Gideon stared at the curly grey hair of Mrs. Pleasure and tried not to feel nauseous.

She sat directly in front of him, blocking his view. Northwests didn't sit in the back, not usually. But they had arrived late, and Blind Lincoln had given them a look that told them to just sit in the back and not draw attention to themselves. Which was completely insulting — especially considering they were late because they didn't even know about the meeting until the last minute — but Blind Lincoln was the one person Gaston Northwest deferred to. So he and Gideon sat in the back. And now Gideon's eyes were drawn to people's heads every time they moved, which annoyed him more than he thought possible.

But that annoyance was the least of his worries. Everything about this meeting gave Gideon a nasty taste in his mouth.

"Miss Pleasure has a remarkable connection with our esteemed lord and will deftly handle any concerns you may need to take up with him," Blind Lincoln was saying. He stood at the front of the room and addressed the crowd, gesturing to the small figure standing next to him.

Pacifica Pleasure.

She was all dressed up in her show outfit, hair pulled up in her signature style, hands folded and resting on her huge skirt, looking more like herself than Gideon had seen in a long time. On one hand, he was glad to see her looking so happy. She practically glowed with pride. On the other hand, he wasn't happy at all to learn what he had just learned:

That Pacifica was now the leader of the Order of the Crescent Eye.

Gideon still didn't completely believe it. What was Blind Lincoln thinking? Pacifica had always been unstable, but recently, she'd taken a turn for the worst. And now she was being put in charge of the most important secret society in the world? So Blind Lincoln could go off on vacation?

There was more to it than that, though Gideon didn't particularly want to admit it to himself. He was jealous. Pacifica was younger than he was — she was younger than everyone in this room. Why didn't Blind Lincoln put one of them in charge? Why didn't Blind Lincoln put Gideon in charge?

Because Bill likes her, his brain reminded him.

Gideon grimaced. Yes, that was true. All of this was Bill's order, Bill's idea, Bill's insanity. Pacifica was his brand new puppet, and Bill wanted to play.

"Many of us know, of course, the unique circumstances under which I came into power," Blind Lincoln continued. Gideon forced himself to pay attention. "But the truth is that leadership of the Order has always been passed down through the Pleasure family line."

What?

"My predecessor and Pacifica's grandfather, Percy Pleasure, did not find his only son worthy of taking the reins. So he asked me to succeed him."

This was news to Gideon. He'd never thought about who led the Order before Blind Lincoln. Lincoln seemed like he'd been the leader for. . . forever.

"And while I'm so grateful for Percy's trust in me, I now rejoice in seeing his descendent once again rise to reclaim her birthright."

Pacifica beamed at the crowd as everyone applauded politely. Gideon had to peer through the gap between Bud Pleasure and his wife to see her.

That's when he noticed. They weren't applauding any louder than anyone else.

Gideon grimaced again. Another reason why he hated this meeting. Bud Pleasure didn't remember that Pacifica was his daughter. He didn't even seem to remember that he was the son of Percy Pleasure, considering how he didn't react to Blind Lincoln's earlier blatant insult. Pacifica's parents were very obviously wiped clean of their memory.

And Gideon didn't do it.

He'd been doing memory wipings for the Order for six years. He was a valued member of the organization. He got in trouble with both his father and Blind Lincoln when he missed memory sessions — which had happened a lot lately. His amulet had been passed down to him from his father, from his father's father, all the way through the Northwest line. He was indispensable.

But somehow Lincoln had done a mind wipe without him. Which meant there was another way to wipe memories. Which meant Gideon was dispensable.

That, coupled with the humiliation of sitting in the back, the annoyance of being unable to see, and the shame of Pacifica ascending higher than he, was just too much for Gideon to bear. This meeting couldn't be over soon enough.

"Pacifica, would you like to say anything?"

Pacifica smiled up at Lincoln and stepped forward. "I'm honored to be here," she said, her showgirl smile plastered on her face. Gideon hadn't seen that fake smile in so long. He was surprised to find that he'd missed it. She even had a trace of the mystical psychic voice that she used in her shows.

"I know I can't fill Blind Lincoln's shoes, not yet, but I know these few weeks of practice will be just what I need. I thank you all for your warm welcome and cooperation. I've heard of the greatness of the Order, but experiencing it in person is just, well, wonderful."

She gave the crowd a huge smile and then stepped back as the crowd once again applauded.

Blind Lincoln put a hand up, and the applause ceased. "Does anyone have any concerns about this announcement?"

Gaston Northwest stood up.

Gideon thought he saw Blind Lincoln sigh a little. "Yes, Gaston?"

"When did you say you were leaving?"

"I'm not sure," Lincoln said. "Likely sometime in the next week."

"Will you be here for the Northwest Gala?"

Now Gideon suppressed a sigh of his own. Of course that's what his father was concerned about.

"I don't believe I will be," Lincoln replied. "My sincerest apologies. Miss Pleasure is sure to be a wonderful party guest, however."

Gaston smiled thinly. "Of course." He sat back down.

Pacifica at the Northwest Gala. That was a strange thought.

Actually, Pacifica involved with the Order at all was a strange thought. The Order. . . the Order was Gideon's thing. Pacifica never knew about it, not when they were kids, not when she was in Portland, not until her amulet shattered and she went crazy. What did Bill want her for? Why now? Why put her in charge now?

Gideon had a sneaking suspicion, and he didn't like it one bit.

Blind Lincoln said some final words that Gideon didn't hear, and the meeting disbanded, bringing with it a hubbub of chatter. Gaston stood up immediately, and Gideon automatically copied him. "Father," Gideon said quietly, "may we go?"

Gaston looked at his son in alarm. "You want to leave without paying our respects to the new leader? What have I taught you about first impressions?"

