by D. S. Murphy
“I saw you at the ceremony,” I said, after taking a sip of my beer. “With Nigel. Right?”
“You know you saw me,” the girl said. “So what are you really asking, whether I’m with him? Yes, when he wants me to be. I should thank you, actually. Nigel’s been particularly attentive since he met you.”
“But you’re not chosen,” I said.
“Who would want to be chosen?” she replied, nodding towards my bracelet.
“Monitored. Tracked. Scrutinized. You’re basically a piece of performance art. A display. Me, meanwhile, I’m free to live my life. I can be with an elite one night and a human lover the next. I provide a service, and I get paid well for it.”
I shuddered, imagining what kind of services she provided for Nigel. My eye was drawn again to the ribbon around her neck and the hidden vial of blood. Was it elite blood? If so, where did it come from? My mind went immediately to my mother. If this girl knew where to get black market elixir, maybe she could help me smuggle some back to my mom in Algrave.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Call me Rivka,” she said, batting her eyelids.
Just then an older woman in a green dress approached. The dress had ribbons on the sleeves, and a small bouquet of flesh flowers was pinned up with beads and lace in her hair. She was about to say something to Rivka, but her eyes bulged when she saw me. She took one look at my uniform and grabbed my arm, pulling me into a side room.
“Apologies, Darling, but you can’t be here.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was looking for someone, and got lost.”
She looked me over carefully, then lowered her voice.
“If you’re looking for anything specific, I can probably get it for you. But you can’t just show up at my door like this, wearing that tracker on your wrist. You’ll bring the crown right to my door. We don’t need that kind of attention.”
“I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble,” I said. “I’ll leave right now.”
But I hesitated. There was something I needed to ask first. k~1~2
“Do elites come here? Even after they’ve picked out a mate?”
“Ah, I see now,” she smiled. “You think your man is cheating on you. Well, I never divulge my client list, so even if he was coming here, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“But they can get blood anywhere, right? Why come here?” I asked, turning up my nose at the smell of burning tobacco.
“In case their pleasures are darker,” she said. “It’s expected for the chosen to be respected, for the sake of the covenant. No such limitations apply to my girls. The elites with darker tastes can satisfy them here. For a price.”
“I’ll escort her home,” Rivka said, grabbing a leather jacket and pulling it on over her dress. “I have some business to attend to.”
“And no doubt Prince Hartmann will be grateful for your help,” the woman said with a smirk. “And maybe fill your hand with coin for your service.”
“I won’t turn good silver away,” Rivka said.
“How did you know?” I asked suddenly. “I mean, who I was? We just got here.”
“Everyone knows the chosen,” she smiled, nodding towards a screen in the corner. It was replaying clips of last night’s ceremony. “Though they don’t often walk around dressed like that. But the marked beauty Prince Hartmann picked out himself? She’s famous.”
She pinched my nose lightly with her fingers. I backed away, crossing my arms. I didn’t like the idea of people knowing about me and my marks already.
“Rivka knows how to take care of herself on the street, but if you get in any trouble, just show your bracelet.”
“Won’t the diamonds just attract thieves?” I asked. The elegant charm sparkled in the dim light as I turned my wrist.
“Nobody would be fool-hardy enough to trouble a chosen,” she said. “Though for your new husband’s reputation, it’s probably better if your late-night visit to my brothel isn’t the first news on everyone’s lips tomorrow.”
I blushed, and nodded, backing out through the front door.
“Next time you want to drop by, send a message first. Ask for Madame Brezing.”
Rivka and I walked in silence for several minutes towards the center of the city. The glow of streetlamps made the citadel was even more breathtaking at night. Restaurants and shops were still open and the squares we passed were full of people. It couldn’t be that late. Damien may not have even noticed my absence. Suddenly I was worried about showing up with Nigel’s consort at my side, and how I would explain myself to Damien. Nothing had happened, and I hadn’t been in any real danger. Maybe I could sneak in without raising suspicion.
“I’m fine now,” I said, once I recognized my surroundings. “I can find my own way back.”
Rivka shrugged, casting a critical glance over my uniform.
