Page 37 of The House of Quiet

Chapter Thirty

A River in Control

River wakes up alone. Where did Minnow go? Things felt okay between them again. Better than okay. River sits up. Dawn, Lake, and Nimbus are all still happily lounging, but Forest, Birdie, and Minnow are gone.

River refuses to be cut out, no matter how pleasant the afternoon is.

Everyone always underestimates her, and it hurts that Minnow does, too.

It hurts that they all assume she’ll stay in here, comfortable and cozy, while they do something stupid without her.

She wants to do stupid things, too. She’s better at it than any of them.

Just ask the minister of defense and his ruined reputation.

River stalks out of the room, letting Dawn’s happy lethargy slough off her like shedding a skin.

She checks the kitchen first, but it’s empty.

She comes out into the long hallway to see Forest exiting the stairs on the far end of the house.

He shouldn’t be on those stairs. And why is he alone? Where are Birdie and Minnow?

“Stop,” River says. Forest freezes, then waits as she crosses the distance to him. River stands close, too close, and stares up at him. He looks profoundly guilty. He did something.

“Where’s Minnow?” River asks.

Forest points to the stairs.

“And where’s Birdie?”

Forest shrugs, then points to the greenhouse.

River nods, then leans close. “Hurt either of them and I’ll kill you where you can’t fight back.”

There’s a hint of a smile as Forest nods. Like the prospect of someone willing to kill for Minnow and Birdie is one he finds pleasant, rather than threatening.

“As long as we understand each other.” River turns and goes up the stairs. On the second story landing she finds Minnow sitting, rigid and miserable. “What are you doing here?”

Minnow’s face twitches, and then her spine slumps. “I can’t move.”

“You can’t move?”

“That’s what I said,” Minnow snaps. “Forest told me to sit on this step until he comes and gets me or until it’s nighttime, whichever comes first.”

“Why did he do that?”

“Because I was trying to strangle him.”

“Why were you doing that?”

“None of your business. Did he find Birdie?”

“Birdie can take care of herself.” River sits beside Minnow.

The black sludge pouring from Forest’s mouth in his dreams was maybe not a threat, so much as a representation of his own private torment.

“Oh, that’s why Forest doesn’t talk. Because when he tells you to do something, you do it.

I suppose we’re all very lucky he’s careful. ”

“Ask me how lucky I feel right now.”

River laughs. Grumpy Minnow might be her favorite Minnow. And Minnow stuck on the stairs, unable to run away from her and this conversation? The very best one of all.

“He won,” Minnow says. “But he’s trying not to hurt us, and I don’t understand why. He could have thrown me down the stairs, or slammed me into the wall, or told me to cut my own throat.”

“Hmm.” River leans back, shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee with Minnow. They sit there in silence, River waiting patiently.

At last, Minnow lets out an exasperated huff.

“Fine! You were right. I can trust you. I think I always knew, but nothing in my life is as terrifying as trusting someone. I’m sorry about what we did in my dreams when we—” Her voice breaks, and River can feel the blush even if it’s too dim to see it.

“It’s just that in there, it was uncomplicated.

And out here it’s so much more complicated than I can ever explain. You have to understand that.”

“I do.”

Minnow nods. And then, tentatively, like she’s reaching for River’s hand, she says, “My name’s Arrow.”

River nods. “It suits you. You were never a Minnow.” Then she turns and leans in until her lips are a breath away from Arrow’s, letting Arrow make the final choice. Hoping, hoping, hoping that Arrow chooses her.

Arrow does. And it’s even better than in the dreams, because it’s real. At last there are no lies or space between their lips.