The Perfect Outcast

by Melissa O. Hansen

  She lowered her head and whispered, “Yes.”

  Darkness filled the hallway ahead, but as Sampson led her, dim lights brightened their path as if responding to a silent command. The wailing grew louder as they passed the small, barred windows. Many hands shoved through them and Alina heard anxious, unintelligible requests. She clenched the rope at her back and looked ahead, too frightened to meet the feverish eyes around her, until she heard her name.

  “Alina!” a woman’s voice screamed, her white knuckles gripping the bars. Stunned, Alina stopped and stared at her.

  “Do you know this woman?” asked Sampson.

  Alina looked closer. She possessed the beauty of an immortal, but her eyes glared with the wildness of a madwoman. Alina knew those eyes back when they were gentle. Miss Vivian.

  Alina faced Sampson. “Yes. She was my teacher. You’ve kept her locked up all these years?”

  “She’s a tough one to crack. Very valuable. I don’t think I’ll ever let her go. She has kept her wits much longer than most—as you see, she even remembers you.”

  Alina seethed as Sampson studied her with a smug, conceited smile. When he turned back down the corridor, she glanced once more at Miss Vivian. The hollow eyes stared at Alina, as if trying to remember how they knew her. “You’re right. I’m Alina,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “You were once the only friend I had.”

  She blinked back tears as she followed Sampson and focused her eyes on the dagger’s hilt, secured at his waist.

  Jade’s scream erupted from a cell window. “NO! Alina, get out of here!”

  Another face appeared across the hallway from her. Rex gripped the steel bars and clamped his teeth. “Not you, too,” he squeezed out.

  Alina wanted to run to Jade but couldn’t turn away from Sampson. She needed to wait for the right moment.

  “You aren’t the only ones I’ve captured tonight,” Sampson gloated. “I’ve saved the best for last.”

  “Who?” Alina sneered. “There’s no one else I care about.”

  “Are you sure?” Sampson raised an eyebrow, hiding a smirk.

  He pointed to the cell next to Rex. Alina glared at him as she shuffled to the door with her back against the wall. A boy huddled inside with his face hidden.

  “Turn into the light,” Sampson demanded. The prisoner shifted, and Alina started, almost betraying her loose hands.

  “Zaiden!” she exclaimed. “What’s he doing here? He hasn’t done anything wrong!”

  “Ask him yourself,” Sampson responded.

  Alina looked at Zaiden in shock. She could feel the disc inside the bodice of her gown, his life’s story secure against her pounding heart. She hadn’t expected to see him again, but now hope fluttered inside her. If she did this right, he could come to Carthem with her, and they would be the same: mortal and flawed.

  “Zaiden?”

  He didn’t answer but stared at the ground in front of him. The light from the hallway cast a shadow under his eyebrows.

  Alina whipped back to face Sampson. “Do you mean you imprisoned him because I—” She broke off. She couldn’t confess her feelings, not where Zaiden could hear.

  “Certainly not,” Sampson chuckled, “though anyone who catches your eye is worth watching. We took him because he came here tonight. After he peeled Eris off, he followed you the entire way. We knew what he was doing, of course, but we humored him a bit before catching him. Too bad he didn’t get a chance to rescue you.”

  She glowered at Sampson. Was he toying with her? Did Zaiden come to rescue her?

  She peered back into his cell and found him staring hard at her, as if he wanted to memorize every part of her face. His gaze made her knees go weak, and she shuffled to maintain her balance.

  “I’m sorry, Alina,” Zaiden said.

  Sampson smirked at her, reading every emotion on her flushed face. His haughty smile and the adrenaline from Zaiden’s gaze gave her the push she needed.

  She snatched the dagger from Sampson’s waist and placed it against her wrist.

  “Let them out. Now. Or I’ll cut myself.”

  Sampson’s eyes widened at the sight of her unbound hands. Then he went rigid and forced a laugh. “You wouldn’t leave without your friends.”

  “Oh, yes she will!” Rex blurted out. “Do it, Alina!”

  Panic flickered in Sampson’s eyes. “If you choose to leave Pria now,” his voice trembled, “then they never will. They’ll be driven to madness in these cells, with no escape. Forever.”

