But now I knew the truth. Somewhere, over the horizon, past the mountains, there was a place where the sun was still shining; where elite hid from its heated rays. Perhaps there was a place where Trevor and I could live free, outside of the elite influence. With no covenant, no blood pacts. No elixir. We’d get old, sick, die together. I’d seen it was possible. I just wasn’t sure if I wanted it.
I knew I’d be running away; leaving my siblings behind because I wasn’t brave enough to save them. Leaving tens of thousands of humans living in denial and captivity; the illusion of freedom, based on a terrible lie.
I hadn’t chosen to be the bearer of this knowledge, but now that I was in possession of it, it was tearing me up from the inside out. Every smile, every interaction... every word I spoke that wasn’t the truth felt like a deception.
I’d sent Damien away to find his mother. She was an elite. I didn’t know what happened next, only that I didn’t have much time. If Damien didn’t know already, he would soon, and I couldn’t trust him to make the right decision this time.
He’d have his mother to think about now. Would Damien’s parents work out their past and rule together in the citadel? Damien may have thought he was ready to join the revolution and overthrow his own father before, but would he still? If it meant war and uncertainty, when he’d just gotten his mother back? He wouldn’t risk losing her again, inviting mayhem and destruction.
Before, he’d chosen me, over his father. Kind of. But there was no world where Damien and I lived happily ever after. And if he wasn’t with me, he was against me.
Now I had to decide who I could trust with this one, final mission, to pull back the curtain. Had my grandfather ever known the full truth, had anyone? I had a feeling this secret had been buried for a century, since the beginning.
I spent most of my life waiting to be chosen. Now that the responsibility of choosing was my own burden, I realized I wasn’t sure I wanted it, what I wanted.
I retreated into the cabin, gathering my supplies and staring at the rough maps I’d spread out on the table. Outside, the small settlement was sleepy and quiet.
I wished Marcus was here. I’d never been especially religious, but somehow Marcus had become something like a spiritual advisor. I wanted to ask him what to do, what the right choice to make was.
April was setting up her scientific equipment. According to Damien, our cure had kind of worked after all, though we had no idea why. We needed to test more samples, more variables.
Tobias and Penelope were saying a rather long goodbye outside the gates. He had to return to avoid suspicion and she couldn’t go with him. Not yet. Not until the king was dead and Damien was in charge.
I was about to blow that plan out of the water.
A few minutes later, Jacob arrived. He lifted his eyebrows at me, then nodded towards the maps.
“Looking for something?” he asked.
“What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from the citadel?” I asked.
“Past the compounds? There’s not much out there, wild lands, raiders, monsters and maniacs. Not good for much besides scavenging, but too dangerous for most.”
I closed my eyes, trying to remember the compounds I’d visited.
“Is the ash, worse anywhere?” I asked.
“Why would the ash be worse?” he asked.
“Nevermind,” I said quickly. “It’s stupid.”
“There was a guy once, he told me about his travels. Said he got near these mountains, here,” he said, pointing at the top right, near the edge of the map. “Flakes as big as his palm, practically raining fire. So hot, all the ponds and streams boil over with dead fish. Smelled like sulfur, hell on earth. He was pretty drunk, so we figured he was just blabbing.”
“But isn’t there a compound out there?”
“Skormhead,” he said, pointing to a dot on the map, which I circled with red pen. “Built into the rock like a fort. Never did understand why King Richard built a compound in conditions like that.”
I nodded, staring at the map.
“How about your elite visitors,” Jacob pressed, after a few moments. “Will they fight for us?”
“Even if they do, it won’t change anything.”
“It could help win the battle.”
“There’s not going to be a battle,” I said.
“Well, that’s news to everyone here,” Jacob said crossing his arms. “What should I