I freeze. Trapped with Death? Never make it to the New World?
My chest rises and falls sharply. I feel a tightening in my throat, as if all the muscles are constricting. I take several deep breaths. No. It can’t be. These are just stories. That’s all. The Zharat are full of stories.
Just stories.
Except I know it’s not a story. Because Death told me—that first time I saw him, he told me.
Death will collect what belongs to Death… And that means me. I belong to Death. I’m never going to make it to the New World. A traitor’s soul is Death’s soul.
I step back, try to breathe, but every breath gets stuck. I press my lips together; no, it can’t be.
The mask of betrayal hangs over your aura, like gold cobwebs, rusting. Your body will rot under Death’s command, long before your soul is allowed an escape from the decaying flesh of your ribs.
I gulp. That’s what Death said to me. Permanent pain after I die… My soul stuck in my rotting body… And when my soul is free, I’ll still belong to Death… I’ll always be his.
A threat. A promise of what will happen to my body and soul because I wanted to join the Enhanced.
Because he thinks I will betray the Untamed again, because he knows I already thought about it… Most easily tempted.
Because I’m powerful.
Powerful.
Raleigh said that. He’s said that loads of time, said that’s the reason he wants me.
Because I’m the most powerful Seer? Because I’m most easily tempted? I frown. No. I’m strong. I resisted the pull of the Enhanced lifestyle. I’m still Untamed.
Because I’m the key to the Untamed? Does Raleigh know that? He must… He seems to know everything, more than I know.
I shake my head.
Death is watching me. Death chose me, because I am easily tempted—and I was.
Death chose me because he believes I’ll betray the Untamed again.
I’m a Seer of Death.
“Seven? We really need to go. If the men catch us…” Jeena touches my arm gently.
I stare at the painting of Death, of Waskabe, try to remember everything he and the bison and the spirits have ever said to me. But my head is heavy, fuzzy. I can’t think.
My death.
He said the day of my death is marked to end the suffering. But how? I don’t understand. If I’m a Seer of Death, and I’m powerful—very powerful—and the key to it all, does that mean I’ll kill people? A whole side? I gulp. Is that why Death was so adamant that I mustn’t betray my people again… Because if I’m Enhanced I’ll kill all the Untamed? Because I’m the key to it all.
But how? I don’t understand.
No. I shake my head. That’s not right. Can’t be. It’s to do with my death. That’s what Death said. My death would end the suffering. Because I’m going to kill people, bring death about… And I’ll die to end it all, end the war? I’ll be the last death?
Or because if Raleigh finds me, the Enhanced will get all the Zharat—all the Untamed—and somehow, then, I’ll die?
“Seven, come on, we need to go. We shouldn’t even be here. It will upset the Gods, and they will punish all of us,” Jeena says. “Manning wants you in the council area. If we’re not there soon, he’ll come looking for us.”
“And he’d better not find us here,” the other girl mutters.
Manning. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I shudder. But then Jeena and the other girl are marching me away, and I don’t try to stop them.
It doesn’t take long to get to the council area. Manning and two other men are already sitting there.
“Seven.” Manning grins. “How lovely of you to join me again.”
I glance at Jeena, pray that she and the other girl aren’t going to leave me. But there’s another woman here too; she’s in the shadows. Clare. The only person I’ve seen who wears violet…the same shade I now wear. Because we’ve both challenged the men. Maybe violet isn’t just for marking us as being of the lowest status. Maybe it’s also to single us out as the dangerous ones… The ones who need to be watched.
But no one’s doing a good job of watching Clare now. She’s in the shadows, and something tells me only I have noticed her there.
“We’ve had a request to put your marriage date forward,” Manning says. “To next week. The request has been granted.”
My jaw drops.
Manning looks amused for a few seconds. “The ceremony will be held in six days’ time, woman. You better prepare.” He looks across at Jeena. “Ain’t that lovely? Seven will be your new mother.”
