Tainted Crown

by Jenn Vakey

  When we got to the dorm, I pulled the door open and led them down the hall. When I reached my door, I stopped and faced them.

  “Gryffin, you can have my room,” I said, not really putting much thought into it before making the decision. “I’ll stay with Leeya.”

  Lillith made a choking sound that made us all look at her. Again, I was amused. I had been so used to dealing with Leeya and the fact that she’d gotten used to how different it was here. This was like starting all over again, although with far more than simply introducing contact in the training sessions.

  “Before you’re married?” Lillith gaped. She looked positively scandalized. I actually wished Leeya had been around to see it. She would have enjoyed the reaction.

  And, apparently, Leeya really hadn’t told her anything about us. I nodded. “We don’t follow Eden’s rules here.”

  She thought about that for a moment, actually taking it better than I had expected. Then she asked, “Does that mean Pax and I can share a room?”

  I smiled. I couldn't help it. It wasn’t just the question, but the mix of utter shock and ecstasy on Paxton’s face. He clearly hadn’t expected the request. Not that he had a problem with it at all.

  “You can do whatever you’d like,” I told her. “That one next to Gryffin’s is available.” Then I looked back to my brother and pointed to the door across the hall. “She’s going by Linley now. People might know she’s alive, but it’s best if we keep her identity as under wraps as possible. There’s already been one incident of someone trying to use her as leverage.”

  He scowled and I nodded.

  “And I’m going by Rhydian, in case you haven’t picked up on that one yet.”

  “Still?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Even now that people actually know who you are? And that you’re alive.”

  There was a bite in his tone that I chose to ignore for now. I knew we would have to have a conversation about that. I had enough on my mind right now.

  “I like Rhydian,” I answered simply. “Besides, I gave up that life a long time ago. It’s not one I’d ever want to go back to.”

  I expected some argument there. For him to tell me that I was a prince by blood, and it wasn’t something that I could just turn my back on. Especially with what was going on in Eden now. But he just thought about it for a moment and nodded. Maybe he even understood it a little. The desire to actually have a life and an identity that was separate from being royalty.

  “Where’s Linley now?” he asked.

  “With the others,” I told him. “I’ll bring her in when they get back. Just don’t tell her about Leeya being hurt. They’re really close. I don’t want her to worry.” Another thought crossed my mind, making me add, “Also try to school your emotions as much as possible. We haven’t actually had the time to talk to her about it yet, but Leeya and I think she might have an empathic ability. She’ll pick up how you’re feeling.”

  It was a lot to ask. I had some serious doubts that I would be able to pull it off. We still had to try.

  He agreed and we branched off, Gryffin and I walking into the room while Paxton and Lillith went to theirs. I imagined there would be a conversation in the near future about what exactly was going on between them. It wasn’t something they would need an audience for.

  Gryffin dropped down onto the bed while I started collecting my things. I could tell he was exhausted. It was the middle of the night, and we’d been to hell and back. Leaving him there to get some rest, I took my belongings across the hall.

  I stared down into the drawers when I opened them, looking at her clothes before putting mine in. I was trying to remain hopeful, but I was so worried I was going to lose her. Leeya had never looked weak or fragile to me. Hell, not even when I found her in shock and covered in blood. Unable to really do anything but walk. But holding her on the trip here, her body completely limp in my arms, made me see her as just that. Like she was going to break if I made even one wrong move with her.

  And now they were doing surgery. Cutting her open in an attempt to keep her alive.

  I didn’t bother letting the others know I was leaving again. I finished putting my things away and walked back out into the cool night, not stopping until I reached the steps of the clinic. It was a fight to keep from going in to check on her. Hell, even to plant myself in that chair against the wall so I could at least hear what was going on. But that would likely just distract them. So I sat down on the steps and waited.

  Movement hit both sides of camp sometime later. The sound of the hovercrafts getting back in with the next batch of people were in the air just as the first of our Alkwin people emerged from the tree line coming in from the caves.

  I didn’t wait. Jumping up, I ran toward the group coming in.

  Everyone looked exhausted. They were also surprised, not only by the hovercrafts that could be seen unloading people onto the training field, but that I was back. I was guessing Cyril didn’t give them much information about what was going on.

  “Noella!” I yelled, moving through the group to find her.

  She looked startled when I did, coming to an abrupt stop at her side. I could see the questions there. She didn’t have time to ask.

  “Leeya,” I breathed out. “They’re in the clinic doing surgery now. She’s in bad shape.”

  Her eyes widened, but she didn’t wait. Faida barely had time to grab her bag from her before she pushed out of the group and started running toward the clinic. I was sure that both Healers in there were capable, but I felt better knowing she was going to be there with her. I trusted her. Leeya trusted her.