  “Don’t listen to him, Alina,” Jade insisted. “Just do it.”

  Alina shook, but held the blade steady. She knew what Rex told her to do. She had to get to Carthem, on her own if she must. But she couldn’t go without them. Not while she could see them and hear their voices.

  “Let’s come to an agreement,” Sampson said smoothly.

  “Alina,” Rex begged. “Please go, before he tricks you out of it. Don’t worry about us!”

  Alina stared at Sampson. She could see the fear in his eyes.

  “I have a proposal for you,” he said in a honeyed voice. “You stay here with me and share my power. I’m at your mercy. You know I’ll do anything to protect you. I’ll destroy the machine—come with me now and watch me. You’ll have me in the palm of your hand. I can make you famous, beautiful—whatever you like.”

  Alina laughed. “Remember my ‘pathetic act’? You know I hate Pria and care nothing about being famous.”

  “You don’t want to go to Carthem,” he said. “Trust me.”

  “And why wouldn’t I?”

  He grinned smugly. “There’s no one there for you. Your father is dead. I killed him myself.”

  Her heart paused, but she didn’t move. “Unlock all of them,” she demanded. “Then we’ll talk about this proposal.”

  Sampson set his jaw and glared at her.

  “NOW!” she screamed, her knuckles turning white around the dagger’s hilt.

  He lurched forward and punched the code on Rex’s cell, then moved to Jade’s and Zaiden’s cells. Alina didn’t take her eyes off Sampson, but from the corner of her eye she saw Rex and Jade join her in the corridor. As Zaiden exited his cell, her eyes flickered in his direction.

  Sampson pounced on her and she leaped back, thrusting the dagger at him. He dodged it, and she ducked and spun around, swiping the legs of Rex, Jade, and Zaiden. She felt Sampson’s fierce hands grasp her hair and yank her back, and as the dagger fell from her hands, she stretched out her leg to catch it. The blade grazed her ankle before clanging to the ground.

  Sampson’s eyes widened in horror and his scream filled the dungeon. He fumbled for the dagger and lunged at Alina, but she felt nothing. He looked beyond her, and his lips twisted into a triumphant grin—the last view she saw before everything went dark.

  A sharp burst of light flashed around Alina. She felt the comfort before she opened her eyes—a warm tingling in her veins that invigorated her. She blinked twice, sprang to her feet, and found herself in a field of tall, wiry grass. The wildflowers were pale compared to the vibrant ones of Pria, and the sky was a bleak gray, but Alina considered it the most beautiful place she’d ever seen. Carthem had a raw, unrefined beauty, accepting her as one of its own.

  A deep moan broke her from her reverie. Rex writhed in the grass, blood saturating the leg of his uniform. Jade lay still, the blood from her wound trickling through a tear on her dress.

  “Rex, Jade, are you okay?” Alina asked. She glanced around. “Where’s Zaiden?”

  She dropped to the ground and rolled Jade onto her back, then gasped at her chalky white face.

  “Jade!” Alina screamed, shaking her.

  Jade gave a soft mumble, and Alina pressed her hand over her heart. “What do you need?” she asked.

  “Water,” Jade whispered.

  Alina looked around. They would have to walk to find some. She cradled Jade’s head in her lap. “We’ll get some. I’ll go, or Rex—”

  Rex i
nterrupted her with a loud shriek. She jumped, bouncing Jade’s head. “What is it, Rex?”

  He was on his back with his eyes closed, releasing a low, continuous moan.

  “Are you okay?” Alina asked him.

  He opened one eye. “I think I’m dying.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He sat up and coughed, hacking dramatically, then collapsed back on the ground. “My mouth is sticky—it must be bleeding! And my leg—” he paused, trying to find the right word. “It hurts! I think you cut it off! You sliced me too hard and my leg is gone!”

  Alina rolled her eyes and smoothed Jade’s hair. “Sorry, Jade. I thought it was something more urgent.”

  “What?” Rex hollered. “This is urgent! I—” A look of terror crossed his face. “I’ll never walk again!”

  “Rex,” Alina said, but he couldn’t hear her through his wailing.

