Eos (The Eos Dawn Series Book 1)

by Jen Guberman

  “I wouldn’t feel right just leaving it here,” he answered softly, rubbing the fabric between two fingers.

  “We don’t have room to fit it in our bags, and it’d be impractical to try to sneak through Fallmont with one of us carrying a spare bag.”

  “I know,” he thought for a moment. “Wait… I have an idea.”

  Zane pulled out his dagger and began tearing into the fabric of the bag. The bag made loud ripping sounds as he cut two, palm-sized “L”s from the burlap, handing me one.

  “This way, we can still remember her and carry a little bit of her with us, in a way.”

  “That’s a great idea,” I smiled, blinking back tears as I looked over the L, tucking it safely in one of my coat pockets.

  Zane picked up the remains of the bag and sat them against the doorframe, giving them a sorrowful glance before turning back to me.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Ready.”

  We left the brick house without looking back. Ahead of us, all I could see was sand, and the faint image of a city, far in the distance. If I held my thumb in the air, it was large enough to block out the city entirely. We trudged through the sand for a while without saying anything, but eventually I spoke up.

  “You grew up with Lamb, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What was her story?” I asked. “How’d she end up in Avid?”

  “She used to steal even when she was younger. She started stealing when her little sister was born. Her family had more money than mine, so I may have initially started stealing to help my family get by, but her family never had to worry about food. Her sisters and parents were healthy, so she didn’t have to worry about medicine or paying for treatments. The money her parents earned was enough to pay for food, new clothes sometimes, school supplies… They weren’t rich by any means, but they had enough. But Lamb loved her baby sister from the moment she was born—she had always been the baby of the family and couldn’t wait to be a big sister. I remember how excited she was when her mom told her she was having a baby girl. Lamb came to me that day at school with the biggest smile, telling me all about the fun she couldn’t wait to have with her sister. From the day Tessy was born, Lamb began stealing.”

  “Why?”

  “She wanted to spoil her. Lamb started by stealing toys for Tessy. Nobody suspected her—young, smart, sweet little girl… a thief? Her parents were busy—they weren’t the most attentive couple. They never seemed to notice the new toys. As Tessy and Lamb grew up, Lamb started stealing books, jewelry, girly little accessories, and other things that she knew Tessy wanted. She was caught when she was 15, and so many shop owners had filed complaints against her that the officials had no choice but to do something about it.”

  “There was nothing else they could do? So they exiled a 15 year old little girl?” I asked in disbelief.

  “They tried different disciplinary actions. She was on probation for a year and they had her doing tasks around the city, but she kept stealing. So, when she turned 16, they tried her like an adult and exiled her. That was all about the same time my brother got sick, so needless to say it both influenced me to steal what my family needed and scared me to death to even think about getting caught. But yet, I did get caught. I got cocky about it after a time, thinking that I was good at it, and that Lamb must not have been. Truth is, it wasn’t about whether we were ‘good thieves’ or not—it was about whether we thought we were or not.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said, looking at him with a puzzled expression as we walked.

  “If you get too confident, you get sloppy. You could be the best thief in the world, but it wouldn’t matter for a moment if you get too confident. The moment you mess up and get sloppy is the moment you’re done for. They’ll send you off without batting an eye. A little confidence is a good thing, sure, but what’s best is to be a thief who is always afraid.”

  “Being afraid all the time is no way to live,” I argued.

  “It is if you want to get away with things. If you’re scared, you’re careful.”

  I thought on his words for a while as we walked in silence.

  “Eos?” he spoke up. “Why did you decide to trust me?”

  “What do you mean? Trust you with what?”

  “With anything. With everything. This whole Skeleton Key thing. Why do you trust me?”

  “I mean, initially you didn’t really give me a choice, honestly,” I laughed. “You took the papers and ran, and I wanted them back.”

  “But you could have taken them and ran off that first night—the one in the house with the ruined roof.”

  “But I didn’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Probably just because you’re cute,” I joked.

  “No, E, I’m being serious.”

  “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to steal those papers, or take off in the middle of the night, or leave you by yourself in the middle of nowhere because I didn’t want to be alone,” I admitted.

  Zane scoffed.

  “What?” I asked defensively.

  “You didn’t leave because you were lonely? That’s a load of crap.”

  “It’s true! I felt so alone in Avid, and I figured I’d be on my own looking for the Key, but then you said you really wanted to find it, and I saved you so I knew you wouldn’t take off before repaying the favor somehow. So, I knew, at least for a while, I could trust you, and I was willing to take the company, even if I hated you.”

  “You hated me?” Zane asked, appalled. “But whoa, wait, take a step back. What do you mean I wouldn’t leave before repaying the favor?”

  “I knew you may have been a jerk, but you weren’t a monster. You gave me that bracelet, you stole my ring back, and the worst you did to me when I hit you was smear pudding on my bed,” I laughed. “You were annoying and rude, and I hated you for it, but you weren’t beyond forgiveness.”

  “Somehow I don’t believe that you were just such a good person that you decided to forgive me for bullying you.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Whatever.”

  Zane grumbled.

