18. City that Never Sleeps
1231 Words
18
City that Never Sleeps
Nothing had prepared Jacob for New York City.
Chaos of a kind he had never seen before surrounded him. Thousands of people passed each other on the streets, going about their different lives. The lilt of so many different languages touched his ears Jacob lost count, but two words were on almost everyone’s lips.
Airplane. Dam.
The police on the corner were talking about it, sitting high above the crowd on their horses, trading theories on what they thought had happened to the dam. But none of them looked at Jacob. No one suspected he had flown on the ill-fated plane to New York to stand trial for the deaths at the Neversink Dam. Or that the malfunctioning airplane that had landed so close to the city had been his fault as well.
Emilia steered him through the crowds to show him the best of the city. She took him to the park and for frozen hot chocolate. He watched her coo as she gazed into windows whose displays danced with diamonds.
A pain burned in Jacob’s chest. She was trying to give him a perfect day. In case it was their last.
Aunt Iz’s New York home was a brick townhouse on the Upper West Side. The lights inside blazed bright, and Samuel met them at the cab when they arrived.
“How do you like New York, Jacob?” A strained look filled Samuel’s eyes as he led them up the front steps.
“It was great.” A sense of dread settled into Jacob’s stomach.
“Samuel, are you all right?” Emilia asked.
“I’m fine, Emilia. Larkin and Stone are here. We’ve been discussing recent events.” Samuel ushered them into the house.
Recent events seemed like a strange way of saying that time when a band of vicious killers tried to frame you for crashing a plane, and oh right, they tried to kill you, your best friend, and the closest thing to a parent you have. Jacob laughed to himself, and Emilia arched her eyebrow quizzically.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jacob muttered.
The house wasn’t as big as the Mansion House, but it was by no means small. It had the same homey, yet elegant feel Iz seemed to favor.
Emilia started down the long, carpeted hall beside the staircase.
“Where are you going?” Samuel stepped in front of Emilia.
“To the dining room to see Larkin.”
“You can’t go in there, Emilia. They’re having an important meeting, and it can’t be interrupted,” Samuel said. “Why don’t you show Jacob where he’ll be sleeping? Molly hasn’t arrived with the others yet, so he can have first pick of the guest rooms.”
“What sort of important meeting can’t we go to?” Emilia scowled. “The trial tomorrow is for Jacob. He has a right to know what they’re saying, and I want to go with him.”
“Sorry.” Samuel shook his head. “Iz told me that if you said that, I had to tell you there are some things Jacob can’t know tomorrow. If he knew them and some of the Council members found out, it would only make things much worse for him. Jacob is safer not knowing, which means you can’t know either.”
Emilia glared at Samuel, her fists clenched
Jacob almost expected to see steam blossom from her ears.
“Fine,” she sighed finally.
Emilia turned without another word and stalked up the stairs.
Jacob gave Samuel an apologetic smile before following her.
Emilia walked up two flights of stairs and into a bedroom that had to be hers. It smelled like lilacs and had a wonderful view of the old brick houses across the street. Both of their suitcases waited on her bed.
“You can choose whichever room you want.” She handed Jacob his suitcase.
Jacob took his bag to the room next door and dropped it onto the bed without even turning on the lights. He really didn’t care where he slept. He just wanted to get back to Emilia. He was in her room again in less than thirty seconds. Even that short time away had made it hard to breathe. She was like an anti-anxiety pill.
Emilia handed him the golden folder from the plane. Jacob settled into a comfortable chair in the corner to reread all the information he could apparently be allowed.
“How are you doing it?” Emilia asked.
Jacob set the folder on the floor. She had curled up on the windowsill. She looked almost like the Emilia he used to know. The small one who used to sit beside him as they gazed at stars for hours.
“How are you calm? You’ve only known about all of this for a few weeks. But you’re fine. We were attacked and almost killed on a plane. And you’re fine.” Her voice cracked. She hid her face behind the thick black veil of her hair.
Jacob walked over and sat beside her. He thought for a moment, gazing at the New York skyline. “I’m not fine.” He pushed the hair away from Emilia’s face, tucking the strands behind her ear. “I’m terrified. But I am going to go in front of that Council tomorrow, because if that’s what it takes to be a part of your”―he stopped himself―“this world, it’s worth it.”
Emilia smiled and pressed his palm to her cheek. “Always worth it.”
Jacob and Emilia studied the C.O.E. file together late into the night. They heard Molly arrive with Claire and Connor, but no one interrupted them or came to tell them to go to sleep. Emilia’s phone buzzed several times before she turned it off and put it out of sight under her pillow. Dexter would not like being ignored.
Jacob didn’t know what time they finally fell asleep, Emilia curled at the head of her bed while Jacob slumbered in the comfy chair. When morning came, Molly knocked on the door, summoning them both down to breakfast. Emilia led Jacob to the dining room, where Aunt Iz was already eating. There was no sign of the MAGI agents.
“Where’s Larkin?” Emilia asked as she sat down at the table.
“She and Stone left late last night.” Aunt Iz passed Emilia a plate of eggs. “The man from the plane disappeared from the hospital before MAGI arrived. They joined the group looking for him this morning. She wanted me to tell you she is very sorry she didn’t get to see you this time, but she will call you this week and visit as soon as she can.”
Jacob’s stomach tightened. The man who had tried to kill them was out there again. As easy as that. And Jacob was the one standing trial.
“I am sorry I was not able to talk you through more of the information in the file last night,” Iz said, wrinkles forming between her silver eyebrows.
“I’m fine. Emilia and I spent hours going over everything.”
“Good.” Iz smiled. “Eat quickly and go get dressed. We have to leave in one hour. The Proctor House is all the way across town, and traffic will be a nightmare.”
“I’m coming, too.” Emilia looked at Iz sideways as she ate her eggs, as though daring her to say no.
“Normally, I would say no, but as that would only result in your taking a cab across town by yourself and attempting to sneak into the Proctor House, I suppose you may come. You will not be allowed into the meeting, of course.” Iz stood. “And remember, you must hold your tongue and be polite, for Jacob’s sake as well as your own.”
“I will be the sweetest angel!” Emilia called after her.
- Writer