  “REX!”

  He stopped. Alina spoke calmly. “Your leg is fine; it’s just a cut. And the stickiness in your mouth means you’re thirsty.” She stifled a laugh. “You’ve been watching too many horror shows.”

  Rex cracked his eyes open to glare at her. “Have not,” he mumbled.

  “Jade needs water, too, and she seems worse than you, if you can believe it. Zaiden’s not here; do you think he ended up somewhere else?”

  Rex pushed himself to a sitting position and looked around. “Are you sure you cut him?”

  Alina stiffened. “What do you mean? I sliced him, like you two.”

  “Did the dagger break the skin?”

  “I heard something tear, it must have—”

  “Maybe it tore only his pants.”

  Alina stood up and looked around, chewing her lip. “No. You’re wrong—he was right there. I felt the blade cut something.” She closed her eyes and pictured herself swiping Rex, Jade, and then Zaiden. Sampson pulled her hair, and she stuck out her ankle to catch the blade. Zaiden was standing next to her—no, behind her.

  Then Sampson flashed his horrible smirk. As she faded from Pria, he noticed Zaiden behind her, solid and present as ever. Zaiden wasn’t as valuable as Alina, but Sampson could make good use of him.

  Her heart tightened with panic. “Y-you don’t think he might’ve landed somewhere else?”

  “I don’t see how,” Rex said. “We all came here. He should be with us.”

  Alina’s legs shook beneath her. She dropped to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her face in her arms.

  Zaiden risked everything to follow her when she was taken. He had looked at her from his cell as if—she wanted to believe—he felt something for her. And she’d left him in Sampson’s dungeon, where he’d be mentally tortured until—no, she couldn’t bear the thought. Tears sprang to her eyes.

  Rex put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Alina. He seemed like a great guy. He showed a lot of courage following you to Gordian.” He gave her a playful nudge. “Showed a lot of interest in you, too.”

  Alina burst into tears. Rex coughed.

  “Sorry, what I meant to say—he’s a smart guy. He may still get here. There are rebel spies working at Gordian who can help him.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yes,” he affirmed. “It’s very possible.”

  She wiped her eyes and looked at Jade. “Let’s get moving. Jade is too weak to walk. Can you carry her?”

  “I think so. Let’s look for water. I’m so thirsty, and this heat might be the death of me. I remember hearing how hot the sun is here, but I didn’t know it was a big ball of fire that would burn the flesh right off my bones.”

  Alina looked at him, astonished. “You’re hot?”

  Rex scowled. “Don’t tell me you feel all cool and comfortable in that heavy jumpsuit, with this brutal sun beating down on us.”

  “Actually—I do.” She paused. “In fact, I feel the best I have in my life. And I’m wearing a tight gown under this suit.”

  Rex stared at her with wide eyes, then glanced at her legs. “Where did you cut yourself? Where’s the blood?”

  She looked down, pulling up the leg of her jumpsuit. There was no trace of a cut.

  Rex gasped. “Alina!”

  She jumped. “What?”

  “The dagger changed you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re immortal!”

  Her jaw dropped. “No—” She flipped her hands in front of her as she examined them, then looked down at her legs. “I can’t be.”

  “It’s the only explanation.”

  “Am I really beautiful, then?”

  Rex grinned. “Do you mean in that perfect, Prian way? Hmm, it’s hard to tell.” He studied her for a moment. “It could be a gradual process. Your blemishes are gone, for one.”

  Alina ran her fingers over her face. She felt comfortable and contented. Not a pain or itch irritated her.

  A bead of sweat dripped from Rex’s scalp as he struggled to lift Jade. “I’ll carry her,” Alina offered. Jade gave a soft moan as Alina pulled her onto her back.

  “Where should we go?” Rex asked.

  “To the trees. There should be water next to growing things, don’t you think?”

  He shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

  They walked in silence. Rex seemed too labored to speak. When they reached the shade, he leaned against a tree, took a long breath and sat down. Alina set Jade beside him.

  “I’m going to have a look around,” she said. “You stay with Jade and rest.”

  Rex gripped her arm. “Don’t go far! People get lost and die in the woods.”

