The Maplethorn Gambit (Book 2, The Maplethorn Series)

Something Normal

"Hey," Cam said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"You sound weird," Prita replied from the phone's tiny speaker. "What's up?"

Cam was lying on his bunk with the cell phone sandwiched between his face and the pillow. One of the many downfalls of their new living arrangement was that everyone felt like they could barge in anytime they pleased. Knocking was a thing of the past. "Not much," he answered, glancing toward the door. "Had the room to myself for five seconds and wanted to hear your voice."

"Aww," she cooed. "Have they said when you can go back to class?"

"No," Cam sighed. "If it wasn't for Connelly, I think I would have gone nuts by now."

"Cameron, it's only been three days."

"You try hanging out in your room with no TV, no internet, and no music, and let me know how long before you're climbing out the window."

"Please tell me you're not—"

"Figure of speech."

"You know," Prita reminded him. "That phone in your hand will also get you on the internet."

"I'm aware," Cam said. "But I've been trying to avoid the temptation. The last thing I need is for everyone to find out I have this."

"No one knows about your phone?"

"Tober does. And Kinsler. But nobody else."

"Are you worried someone will steal it?" Prita asked.

"We're all criminals, remember?"

"Seriously?"

"If everyone finds out I have it, they're going to want to use it," Cam said. "Then five minutes later, the whole world will know about us."

"Okay, I get that, but what were you saying about illusion-boy?" Prita asked. "I thought he was the whole reason you're in lockup."

"Lockdown," Cam corrected, knowing full well she was trying to goad him. "And yeah, kinda."

"Then why—"

"Because he's been using his illusions to make it look like we're not stuck in here."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "What do you mean?"

"Like we'll all go hang out in his room, and he makes it look like we're in a rainforest with dinosaurs running around," Cam elaborated. "Or a medieval castle—"

"With busty elf maidens running around," Prita teased. "I know how boys think."

"Yeah, no comment," Cam said with a grin.

"Did they ever say what happened to your friend, Liam? I mean how he...died." She could barely speak the last word.

"They don't tell us anything," Cam said.

"Maybe I can do some snooping on this end," Prita offered. "Where was he from?"

"Boston?"

"You don't know?"

"I think he was," Cam explained. "But he knew how to pronounce the letter R."

"He what?"

"He didn't have the Boston accent. Pahking my cah..."

"Was he maybe from Baltimore instead of Boston?" Prita suggested.

"Maybe."

"How do you not know?" she asked, letting frustration creep into her voice.