by RaeLynn Fry
“A couple of weeks,” Ethan says. “We had to force feed you water and broth just to keep you alive.”
It's painstaking to turn my head to him. “Two weeks?” I ask, disbelieving.
He nods, relief in his eyes. He takes my hand in his two. “I didn't think you were going to wake up. Ajna?”
“Yeah, Ethan?”
“Why don't you go out and count to one hundred, then go find your papa and Eta? I need to talk to Karis alone for a little bit.”
“Okay,” Ajna says, jumping up. It's as if he were never sick. “I like him,” he says in a loud whisper before leaving the room. “He should stick around for a while.” Ethan ruffles his hair.
As soon as my brother leaves I say, “I'm sorry.”
Ethan crashes down on my like a wave and clings to me in a fierce hug. I grip him back, as if he were my only source of life. After a moment he pulls away and says, “Why didn't you tell me about your Mark?”
“Because we didn't need the distraction. I had to get the medicine for my brother.”
“You should've told me. I had an idea, but I thought to myself, she'd tell me if she were dying.”
I'm ashamed of my actions. “I know, and I'm sorry, but it was the best decision for what was going on.”
“You almost died. How is not saving your life the best decision?”
“But I didn't die, Ethan.”
“Only because of your moth—” he lowers his voice, “—only because of Rebeka.”
“What'd she have to do with this?”
“She gave me the medicine that saved your life.”
“Ethan, how does she know all of this? How does she know you?” I hold up a hand. “Wait. I don’t want to know.” Not now at least.
“You can’t keep things from me, Karis,” Ethan says.
“The pot calling the kettle black.”
He purses his lips. “No more, okay?”
“No more what?”
“No more lies. From now on, we're one hundred percent honest with each other.”
“From now on?” I ask with a smile. “So you're saying I'm stuck with you for a while?"
“For a long while.” He winks at me and caresses my hand, bending down for a soft kiss.
“So now would be a good time to tell you you’re a little reckless,” I say.
“And now would be a good time to tell you you’re stubborn. We make a good pair.”
That makes me smile, which triggers a dull throb in my head. “What happened?” I ask, rubbing my forehead with an uncoordinated hand. “I'm still a little fuzzy.”
Ethan sighs and runs his hands through his hair, a gesture I’m starting to find familiar. “After Eta gave Ajna the medicine, you sort of went all funny and passed out. You were on fire and so pale. We all thought you were dead. Then I remembered the vial Rebeka gave me. She said you might need it. That it was part of another Corp experiment.
“We didn't know what it was or how to use it, but we figured we had nothing to lose. Eta put it in a syringe and shot it into your bloodstream. She figured at the rate you were leaving us, she had to get it into your system as quick as possible.”
I shudder when Ethan tells the story. I didn't know I was that close to death.
“After Eta gave you the medicine, your breathing returned to normal—still a little shallow, actually—but you didn't look nearly as dead.” He smiles, but I can tell how scared he was when that happened. “You’ve been asleep until you woke up just now. It was really touch and go the entire time, but you hung on. Like I said, you’re stubborn.”
“How did it work? How did the medicine save me?”
Ethan shrugs. “We don't know, but Eta has a theory. We think it’s full of a new kind of nanobyte. Something the Corporation designed to reverse the effects of a faulty tattoo. Build back up the DNA that’s been corrupted, but we’re not sure how. And we still don’t know the side effects— if there are any.”
“But the Corporation designed the faulty tattoos; why would they also create an antidote?”
“To control it better? Who knows?” he says.
“Do we have any more?” I can't help but think of Kavin and that if I'd had this sooner, he might’ve been saved. “Is there a chance it can be replicated?”
“I don't know. That's what we're looking into, but we shouldn’t hold our breaths.”
I look around the room, a little confused. “Where am I?” I press the heels of my hands into my eye sockets, which feels surprisingly good. I press a little deeper.
“Your room.”
