Chapter 7

I ran up to my room, slammed the door closed, and jumped onto the bed. Andrew didn’t seem to be around. I was sure I couldn’t handle that. I put my hands on either side of Miranda’s head. Help me please, Miranda.

I tried to blank my mind, to be as receptive as possible. Miranda, I need you. I need you. I need you.

For a long time, I felt nothing. Suddenly, images flooded my mind. Unexpected images. I didn’t understand.

And then I did. My mouth gaped. Is that the key to Dad? His button to push? Will that work?

But I don’t have a letter from the Academy. I have to have that.

I stiffened suddenly. Yes! Yes!

I jumped off the bed and recovered my car keys. I fumbled in my desk drawer and extracted my copy of the slavery contract. I thought about taking the pictures in the yellow envelope. No, I decided. I don’t need those. Minutes later I was racing to the Academy.

“Could I see Ms. Bennett? Is he here?” I was desperate. Minutes later, I was in her office.

Ms. Bennett shook hands with me. “It’s nice to see you again, Amy. You understand I can’t tell you anything yet, right?”

“Oh, yes, ma’am. But I wonder if you could do something for me.”

“What is it?”

“You have a form that an applicant’s father would have to sign when he’s accepted, right?”

“Well, yes, but we’d usually send that out with the letter of acceptance...”

“Oh, I understand that, sir. But could you give me a copy of that form? I’m not sure if my dad will be home next week, and I’d like to get that form in as soon as I can.” I rationalized the fib by telling myself that there was no way to be altogether sure that Father would be available. Anything could happen, right?

Ms. Bennett looked at me for a long time. “I see what you’re saying, Amy. If I give it to you, do you understand that doesn’t mean you’ve been accepted?

“Yes, ma’am. This is just in case.”

My heart pounded as Ms. Bennett opened a drawer in her desk. “I can’t really see a reason not to give you this. As long as you do understand you’re not admitted yet. We just haven’t decided one way or another.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll hold onto it until I get a letter from you.”

Ms. Bennett pointed at the form. “You see that it has to be notarized.”

I nodded. “That’s no problem, ma’am. Thank you so much.”

I walked into the main office of Cameron Industries. Father’s secretary, Miss Barron, looked up as I entered. “Oh, hi, Amy. Do you need to see your father?”

I nodded. “If I could, please.”

While I waited, I took out the Academy’s permission form and filled in my name on it. Miss Barron looked up from her phone, and nodded to me. “You can go in.”

Father looked up from his desk. “Is everything okay, Amy?”

“I think so, Dad. Could we sit on the couch?” I didn’t want to talk to him as he sat behind his big desk, as if I were trying to sell him something. I wanted, as nearly as possible, for the first time in my life, to talk to him as an equal.

It was strange, sitting beside him on the sofa in his office. Always before, even at home, I had felt as if he was giving me an audience, as one of the subjects of his kingdom. I took a deep breath. “Daddy...” I hadn’t called him that in years. I felt there was a good reason for doing so now.

He looked at me puzzled. “What is it, sweetheart?”

I turned to face him fully. “Remember at Miranda’s hanging ... the way everybody looked at Mr. Warren? Her father?”

That had been the subject of my mental images when I touched Miranda’s head. Again and again, from every angle, I was seeing Kevin Warren.

Father nodded tentatively, not sure yet where this was going.

I went on, “I mean, the way everybody saw how proud he was ... not just that, though. It’s like ... everybody was in awe of him. Because they felt that way about Miranda. I think everyone looked like they thought Mr. Warren had done such a great job, raising such an amazing daughter. You saw that, didn’t you? I mean, you did so many things for him! You weren’t expecting to do that, were you? The way you let him take your role in the play, and then offered him some of Miranda’s thanerone! Why did you do that, Daddy?”

Dad looked towards the window of his office, deep in thought, and finally nodded. “I know what you’re saying. It did seem that he deserved it. His daughter was something special.”

I leaned closer to him. “Daddy—would you like to see people look at you that same way? With nothing to do with all your money, or everything else you’ve accomplished...” I waved my arm to indicate everything around us. “ ... but for a different reason? That everyone thought you had really done well, raising a talented daughter?”

Dad looked directly at me for the first time. “What are you saying, honey?”

“I’m saying ... if your daughter could put on such a special show, just like Miranda did ... wouldn’t that mean something to you? Seeing people look at you just like they looked at Mr. Warren?”

Father’s eyes sprang wide open. “Honey, have you been admitted to the Academy?”

I held his eyes. “Not yet, Daddy. Almost. I’m really close, though. I’ve been through the interview with the Dean, and I think I have a really good chance.”

“I thought ... well, aren’t you going to be Andrew’s slave?” Dad seemed to be trying to keep up with the shifting landscape of my life.

I shook my head. “I haven’t been sure that I could get into the Academy. I had to have a fall-back position. You understand?”

Father did indeed understand a cautious approach to business. Then a thought occurred to him. “Andrew already put down a deposit on a house for the two of you.”

I nodded. “If I get in the Academy, I’ll pay him back the five thousand dollars. I know he was counting on me being there for him, but this is bigger.”

