Page 66 (1/2)

Hollis e hian to rise but Ian said, "Not you, Jaxon Lish is next"

Jaxon? Since when did anybody call him Jaxon-especially someone on the Watch? And why did it sound suddenly different to hiht," Lish said, and got to her feet wearily He had never seen her looking so defeated "I just want to get this over with"

Then she was gone, leaving Peter and Ian alone Ian had aardly fixed his gaze on the square of wall above Peter’s head

"It really wasn’t her fault, Ian It wasn’t anybody’s"

Ian stiffened but said nothing

"If you’d been there, you "

"Look, save it for Sanjay I’m not supposed to talk to you"

By the tied to doze off She stepped from the room with a wordless look he knew: I’ll find you

Peter felt it theto happen had already been decided His appearance, whatever he had to say for himself, would make very little difference Soo had been asked to recuse herself fro only five members of the Household in attendance: Sanjay, as seated at the center of a long table, and, on either side of him, Old Chou, Jimmy Molyneau, Walter Fisher, and Peter’s cousin Dana, occupying the Jaxon seat He noted the odd number; Soo’s absence had effectively prevented any kind of deadlock An empty desk had been positioned to face the table The tension in the roo Only Old Chou see away, even Dana Slumped in his chair, Walter Fisher see seemed unusually filthy and ru off him

"Have a seat, Peter," Sanjay said

"I’d rather stand, if that’s all right"

He felt the s scored But Sanjay did not react "I suppose we should get on with it" He cleared his throat before continuing "Though there is soeneral opinion of the Household, based in large part on what Caleb has told us, is that you were not responsible for opening the gate, that this was his doing entirely Is this your version?"

"My version?"

"Yes, Peter," Sanjay said He sighed with unconcealed impatience "Your version of events What you believe occurred"

"I don’t believe anything What did Hightop tell you?"

Old Chou held up a hand and leaned forward "Sanjay, if I

Old Chou leaned forward over the table, a gesture of coave him an appearance of absolute earnestness He had been Head of the Household forthe position to Theo’s father, a history that still gave him considerable authority if he cared to use it For the most part, he didn’t; after his first wife had been killed on Dark Night, he had taken a second, er wife, and now passedthe bees he loved

"Peter, no one doubts that Caleb thought he was doing the right thing Intention is not the issue here Did you open the gate or not?"

"What are you going to do with him?"

"That hasn’t been decided Please answer the question"

Peter tried toat the table

"I would have, if I’d gotten there first"

Sanjay gave an indignant lift in his chair "You see? This is what I’"

But Old Chou paid this interruption nohis eyes locked on Peter’s face "So a that your answer is no? You would have, but in fact you did not" He folded his hands on the table "Take a moment to think if you need to"

It see to protect hi what had happened would shift all the blame to Caleb, who had siotten to the wheelhouse first

"No one doubts your loyalty to your friends," Old Chou went on "I would expect nothing less froreater loyalty here ain Did you help Caleb in opening the gate? Or did you, in fact, try to close it, once you saas happening?"

Peter had the feeling of standing at the edge of a great abyss: whatever he said next would be final But the truth was all he had

He shook his head "No"

"No what?"

He took a long breath "No, I didn’t open the gate"

Old Chou visibly relaxed "Thank you, Peter" His gaze passed over the group "If nobody has anything else-"

"Wait," Sanjay cut in

Peter felt the air in the roohten; even Walter seeht Peter

"Everyone here knows of your friendship with Alicia," Sanjay said "She is someone who confides in you Would that be fair to say?"

Peter nodded warily "I guess"

"Has she in any way indicated to you that she knows this girl? Has seen her before, perhaps?"

A knot tightened in his stolanced at the others before returning his eyes to the front of the room "There is a question, you see, of coincidence You three were the last to return from the power station And the story you tell, first about Zander and then Theowell, you er Peter had been holding in check gave way "You think we planned this? I lost et back alive"

The roo at Peter with frank suspicion

"So, for the record," Sanjay said, "you are saying you don’t know the Walker, you’ve never seen her before"

Suddenly it wasn’t about Alicia, he realized The question was about him

"I have no idea who she is," he said

Sanjay held his eyes on Peter’s face for what see moment Then he nodded