  “What’s going on?” Faida asked. She took me by the arm and pulled me from where I had watched Noella disappear. “Cyril didn’t tell us anything. Just that everyone would be back soon. With the rescued.”

  I sighed and nodded. I was exhausted, but there wasn’t time to slow down. Not yet.

  “Orson is gathering everyone in the dining hall,” I told her. “We have at least fifty new arrivals coming in.” I motioned to the hovercrafts that were just starting to disappear down the path. “It’s going to be pretty chaotic around here, so we’ll need everyone working together to get people settled in.”

  “Rhydian!” a small voice yelled.

  I turned just in time to see Linley pushing toward me, Kip on her heels. Zaydan, who had been trying to rein her in, just gave up when he saw me.

  “You’re back,” she said, letting me scoop her up. It wasn’t something I should be doing, but I needed to hold her. “Does that mean it’s over?”

  Her question drew attention from the group as they started to gather around us. They wanted answers. So I nodded, knowing they shouldn’t be left in the dark just because I didn’t want to talk right now.

  When I came to a stop, so did everyone else. They moved around me, each wanting to know why they had been called back in the middle of the night like this. The adults knowing that there must have been more going on than us just being back.

  “We were able to rescue all of the Tainted being held at the facility in Eden,” I announced. “We were also given the opportunity to enlighten the people of Eden not only about the Tainted, but of Adler and Dex’s plot for the throne. Basically, we started a war between the people of Eden and the government. That also left us with a group of Tainted and their families wanting to flee on top of those we went in to get. We have around fifty or sixty new arrivals coming in tonight, and we should expect more in the days to follow.”

  “What do you need from us?” Faida asked.

  I thought about that for a moment. Orson would go over everything at the meeting, but we still had hours to go before then. “Get all of the children to the schoolhouse,” I said. “They’ll need blankets and pillows. We aren’t going to be able to vet everyone coming in like we usually do, so let’s make sure they’re secure until things settle. Everyone else will be going to the dining hall. I know you’re all tired, but we have a bunch of frightened people in there. No one
should be wandering around until we can get them acclimated.”

  No one argued. I knew they wouldn’t. Not a single person here ever raised their nose to doing their part for our community. We were fighters, survivors.

  “I’ll take her with me for now,” I said, looking back to Faida. “There’s someone here she’s going to want to see.”

  I said it loud enough that the others could hear. Most still had no idea who she was, and I didn’t want them questioning why I was both holding her and taking her away from the others. Not with the way things were going right now. We did something big tonight. I knew it would get worse before it got better, though.

  Unsurprisingly, Kip took his place beside us as we parted from the group and turned toward the dorm. Before we could make it there, I saw someone just standing in the middle of everything. He was watching the others move toward the dining hall, but not going in himself. I knew why.

  “Dallin,” I called to him.

  When he turned toward me, I could see the relief there.

  “I didn’t see the girls in there,” he said. “I didn’t know who to ask.”

  “Let me drop her off and I’ll fill you in,” I said, motioning toward my sister.

  Dallin’s eyes moved to her face, searching it. Then he looked back to me. “Is this…?”

  “We call her Linley,” I told him. I wasn’t worried about whether or not I could trust him. I knew I could. In fact, it was actually important for him to know. “The story that we’re using here is that Leeya used to babysit her in Eden. Linley, this is Dallin.”

  “Leeya talks about you,” she said cheerfully. “And this is Kip. He’s a good boy.”

  Dallin looked a little hesitant when he dropped his attention to the dog. Unlike the rest of the Sentry we dealt with, he’d never been outside of the wall. This was the first animal he had ever seen that wasn’t livestock.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  I smirked. I didn’t think it was a question I’d ever stop hearing. “He’s a dog. Leeya’s pet.”

  He laughed and lowered down, offering his hand to the dog. Being with the group in the cave must have gotten Kip used to being around more people, because he no longer had that hesitation about him. He just leaned forward to acquaint himself with Dallin, then pushed his head into his hand. Wanting to be scratched.

  “Would you mind watching him for a few minutes?” I asked. “I’m going to get her into the dorm. Then we’ll talk.”

  Dallin nodded and stood.

  “Stay,” Linley said, her little voice so commanding as she pointed to the dog. Surprisingly, he sat down, ready to comply. She grinned proudly. “Zaydan helped me teach him new tricks.”

  Nodding my approval, we left Dallin there and walked into the dorm. I knew she was expecting to see Leeya, but I couldn't give that to her. I didn’t want her to know anything about what was going on with her right now. So I’d give her something that she would hopefully like just as much. Maybe more.

  “Ready?” I asked, putting her down on the floor just outside of my door.

  She looked confused, but nodded. So I knocked.

