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Miranda Barma did not return to the mainland often. She had a good deal going with Jack Vessalius and everybody knew it; an island where she could do anything she liked, where she had total power, completely protected by her status as doctor. Moreover, the mainland was where her youngest brother Rufus was, and though Rufus Barma was a high-ranking member of Pandora, he was also entirely uncontrollable, living only for the sake of winning Sheryl Rainsworth’s hand in marriage. If Sheryl disapproved of Miranda’s activities on Shutter Island, then Rufus would see no harm in completely disabling all of Miranda’s activities the moment she got within arm’s reach of him—though Miranda was not such a political thinker that Lacie thought she’d considered those sorts of consequences. Like as not she was just too distracted with harvesting heads on Shutter Island to return to the mainland as often as Jack did, which was a problem for Lacie. She had spent too long in the port city nearest to the island already; if she didn’t move carefully and move quickly, Levi was sure to track her down any day now.
He hadn’t deleted all of his socials as he’d claimed he would in their text conversation. The account he’d used to contact her was still up, and Lacie occasionally noticed accounts that looked suspiciously like catfish attempts from Levi. She never interacted with them, even though it was a clear breach of her earlier behavior. Both paths were high-risk, and it might be idiotic of her to not even attempt to keep an eye on Levi, but Levi was far craftier that either Jack Vessalius or Miranda Barma. Any interaction they had now would be him attempting to gain information from her as she attempted to gain information from him—and that was only fun when Glen’s life did not hang in the balance. It was only fun back before Lacie’s execution, when such games didn’t matter. Now…
…Glen Baskerville seems to have fucked off to Pandora to get his dick wet…
Impossible. Preposterous. Glen Baskerville…Oswald…Lacie’s precious Nii-sama would never. He would never abandon his duties like that, never betray the Baskervilles like that, never allow them to be dissolved and scattered to the four winds, never disregard his duty in order to fulfill his own desires—
But Nii-sama spared my life, Lacie suddenly remembered. He was duty-bound to cast me into the darkness of the Abyss so that my soul would be destroyed, but instead altered the spell so that it would release me once I had given birth. I never would have expected that from him in a thousand years. What if…?
But no, that just wasn’t possible. Glen would never abandon his duty. Oswald would never abandon his duty. He had faltered and failed on the day of his ascension not because he wanted to cast aside his role but because Lacie herself had thought it would be funny to lay out each and every bit of evidence the Core of the Abyss had given her that proved that Children of Ill Omen were not threats to the world, but rather beloved friends of the Core of the Abyss that the Jury could not control. In Oswald’s mind, his duty then as Glen Baskerville was not to kill Lacie but rather to eradicate the Jury’s influence in order to protect the world. He had simply misunderstood his duty as Glen Baskerville—he had not thrown it away entirely. If he were to have vanished just to live as Jack Vessalius’s bedmate, that would be throwing his duty directly into a dumpster and then stomping it to death. Never in a million years would Oswald Baskerville commit such an atrocity, whether or not he was Glen. It was simply impossible. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t.
Then why does Levi believe it? Lacie thought. Aside from me, he knows Nii-sama better than anyone else in the world. What would have convinced him… No, he must have said that to anger me. If he suspected my true identity, then he would know that I would have reacted violently to hear anyone insult Nii-sama in that way. If he had reason to suspect that I was a Baskerville, then of course I would be furious to hear anyone insult Master Glen in that way. He doesn’t truly believe it. He could never. Glen Baskerville would never abandon his duties. Levi knows that even better than I do. He was the Master Glen back when I was still a Baskerville, after all. He knows just how impossible that duty is to shove off…
…Then he really shouldn’t have told a lie that stupid.
Too long in one place and not enough to do was driving Lacie mad with paranoia. She needed to stop worrying over this and start making a plan, but there was no plan she could make without having all of the relevant information. If her brother had died, then a new Glen had already been born; in that case, the only thing to do was take bloody revenge on the murderer. If her brother had relinquished his position as Glen but still lived, then a new Glen would still be born, but until the five black Chains that bound his soul had been removed, the new Glen would be unable to exercise any power; Lacie would have to be far more careful with her revenge, then rescue her brother, and then find a way to make the new Glen her puppet. If neither had happened, and her brother was still Glen and simply imprisoned, she would have to be most careful of all. She would need a way to rescue him without endangering his status, a way to avenge him without harming his position. Worst of all, there was no way to distinguish between the latter two states. Lacie needed to be careful, and for that she needed the facts, as soon as possible.