Jeena looks away, and Clare steps up to me. She stands next to me, hands behind her back.
“Congratulations,” Clare says, smiling.
“Who requested it?” I ignore her, stare at Manning.
Clare moves a little, and then something brushes against my hand. I feel the sharpness of it; right away I know it is a blade. I wrap my fingers around it, hold it behind my back, confused. Clare moves closer, and her words are a whisper that’s lost among my fast breathing. I start to turn to her, but then she moves—leaves the area so quickly.
And I’m left holding—hiding—a knife.
Manning’s lips curl. “I think you know who requested to have your marriage date put forward, woman,” he says.
I turn my attention back to him. He’s right.
I do.
I stare at Jed, head still pounding. There’s too much going on in it, I can’t think clearly.
“Why?”
The corners of Jed’s lips tug up. “Because I want to be with you in all the ways.”
I cross my arms, try to stop myself shaking. I shake my head, try not to let his words affect me.
“You said you weren’t interested in me—not in that way.” I swallow hard. Clare’s knife is under my shirt, tucked into my belt, out of sight. But my fingers start to burn; they’re yearning for it.
Jed’s voice is heavy. “I’ve changed my mind.” He moves toward me, touches my waist. “It will be all right, you will enjoy the wedding,” Jed says. “And there is no point in waiting all this time. Look, my leg, it is almost healed now. We can have a proper ceremony.”
I look down, but there’s nothing to see but his trousers. Jed’s not like some of the other men here. He covers up as much of his skin as possible, doesn’t show off his tattoos—because he’s comfortable in his own power, his status, that’s what he said before. But I suppose he is putting his weight on his bad leg. And I haven’t seen him limping much lately—he even went out hunting before.
Jed reaches across, touches my face. His hands tilt my head back so I look into his eyes. Dark eyes, like Corin’s, but not as… Something’s different. I want to say Corin’s are truer, but that doesn’t make sense. They’re just eyes. Untamed eyes.
“You are beautiful.”
I try to lean away, but his hands on my face stop me. Before I know what’s happening, he’s trying to kiss me.
Déjà vu.
I shove him backward.
My breath comes all at once, and I take several deep gulps, nearly choking. My head feels too hot. I pull at my left ear, tug it.
Jed smiles an unkind smile.
“I must go and prepare with the other Seers,” he says. “We have another meeting tomorrow, to find the missing girls—girls and women now.” His eyes meet mine. “More have gone missing.” His tone is dark, and there’s something about it that makes the words sound like a threat.
I stare at him. My stomach starts to hurt.
He crosses toward the doorway, pulls the drape back. “I will not be long.”
I collapse onto the leaf mattress, feel Clare’s knife press into my back. My head spins, pounds. Tears come to my eyes again, and then I’m looking at my fist, at my cracked knuckles. I run my fingertips over them, flinch a little. The blood has dried now, but it feels unstable. Like more is trying to gush through.
I press on the broken skin harder, harder, until
I feel it.
Pain.
I welcome it. Feels good. I take deep breaths; feel tears pierce the corners of my eyes. But they’re good tears. Good tears.
Waskabe.
The name suddenly flashes in front of me. Then I see Death, in my memories. I take deep breaths. Need to concentrate on that, not Jed. On Death. Waskabe.
I’m his Seer. I’m a Seer of Death. That’s why I’m the key to the survival of the Untamed. Because I’m his Seer.
And my death will end the suffering. That’s what he said the very first time I saw him: The day of your death is marked to end the suffering.
I try to clear my head. That’s what I know. But it’s not enough. I need to know how my death will end the war, and what being a Seer of Death means I will do. Because suddenly I don’t think it means that I’m supposed to stay here—holed up with the Zharat—so Raleigh can’t find me. No. It means I’m going to do something, something active. Kill a whole side? Kill all the Enhanced? But how… There are too many. I can’t kill millions of people….
But the Enhanced isn’t the smallest side, is it?
I gulp, and then I don’t know where my thoughts are coming from. They’re just there.