  It took a few moments for the door to open. I watched her face, needing to see that happy reaction of hers. Needing something right now that made me feel joy. She didn’t disappoint.

  Linley’s eyes went wide, her jaw dropping open as she stared up at our brother. The brother she had thought dead. Then, as tears started to cloud her green eyes, she squealed and threw herself at him.

  Gryffin laughed and scooped her up, holding her tightly against his chest. Though it hadn’t been for as long, he had also thought she’d been killed.

  “You’re here!” she cried, squeezing him tightly. “You’re okay.”

  Gryffin kissed her cheek and nodded, moving her back so he could get a good look at her. Then he glanced over to me, a playful look in his eyes. “You know who she looks like now, right?”

  I rolled my eyes and nodded. I’d found myself wondering if the clever little child had done it on purpose. Changed her hair to look like Leeya’s in an attempt to try to get us back together. Her hair, my eyes. He was right. She looked like she was ours. I smiled at it for a moment, then the gravity of the situation hit me again and it fell away.

  The sound of another door opened and Linley turned quickly toward it. Her smile widened when she saw Lillith walk out, Paxton just behind her.

  “You’re Lillith!” she said excitedly. “Leeya talks about you all the time.” Then she turned around, searching. Realizing there was someone missing. “Where is she?”

  Though everyone tried to hide it, I could feel the tension rising at her question. The happy little girl wanting to see someone that might not be okay at all.

  “She’s in the clinic,” I said simply. It wasn’t really a lie, but I knew she would assume something different than what I was actually saying. “You can see her later.”

  Linley nodded and dropped her head down onto Gryffin’s shoulder. Then she let out a happy little sigh. Hopefully her own emotions were strong enough to cloud whatever she could pick up from us. It seemed to be the case for now. I just needed to put some distance between us before that changed and she got a sense of the pain I was trying to keep hidden.

  “Keep her in here with you,” I told Gryffin. “If you have to leave the room, she can be with Lillith. Don’t really let people see you paying attention to her. Not right now.” Then I turned to Lillith. “When you need to leave here, take her to the schoolhouse. She can’t be alone at all right now. Not with the number of new people we have.”

  Linley growled, but I just ignored her. She would never be happy not being able to move around freely. To someone her age, I was sure it felt like it would last forever.

  “Someone will come get you when it’s time for the meeting. I’ll be at the clinic if you need me.”

  They agreed, and I turned and walked back out of the dorm. There was only one thing I still had on my list, then I was sitting outside of the clinic until they told me I could go in. The others could handle everything else.

  Dallin was still where I had left him. He wasn’t alone, though. Faida was with him. She had her arms folded, like she always did when she was trying to be nice, despite being irritated. I smirked and walked over.

  “Faida,” I said with a nod.

  “Everyone is in the dining hall,” she said, then shifted her eyes to Dallin. “Mostly.”

  Judging by her animosity, I was guessing that she hadn’t been here with him long. Not long enough for her to actually find out who he was, despite the fact that Kip was still sitting at his feet. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be acting so sternly.

  “Faida is one of our leaders,” I said cordially. “Faida, this is Dallin.”

  The name clicked instantly and her body relaxed. We had been careful not to include his name during our meetings, but she was one of the few who actually knew it. Not only that he was the Sentry who had been helping us. She knew who he was to Leeya.

  “I’m glad you could make it in safely,” Faida told him, giving him a real smile. “How’s Leeya?”

  Dallin’s eyes turned toward me. It was the same question he had been waiting for an answer to.

  “She’s in surgery,” I said. It really was all I knew at this point. “Our Healer is back and with her now, along with two others. I’ll make sure you know as soon as they tell me anything.”

  He nodded, though he wasn’t happy with the answer. I couldn't even begin to imagine how he must have felt over the past month. One daughter outside of the city and the other held prisoner within it. He helped to rescue one, but at the risk of losing the other.

  “Lillith?” he asked. “Paxton had to carry her out of there. She couldn't even stand.”

  “She’s fine,” I assured him. “I set her and Paxton up in the dorm.” In the same room, but I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him that. Then I looked to Faida. “She’s in the room next to mine. Gryffin’s in that one. I told them someone woul
d come for them when it was time for the meeting.”

  She didn’t question me for not having them cordoned off with the others. Of everyone we brought back tonight, those three and Dallin were the ones I doubt anyone had any concerns about.

  “I’ll keep Mr. Harkins here with me,” she responded. “Even with the number of people coming in, I think we can swing getting him set up in one of the smaller houses. That way he’s not sharing or stuck in the dorm. I’ll also show him where he can find Lillith.” She looked down at the animal who was watching the three of us and smiled. “We’ll keep this one too.”

  I nodded my appreciation and left them to their business. There was only one place I wanted to be, and I wasn’t leaving there again until I got to see my girl.