by Ann Bakshis
I’m released early in the morning a few days later. Matron Kaniz escorts me up to our floor and packs a bag for me while I eat breakfast. Rem is nowhere to be found when everyone starts pouring into the common room. Addie tells me she was able to go home last night, which I find odd since the Keepers weren’t supposed to allow any of us to leave until this morning. After eating, I take a shower and am met by Addie, waiting just outside my stall with some clothes. They look like the ones I wore when I first arrived, only cleaner.
“You’re going to love Tarsus. Especially the area Frey is from,” she says to me as I slip my undergarments on.
“Are you going home?”
“Yes. Maybe I’ll get to see you.” She gives me a hug and skips out of the room.
Matron Kaniz and Frey are both waiting for me in the common room, bags in hand. I begrudgingly take the duffle bag from Matron Kaniz’s hands. It’s heavier than I expected, and I wince from the residual pain in my shoulder.
“The carriage will be arriving in about ten minutes,” she says. Frey moves to stand beside me. “It’ll take you directly to Frey’s home. You’ll both be picked up in five days.”
“Five days?!” I shout. “I thought it was only going to be a couple of days, like two or three.”
“Five days, Max. That’s what the Keepers are allowing, nothing less,” she responds, her tone stern, almost forceful.
She gestures for us to head towards the lift. At the moment, it’s only the two of us leaving, but I see other bags sitting along the hallway. Frey is almost giddy as we descend. A transport is waiting for us when we exit, but it’s not the one that’ll take us to his home. This one swings us around the basement of the building, dropping us off where the main carriages enter. Garrett is standing along the wall, a bag at his feet. Brink is further down. They both catch my eye, but Garrett walks over to me first, which makes Brink frown then kick his bag like a child having a tantrum.
“So, you got roped into this too?” Garrett asks, stopping less than a foot away.
“Unfortunately. Who are you going with?”
“Lok, believe it or not. He offered, so I thought why not.”
“At least you had a choice in the matter.”
“Wait, you didn’t? They’re making you go?”
I nod.
He steps closer and bends down so he can talk into my ear. “Be careful. I don’t know what they’ve got planned if you’re being forced to go. I’ll try and figure out if I can find you. Where will you be?”
“Frey’s house,” I whisper. “But I don’t know where that is.”
He squeezes my arm. “Stay safe.”
He walks away just as Frey approaches, signaling that our carriage has arrived. Frey takes the duffle bag from my hands and places it next to his in the front seat. The two of us climb in the back, the door swings down into place, and locks. We do a quick U-turn and enter into a busy morning.
Our carriage slips in line with the others as they whisk by, changing over to other cables when they approach their drop-off points. The sun is shining brightly. Frey scoots closer, almost bumping into me. He drapes his arm along the back of the seat, practically tickling my shoulder with his fingers. The signs draped down each building are bright and flashy, even though the sun is out. I wonder if they leave them on all the time. We head south, swinging around skyscrapers then turn left. Tarsus is larger than I had anticipated.
A half-hour later we emerge from the main part of the city and out into a calmer, more sporadic setting. Small trees line the streets that branch off into sub-divisions with large, ornate houses. It’s another thirty minutes before we slow, change cables, and move down a stone path. The house we’re heading towards is a single story covered in windows, gray wood trim, and covers several lots. The carriage comes to a stop just outside a portico by the front door. Frey takes our bags and we walk to the door as the carriage leaves. The air smells sweet. The ground is made up of sand more than dirt, but the vegetation grows perfectly.
“This is a far cry from the Outer Limits,” I say, taking in all the color from the various plants and flowers.
“I told you so.”
Frey opens the door, gestures for me to go before him, and he closes it once we’re inside, leaving our bags by the door. Tall windows line the back wall of the common room showing waves crashing against the beach at the back of the property. The only water I’ve ever seen in my life came out of a faucet. I have to step down into the common room as I try to move closer to the windows, fascinated by the waves beyond. I can feel Frey standing behind me. He places his hands on my biceps, gently stroking them.
“Nice isn’t it?” he asks.
“Yes. Why would you want to leave a place like this?”
“Because Frey is never happy unless he’s in charge,” a man answers, entering from a dining room on our right. The man’s face is long, with doe eyes, brown wispy hair graying at the temples, and a stunning smile. Frey resembles him, but only slightly. “I didn’t know we were going to have company,” he says.
“Sorry, Dad, the Keepers didn’t allow us to contact anyone about our retreat. I didn’t think you and Mom would mind having us.”
The man smiles, but I can tell he’s not pleased with the surprise. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Max, this is my father, Avery.”
“Is Max short for something?” Avery asks, extending his hand to shake mine.
“No,” I lie.
I’m not a fan of my full name, so I only go by Max. I refuse to tell anyone what it really is. Tilda and Vernon were the only ones to ever know. I grow sad at the thought of Tilda gone, and angry with Vernon for ratting me out to the Aedox. I try not to show my feelings to Avery or Frey, though, since I’m sure they’ll ask questions I don’t want to answer.
