A strange item? More mysteries about Nana's past kept piling up, one after another. I turned the page, my heart racing. But when my eyes moved to the next page, it was blank. I flipped through the pages once more, seeing if I had missed anything, but the entries stopped. Running my hand down the center of the book, I noticed tufts of paper sticking out, as if the next entries had been torn away. I gripped the journal by the binding and gently shook it, hoping the missing pages would fall out. After a few futile shakes, I sighed and set Nana’s journal on the ground beside my bed.
My eyes grew heavy. I hadn’t realized how late into the night it had become. As I curled under my blanket, my mind filtered through all the information I had learned. Pure hearts, multiple trades, hearts returning. What was the connection? And why didn't anyone discuss it?
My thoughts then drifted to Silas. He had been acting stranger than usual when we left Nana's, and he was holding onto that red book for dear life. I didn't know what to think of it. And him not having a heart? What did it all mean? But the more I thought, the more tired I felt, and my eyes slowly closed as I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up screaming, streams of tears barreling down my face as I shot up from my bed. I quickly laced my fingers together, squeezing my knuckles until I was sure they would break. The same nightmare had haunted my dreams for the last seven years. Even after I awoke, I could feel the cuts of the branches on my skin and the thumping of my heart in my chest, waiting to explode. The one thing I never forgot were the black hearts. Every time it felt worse, darker, as if the events in the nightmare were becoming more severe with each year that ticked by.
I swallowed before sucking in deep breaths. Black hearts were only known in legends, because one had to be truly evil to create a black heart and gain its uncontrollable power. There was only one legendary figure known to have the power to create them: Ophidian.
My body shuddered, thinking about the snakelike beast from the old tales I had stumbled upon in Nana’s books. Headmaster Clive never addressed Ophidian or black hearts in class. When I had asked, a horrific look consumed his features, and I was forced to stay after class and write Ophidian does not exist. Black hearts are a myth until I believed it.
But as my nightmare plagued my evening thoughts year after year, I began to wonder if I honestly believed Ophidian didn't exist. The Mender didn't exist, so Ophidian couldn't, either; both were legends passed down from generation to generation to help us escape from the cruel reality staring us in the face.
My heart finally returned to its normal heartbeat, and I unclasped my hands. Thankfully, my lamp hadn't burned out, and my candle was still aflame, reflecting off the light blue fabric of Lyle’s sweater. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I looked over the side of my bed to see the journal still there. I took in a deep breath. Everything was exactly where I had left it.
I burrowed under my quilt once more, knowing the nightmare might be waiting again. But if I was going to succeed at Heart Reign, I had to be able to withstand the darkness, because tomorrow I would face the real thing.
Chapter 7
Governor Willow’s men came for me before dawn. I half expected it to be Silas when the loud knock sounded at my door, but as I turned the knob, the flutters of my heart vanished. I grabbed my cloak, ready to face the monster who had ruined my life.
The guards were silent, making it easier for me to concentrate on what I needed to do. We reached the market before the sun had fully risen. It was still clouded by a gray sky, but the light brightened the land enough that I could see vendors stirring in the market. My breath puffed out in clouds as I pulled my hood farther over my face. The sooner I could get this over with, the better.
The stones crunched beneath our feet as we walked down the center of the market. The guards stayed annoyingly close to me but never attempted conversation. More footsteps sounded from a path beside us. I glanced over to see Sadie Bloughtry, bouncing happily in a beautiful green dress. Why did she only have one guard? Behind her, a couple walked closely together, the woman's arm linked with the man's. They smiled and chatted as they strode toward the market. Once they came closer, I recognized them from their picture in the newspaper. The man, Mr. Harold Carpenter, had recently become engaged to Miss Olivia Shanseid. Mr. Carpenter had said he was willing to trade his heart for anything Miss Shanseid desired at the upcoming Heart Reign.
