Read Online Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death) by Bethany Griffin - Free Book Online
Authors: Bethany Griffin
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Then, to me, “We should give him the journal, in case something happens to us. Do you mind?”
He’s asking my permission for something? Unbelievable.
“Father would want him to read it,” I say. Father knows I wouldn’t really understand, and he made no secret that he hates Elliott.
Kent takes it reverently. “I’ll read every word. And we’ll discuss when we are reunited. Elliott, find Dr. Worth and make sure he is safe. He is the key to everything.”
Elliott’s slightly singed eyebrows draw together. He doesn’t like my father any more than my father likes him.
“We’ll find him, and keep him alive, but it won’t be easy. Not with these circulating.” He hands Kent the pamphlet I’d picked up during our escape and tucked into the journal. “Is this Will’s work?”
The wind picks up and I wish the paper would blow away, but of course Kent keeps a firm grip on it.
“No,” I say, without meaning to. More than anything, I do not want that pamphlet to have anything to do with Will. He must have printed it after our friendship had begun. Another betrayal.
“Will is the only one in the city who is this good,” Kent says reluctantly. His eyes shift over to me. “But, Araby, even if he printed this, it was still about survival. He ran the printing press for money to support himself and the children.”
“Perhaps,” Elliott says. “Or maybe he came under the sway of a certain Reverend Malcontent. Maybe our Will had a little religious conversion?”
Below us are apple orchards, rows upon rows of beautiful trees. I try to focus on the beauty of the scene, not the reality that Will spent his spare time printing pamphlets calling for my father’s death.
Will once said that science had failed. Could he have been working for Malcontent? If that was the case, was letting the prisoner go a mistake at all? Now it seems even more sinister.
“Will never worked for Malcontent,” Kent says, with confidence that is clearly bolstered by their long friendship. But he’s never had a reason to doubt Will. He gestures to some point in the distance, neatly changing the subject. “I’ll set you down by that turn in the stream. You’ll want to travel light.”
I turn back to the cabin to grab a few things.
“I’ve never trusted Will,” Elliott mutters as he follows me into the main cabin. “Especially not now.”
In the cabin, Henry is still asleep, but Elise is awake, sitting close to April, who has carefully braided her hair.
Elliott opens a chest sitting in the corner and scoops out an assortment of coins, pouring them into several small leather pouches. “In case we get separated.”
April looks back and forth between us. “Are we going back into the city tonight?” she asks. I hate to leave her, but the way her sores are spreading, people will see that she’s diseased. She wouldn’t be safe on the streets. And she’s not strong enough to fight back.
“We are. Not you,” Elliott says. Then, to me, “It’s going to be cold tonight. Grab some blankets.”
While April sulks and I collect blankets, Elliott puts on a rather bulky coat, and knives disappear into random hidden pockets. Then he grabs a valise and sorts what appears to be a chemistry set. He adds several needles and vials, but then, catching my eye, he pockets a silver syringe.
I flush, remembering all the times I let him use that syringe to help me find oblivion. He sees the blush on my cheeks and smiles to himself.
“I’m going with you.”
Elliott and I both turn. Will is in the doorway.
“No,” Elliott says. He lifts his hand toward the bruise above his eye, and then drops it. “You are not.”
“Are you sure that you can protect Araby?” Will steps closer to Elliott, and though he’s not as muscular, not trained the way Elliot has been, he’s tall and confident. The two of them together would make a potential attacker think twice about approaching us.
April has settled back against the wall, watching the
He’s asking my permission for something? Unbelievable.
“Father would want him to read it,” I say. Father knows I wouldn’t really understand, and he made no secret that he hates Elliott.
Kent takes it reverently. “I’ll read every word. And we’ll discuss when we are reunited. Elliott, find Dr. Worth and make sure he is safe. He is the key to everything.”
Elliott’s slightly singed eyebrows draw together. He doesn’t like my father any more than my father likes him.
“We’ll find him, and keep him alive, but it won’t be easy. Not with these circulating.” He hands Kent the pamphlet I’d picked up during our escape and tucked into the journal. “Is this Will’s work?”
The wind picks up and I wish the paper would blow away, but of course Kent keeps a firm grip on it.
“No,” I say, without meaning to. More than anything, I do not want that pamphlet to have anything to do with Will. He must have printed it after our friendship had begun. Another betrayal.
“Will is the only one in the city who is this good,” Kent says reluctantly. His eyes shift over to me. “But, Araby, even if he printed this, it was still about survival. He ran the printing press for money to support himself and the children.”
“Perhaps,” Elliott says. “Or maybe he came under the sway of a certain Reverend Malcontent. Maybe our Will had a little religious conversion?”
Below us are apple orchards, rows upon rows of beautiful trees. I try to focus on the beauty of the scene, not the reality that Will spent his spare time printing pamphlets calling for my father’s death.
Will once said that science had failed. Could he have been working for Malcontent? If that was the case, was letting the prisoner go a mistake at all? Now it seems even more sinister.
“Will never worked for Malcontent,” Kent says, with confidence that is clearly bolstered by their long friendship. But he’s never had a reason to doubt Will. He gestures to some point in the distance, neatly changing the subject. “I’ll set you down by that turn in the stream. You’ll want to travel light.”
I turn back to the cabin to grab a few things.
“I’ve never trusted Will,” Elliott mutters as he follows me into the main cabin. “Especially not now.”
In the cabin, Henry is still asleep, but Elise is awake, sitting close to April, who has carefully braided her hair.
Elliott opens a chest sitting in the corner and scoops out an assortment of coins, pouring them into several small leather pouches. “In case we get separated.”
April looks back and forth between us. “Are we going back into the city tonight?” she asks. I hate to leave her, but the way her sores are spreading, people will see that she’s diseased. She wouldn’t be safe on the streets. And she’s not strong enough to fight back.
“We are. Not you,” Elliott says. Then, to me, “It’s going to be cold tonight. Grab some blankets.”
While April sulks and I collect blankets, Elliott puts on a rather bulky coat, and knives disappear into random hidden pockets. Then he grabs a valise and sorts what appears to be a chemistry set. He adds several needles and vials, but then, catching my eye, he pockets a silver syringe.
I flush, remembering all the times I let him use that syringe to help me find oblivion. He sees the blush on my cheeks and smiles to himself.
“I’m going with you.”
Elliott and I both turn. Will is in the doorway.
“No,” Elliott says. He lifts his hand toward the bruise above his eye, and then drops it. “You are not.”
“Are you sure that you can protect Araby?” Will steps closer to Elliott, and though he’s not as muscular, not trained the way Elliot has been, he’s tall and confident. The two of them together would make a potential attacker think twice about approaching us.
April has settled back against the wall, watching the
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