“Frey, you can have her stay in your sister’s room. Your mother and I will be going out this evening, so you’re on your own for dinner.”
Frey takes our bags and nods for me to follow. Avery stays in the common room, watching us as we leave. I glance back before entering the hallway leading towards what I assume are the bedrooms, and Avery is gone. We pass several empty rooms before stopping outside one on the right, its door partially open. Frey pushes the door open with my bag. I follow him into the large room. The walls are covered in rice paper decorated with intricately scrolled designs. The bed lies against the back wall, stretching out into the center of the room. A desk sits on one side of the room, and a tall dresser against the other. Frey sets my bag down at the foot of the bed.
“You can store your clothes in the dresser or the closet. Both are empty. You have a private bath through that door,” he says, pointing to the sliding door on the right.
“Won’t your sister be home?”
“She’s not here anymore,” he says, frowning.
“Oh,” is all I reply.
“Get settled in and I’ll be back in about an hour.” He shuts the door when he leaves.
I scout the room, looking for what, I don’t know. There doesn’t seem to be any personal belongings of his sister anywhere in the room. I check out the bathroom, finding two towels, soap, shampoo, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. There’s a sunken bathtub in the far corner next to a shower stall. I go back into the bedroom and put my clothes away, not paying much attention to what Matron Kaniz packed for me. I tuck the bag in the closet, then sit on the edge of the bed. The only décor in the room, other than the rice paper, are two dragon statues on each of the side tables next to the bed. Both are small, green in color, and cemented to the furniture. They remind me of the dragon tattoo that Frey has and wonder if they’re connected.
I get up and stand in front of the lone window in the room. The waves move in rhythm with some unknown force, crashing quietly into the sand. The backyard is covered in tall grasses that look stiff and unyielding. I don’t hear Avery enter the room. I only know he’s there from his reflection in the glass. Tension in the room increases, and I feel
more uncomfortable the longer he stares at me. I wish he would say something, but instead he takes a step closer. Seconds drag by like minutes. He cocks his head to the side, then scans my body, which makes me even more uncomfortable.
“You look just like her,” he says, coming closer.
I’m frozen to my spot, too afraid to move. “Who?”
“Your mother.”
Nine
“How do you know my mother?”
“I knew both your parents,” he says, still coming closer.
“That’s not possible. You’re lying.”
I can feel his breath on the back of my neck, even though my hair is covering it. He takes his hand and brushes the hair onto my shoulder. I shudder at the touch, revolted by it. I shove him off and try to escape around him, but he has me blocked.
“What do you remember?”
My brain stops and is void of all thought. I can’t find my words.
He places his hands on my shoulders. “You must not remember, Max. Try and forget everything from your past, it’ll only harm you. Frey may try and coax your memory, but don’t let him inside your head. Your life depends upon it.”
He leaves just as quietly as he entered.
I’m still standing by the window when Frey returns. He’s puzzled by my demeanor, but I tell him I’m just not used to such luxury. He wants me to go with him on a walk through his neighborhood, but I decline, stating I have a headache. He’s upset at first, but quickly recovers telling me to get some rest. He’ll come and get me for lunch. He closes the door while I sit on the bed. I take off my shoes and socks, tucking them under the bed frame, slide under the covers, and close my eyes.
It doesn’t take me long to fall asleep, but I fall right into a nightmare. I relive the battle against the girl from Nius, only this time the metal plank slices me in half and I bleed to death. Avery’s words echo in my head as I float above my body, which the Keepers are leaving on the floor as the next battle begins. I’m suddenly back in the orphanage in my old room with Brink asleep in the next bed. I push back the covers and place my bare feet to the cold floor. I can actually feel the cold penetrate my skin, causing it to prickle. I open the bedroom door, walk the couple of feet towards the stairs, but stop before going down.
Aedox flood the foyer, followed by a tall woman in green with long red hair. The staff move out of their way, almost as if they’re trying to hide from her. She has a sense of power about her, almost defiant. Head Master Edom is dragged in behind her. His body shakes between the hands of his guards. He’s released, but doesn’t move from his spot.
“Has it been done?” the woman asks Edom.
“Yes. She was returned tonight. I’ve been told the alterations were successful.”
She chuckles. “We’ll see about that.” She turns to face him. “Make sure she’s selected. I need her in The Litarian Battles, understand?”
“Yes,” Edom responds.
“You know what will happen to you if she’s not, don’t you?”
Edom cowers before the woman. He’s acting as if he’s being tormented, yet no one is touching him. “She’ll be sent to Tarsus, I promise.”
“And none of the staff will say anything, correct?” the woman says, addressing everyone.
Heads nod in agreement, except one. Out of the corner of my eye, just below me stands Tilda, a quizzical expression on her face.
“Good. You all know what the punishment is for treason, so there shouldn’t be any issue.”
The woman leaves, with Edom following. The Aedox secure the building, questioning the staff to make sure they understand their orders, and then they leave. Tilda hid in the closet under the staircase, slipping in without being noticed, so the Aedox never questioned her. As soon as the foyer is empty, Tilda steps out and hastens her way to the kitchen. I’m about to follow her when I feel myself being roused from sleep. Frey is sitting next to me on the bed, gently rocking me so I’ll wake up.
