Revelations (The Elysium Chronicles) (23 page)

“Gavin, isn’t it?” She firms her lips into a thin line.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She leads me into the warm kitchen. It’s uncomfortably hot compared to my hours outside in the cold, but I forget all that when she introduces me to the cook, who beams at me and plies me with cookies and milk to eat while she cooks me something warm.

While I appreciate it all, and I
am
starving, I really just want to see Evie.

“Is Evie sleeping?” I peer around her to the door that leads to the living room. “I’d really like to see her.”

Mrs. St James doesn’t answer right away and I shift uncomfortably in my chair. Something’s wrong. Something is very wrong.

“Eat, then come find me,” she finally says, and leaves the room before I can argue.

I don’t want food, I want Evie, so I try to follow, but it still takes me a few minutes to find her. She’s sitting in the parlor and reading a book. I feel awkward going in—I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like me very much—and even more so when she looks up at me. It’s as if she’s appraising me and I’m not up to her standards.

Nothing I’m not used to.

“They were here five days,” she says at last. I open my mouth, but she gives me a look—one that tells me to shut my mouth, so I do. She continues, “In those five days, we’ve hired only the best physicians to work on her case. Asher has spent practically every waking moment with her making sure she was comfortable and happy. Despite all this, the hallucinations did not improve. The doctors were, for lack of a better word, stumped.”

I lift an eyebrow. I’m so confused right now.

“She never gave up hope on you. She either snuck out to see if you made it to the gate or forced Asher to go with her to check. Every day. She cares for you very much.”

This time, my eyebrows wing up. Evie snuck out to look for me? I have to grin. Of course she did.

She leans forward, the book falling to the floor, forgotten. “It’s obvious she loves you and you love her.” She pauses as if expecting me to argue, and a tiny bit of warmth creeps into her eyes when I don’t. But there’s sadness there, too, when she says, “Keep in mind you’re not the only one.”

That’s not surprising really. My mom fell in love with Evie almost immediately. So did my sister, and my brother. Evie just has that way about her. I don’t even know what it is exactly.

Maybe it’s how strong she is despite everything that’s happened to her. She’s a fighter. That’s for sure. And she’s nice and polite to everyone, even when she’s pissed. Especially when she’s pissed. It’s like she’s trying to actually kill you with kindness.

I realize Asher’s grandmother is still staring at me, waiting for my answer, so I nod.

“They went back to Elysium.”

The blood drains from my face. I can feel it. My head spins and I have to catch myself on a chair next to me to prevent myself from falling. I lower myself to it slowly.

“No. Absolutely not.” It’s all the words I can muster. I can’t seem to remember how to form sentences.

She finally meets my eyes. “The nanos are malfunctioning. It’s probably what’s causing her issues. Her memory loss. Her blackouts. Her hallucinations. If they don’t get them fixed and/or removed, she’ll die.”

I shake my head. “The nanos are only in her to prevent pressure sickness and to promote healing. That’s what she told me when we were in Elysium. They’re not making her sick.” I pause at her expression. “What?”

“No. They’re not. That’s not at all what they’re for.”

“How do you know?”

She won’t meet my eyes. And that bad feeling comes back with a vengeance. “I helped invent the nanos. I lived in Elysium. For a time.”

My whole body trembles. And black spots swim in front of my eyes.
No. That’s not possible. That can’t be possible
. “You’re from Elysium?”

“I am.”

He betrayed me. Again. And I trusted him. I clench my hands into fists, red spots replacing the black ones. I can’t believe I fell for it again. I knew better! Damn it! I strike the arm of the chair so hard my entire arm aches from the force. I shove up from the chair.

“Where are you going?”

“To get her back. I’m not letting her go to Elysium.” I say it like I’m challenging her, and I think I am. Challenging her to stop me from going after Evie.

She sighs. “I understand why you wouldn’t want her to go back, but it is her only option. Eli—my partner—can help fix her.”

