Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #1) - Robert Jackson Bennett Page 0,177

saying: I killed the project. It was wrong. And we didn’t need it anymore anyway.

Which made one wonder—why would you stop trying to scrive humans? Why say you didn’t need it anymore?

Because, thought Gregor slowly, you’d already figured out how to do it.

And then, from that same day at Vienzi, he remembered how his mother had wept, and told him: I did not lose you in Dantua. You survived. As I knew you would, Gregor. As I know you always will…

How did I survive Dantua? he thought, terrified. Did I survive Dantua? Or did I…did I die there?

“I lost your father,” said his mother. “I lost your brother. And I could have lost you in the accident, too, my love. Until he came…He came, and showed me how to save you, to fix you. So I did. But…I had to promise some things in return.”

More of Gregor’s senses returned. He could see now, see the crowd of robed people bearing candles, the curious, rippling walls in the darkness…and there was a whispering sound. At first he thought the robed people were whispering, but that wasn’t it…It was like they were in some kind of forest with velvety leaves. His ears couldn’t make sense of it.

His mother shook herself and cleared her throat. “Enough. Enough sentiment. Listen to me, Gregor.” Her voice became terribly loud in his ears, overpowering his thoughts. “Listen to me. Are you hearing me?”

The fear and rage faded from Gregor’s mind. She took her fingers away. It was as if a cold, wet quilt were being laid over his thoughts.

He heard himself say quietly, “Yes. I hear you.”

“You have died,” she said. “We have saved you, again. But you must do something for us. Do you understand?”

Again, his lips moved and the words sprang from his mouth: “Yes. I understand.”

“You have confirmed something that we have long suspected,” she said. “Estelle Candiano is the person behind this monstrous plot. Say her name. Now.”

“Estelle Candiano,” said his voice. His words were mush-mouthed and indistinct.

“Estelle Candiano is going to try something foolish tonight,” said his mother. “Something that could endanger us all. We’ve tried to keep our efforts secret, tried to never act in the open—but she’s forced our hand. We must respond, and respond directly—though we must maintain whatever deniability we can. She has something in her possession that she does not understand. Are you hearing me?”

“Yes,” he said helplessly. “I am hearing you.”

His mother grew close. “It is a box. With a lock.”

“A box,” he repeated. “With a lock.”

“We have been looking for this box for some time, Gregor,” she said. “We have suspected that the Candianos possessed it—but we have been unable to discern exactly where they had it. But now we know. Because of your efforts, we believe Estelle Candiano is keeping it in the Mountain. Say that.”

“In the Mountain,” he said slowly.

“Listen to me, Gregor,” she whispered. “Listen carefully—there is a devil in this box. Say that.”

Gregor blinked slowly, and whispered, “There is a devil in this box.”

“Yes. Yes, there is,” she said. “We cannot let Estelle open it. And if she does what she wishes to do tonight—if she elevates herself, and becomes a Maker, and if she possesses the key—she will have that capability. But we cannot, cannot, cannot let her release what sleeps within that box.” Ofelia swallowed, and if Gregor had the mind for it, he would have seen she was clearly terrified. “Once it waged a war…A war to end all wars. We cannot risk such a thing again. We must keep the devil inside the box. Say that.”

“We must keep the devil inside the box,” whispered Gregor.

She leaned close, touching her forehead to his temple. “I’m so proud of you for this, my love,” she whispered. “I do not know if it was your intent, or the hand of fate guiding you…But Gregor, I…I just want you to know, that despite everything—I…I love you.”

Gregor blinked slowly, and mindlessly repeated, “I love you…”

Ofelia stood up, her face twisted in shame and disgust, as if pained by his toneless words. “Enough. When you have fully recovered, you must fight your way to the Mountain, Gregor. Once there, you must find Estelle Candiano. Kill her. And then you must take the key and the box. Eliminate anyone who tries to stop you. We have wrought such powerful, beautiful tools to assist you in this task. You must use them to do what you do best, Gregor, to do what