“So you don’t really want to be his slave?”

“Well, it’s not my first choice. Here, let me show you something...” I pulled the envelope with the contract out of my shoulder bag. Taking a deep breath, I removed it from the envelope and let him read it, holding the breath.

Father bit his lip. “This is dated a couple of months ago.”

I nodded. “I’ve known for a long time what I really wanted to do. Andrew understands that too. He knew I wouldn’t sign this if it didn’t say my number one priority was to go to the Hanging Academy. Daddy?” My hand covered his. “It’s really, really important to me.”

“But ... well, you know I was hoping for grandchildren.”

I sat up straighter. “Daddy, if it works out that way, if I don’t get in the Academy, I promise I’ll give you the best, sweetest grandchildren anyone ever had. But if I don’t do that, you know Andrew will have kids. Right?” I held his eyes until he nodded.

I took a deep breath. “Daddy, this is what I want more than anything in the world. If I don’t get it, then I belong to Andrew, totally and completely. But before anything else, I want this. I want it for me, and I want it for you too. So people will think, look at Preston Cameron. He’s done a lot of things, but wow, his daughter put on a show I’ll always remember.”

Father was silent for a time, looking out the window. He turned back to me at last. “You need me to do something, don’t you?”

I put the contract away and pulled out the Academy form. “You understand, I’m not admitted yet. But if I am, then I have to have your permission to go there.”

I handed him the form. It had the Academy letterhead, and looked very official, as indeed it was. I held my breath again, watching him intently as he read it over. An endless time seemed to pass.

I tried to read his face, to judge his leanings on the issue. When I felt nearly sure the balance was starting to tip my way, it was time to give it one last push. I pointed to one line on the form, the one in which the Academy offered the student’s parents some remuneration in return for enslaving their son/daughter. With a playful smile on I my face, I said, “See, they’ll even give you money for me. Who knows when that might come in handy?”

Father burst out laughing, something I had seen rarely in my life. He got up from the sofa and pushed the button that connected him with his secretary. “Miss Barron, could you get a notary up here from HR?”

I pumped my fists mentally, saying silently, Yes, yes, yes!! Miranda, I did it!!

I rested on my bed, smiling as I heard Andrew come up the stairs. I knew he’d look in on me.

Andrew grinned from the doorway. “So, what’d you think of the place?”

I looked up at him disinterestedly. “Looks pretty typical for slave quarters. I don’t expect I’ll see it again, though. I’m going to the Academy.”

His eyes suddenly narrowed. “You got a letter?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. Next week, I guess.”

His smile returned. “Doesn’t matter. I’m telling Dad about the contract tonight.” His eyes glowed, waiting for my reaction.

I shook my head. “Don’t bother. He’s seen it.”

I loved the way his face fell. “What?”

I sat up and looked directly at him. “I showed him the contract. He knows I want to go to the Academy. He’s signed a form to say it’s okay.”

I almost laughed out loud at seeing Andrew’s jaw drop. “You said haven’t been admitted yet. Does ... does he know that?”

I smiled benignly. “He knows everything, Andrew.”

I finally did laugh as he ran downstairs. He was gone long enough to verify everything with his father, and finally trudged back up.

“See, Andrew?”

He reappeared at my door, and snarled at me, “This doesn’t change anything. You still don’t know if you’re in or out. And if you’re out, you’re mine.”

I nodded. “I’ve got a deal for you.”

“No! I’m not letting you out of the contract!”

I shook my head. “It’s not about that. Look, it’s probably still a week before I hear anything. I want to propose something. Will you listen?”

He glared at me for at least a minute, and finally muttered, “I’m listening.”

I nodded again. “Okay. Look, I can’t do anything about it if I’m not admitted. I understand that. I belong to you then. The law will back you up. Dad will back you up. I’d be a Runaway Slave if I tried to get away, and I can’t go anywhere without you finding me. I get that.”

Grudgingly, he nodded. “Keep going.”

“I want you to stay away from me until I hear from the Academy. Here’s what I’ll do in return. If I get in, then I’ll give you the five thousand you put down on deposit on the house. I told Dad I’d do that, and I will.”

“And if you don’t get in?”

I took a deep breath. “Have you got the shackles and chains for the corners of your bed yet? You know what I’m talking about. Like in the drawing. I know you wouldn’t wait till the last minute to get them. You’re planning to use them next week.”

His eyes glowed. “I’ve got them. So?”

“And a collar? You’ve got a slave collar already, right?”

He was breathing faster, seeming to anticipate where this was headed. “Of course.”

“Could you bring that in here, please?”

Andrew blinked in surprise, and returned to his bedroom, reappearing moments later, bearing a heavy metal collar similar to the ones I’d seen in the drawings. “Okay, here it is. So?”

I looked over the collar reluctantly. It was one of the kind without a release mechanism. At present it had plastic stays to keep it from closing accidentally. Once in place around my neck, it would lock permanently, never to be removed. I closed my eyes and shivered. “Are the shackles self-locking? I could put them on myself without a key, right?”

Andrew was now sure where this was headed, judging from the sudden bulge near his belt. “Yeah. So?”