by Dylan Steel
She looked around the yard, wondering if she should tell one of the instructors on duty that someone was hurt. A wave of relief washed over her as she saw two men in black jumpsuits approach her friend. She silently pleaded for them to hurry. She watched as they bent over Rosalind, checking to see if she was alright.
One of the men nodded to the other. She was too far away to hear what they were saying. The larger of the two men stooped down and roughly hoisted Rosalind onto his shoulders. Her head swung back and forth slightly, swaying with each step.
Understanding crashed over her. Sage fell to her knees and stared in shock at the body of her friend being carried away.
She didn’t even notice Penelope had run over until she felt her arms wrapped around her as she pulled her to her feet. She felt a familiar pinch run across her body as she was being dragged upward, but she had gone numb to the usual pain. Her mind was racing, trying to piece together what could possibly have just happened.
“We should go.”
Sage felt her body hanging limply in her friend’s arms. She tried to move, but it was as if all her strength had drained out of her.
“Sage, now! We have to go!” Penelope’s plea was sounding more desperate.
She blinked and looked blankly at Penelope.
“Sage!” Penelope shook her, locking eyes. “You can’t help her. And someone’s going to figure out what happened. You don’t want to be here when they do.”
Sage nodded slowly, only half-hearing what was being said.
“And we’re about ten seconds away from getting in trouble for not showing up at the front of the yard.” Penelope grabbed her wrist and started running, dragging Sage along behind her. “Hurry!” she called over her shoulder.
They made it to the front of the Institution without a moment to spare, bringing up the back of the line as the students began piling back inside. One of the instructors shot them a dirty look but apparently decided that writing them up for the slightest offense of tardiness wasn’t worth the effort.
Penelope hadn’t let go of Sage’s wrist. She kept pulling her away from the fence, away from what she’d just witnessed.
Sage didn’t know if she could have moved at all without the constant tug forward.
It felt as if every step toward the doors of the Institution was somehow a betrayal of Rosalind. She was going toward the very thing that had sealed her mentor’s fate in its walls.
She glanced back at the street. The men carrying Rosalind had already disappeared.
“She must have been tethered,” Penelope whispered as they walked through the doors. “It’s the only thing that makes any sense.”
Sage turned her head away from the tragedy outside. She looked at Penelope blankly, not understanding.
“She had to have had a lot of Chances with her Bokja placement alone,” Penelope continued explaining quietly. “And you know she’s been pregnant most of the time since she graduated, so it’s not like she could have lost any Chances then. And it’s not like there was anyone else around to strip her Chances, right?”
Sage furrowed her brow in a silent question, still not understanding what she was trying to tell her. “Tethered?”
Penelope nodded. “To her benefactor.” She paused, eyes wide. “Oh… you don’t know.”
“Know what?” She was unable to hide her frustration.
“When a benefactor tethers someone…” Penelope bit her lip. “It doesn’t happen all the time, you know. Not with all benefactors. At least, I don’t think—”
“Penelope, just tell me,” Sage snapped.
She swallowed. “They can strip all of their Chances at once. From anywhere. The benefactor sets out certain rules if a charge is tethered… If they do something the benefactor doesn’t like—like taking too long to get something done or wandering off or not listening or—”
“You mean her benefactor did this? He killed her?” Sage burned with rage.
Penelope met her eyes, answering with a grim silence.
“Or saying something bad about their benefactor,” Sage said softly.
Now she understood why Rosalind wouldn’t say anything. She really couldn’t.
22. UNWISE
“Wanna talk about it?” Lita looked down at Sage out of the corner of her eye as she shoved an artifact back into the pile they were sorting through.
Sage glared at her.
“I really don’t think I can.”
She rolled her eyes around the room, reminding her that they weren’t as alone as they appeared. Lita pursed her lips and didn’t inquire further, returning her attention to the stack of relics in front of her.
Despite Mr. Walsh’s reassurance, Sage was having trouble trusting Lita. Her threat against their instructor still hung in her ears. It bothered her to be searching the stacks of relics by her side, but there was little she could do about it.
On the other hand, it was a relief to know she didn’t have to be quite so careful about hiding any anti-Eprah findings from her anymore.
Even with all her uncertainties about Lita, that wasn’t what was bothering Sage. She couldn’t get over the fact that she’d just lost a friend in an incredibly stupid, meaningless way. Her whole body ached over the senselessness of it—and over the realization that this loss was most likely only the first of many that she’d experience thanks to the laws governing Eprah.
That last thought had been plaguing her for weeks. It was bad enough that this place had taken her freedom, but now it seemed that it wanted to take everyone she cared about too.
She felt tears welling up and forced herself to think about something else—anything else. The pain was suffocating her.
As she glanced around, looking for a distraction, she noticed Lita staring at a pair of earrings in her palm.
Lita turned them over in her hand. She lifted one up, examining it under the light. Pale blue flecks of light danced on her face.
“You really like jewelry, huh?” Sage raised an eyebrow at her.
“Well,” she gave Sage a sideways glance, “I’ve found that some pieces are more interesting than others.”
