Renegade (14 page)

“Mother has asked me to retrieve Gavin for the coupling.”

They look at each other again, and I worry that Mother has already told them Gavin is to be executed.

I raise a brow. “Is there a problem?”

“No, Miss.” This from the thinner one who is still being careful to avoid looking at me. “I’ll open the door right now.”

Gavin is waiting for me when the door opens. I hope Mother wasn’t right about him trying to bolt now. To my relief, he doesn’t. He only gives me a strange look. “Nice outfit.”

I smile. “Yes. I agree. It’s time for our coupling. If you’ll follow me?”

He trails me out the door and the Guards move to escort us. I turn and stake them with my eyes. “I have this covered, gentlemen. I don’t think Mr. Hunter has any intention of running. Do you?”

“No. I’m looking forward to this,” Gavin says. He seems to realize something’s up and manages a pretty good leer at me before turning his lazy grin to the Guards, who glare at him.

“Mother has requested you remain here until told otherwise,” I continue. “Mr. Hunter may be joining you again this evening after we’re … finished.”

The Guards exchange another look, then shrug. “Better than transporting Citizens from Three,” the thicker one says.

What is it about Three that always makes my stomach flip?

“Any word on when they’re going to get that leak fixed, Miss Evelyn?” he continues.

So there
is
a leak. Interesting. I wonder why I haven’t been told.

“Soon” is all I say, mentally filing it away to deal with later. I saunter out the door, leaving Gavin to follow or not, only pausing when I get to the turrets. “Do you trust me?” I ask without turning around. I wiggle back into my waiting dress.

“Yes, of course,” he says.

“Stick your hand here.” I indicate the glass eye of the turret, which is just a few inches above the ground and just below the barrel. It will scan his DNA. Even if he sets it off, it shouldn’t hurt him, I hope. If Macie hasn’t done her job, everything I’ve planned past this point will not matter.

He does as I request, but the turret doesn’t make a sound. Not even a hiss of the steam that powers it. I smile. Excellent.

I shoulder my bag. “Follow me. Just do as I do. Okay?”

He falls into line next to me. “Why do I have a feeling something went wrong and we’re not doing the coupling thing?”

“Mother decided you were just manipulating me and she was going to kill you anyway. I’m making sure that doesn’t happen.”

Gavin is silent for a minute. The only sounds are the clicking of my boots echoing along the corridor.

“That’s not what you think, is it?” he asks.

“That you’re manipulating me?” I glance over at him. His face is a careful blank mask when he nods. “No. But I don’t really care. I’m helping you escape, even if you are.”

He frowns. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Of course not. Why would I leave? This is my home. I’m just going to make sure you get back to the door that leads to the Surface. You’re all healed, so you should have no problems getting out okay after that.”

“But what about the Enforcers? Won’t they kill you for helping me?”

A chill tickles my spine and I suppress a shudder, but I say, “I’m the Daughter of the People. Mother will never believe it was me who helped you.”

He doesn’t look convinced. “I’d feel better if you came with me,” he says.

“If you’re really concerned about me, you won’t argue with me. The clock is running and the sooner you get out, the less chance they’ll figure it out.”

“But the Guards saw you.”

“Who will Mother believe? The Guards? Or her own daughter? Now
come on
!”

“Fine, but this conversation isn’t over,” he says, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “So, we’re on the run now, right?”

“Yes.”

“Great.” He grabs my arm and spins me around, and then pushes me back with his body so I bump into the wall. Before I can say anything he leans down so his mouth captures mine.

At first I freeze, afraid of the punishment that’s surely coming. I start to struggle to get away from him, but then, as my mind fogs from his scent and taste, I melt in his arms. If not for his hands holding me steady at my hips, I would be a puddle on the ground. His lips are sweet and soft, but insistent. The kiss makes my head spin. As far as first kisses go, I can’t imagine a better one.

Without warning, another memory slides in: a different dark corridor. A different pair of lips on mine. The scent of Gavin mingles with the memory of the other person’s and, for a moment, I’m confused. Terrified. Something bad is going to happen. Or maybe it already has.