“That’s a lie,” I shout. Then something even worse occurs to me, making my stomach roll with terror. “That’s why Mayor St. James was here. Why Asher was so willing to help us. He knew. He
knew
from the beginning and he had
no
intention of really helping.” I glare at her. “You’re one of
them.
One of those … those monsters, and you’re going to get Evie killed. Just like my father.”

Her voice is soft in comparison to mine. “Yes, Kristofer was here. And yes it was because of Evie. But I would
never
let them hurt her, especially my son-in-law. You don’t live this long, with the secrets I know, by being foolish, boy. Even though Kristofer thinks he’s calling the shots, I always have strings to pull and an ace in the hole. I wouldn’t have sent her back to Elysium if I didn’t think it was the only option.” She shakes her head. “I’m not one of them, but your ranting sounds just like them … Surface Dweller.”

I stop and spin around, my heart thudding in my ears like a drum. “What did you say?”

“I lost someone important to me, too, because of
her
. I know how horrible Mother is. I don’t think anyone but you and I know exactly how much of a monster she is, Gavin. But you have to understand how important this is. Going back is Evie’s
only
chance.
Eli
is Evie’s only chance. He made those nanos what they are; he’ll be able to fix them to get her back to normal.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t blame you,” she says with a sad smile. “I wouldn’t believe me either.” It’s said so matter-of-factly, I’m suddenly sure it’s the truth. I blink dumbly at her. “Do you even know what nanos really are?”

I shake my head.

“Sit. Please. You make me nervous when you hulk over me like that.” She laughs softly, but I don’t. I don’t find anything funny about any of this. She sighs and gestures to the chair again. I lean against it instead, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Nanos are short for nanorobotics. Robots so small you can’t see them unless you have a microscope. They’re built on a nanoscale, which is why they’re called nanobots. A nanometer is something like one billionth of a meter.”

“Okay, so they’re really small. I got that already.”

Her entire face pinches, and I think she’s finally going to lose her temper, but she takes a deep breath and continues. “Yes. They’re really small. They were originally invented long before the War for medical purposes. At first simple things like site-specific medication delivery, microsurgery, and diagnosis. Then certain electronic companies started experimenting to make them smarter by adding propulsion systems and the ability to control them remotely.”

“I don’t get what this has to do with Evie.…”

“I’m getting there. Mostly, nanites were used for peaceful purposes. And while they were important, most funding went to less … out-there … programs. So, as you can imagine, progress was slow. But then the War started and the old governments realized that nanotechnology wasn’t just for science fiction. They started an arms race with each other. To find the most cost efficient, yet effective weapon possible to turn the tide and win. They spent billions on technology and scientists and engineers. I was one of those engineers. Hired straight out of engineering school. I’d invented the nanites that were used in the warheads that took down almost every major city in the world by the time I was twenty-five.”

I plop back into the chair, because my wobbly legs can’t hold my weight anymore. “Holy shit.”

She cracks a smile. “Indeed.”

“How … how did that happen?”

She shrugs. “Vanity.” She waves her hand at me. “But that’s not important. What is important is that technology is the same technology I took to Elysium when Mother hired me.”

“She hired you?”

“Yes. She wanted me to develop permanent sentient nanites that would protect her people from disease. I did it, too. With the help of Eli, my partner. But Mother turned it against us. She didn’t want to prevent diseases, or not totally. She wanted control. Complete control, and she got it. All because of me.”

I’m more confused than anything. “I don’t get it.”

“The nanites do whatever they’re programmed to do. Prevent disease. Repair body tissues. Destroy them. Rewrite neuropathways.” She gives me a meaningful look. “But the program only works if it’s functional. Something broke Evie’s. She needs it fixed, and I’m fairly certain Eli’s the only one who can do it. Before something worse happens.”

I stare at her. I can barely wrap my mind around what she’s saying. This is insane. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Mother is insane.

Then another thought hits me. I remember this story. And I remember exactly where I heard it. Elysium. In the journals Evie found in the secret room in the abandoned sector. Except the story came from a different person.

