Page 55

“I could do with a midnight snacky poo.”

“This is a girl’s breakout only,” she tells him.

“Then why does the ferret face get to come? And him?”

Trey huffs at Liam. Tandi looks over her shoulder at Dustin and Trey dressed in the typical black uniforms, looking every part of my guard.

“Dustin, don’t count. He is one of us,” Tandi states, and he huffs as if to say he is not a part of this escape when her eyes slide to Trey.

“And he is the fun police that decided to tag along,” she growls.

“Well then, count me as the corruption! I know where the hard liquor is kept. Besides, I am her guard,” he says, pointing to Abbie.

“Since when?” Abbie demands.

“Since you did a jailbreak on my best friend in your rainbow pajamas and bunny slippers. You look like you’re up to mischief,” Liam tells her, sending her a wink. Tandi sighs loudly.

“So much for keeping this a small gathering,” Tandi says, stomping off toward the kitchen. We flick the light on to find no one down here, and I can’t help but laugh as Liam makes himself at home, raiding the pantry and coming out with a huge armful of sweets and chips that he dumps into Trey’s arms. Trey shakes his head but says nothing, accepting his role in our escape that I am sure would get me in trouble later with Kyson.

Tandi follows Liam to the cellar, returning with liquor and wine bottles. “Do you girls drink?” she asks, and Abbie and I shake our heads.

“Oh, Clarice made Mud Cake!” Liam states, spotting it on the top level of the fridge.

“Dustin, grab some glasses while I steal this,” he says

“Clarice will murder you,” Trey tells him while Liam kidnaps the cake.

“Shush you! You saw nothing, and don’t you snitch,” he tells Trey.

“So why are we doing this again?” I ask, and everyone stops looking at Tandi.

“Ah, because we can! You’re the Queen. You can do what you want!” she shrugs, and I giggle. She has a point, kinda. I doubt any of the guards would step in unless I am putting myself in danger.

We sneak down to the ballroom where the orphanage was initially set up, but it is now clear since only a handful of children remain. Those that are still here are on the servant’s floor with Clarice and the other servants so they could be watched over.

Yet a few bunk beds and toys remain. We set up our picnic after ripping the sheets off. Trey starts a fire in the enormousfireplaces, and we flick the lights off since turning them on lit the place like a Christmas tree.

“So what did Damian do that made you ditch him?’ Abbie asks, accepting a glass of wine from her. Liam sips his bottle of whiskey, not bothering with a glass.

“Nothing really, it just irritated me,” Tandi says.

“Fascinating. Tell me more about your domestic squabbles,” Liam says, and she rolls her eyes at him.

“I wanted to go to the archives and find my daughter. He wants me to wait.”

“Why?” I ask, thinking it is a little odd of him. He knows Tandi wants her daughter back, as any mother would after learning they are alive all this time.

“He wants to be sure. He said he is worried Larkin is lying and she is dead. He wants to check it out himself first,” she sighs.

“Yeah, I would say he is just looking out for you,” Trey tells her, coming over with a blanket. He drapes it over my shoulder, eyeing the wine glass in my hand that Tandi gave me. I sip it, finding the taste somewhat bitter.

“What about you and Gannon after last night?” Tandi asks Abbie.

The room falls quiet at her question, and I definitely didn’t want to think of the state we found her in. Abbie leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder.

“I’ll be fine. Though I learned a lot about Sia, who was Gannon’s real mate,” Abbie tells us. I have my own questions about this woman. As I’m about to ask them, Liam clears his throat awkwardly. .

“Liam was with Sia when Gannon was,” Abbie says.