Before I can try to think, Gavin changes the angle of the kiss and his touch quickly overpowers the other memory, making me forget everything but him. For once I’m grateful for not being able to remember.

Then, just when I make the conscious decision to take more, he’s pulling away, but only enough so our lips aren’t touching.

“I would have been ready,” he whispers.

I can only nod when he backs away. My head is still swimming as I hitch my backpack farther up on my back. I don’t have time to think about this. I blindly turn around and walk headlong into the wall.

Whoa!
I shake my head, trying to clear it.

Gavin chuckles and turns me around so I face down the corridor. “I think we go this way,” he says.

A little spurt of anger from the embarrassment of it all clears my head. “I’m fine.” I march in the direction of the Palace Wing. “If I take you back toward my gardens, can you remember the way to the door you came in from?”

The smile slides off his face. He’s all business now. “Yes.”

I try not to think about the kiss, but it doesn’t help that my mind keeps replaying the scene over and over in my head, distracting me. I touch my fingers to my lips. They feel tender and swollen. My lipstick is all gone and I slide my eyes to the side to sneak a peek at Gavin. His lips carry a tint of the red that had been on mine.

My stomach flutters at the same time that I lift a foot to climb the slick stairs, and I slip. Before I can crash face-first into the stairs, Gavin grabs me around the waist. Then, in one move, I’m being spun around to face him and he’s only centimeters from me.

His pulse flutters in his neck. I see what’s in his eyes and my body responds in kind. But before anything happens, he’s righting me so I stand, somewhat shakily, on my feet.

“Oops.” His voice is light, despite his rapid breathing. “Don’t want you to get hurt before we figure out a way out of here.”

Still staring at him, I nod before straightening my dress and turning to walk up the stairs. What is this? What’s wrong with me? I’m not entirely sure what Gavin was doing—or what game he’s playing at—but this time I’m careful to watch where I’m stepping.

I stick carefully to the shadows. It’s of the upmost importance that no one sees Gavin. Sector Two is filled with people, and although he’s been allowed to wash, Gavin’s not as clean as the people of the city. It’s not a stretch to see he’s the Surface Dweller.

I turn around to make sure he’s still with me, only to panic when I see he’s drifted away from the safety of the shadows and is instead staring at the glass ceiling and heading toward the glass walls.

Glancing quickly to make sure no one’s seen him, I rush over to him and grab his arm and firmly but gently guide him back to the shadows.

“Don’t do that! Pay attention,” I say. “Do you
want
to get caught?”

He shakes his head and we start back to the Palace Wing, but it isn’t long before Gavin starts drifting off again. While amusing and kind of sweet, it’s annoying to have to keep pushing him forward whenever he pauses.

Just before we reach the marble arch that frames the tube entrance to the Palace Wing, I pull Gavin into the shadows. A Guard waits at the gates and an Enforcer should be somewhere nearby. I rely on the hope that Mother hasn’t anticipated me rescuing him and hasn’t alerted anyone here to be on guard.

“Just follow my lead, all right?” I say. “Don’t say anything, and look a little scared.”

He places a hand on my arm. “Why?”

I slide my arm out from under his. “We have to get by that Guard. If he senses something is wrong, he’ll alert Mother. I have a plan, but you have to trust me.”

“I do,” he says, keeping his eyes directly on mine.

I straighten my shoulders and saunter up to the Guard with my hips swinging. The Guard’s eyes darken and he smiles when I stop to talk to him.

“Good evening. All is well?” I ask.

“Fine, Miss Evelyn.” He glances over and narrows his eyes at Gavin. “Are you aware this man is the Surface Dweller?”

I laugh. “Yes. Mother has chosen him to couple with me. Apparently he has perfect genes and will help foster the growth of the perfect heir.”

The Guard’s eyes widen. “Him?”

“Yes. Ridiculous, isn’t it? But Mother is quite insistent.” I sigh heavily. “Well, we’ve got to go, Mother has us on a schedule.”

The Guard, still in shock, waves us on. Gavin stops in the middle of the tube and looks around, his eyes wide. “It’s gorgeous,” he says. “No wonder you don’t want to leave.”