The Untamed has the smallest number. It would be easier to kill all of them. End the war that way, with the Enhanced victorious. End the suffering of the Untamed… Isn’t that what Waskabe said my death would do? End the suffering. And then I’d kill myself—the last Untamed person? And the war would end.
And I could do that here….
Stop Raleigh and the Enhanced from ever getting all of us.
No.
I flinch. Feel my insides start to get jittery. I rub my hands together, watch my legs as they tremble.
Or maybe being a Seer of Death doesn’t mean I’ll kill anyone after all. I reach for my Seer pendant, twist the crystal around, over and over in my hand, as if by doing it I’ll suddenly get all the answers I need.
But the answers don’t come, and I know they won’t. The Gods and Goddesses work in strange ways. I know that. They’re probably never going to tell me how I’ll end the war, just that I will. Somehow.
Oh Gods. I feel the pressure on me, a weight pressing down on my neck. I take several deep breaths, let go of the Seer pendant. It slams into my chest with a little too much force, as though a magnetic field’s pulled it back.
I take several shaky breaths, then I cover my face with my hands, breathe deeply. So deeply that it sounds as if I’m hyperventilating.
“Sev?”
The voice makes me jump. I bolt upright, the edge of the mattress pressing against my ankles.
Corin. In the doorway. My heart races.
Then I get ready for his instructions, what he wants me to do.
But they don’t come.
“What do you want?” I shift my weight a little.
Corin looks at the ground. I look at his shoes. They’re the ones that we got on that raid back at New Repliza, together. We both got a pair. But I’ve no idea where mine are. I don’t seem to wear shoes anymore. I stare at my bare feet.
He pulls a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.” He exhales. “To see that you’re all right, after Kyla…and Nyesha?”
“Nyesha?”
Corin’s eyes widen a little. “You don’t know?”
I get a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. “What?” My voice is a whisper.
He turns away slightly, and I see his profile. “Women have gone missing too now.”
I nod. Jed said that.
“Nyesha’s one of them.”
At first, I don’t understand his words. It’s like he’s speaking the Zharat language, and his words are butterflies that just glide over me, singing sweet songs that I’ll never know. Then I touch my head slowly.
“Missing?” The corners of my eyes sting. “What? Out fishing?” I try to remember what Jed said.
Corin shakes his head. “No. They seemed to disappear straight from the cave. Haven’t you heard the talk about it? Manning thought at first the group had run away, but they haven’t taken anything with them. No weapons, nothing. And some of their babies have been left behind. He says it’s the spirits.”
“The Noir Lands are bad,” I say, and I don’t know where the words come from, or how I manage to keep my tone so neutral.
I wring my hands together, try to scrape the rest of the dried blood off, but the movement just makes me sweat. Makes my hands go clammy, damp, horrible.
Nyesha’s gone… I blink hard, shake my head. I feel my breathing get sharper, feel the panic rising, know that I need to distract myself.
“How’s Esther?” And I feel awful that that question is my distraction, that I haven’t asked sooner.
Corin looks grim. “She’s been better.” He pauses. “Manning’s not been hurting her anymore now. She’s safe. You haven’t seen her?”
I shake my head and—
“My wedding’s going to be next week.” My body jolts as I blurt the words out.
Corin’s face darkens. “What?”
I press my hands down onto my thighs, dig my nails in until I can feel sharp points of pain. I try not to look at him. “He’s moved it… Jed…wants it sooner.”
Your wedding is going to be next week.
Next week.
I gulp, get a prickly feeling in the bridge of my nose.
And—and I can’t do it anymore.
I turn away from him, don’t want him to see me cry, don’t want him to see how weak I am. I stare at the cave wall. The black-gray lava.
“Sev?” Corin’s voice is full of alarm.
I hear him step closer—feel him step closer, the air changes. Then his hands are on me, turning my head back toward him.
I hesitate, force myself to look away. “Jed will be back soon, he’ll be looking for me. Someone will see us.”
