“Stop!” Mom throws her hands up. I’m amazed at how easily Eden has found her buttons and pushed them. “Just… follow me.” We all follow her, and to absolutely no one’s surprise but Eden’s, she takes us through the kitchen to the garage.

  On our way, Eden glances around and says, “Hey, this is a fancy kitchen. I like the granite countertops. I can see why dear old Dad stuck around with a kitchen like this.”

  I shoot him a look.

  “What?” He shrugs. “I’m just complimenting your kitchen. I like granite countertops. Jesus. Loosen up.” The irony of him telling me to loosen up when he’s just beheaded someone in my living room is not lost on me.

  Mom ushers us into the garage and turns on the lights. “Everything of my husband’s is in here, okay? Everything. I cleared it all out after he died. I couldn’t stand to look at it anymore.” Her voice breaks just enough for me to notice. I hate that Eden’s causing her distress. At the same time, he did just save her life, and I’m grateful.

  One hand planted on his hip, Eden examines the boxes stacked in the garage and turns back to Mom. “Here? You stored an ancient, holy artifact with your garage junk?”

  “I stored everything here,” she says. “I don’t know about any artifact.”

  “Yes, you do. The Chains of Peter?” Eden mimes being bound by a pair of shackles. “You know, the chains St. Peter wore right before they killed him. You have them… in your garage, apparently.”

  Mom looks confused, but Grandpa suddenly comes to life. “Oh, those!” He claps his hands, eager to be of some help at last. “Those handcuff things. Yeah, I saw those yesterday.”

  Mom and I both turn on him and say, “What?”

  He just shuffles to a corner of the garage and comes back carrying an old wooden box with hinges so rusted they look like they might drop off at any second. I’ve never seen this box before. How did I miss it? It looks ancient. The markings in the wood appear to be Latin, but they’re too worn to read. Grandpa sets the box on the workbench, and Eden lifts his bloody scythe. Mom panics and yanks Grandpa away, but Eden only uses his weapon to lift the lid without touching it.

  We all lean in, anxious to see what’s inside this mystery box we’ve apparently had sitting in our garage all this time. Eden tips the lid back, peers in, and says, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “What?” I demand. I can’t see past the hulking shape of him. He’s being intentionally opaque.

  “See for yourself.”

  When I finally glimpse what’s hiding in the box, I’m overcome by how utterly mundane it is. This is what everyone was fighting over? It’s just some corroded shackles nestled among two empty beer cans, a few crawfish tails, and threadbare socks. The shackles themselves look like someone’s old Halloween decorations. No one would even buy them at a thrift store.

  “You people used one of Christianity’s most prized artifacts as a trashcan.” Eden is not amused, and I find his lack of amusement highly entertaining.

  I shrug. “I didn’t even know this was here, but it doesn’t look like anything special. Maybe they should have packaged it better. Then Grandpa wouldn’t have thought it was garbage.”

  Eden closes the box with a sigh. “At least we didn’t have to spend hours searching for it. Thanks, Grandpa.” He sarcastically salutes my grandpa, who unsarcastically salutes back. Then Eden pulls out his phone again. “Dowler here. The artifact is secured, and I’m on my way back to the Gate.” He pockets his phone and punches the button to open the garage doors before turning to me. “You know, I heard you back there. When your family was threatened, you offered yourself in their place.”

  “They’re my family,” I say. “Anyway, I’d do the same for anyone.”

  “One day, you may find yourself in a situation where you don’t get to make that choice. You can’t always say, ‘Take me instead.’ What will you do then?”

  I look him straight in the eyes. “I’ll save as many lives as I can without killing anyone.”

  Eden just shakes his head. As the garage door slowly opens, it reveals a scene from a horror show. Five bodies litter the driveway like corpses on a stage. It’s too dark to distinguish whether they have masks on, but I imagine they do. What’s disturbingly obvious is that three of the bodies have been separated from their heads.

  “You did all this?” I ask.

  “Yep.” He’s mistaken my horror for admiration. “I trained many years to get this efficient. Beautiful, isn’t it.”

