Evermarked, p.5
EverMarked, page 5
“Oh, yes, and you’re going to love this.” Cas leaned into me with a smirk. “The Maestro sends his regards.”
Chapter 7
Sienna
“Why does it feel like we’re getting dressed for a party or something?” I grumbled as Vic tugged on another piece of my hair.
We had been given the morning off while Instructor Yarik worked on our new graduation protocols, and during that time Vic had decided we should freshen up a bit.
She was braiding my hair across the crown of my head towards the back, so it circled around like a serpentine snake.
“Is it that difficult for you to look nice for once?” Vic pinned the last piece into place and added a ridiculous amount of hold spray, causing me to go into a small coughing fit in the tight quarters of our quad.
I waved my hand through the air, the smell of perfumed spray making my eyes water. “I always look nice,” I argued.
“Obviously you do. We all do.” Vic rolled her eyes as she tossed me the clothes she’d picked out for today. Tight black pants and a silky purple top draping low across my collarbone. I had to admit, the color made my red hair and green eyes stand out even more than they already did.
Vic was a creature of habit, so when our morning classes were cancelled, she was the only one upset about it. I could tell the nervous energy made her ready to explode. It was the unknown getting to everyone, including Vic. So I let her do my hair and put a little extra makeup on me to lighten the tension. I let myself be her distraction, even if it wouldn’t soften the news we would soon receive.
Instructor Yarik called us all back at noon to announce the pairings for graduation. A boulder lodged itself in the pit of my stomach, but I tried to act brave. I kept reminding myself over and over again we would be okay, Vic and me. Even if we weren’t paired together for graduation, we would make it out of here, which was the important thing. But that didn’t stop the questions from running through my mind all morning.
I didn’t know much about the graduation ceremony itself, but I knew enough. This wasn’t normal. In this world, anything out of the norm was a threat.
We’ll be fine, I reminded myself again.
“Why do you think they changed everything?” Vic asked, as she pulled her thick hair back into tight, twisted bands, collecting them at the top of her head where the rest pooled behind her like a curly, black waterfall. “Do you think the explosion had anything to do with it?”
I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.” She let out a long sigh, and I placed my hand on her shoulder. “Regardless of why they changed things, they did. And we’re just going to have to roll with whatever they throw our way. It’s what we’ve done, will always do. We’ll be fine.”
There were those words again… fine.
Vic could see right through me, but she did a good job of not showing it. It was one of the reasons we became such good friends in the first place. She was always there for me, even when we first met at six. But when I had hit rock bottom, when I couldn’t take any more of this life, though I still said I was fine, she knew I wasn’t. She saved me a long time ago. I owed my life to her because of it.
A loud knock on the steel door of our quad caused us both to jump.
“Hurry up, we’re going to be late,” Theo yelled from the other side.
“Yeah, we’re coming.” I slammed my hand against the steel door back at him.
When we stepped out of our quad, I couldn’t help but notice Theo’s eyes follow me. His features were soft and a bit distant for a moment before he blinked and it was gone. Steel eyes found mine as he smirked. “I didn’t realize this was a formal event?”
Vic glared. “Why is everyone so against a little hair and makeup?”
Theo quickly put up his hands in defence. “Hey, I’m not complaining. Just would have been nice to know, so I don’t look like the odd one out.”
I took in Theo’s dark jeans and deep red T-shirt hugging his body like a second skin. Theo caught my stare and gave me a little wink before I shoved him down the hallway. “Just get going. Weren’t you the one saying we were going to be late?”
His deep chuckle filled the halls as he led the way to the gallery, a large room in the middle of the DEZ used only for special events like graduation and Peace-Making Day Ceremonies. All of the hallways in the DEZ were the same dark cement and dimly lit passages. The gallery was the only place decorated with something other than concrete.
Steel curved beams ran up the walls and across the roof in a large arch. LED lights weaved into the metal, making the roof look like it was made of glass revealing the night sky. The floor was a sleek, white marble, with the star emblem of Armestes etched throughout—an eight pointed star surrounded by a wreath.
Rows of chairs lined the front of the room facing the main stage, which held a single podium. Yarik stood before it, her usual scowl firmly in place.
We were, indeed, the last ones to arrive and promptly took the three empty seats at the end of the row. Vic gripped my hand as soon as we sat.
Instructor Yarik stomped her foot, and the room fell silent. “As you all know, the process for graduation has changed. This change has been requested by the governors themselves and will be strictly followed. No exceptions.” She glanced at me, and my gaze dropped to the ground. “I will not waste any more of our time than we already have. I will announce the pairings followed by your departure dates. We will then leave for lunch and resume classes as usual this afternoon.”
I could tell by her tone Yarik was less than pleased by this new change in protocol. I doubted whether she would come right out and say it. It made me wonder what our obedient Carbon instructor would have to be upset about. Why was she displeased?
“First pairing, James and Scott. You will depart in two weeks.”
Two weeks? Why so soon? We had months to go still…didn’t we? Vic’s hand gripped mine tighter, and Theo pressed his mouth into a thin line as he glanced sidelong at me. Scott and James, seated at the end of the row, were smiling. They gave each other a little high five, happy to be chosen to leave first.