The twinge of feelings I had experienced with Silas bloomed inside me again, and instead of the two people walking together, I pictured Silas and myself. Heat spread through my cheeks as I turned away. No, Silas had never had any interest in me. I was a burden to anyone who entered my life.
My own guards halted abruptly, crossing their long, pointed rods in front of me to cease my steps as well. The image of Silas and me together fled from my mind as I stopped, squeezing my fingers twice before I looked up at the large iron gates. A shudder went through my body as I remembered every detail of the last time I had been here. The tall table with the book of Traders’ names, the guard with the green quill, it was all the same. I tried to take a step back, but the guard behind me didn’t waver from his position, blocking my retreat with his armored chest.
The Reliance, the group of previous Traders who believed in the fairytales of the Mender and Ophidian, were beginning to gather around the gates. Because of their infiltration of past Heart Reigns and violent fights they caused with Traders, Governor Willow had banned them from the festival altogether.
I studied them closely as they grouped together on the other side of the gate. There was something about them that raised the hair on the back of my neck, giving me an eerie feeling. Their eyes were hollow with darkened circles beneath them. Their lips were frozen in straight lines. Their clothes were tattered and torn, yet layered to an extreme extent. Even if the fairytales were true, they didn't look any better off than those who didn't believe in the Mender. In fact, they looked worse.
I looked back toward the gates, squeezing my fingers and trying to avoid making eye contact. Unfortunately, I caught the eye of an elderly member with a knitted cap, and he started walking toward me. I tried to take a step away from him, but the guard to my left wouldn't budge. I looked at the soldier with disbelief and confusion as to why he wasn’t doing anything about this man, but he continued to stare steadily at the gate.
"There is another way, miss. You don't have to trade your heart for nothing," the member of the Reliance said, his voice low.
I tried to ignore the lack of competency in Governor Willow's enforcement. I didn't respond but turned toward the man, leaning slightly closer than I should have.
A satisfied look crossed his face, knowing the bait had worked. "There is a man who can fix all hearts. Little, gray, broken, bruised—nothing is impossible for him. He is called the Mender."
My eyes narrowed as my lips formed a reply. If the Mender could mend hearts, why didn’t he prevent the trading of hearts? Why had he never come to save Nana? Or my parents? Or Lyle? It was all lies, and these people believed it. Why chase something that didn't exist?
"He doesn't exist," I said flatly, my eyes darting to the gate, praying it would open soon. A line began to form behind me. All the excited whispers, commenting on what their trades would be, swirled through the air. I pulled my hood down farther over my head and turned away from the man.
"You're so sure?" he replied with a huff. "Well, we’ll see now, won't we?"
The man turned and continued his way back toward the Reliance outside the gate. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing I had gotten off easy. The Barracks Conversation had documented full-blown fights between those ready for Extraction and the followers of the Mender, resulting in more injuries for Doctor Magnum to fix and more banishments for Governor Willow to enforce.
Swallowing, I looked to the tall table. A different guard than the one from Lyle's Heart Reign sat behind it with the same green quill and look of boredom.
"Adelaide Tye?" he questioned.
The whispers from behi
nd me immediately ceased as all eyes bore into the back of my head.
"Did he just say Adelaide Tye?" someone whispered.
"It can't be," another added. "I heard she went crazy and killed herself."
I winced at that remark, knowing there was some truth to it.
"Did you see she has three guards? It's probably because she'll try to ruin Heart Reign for the rest of us. Just like she did for her brother."
I clenched my fingers tightly, breathing steadily under their words.
"I bet her heart isn't even worth one trade." Snickers erupted from the last comment, and I blinked back tears. This would all be over soon. I just had to keep going.
"Adelaide Tye?" the bored guard repeated, this time peering down at the crowd.
"Yes,” I said, more confidently than I felt. A small part of me was satisfied when the snickers died down at the sound of my voice.
"You are hereby granted entrance to Heart Reign and are free to trade your heart for anything you desire, so long as it is extracted immediately," he droned on, motioning to the guards.