  “What do you mean, beautiful?” I can’t keep the note of disgust out of my voice, but I don’t think he even hears it.

  He continues to stare at the scene before us. “Can’t you see the roses? There is beauty in death. It’s kind of poetic when you think about it.”

  “Are you completely mad? My driveway looks like a butcher shop!”

  He glances down at his scythe. “I knew you wouldn’t understand. When you’ve suffered enough, you’ll see it.”

  I grimace at the thought. “I hope I never get to that point.”

  “Oh!” He perks up and laughs. “That reminds me. I never got to ask back at the bar. Things got a little crazy, didn’t they?” He claps me on the shoulder like we’re suddenly comrades in arms. “Anyway, I was going to offer you a position with the House of David. We could use more brains to balance out the brawn. Sarah’s been working way too hard. I’ve seen you operate in some pretty trying situations, and I like your style.”

  Pretty trying must be the understatement of the year. “Why would I want to see more of this?” I gesture to the corpses.

  Eden pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and begins carefully wiping the blood from his blade. “It’s not always like this. Sometimes, it’s even fun.” He looks offended when I scoff at that. “Anyway, it’s important work. And if that’s not enough to convince you, consider the perks. Your family will be under the protection of the House—twenty-four-hour surveillance. Your mother will have her very own bodyguard.”

  I scowl at him. “She doesn’t need a bodyguard.”

  “Correction—she didn’t need a bodyguard before Seditio decided to involve her in their stupidity.”

  I can’t argue with that. In a way, I realize, this is that choice Eden and I were talking about. I’m being asked to give my life for theirs. In that case, how can I refuse? “Fine,” I answer. “I accept your offer.”

  “Huh?” Eden looks taken aback as he sheathes his weapon. “Already? I was going to give you a few days to think it over.”

  I try to match his nonchalance. “What’s there to think about? I’m already involved, aren’t I? May as well make it official.”

  He lets out a loud cackle and slaps me on the back. “Great! Welcome to the family, Orion.”

  I can’t believe I will purposefully be working for this man from now on. He steps out onto the drive just as several black vans pull up. Everything that follows is a whirlwind. Eden speaks with a driver as men in black jumpsuits leap out and set to work with body bags and cleaning solutions. An Asian woman in a red leather jacket approaches my mom and grandpa. I can tell by the way they react that she’s threatening them.

  My eyes dart between my family and Eden. I want to run after him, demand more answers, learn more about what I’ve just agreed to. At the same time, Mom and Grandpa look frightened. I jog back into the garage and address the woman threatening them. “Hey, hey. Don’t talk to them like that, okay? They didn’t do anything wrong.”

  The woman in the leather jacket turns to me and frowns. “I know they didn’t, nor will they in the future now that we’ve spoken.” She’s carrying a clipboard in her hand and a semiautomatic in a holster on her belt. Her hair is cut short and boyish, but her cheekbones are high and feminine. Though she’s technically much smaller than me, I get the impression challenging her would be unwise, to say the least.

  “You don’t have to threaten them,” I say in as calm a tone as I can manage. “They’re my people, and I work for the House.”

  The woman’s sudden laughter echoes through the garage. “Who the hell are you?” she snaps. “I don’t know you from Adam. Listen, I’ll tell you what I told them. Any word from you to the police or any other authority, and you’ll wind up like those poor fucks out front. If you don’t work with us, you’re working for the enemy.”

  “I already said I work for the House, as of five minutes ago, actually.”

  Before I quite notice it’s happened, her gun’s out of its holster and pointed at me. “I hope Eden told you how much I hate liars—I really do—because you’re about to find out one way or another.”

  I try not to stare at the barrel of her gun. “Eden’s the one who hired me. Go ask him yourself. He’s right over—” I start to point in the direction I last saw Eden, but he’s not there. As I glance around the yard, I realize he’s not anywhere anymore. “He’s gone.”

