“Hardly a choice.”
“But something more than abduction nonetheless,” Ashton countered. “Those men were hardened soldiers and knew what battle could be. These,” He smoothed the hair away from a young man’s forehead. “This boy would have had no experience to help him. No training in any real sense to keep him from being anything more than fodder.”
“I do not understand the purpose of them, then,” I said, perplexed. “If he had trained volunteers, then why do this? Why take these innocents?”
“I told you before, the sickness takes the older more quickly. Before I left, when I was able to get hold of some of Arecibo’s laboratory records, it was clear that he believed there was a higher possibility of survival and response to the attempts at harnessing the tremors if they are young.”
“Because of what I can do,” I murmured, my heart breaking. “And your friend, Prudence, just stores them here and in her laboratory? Keeps the live ones behind glass like some macabre aquarium?”
“Hunley is not thinking correctly. She is after answers, and sometimes…” his voice trailed off as I stepped away.
“And I am the abomination?”
I walked to a sink, filled a basin from a pitcher, and grabbed a nearby cloth. I set the bowl near the boy’s head on the gurney and dunked the cloth, wringing it out. “It is over now,” I leaned in and whispered softly. I brushed dirt from his lashes and dabbed at the blood spatters on his slight shoulder, my soul aching. Ashton stood by, silent as I cleaned the boy’s damaged hands, wiped the tears from his cheeks, and righted his hair.
I had wiped my mother’s brow as she passed from this earth. Had a hand in my own father’s death, and begged my mentor, Tesla, to not leave me alone in this world. I was acquainted with sorrow, but the words failed me as I tried to remember the verse that I had clung to in those times.
“H-he will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or…or…” My voice broke.
And then Ashton was there, his hand over mine, his voice at my temple. “Or crying or pain.”
I broke down, my legs failing me as I sank next to the bed. How much more horror could one man cause? I shook, anger welling in my mind like a burning pool crowding out everything else. I looked up at Ashton. “We have to get them back.”
“They are gone,” Ashton said. “He took dozens and they’ve been missing for months.”
I searched his face, letting my gaze travel his chiseled features, the fullness of his mouth, his mesmerizing eyes. I’d loved him from almost the first day I’d known him and yet there had always been the secrets. The mistrust. He was a spy, from the time he was a child he’d been trained to manipulate and survive. And yet Ashton turned from what he knew, what he believed, to seek out the truth of my father’s death with me. He’d lost his place in The Order, a calling he believed was ordained, because of me. I thought all was forgiven. That I could trust him because after all that had happened, Ashton had found me. Stayed with me in the grip of Arecibo. Helped me survive. But now…all that was in question as well. Why had he really sought out Arecibo’s lair?
“You are miles from here, Charlie,” Ashton said quietly. “Come back to me.”
I took in a deep breath, trying to breathe around the ache in my throat. “’I have seen what she can do,’” I repeated his words from earlier. “What mission did you mean for me to help you complete?”
“I was trying to save your life,” Ashton said evenly.
“You were trying to secure a weapon for your crusade to retake The Order.”
“That is not true.”
“You said it was better that you stayed,” I said, watching his eyes. “That does not sound like a decision made solely on my health. It sounds tactical. It sounds as if once you found me, it suited your mission for you to infiltrate Arecibo’s ranks and sabotage his plans.”
“That is not the only reason.” Ashton raked a hand through his dark hair. “I made the best of an impossible situation.”
“If I was well enough to fight then I was well enough to flee. Why wait so long to try to get me out? Did you not have enough information yet? Did you decide that letting me tarnish my soul was worth all you gained by keeping me in Arecibo’s control?”
“No,” Ashton shook his head, his brows drawn over angry eyes. “That is not what happened. You do not know—”
“Because you will not tell me!”
“He was planning something beyond The Order, I think. I believe he was colluding with someone of great power in Europe but for what I could not figure out.”
My heart sank.
“So you admit that you did not stay because you ‘could not leave’ me, but because it was a strategic move to do so?”
“I stayed because I love you, Charlie,” he shouted. “I stayed because at first all we did was steal plans and spy on officials for Arecibo. That in exchange for your life? Yes, that was a fair trade for me. The things that happened afterward, they happened so quickly and unexpectedly. One instant we are securing stolen files and the next you are attacking entire crews aboard vessels. I had no idea why. I did not know if it was Arecibo’s doing or if you were simply reacting to all that was done to you.”
He rubbed his face, the pain etched under his tired eyes reminded me of his injured leg. He sighed, leaning heavily against the sill of the window.
“I am just…” The truth was, I did not know what I was. Or if I could trust these feelings anymore. Who I was when I fell for him was not who I was now. Did that change anything? I was wiser. Knew more about the pain of the world and therefore should be able to accept that Ashton could search for me both because he loved me and because he meant to stop Arecibo’s plans. They were not mutually exclusive. And yet, the pang I felt did not fade with my reasoning. The romantic debutante still lurked in my heart. Desperate for the true love my father and mother were so blessed with.
“So much has happened between us. In so short a time. At least the time was short to me. I do not remember what we were to each other during those months. I–I can only understand what I am feeling now. And right now, after what Hunley said…why did you come for me? Why did you stay with me?”