The large gates opened, and the guard behind me nudged me forward, hurrying me through so the next Trader could proceed.
I quickened my steps, breathing heavily as I analyzed all the vendors busily setting up their displays of bright colors and enticing items.
Each vendor I passed eyed me like their next meal, almost as if they could see whether or not my heart was ripe and were eager to rip it from my chest. Uneasiness filled my stomach, and I quickened my pace, averting my eyes.
The clocktower still stood tall in the center of the market, barring the same banners of the lands of Decim as it had seven years ago, but that was the only similarity. After the clocktower had rang out and announced Schism’s arrival, it had stopped ringing althogether. There had been several advertisements in the newspaper, seeking clockmakers or tinkerers to repair it, but none prevailed. So there it stood for seven years, its face marking the exact time when Schism had brought ruin upon Barracks.
Settled at the end of the lane was a small stone hut with a thatched roof. That was where my pain would end, and my plan would begin: The office of Doctor Montgomery Magnum.
The Barracks Conversation had once published an interview with Doctor Magnum. Apparently, he had traded his own heart for a long, youthful life, which showed in the picture they included with the article. Doctor Magnum looked the epitome of health. His muscles had been long and lean, and his skin was beautifully bronzed, bright and clear of any blemishes or wrinkles. I remembered from the article that the doctor had explained the only fault to his overall youthful appearance was the long white hair that grew from his scalp. Though it was rumored that his hair had always been white, Doctor Magnum explained he would always pull it back into a single braid so it wouldn't get in his way.
From my limited knowledge about him, Doctor Magnum had always been kindhearted, greeting the patients coming in for extractions with a smile.
Still, my breaths came out short, and my palms turned moist as I drew closer to the hut, thinking about Nana's journal and the emptiness and pain the Extraction left behind. I paused until I felt the hand of the guard to my right pushing me back on course. Irritated with their lack of actual guarding, I shrugged my shoulder away from him and walked on.
Silas’s story came back to my mind as well. For Doctor Magnum to knock him out without telling him why didn’t make sense. And giving him someone else’s heart? How did Doctor Magnum even get his hands on an extra one? I shook my head, trying to rid it of thoughts of Silas. I needed to focus on what was ahead.
As I continued moving, my mind became so consumed with trying not to think about Silas that I didn't hear the second pair of footsteps crunching quietly beside my entourage. Before I could react, a hand whipped through my trio and wrapped around my waist, pulling me hard against a sturdy chest.
“Adelaide,” a sultry voice whispered in my ear. “I hear you received my invitation.”
I pulled away violently, turning to see the enchantingly smug smile of Lord Farmount. I sent a pleading look to my guards, who had stayed in their triangular formation, staring straight ahead. What was the matter with them? One offense was dismissible, but two?
Letting out a huff, I squeezed my hands together and stared back at the lord. He was handsome in all the ways Barracks’ women thought a man should be. Because of his dark brown waves and his bright green eyes, women swooned over him wherever he went. If that didn’t work, one of his dazzling smiles would do the trick.
“Yes,” I replied curtly, remembering Silas’s enraged reaction to the golden invitation.
“And?” He quirked an eyebrow.
My eyes scanned the market for a possible escape. All the other vendors were setting up their booths for Heart Reign, not paying any mind to me or the sleek vulture that stood before me, blocking me from their view. Stiffening, I focused on Lord Farmount, who watched me in a way that chilled my skin more than the cool air. “And what?”
He wrenched my hand that was holding the other and held it tightly. “And are you going to accept?” He leaned closer, his eyes serious as he whispered. “Once you accept, I can protect you from all this.”
I blinked, confused. Protect me from what? I looked into his eyes and was surprised to see genuine anticipation, like I wasn’t just another woman, but someone special.
The women of Lord Farmount would say how it was a delight to trade to the handsome lord. After a solitary year of companionship, they were given their own plot of land with a residence. My mind dwelled on that for a second before I let it pass.
I was leaving this wretched place and had no need for land or a home.
