Superior

Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Caleb

I slid through the crowd as quickly as I could without looking suspicious, sipping absently from the water bottle as I did so. My brother would be leaving through a different exit, and we would meet up outside. All I had to do was walk through the double doors unnoticed; no big deal.

But just as I passed the stage, someone grabbed my arm. I turned and saw Miracle regarding me with a serpentine smile. The suddenly pressure of her hand against my skin sent a jolt through my body, and my still-open water bottle slipped from my grasp. Its contents spilt all over the floor before me, creating a clear liquid puddle on the hardwood.

"Shoot," I muttered. People were staring.

"Oh, what a shame," Miracle said calmly. "Don't worry about it; I'll get someone to clean that all up." She motioned to a pair of guards and pointed at the water. "Why don't you come over here while they take care of that?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," I replied hollowly, following as she took my hand and led me aside. A few Superiors eyed me suspiciously, but I kept my head down. Miracle took me out of the crowd and to the side of the stage, where a reporter was conversing with a few of the candidates. The small group moved away as soon as we approached. Once they were gone, Miracle slowly removed her shades and spun them around her finger.

"You know what?" she asked after a pause. All I could manage was a noncommittal grunt as I struggled to keep myself from being distracted by her eyes.

Miracle continued, pretending not to notice the effect she was having on me. She looked at me sharply. "You should consider yourself lucky."

For a long moment I did nothing but hold her gaze. What does she mean by that? I wondered. I studied her flawless features, looking for something to decipher her words—but there was nothing except cold emptiness staring back at me.

"You're lucky that you survived that accident," she explained. My breath flew out in a quiet rush; thankfully, her statement was about something that simple.

"I am lucky," I said quickly. "Without you and Dr. Leary, I would be dead. I'm eternally grateful for everything you've done for me."

A quick glance at Mira's face told me that it was the right thing to say. A smug smile crept across her features, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"I'm certain you are," she purred. "We've done our best to make you feel at home, what with your memory loss and all. You know that, right?"

"Of course." I scooted back slightly, slightly wary about where the topic was heading.

Miracle smirked. "Glad to hear it. I hope you remember that."

I frowned. "I will."

"Good. Because we're your family." She leaned closer, so close that I could feel her breath on my cheek. "And you'd never betray your family, right?"

My stomach dropped and twisted with fear, but I kept my expression calm. It had to just be a coincidence. Miracle couldn't have known about my involvement with the Pro-Inferiors. But the way that she peered at me as I deliberated how to respond told me otherwise.

I swallowed the sick taste that was forming in my mouth.

"Right?" Mira repeated. Her eyes were slits.

"Yeah," I replied, the lie falling easily from my lips, "right."