“You all right?” he asks, perching himself next to me.
“Just a nightmare.” I pull myself up into a sitting position, but staying under the covers.
“Lunch is ready if you’re hungry.”
I say I am, and we exit the bedroom. We have to pass through both the common room and dining room to get to the kitchen. Avery is nowhere to be found, which makes me feel a bit more relaxed. On the counter sits two bowls of an orange colored soup topped with crumbled crackers. Frey pulls out the stool closest to the fridge and gestures for me to have a seat. I’m hesitant, but oblige him. The soup is hot and smooth, much better than anything served in the orphanage. We eat in silence, but I catch Frey watching me every so often.
What is up with him? Why is he watching me? It’s creepy.
I help him clean up the dishes when we’re done. He escorts me from the kitchen and out the back door. The sand is cool against my bare feet. The air is a lot warmer here than in the Outer Limits, which puzzles me. It’s winter in the Outer Limits, and here it feels like spring. How can there be that much of a climate difference between the two areas? We follow a path through the tall grasses, down a small slope, and out onto the beach. I’m nervous about approaching the water, but Frey takes my hand and coaxes me along.
We stand just at the edge, letting the waves wash over our feet. The water has a slight chill to it, but I don’t let it bother me. I grip the sand between my toes over and over again. I’m actually relaxing with each passing minute.
“What’s on the other side of the water?” I ask.
“Icarian.”
“Can’t you sail over to it if you wanted to? I mean if it’s just on the other side, there has to be an easier way of getting there other than The Litarian Battles.”
“It’s not that simple.” Frey quickly steps backwards, removing himself from the water as if it suddenly became acidic. “Icarian only appears when you’ve been selected to live there. If you travel by water, you’ll never find it.”
“Then how do you know it’s real? Have you ever actually seen it? Has anyone come back from there?”
“You think it doesn’t?” he asks, his tone turning harsh. “My father gets daily reports from the leader about Icarian. He’s one of the people tasked with sending the winners over there. How would he have a job if it didn’t exist?”
I let the moment pass, but still wonder if Icarian is real, regardless of what Frey says.
Clouds begin to swiftly move in from the east, followed by rumbling and lightening. We take cover in the house but not before the sky opens up. I’m soaked through, my feet leaving puddles in the doorway into the kitchen. Frey strips down to his underwear, tells me to stay put, and heads towards the bedrooms. A few minutes later, he returns wearing a robe and carrying a towel in one hand and a second robe for me in the other. I use the towel to wrap up my hair and then I begin to undress. Frey shies away, but I’m used to having to change in front of men, so it really doesn’t bother me. I do catch him looking, a concerned expression coming across his face.
“What happened to you?” he asks, noticing my damaged body.
“Oh, the scars? Aedox aren’t known to be kind when it comes to doling out punishments.”
“What could you have possibly done to warrant such abuse?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time,” he says, gesturing towards the common room.
He picks up our wet clothes, tosses them into a laundry room, heats up a kettle for tea, and turns on the fireplace next to a display along the far wall of the common room. He hands me a blanket, then goes and fetches our drinks when the kettle whistles. I’ve never told anyone about my indiscretions. No one ever asks in the Outer Limits, mainly because we all had them. I don’t think there’s a body in all of the Outer Limits that hasn’t been marked by the Aedox. I tuck the blanket around me just as Frey returns, handing me a cup. I take small sips, enjoying the cinnamon flavor. He sits down next to me, but not too close, which makes me happy.
“It took me seve
ral years to realize that I wasn’t in control of my life,” I start out. “When I was thirteen, I tried to sneak out of the orphanage. You see, no one is allowed to leave unless you reach the age of twenty-one and are moved to second-level housing, or die.” I take another sip of tea. Frey’s cup hasn’t been touched and is turning cold in his hands. “An Aedox was patrolling the outer wall and caught me. I was blindfolded, bound, and taken to a detention center. For two days, the Aedox put metal restraints around my ankles, making sure they were tight so they would rub my skin when I walked around the center’s courtyard for hours. Let’s just say I didn’t learn my lesson.”
I take a deep sigh and lean back further into the couch, my body almost going limp with relief. “A year later, I started a fight with one of the other residents. Again, I was blindfolded, bound, and taken to the detention center. This time I was strapped to a gurney and inflicted with knife wounds up and down my body. This lasted a week. When the Aedox saw the wounds were healing, they’d open them up again.”
“That’s horrible. Why would they do that?”
“I had used a knife to attack the girl, so it was my punishment to be tortured with the same weapon I was going to use on her.”
“Why did you attack her with a knife?”
“She called me a whore because I was rooming with several boys. It wasn’t my choice where I slept. That’s where the staff placed me. She wouldn’t stop mocking me, so I went after her with a steak knife.”
“Is everyone in the Outer Limits as violent as you are?”
“You should talk,” I say. “Tarsus has made a game out of killing, so you’re no different than us.”