Retracting my hand, I backed away from him, stepping back in line with my emotionless guards. The sincere look in Lord Farmount’s eyes vanished, replaced with something hard and unfeeling.
“Very well,” he said coldly as he clenched his gloved fingers into a fist. He opened his mouth to continue, but a wave of giggling caused both of us to turn toward the vendors. Fluttering happily up the road was Lord Farmount’s harem, linking arms with one another as they smiled and chatted like everything was right in the world.
When the clucking hens saw him, they squealed and ran toward us. Lord Farmount sighed before looking back at me with a saddened expression.
“I’m disappointed with your decision, Adelaide. Know that it will haunt me forever.” Before being consumed by the frills and frocks of his women, the lord grabbed my hand once more and kissed it softly before turning away.
As I watched Lord Farmount saunter toward the market, I wondered if he had recognized the unhappiness his trade brought him, just like Nana had.
A harsh breeze and the resuming steps of my guards snapped me back to my senses. I focused on Doctor Magnum’s office, forgetting the arrogant lord.
Walking up to the wooden door, I hesitated. Fortunately, the guard to my left decided to do his duty and knocked for me.
The light of the mid-morning sun descended on the land, indicating that the official start of Heart Reign was approaching. It was almost midday. He would be here soon.
I drummed my fingers against my thighs as I waited anxiously for the door to open. After a few moments, a creak came from the door.
“Adelaide?” a voice whispered. “You’re quite early. Nurse Rawlings isn’t here yet.”
As the door opened wider, Doctor Magnum came into view, looking exactly as the picture had depicted him several years ago. His body was still lean. His skin was still clear. His hair was still white. His face was still young. But his eyes were sunken, like he hadn’t slept in weeks.
"She has been selected by Governor Willow to have her heart extracted first," the guard behind me boomed. I jerked slightly at his loud voice.
Doctor Magnum gave a quick nod but didn't allow either of us inside the office.
There was something deeply troubling the man. Swallowing, I found some courage and asked, “Doctor Magnum, are you all
right?”
As if realizing the state he was in, Doctor Magnum quickly straightened, running his hands across his clothes as he flashed a winning smile at me, his perfectly straight teeth gleaming from his flawless chestnut skin. “Yes, of course. Where are my manners? Please, come in, come in.”
As I walked into the hut, Doctor Magnum quickly shut the door behind me, locking my guards outside.
I stared at the closed door, my body tensing as my senses went on alert. The thumping of my heart pounded between my ears as I swallowed the knot rising in my throat. I drew in a few breaths, a sterile scent consuming my lungs as I clasped my hands, studying the room before me. Perfectly placed chairs lined the perimeter of the light gray walls. A small table in the corner was piled with children’s books and toys, while a stack of twenty-year-old Conversations sat atop another table. I assumed this was all to keep patients occupied while they waited. Curious about the old newspapers, I was about to pick one up when Doctor Magnum spoke up.
“So, Adelaide.” He rubbed his hands together with another striking grin. “Today’s the day. How are you feeling?”
I stared at him, not knowing what to say. There were so many emotions ricocheting off one another that I didn't know how I felt.
I gave a nonchalant shrug and waited, trying to avert my eyes from the doctor’s scrutinizing stare.
Doctor Magnum gave me a quizzical look, as if that wasn’t the response he had been expecting. He then sat down in one of the waiting chairs with a sigh.
“I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I'm deeply sorry about what happened to Lyle." He paused. "And the others.”
I looked at him, my mouth ajar. No one in Barracks ever mentioned what happened to Lyle. And people definitely didn’t talk about the disappearances of the others. The citizens of Barracks didn’t like to remember the obvious evil in the past. When Heart Reign occurred, they only cared about themselves and making a good trade. After that, their emotions disintegrated, so their feelings toward others didn't matter. But the evil wasn't just in the past, but in the present and future. For Doctor Magnum, of all people, to mention it was beyond my understanding.
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