I watched through the window as the boat arrived and the masters hopped off one by one. Too many people... Just what I wanted.
Of course, that sounds like a rather unnatural reaction, doesn't it?
But the more people are here, the less they'll see of me, sneaking around, doing my plans.
Naturally, I was there.
Chen had made me a Kabuki in order to spy for him.
I would get to be that spy on the inside, the one who nobody would ever think is helping the bad guy. Nobody would ever guess is the bad guy, really. Because, while we're going to make it seem like Chen's idea, I'm the mastermind behind it all.
The masters filed into the giant room- commonly called the greetings room- and took seats around the giant Anacondrai painted onto the floor. I hadn't ever really noticed it before now, never noticed it until it was flanked with seventeen people- all of them strangers but my father and brother.
The introductory words are spoken, and I noticed Lloyd conversing with Dad.
Though I want to butt in, see what they're talking about, I refrain from doing so. For now, at least.
The doors to the greetings room are opened, allowing us Kabuki into it. We fan out into a semi-circle around the elemental masters. I am secretly giddy that I'm next to Lloyd- for the wrong reasons.
We are then dismissed to show them into their rooms.
I grip Lloyd's forearm so tight- I wouldn't be surprised if a bruise showed up tomorrow morning- and guided him to his new, temporary living quarters.
Instead of telling him how we configured his room, like we are required to, I shove him into the door, only letting go of him and shutting the door after I hiss the one sentence on my mind.
"Welcome to The Forgotten."