“Charlie,” Ashton reached out, took a tendril of my hair in his fingers. “I looked for you because the idea of you in Arecibo’s grip was terrifying to me. I stayed because the thought of walking this earth without you was unacceptable.” The blue waving light played across his jaw, caressed his collarbone. “I would rather be with you in midst of chaos and pain than not. That is why I did what I did. That is why I will always do what needs to be done.”
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head, unable to untangle the conflicting emotions.
“How, did you know about this place?” Trying for detached, the crack to my voice betrayed my thoughts and I turned away, leaning on the wall, eyes at the ceiling watching the water drip. “Had you been here before? Did The Order send you on some mission to infiltrate this place?”
“The Order does not know about it. That is why it was safe. I destroyed any mention of it I could find.”
I tilted my head, regarding him for a moment. “Was it the All-Key?” I asked.
“Does it matter how I knew?” He looked at me exasperated.
“Yes, it does.” I bit my lower lip to keep it from quivering. My eyes stung, and though I knew I could no longer cry, the emotion nonetheless churned in my chest, squeezing. “It matters, Ashton. Secrets matter. Truth matters.”
“Truth? What would you have had me do, Charlie? Greet you with a list of grievances once I found you?” Ashton rubbed his neck with his palm, his gaze out at the sea. “How would I have said these things to you? ‘I know you’ve barely escaped a madman with your life and your mind, but here are quite a few things I cannot wait to burden you with?’” His voice rose and his hands balled against the glass.
“Anything you told me would have been better than hearing it second hand and wondering what else you were keeping fro
m me.”
“Keeping from you?” His genuine look of confusion set my teeth on edge.
“You betrayed me,” I cried. “To my enemies and I cannot…it is so hard to make myself trust you.”
“Charlie,” Ashton said, his arms going out in resignation. “What—”
“When I reached out to you and thought you came to Outer City to help me stop the Reaper invasion you served me up to Lizzie and Ajala and as a result, I was captured by Arecibo.”
“I never meant for any of that to happen. It was my intention for both of us to escape that meeting together. I did not know that Lizzie would betray us to Arecibo...” He shook his head, sorrow lining his gaze. “I did not anticipate our capture and for that I am so sorry. I–I thought if I explained to you my plan, if you only knew what I was really trying to do, you would see past all of that. You would know that I really only meant to come to convince you when everything spiraled out of my control. I have regretted my decision to trust Lizzie every day. You are right to question me…you are, Charlie. I do not blame you. And I will, God willing, spend the rest of my life trying to earn back your trust. That is all I can do. If you will let me.”
He shifted on his feet, leaning in. I moved away. Sighing, he stepped back, easing into a dark swath near the window. After a few moments, he spoke. “Yes, it was the All-Key.”
“You stole it from the Reapers?” I did not remember much from that day. Only that I had caused the death of two women and let countless other fall to an attack I failed to prevent.
“Recovered it. After the dust settled. Arecibo needed us to secure secret documents from The Order to further his plan, whatever it is. The safest, surest way to do so was with the All-Key.”
“He knew you had it?”
Ashton shook his head. “No, he did not. Our ability to get him what he wanted kept us alive. So, no, I made sure Arecibo did not know.”
“Do you still have access to it?” I gauged his response, looking for subterfuge.
“Why?” Ashton asked, his eyes narrowed. “What good would it do us here? It opens secure vaults, the locks that keep the dome’s emitting beams protected, and the treasuries if they had any silver left in them. Out here there are no secrets to be had.”
“Arecibo is planning something, Ash,” I said, steadying myself on the gurney as I stood. “You believe that. Maybe if we had access to where his facility might be.”
“Do you not think I did that already? While trying to find you. There is nothing to find out in those records. Arecibo is very good at what he does. He keeps so much hidden from The Order. No one knows what he is truly up to.”
“But it is something.” I argued. “Something that involves Europe and now he’s attacked Outer City. What if he raids there again during the Coalition’s Attack and takes more people for this? No one would be able to stop him. Not while a battle wages against European air ships. He has already hurt Lilah and nearly killed little—” I froze, my heart stuttering in my chest.
“What is it?”
“Oh, no, Ashton,” I rounded the table, heading for the doorway.
Ashton followed after. “Wait,” he said, stopping me with his hand around my waist. “Talk to me. What is it?”
Panic ripped through me, my head swimming. “You said that Arecibo tried to graft tissue. That he wanted to create soldiers with my ability to live with the affliction.”
“Yes, but it did not work. They died, as those in there would have eventually. No one has proven able to fight off the Trembling Sickness but you.”
“No, Ashton. Not everyone. There is another person who has lived with the sickness nearly as long as I have.”
He shook his head, his brows furrowed, and then a dawning stole across his face. “Jack,” he said.
I nodded, my eyes stinging. “He is a true survivor of the sickness. Ashton, I can hear him. Not as strong as the others, but still. And he responds to me. He is suspended mid-change as I am, only he does not need mechanica or Solenium to do it.”
“And Arecibo saw him that night.”
