by Dylan Steel
“It’s ok to be upset,” Everett said quietly. “She was your friend.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Savannah and I weren’t friends.”
“No…” He shook his head. “Penelope. It’s ok to be upset about Penelope.”
“I’m not upset,” she snapped, but tears immediately started forming in her eyes again. She swore under her breath and gripped the edge of the sink tightly, trying to pull herself together. She couldn’t lose it every time she heard her name.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice was much closer this time. Sage looked up in surprise, noticing his reflection over her shoulder. He was standing in the doorway behind her.
Clenching her teeth together, she turned around to face him. He was even closer than she’d realized, making her suck in a breath as she looked up at him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Something like sorrow—or more likely, pity—flashed behind his eyes. “Right,” he said. “I just thought you should know that you’re not the only one that thinks the demonstration was a terrible idea.”
Her throat swelled, and she swallowed painfully. “Eprah’s only doing what’s best for all of us. We have to learn how to be good citizens,” she said. The words tasted vile on her tongue. “If that’s what it takes…”
“I don’t think you mean that.”
The certainty in his tone took her aback. This wasn’t the first time he’d implied that he suspected her loyalty to Eprah was fabricated. An idea suddenly occurred to her, one that sent chills down her spine.
“Everett, why are you paired with me?”
He frowned. “What does that have to do with—”
“Answer the question,” she choked out. Her throat was suddenly parched, desperate for relief.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I guess I kind of figured you ticked someone off.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What makes you think that?”
“I…” He dropped his gaze. “I’m insignificant to Eprah. I was a decent student, but I wasn’t exactly top of the class. I got a decent job, but nothing too impressive. I’m perfectly average, and they don’t really care who I’m paired with. You, on the other hand…” he trailed off.
“Yeah?” she prodded, hoping he’d say more, hoping she was wrong.
“You’re incredible,” he breathed. Her face flushed a little, but he wasn’t finished. “You’re great at pretty much everything you do, and you escaped the Lawless after they’d been holding you for almost a year. I can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t be paired with one of the best in our graduating class.”
Her brow furrowed. I can, she thought, waiting impatiently for him to continue.
“Get it? My pairing doesn’t matter to them. Yours does. So the fact that your pair changed at graduation… I figured you did something. Going with my theory that you ticked someone off… I was just an easy switch, maybe a bonus because you’re not exactly crazy about me.” His cheeks reddened a little at his last admission.
“Or you were hand-picked,” she said, nostrils flaring as she admitted her suspicions, “because you would make a great plant. Why would I ever suspect innocent, unassuming Everett of trying to find out some horrible secret about me? Maybe if you tell me about all the things you think are unfair, I’ll trust you enough to let down my guard and agree with you so that you can go report me—is that it?”
There. It was out. If the headmaster or Mr. Gaztok had been trying to set her up, at least now he’d know she was on to his sick game.
“You have a horrible secret?” he asked quietly, quirking an eyebrow.
“I never said that,” she quickly corrected him.
He stared at her hard for a moment. Then, without warning, he threw his head back and laughed. “You—” His shoulders shook as his hands flew to his stomach like he was trying to hold in his amusement. “You—what—think I’m some sort of spy?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, are you?” She knew he had no reason to tell the truth, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking anyway.
Another roar of laughter escaped. “I—” He wiped the corner of his eyes, wheezing a little as he pulled himself together. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you that you were so amazing. It’s going to your head.”
“Everett.”
He drew his lips together in a tight line. They twitched as he tried to suppress his laughter. “Sage,” he said, matching the severity of her tone.
“It’s not funny.” She glared at him.
“Sorry, but it kinda is.” He threw her a lopsided grin. “It doesn’t even make sense. You have Chances now.” He looked at her like she’d lost her mind, pointing to her bracelet. “If someone really is out to get you, why would they bother trying to trick you? It’d be easier to just end you,” he said, sobering at that last thought.
“Maybe you think I’m Lawless. That I’ll lead you straight to them,” she countered.
“Are you?”
“No!”
He held up his hands placatingly. “Just a question.”
“More like an accusation,” she said pointedly.
He gave her a strange look. “That wouldn’t make me a very good spy, would it—throwing around accusations like that?”
“How would I know?” she asked irritably. “I’m not Lawless, and I’m not spying on the Lawless, so I’m clearly not an expert on either side.”
Everett folded his arms over his chest, frowning. “Well, I’m not either.” He blew out a breath in exasperation. “Rox, Sage, this whole thing is hard enough without you—”
“Without me, what?”
“Without you accusing me of being some sort of psycho!” he bellowed.
She shrank back a little, surprised by his outburst.
“Rox.” He dragged his hand down his face. “Sorry. It’s just… I’m trying really hard to…” he trailed off, shaking his head.
Lifting her chin a little higher, she stared back at him evenly. “Trying to what?”
“Nothing,” he said, his shoulders sagging.
He held her gaze for a moment, and for the first time, she realized how dark his eyes were—a deep chocolate brown, so dark they were nearly black. An uneasy chill prickled at her neck and raced down her arms. She shivered, wishing there was enough room to take another step back, but her hips were already pressed against the sink.