I look around again. I can tell I'm on the floor, and all the features of my room are there, my closet, my dresser. “Why am I not in my bed?”
“Um, it's already occupied.”
“By who?” I prop myself up onto my elbows and peer across the room.
In my bed, lying unconscious, is a man I've never seen before. He's dirty and worn. Sunburned and creased. His hair is a ratted mess spilling across my pillow, and now that I can focus better, there's a slight smell of fresh garbage and refuse in the air. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it earlier.
I drop my voice, “Where did he come from? Who is he?”
Ethan stares at the man. “He's an Untouchable.”
I gasp. “From the Further?” Before all this, I would have said that was impossible. Now I’ll believe anything. “How?”
“I think I'd better let your father and Eta explain.”
७
There's a soft knock on my door. “Karis?” It's Papa.
“Come in,” I say. Ethan helps me sit up and then moves to the corner of the room, leaning against the wall.
The door opens cautiously, and Papa peeks around the edge. When he sees me, his eyes well up. I can't help it, mine do, too. “Papa,” I say.
He hurries to my side and wraps me in a hug. “I thought I'd lost you.”
“I'm so sorry,” I say into his shoulder.
He pulls back. “For what, honey?”
“For scaring you, I didn't mean to.”
“I know, Ethan told us everything. It's okay.”
Eta walks into the room holding Ajna's hand, a smile warming her wrinkled face. Ajna grins from ear to ear, and I can tell by his wriggling body that he's anxious to get back to my side, but Eta holds him at bay so Papa and I can have some time.
“You were so brave,” Papa says.
“You taught me how.”
I've never seen him do it before, but his ears start to turn pink. “You've got quite a young man there, Karis.”
I glance up at Ethan and smile. “I know.”
“Can I go over now?” Ajna is trying to whisper to Eta, but it's a useless effort.
“Come on over, buddy,” I say with an arm stretched out.
Ajna flies from Eta’s custody and leaps onto my temporary bed. “Careful,” Eta chides. She doesn't see him, but he rolls his eyes.
“I was so scared,” Ajna tells me. “I thought I wasn't gonna have a sister anymore.”
I poke him on the nose, ignoring the stinging in my eyes. “And I thought I wasn't gonna have a little brother anymore, so I guess we're even.” He smiles his toothless grin and hugs me tight around the neck. It feels good to hold his warm little body.
“I take it there's a lot that's happened while I've been away?” I ask when Ajna lets go.
“Oh, the Untouchable, you mean?” Papa says.
“What happened?” I say, looking at the man again.
Eta steps forward and takes a seat in a chair. “He just showed up one day. Dhevan's father was in the pastures, tending to the new calves, and saw him stumbling through the Further. He didn't believe it himself at first, but as the man got closer he knew what he was.”
“What happened? Did the Untouchable say anything? How’d he even get through the Gates?”
“He just walked through. The Gate didn’t even register his presence. Déjà gave him some water, and the stranger was able to get out a few words before he passe
d out,” Papa says.
“What? What did he say?” I’m hanging on Papa’s every word.
“He said, ‘It is real'.”
“What? What does that mean?” I ask.
Papa shakes his head. “We don't know. He passed out after that, and he hasn't woken up since. Déjà knew the Corporation couldn’t have him, so he brought him here.”
“How long ago was that?” I ask.
“Shortly after we discovered you were missing,” Eta says.
“And there's something else,” Ethan says, pushing himself away from the wall. He walks over to the Untouchable and takes his arm out from under the covers.
“Ethan—” I say clutching at my blanket.
“It's okay.” He flips the man's arm over.
My eyes are wide. “There's no Mark.”
Ethan puts the blanket back. “Exactly.”
“You were right; there are cities out there in the Further.”
“Cities that aren't under the control of the Corporation. And my father knows it,” he says. I judge my family’s reactions. They don’t have any, and I’m relieved. Ethan must have already told them who he is.