Eli.

Who was killed. By Mother.

He’s not even there. They’re going back to Elysium to get help from a guy who’s been dead before Evie was even born.

I shove to my feet, the chair falling over with a clatter.

“When did they leave?”

She frowns at me. “An hour or so, I think. I don’t know. They snuck out.”

I curse under my breath and rush to the front door.

“Where are you going?”

“To stop them.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said about the nanos?”

I don’t even turn around. My mind is swirling with ideas of how to stop them. “Yeah. I heard you. And I also know that Eli is dead.”

“Wait. What?” Her breath catches. “How do you know?”

Grimacing, I turn to look at her. “We found his journals. And then we found Mother’s. He tried to start an uprising.” I swallow and lick my lips. “Mother put a stop to it.”

Her shoulders shake and her lips tremble; then her eyes grow wide. “You have stop them. Mother will kill them, and with Eli gone…” She shakes her head.

I yank open the door.

“You’ll never catch them on foot,” she calls out to me.

“I don’t plan on running all the way there.”

“Then how?”

“I’ll figure something out.” I push out the door.

“Good luck.”

Whether or not luck is on my side, I will do whatever it takes to get to Evie before she leaves for Elysium.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-ONE

When traveling the Outlands, it is highly recommended to travel in groups of no less than three people. Should you need to travel in smaller groups, make sure to pack appropriately in case of emergency situations, keeping in mind the severe climate changes that take place in the Outlands. Travelers would also not go amiss carrying firearms to protect themselves from the wildlife.

—
E
XCERPT FROM
S
AFETY
G
UIDE TO
T
RAVELING THE
O
UTLANDS

Evie

The thud of the horses’ hooves and the jingling of their reins and saddles are the only sound as we rush back to the village. We’ve been riding all night and I’m exhausted and sore and my skin is completely numb from the cold.

Asher is riding next to me and he looks just as tired. “How long?”

He sighs, and looks at the rising sun. “A few more hours until we stop to eat and rest the horses.”

My stomach growls at the mention of food and he laughs. “Maybe only another hour.”

The entire time we’re riding, I try not to think about what’s waiting for me under the ocean. There are too many unknowns. So instead, I let my mind drift.

It’s so different from the trip to Rushlake. It’s freezing for one. Plus the two guards with their guns and whatever else they have in those large packs. And we’re moving much faster than a walk. Not as fast as when we were running to get away from the coyotes, but fast enough. Also, the air is so much drier. Even though our packs have water and food in them, my mouth and nose feel caked with sand.

Despite my discomfort, it doesn’t take long for me to be dragged down into another dream. But this one is different. It starts as so many of them do, with me covered in blood and terrified, my mind filled with pain and misery. Something horrible has obviously happened, but I can’t remember what as I sit on the floor of a shower stall and let the freezing water sluice over me.

I’m hoping the water will wake me, but even when I’m completely clean and shivering, I still feel weighted down. The water soaks my bandage and burns the wound, but I can’t make myself get out. I just sit in the corner of the granite stall and bury my face in my hands. I’ve cried myself dry, but that doesn’t stop the sorrow.

Eventually, Gavin comes to check on me. He knocks at first, but I ignore it, hoping he’ll just go away. I should have known better, because when he receives no answer he pushes into the room. Then rushes across the bathroom, practically ripping the curtain from its hooks in his hurry to check on me.

His expression changes from worry to sadness when he sees me curled into the corner. He turns off the water with a flick of a wrist, then bundles me into a fluffy white—and dusty—towel and carries me into the bedroom. Then he starts chafing me with the towel, trying to rub warmth into my freezing body.

Even when I stop shivering, I still feel cold. I wonder if I’ll ever feel warm again.

“How are you feeling?” he asks after several minutes.

I jump. I hadn’t expected him to talk. “I don’t know,” I say. “She was my best friend. And she died because of me.”

“Not you. Never you. Mother. She’s the one who started this.”