“Fine,” she said finally, “but you owe me. See you around.”
She disappeared down a side street and was swallowed up in shadow. I pushed forward, past the place I’d had lunch with Penelope. I was nearly home when I decided to look for Algrave on the horizon. I climbed up to the rampants and gazed over the dark forests, but I couldn’t see any lights where I thought Algrave would be. I wondered what my family was doing. Jamie and Loralie would be getting ready for bed. Mom might read them a story.
I heard a howl and shivered. It sounded close. I peered into the woods, but the haunting blanket of ash obscured details, and the trees melted together in shadow. Movement caught my eye and I looked down below, inside the city walls. Soldiers were wheeling carts of garbage through one of the main city gates and dumping them in a pile near the forest. Something about one of the shapes caught my attention. My heart pounded as I made out what appeared to be the body of a small girl, half-buried in trash.
I raced down the stairs and through the gate before I had a chance to stop myself, and dug through the garbage. At first I was confused by the multitude of arms and legs, until I realized there were two girls—cold and unnaturally pale. Barely older than Loralie. Urchins, from the looks of their tattered clothing. A chill ran down my spine as I uncovered their faces. Their throats had been torn out viciously, and their eyes looked like they’d been burned out by a hot brand, leaving black Xs that made them look like unfinished dolls. When I looked closer I could see two small holes on the girl’s neck. Bite marks.
“I wish you hadn’t seen that,” a voice said behind me. I whirled around to find the dark silhouette of one of the soldiers. A mask covered half his face, but the gleaming knife in his hand made his intention clear.
I darted around the other side of the cart, then into a tight alley and up the stairs, my feet retracing the way to Damien’s apartment. I was almost there when a large shape moved in front of me and grabbed my arms. I kicked, scratching at his face, but my fingers hit hard plastic. He was wearing a white mask with expressionless features, half hidden by the brim of a large black hat. The figure held my wrists with impossible strength, and I felt an uncomfortable buzzing in my skull.
“Go home,” he said softly, “remember nothing, speak of this to no one.”
Then he let go of my wrists. I ran the rest of the way home, and closed the door behind me, breathless.
12
I wanted to wait up for Damien, but after taking a bath I was so tired I couldn’t keep myself awake any longer. I awoke to confusing memories of the night before. I remembered the man in the white mask, with the black hat, and the soldier who’d threatened me, though his face was blurry like someone had scrubbed it off. I also remembered the bodies, and the girl—her throat torn out, jagged flesh ripped open so deep I could see her collarbone. But was that inside the gates, or outside? I also had a memory of a garbage cart and the pile of refuse outside the walls. It seems crisper, more colorful, but the bodies of the children were missing. Did I really remember it correctly, or had it all been a dream?
I had to tell someone what I’d seen, about the dead girls. I couldn’t get
the vision out of my head. The mutilated flesh. The pale skin and glassy-eyed stares. But worse than that, the way they were just discarded, thrown away like they didn’t matter. It made me sick to think about it. Were the soldiers covering up the murders? Why would they do that? We didn’t have murder in Algrave, not that I knew of. Commons were supposed to be protected. That was the whole reason we had a choosing ceremony. If the covenant couldn’t protect human children from violent deaths, what was the point of any of it? Why was I even here? Madame Brezing told me I’d be safe, but what about everyone else?
There was a knock on the door, then Claire stepped in with a tray with breakfast: fresh ham and cheese omelet, black coffee, and steamed rolls with butter.
“Where’s Damien?” I asked.
“Out hunting,” she said. “There was an attack last night. Two young girls were killed.”
My pulse pounded in my chest. So it was real.
“Slagpaw attack, outside the gates,” Annette clarified, coming in. “Nothing to worry about. The foolish girls were out picking berries after sunset. Still, the elite don’t like the idea of slagpaw hunting so close to the citadel. Damien’s leading a hunting party.
I shook my head in confusion.
“But it wasn’t slagpaw,” I muttered. I’d seen the bodies, inside the gates. And they’d been drained of blood. I couldn’t forget the stiff, porcelain white skin. Something was wrong. Annette saw my expression but misunderstood the cause.