Her chance came, ironically enough, on Oswald’s birthday. Miranda Barma deigned to return to the mainland in order to personally choose some “medical supplies”; Lacie Baskerville tailed her from the ferry and waited until the early afternoon, when Miranda went to a cafe at the water’s edge and sat alone at a table for two.
It wouldn’t do to leave a lady such as Miranda Barma waiting. Lacie slipped into a nearby shop and purchased a sundress, a sunhat, a fashionable beach bag, and a pair of short heels. She changed in the shop’s bathroom and transferred her belongings into the bag, and then made her way into the cafe as if she owned the place, slipping into the chair across from Miranda as casually as ever.
“Good afternoon, Miranda,” said Lacie. “It’s been far too long. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Miranda locked eyes with her, and then she laughed. “Lacie Baskerville. I would say that this was a surprise, but that would have required me to believe that anything could kill you in the first place.”
Lacie smiled thinly. “How ridiculous. You and I would both die willingly if Nii-sama wished it.”
“But you didn’t, did you? You remained the disobedient girl you were to the end.”
Lacie laughed. “As if I would be so dull. The most interesting thing I could do then was to have Nii-sama kill me, knowing the true intentions of those who manipulated him into it. But unfortunately my dear brother was not strong enough to go through with it, and so here I stand. Well, sit.”
“Are you attempting to repay the favor?” said Miranda. “I’m afraid it’s rather too late for that.”
Lacie raised her eyebrow. “Is it?” she said. “Then I would thank you to provide me with the rest of his corpse…I assume you’ve already defiled the head.”
“You’re so cold after believing Oswald dead!” said Miranda. “Some sister you are?”
“And where is Arthur, perchance?” said Lacie. “Also, don’t use that name, you harlot. He is Master Glen and must be referred to as such, especially by a human such as you.”
Miranda laughed, but, strangely, it seemed that she was laughing only because she felt that she should be, and not out of any real mirth or mockery. “Oh, haven’t you heard? I thought that was why you came here. Jack has already destroyed that part of him, Lacie.”
“That’s impossible.”
“An isolated island,” said Miranda, flicking out her fingers with each item. “Drugs. Every single person acting in concert. Mental stress. Physical stress. Fear. Guilt. And endless, unchanging monotony…those are more than enough to shatter someone’s entire sense of self, Lacie. We succeeded in it last year, before anybody realized that Glen Baskerville went missing.”
“He is Glen Baskerville,” said Lacie. “They should have noticed immediately. ”
Miranda smirked. “But he went off without a word, and obscured his true intentions in coming,” she said. “We baited our trap with rumors of you, after all.”
Lacie hissed in a breath through her teeth.
“I was actually surprised when he came so easily. But if he was the one who spared your life, then it makes sense. He truly believed you capable of running Shutter Island. You should be flattered, Lacie! It truly is the best hell Jack and I could have constructed, and all for one man.”
“Why did you want to shatter his identity?” said Lacie. “You always told me you loved him, that you wanted him, as he was, until the moment his head rotted to bone before your eyes. This isn’t that, Miranda. So you’re lying to me about something. Why?”
“I’m not lying. That truly is what happened.” Miranda raised her glass to her lip, her knuckles white. “Jack Vessalius and I built a trap, baited that trap, and caught our prey. Jack has been having his way with him ever since.”
“And you haven’t been having yours.” Lacie smirked. “How tragic for you.”
“It’s not like I can take his head now,” Miranda said. “Jack has devoted himself to breaking down every single bit of pride that Oswald Baskerville has in him. It was a far easier task than I thought.”
“What did you think would happen?” Lacie said. “You can’t have actually thought that Jack would give you Nii-sama’s head. That man can’t keep promises. He lives only for what he wants. I quite like that about him, but that doesn’t mean I would ever depend on him. Why did you?”
Miranda glared at her.