I smile, looking around as well. The lights outside are fully lit and make the water appear to be a beautiful sapphire blue. Different schools of fish swim around. Their colors stand out in beautiful jewel tones of blue, yellow, and orange. I press a hand to the glass and one of the little blue ones swims closer, as if he’s trying to touch my fingertips.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it? It’s easy to take it for granted sometimes.”

With a sigh, I pull my gaze from the water and continue forward. He follows, still gazing at the water. We have to take the stairs because the elevators are loud, not to mention there shouldn’t be anyone using them. It is only for family, not for the Guards, Enforcers, or Servants, and I’m supposed to be safely shut in my room right now. Taking the stairs is faster anyway.

It’s times like these that I wish my gardens weren’t on the very top of the three-story building, but there isn’t anything for me to do about it now. If all goes well, there will be no reason for me to do anything about it at all.

We finally get to the door that leads to the gardens, and it’s almost time to let Gavin take over, but I pause and signal for him to wait for me. We’ll pass right by the entrance to the family wing, and I don’t want anyone to hear me.

I stoop to slide the zipper down the boot and slither the leather down my leg before doing the same with the other. When I stand up, Gavin is watching me with a strange expression.

“What’s wrong?”

He curses under his breath and shakes his head. “Nothing.” He strides away and I frown as I chase after him.

About two hundred meters from the entrance to my gardens there is an alcove that’s about five meters by five meters. It houses a camera and a turret, both mounted to the ceiling and facing not toward the hallways, but the utility closet that houses the electronics for both of them.

“That’s it,” he says, nodding his head toward the utility closet door. His stance is wary, and he keeps casting glances all around. He must not trust me, despite what he said earlier.

“Are you sure? It’s just a utility closet.” I’ve seen dozens just like it.

He points to what appears to be a bloodstain on the wall and floor. “I’m sure,” he says.

I stare at the stain for a long time. Why is that still here? Mother should have had the Servants clean that up a long time ago. It also dawns on me that Mother obviously already knew where he’d come from. So why all the secrecy? Why all the questions?

Only one reason: She was waiting to see why I was so interested in him. Something shiny grabs my attention, and I see a little silver loop. It looks like an earring. I grab it and show it to Gavin, who stares at it, sadness pooling in his eyes.

“It’s Con’s,” he says, taking it from me.

“Your friend?”

“Yes.”

I raise my brow. “He wears jewelry?”

He smiles, but it’s still sad as he pockets the small loop. “Yes.”

“
I see,” I say, but I don’t really. Why would a man wear jewelry? Only women do here.

But that doesn’t matter now. I place my hand on the glass plate next to the door. A red light emits and traces over every inch of my hand. Then the door unlocks with a click and I pull it open.

Gavin is right. It’s definitely not a utility closet, but it won’t do us any good, either. There’s a wall of dirt and rocks blocking the entrance. Apparently Mother knew what I was planning. She’s blocked the entrance—and the only means of escape he has.

C
HAPTER
E
LEVEN

Differences are the root of all evil. Accordingly, all differences will be eradicated. At any cost.

—
M
OTHER’S JOURNAL, PAGE 176

Of course she has. She knew the whole time. She was just playing games with me, trying to figure out why I had taken to him. I should have known. How could I be so stupid?

“Damn it!” I punch the rock wall, causing the now somewhat fragile rock to crack and splitting my knuckles. Little bits of rock and dust fall to the floor in a cascade.

Gavin jumps forward, taking my hand gently between his. “Hey, hey. Don’t do that. You’re going to hurt yourself. It’s not that big of a deal. If there’s one, there’s more. She wouldn’t block off y’all’s only escape.”

Blood trickles from the wounds in my hand. I don’t think I’ve ever punched anything in my life. It hurts like hell, but I don’t care. I yank my hand from his grasp.
Why
does he keep persisting in touching me when he
knows
it’s forbidden? “That’s not it. She was expecting this. She was playing us the whole time and I fell for it. Damn it.” I kick the door shut, then hiss when pain zips up my toes. I quickly shove my feet back into the boots to avoid jamming my toes into anything else.