“We have to warn them.” I started for the door, my heart ramming. “They have to get away from that port. They have to hide him.” The thought of that sweet baby in the hands of Arecibo turned my stomach.
“Where are you going?” Ashton called.
“I have to get out of here. I have to get to Jack before that monster does.”
“We’ve no ship, Charlie,” Ashton said as he caught up to me at the threshold. “And even if we did, you cannot go back there. Did you forget the mob that tried to trade you to Arecibo not a day ago?”
“We have the one Hunley uses for supply runs,” I countered.
“It’s a small surface skimmer,” Ashton said shaking his head. “It does not even possess the thrust to get up to Outer City.”
“I refuse to hide here while my loved ones are attacked,” I said to him. “And, in case you’ve not noticed, we are one moment away from an angry mob here anyway.”
Ashton stopped with his palm to the door, keeping it shut.
I stifled the need to push him away. He was aware that I could throw him across the room if I had to.
“Your presence there may have exposed them in the first place,” Ashton said. “Think about it.”
“What are you talking about? Get out of my way, Ash.”
“Arecibo chanced on the one port where you were hiding despite dozens of other ports, not to mention safe houses all over the country where you might have gone? That never bothered you?”
I stopped, my mouth dropping open. “No, I never…it never crossed my mind how he knew where I was.”
“Arecibo may have spies there. He may have some ability to track you via the mechanica. We don’t know, but until we figure it out we cannot go back. If Arecibo doesn’t, in fact, have plans to take Jack, then you will almost certainly paint a target on him the moment you step foot on that port.”
I paced the corridor, my mind reeling, unable to focus.
“Then we slip in during the attack on Outer City and get them to safety then.”
“During the Coalition’s invasion?” Ashton looked at me as if I had lost my mind. “The Coalition of Khent most likely has an armada. They would spot us a mile off. We would never even get close.”
“Actually,” a voice sounded from down the hall. Hunley, illuminated by the candle she held, pushed the spectacles back onto her nose. “I may be able to help with that.”
“How long have you been listening?” I asked.
“Long enough to hear that a monster has a child in his sights.” She glanced from me to Ashton, conflict playing across her features. Finally, she sighed. “Come on.”
We followed her down into the bowels of the building, Ashton and I quiet as she led the way. He slipped his hand over mine and we walked hand in hand past sealed doors and deeper cracked walls and ceilings, some with chunks missing. I ran my palm along the wall and pieces crumbled beneath my fingers. The constant wet seemed to disintegrate even the concrete to dust. Deep thumping sounded from beyond the corridor, echoing along the dark shaft. Cold settled over me, a wet, moldy odor from stagnant pools. Flooding reached up to my knees and the wading slowed our progress. Unidentifiable forms bobbed in the filthy water and brushed past my skirt.
“Where are we going, Pru?” Ashton asked.
“Just a little bit further,” she said over her shoulder.
The candle in her hand flickered with the constant wet air that hovered within the corridor, and I worried it might go out. I did not think I could handle being in the confines of this small space with no light. As it was, I measured my breaths, forcing myself to concentrate on the path in case I needed to retreat. Given our confrontation in the laboratory, I would not put it past the wily Hunley to lead us into an ambush. Despite my trepidation, I ventured after her because she had held out at least the thread of hope that I might do something to help Jack. With the specter of fear hovering ever-present at the corner of my mind, I
pushed myself to think only of the moment. The task. The steps I needed to do what I must. Anything other than that and I was sure I would crumble to dust with the worry alone. “How far under the sea are we now?” I asked, striving for nonchalant, only to hear the quaver in my voice.
“I believe we are at nearly twenty-five feet now,” Hunley answered.
“How is this entire building not flooded to the gills?” I murmured. No wonder the walls creaked with pressure.
“Well, we are doing our best to keep that from happening.” Hunley stopped at a door larger than any other I had seen here. Massive and metal, it reminded me of a vault door in a bank. “All right. Here we are.”
“There must be a very good reason why someone felt the need to secure the door so thoroughly,” Ashton remarked. “Do you have just as good a reason to open it?”
“Ash,” I said, forcing a smile. “I thought danger sped through your veins.”
He chuckled. “Danger, not recklessness.”
“I beg to differ on that point,” I said and stepped forward, resting my hands around the enormous center wheel. I turned to Hunley. “Is it locked?”
“It is to normal people,” Hunley said evenly, her gaze unreadable as she stared at me. “I am willing to bet that you are able to succeed where we have not.”
“So, you do not know if a torrent awaits on the other side of this?” Ashton asked, his brow raised, amused.
“There is a second door. A water-lock that must also be opened, but I have no idea if that has been breached.” Hunley wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “But no telling until we look, correct?”
“You are sure you want to open this?” I asked.
She was shaking. “No,” she said, but did not look away from me. “Please, Ms. Blackburn.”
I looked from her to Ashton.
He stepped forward and grabbed hold as well. “Yes, Blackburn,” he said as he snagged a pair of gloves from Hunley’s bodice belt. “Lets.”
Neither seemed the least bit concerned I might drown us all in a few seconds.
“All right,” I said and gripped the wheel tightly. “I suggest you two hold your breath.”
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