  “Of course he’s gone. Did you think he was going to stick around for the dirty work? Never! Not Eden. That’s just not his style.” Her sarcasm is biting.

  So there’s contention between them, I see. She’s in a foul mood, and now that I know why, I get it. “He just asked me to join the House, and now he’s up and disappeared. Some brother.”

  “Hang on…” A spark of recognition ignites in her eyes, and she laughs as she holsters her gun. “You’re Eden’s long-lost brother? I’ll be damned. You don’t look a bit like him. You know he hasn’t shut up about you all week. He’s got some high expectations. If I were you, I’d be worried. Oh, I’m Ying Yue, by the way. Nice to meet you.” She tucks her clipboard under one arm to shake my hand.

  It takes me too long to notice the way Mom’s jaw has dropped. She didn’t know? I thought Dad would have told her he had another kid running around. I just figured my parents had spared me the details so I wouldn’t have any ammunition for the occasional spat with Dad, but no. Apparently, everyone else was just as in the dark as I was. Grandpa doesn’t seem fazed by it, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re used to learning new things you should have already known. He probably assumes it was something he once knew and forgot.

  “I just found out a few days ago,” I say to Mom. “I would have told you sooner, but it never seemed the right time.”

  She finally closes her mouth. “So you… believe these people?”

  I shrug. “I don’t see why they’d lie about this. And the photo I showed you of Dad when he was young and traveling? That came from Eden. Do you have any photos of Dad’s travels abroad?”

  Mom shakes her head. “He said he didn’t like to take pictures.”

  “Well, apparently, he didn’t tell us everything.”

  “Apparently not.” Mom sways on the spot, and I catch her by the elbow. “I’ve got to sit down,” she says, and she starts to walk away.

  “Not in the living room,” I remind her. “There’s a… mess in there.”

  The men in black jumpsuits work quickly, and soon, the bodies are gone along with any stains they would have left behind. It’s more than a little disturbing how good these people have gotten at cleaning gore. Inside, I find Mom sitting at the breakfast bar, sipping herbal tea. Without a word, I sit beside her and lay a hand over hers.

  “So you’ve joined a vigilante organization,” she murmurs. “Why?”

  “They said they’d protect you and Grandpa. And apparently, they meant it.” I nod toward the living room where, only an hour ago, Eden saved her life.

  “This isn’t what I meant when I told you to go out and discover your potential.” She bows her head and clenches her jaw. I know she feels guilty, but she shouldn’t. None of this is her fault.

  I smile and pat her hand. “Guess I just can’t resist sticking with a family business.”

  She laughs a little and nudges me with her shoulder. Then she grows quiet again. “I can’t believe your father never told me any of this.” She sips her tea to hide the tremor in her voice. “I feel like I never knew him at all.”

  “Same.” I prop my chin on my hands and stare at the granite countertops Eden was so impressed by. They’re just normal to me. I wonder what else is just normal to me that would seem like a luxury to him. What do I have that he would appreciate so much more? “I think Eden’s had it pretty rough. It seems wrong that he was Dad’s kid and got left with nothing while we have all this.”

  Mom sighs into her chamomile. “Well, the truth is none of this came from your father. My family has always been blessed with good fortune, and I was happy to share it with him. Maybe…” She pauses and knits her brow. “Maybe we could share some of it with Eden, too.”

  Her big heart is just too much for me sometimes. I wrap one arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a hug. “I think he’d like that, Mom.”

  * * *

  Weeks pass, and I don’t hear from Eden. It feels like everything that happened after our meeting at The Deck was some kind of nightmare. The fact that Mom’s in therapy now is enough to convince me otherwise. By the time graduation rolls around, I’ve almost found a regular routine again. I’m using my alarms more than I used to, which is an indication that all is not quite right with the world, but at least I have a plan in place.

  The stadium where my graduation is being held is decked out in red and blue. The deans and president wait on a stage that’s covered in colorful banners. My family and friends are here. Even Phoebe showed up to support me. I’m primed and ready, but it unsettles me that I still haven’t heard from Eden.