“The only problem,” Papa says, “is that he almost died getting from where ever he's from, to us.”
My mind starts to reel at what this means and how it will change everything we know and how we live. “Who knows he's here?”
“The Maliks, us, and the Cambrais.”
“That's it?” I ask.
Papa nods. I turn to my brother. “No one else?”
Ajna puffs out his chest. “I haven't told anyone. I haven't even talked about it to Kerick, even though he knows.”
Ethan ruffles Ajna's hair. “Ajna's been real grown up about this whole thing.” My brother beams.
“Good. If Akin were to find out about him, they'd get rid of him, just like he gets rid of everything that shakes the Corp’s foundation. So what are we going to do?”
“Keep him here and care for him until he wakes up. If he ever does,” Eta says. “He's going to be an invaluable wealth of knowledge.” She doesn't have to say for what.
“What about Guards? Have they been out looking for us?” I ask.
Papa shakes his head. “That’s the strangest part of all. I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. If anything, I think there’s been less of a presence in Neech.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” I say. “Akin should want to be getting his hands on us more than anything. We know the truth.”
“The only thing I can think of is that he has a greater plan in place,” Ethan says. “Akin’s a patient man; he’ll wait any length of time to make sure all his pieces are in place before he makes his play.”
I file that thought next to the one about my mother to think about later, when I have more strength. I move to a safer subject. “How have you been explaining my absence?”
“You came down with a nasty sickness that kept you quarantined and bedridden,” Eta says with a smile. “I'm glad you're feeling better.”
“Me too,” Ajna says dramatically.
I try not to laugh. “Why's that?”
“Journey’s really been buggin’ me!”
“How so?”
He tips his head back and groans. “It's her stupid Pairing Ceremony. Every day it's, ‘Is Karis feeling better yet?' and ‘Karis had better be at the Celebration or she won't be my best friend anymore.' Then it's back to, ‘Is there anything I can do for her?'”
I can't hold back my laughter. “It can't be that bad, Ajna.”
“Oh yeah? Try having Kerick ask you—in front of the entire year—which color and kinds of flowers you think his sister should use.”
I grab my side and try to laugh through the pain of my stiff ribs. “She didn't?”
“She did,” Papa says, trying to keep a straight face. “Ajna came home very upset that day.”
“Now that you’re back,” Ajna says, “she can start buggin’ you about all that stuff.” He turns and walks out the room.
“When’s the Celebration?” I ask.
“A couple of days after Ajna’s Jatis,” Eta says.
“When’s that?” I ask, trying to do the mental math in my head. It hurts too much.
“Next week. You woke up just in time.”
Yes, I think to myself. Yes, I did.
Day twenty-nine
Twenty-nine
“Where’s Ethan this morning?” Papa asks over breakfast. We just got done listening to the morning’s announcements reminding us about the Jatis tonight. Ajna’s Jatis. I wonder how it will turn out since the Corporation wasn’t planning on him attending.
“Helping Eta, I think. He’s got to earn his keep for living with her somehow.”
“Will we be seeing him at supper tonight?”
“I’m not his keeper, you know,” I say, stirring my oats. I miss grapefruit and Ella’s eggs and toast. The house is awful quiet without our filter. Until Papa can find out what the Corp did to it, and then fix it, we’re going without one.
“Uh-huh,” Papa says around a smile.
“I’m not.” But I can’t hide the warm smile spreading across my face. “Ajna with Kerick?”
“Yeah. He’s in full Jatis mode. I had to get him out of the house; he was going to drive me crazy.”
I let out a small laugh. For the past week, Ajna’s been running around the house and bouncing off the walls with excitement, wondering what his Mark will reveal about him. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he’s going to be a lumberjack, that I saw it written on a piece of paper. My brother didn’t die like the Corporation planned so who’s to say they won’t change their minds?
