Everything Is Eternal (Book Two)

XXXIII

There was much to do before going to the capital. Kate would go with Arthur and Matilda. George had to stay behind for business and apparently none of the family trusted Warren with the truth. Warren protested at the idea of declaring his brother dead so prematurely, but apparently he decided to cope by going out to gamble.

Kate also had business. Now that she knew George Morris paid off the Watchers, she demanded to meet with Matthew. When he heard about her plan, he wasn't that thrilled about her going to the capital. Just like Arthur, he had his doubts that Will was alive.

"Have you considered the fact that Will could have died since the letter arrived? Or they discovered the person who sent the letter? Or this is some sort of trap? Shin knows that you're K. Ito... he might be baiting you."

That sounded too cynical for Matthew. "Does Vanessa think that?" Kate asked. "I know that isn't your opinion."

He shrugged. "I don't believe Shin turned. Not Shin. But you know what the Eternal Light does... he may not have had a choice. And baiting you with the hope of Will..."

"It's too much trouble," she said. "I've thought about this, Matthew. They would love to catch me. Of course they would! That's how this all began. But this is just too much trouble. It would mean a fight with George Morris. It would discredit them to admit I was still corrupted after they cleansed me. They want to scare me into silence, into inactivity. They don't want to provoke an action. This isn't a play."

He sighed and rubbed his gloved hands together. The cold weather lingered, as if the world was caught in an eternal winter. "If Will is alive, and he is in the capital, wouldn't it be feasible to think Shin is there? That letter basically accused Shin of torturing Will. You don't believe that part, do you?"

"They do terrible things to people in those places," Kate said grimly. "I don't know what to think."

"If you are going to try rescuing Will, you have to try getting Shin out," Matthew said.

"He might have turned..."

"He hates the Eternal more than anyone!" he exclaimed. "He's our friend. You can't give up on him, Kate. He doesn't deserve this..."

"I know!" Kate choked out. "I'll do everything I can! You know, I never wanted Shin to get mixed up in Umbra. I was so afraid something would happen to him...and it did. Because of me."

He shook his head. "Because of the Eternal."

"Because of me." She hugged herself. "Because somewhere along the way, I pissed off Umbra so much that they decided I was expendable for the cause. Don't look at me like that, it's true. I really believed the truth mattered. I believed that was what we were fighting for..."

"It is," he assured her.

Kate looked up at him. "I'm going to have to ask you a favor. One you might not like doing."

Matthew frowned. "Tell me the favor."

"Do you remember when I married Will, when I gave you some copies of important papers?"

"I still have them," he said.

"I always knew something could happen and so much could be lost." She sighed. "Anyway, in those papers I have this essay, an account I coaxed out of Shin. Did you ever read it?"

Matthew shook his head. "No. It's not mine to read."

She smiled. That was just like him. Will wouldn't have been able to resist.

Neither would Kate.

"It's an account of Shin's time in the refugee camps," she said. "You know he never spoke of it."