Page 89 of Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty)

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The details of how they do whatever it is they’re about to do are not for me to know.

I’m strictly a participant.

Though apparently, they’re pretty serious about keeping the tradition alive, which means next time some unfortunate Green finds themselves here, I’ll be the conductor. Under Elodie’s guidance, of course.

Turns out, of all the Blues, Elodie’s been here the longest. Having been recruited over a decade ago when she was just five years old and Arthur rescued her from an abusive children’s home. He brought her to Gray Wolf to finish the usual schooling, along with a few other courses not normally taught.

To hear her tell it, Song was right. Elodie really does think of Arthur as her father, and she loves being a Blue. She could’ve taken a role as an instructor when she turned eighteen a few months back, but she’s come to enjoy the perks of her position too much to ever consider giving it up. What those perks are remain a mystery. Though she does go on to reveal I’m only her second recruit.

“I’m sorry for the series of events that brought you here.” She looks sincere, but then she’s good at convincing people to believe in her, so I know better than to trust it. “And yet, I don’t think you understand what a gift I’ve given you. I mean, here you have an all-inclusive trip to Oz with access to everything you’ve ever wanted, and in return, you act like an ungrateful twit. Even Song wasn’t nearly as big of a pain as you’ve been.”

I glance at Song, but her face betrays nothing.

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, realizing it’s the most she’s ever revealed in our entire friendship. It’s also the most she’s ever spoken to me since I arrived. What I don’t say is that in the story of Oz, it turned out the wizard was a fraud.

“Because you’ve ascended way faster than anyone expected. It took Jago months just to make Yellow. And though I have my suspicions for how you managed to rise so quickly—”

“Yeah, like a sudden, unexplained vacancy—” Song starts, but with a harsh look from Elodie, she’s silenced. Which only hardens my resolve to follow up on that later.

“The point is, no one here believes you’ve done anything to earn it.”

“Earnwhat, exactly?” I look among them. “I’m still a Green, so I don’t know about this ascent you refer to—”

“You won’t be a Green tomorrow. If you’re still here, that is.”

“What are you saying?”

It’s then that Oliver speaks. “What would happen if tomorrow you were to take your first Trip?”

Remembering how Braxton told me about the time travel in confidence, I feign a look of confusion, like I have no idea what that could possibly mean. And honestly, I’m not sure I do. It still feels unbelievable to me.

“You’ll understand when it happens,” Oliver says. “But when you do go, you won’t be alone. You’ll be partnered with someone, and whoever that is—”

“Look,” Finn interrupts him, and though it strikes me as kind of abrupt, if not rude, Oliver just sinks back against the wall and takes it in stride. “Thing is—no one here wants to Trip with a partner they can’t trust, and according to Jago, you messed up today. A lot.”

I look to Jago, wondering what the heck he told them. He merely shrugs, as though daring me to deny it.

“I scored the jewel.” I glare hard at Elodie.

She nods. “And as impressive as that was, before you could even get to that part, you were incredibly sloppy and even tried to behead me.”

“I think we both know I wasn’t actually serious—” I start to defend myself, but Elodie won’t hear it.

“Not to mention how we all just watched you hyperventilate. Overnothing, I might add.”

“You seriously think that was noth—”

Again, she cuts me off. “Maybe your sloppy reactions aren’t a big deal when you’re here, but outside of Gray Wolf, in the places you’re going, panicking can prove fatal. Which means you seriously need to learn some real skills and get your emotions in check.”

“What are you even talking about?” I look from Elodie to the others, but they just stare back in stony silence. “I just got here,” I remind them. “I mean, what do you even expect from me? Like, I’m supposed to know how to waltz? You’ve seen where I came from.”

“What we expect is for you to try harder.” Elodie’s voice is as sharp as her gaze. “To stay in character. To blend in to whatever setting you find yourself in. To take the job seriously because itisserious. And more than anything, we expect you to help us get in and out without getting killed.”

“Or worse, tossed in jail,” Oliver adds.

“How is that worse?” Finn asks, his voice, like his face, full of dismay as he turns on Oliver.

“Have you even seen the jails? They’re filled with rats, and you have to choose a corner to shit and piss in. I’ll take the guillotine any—”

“Guys, please.” Elodie frowns. With a dramatic roll of her eyes and toss of her hair, she turns back to me. “You need to prove you’re committed. That you’re one hundred percent in, no looking back. Only then, will we agree to let you be an AAD.”

“What the hell is an AAD?” My voice rings throughout the space, echoing back at me.

Song starts to reply, when Elodie stops her. “You haven’t earned the right to know. You haven’t earned any of this. But you’re about to. Come on.”