The year is 1879. When thirteen-year-old Ruth Merritt Holbrook emerges from her family's burning estate, bloody and charred, but entirely numb--She makes headlines. Reporters believe she is deranged. They accuse her of having set the fire. All the h...
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Levi has gotten himself into quite a large amount of trouble, the true depths of which I believe as still largely hidden from view. He is far too interested in Miss Holbrook, a fact which I have known since he first laid eyes on her a few weeks prior. He has been open with me about things in the past, even going as far as to tell me that he was taking a step back from the theater—from his job. When I was a girl, Levi had worked closely with my father and with a few of the other dukes. But now he is distant, separating himself from us as if he believes he is too good for such work. And I believe she is the reason why. I believe her presence has created the split that was already slowly occurring between Leviathan and our people. Such a betrayal will surely cost him his life and, if I do not tread carefully, my own as well.
I'd tried to keep my mouth shut, to not bother him on the carriage ride back to the Ballantyne, but I had not seen him in some time and I was so anxious, knowing that there was a clock ticking and that I must secure as much information as I could from him. "Where were you the other evening, when Lucius Abaddon was allowed in my bed?"
Levi's eyes darted to me, his expression growing hard. "Did you do your job?"
"Of course, but—"
"Then why should it matter where I was?"
My heart ached, like it was suffocating, dying inside of me. "He is a frightful man and you left me with him."
He sighed. "I cannot always protect you from what you are, Rosie. Sometimes you must face reality and do what is required of you, just like the other girls."
I wrung my hands together and whispered, "I thought we were friends. I thought you cared about me."
"Did he harm you?"
I hesitated. "He was not kind or...gentle, with me."
Levi did not even glance in my direction as he said. "You were foolish to believe that he would be."
"What has happened to you? You used to care about me, used to protect me. Even when Gressil wanted me dead you stopped it. And now," I had to stop, to swallow, "now you have turned your back on me? Why? What has this girl done to make her worth so much—"
"This has nothing to do with her—"
I shook my head. "The two of you were arguing, I saw you. Please, do not deny it."
Levi swallowed and fiddled with the chain of his pocket watch. "She has nothing to do with any of this." He whispered, his voice low and calm, the first wind of a summer storm blowing through. "These are my choices."
"And what are they then? What are these choices that you are making? For whatever they are, they can lead to nothing good. Not for me."
He looked at me then, really looked at me for the first time that day. "If you had seen the things that I have, Rosie, you would not question me so."