She closed her hand around the set and cast a hopeful look at Sage. “I’m thinking of setting these aside with that ring. You could have quite the collection by the time you graduate.”
Sage could tell Lita was trying to make amends and restore what trust had been lost when she’d overheard her talking with Mr. Walsh. She wasn’t sure she could reassure her that everything was alright between them when she wasn’t sure what to believe anymore.
She shrugged noncommittally. “Do whatever you want.”
Lita turned around quickly, making her way to the same old desk where she’d hidden the ring earlier that year. Sage didn’t miss the deflated look on her face before she left though. She sighed resignedly.
“Wait.”
She ran down the aisle to catch up with her friend, stopping her before she was able to reach the hiding place.
“Can I really trust you?” Sage bit the inside of her cheek.
Lita gave a slight nod.
“Will you answer some questions then?” She knew she was pushing her luck by asking.
“Sage—” Lita gulped, “this isn’t really the time or place.” Her eyes widened, deliberately punctuating her statement with a degree of seriousness.
Sage clenched her teeth. “You’re not the one I care about,” she muttered quietly.
A great sadness filled Lita’s eyes. She looked down, fiddling with her bracelet.
“Alright,” she mumbled. “I’ll try. Just make it quick and—” she jerked her head toward Sage, indicating she should follow her.
Lita led her to the middle of an aisle and bent down, taking a seat on the floor. She pointed to an empty space beside her. Sage knelt down with a look of curiosity.
Taken aback by the unexpected permission, Sage suddenly drew a blank. She knew she had lots of questions—some which had gone unanswered when she’d asked before—but somehow, n
one of them surfaced in her mind right away.
The only thought she had at that moment seemed unimportant, but she was desperate to get any answers, so she asked it, hoping it would trigger her memory for more valuable questions.
“Why do you care so much about the jewelry?”
The surprise on Lita’s face was undeniable—and unexpected. “That’s your burning question? Really?”
Sage shrugged. “Yeah. Why?”
Her brows dipped, forming deep creases. “Do you realize how dangerous it is for you to ask these questions?”
“There’s not much left for them to take,” Sage said coldly. “I want answers.”
“There’s always something for them to take,” she said sorrowfully. She only paused for a moment before continuing. “Just so you know, I’m not even sure if it’s true.”
“If what’s true?”
“There are rumors—rumors that different ancient gems hold information that pre-dates Eprah. Information that could make a big difference to the Lawless faction.”
“What kind of information?”
Lita shook her head. “Mr. Walsh is going to be angry that I even told you that.” She paused and craned her neck toward the door, listening.
She bit her lip. “And someone’s coming—there’s no time.”
“It’s probably just Mr. W—” Sage started to protest but stopped when she saw the look on Lita’s face.
She was frustrated, but she knew she was right—they couldn’t risk talking if it were anyone else.
The girls scrambled to their feet. Lita flicked her hands at Sage, shooing her the other way down the aisle.
As they raced down the aisle in opposite directions, Sage remembered the necklace she’d hidden on the first day all the new relics had shown up. What if the stone on that necklace held information that would somehow help the Lawless?
She glanced back to make sure no uninvited eyes were watching and hurried around the corner, quickly making her way to her old hiding spot.
Knowing she didn’t have much time, she moved the large relics aside that were blocking the bucket and plunged her hand beneath the pillows. Her fingers brushed against a thin heap of metal. She smiled and withdrew her hand, the necklace in her grasp.
As she rushed to move the relics back into place, she heard a man’s voice. She frowned. It didn’t sound like Mr. Walsh. The voice sounded almost whiny. He was asking Lita why she was in the room without supervision.
Mr. Gramples.
Panic seized her. She hastily looped the jewelry around her neck, shoving it under her shirt. She gave herself a passing glance in a precariously propped up mirror as she trotted down the row. Satisfied the necklace was well hidden, she rounded the corner to join Lita.
“I’m not actually alone, sir,” Lita was saying. She jerked her head toward Sage. “We both have permission to be here. We’re doing research for our projects.” She raised an eyebrow at the small man. “Besides, I didn’t realize there was any sort of restriction on items in the Archives. It’s public property of Eprah, right?”
Mr. Gramples pursed his lips tightly. “It may be allowed,” he grumbled, “but it’s not wise.” He looked the two girls over. “There are so many valuable things in this room. Please be careful.”
“We are being careful, Mr. Gramples,” Lita said cheerily. “Is there anything you’d like us to let you know about if we come across it? We’ve seen so much down here already.”
“No,” the man snorted. “Just—it’s time for you all to go today. You should join the others upstairs.”
“Sure thing.” Lita nodded her head at Sage. “Let’s go.”
Sage trailed behind Lita out the door. She cast a backwards glance at Mr. Gramples. He stayed behind and crossed his arms, surveying the room full of relics with the utmost seriousness.
“He didn’t seem very happy,” Sage said hesitantly. She couldn’t help but worry that they’d get caught—that their conversation would be overheard. Or worse—that the wrong person would find out about the jewel she was wearing around her neck.