“You know what,” Everett said, sighing resignedly. “I think I’m gonna go for a walk.”
Sage’s eyes widened. “Now? But it’s really late. You shouldn’t—”
“I know what time it is,” he said, practically growling as he headed for the door. “And don’t worry, I can take care of myself.”
“I’m not worried.” Her jaw jutted forward stubbornly as she took a step forward and leaned casually against the wall. “But I’m not waiting up, and you’d better not wake me up when you get back.”
He ground his teeth as he reached for the knob. “Don’t worry, you won’t notice me at all.” He yanked open the door and stalked into the hall, leaving her behind.
Blinking in the sudden quiet, Sage looked around the small apartment, feeling a little lost. She hadn’t been there all by herself before, not at night. A strange mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbled up inside her belly, even though she knew there was no real cause for either.
She straightened. Just because Everett was throwing some sort of temper tantrum didn’t mean she needed to lose any sleep. She combed through her hair once more and went straight to bed, fishing her necklace out from under the pillow before she slipped under the thin blanket.
Staring up at the ceiling, she struggled to breathe as fear entrenched itself around her heart.
What was it Mr. Gaztok had told Kai? There are unpleasant surprises in life if you don’t consistently assume the worst in people…
Her fingers closed tightly around the gemstone resting on her chest. Her last link to her mother, the secret she’d never shared with anyone—an
d never would.
Was Everett really like her? Distrustful of Eprah, questioning its laws and motives—disloyal? He’d seemed sincere—but what if he wasn’t? The headmaster, Mr. Gaztok, Kai—any one of them could be using him to determine whether or not her loyalty to Eprah was true. She no longer had any links to the Lawless, so it wasn’t like she could betray them—which was a greater courtesy than they had shown her—but if she was living with the enemy, she couldn’t afford to slip up in the slightest way. Any hint of disloyalty, and she had no doubt that they would take every last one of her Chances.
And she would be helpless to stop them, just like Penelope had been.
5. THE DIRECTORY
The clouds above unleashed a torrent of rain, thunder cracking nearby as the sky exploded in impossible brightness. Sage blinked water from her eyes. She wasn’t sure which made her vision worse—the residual impression from the lightning or the buckets of water falling all around her. Either way, everything had disappeared. Ducking under the closest awning, she found herself really wishing she’d left ten minutes earlier, before the downpour had begun.
She had gotten into another fight with Everett and wound up leaving the apartment later than she’d planned. After things had calmed down, she’d said she was going to go meet some friends. He’d looked at her like she was crazy for wanting to go out in this weather, but she’d insisted on going, saying that she’d promised to meet them and that she didn’t want to spend another minute with him.
It was true enough.
Tugging at the hem of her dress, Sage wished for the hundredth time that it was longer. It only came as far as the middle of her thighs—after tugging it down a bit—and it was far too snug for her to be sprinting through the rain. She groaned a little in annoyance. Nic had liked it, promised it was perfect for the club. That was why she’d picked it for tonight.
She lifted her eyes, squinting through the rain at the hazy glow of the sign across the street. Perjaash. The name of the club was indiscernible during the light of day, but at night it flickered to life behind the unassuming stone surface of the building, outlined in a familiar scrollwork pattern. It wasn’t exactly the same as the mark on her hip, and the club’s sign was much larger, but it definitely bore similarities. No beginning, no end, just an eternal crisscrossing square of knots.
As far as she knew, this was the most exclusive club in town. And she was expected—required, really—to be there tonight.
Taking a deep breath, Sage allowed her gaze to drop to her wrist. Her finger traced the smooth silver of the bracelet that would one day give her execution order. The only question was when. Tonight? Next week? A year from now?
Her teeth chattered as water dripped from the ends of her hair, falling in miniature rivers down her face and bare shoulders. She should really try not dwelling on the helplessness of her situation. It didn’t change anything.
Clenching her jaw, she glanced around one last time and darted across the street, hoping nothing stood in her way beneath the camouflage of rain.
Once under the soft glow of the club’s light, she barely managed to hold back a string of curses. Perjaash’s entrance was underground. Of course.
Picking her way carefully down the flooding steps in her heels, Sage was relieved to hear the sound of the rain muffle above her when she reached the doors. But as soon as she looked up, she was hit with a fresh wave of worry. She’d just come face to face—or rather, face to belly—with an enormous man, and he didn’t look at all pleased to see her.
His eyebrows drew together tightly. “Invitation only. Yer name on the list?”
Sage bit her lip and nodded, dropping a shaking hand to her waist. Her stomach churned. Lifting the sash she wore as a belt, she exposed the lacy cutout on the side of her dress—and the brand that marked her as a member of the Kunbriat.
The man leaned forward, squinting, then nodded and jerked his thumb toward the door. “Go’n.”
“Thanks,” she breathed, knowing he probably couldn’t even hear her over the rain pounding above their heads. Without wasting another moment, she passed through the doors of the club.