“Don’t worry,” she said, “He’ll be fine. You’ll see him again at dinner. For now, let’s get you ready for class.” Somehow she’d already washed and dried my training outfit. It must have been filthy, after tearing through half the city last night. I was grateful she hadn’t said anything out it. Maybe Claire had picked it up before Annette could see it.
Training started with more sprints and warmup routines. I pushed myself until I was too exhausted to think. Then we practiced the combat moves again, only this time Master Svboda made us rotate partners every ten minutes. The moves were the same, but as we added increasingly complex blocks or countermoves, there was room for error, and we had to predict what our opponent was going to do.
I was sparring with one of the smaller girls, but she blocked almost all my attacks. Then it was time to change. I looked up and frowned when I saw Jessica was my next opponent. She wasn’t thrilled to be paired with me either. She lashed out immediately, cuffing my ear.
“I wasn’t ready,” I said. I assumed the starting stance, then motioned her forward. She punched out with her long arms, but I blocked them easily. She grabbed my arm and tried to pull me off balance, but I reversed my grip and pushed her backwards—a trick I’d learned from Jazmine earlier. She fell onto her back and I pinned her hands against the mat. Then her sleeve fell back and I noticed the marks on her neck. Rough patches that looked like they hurt, with indentations.
My eyes opened wide. They looked exactly like the marks I’d seen on the dead girls last night, at least in one of my visions. So they were bite marks, which meant, an elite inside the city was killing girls, and the royal guard was covering it up.
Jessica caught me staring and pulled her clothes up to cover the marks, with a look I could have sworn was shame. But then she recovered quickly and smiled at me.
“I can’t help it if I’m so desirable,” she said. “Thomas can barely keep his hands off me. He says I’m the sweetest thing he’s ever tasted. What, hasn’t yours touched you yet?” She asked, tugging down my collar to get a better view of my neck. “Oh my god, what’s wrong with you? He must have realized he made a mistake in picking you.”
After what I saw last night, I wasn’t sure I wanted Damien to bite me like that, but her words still stung. After all, why hadn’t he fed on me? Wasn’t that the whole reason I was even here? Peace between our races depended on the covenant, which included not only the sacrament of renewal, but also the choosing. Penelope said I had to get Damien to like me. But how, if he could barely stand to be in the same room with me? I’d been hoping to ask him for extra elixir, for my mother, but how long would that take? Maybe Trevor was right… there were other ways to get elixir. And I knew at least one person who knew them.
Master Svboda clapped her hands and brought our attention to the front of the room. As she lined up the glasses, preparing our daily dose of elixir, I realized all of my senses were hyper-focused on her movements. I watched her carefully as she replaced the elixir, locked the refrigerated cabinet, and slipped the key in her pocket. I told myself I was only interested in saving my mother, but part of me knew that wasn’t the only reason. I felt a physical craving, an eagerness that hadn’t been there before.
When it was my turn, I grabbed a glass and gulped down the elixir, feeling power flood through my veins. The bracelet on my wrist beeped as the levels in my blood rose to 3%. I flexed my fingers, and bounced on the heels of my feet, itching to expel this new energy.
“Today we’re going to learn about compulsion,” Master Svboda said. “This isn’t common knowledge, but it is important. As chosen, you will have privileged access to the elites. You’ll see them close up, and might overhear things that their enemies could use against them—family secrets, as it were. The elixir strengthens an elite’s natural abilities. These mostly manifest as increased speed, strength or stamina. But they also increase mental acuity, cognitive function, and brain power. Some elites are able to use these abilities to influence humans, or even other elite.”
“The effects can be subtle,” she contined. “A strongly worded warning that functions as a command. An inability to refuse. Or if they are powerful enough, they can even force someone to do what they do not want to do. This is compulsion.”
“A similar ability, bordering on telepathy, is when elites push an illusion into the mind of others in the form of a glamour. They can literally make you see or experience things that aren’t there.”
I saw murmurs from the other girls, and felt a sudden chill. I had no idea elites were able to do that. It raised questions I wasn’t ready to think about. Is that what the man in the mask did to me—tried to replace my memories with a glamour? If so, why hadn’t it worked?