“He’s just an old grump,” Lita retorted. “It’s not like he has any real authority.”
By the time they reached the main library upstairs, their classmates were packing up and leaving for the day. Lita and Sage easily slipped in with the rest of the crowd and walked out of the Archives.
Sage felt her heart racing. She hadn’t snuck a relic out of the building since the previous year—and that hadn’t ended well.
But if Lita was right, if there really were gemstone relics that held secrets that would help the Lawless, she had to know. She’d have to find a way to show Lita and Mr. Walsh the necklace she’d discovered.
Her hand absentmindedly reached toward her neck, settling on top of her shirt. Feeling the gem beneath her fingers was reassuring. It was still there—she hadn’t lost it in the rush to leave—and no one had noticed or stopped her. She breathed a soft sigh of relief.
Sage suddenly felt uneasy, as though she were being watched. Her eyes darted around, but she couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. She looked up at her friend.
Lita met her gaze, a curious expression on her face. She shook her head, pursed her lips, and stared straight ahead, not saying another word until they reached the Institution again.
23. RELIC
A line of girls streamed into the dormitory to drop off their belongings before dinner.
Lita gave Sage a sideways glance. “Don’t worry, Mr. Gramples won’t spoil our fun next time.”
Sage smiled slightly. “He’s definitely not who I was expecting to see.” She paused. “Any idea where Mr. Walsh is right now? I was hoping to talk to him—”
“—about your project?” Lita offered, shooting her a stern look.
“Um… yeah.” Sage clamped her mouth shut. The stone around her neck seemed to be getting heavier.
She meandered over to her bed, plopping her databook down. Despite the warm day, she grabbed a jacket, zipping it up all the way to her neck. She knew she had to be careful. She couldn’t afford for anyone to spot the necklace chain by accident. Especially not before she’d had a chance to figure out if it was one of the helpful gems or not.
“He might not have much free time the next few days,” Lita said nonchalantly. “You know, what with our Interest Society presentations just around the corner.”
“Good point.” Sage frowned. She might not have a chance to talk to him alone until after she gave her final presentation. And even then, she wasn’t sure how to make sure they weren’t being watched.
Frustrated, Sage sighed and headed toward the door along with everyone else. It was never a good idea to be late for dinner—the trays were only refilled for a short period of time, so being late often meant going hungry.
“Hold up a sec,” Lita called after Sage. “I need to show you something.” She rummaged through a bag on her bed.
Sage shot her a questioning look but hung back until the other girls left, trotting over to Lita’s side as she continued rifling through the bag.
As soon as Sage appeared beside her, Lita looked up and stopped pawing through her things. Her hands were empty. She seemed to have forgotten what she wanted to show Sage.
She ran her fingers along her bracelet, never breaking eye contact with her young friend.
“Tell me what you did.”
Sage’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” She glanced down at the bag. “I thought you wanted to show me something.”
Lita shook her head. “No. I just needed to make sure we were alone.” She narrowed her eyes. “What did you do?”
“Nothing.” Sage squirmed and tried to take a step backward. “I don’t know what you mean.”
A glint of light from the necklace flashed across Lita’s face. Her eyes grew big.
“What is this?” Lita grabbed the chain hanging from Sage’s neck and pulled until she found the jewel. She looked at Sage, her eyes filled with fear.
“I was waiting for a good time to tell you!” Sage protested. “I didn’t know when people would be watching!”
“There’s never a good time. You should have known that. You never should have—” Lita stopped abruptly and looked toward the door, her face a shade lighter than a moment before. “Did you hear that?”
Sage nodded. Someone was walking through the hall in the direction of the dormitory.
“You stupid girl,” she hissed at Sage. “Do you have any idea what we’ve gone through to keep you safe?”
Lita hesitated, looking toward the door as the sound of footsteps grew louder behind it. A strange look of determination came over her face. She snatched the relic from Sage and quickly draped it around her own neck, tucking it beneath her shirt. “Don’t tell anyone about this. Ever.”
Sage stared at her friend. “But it—”
Fire blazed behind Lita’s eyes. “Go. Hide. Now!”
There was no time to argue. The steady thud of footsteps had stopped just outside the door. Sage whirled around and sprinted toward the nearest bed, sliding under it quickly. Once out of sight, she twisted around on the floor, wriggling into a position to be able to peer out from below the overhanging covers.
The door swung open. Sage could see a pair of men’s legs standing in front of Lita. She tried to calm her racing heart as she scooted forward to get a better view, being sure to stay out of sight. She sucked in a breath when she realized who was there.
Headmaster Alexander, Mr. Strick, and Mr. Gaztok formed a semicircle around Lita. She stood there with her arms crossed, a small act of defiance for whatever they seemed to think she’d done.
“Here we are,” Headmaster Alexander said gleefully.
“So it was you all along.” Mr. Strick said it more as a statement than as a question, but he sounded a bit surprised. “That makes sense,” he mused.
Lita’s eyes grew wide as the color drained from her face. She didn’t say anything at first.
“Take it,” Mr. Gaztok ordered.