And a real Miranda went missing from Cornville not too long ago. Lily confirmed that story, too.
“Wow,” I say.
“It's a nice place. Has a history, though,” Walton says. “Maybe you should take a nap before you tour the place. If you've only been a Nightside for a few months, then you'll have a lot of questions, and any of us will be happy to answer them.” He stops on the second floor landing and leans close to me. “Stay away from the guy named Stanley, though. I don't like him, and I think he's killed people before. He's been watching everyone like a hawk lately. I don't know his deal, but he's on edge. Other than that, you’ll be fine.”
* * * * *
I can't thank Walton for that nugget. Still in character, I have to admire my new spare room, which is complete with a twin bed and a purple canopy. Oh, and a large closet.
Could Stanley be the Originator after all? Dad said he was old. Nightsides have the same lifespan that Truebloods do, provided hunters don't take them out.
At least lying here, pretending to unwind, is helping me to think. I'm glad no one knocks and that I have some quiet time. Riley must be railing against my “leaving” downstairs, but I tune him out and breathe heavily, pretending to sleep.
Stanley could have made the hunters believe he wasn't Edward's killer, or Riley's attacker. He could have tricked us into thinking he was across the carnival when he was actually slashing at Riley's eyes and trying to poison him. I hope Riley's heard what Walton said to me, but since Walton whispered in my ear, I doubt it.
The answer might have been in front of us the entire time.
Or this could be a trick, too. Walton could even be the killer for all I know, and the one plotting to rise against the Truebloods. Or Daeshawn could be the Originator for all I know. The look harmless approach has turned out to be effective for me, so why wouldn't it be for them?
I must keep a low profile and let Walton guide me through this whole Nightside business.
Soon, as night approaches and rain beats on my window, I sleep.
And no one bothers me for the entire time. I wake hours later to a shrill voice downstairs, and I recognize it immediately.
“...Olivia. Where is she? Tell me where she's gone,” Mom shouts at Riley.
Even without trying, I can hear her from up here on the second floor, and my heart breaks. Mom's about to lose it and start crying right here in front of the entire Nightside mansion.
“Lily's been working on it. Ask her as she thinks Olivia made her way back to Chicago,” Riley says. “It's not safe for you to be here right now. Things are happening, and the Trueblood High Council could show up at any moment. If they see that we're associating with a regular human that we haven’t tested, they'll go crazy. For all they know, you could carry the Nightside mutation.”
“But I've never come into contract with a Trueblood,” Mom says. “Where is my daughter? I knew this was too much stress for her. My husband needs to come back and help me deal with this, and now. I can't blame her for running away.”
I get off the bed, wanting to lash out at something for Mom's sake. This is just as difficult on her as it is on me. And I can't even go down and tell her I'm fine.
But am I fine, really?
I'm safe for now, but not for the rest of the month.
I tiptoe across the room to the closed door. The glowing digital clock tells me it's closing in on midnight. Mom came out here at night looking for me.
She needs to get out of here. The Originator could ask her where in Chicago I might go and then dispose of her afterward.
“We've been looking for him, too, but he's been a no show. Shit, I'm so sorry,” Riley says. “We'll keep looking. I'm just as worried as you are. Call the Riveras. In fact, I can call them for you. Just let me walk you back out to your car so I can make sure you get out of here okay. Times are weird.”
“I have friends here. Maybe I can talk to them?”
No, I mouth, closing my eyes. My heart’s pounding.
Can I influence Mom without seeing her? I doubt it, as I've never seen it work that way before. The pressure comes, but it stays between my eyes with nowhere to go.
Get out of here.
“We still don't know who killed Edward at the train station,” Riley says. “That person could be here, and with your husband gone, you have less protection here. I'm a Trueblood. Everyone else here is a Nightside.” He leaves it there, not wanting to spill any details of our plan.
“Then I'll go to Chicago myself. Put Mike and Ella Rivera on the phone with me, and I want to talk to their daughter. I'll find Olivia before she hurts someone or gets in trouble. It's a dangerous city in places, and I'm afraid she'll do something and regret it.”
I swallow down tears. Mom's going to go on a fruitless chase, but she's better off across the country than here. At least she'll be out of the reach of the first Nightside.
Riley puts her on the phone with the Riveras and walks her back out to her car. I listen as she starts it up and drives away, and Riley shouts at her to go to the Riveras and not home.
And as Mom goes, I have to go back to bed.
After all, I'm resting from a long trip across the country. I'm a lost new Nightside who hasn't had the chance to even realize she has strength and power