  Eventually, they call my name, and I march across the stage. The president puts my hood on, and my family claps and hollers. The whole event could easily be mistaken for normal, but I know it isn’t. Something’s off. After the ceremony concludes, I head outside to take pictures with my family. A feeling of deep foreboding creeps up my spine as I lean into a shot with all my friends and try to smile.

  Then a familiar voice behind me says, “Ready to go?” And the dark cloud hovering over the day suddenly makes perfect sense. Eden is here. Phoebe, Remy, and Jacob all turn to him at once.

  “What the hell is he doing here?” Phoebe snaps at me, but I know her anger is meant for Eden. It’s understandable. I never did get around to telling her about the warring organizations and how my family was attacked. Now it’s too late.

  I clear my throat and avoid Phoebe’s accusing gaze. “Um, where are we going?” I ask Eden.

  He smirks. “That, my educated friend, is confidential information.”

  Grandpa steps between us. “He isn’t going anywhere with you.”

  Eden laughs, but Mom shoots him a look that shuts him up quick. “Come on, Dad,” she says, taking Grandpa by the arm. “Rion’s got a new job, remember? He’s got to go with his boss who came all this way to get him and gave us no warning whatsoever and no time to say goodbye.” Eden’s eyes widen at her admonition. I don’t think he’s used to having a mother around.

  “Jesus, Stella,” he says, scrambling to regain the upper hand. “I’m not a monster. Take some time to say goodbye, but it’s not like he’ll never see you again.”

  Really? I’d expected to be whisked away to some underground bunker where I would have to devote all my time to training and getting really good at not revealing secrets.

  Eden must see the questions in my eyes because he quickly answers them. “You can call and visit home as often as you like. We trust our people. Anyway, if one of you started spouting off to the press, I’d just come for a visit and cut out your tongue. Problem solved.” He laughs, but I can’t join in. I’m only half convinced he’s joking.

  While Eden keeps my mom busy, I take Phoebe aside and say, “Hey, look after my family for a while, okay?”

  I should see what’s coming by the glimmer of mischief in her eyes, but I don’t. She reaches out, pinches my cheek, and then kisses my mouth. Her lips are warm, and she smells like peppermint. She feels so wild and free in this moment, I can’t bring myself to put my arms around her. It would be wrong to hem her in.

  When she finally lets me go, I pull back and gape at her. “What was that about?”

  “I was just curious how you tasted now that you’ve graduated.” She winks and pokes me in the chest a little too hard. “Still not aged enough. You know I’ll be waiting for you when you come back, and I promise to look after your family.”

  Jacob saunters over and murmurs, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that. We’re too cool to fight over a girl, right?” Then he hugs me tight and whispers, “Just come back,” like he’s really worried I might not. I never thought much about how my joining the House would affect my friends, but I guess it does. I’m sorry to worry them. I wish I could reassure them, but even I’m not totally convinced I’ve made the right choice. It just seemed like the only choice I had.

  Finally, it’s Remy’s turn. He claps me on the back and says, “Don’t know what shit you’ve gotten yourself into, but I want in.”

  Eden squints at Remy like he’s never seen a bigger idiot. “No, you do not,” he says. Then he turns to me. “Come on, genius. Time to go.” He puts an arm around my shoulders and steers me away from my friends and family.

  “I haven’t even packed,” I remind him.

  “The House will provide everything you need,” he says.

  When we reach the parking lot, he points to an unattended black duffel bag. “Take the water bottle out of that bag. Drink fast and don’t ask questions.”

  I do as I’m told, assuming this is some kind of test of my willingness to follow orders. The bottle is metal and the water doesn’t have a smell, so I drink it down quickly.

  The grin Eden gives me after I’ve finished is downright devilish. He has me carry the bag the rest of the way across the parking lot toward a black car. Then he opens the back door and gestures for me to get in. I hesitate.

  He arches an eyebrow and checks his watch. “I recommend you sit down. You should be comfortably unconscious in T-minus twenty seconds. Oh, also, I hope you don’t get seasick.”