Masquerade ✔

Chapter 40

By some miracle, Clara got through the rest of the day. At the very least, Araminta eased up on her with her duties. Now, Clara just dreaded having to tell Amyeliana about the unfortunate development concerning Ezra.

Amyeliana took it better than Clara expected her to, but still not well. Clara didn't go into all the details; she only said that Harrison wouldn't be able to help them, so they would have to figure something else out.

"Amyeliana, I hate to ask you to do this," Clara said when they were walking back to their dwelling from the transport station, "but can you hold off on telling Archibald and Emme? Things have been just so back and forth lately; I want to make sure nothing else big changes before we do." Maybe Araminta's theory that Harrison faking his attitude lit up a small light of hope in the back of Clara's mind.

"Honestly, I really don't mind." If anything, Amyeliana sounded relieved. "I don't want to be the one to tell them the news."

"I'll tell them tomorrow," Clara promised. "It's just been a long couple of days."

Now that she didn't have work to focus on, Clara was really feeling the exhaustion of her sleepless night. It was hard to believe that it was only the previous night that she and Harrison were together in her quarter, preparing to infiltrate the factory.

Even without telling the other two what was going on with Ezra, Clara could tell that her siblings all tiptoed around her, sensing her mood. While it did make it easier to avoid telling them what was going on, it also meant that Clara had nothing to distract her from thinking about both Harrison and Ezra.

Harrison. Even just thinking about the name churned up a swirling mess of anger, grief, and betrayal inside Clara. Something nagged at her, telling her that something else was going on. Something else had to be going on, didn't it?

All of that emotion got overtaken when her thoughts turned back to Ezra. Ezra. Ezra who needed her help, but she had no way of giving it to him. The stress and dread of the whole situation threatened to consume her, and made it so that Clara barely even touched her rations for the evening.

A knock sounded at the door.

Apparently, the day's events weren't over.

"What if it's Ezra?" Emme whispered. The other three had all turned to look at the door with suspicion, but Emme looked hopeful.

Clara kissed her forehead. "I don't think it is, Emme."

Cautiously, Clara went over to the door to open it, and she immediately wanted to slam it back shut.

"Please, Clara, don't shut the door."

Harrison stood outside, no longer looking cold and shutoff like that afternoon. He looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Harrison!"

Clara had intended on still shutting the door in his face, but Emme's excited cry stopped her. Harrison looked over her shoulder at Clara's excited little sister.

"Hello Emme," he said, smiling at her.

"Are you going to come every night?" Emme had come to Clara's side, smiling up at him.

"No, he's not," Clara said sharply. "Emme, go to the other room."

"But Clara—"

"Emme, go. Now." Clara looked over her shoulder at the twins and gave them a hard stare. Archibald looked thoroughly confused, but came over to take Emme's hand, anyway.