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“Thank you,” she said. Then, when he stayed standing in her room, she added, “I’m sorry.”
Luciano blinked at her. Both eyes moved the exact same way. She hoped that meant she hadn’t damaged him.
“About shooting you,” she said.
“Yes, I assumed that was what you were referring to.” Luciano walked over to the chair that sat next to the window, posed in a triangle of pale dome light. “It’s quite all right. I know accidents happen.”
“I feel really bad about it.” And she did. Apologizing to him made her feel lighter. It seemed to bring her back into the world.
“I also have a message for you from Sofia,” Luciano said.
The mention of Sofia’s name made a fearful light flare behind Eliana’s eyes. “What?” she said. “I thought you just came here to bring me clothes.”
“That was my primary reason.” Luciano turned to look at her, the dome light making his hair shine silver. “But Sofia wishes to speak with you.”
“What happens if I don’t go?” Eliana said.
“You’re staying here by her generosity,” said Luciano. “It would be impolite.”
Eliana shivered. It wasn’t a matter of politeness.
“She’ll be very cross if she has to come to you.” Luciano smiled. “I’ll step out of the room and allow you to change. Then I’ll take you to the Ice Palace. Surely you’ll feel more comfortable in your own clothes.”
Eliana didn’t say anything. Her heart pounded hard against her rib cage, fear boiling inside her stomach. It was the first emotion other than devastation she’d felt since arriving at the park.
Either go to Sofia or have Sofia come to her. Eliana was all out of choices. She looked at her suitcase, thought about her clothes tucked away inside. Out of place, here in the park.
“I guess I can’t say no.”
Luciano didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. Eliana crawled out of bed. It felt like the last morning before an execution.
* * * *
Luciano led Eliana through the park. They walked side by side but didn’t speak, and Eliana blinked at the bright light bouncing off the carved and painted snow, trying to press down her fear. The palace loomed up ahead, sparkling in the dome light. Luciano held the door for her, and the scent of it, like old wood and electricity, threw her back to the night of the fund-raiser. She almost turned around and fled.
“This way,” Luciano said, leading her down the stairs and into a room lined with ancient computers and modern-day television monitors that weren’t, Eliana noticed, showing television but rather places around the park. One of them was pointed at the front door of her cottage.
She turned away.
Sofia was waiting for them in an elaborately carved chair that was probably a prop throne from the upper levels of the castle. Araceli was there too, hunched over a worktable strewn with glittering pieces of metal. And Marianella, standing in the corner. She averted her gaze when Eliana walked in.
“Eliana,” Sofia said. “I need something from you.”
Eliana was about to protest, but Sofia went on: “Think of it as rent for the time you’ve stayed here in the park.”
Her words were as sharp as knives. Marianella stepped forward and said, “What is this? You said she could stay here under our protection—”
“I’m not going to put her in danger.” Sofia turned to Eliana. “You have contacts, don’t you? Across the city?”
Marianella said, “You made me promise we wouldn’t leave—”
“I made you promise you wouldn’t leave.” Sofia looked and talked and moved like a human, but there was an undercurrent of electricity in her voice, something that jarred Eliana to the core. She wasn’t human. It was entirely too obvious.
Marianella looked as if she wanted to say more, but Eliana said, “It’s fine. I don’t like staying here for free. What do you want?” She forced herself to meet Sofia’s eyes.
Sofia smiled.
“A bit of code,” she said. “Some intrinsic programming of mine that’s rather frustratingly hidden behind a lock. Neither Araceli nor I can access it.”
Araceli glanced up at the mention of her name and squinted into the light. Then she turned back to her scattered parts.
“Marianella told me how you sent that man away, the man who was asking after me. Your friend, she doctored my schematics. Is that true?”
Eliana nodded.
Marianella stepped forward. “This is not what I intended for you to do with that information, and you know it.”
“You intended for me to let the girl stay, and I did. Now I’m asking a favor from her.” Sofia fixed her gaze on Eliana. “Can you contact your friend and ask her for the true schematics?”
Eliana felt a rush of relief that the schematics were all Sofia wanted from her.
“She wants to reprogram herself. So no one can tell her what to do.” Marianella looked at Sofia as she spoke. Sofia looked back, her face blank. Robot-blank.
“Oh.”
“My plan’s hardly nefarious,” Sofia said. “Can you help me?”
“Sure, should be easy.” Eliana hesitated. “Do I tell her to bring it here, or—”
“I wouldn’t,” Marianella said. “There’s a chance it might draw Cabrera.”
“Yes, I agree,” Sofia said, “which is why I’ve arranged for one of the maintenance drones to accompany you when you pick up the material.”
“A drone can’t protect her,” Marianella said. “Or have you been outfitting them with weapons without telling me?”
Sofia glowered. “A drone will see what I see,” she said. “You can monitor the command screens yourself if you’re so worried.”
“That’s not good enough,” Marianella said. She looked over at Eliana, who fought the urge to shrink away from her gaze. She remembered the sound of Marianella’s fists beating Diego in the alley. “I’ll accompany you. If something happens, I’ll be right there, and I’ll be able to do something, unlike the park drones.”
Eliana didn’t know what to say. Marianella fixed her with a steely-eyed intensity. Marianella would attract more attention from Cabrera than Eliana would. It would probably be safer to go by herself.
“This is ridiculous,” Sofia said.
“I don’t care. I’m going.” Marianella didn’t look away from Eliana. “I’m going to keep you safe.”
Eliana finally found her voice. “And what if Cabrera sends his men after you?”
“She’s right,” Sofia said. “Your presence could make this worse.”
“I’ll cover my face,” Marianella said. “But Cabrera saw Eliana at the party too, and I’m not letting you send her into danger alone.” She paused. “If I have to fight them, I will.”
Eliana’s skin prickled. It was stupid for Marianella to accompany her, but the truth was that she didn’t want to go alone. Even Marianella was better than no one.
“Fine,” Sofia said sharply. Then she turned away and walked to the table where Araceli was working. The conversation was over. The arrangements had been made, and Eliana had agreed.
Might as well get it over with.
“Do you have a telephone?” she asked.
“Yes, of course.” Sofia didn’t look over her shoulder when she answered. “It’s on the table in the corner.” She gestured lazily with one hand. The phone was set up next to one of the computers, perched precariously on the edge of the desk. Eliana walked over and dialed Maria’s number. She answered on the second ring.
“Maria?” Eliana said.
“Oh my God, Eliana? Where are you? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you. We thought you were dead.”
“I’m not dead.” Eliana looked at the old-fashioned computers, at a robot working with a human while a cyborg looked on. She couldn’t explain any of this to Maria. “But I’m working a case and I have to stay undercover.” She forced a smile into her voice. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
Silence crackled on the other end.
“But I do need your help with this case, actually. You remember when you helped me before? With that robot’s schematics?”
“Yes. You need me to do it again?”