  “What’s your favorite food?” Zane asked randomly after a few minutes of silence.

  I chose to ignore him for a while.

  “Seriously? You’re going to be like this?”

  I looked at him with an unamused face, raising an eyebrow testily.

  “The silent treatment? What are you? Five?”

  I turned my head back the direction we were headed, still saying nothing.

  “Ugh,” he groaned. “Fine. I’m sorry. Maybe you’re nice enough to just forgive someone. But if you were, you’d forgive me right now and stop giving me the silent treatment… Please?”

  “Chocolate pudding,” I smiled snarkily.

  “What? Oh, come on! You punched me in the face and I was mad! I’m sorry for the pudding on your mattress. There, happy?”

  I laughed.

  “Not what I meant. I mean chocolate pudding is my favorite food.”

  “Oh,” Zane blushed. “Sorry.”

  Fallmont grew larger in the distance, and I could make out towering skyscrapers that, the nearer we got, the more of the horizon they took up. The sun was beginning to set, igniting the sky in a fiery red-orange.

  “It’s huge,” I breathed, stopping to stare at the city ahead of us.

  “Yeah,” Zane said softly. “It looks like we are coming at it from the side or the back, so we might have to guess which direction around it to go to reach the gate. Are you ready to do this?” His voice sounded nervous as he looked at me with a hint of fear in his eyes.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answered.

  Zane took a deep breath and continued toward the wall surrounding the city.

  “Wait,” I said, frozen in my position. I don’t know how this is all going to end. What if something happens to Zane? Or to me?

  “What’s wrong?”

&
nbsp; I trotted over to him, throwing my arms around him and burying my face in his neck.

  “Eos, are you okay? What is it?” he asked, concerned.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” I mumbled.

  “Why are you hugging me?”

  “I’m just really glad you came with me after all,” I said, moving out of the hug and bringing my arms down to my sides.

  He smiled, pulling me back into his arms. He hugged me tight around my waist and held the position for a while.

  “Please be careful, E. I can’t lose you, too. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, and I would have been lonely and miserable even if I had. If you’re in trouble, run, and keep running until you’re safe. Promise me that?”

  “I promise, Zane,” I said, my palms flat on his back as he held me there.

  “Ready?” he asked, releasing me.

  “Yes.”

  I pulled my hood up to cover myself better as we began running toward the walls of Fallmont. The sun had almost completely disappeared when we reached the wall, but suddenly, there was a bright flash of light as the city illuminated beyond it. We looked up past the wall, seeing advertisements and signs glowing with a rainbow of colors on every building. Some of the lights flashed, others twinkled, and some even moved along to music playing from a speaker.

  I stared up at the glowing buildings, stunned. This is unreal.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this!” I said to Zane, not taking my eyes off of the lights.

  “Me neither. Eastmeade is the second largest city and even we don’t have lights as insane as these. This is incredible!”

  “Come on—let’s keep moving,” I ushered Zane, still looking to the side up at the lights as we took off around the wall.

  The sand sunk under my feet with every step, and I noticed myself walking in step with the beat of the music blaring from some of the buildings.

  “Get down!” Zane hissed at me, pointing ahead of him at three guards, armed with guns.

  I ducked down, pancaking myself against the sand, hoping the wall would block enough of the city lights to keep me shadowed. The closer the guards were to us, the more I could make out what they were saying.

  “What time is it?” one of the men asked.

  “Ehh,” another answered. “A few minutes until eight.”

  “Thanks. Mine and Luis’s shifts end at eight, so we’re gunna’ head back inside for the night. Dox and Terry should be here to replace us in a little bit. You good on your own, kid?” the first voice asked.

  “Mhmm,” a third voice replied.

  I could hear two of the men conversing, their voices growing faint as they drew further away. A couple minutes later, there was a commanding shout.

  “Put your hands above your head and get on your knees!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  What now?

  I held still for a moment, contemplating my options. From a distance, it looked like those men had guns, and I don’t think the guard is close enough to me for me to stand a chance with a knife. I’ll just have to do what he says until he gets close enough, then I’ll reach for my knife really fast and do what I have to do to get away. He could tell the other guards… He would tell the other guards… I’d have to do more than just injure him.

  I took a deep breath and raised my hands as I slowly maneuvered from my face-down position, sitting up on my knees. As I raised my eyes from the ground, they met those of the guard.

  Fabian.

  “Eos?” he called, lowering his gun slightly as he stared back at me in shock.

  I stared back at his freckled face like a deer in headlights.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought you were exiled?”

  “I was,” I said.

  “What are you doing here?” he repeated.

  “I—” I hesitated. “I’m looking for something.”

  “What the hell could you be looking for that’s in Fallmont? Or is important enough to put yourself in the kind of situation to get caught? You can’t be here! The last thing I want is to know my best friend got sent off to live the rest of her days in a jail cell.”

  “Then help us,” I insisted. “Please!”

  “‘Us?’” he asked, looking behind me until he spotted Zane in the sand a few yards away.

  “Yes. Please.”

  “What do you need help with?” he asked uneasily.

  “Help us get into City Hall.”

  “Why?”