This was too quick, too soon. I wasn’t ready.
“Okay, that’s enough. Settle down.” Yarik slammed her hand down on the small wood podium. We went silent. “Next pairing, Fiona and Victoria. Departure in three weeks.”
“No,” Vic whispered beside me, and her grip on my hand loosened as her shoulders fell. I turned my body to face her, pulling her chin to look in my eyes.
“It’ll be fine. We’ll be fine,” I reassured her.
The petite, mousey Fiona sitting a few seats back leaned forward to catch Vic’s eye. She also gave her a reassuring smile, and for the first time since I’d met Fiona, I was happy she was in our class. Fiona wasn’t like the others. She didn’t roll with Camilla and her group of goons. She stuck to herself and was quiet and smart. She and Victoria were more alike than either of them knew.
On the stage, Yarik continued calling out names and departure times. Each one sounded like an eerie roll call for a class we weren’t prepared for. Yarik gave no instructions, no hint at what we might expect when we were to leave. She offered no form of opinion on it, aside from the scowl and sharp tone to her voice that set me on edge.
“Last pairing, Sienna and Theo. You will depart in six weeks,” Yarik said before she dismissed us all to lunch.
Theo gave me a crooked smile that was more of a grimace, as if to say, “At least we’re together.” But I had a hard time sharing the sentiment. A lot could happen in the three weeks between when Vic would leave, and I would join her.
“Looks like they saved the worst for last.” Camilla sneered as she strolled past where we sat in our chairs. Her gang of annoying followers trailed her. Scott and James, dumb and dumber as I referred to them, chuckled along with Camilla’s boy-toy, Blane. He, at least, had the decency to keep his mouth shut, dark eyes fixed on mine with a bored expression. But the other two, they did a good job of egging Camilla on.
She stopped a few feet away from me. “I’m guessing they figured you needed all the extra help you could get. Poor Victoria will be all alone. Vulnerable…easy prey.”
Vic let out a little shiver, and I was on my feet in an instant. My long slender fingers wrapped around the smooth, dark skin of Camilla’s throat. “If you so much as look at her the wrong way out there, you’ll have me to answer to.”
Camilla scowled, wrapping her hand around my wrist. “And how are you going to stop me?”
“Just test me and find out.” I shoved her away.
Camilla stumbled back into her two goons, coughed, and rubbed her neck, before giving me a vulgar gesture and stalking out of the gallery.
Theo shook his head at me before veering towards the dining hall. I pulled Vic up beside me and rested my arm across her shoulder. “They won’t touch you, I promise,” I said.
She shoved my arm off. “I don’t always need you protecting me, Sienna.” Her voice jumped, despite the bravado she feigned.
I shrugged. “I’m sure you don’t, but that doesn’t mean I won’t.”
She let out a little huff and picked up her pace to catch up to Theo. Neither of them enjoyed my little feud with Camilla that had gone on for almost as long as I’d known her.
It hadn’t started out that way, though. We’d actually been quick to become friends when we were all brought into the same graduation class at thirteen. Camilla had the same fire and energy I had; something Vic and Theo would never understand. While being so much alike made it easy to be her friend, it was just as easy to be her enemy. Camilla was competitive in everything she did. And despite starting out as friends, we’d quickly grown on each other’s nerves. Though I often got in trouble and spoke up way more than I should have, I was quick to learn new skills and tasks the DEZ presented us. I had been the first to master a gun, hitting the target with near perfect accuracy before anyone else. On more than one occasion, I had beaten Camilla at one-on-one sparring, which caused her resentment towards me to grow.
The tipping point came when she and I had been paired up for the maze. It was a simple obstacle course that had us hopping over tall walls, scaling slick glass surfaces, and aiming at targets meant to trick us into confusing good from bad. They’d placed humans, Carbons, and monsters throughout the maze, and it was our job to eliminate the right ones, along with being the fastest. During our run, Camilla and I converged on the same target. I knew her tricks, had watched her against the others, so as she rounded the corner, I ducked down low, skidding against the cement floor on my knees before she could take out my legs as she’d done with the others.
In the process, she’d stumbled, hit a Carbon instead of the monster target, and received a strike on her arm in the process. That had been the first of many strikes, almost as many as me, but that set off a temper I hadn’t expected.
Despite my competitive nature, I could leave what had happened between us in the maze, but Camilla could not.
A friendship lost wasn’t a big deal to me, but it wasn’t until Camilla decided to hit me where it hurt that the real feud had begun. She targeted Vic, getting the others to sabotage her training; a failed gun the first time, and a broken harness resulting in a fractured ankle the second. By the third incident, in which Vic’s hair was accidentally set on fire, I lost it.
I had never hit my fists as hard against another person as I did that day. We’d both left with bruises and scrapes and a fresh strike to go along with it, but the blood dripping from Camilla’s split lip brought a smile to my face.
I didn’t care what happened to me, but no one messed with Victoria.
I jogged a few strides to catch up to Vic and Theo. “At least you’ve got Fiona as a partner. Could be worse, right?” I said to Vic, who was still frowning.
