Page 81 of Storm Caller

“The scary one who hangs around school. Dire? After her little stunt, he’s taken her under his wing, and he’s training her up to be just like him.”

“Lieutenant Dire?” I ask, thinking of his harsh face and cruel mouth. That cold, dead light in his eyes. Is that what Sol meant about her getting friendly with the higher-ups? I think I might be sick.

“That’s the one,” Hazel says. “Apparently, he was the one who convinced her to accuse you in front of everyone.”

“He was practically choking her!” Journey exclaims. “And they’re friends now?”

“Ew,” Domino says, wrinkling her nose.

“She sold me out . . . for him?” I ask. I thought the depths of my rage couldn’t sink any lower, but they plummet to a new rock bottom.

Silver shrugs. “I mean, it’s her duty now, right? Just thought it was interesting.”

“Right,” I say. “Thanks . . . I guess.”

The table falls into awkward silence. I’m not sure what else to say. Silver and Hazel also abandoned me when things got tough. Their scattered text messages were never about support—only about stirring the pot. I don’t think we’re friends anymore, and sometimes I wonder if we ever really were.

“So,” Silver says, never one to be deterred. “Where were you?”

She glances at Rook, clearly wary of his presence and of the way he has one hand on my lower back, his other arm braced on the table.

“I don’t think we’ve had the chance to formally meet,” she says, batting her lashes. “I’m Silver. One of Poet’s oldest and closest friends.”

“Are you?” he says, tipping his head and studying her with that intense look of his. “I don’t recall you being very friendly with her last year. And we have met, actually.”

He stares at her as she sits back. Silver isn’t used to anyone calling her on her shit. I resist the urge to laugh because I should have known that if anyone would put her in her place, it would be Rook.

“Yes, well. School was busy, and she was . . .”

“What?” Rook asks. “Dealing with a lot of things? Really in need of a friend?” He gestures toward Domino and Journey with a wave of his hand. “The only people I noticed being there for her were these two.”

Silver’s mouth opens and then closes. She looks at Hazel, who has that caught-in-the-spotlight look. Rook is breaking one of the unspoken rules of our world: never point out the maneuvering and deception everyone engages in to maintain their positions.

“We should get to training soon,” Domino says, checking the time.

“Good idea,” Rook says, though his gaze never strays from Silver and Hazel.

“Right,” Silver says, barely recovering. “We should hang out, Poet. Are you going to Sogno this weekend?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Right,” she says when I don’t elaborate further. “Well, how about shopping on Saturday?”

She glances quickly at Domino and Journey, and I don’t have to guess what she’s thinking. Despite their elevation to Society, she would never be caught dead hanging out with a couple of cogs.

I can’t believe I ever bought into all this Society bullshit.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say. “I have other priorities.”

“Oookay,” Silver says, lacking the tools to deal with my rejection. “Well, we’ll text you.” She says it like she’s doing me the favor, and I let her see me rolling my eyes.

Then she scurries off with Hazel, their heads down.

As soon as they’re gone, Journey turns to Rook. “Wow, remind me never to get on your scary side. She’ll be bleeding from the new one you just tore for days.”

At that, we all burst out laughing.

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