Corin shrugs—I see the movement from the corner of my eye. Then his hands pull me up, and I’m standing in front of him. His arms catch me, hold me, and I stare over his left shoulder. I feel his warm fingers pressing against my waist, and he makes a noise deep in the back of his throat. Part of me is aware the knife’s still in my belt—I need to move it—but my body feels strange, like I can’t control it.
He shouldn’t be here… You shouldn’t be touching him… Jed will be back soon… He’ll be angry if he sees Corin with you… Bad things happen when Jed’s not happy.
But I’m not supposed to be with Jed. I’m supposed to be with Corin. I press my lips together, feel tears run.
Corin’s breathing deeply, and I feel his body shake with every breath. He starts to say something, but changes his mind. His fingers splay out along my back, touching more and more of me, and he presses his hands flat against my sides, as if he needs to touch me.
I lift my head up, focus on his full lips. They look the softest I’ve ever seen them.
“What’s this?” His voice is sharp and sudden. He’s pulling up my shirt farther, and I think he means the knife tucked in the back of my belt, but then I realize he’s looking at my skin.
“I—”
The marks. He felt the marks, and now he’s looking at them. Looking at my side, my hip. Dread fills me. I go cold. No. The room goes cold.
“Sev?”
I look at him carefully. “I don’t know, insect bites?” And I’m about to say Jed’s got them too, when I realize that would anger Corin, make him think Jed and I have been naked together.
But the insects have bitten him too. That wasn’t a hallucination, what I saw on his neck before he turned his collar up, was it? Oh Gods. I don’t know.
“They’re not insect bites, Sev,” Corin says.
He pushes the hem of my shirt up more, squints at the skin across the left side of my ribcage. His fingers brush against the bite marks; I shiver. My breath catches in my throat. But still he’s touching them, touching me. He doesn’t stop. He lifts my shirt higher still, and I see his eyes get wider and wider.
“They’re all over you, all up this side,” he says, his voice almost too low to hear. “Those ones… They’re like snake bites. Tiny, tiny snake bites. But they’re not…” He shakes his head. “Have you told anyone?” There’s a strange lilt to his voice, a lilt that makes me wonder if he knows what they are. But it’s a lilt that stops me from asking him.
I shake my head, gulping. My hands are clammy, and suddenly I’m sweating loads.
His fingers smooth my shirt back down, back over the knife in my belt. Then he takes hold of my shoulders softly. His eyes stare into mine. My heart feels like it’s going to burst. “Don’t tell anyone about them,” he says. “I’ve got a bad feeling.”
I nod, take a deep breath. I look up at Corin, a thousand words on the tip of my tongue—words I can’t say. And—
He kisses me.
A deep kiss. A kiss that isn’t like our others. This is faster, harder, more…desperate?
I kiss him back, press myself closer, taste the smoke on him. Part of me is surprised I’m doing it. That I’m grabbing him, like an animal. But I want him.
I hate Jed.
I want Corin.
I need Corin.
I feel different. Older. A lot older—the realization slaps me, and, for a second, I see myself as Five. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel like a weak, little girl. I feel strong, confident, empowered. A woman.
And I want him.
Corin’s hands move around my body, my arms, my shoulders, my waist. Then his lips move down, to my neck, to the soft skin there. I breathe deeply. His hands press against my lower back, pulling me in toward him. Then he pushes the back of my shirt up again. His fingers touch my searing skin, burn me. But he doesn’t care about the insect bites this time.
“Sev….”
He pulls away, just enough so our eyes meet. His pupils are dilated, more dilated than I’ve ever seen them, and the rim of color around them glows, more amber than usual.
The question in them burns, then he whispers in my ear.
“Yes.” I nod, my head’s pounding. Adrenaline. I pull Jed’s ring off, throw it behind me into the dirt and dust, and reach for Corin’s hands, press them against my skin again, want to feel him close. Need to feel him close.
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