Gravity Rises (S2)

NMS: Part Nine

Mabel wandered the halls of the Northwest Manor at a quick pace, her task weighing on her heavily. She didn't dare go back to the party room, or go anywhere near it, lest she run into Gideon's father again. But Gideon was probably with his father. So she was at an impasse.

She didn't really know where she was going, but she skidded to a halt when she saw a faint blue glow coming from a room up ahead. She moved closer, getting her hopes up. Please let him be in there. Or let him not be in there, so I don't have to steal his amulet.

By the time she slipped into the room and saw him, she was very torn on whether or not she wanted him to be there. But he was.

He sat in the center of the room, staring at the wall. The only light in the room came from his amulet. The mood of the room was hushed and anxious, but Gideon sat as still as a statue, his expression full of worry and sadness. Mabel was seized by a desire to leave him alone, or at least refrain from getting his attention.

She stepped softly across the floor, trying to be as silent as possible. She waited until she was a few feet away before calling his name softly. "Gideon?"

He looked up at her, startled. "Mabel? Where's the servant?"

She gave him a half smile. "I gave him the slip. May I join you?"

"Sure."

Mabel sat down next to Gideon, her feelings about him conflicted. On the one hand, he had kept an entire cult secret from her, one that followed her enemy. On the other, she just kept thinking of the time they had spent together earlier in the graveyard. And the hug. She might have been embarrassed, but it felt good while it was happening.

Gideon lifted his eyes back up to the wall, and Mabel followed his gaze. Her stomach flipped over as she realized that it wasn't the wall at all — it was a portrait of Gideon's father. A metal plaque that read "Gaston Northwest" shone underneath it. His face was devoid of a smile, and he looked at the camera with fierce, hard eyes. His skin was smooth, but Mabel still felt like he was glaring out at her.

"Oh," Mabel said softly. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "How did you get away?"

Gideon laughed bitterly. "Oh," he said, "Father wouldn't dare punish me while we have guests over. He'll wait until they're gone." He sighed. "I'm supposed to be in the party room mingling, but I came here. It'll probably just make it worse for me later, but I needed to get away and be alone."

"Yeah," Mabel said in understanding. They fell into a silence that Mabel found extremely awkward, but she didn't know how to tell him about what she'd learned.

"Gideon," she said after a few minutes, "I summoned one of the ghosts and talked to it."

Gideon's eyes widened, and he immediately turned to look at her. "What — what did it say?" he asked, sounding nervous.

Mabel's eyes drifted to the floor. "Um. . . it told me — it told me about the Order."

Gideon looked like he could hardly breathe. "Mabel — I'm not — we can't — I don't have a choice."

She found herself fighting back tears. "Really? Because your father makes you?"

"I — yes, he does, but — I don't worship Bill, I swear!"

"You'd better not!" Mabel choked up when she said it, and her voice betrayed her emotions. "You have no idea what he's put me through! I still have nightmares!"

"So do I," Gideon said, his voice soft and clear.

"Then — then why do you help?!"

"Because I have to, okay?" Gideon snapped. "Because there are more people than just my father who will be mad if I tried to get out of it. When I said I don't have a choice, I meant it."