by Melanie Tays
She shuts the door behind me. The room is small, with nothing more than a table and three chairs. She directs me to the closest chair and seats herself on the opposite side of the smooth, wooden table.
“It sure is a surprise to see you here,” she says jovially, which is incredibly suspicious.
“Yeah, not many of us join the Burning,” I mutter.
“It’s always fun to see the contestants from the Smoke try so hard in the Burning, as though they have a chance. I’ll admit, there have been a few who made it through. But really, I don’t know why any of you come at all.” The friendliness melts into mocking.
I keep my mouth shut and my eyes fixed on hers. She’s clearly trying to provoke or scare me for some reason, but I’m not taking the bait.
“Let’s be honest with each other for a moment. Can we do that?”
“Sure,” I reply, not sure at all.
“How did you get here?”
“I joined the Burning,” I reply, trying to hold my voice steady.
“Oh, don’t be coy with me, Emery. You may have fooled Enforcer Dickens, who found you, but we know the truth. You never scanned your ID card to officially cross the Wall of Fire at the Burning gate. So how did you come to be in the Burning?”
I’m sure it’s too much to hope that if I admit to everything, she’ll let me out of the Burning—let me go home. More likely, I’ll just be sent to the Ash immediately. Surely entering the Flame illegally would disqualify me from earning an assignment in the Burning. I can’t think of anything that I can say to help my case, so I keep my mouth shut.
“Your performance so far is fairly impressive,” she muses. “It really is a shame that you won’t get to complete the Burning.”
This time, she’s the one who waits for me to respond.
“What do you mean?” I ask, trying not to let my voice shake. “I passed the first trial. That means I get to stay.” It’s really not fair to make me go through all of this if they never intended to let me finish.
“Normally it would, but that’s for people who are law-abiding citizens, not liars and thieves.”
Suddenly my shoes—concealing Whyle’s only hope of survival—feel like red-hot coals strapped to my feet. Though my stomach tightens and my mouth goes dry, I summon every ounce of strength I have to remain impassive. “What do you mean?”
She slides a tablet towards me and taps it. It shows several scenes—me exiting the courier truck, me slinking through the dark streets, and finally, me being apprehended behind the Medical Center. “What were you planning on doing?” she demands.
My mind spins desperately to grasp any possible explanation that doesn’t involve attempted theft.
“Do you have kids?” I ask.
“Yes, two daughters,” she admits, unsure where this is going.
“I bet you and your daughters get along really well,” I say, trying to sound both admiring and mournful.
An involuntary laugh escapes her lips. “Not always, but I fail to see what this has to do with anything.”
“Well, I’ll tell you. I actually wanted to join the Burning, but my mother wouldn’t let me. She just doesn’t believe in me. She was watching the gate on our side of the wall. I knew she would stop me and I would miss my chance.” As the words escape my mouth, I can’t help being a bit impressed with my ability to weave this fabricated tale so quickly.
She looks like she’s buying my story, so I layer it on thick, even though merely pretending a love of the Burning is nauseating.
“I just happened along the courier vehicle whose Enforcer was chasing down some guy who had stolen a sack. I thought it was my chance to follow my dream of joining the Burning. I slipped inside the back of the truck and got across the wall.”
“That doesn’t explain why you were wandering around the Flame. When Dickens caught you, you were all the way over at the Medical Center, a long way from here.”
“Well how was I supposed to know where to go? It’s not like we have maps of the Flame back home,” I answer quickly. It’s true enough that I didn’t know how to reach my intended destination. I’m not telling her anything she didn’t already know, except for my objective. This is the only motive that can’t possibly get me into any more trouble.
Her face is regretful. Maybe she can imagine one of her own daughters doing something similar, and I begin to think she’s inclined to extend some amount of mercy, but then she starts to talk, and her words hold no sympathy.
“Those who earn a place on this side of the Wall of Fire are the best, smartest, and purest of humanity. There are many benefits to living here, but they must be earned, and they must be guarded. You have already shown that you lack the moral character required of a citizen of the Flame. No matter what the reason, the laws and order of The City must be maintained. The City is a carefully crafted, complex system, and to ensure our survival, every piece must function flawlessly. The penalty for illegally entering the Flame is exile. There is no point in you continuing in the Burning. You will be sent to the Ash immediately.”
She stands and exits the room, and all my earlier hope is effortlessly reset to zero. Her one kindness is to leave me unobserved as I sink into despair.
Chapter 9
I’m not sure how much time passes in the small gray room, or how many buckets of tears I spill before the door opens again. I wipe my face dry with my sleeve and turn to see who has come for me. Terrance Enberg, the Chief Enforcer, saunters in.
“Please,” I cry, “I didn’t mean to cause any problems.” It’s probably a lost cause, but maybe he has some compassion. What can it hurt to try?
He stares at me for a long moment before speaking, and something in his expression looks almost pleased. “I do understand,” he says, sitting and reaching for my hand as if to comfort me. “I really do want to help you. Will you let me help you?”
I nod, unsure where this is leading, but grateful that I may at least have a chance.
