consigliere was too great for her cautious nature.
“Come here” Ellis instructed, not even looking at her.
“Gladly” Was Amelia's one-word response. Her days of 'Yes sir” were over. Well, at least in private they were. Amelia didn't rush over to Ellis and drop to her knees, though. Instead, she made her way to him at a slow pace, examining his office methodically. She knew that Ellis liked this, the anticipation. She took her time, making him wait. His office hadn't changed in the two days since she had last been there, her first glance had told her that, but she needed time to think.
“I haven't got all day, bitch” Ellis said, tiring of her lackadaisical approach. That's new, Amelia thought. Ellis loved when she took her time, teased him. She figured that he repelled everyone else in the world, so when she voluntarily spent more time than necessary with him, he made no protests. In the last two years, Ellis had only once ever been this impatient, when a girl had been adopted. Could that be it? Perhaps adoptions were the big stressor that Ellis couldn't tolerate. Amelia made a mental note.
After she had pleased him, Ellis told her to get dressed and sit down, he had something that he needed her advice on.
“Amelia, how do you make someone keep a secret? Make sure they never tell anyone, ever?”
“The only sure way is to kill them” She said callously. Ellis thought on her words, then shook his head no.
“Killing is not an option in this case. These are people who we can't kill.”
“You could blackmail them. Threats, bribes, persuasion, compromise...There are several techniques to get what you want.”
“True...” Ellis paused. He figured that he could just tell her exactly what the problem was, then she could more accurately advise him. The problem with that, however, was that he never wanted her to know about the possibility of adoption. Ellis had worked hard to ensure that Amelia was bound to him and that she would refuse to be adopted, even if it became a choice. On the verge of saying too much, Ellis checked himself. No, he could not use her mind for this problem. Too risky.
“Go back to work.” Ellis said finally.
“Can't wait to see you again.” Amelia lied.
Chapter 12
After a hard day's labor, Amelia lay in her bed, thinking. She was the only orphan in the compartment, the others were still bathing or finishing their tasks. With her elevated status as Ellis' favorite, Amelia was the first orphan to finish her work, eat, drink and bathe. Since her encounter with Ellis earlier in the day, though, she had felt uneasy. She had trouble focusing, her stomach churned and she seemed to drop everything as soon as she picked it up. Distracted. What was causing it, though? She felt it in the air, her brain made the connections, but the words wouldn't form on the tip of her tongue. She took a deep breath, trying to relax. After a minute, it came to her; change was in the air. She could feel it. Something was going to change, not to the other orphans, or the facility, or even the counselors. The change would be in her life, she just knew it. Fearful, Amelia took out a bright pink notebook, a gift from Ellis, and she started writing. She wrote everything that she could remember, which was, well, everything. She briefly described her first two orphanages and her subsequent transfer to Lisson. She described her first day in excruciating
“Come here” Ellis instructed, not even looking at her.
“Gladly” Was Amelia's one-word response. Her days of 'Yes sir” were over. Well, at least in private they were. Amelia didn't rush over to Ellis and drop to her knees, though. Instead, she made her way to him at a slow pace, examining his office methodically. She knew that Ellis liked this, the anticipation. She took her time, making him wait. His office hadn't changed in the two days since she had last been there, her first glance had told her that, but she needed time to think.
“I haven't got all day, bitch” Ellis said, tiring of her lackadaisical approach. That's new, Amelia thought. Ellis loved when she took her time, teased him. She figured that he repelled everyone else in the world, so when she voluntarily spent more time than necessary with him, he made no protests. In the last two years, Ellis had only once ever been this impatient, when a girl had been adopted. Could that be it? Perhaps adoptions were the big stressor that Ellis couldn't tolerate. Amelia made a mental note.
After she had pleased him, Ellis told her to get dressed and sit down, he had something that he needed her advice on.
“Amelia, how do you make someone keep a secret? Make sure they never tell anyone, ever?”
“The only sure way is to kill them” She said callously. Ellis thought on her words, then shook his head no.
“Killing is not an option in this case. These are people who we can't kill.”
“You could blackmail them. Threats, bribes, persuasion, compromise...There are several techniques to get what you want.”
“True...” Ellis paused. He figured that he could just tell her exactly what the problem was, then she could more accurately advise him. The problem with that, however, was that he never wanted her to know about the possibility of adoption. Ellis had worked hard to ensure that Amelia was bound to him and that she would refuse to be adopted, even if it became a choice. On the verge of saying too much, Ellis checked himself. No, he could not use her mind for this problem. Too risky.
“Go back to work.” Ellis said finally.
“Can't wait to see you again.” Amelia lied.
Chapter 12
After a hard day's labor, Amelia lay in her bed, thinking. She was the only orphan in the compartment, the others were still bathing or finishing their tasks. With her elevated status as Ellis' favorite, Amelia was the first orphan to finish her work, eat, drink and bathe. Since her encounter with Ellis earlier in the day, though, she had felt uneasy. She had trouble focusing, her stomach churned and she seemed to drop everything as soon as she picked it up. Distracted. What was causing it, though? She felt it in the air, her brain made the connections, but the words wouldn't form on the tip of her tongue. She took a deep breath, trying to relax. After a minute, it came to her; change was in the air. She could feel it. Something was going to change, not to the other orphans, or the facility, or even the counselors. The change would be in her life, she just knew it. Fearful, Amelia took out a bright pink notebook, a gift from Ellis, and she started writing. She wrote everything that she could remember, which was, well, everything. She briefly described her first two orphanages and her subsequent transfer to Lisson. She described her first day in excruciating
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