"Pacifica and I already know each other."

"All the more reason to go talk to her. I'm ashamed of you, Gideon. And now we won't be the first ones up there, thanks to you wasting these crucial seconds."

Gaston turned and made his way through the crowd. Gideon followed in his wake, trying not to scream and run out of the room. His father didn't understand — didn't understand that, sometimes, Gideon was just done. Done with people, done with everything. And right now was one of those times. Every word, every movement, every scraping of chairs on the stone floors, every sound grated on Gideon's eyes and ears and mind. He couldn't think. He had to sit down somewhere quiet and think all this out, he had to get out.

"Hello, Gideon! I was hoping you'd come and see me!"

It was Pacifica. She had turned from a small band of well-wishers just to smile at him.

"Hi," Gideon said, trying to force down his unease. "Congratulations."

"Thank you! I hope you're not jealous or anything," she teased.

"Not at all," Gideon said flatly. "I'd never be put in charge, anyway. Too unpopular with our leader."

Pacifica seemed to know which leader he was speaking of. "Yes, he doesn't seem to like you much right now."

"Miss Pleasure, such a delight." Gaston cut in front of Gideon and bent down to kiss Pacifica's hand. "You have the full support of the Northwest family in your endeavors. And Gideon has told me such wonderful things about you."

Had he? Gideon recalled Gaston basically calling their friendship pointless last time they had discussed her. Look at that, Father. My friendship is going to work for your benefit, now.

The thought just made him feel worse.

"Thank you," Pacifica said. "What is this Northwest Gala you mentioned?"

"Oh, it's a wonderful tradition," Gaston said. "Every year, we have a party to celebrate the Order. It's secret, of course, but everyone in the Order comes." He chuckled. "It's the only time of the year we let in the common folk, if you know what I mean."

Pacifica laughed politely with him. "I can't wait."

Gideon supposed Pacifica didn't count as "common folk" in Gaston's eyes now that she was someone to play sycophant for.

After exchanging more pleasantries with Pacifica and then more with Blind Lincoln, Gaston finally decided they could go home. Gideon endured — he always did — but he still had to stop himself from sighing in relief when it was over. Gaston made sure everyone knew they were leaving so they could wish them a respectful goodbye, and then the two Northwests left, walking carefully out of sight before taking the secret passageway that led directly to the Northwest Manor from Order headquarters.

Gaston was silent during most of the walk home, thankfully. Gideon slowly felt better the further away they got from the crowd, but there was no complete relief. Not while Gaston was still walking just ahead of him.

They were almost to the manor when Gaston spoke.

"Did you know the Pleasure girl was the heir to the Order?"

"No." Gideon paused. "Did you?"

"Of course," Gaston said. "I worked with Percy Pleasure when I was young. I was hardly an adult when Blind Lincoln took control. No one was expecting it, but it turned out to be a good thing. Even back then, I could see how terrible a leader Bud would've been. Far too cowardly."

"Wouldn't Bud have been young as well?" Gideon asked.

"Oh, yes. Percy had a terminal disease. It was a shame. He was a good man."

They walked in silence for another moment.

"I was thinking you may have befriended Pacifica because you knew she might come into power someday," Gaston continued. "But I see it's just a fortunate coincidence."

Gideon couldn't think of a respectful response to that, so he just nodded.

They climbed the steps up to the passage entrance and emerged through a tapestry on the third floor of the Northwest Manor. Gaston brushed off his suit, despite the secret passageway being regularly and meticulously cleaned by maids who had their memories wiped afterwards, and started down the hall. "Yes, well, I have important business to get back to."

Gideon was all too happy to see him go. He turned and walked slowly, ready to bolt to his room as soon as Gaston turned the corner —

"Gaston! Gideon! Gaston! Oh, thank goodness you're back!"

Both Northwests turned as someone came running up the nearby stairs. It was Geneva Northwest, Gideon's mother, wearing a bathrobe and crying through her freshly applied mascara.

"Geneva!" Gaston exclaimed, running to her. "What are you doing out here in this state?"

She collapsed into his arms. "I was getting ready, when — oh — it's just horrible — "

"What? What happened?"

But he couldn't get an intelligible sentence out of her. Gideon ran over, and the two of them helped Geneva to the nearest chair, where Gaston rubbed her back and kept asking her over and over what happened.

"Gaston — you said it would be okay — you said they'd leave us alone — but they're back, they're — "

"Who's back?" Gaston was losing his patience; Gideon could hear it. "What happened to you?"

"It's them!" Geneva cried. "The ghosts!"

Gaston and Gideon looked at each other. And, with a mental moan of despair, Gideon knew he wasn't getting to go to his room for a long time yet.

"I knew we should've done this years ago," Gaston muttered, absently rubbing Geneva's shoulder as she cried.

He looked up at Gideon with an eye of stone. "Get rid of them. Now."

No. No, no, Gideon couldn't go do this now, he had to process the news about Pacifica, he needed to sit down or lay down or even take a nap, he couldn't do this!

"But Father — " he began.

Then he caught himself. Gaston's gaze hardened even more, and he reached into his coat pocket, grasped something in his smooth fingers, and started to pull out a long, thin object. . .

"I'm sorry," Gideon said immediately, his heart pounding. "I'll go."

Gaston slid the whistle back into his pocket and nodded firmly. "Get them out permanently this time."

Gideon's fear lessened, but his heart still beat fast — now with anger. It wasn't fair. He'd tried his best to banish the ghosts; it had never worked! And couldn't he just have a minute to relax after the Order meeting?

But he didn't say any of that. He simply turned away, trying hard to keep his body relaxed, even though what he really wanted to do was curl his hands into fists and punch the wall. He took a deep, silent breath.

And he went to deal with the ghosts.