Master Svboda clasped her hands behind her back and nodded at our frowns.
“Hurting humans is illegal under King Richard’s covenant. Elites can only feed on human blood when it’s freely offered. The problem is, it’s not always easy to tell when you’re being compulsed. Many humans find the elite so charming they don’t realize their decisions are not their own.”
“Can we compulse?” Camina asked.
“Unfortunately no,” Master Svboda said. “You’d have to have a lot of elixir in your system—too much. It would consume you, and you’d probably die. But, you can learn to feel the effects of compulsion, and resist them. Today we’ll practice that, with the help of a special guest.”
She nodded towards the door just as Tobias stepped through it. He strode into the room and smiled. I heard Jazmine whisper, “I wouldn’t mind if he compulsed me sometime.”
Unlike us, in our boring training uniforms, Tobias was dressed in a dark pair of jeans, shiny leather shoes, a white collared shirt and a form-fitting jacket. He wasn’t as muscular as Damien, but he was a much better dresser, and good-looking, like all the elites.
“Drinking more elixir will help you resist compulsion,” Master Svboda continued, “but your willpower will be limited. The more you fight against it, the more it will drain your energy. Today we’ll teach you to notice the effects of compulsion, so that you can begin to resist them.”
“Close your mind. Tobias will try to plant images or thoughts into your thoughts, show you your worst fears, or your deepest desires. You need to learn how to identify when you’re being compulsed, and resist if possible. The elixir will help at first.”
Tobias crossed his arms and stood at the front of the class, staring at us. At first, nothing happened. He held each girl’s eyes for a few seconds, with an unflinching gaze. Some
times he would wink, or smile, or change posture. When it was my turn, I felt a buzzing over my skin—an itchiness, like ants crawling. He didn’t even blink, and time seemed to slow to a stop. My eyelids drooped, and I felt drowsy. It was a relief when he finally looked away and focused on another girl. This time, he started walking around. He’d lean up to a girl and whisper something in her ear. He’d get right in her face, inches away and stare her down. Mary was the first one to crack. Suddenly she started screaming. She jumped up and started dragging her fingernails across her skin, leaving deep red marks.
“They’re not real,” Master Svboda said. “No matter how realistic they seem.”
Mary couldn’t stop moving though. Now she was scratching at her throat and her face, her eyes filling up with panic.
“Stop it!” I yelled. “Can’t you teach us without torturing us?”
Tobias looked back towards Master Svboda, who shrugged. Tobias smirked, then held his hands up like he was casting a net over all of us. All the girls in the room stood still, then smiled in amazement. Several let out sighs of delight and awe, their eyes glassing over, mesmerized by some fantasy I couldn’t see.
Tobias made eye contact with me again and raised his eyebrows. Master Svboda came over and checked the monitor on my wrist. “She’s still at 2%” she said to Tobias. “Are you losing your touch?”
Tobias came closer and stared at me with a hypnotic gaze, narrowing his eyes. I felt the itchiness again, stronger this time, like hive of bees let loose inside my skull. The monitor on my wrist turned red, and dropped to 1%. Tobias’s lips curved into a satisfied smile, but I could also see the tension in his forehead as he concentrated. Finally the bracelet beeped, indicating I was down to zero.
It was like a veil dropped down over the entire room. Suddenly I was outside, in a forest. The sky was clear and full of stars. Tobias and Mrs. Svboda faded, along with the gym, but I could still see the girls. Now, however, I could see what they were interacting with. It was some kind of circus, with red and white tents and exotic animals. Mary was eating something that looked like cotton candy. Jazmine and Camina were ogling a pair of monkeys in a cage. Several girls were laughing as a clown tied colorful balloons into little animal shapes. Luminescent fruit grew from thick green leaves, and glowing pink and purple butterflies flew between us. It was so vivid it was almost real, but something felt off. The colors were too bright, and there was a subtle flickering in the sky, where the ash should be. I squinted my eyes, focusing on the flicker, and took a deep breath. The scene shifted in transparency, and the vision faded until I could see Tobias and Mrs. Svboda again, frowning at me. I walked towards them.