“I’d rather it had been you or Theo,” she replied, and I nodded in agreement.
“It’s not like Sienna won’t sneak out every night to see you, Vic, you know that.” Theo nudged her, and a little smile broke through.
“Yeah, it’ll be like it always is, just a little trickier.” I gave her a wink and locked my elbow through hers.
“Yeah, I guess,” Vic conceded.
I glanced up at Theo and gave him a thankful smile. I could always count on him to be the mediator, the voice of reason. But that didn’t quell my own worries. And the fact that our timelines had sped up meant I’d have to get things in order a lot sooner than I’d planned.
While the others headed to the dining hall, I told them I’d be right back and instead hurried to the empty computer room where I sent a message to the Maestro.
Chapter 8
Sienna
The following evening I was dressed in all black, a shadow in the empty hallways. I crept towards the mechanical room quickly. Vic hadn’t been keen on letting me leave midweek, but she understood our timeline had been pushed up. Now, my priority was to make sure she was set for the first few weeks we’d be apart. The small allowance we were given when we graduated wouldn’t be enough to ensure she was safe on her own, and I was not willing to wait for the weekend.
The smell of oil and machinery filled my lungs. I slipped through the doors into the mechanical room, dodging the camera bots hovering overhead with ease, and made my way to the back near the canals and water flowing in and out of the DEZ.
As I neared my usual spot, I found a tall figure standing in my way with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Get out of my way, Theo,” I said, expecting him to try and stop me.
He moved aside and gave a wave of his hand. I narrowed my eyes with suspicion but stepped around him. I didn’t have time for an argument.
Checking that the circling bots had moved onto the next section, I jumped across the channel where water churned below. I skidded down the narrow ledge and climbed up into the vent above it. The vent slid off its hinges silently, and I stepped out of the DEZ, careful not to draw the attention of the guards only a few feet away. Theo followed, and we crept around the corner and into the shadows before anyone saw us.
This entrance was much harder to sneak in and out of, which was why I usually took the canals, but today I didn’t have time to waste drying myself off. It was much riskier leaving the DEZ during the week, which was why I had Vic track the guard’s rotation outside and let me know when the best time to leave was. Still, it was a much bigger risk than I usually took.
Today, I was willing to risk it. I had to risk it.
Once we were far enough away from the DEZ, Theo grabbed onto my arm to slow me down.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“No one said you had to come.” I tried to shrug off his arm but he held tight.
“I get why you’re doing this, but I also see your urgency has the potential to make you slip up and make a mistake.”
“I assume that’s why you’re here, then. To ensure that doesn’t happen?” I gave him a pointed stare.
Theo frowned. “I’m here because I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I let out a huff, finally pulling my arm free. “You do know what I’m about to do, right? You realize my opponent won’t just stand there and tickle me into submission?” I continued my quick pace towards downtown Cytos. The streets were less crowded, making it harder to blend in, but I didn’t have time to take the long way around. I’d already wasted enough time waiting for the sun to fall. So despite my better judgement, I avoided the alleys and took a more direct route on the main roads. Still, I kept my hood covering my face and my head low; Theo mimicked me and pulled his hood further, hiding his face.
“I don’t mean in that arena. You can take care of yourself, or get what you deserve for being so cocky,” Theo said, his breathing a bit uneven. “I’m here to watch your back outside of the arena. Because your mind is so focused on the task at hand, you forget to watch the shadows and the people willing to do whatever they want with you.”
“I can handle myself in and out of the arena.” A lie.
“Vic clearly didn’t think so when she casually let me know when you’d be leaving tonight. And even Ava said we need to stick together—”
That stopped me in my tracks. I turned my wrath on him before he had a chance to say anything else. I shoved him with both hands to his chest, and he stumbled back a few steps, surprised, before he closed the gap, gripping both my wrists and pulling me in so close I felt his breath on my lips. The warmth from his body seeped into mine as the distance between us became non-existent.
His hands trembled around my wrists, and his stance was stoic and angry. He was mad, but mostly…he was worried.
“I don’t need your help. I don’t need your protection,” I managed to get out.
“Then why did you let me come in the first place?” Theo’s voice was low and laced with fury. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. His gaze followed mine when I tried to look away, and his head tilted to the side, waiting for an answer.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t have stayed.” Another lie. If I had asked, demanded, he would have respected my wishes. And his eyes told me exactly that.
“Do you want me to leave?” His voice lowered, and his eyes dipped to my mouth, only inches from his, before they flashed back to my eyes.
The smell of citrus and honey wafting from him consumed me. I wanted to say no; I wanted to admit I needed him nearby, and his presence was more of a comfort than I could ever say aloud. I’d always thought of him as more, more than a friend, more than just a protector. Something inside me screamed tell him, but instead, I threw out, “Yes.”
He flinched. A pull of pain in his brow spread and I couldn’t erase it, because I’d caused it. It didn’t matter what I felt for Theo—what I knew he felt—I needed to stay focused. There would be a time to deal with whatever was going on between us, when we were safely out of the DEZ, but not here. Not now. Theo was a distraction, and I wouldn’t let my feelings get in the way. Vic was my priority, and I didn’t need his help.