  Alina turned to him, surprised by the fear in his voice. Rex, who was scarcely afraid of Sampson himself, was terrified.

  She gave him an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t go out of hearing distance. Then I can call for you if I can’t find my way back.”

  He nodded. “Hurry.”

  She walked through the forest, sticks snapping at her feet. Sampson’s words echoed through her mind: Carthem is dangerous, mostly because I make it so. She thought of the creatures in the Gordian laboratories. Rex shouldn’t be left alone with Jade for long; he wouldn’t respond well to terrors like those. She moved faster, trusting his scream to alert her if needed.

  The trees’ bark flaked from the trunks like a fruit peel, so different from the smooth, polished wood of Prian trees. She found no signs of water. They would have to travel farther. As she turned back, her eye caught a twitch on the forest floor.

  She stared at the ground. Could rocks move here? She crouched down and studied the gray, smooth stone, so well-proportioned it stood out from the jagged rocks around it. After several minutes with no movement, she decided she must have imagined it and stood up to leave.

  Something whistled and bounced off her forehead. A second whistle followed, hitting her chest. She spun around and saw the hard shell sinking back to the earth.

  The rock was alive! She dropped to her knees, scanning the ground for what had hit her. Two long, gray quills lay in the dirt, the tips oozing a red liquid, like blood. She picked them up and tapped the tips with her finger. They seemed sharp, and heavy for their size. With their speed, they could pierce any mortal to the heart.

  She slid them into her pocket, then scrambled to her feet and ran back to Rex.

  He sat with Jade’s head in his lap. “What did you find?” he asked.

  “There’s something out there that shoots deadly quills! It looks like a rock but has an outer shell that lifts up when it shoots—and it seems to sense movement!”

  Rex stared at her with wide eyes. She nodded. “This wilderness is dangerous. Sampson sends in creatures from his laboratories. I saw some of them—one left me so terrified I couldn’t move.”

  “We need to find Stormport soon then, and water and food. Jade isn’t well. The transition has put her in some state of shock.”

  “What’s Stormport?”

  “The nearest town to the portal.”

  “Do yo
u know how to get there?”

  “No.”

  Jade stirred, and Alina knelt beside her. “How do you feel, Jade?”

  “You have to leave me,” she mumbled.

  Alina looked at Rex. “Does she understand what’s going on?” she whispered.

  He furrowed his brow as he looked at her, then gasped. “The surveillance device! Sampson could be watching us! And he may send something in to kill us.”

  “But the last thing he wants to do is kill me—”

  “Shhh!” Rex hissed. “He can probably hear everything we say. She’s right. She can’t stay with us. It’ll be too hard to keep our plans secret.”

  “But we can’t abandon her, she’ll die!”

  Jade reached for Rex’s hand. “Don’t worry about me. I’m a survivor.” Rex gazed at her, tears glistening in his eyes.

  Alina shook her head. “We can’t leave her. She survived Sampson’s cruelty, yes, but surviving Carthem is different. No one can make it here alone.”

  Rex chewed his lower lip. “She could close her eyes the whole time, but Sampson could still hear what we say.”

  “Then we don’t speak to her, or to each other, while she’s near. We move away when we need to discuss our plans. It’ll work.” Alina turned to her. “Can you do that, Jade?”

  She closed her eyes and nodded.

  “Will you carry her this time?” Alina whispered to Rex. “I want to walk a few steps in front to be a shield. We have no idea what’s out there.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” he answered, and grunted as he hoisted Jade onto his back. “I have this gnawing pain in my stomach. Am I hungry?”

  “Yes, most likely,” Alina answered. “The pangs get worse the longer you wait to eat.”

  “How bad can it get?” Rex sounded worried.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I never went long without eating in Pria. Food was always around.”

  “Do you know what can or can’t be eaten around here?”

  Alina looked around. “Not really.”

  “What about the leaves on the trees?”

  “Maybe, but I suggest looking for fruit first.”

  They edged through the trees, Alina scanning the horizon for signs of movement. Jade looked pale as she clung to Rex’s back. He kept his eyes on the ground, his brow wrinkled. Jade could be dying, but Rex seemed more fixed on his hunger pains.