It only took me a week or so to fully rest and get back to my old self. And I’m a little reluctant, to say the least, to get back to work. The week’s given Papa and me a lot of time to talk about what’s really going on with the Corporation and with Neech. He won’t tell me what’s happening with the lumber and steel mills, though. Says he doesn’t know anything about it. But I don’t believe him.
Newsletters have been replaced by late night meetings with a few close and trusted friends, trying to come up with a plan to fight back. It’s going to take a lot of work before we can get more people to join us. Tying up loose ends is a lot harder than I thought it would be. We’re still talking a few things out.
“What information do you think we can get from the Untouchable?” I ask Papa.
“A lot, hopefully. Where he came from, how he got here, what’s out there. And more importantly, is the Corporation really out there now.”
I nod slowly, stirring my oats. “Do you think he’ll tell us?”
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
“We can’t tell anyone about him,” I say. “No matter what.”
“That goes without saying.” I feel Papa looking at me hard. “What’s really on your mind, Karis?”
I make a few more laps with my spoon before answering. “Do you think Kavin’s still alive?”
His eyes are sad. “Honey, I don’t—”
“It’s okay,” I say quickly. “You don’t have to answer. I knew better than to ask.”
“Ethan’s a good man. And he loves you.”
I look up at Papa’s kind face. “I know he does.” I give a genuine smile and stand to leave.
“I traded weekends with the Cambrais to take care of Sai, that way Journey and Dhevan can enjoy their Ceremony.”
“It’s hard to believe they’ll be Paired in a couple of days,” I say.
“You all used to be kids not too long ago. It’s hard to believe you’re almost grown up.”
I roll my eyes playfully. “I’ve been grown for a long time, Papa. You’ve just never wanted to notice it.” I stoop over and kiss him on the cheek.
“How’s your Mark?” He takes my wrist and turns it over with care.
“It’s good,” I say with a shrug. “Feels normal.” But I’m lying to him. And to Ethan. Again. I don’t know how to exp
lain to them the new things that are happening to me. I don’t even know myself.
“Looks good. I thought that Medic, Ella, was supposed to be coming in from the Inner City,” Papa says, letting go of my wrist.
My stomach clenches. Ella was supposed to be here a while ago. Ethan says I shouldn’t worry, but it’s hard not to. Akin knows we know his secrets. He knows Ella was helping us. He may have let us leave Dahn, but there was no way he’d let Ella go so easily.
“She’ll be here soon. She had quite a few loose ends to tie up.” I go to the door, put on my duster, and grab a mask down off a hook.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Papa says.
“Yeah?” I say as I button up my coat. I grab a scarf and start to wrap it around my neck.
“While you were in Dahn, did you see anyone you recognized?”
I stop mid-wrap and swallow. “Who would I know in the Inner City?” I ask, tucking the ends of the scarf into my jacket.
“No one, just wondering.”
I know exactly who he’s asking about, but I promised I wouldn’t say anything. I keep my promises, even if they’re with someone who doesn’t keep theirs.
“Bye, Papa.”
“See you at the Jatis,” he says as I walk out the door.
Ethan and I have spent hours theorizing about how Akin will get to us. It’s been a couple of weeks since we escaped. There’s no way they’re just going to forget about us. And as much as I hate to think about it, I worry about Rebeka and what might happen to her if the Corporation finds out she helped us escape.
I bury my face deeper into my scarf and hurry to meet up with Journey.
७
I’m trying to write in a straight line, but the table’s shaking and my hand’s moving around on the paper as if I’m in an earthquake. I can’t even read what the writing says, and I’m the one who put it on the paper. Now I know what it was like for Journey on the day of Kerick’s Jatis. Some part of Ajna’s been in motion every second of the day.
“Can you hold still for just one minute?” I say, putting down the pen. I give up.
“I’m tryin’, honest Karis.” My little brother looks like he’s trying to hold on to every inch of insides as they’re screaming to explode. Finally he blurts out, “I’m gettin’ my Mark!”