Free Naomi Grim (The Silver Scythe Chronicles) Part 1 by Tiffany Nicole Smith

our mansion in the Upper
Estates. I wanted to tell him what the woman had said in
Litropolis, to ask him what he thought it meant, but if he and Bram
knew we had gone back, they'd kill me.
    Bram blew on his coffee. "Can't
wait."
    "I hope I have a science class," Dorian said.
Then he caught himself. Worrying about a science class wouldn’t
impress Father. "I mean, I can't wait to collect all those
lives."
    "Do you think Mother will be back before we
go?" I asked.
    Father kissed my forehead. "I don't know,
Darkness. I hope so, but I wouldn't count on it."
    The doorbell rang, and Dorian ran to answer it.
Mr. Dunningham entered with his dogs and assistant. It was going to
be one of those days. Doyle arrived minutes after.
    Thankfully, Father found a way to coax
Dunningham to his study to look at some research he had been doing.
Even though I often asked what he was studying, I was always told
that it didn't concern me.
    Keira and Josh arrived, and we took our places
in the living room. Neither Keira nor I had talked about what
happened the day before. It was best to keep it a
secret.
    After another day of looking through textbooks,
Chase, Keira, and I went to Brickman's.
    "I got dispatched. I'm leaving in an hour,"
Chase announced.
    I was bummed that I wouldn't be able to see him
tomorrow.
    Chase slurped the last of his soda. "This might
be the last time I see you guys. Ever."
    Keira picked at her chipped black nail polish.
"What?"
    "I'm going on assignment. Who knows how long
you guys are going to be gone? What if I'm on assignment when you
come back and you move before I come home?"
    I sighed. "Chase, we've already been through
this. We will come to visit you all the time."
    Chase slid down in his seat like he didn't
believe me, but I meant it. I had no intentions of making new
friends in the Upper Estates. Chase and Keira were all I
needed.
    Speaking of the Upper Estates — the bell above
the door rang as Sable walked in with two other girls. Sable had
lived in Farrington up until a few months ago. An earthquake had
earned her family enough money to move out of Farrington. Sable had
been all right when she lived here, but once she moved, she changed
into an entirely different person. I vowed not to let that happen
to me.
    I was surprised they were in a place like
Brickman's. They had their own upper-crust hang-outs in the Upper
Estates.
    Sable sauntered over to our table. She had dark
features like every other Grim, but her extraordinary cheekbones
made her stand out. I tried not to stare as she stood over us, her
long black hair falling over her shoulders.
    "So I hear there's going to be a reunion soon,"
she said as her friends sat at another booth.
    "A reunion?" Keira asked.
    "Yes. We'll be able to be friends again once
you guys move to the Upper Estates."
    Keira rolled her eyes. "There was never
anything keeping us from being friends, Sable. You can come here
anytime you like."
    "Yes, of course, but that's just not the way it
works there, girls."
    Chase cleared his throat as if to say, "I told
you so."
    "Oh, I'm sorry, Chase," Sable said. "I'm sure
you're going to miss them, but who knows? Maybe one day your family
will make it over the wall."
    "Chase doesn't have to wait for one day," I
said. "We'll be seeing him every day."
    Chase slid out of the booth. "I have to go. I
have an assignment. Good luck, guys," he told Keira and
me.
    Sable took his vacated seat. "What's his
problem?" Neither Keira nor I answered. "Look, girls, I'm sorry.
You'll understand once you get over there. Oh, it's absolutely
amazing. We have the best shops and restaurants. The houses are
spectacular. You'll have servants and drivers. I hardly walk
anywhere—except when I come here."
    Cars were forbidden in Farrington, but everyone
had one in the Upper Estates.
    "And the guys. Your parents can hook you up
with the créme de la créme. You won't ever have to worry about
anything—running out of years, money, anything. Dunningham really
looks out for