“I could make it so that your past indiscretions are completely removed from all record. That would mean that no further punishment would be necessary, and you could continue in the Burning and have a chance to prove yourself worthy of the Flame.”
“You could do that?” I ask, sure that there must be a pretty big catch.
“I could,” he hedges. “But in order for me to help you, I need you to help me.”
I can’t imagine what he could possibly want from me.
“Will you help me, Emery?” he prods.
“I can try.”
He claps his hands. “Excellent. It’s not a lot that I ask. All I need is for you to befriend one of the contestants and get some information from them.”
I think of the stares and jeers I got this morning in the dining hall, remember my terror as Vander attacked me, the threats breathed out by the black-haired girl as she left the breakfast table.
“What makes you think anyone will talk to me?”
“I think you’re the perfect person for this assignment. I’m positive that if anyone can find out what’s going on, it’s you.”
I can’t guess what would make him think that, but there’s no sense arguing the point if it’s my only chance to stay. “What information do you want?”
“We simply need to know what it is that this particular contestant hopes to achieve in the Burning.”
That doesn’t sound so difficult or dangerous, just asking someone what assignment they hope to get. I don’t know why it matters so much, but what can the harm be? And what choice do I have?
“Okay, I’ll do it,” I agree.
He smiles like we’re old friends. “I knew you were a smart girl.” He places a tablet on the table. “Here’s the boy who’s about to become your new best friend.” He taps the screen, and my stomach drops as Eason Crandell’s face appears.
***
I bury my head in my pillow to stifle a scream. It’s almost impossible to believe that just twenty-four hours ago I sat at Whyle’s side, just inches away
from my mother and father. Despite the disastrous turn of events over the course of the last day, I cannot lose sight of why I’m here—the only reason I’m here. Not for me, not for Eason—for Whyle.
I could accept being sent to the Ash if only there were some way to get the medicine now in my possession to Whyle first. That’s all I really care about, but I desperately don’t want anyone else to get hurt in the process.
I pull myself together enough to stand and cross to the window. I spend some time observing the outer yard of the building, but I don’t see anything to bolster my hope. The prospect of me escaping from the Burning is slim. In addition to the razor fences and guards, I now wear an intercuff which surely tracks me, they’ve shown that everything is monitored, and I have now drawn the particular attention of the Chief Enforcer—which almost certainly means that the Council is involved somehow, too.
The five men and women of the Council who run The City are the ones who pass final judgment, deciding which of the contestants ultimately pass the Burning and what their particular assignments will be.
I’m sure they’re monitoring my every move. That means that my best chance of escape will come after the Burning is over, when I’m free to move about the Flame. Maybe I can even get an assignment, such as a courier, that will give me legal access to return to the Smoke. But to have any chance at all, I must not only pass the Burning—something pretty unlikely—but I must also satisfy Terrance Enberg’s demands. Both feats will require Eason’s help.
I want nothing more than to hide in my room for the rest of the evening and eat the food Keya already arranged to have sent for dinner in solitude, but I know that would be a dangerous move. Before releasing me, Terrance made it very clear that he expects me to get results fast, so I must at least appear to be trying.
Nerves rattled, I make my way to the cafeteria. I collect my tray from the window and look around to choose a seat. I’m one of the first contestants to arrive for dinner, and I have my pick of the tables. With nearly half of the contestants eliminated this morning, it’s not going to get crowded.
I consider claiming a table alone and waiting for Eason to show up. But just as I’m about to take a seat all by myself, Ty walks in. I don’t want to give him the opportunity to corner me and ask more incomprehensible questions. A repeat of this morning’s confusing conversation is the last thing my mind can handle right now. I steer clear of the pinched-nose girl and wander over to an empty seat across from a girl who looks like she might be friendly, and at the very least, probably won’t try to bite me.
She looks up and smiles at me, which is a good start.
“Hi, I’m Emery,” I say.
“Jessamine,” she says, introducing herself.
Jessamine—the girl that Vander and his friend were looking for in the maze. I don’t know what they planned to do when they found her, but I immediately feel a kinship with this girl.
“You’re from the Smoke, right?” she asks.
I nod.
“What made you decide to join the Burning?”
“Oh, you know, hope for a better life and all that,” I mutter, distracted as I glance around the room. Eason hasn’t shown up yet, but I spot Vander heading right for us. I grab Jessamine’s arm, and she jumps in alarm.
“What is it?” she asks.
“Vander is coming. Jessamine, he was looking for you in the maze.”
“Really?” she asks, and turns to smile at him.
“No, Jessamine. I don’t think you understand. He’s dangerous. He attacked me. I almost didn’t make it out because of him. I don’t know what he was going to do to you.”
She ignores me and stands up, waving him over. When he reaches her, he holds his tray in one hand and wraps the other arm around her waist. Then I watch, aghast, as she rises to her tiptoes and gives him a kiss.
He lets go of her and sets his tray on the table across from me. That’s when I stand to leave, grabbing for my tray, but Vander’s quick and he catches my wrist. I rip it away, prepared to yell for help.
“Don’t go,” he implores. His voice is gentle. Even the shade of his green eyes has lightened and softened away from the gloom of the maze.