  “We’re looking for something.”

  “What are you looking for? You owe me at least that much if I’m going to help you.”

  “You’re going to help us?” I asked, a smile growing on my face.

  “I didn’t say that!” Fabian said, his lips twitching upwards in a smile as he saw mine fade. “Don’t do that!” he said, stifling a laugh.

  “Do what?” I asked, dramatically sighing.

  “That!” he replied. “The guilt trips!”

  “I’m not guilt tripping you. I was just really hoping you could help us because we really need to get to City Hall, but it’s going to be almost impossible by ourselves.”

  “Then why are you even risking it?”

  “It’s just really important.”

  “Do you understand what you’re asking me, E?”

  “Yes. I know it isn’t fair for me to expect you to risk everything like that. You don’t have to help us, just pretend you never saw us and keep walking.”

  “I’m going to help you, but we have to be fast. More guards are supposed to meet me out here soon to be on watch.”

  I nodded, scrambling to my feet as Fabian began to walk alongside the wall. Zane and I hurried to follow him.

  “There’s an entrance specifically for guards,” he said, looking at a watch on his wrist. “We have a few more minutes before the other guards should be heading through it, so we can make it in if we hurry. It’s safer than the main gate if you catch it between shifts.”

  As we rushed along after Fabian, we neared a small door along the side of the wall surrounding Fallmont. Fabian pulled out a key ring, fumbling around until he slid one of the keys into the lock. The door unlocked and Fabian opened it, ushering us inside a small room full of weapons and first aid supplies, and shutting the door behind him as he followed us in, locking it behind him again with his key.

  “You said you need to go to City Hall?” he asked for clarification.

  “Yes.”

  Suddenly there was a click and I felt cold metal around my wrists.

  “Why are you handcuffing me?!” I howled at Fabian.

  “This is our best option,” he said, handcuffing Zane next. “If you guys look like prisoners, I can escort you to City Hall without raising suspicion.”

  Fabian pulled out a handgun.

  “I have to make it believable. I’m not going to hurt you—trust me.”

  “I do,” I said, looking him in the eyes.

  He grabbed the back of the collar of Zane’s shirt, forcefully leading him out of the room first, poking me in the back with the gun to lead me out on his other side. We continued like that, pretending to be prisoners caught by Fabian as he directed us out into the city streets.

  The streets of Fallmont were unlike any of the other cities for more than just the colorful lights and the music—the streets were full of people. Some carried armfuls of shopping bags, others mingled in talkative groups, and there were individuals who bustled about along the sidewalk. Just from where we stood, I could see multiple carts set up with people frying foods and drizzling sauces on them, filling the air with a sweet aroma. There were lines of people in front of the food carts, eagerly handing over money in exchange for plates and paper baskets full of the snacks. Fabian steered us onwards, turning us down a darker, less populated street.

  “It’s a few miles down this street,” Fabian said quietly from behind us. “Let’s move quickly.”

  “Fabian?” I asked.

  “Yeah?” he replied, leadi
ng us down the street.

  “Why did you become an official?”

  “Because of my dad. You remember how excited he was to move here for work with the government. He had been trying to get that job for years. From that point on, he kept pushing me to work for them as well. He put in a good word for me, and here I am.”

  “Oh, well, I’m happy for you,” I said, my voice flat as it trailed off.

  We hurried down the street, with Fabian still holding Zane’s collar and pressing the gun to my back, until eventually we reached a building wider than many of the others in the city. Most of the buildings in Fallmont were skyscrapers, but this one was shorter, with elaborate marble columns lining a front entrance. Fabian slowed to a casual walk as he ushered us toward the entrance.

  “Open the door,” he told Zane. “Slowly.”

  Zane reached forward cautiously and pulled open the door, revealing a large but almost empty room with white marble walls and floors. There was a gigantic, fragile-looking chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling, and there were a few people in short lines in front of a counter along the far wall.

  “Most of the officials go home for dinner and don’t come back until morning,” Fabian explained, assuming our curiosity.

  “What are these people here for?” I asked in a whisper.

  “The people behind the counter are just bankers. These people are just here for personal stuff, more than likely. Don’t worry about them—just look like you’re my prisoners and you’ll be fine. These aren’t the kind of people that would question it.”

  He directed us down a hallway just to the side of the counters. When we were safely out of sight of everyone, he closed a door behind the three of us, released Zane’s collar, and lowered his gun.

  “So, this thing you need to find so bad, where in here would it be?” he asked.

  “It was confiscated from someone years ago—is there a room with confiscated items?”

  “I mean… usually when we confiscate things, they just get sent to the dump in either Avid or along the border of the New Territory. If it were something particularly dangerous or useful to the city, they’d probably keep it in room 6A. It’s a secure room in the basement level. They keep a few random things in there. I’ve only ever been in there once, and it was when they gave me a tour of the building when I was hired to be a guard. You need an official ID to open the door to it. It has a card reader. Here,” Fabian reached at a cord around his neck, pulling out a plastic card from under his shirt and handing it to me. “I’m not going with you any further. I’m sorry, E. I’m not willing to risk that.”