Therefore she felt it was best to be modest and careful about her adventures if she wanted to keep things the way they were.Thinking about the secret ...ide of her marriage reminded her of Carlos, the Cuban sculptor she had met on the boat trip. Yesterday, when she and Monique were organizing their lunch date, her friend mentioned him and said he had asked for her number.‘I get the impression he really likes you,’ she had said. It hadn’t been a question, but from the way she said it, Louise could. “I do. I met her at a Lundgren Foundation party just after Christmas. She attends a boarding school in France.”“Did you see Mr. Spurgeon with her?”“I believe they danced at the party, but I really can’t say anything more because I wasn’t paying close attention to them.”“Do you know a Miss Sherry Francone?”That question made me a bit nervous, but I was fully in the clear. I’d never seen her anywhere except that one dance, and I’d been VERY careful about how I treated her.“Maybe,” I said. “I met. " But..." she wiped her eyes. "...you're already being bullied, Malik. And if anything were to happen between you and that boy--" It won't," I assured. "I promise. But...can I go out with Jordan? PLEASE?!"She thought, scratching her head. "I don't know," she replies. "I'm not too keen on the idea of my son dating another boy."I rolled my eyes, folding my arms. "Mom!" I exclaimed. "It's MY life. You can't control EVERYTHING I do." I was ready to be slapped."Oh, my god, you're right," my mother. “This is important for you, as I will take you down to the Vault of Knowledge and will give you access to the Depository of the Forbidden.”Candear, had recovered from the piercing headache he still believed to be caused by Alameda. The Cat Carhesii was a statue and a religion, nothing more after all. “The Vault is for the enlightened and no one may descend to the Depository. It is forbidden for a reason.”“Do you know the reason?”“No one alive does.”Alameda smiled for the first time. “I am alive.