackers crumbled over top in front of me. I thought I was the only person who ate that.
The second dish was mashed potatoes, corn, and coleslaw, more of my favorites. Apparently, these selections were not popular amongst the people; many avoided the coleslaw and pushed the potatoes and corn around their plates. Most settled on a polite conversation instead.
Some people can’t have their food touch other foods on a plate. Well, I am the opposite of that. I am what my mom lovingly calls a piler. I make one huge pile, mixing my flavors, much to my mother’s horror. I only did this at home and only when we didn’t have company, not even in front of Sasha. I had barely eaten anything since arriving here and never once piled.
I realized then Bollard must have placed cameras in my home. Anger bubbled inside and I stuffed it down, adding this to the long list of things I would use when I was finally able to tell Bollard off.
I noticed a restraint to the chatter at the table. Faces looked at me with half smiles and questioning eyes. I suspected they were so quiet because I was so quiet. I didn’t know what to ask or say, and I wished Doc had stayed. Finally, I asked the people seated at the table if there was anything interesting in the news. Big mistake.
Many of the women in the room covered their mouths in shock, and some gasped. The men all shook their heads in mournful silence.
“Dreadful, simply dreadful,” a woman in a green dress declared. “The Galvantry attacked Charleston. A hospital, no less.”
Manon sadly shook her head. “It is getting direr by the day. There were over two hundred casualties.”
A man spoke up from down the table. “General Dryden, this is serious. We need answers. What do you have planned to get rid of this Galvantry scum?”
“Who are the Galvantry?” I asked without thinking. I instantly regretted it because the whole table of a hundred plus guests stared at me open-mouthed. Any citizen would know this.
“The Galvantry is the enemy of the state,” Freddie said, attempting to save me. “A rogue group of anarchists and murderers who long to overthrow the crown.”
Manon sighed. “It is worse than that. They want nothing more than to end the country as we know it. They want to burn it all to the ground.”
The woman in green was fanning herself nervously. “They’ve been recruiting, and the poor have been joining. Misinformed fools. This is no longer a West problem. What can be done?”
Dryden’s mouth twitched under his mustache. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Our military is more than prepared for this small uprising. It won’t be long before we crush the threat.” Dryden pounded his fist on the table and his medals flopped against his chest. “We’ve increased our security in the cities and added nanos to the forest. We’ll drag the scoundrels out one by one if we must. With the Merrics’ help, the Libratiers will quell this skirmish. Our Waverly will be a great asset to the cause.”
Me? An asset to a military cause? What was this guy talking about? Barton High had not prepared me for army tactics or fighting rebels. If this was what Bollard wanted me for, he would be very disappointed.
Before I could say anything and admit the fraud that I was, the General stood up, wineglass in hand. “The Libratiers will not stop. Raise a glass for a better world.”
The table raised their glasses. “For a better world.”
I raised mine too but only pretended to drink; after all, I was still only seventeen.
Freddie smiled at me over the top of his glass. “Let’s talk about something more interesting. Manon, how did you train the birds to sing like that? What’s your trick?”
“The trick is a secret I will keep.” Manon’s fingers traced the rim of her wineglass. “They were a gift from the regent, and when Bollard gives a gift, you keep it close.”
“Tell us more!” a woman called.
“What do you do if a bird misbehaves?” Amenity’s eyes were too big, her smile too eager.
“I have never had a bird misbehave; they never miss a note. My birds are completely trained. All I must do is sing the notes, and they learn the songs. They are more obedient than most people, and sweeter too. Bollie says humans cannot be trained, that humans are sure of their skills. He says this is a detriment. Animals though, once they realize they are animals, can be trained to do the most amazing things.”
“What would you do if they bit you? One little nibble. What do you do then?” Amenity challenged. She spun her diamond over her skin. I suspected that the act caused pain, but that was perhaps the point. I shivered thinking about it.
Manon’s features hardened in defiance. “I’d return the gift, and Bollard would take