“Oh, dear. You thought you would get Glen Baskervilles head to play with. Poor Miranda.” Lacie bared her teeth in a mocking smile. “And now? What is it that you’re trying to get? Do you want something from me? Do you honestly think that I would ever help you, after what you told me you did to my Nii-sama?”
“But you and I want the same thing, don’t we?” said Miranda. “We want him back. The real Oswald—the real Glen Baskerville. Not Jack’s broken little toy. And I have access to everything on Shutter Island.”
You bitch!
But Lacie held her tongue. This woman was no Levi. If she kept her head, she could use her and make sure that her brother didn’t lose his in the bargain, and Miranda was right. She had access to things that Lacie didn’t. She was Lacie’s in to Shutter Island, and, unlike Levi, she had no motive to lie. Miranda was a simple woman, with simple desires. She could be cunning as a snake in order to achieve them and plot well enough to go toe to toe with Lacie and Levi if she had to—but if she didn’t have to…
“Done,” said Lacie. “I want you to bring me every single piece of information you have on Nii-sama, and I will begin to formulate a plan to get him out. Once he’s out, I’ll bring him back to the Baskervilles to recover and to resume his duties. On the day that the next Glen ascends, Nii-sama will be, as you said, most ‘himself’. That is the day I will let you have his head.”
“So late.”
“No,” said Lacie. “Not quite. After all, you said that you don’t want his head as he is now, right?” She would outwit Miranda. It would be easy. “So you will have to wait for him to recover.” If Miranda thought Lacie was giving her what she wanted, she would simply dance in the palm of Lacie’s hand. “But recovery is neither linear nor fast. The successful completion of that day would be assurance that Master Glen has fully recovered his heart, body, and mind from what you put him through.” If Miranda thought Lacie was giving her what she wanted, she would be easier to manipulate. “Or does Jack’s deal sound better after all?”
“And here I thought you would be trying to rip my heart out of my chest. You’ve gotten soft, Lacie.”
“In public?” Lacie laughed. “You must think so little of me, Miranda. I’m no longer the ward of Glen Baskerville. I would be arrested, and then how could I make Jack Vessalius suffer what my Nii-sama suffers now? Your heart can come later, after our deal is complete.”
“I want to see Oswald rot first, if you please.”
“I’m not exactly in a position to refuse you, am I?” said Lacie. “If that’s your price, then so be it.” I’ll be killing you anyway when you’re no longer of any use to me.
Miranda smiled. “I’m happy we’re in agreement,” she said. “When will I be seeing you again?”
“When will you next return to the mainland?”
“I come here every six months,” said Miranda. “Though I could return earlier, if it would speed—”
“Don’t,” said Lacie. “Do not alter your habits in the slightest. Nii-sama has waited one year already; it will make no difference to him whether we get him out now or in several years, so long as we are prepared. I intend to be fully prepared, and not to let Jack suspect anything. If you’re any different, Miranda, then you’re dead weight to me and I’ll not work with you after all.”
“Then what would you do? I’m the only one with access to—”
“Jack Vessalius,” said Lacie, “is a dear friend of mine. Surely he would assist me if I were to return from the dead, especially if I ran to him, scared and upset, because my precious Nii-sama had gone missing. Please don’t think you’re my only option, Miranda. You are merely the most convenient one to me.”
Miranda laughed. “Cold as ever, Lacie. Fine. Six months, then?”
“I look forward to it.”
Lacie rose and left, paying no attention to the woman behind her. I’ll kill her, she thought as she stalked out onto the street. I’ll kill that woman for using my brother in this way. And Jack…that traitor…
She would have to think long and hard to plot a revenge worthy of that betrayal. Jack had been the dear friend of all three of them, after all; even now, Lacie found that she was still fond of him, and that fondness was merely stoking the flames of her hatred. Miranda could dance in the palm of her hand and then die, that was fine, but Jack, whom Lacie’s entire family had loved, would have to suffer. He would have to suffer worse than he had ever suffered before—a high bar to clear—and he would have to suffer every ounce of the despair that Glen had suffered, and the humiliation Lacie had felt at learning that she had been the bait that had lured her dear brother into Jack’s trap. She would have to take everything that he loved and degrade it completely—and then, only then, could she be satisfied.