I’m so stunned that I just freeze and stare at him, not sure what to think.
“I wanted a chance to apologize about earlier,” he says, and he seems genuinely contrite, locking me with a pleading gaze.
Stupidly, I start to get a little lost in his pale green eyes. I turn away from his bewitching gaze and focus on taking a deep breath, reminding myself that Vander is dangerous, and if I let my guard down, he will strike.
“Come on, sit down,” Jessamine says.
Slowly, I resume my seat, but I’m not at ease.
“I just want you to know that I didn’t mean for you to get hurt earlier,” he says in a pretty convincing imitation of sincerity. I suppose whatever report the doctor made led to him being reprimanded in some way, which certainly serves him right.
“You could have fooled me,” I reply. “If it weren’t for Eason coming along and being a decent human being, I’d be in the Ash right now, thanks to you.”
“I really am sorry. I can’t even explain what possessed me to behave that way, but I can assure you that I will not harm you again. I am truly sorry.” His expression is pleading and repentant, and I would like to believe him.
That’s when I see Eason finally appear and take a seat a few tables over.
“Fine, Vander. I guess I forgive you,” I say as I stand and pick up my tray. “You’ll have to excuse me now.”
As I leave, my seat is claimed by the boy who was with Vander in the maze.
“Hey Jasper,” Jessamine greets him.
“What are you talking to the Smoke girl for?” Jasper asks in a poor attempt at a whisper. “I thought you said…”
Vander cuts him off. “I shouldn’t have said whatever I said.”
I don’t hear the rest of the conversation as I pass out of earshot, which is fine with me. I cross the room and claim the seat next to Eason. The minute he looks at me, all the weight I’m carrying—every worry and responsibility—feels lifted.
It would be best for Eason if I just stayed away from him. Maybe it’s selfish, but I want to be with Eason. Not because of Terrance. Not because of the Burning. Just because of Eason. I wish that such a distinction were actually possible. He is my one consolation in everything that has happened, and I’m just not strong enough to deny myself that.
There must be a reason why Terrance needs a spy to gain this information from Eason, and a reason Eason wouldn’t want to share it with him. So since I can’t stay away from Eason, I settle for a promise. I promise myself that, no matter what it costs me in the end, I will not betray Eason. I just have to appease Terrance so I can stay. Surely I can find a way to do both—shield whatever secret Eason carries while feeding Terrance and the Council a plausible falsehood that protects us both.
“I don’t think that I said a proper thank you earlier,” I say.
“I don’t think I said a proper you’re welcome.” He runs his fingers through his dark hair, tousling it. “You look better,” he says with a smile.
I’ve been so distracted that I completely forgot about my myriad of wounds, but my arms and hands are perfectly healed now, and I assume my face is, too.
“That’s good stuff that the doctor gave me.” I wonder how many credits medicine like that would cost us back home, if we could get it at all.
His eyes linger on my face just a little too long, as though he’s trying to figure something out. I realize that when he saw me in the maze, my appearance was marred. This is the first time he’s seen me as I usually appear—minus the fancy hairstyle.
I feel my cheeks flush, and I take a bite as an excuse to turn away. “Mmm, that’s good,” I exclaim.
He laughs. “Mashed potatoes are one of my favorites.”
I study him for a moment, trying to puzzle out questions of my own. “Can I ask you a question?”
<
br /> “Sure.”
“I thought only seventeen-year-olds could enter the Burning.”
“So what’s your question?”
“Haven’t you already been through the Burning?”
“Yes.” He meets my gaze as he says it, as though he’s trying to convey something more than the single word, but I don’t know what.
“So how is it possible that you’re here now?”
“Are you disappointed to see me?”
“Not at all. It’s nice to have a face from home,” I admit. And a gorgeous one at that, I think but manage to not say aloud. Still, the fervor that escapes in my tone has me blushing all over again.
“You have no idea,” he muses. “I’ve waited a long time for a friend to come along.”
“But that doesn’t explain how you can possibly be a contestant now.”
“I joined again. Anyone who has previously passed the Burning can re-enter at any time if they want to receive a new assignment.”
“But then, don’t you also risk failing and being sent to the Ash?”
“Yes,” he says, and I can’t imagine how he can sound so unconcerned about it. Even if he passed once before, there’s no guarantee he can do it again.
He’s looking at me like he wants me to ask something more, but I realize just how dangerously close we are coming to discussing the very thing that Terrance wants so desperately to know, so I change the subject.
“What’s the one thing that you miss most about home?”
“My mom,” he says.
“Yeah, she was worried after you left,” I recall. Because it’s so rare for anyone to enter the Burning, it’s pretty big news, and it doesn’t take long before everyone knows about the contestant and the family they left behind. Of course, I had my own reasons for being aware.
That catches his attention. “You know her?” he asks excitedly.
“Only a little,” I admit.
In the Smoke, we pretty much all know each other a little bit. Everyone has worked with or eaten with just about everyone else at one time or another. Between frequently changing assignments and eating times, we have a casual relationship with everyone, but deeper relationships are rare. I can’t help wondering if that’s just a sad side effect of the system, or actually the point of it.