Opening the bedroom door, I head downstairs. Lola waves as I descend into the entryway to join the small crowd waiting under the chandelier. Daeshawn's in his cream suit, hands behind his back. Trish and Becky hang together, away from Stanley, both in matching turquoise necklaces and earrings. The other guys have all chosen plain black suits and black dress shoes, also at my prodding.
“It's about time,” Lola says to me with a nervous smile.
I'm still Miranda. “I had to get everything right.”
“Just don't outshine the Trueblood,” Riley warns me. Is he daring to give me a hint of a smile?
I won't stop practicing my mind control until we're at the Convening. Riley claps, showing we're to move outside, and I let the pressure rise.
I wrap my influence around Stanley, just a little, but not enough for him to notice much. Best to let him think this is his subconscious idea. Using a chisel instead of a hammer will get the job done until the big moment.
Hold the door.
Stanley marches over and pulls open the door, nodding with sarcasm. Yes. It's your idea. Be sarcastic.
We all parade out the door, and Stanley closes it and locks it behind us. We pile into three SUV's, and Walton drives us to the train station. Riley has taken another SUV. We've been super distant since Stanley potentially saw us interacting.
But I have felt no uncontrolled emotional outbursts since Shacklesburg. If Dad betrayed us, then I'm going to use that to my advantage. To get that mental pressure to rise, all I have to do is think of that. It’s a tool and nothing more.
I'll get through this on my own.
The train station is mostly empty, with our passenger train ready to take us up to Washington State. But my heart soars when I see Lily and her parents waiting for us in the lobby. They're seated on a bench together, dressed to the nines, and Lily has her red hair tied back in an elegant bun. She's chosen a green dress that complements her red hair well. Her parents have chosen the same green colors.
Our gazes meet. How did Lily convince her parents to come along, and to bring her?
She grins at me, and I glance away. She's still in my corner, despite me not seeing her for the past weeks. But I'm glad she's here. Something about her smile is reassuring. Does she know something I don't? Do the hunters have a plan to make sure we don't die? They only let Riley go because the coven needed at least one Trueblood to avoid the coven’s destruction.
Riley has bought our tickets, and we board the train fifteen minutes later. We all sit in our booths, fidgeting. The trip is mostly quiet, and I watch everyone for signs of nerves. But the thing is, we're all nervous, so I focus on looking out the train window as the others sip water at their tables and make trips to the bathroom. Lily and her parents sit at the back of our car, away from the rest of us, and I want nothing more than to get up and go talk to her. But I've got to stay here, projecting Miranda to everyone else in the car.
And Riley.
He sits at the front of the car, near Walton and Daeshawn, while the rest of us hang back and squirm. But Riley sits tall, looking all cool and confident, for our sake. He's trying to tell us we'll be fine. He's got to look strong.
I want to sit beside him, because it could be the last time. But I'm glad we finally made love. At least we got to do that, once.
The train rolls through woods and along the coast for hours, and the afternoon grows old as the faint orb of the sun sinks towards the horizon. We'll arrive near the convention center at seven and enter at eight. The Convening will go all night, and then the Truebloods will leave before daybreak, seeking shelter before the sun rises.
This could be my last sunset.
No. I will get through this. Stanley might not know who I am after all, because he hasn't manipulated me, right? Or maybe he's holding back because he knows I'll suspect every outburst I have. He sits two booths away, fidgeting with a deck of cards.
I gulp down my water, feeling as if I can't drink enough.
The light level gets lower and lower, and as we cross the state border, the bathroom is seeing increased use. The air thickens with nerves, and even Riley taps his table with his hand and stares into his water. The closer we get, the more real this becomes.
And at last, the train slows as we enter a large town. A faint grinding noise follows as the gears and wheels roll over the tracks, and I can hear the gravel shaking below us. The light is blue now, and pines slowly give way to low buildings. Rain spits against the glass and a pattering sound follows. One of the train's lights flickers, adding to the ominous mood.
No one speaks.
No one even moves now.
The lights of town make blurs on the glass as we roll up to the station and finally stop near a covered log platform. An employee stands outside, waiting to welcome passengers to Scouton, Washington. And he does as we all get off. Lily and her parents go first, and as she passes me, she dares a wink.
Something is going on. And I don't know what it is, but I'll take that as a good sign.
Riley rises next, and he snaps his fingers. Yeah, that's patronizing, but we all rise like good, obedient Nightsides and follow him out of the train.
Few people are getting off with us, and they quickly vanish into the station to get out of the weather. We do the same, with the hunters walking ahead of us.
I see no Truebloods in the big train station, just models of
