Apex

18 | evolution

JUNE 6

ALLIX

"Apologies," Conrad drawled, offering me a stiff yet polite smile. In the lustrous museum lighting, his grey eyes glittered with sparks of silver. "I've never understood why people are so surprised when crowds turn violent. Accidents have consequences too."

"Diffusion of responsibility," I remarked somewhat randomly as my thoughts scrambled together. "It's one of the dominant factors that influence crowd violence."

"I should consider myself lucky, then, that you appear to be a rational individual." My breathing hitched as Conrad stepped forward, the smell of expensive tobacco emanating from him, and blocked my view of Brenna and Syd. It was a strategic move, one that secured him an offensive stance, but I didn't dare to move. That would indicate intimidation. "I didn't have a say in choosing the venue, but if I did, I would've picked one that's larger than a closet."

I risked extending a hand. "I don't think we've met. I'm Allix McGovern."

"Conrad Kane." His grip was painfully strong, and my metacarpal bones threatened to fracture. "Dakota was smart to call you when that orca washed up at Cape Blue. There aren't many people who would've chosen to stick around once they saw what they were getting themselves into."

Keep it together, I chastised myself. That phone call was common knowledge.

"It was the right thing to do," I answered as he finally released my hand.

Conrad stared at me for a prolonged moment, his eyes narrowing before he unleashed a dry chuckle. "It was nice to officially meet you, Miss McGovern. Enjoy the party."

The following moments passed in a dizzying blur.

Conrad slinked back into the crowd, and I took a few steadying breaths to allow my heartbeat to become steady once more. I breathed in, breathed out, and persuaded myself that I wasn't in any real danger. The only person who had ever really hurt me was myself.

If Syd or Brenna spotted me, they didn't try and intervene as I bolted out of the main exhibit. I succeeded in making it out onto the terrace without bumping into anyone, and the cool breeze was literally a breath of fresh air that tickled my nose as I inhaled deeply.

There was little doubt in my mind that Conrad knew exactly who I was and where he had seen me before (or pretended not to see me). His movements in those initial seconds - the wide eyes and stiff shoulders - were difficult to fake. There was also the fact that he chose to reference a closet, which wasn't a subtle or an eloquent comparison. But maybe that was the point. Conrad wanted me to realize that I hadn't left Cottage 13 unscathed.

Of course, that also meant that Brenna hadn't either. But if Conrad knew we were in the closet, why hadn't he done anything about it? He had every reason to press charges or, at the very least, call us out for trespassing. The question burned inside my head, and I was tempted to go back inside to demand that Conrad explain himself. I was tired of feigning nonchalance in the face of grave uncertainty.

"You look pale," a voice stated from somewhere nearby. "Like the I just saw a ghost kind of pale."

There were very few people who I was interested in talking to right now, and fortunately, Maud Hamilton was one of them.

"I'm half Irish," I said, smiling weakly. "And you know I don't believe in ghosts."

Maud appeared beside me a moment later, and the gold sun earrings swaying from her ears caught in the light. "At least that hasn't changed."

"Lucky me." I glanced around the terrace, searching for Maud's date to the banquet - her real one - not the guy she struck a deal with at Providence Point. "Where's Nicki?"