Page 68 of The Quiet
“Perilous,” Peter said, leaning back as he took a sip of his drink. “Would you excuse us?”
“Of course,” she replied, looking between them with a subtle smile before leaving the room.
As the silence settled, Peter spoke up. “Sit up, Baker. Look at me.”
Baker listened, straightening in her chair and glancing over at him.
“What are you so afraid of?” he asked.
He must know the answer already. Baker tried to search for it.
“Every Strike must learn the lessons of power and fear. The entangled relationship of these two things builds a world all around us that you must learn to recognize. I had to learn these on my own, but you won’t. You wanted to face your fears. The culmination of this learning would make you a suitable Strike.”
Baker clenched her fists around her pants, her heart leaping in her chest.
Peter took a sip from his glass. “You don’t trust me?” he asked. “I’m very good at what I do.”
“That isn’t what I want,” she said resolutely.
“How do you know what you want?” he replied.
“Choices,” she said. “You keep your coin for choices. Let me have mine.”
Peter chuckled. He drew the coin, and her breath caught in her chest as he flipped it and caught it in his palm. He took another sip of his drink as he inspected the result.
“Alright,” he said. “This victory is yours, but I have several years to convince you.” He eased out of his chair, drink in hand, and left.
Somehow, his later proposition was more threatening.
She started to clean up the bowl and towels, picking them up together.
Baker.
Baker gasped, dropping the bowl on the table as she heard Peter’s voice in her head. The water sloshed out of the bowl and splat onto the table.
Don’t do that!She thought impulsively, staring down at the water.
Sorry. I startled you. I’m already down in the courtyard and didn’t feel like coming back up.
She rubbed her face.
Take a break from training tomorrow. Rest. I don’t want you to misunderstand the reason you train with Amiel.
“I understand,” she said, using the cloth to wipe up the table. She was relieved to have a break, though any interactions with Amiel loomed in the future like a dark, boiling cloud.
Finish your lesson and take a break. Think about what we discussed today.
“Okay,” she said. She collected the towels and put them into the bowl. After a moment of silence, she carried the bowl over to the sink. She started to wash it as the minutes passed.
“I’m going to think about it forever,” she whispered into the sink.
Incorrect.
Baker startled back, dropping her washcloth.
Sorry. I got distracted. Last thing. I won’t be back for a few weeks. Keep close to Perilous, will you?
“Where are you going?” she asked.