As soon as she stepped inside, a thumping bass instantly replaced the rhythm of the rain, reverberating deep in her bones. She froze in terror. Whipping her head around frantically, she gripped her own bracelet and searched for who might want to hurt her, fully prepared to retaliate. After a few moments, she realized the pounding in her chest was a result of the music and not someone stripping her Chances. She unclenched her fists and let out an unsteady breath. The other Kunbriat weren’t going to hurt her.
Moving deeper into the room, Sage sidestepped a stream of writhing, swaying bodies. The lights above her flickered dim, then brighter, showing her fragments of her surroundings. The club was packed with Kunbriat—her bonded brothers and sisters—but she saw no one she knew. She was completely alone.
A large part of her wanted to turn and run back out the door and never come back, but she knew she couldn’t. She had to be here, so she forced herself to put one foot in front of the other.
Spotting Nic across the room, palpable relief surged through her. His eyes roamed the room, halting as soon as they found hers. A smile fluttered over his lips, and her expression quickly mirrored his. Sage took a step toward him and then stopped. Ice wrapped itself around her heart. Carnabel had just appeared at his side.
She watched as her Kunbriat sister—her enemy—stepped in front of Nic and stroked the side of his face. Carnabel didn’t notice Sage at all as she lowered herself into his lap, pressing her lips against his.
Sage’s fingers curled into fists. Watching the two of them was like having her heart pulled from her chest and crushed into smaller and smaller pieces until there was nothing left of it, but she couldn’t make herself look away.
Hot anger flared up under Sage’s skin. Nic had said he’d wait, that he wouldn’t do anything with his pair. He’d promised, and there he was, kissing Carnabel, not pushing her away.
Required attendance or not, she was ready to bolt. Swallowing against the pain scraping in her throat, Sage hastily took a step back, colliding with a solid form.
“Hey, princess.”
A sick sensation slid over every inch of Sage’s skin. She turned around and found herself within a few inches of Aidon’s face. She hadn’t spoken to him since the night he’d branded her, inducting her into the Kunbriat, and she’d hoped that was the last time she’d ever see him. Her hopes had clearly been misplaced.
“Aidon,” she replied, inserting as much indifference into his name as she could muster. “How is it no one’s killed you yet?” she asked coolly.
A wicked smile spread over his lips. Before she realized what he was doing, he’d reached toward her, pulling her forward into a crushing embrace.
“I definitely missed you, princess,” he said over the pulse of the music, nuzzling her ear as she stiffened in his arms. “It would have been a real tragedy if I hadn’t made it to see you graduate.”
“I’m sure it’s one I would’ve survived,” she retorted, trying to push him off of her.
He clucked his tongue at her disapprovingly. “Your survival is not a foregone conclusion.”
Sage held his gaze evenly. “Neither is yours.”
That only made Aidon grin wider. “I wonder…” He paused and took a step back, fingering her bracelet. “Have you even used your new power yet, princess?”
She jerked her hand back, unable to hide how much his question unsettled her.
He leaned closer, as if he were sharing some sort of grand secret. “It’s quite a rush.”
She schooled her features so that she didn’t give away how horrified she was, but a moment later, she tensed as a weight fell across her shoulders.
“Just can’t help being a perv, can ya, Aidon?”
A grin spread over her face as she looked up, meeting Connor’s gaze. His familiar presence warmed her, stretching through her limbs in relief. It was his arm around her.
He winked at her, then turned his attention back to Aidon. “Aren’t you supposed to be with the other heads?”
Aidon arched his brow and glanced toward the far wall of the club. A look of smug satisfaction spread over his face. “They’re not gathering yet.”
Connor shrugged. “Guess I heard him wrong.”
“Who?”
“Kai.”
Aidon’s face lost a shade of its color. Without saying another word, he turned on his heel and began shoving his way through the crowd.
As soon as she was sure he was gone, Sage let out the breath she’d been holding, looking at Connor gratefully. “Thanks.”
He grinned at her and gathered her in his arms, squeezing her tight. “Anytime, Indarra.”
Her legs dangled just above the ground. “Can’t. Breathe,” she wheezed.
“Eh, sorry.” He set her down sheepishly. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, Connor.” She smiled. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Connor stepped back to get a good look at her and let out a low whistle. “You may want to reconsider your outfit if you don’t want Aidon to notice you next time.”
“Connor…” Sage allowed disapproval to leak into her tone.
He held up his hands in surrender. “Just a suggestion.”
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t wear it for him,” she muttered under her breath. The sting of seeing Nic with Carnabel was still pretty fresh.
“Huh?”
“Who says there’ll be a next time?” she said a little louder.
Connor shook his head, an amused smile on his face. “This is the only place in town where you don’t have to worry about accidentally spilling your secret. You’ll be back.”
“But I’m good at keeping secrets,” Sage teased.
“I know you are,” Connor said seriously, no doubt remembering the time the two of them had spent together uncovering Eprah’s secret prison. “But sometimes it’s nice not to have to.”