Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)(8)

He shrinks away from me and narrows his eyes, but adjusts his body, bracing his legs. It’s obvious he’s positioning himself to run again.

“Yeah, right.” His voice is scratchy, as if he’s swallowed too much saltwater.

I try again, using a smile this time—a woman’s best weapon is her smile, unless there’s a loaded Beretta 9mm nearby. I frown. What an odd thought. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me. You don’t know me, but I assure you, I mean you no harm. My name is Evelyn Winters. I’m the Daughter of the People.”

“Gavin Hunter,” he answers warily.

I smile again, a real one this time, and he blinks, as if surprised.

“Gavin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

His eyes widen and then narrow, but there is something else in his expression. Hope, maybe? He shakes back his hair, revealing his eyes. His pupils are so dilated it’s almost impossible to see the color of his irises, but they’re gray. I’ve never seen anything like them.

“I’m not sure if I can say the same.” His voice is different than I’m used to. He has an accent, but Mother hasn’t taught me enough about accents to locate where he’s from. It’s slow and lazy and he draws out his vowels. It’s strangely beautiful.

My heart gives a little flutter and I scoot closer. “Are you really a Surface Dweller?”

His eyebrows wing up. “A what?”

“Do you come from the Surface?” I point above our heads, to the water through the glass. A school of brightly colored fish swims by.

He glances around and his eyes land on the fish. They widen and there’s a hint of amazement before they meet mine again.

He gives a slight nod. “I guess I am.”

I glance around to see if anyone has noticed me kneeling here, but when I don’t see anyone, I lean closer. “Are you the one that set off the alarms?”

He looks at the ground and his hands clench over the shears. They snap shut, startling me. His teeth press tightly together and his jaw flexes with the effort.

“Not me. My friend.”

“There’s another like you?” I take a quick look around, wondering how I missed him. I’ll need to find a way to get both of them out of here and somewhere safe. If Mother finds them, she’ll have them shot. Surface Dwellers have been consumed with hate and violence, and should be considered extremely dangerous. Any Surface Dweller who attempts to break into Elysium should be shot on sight.

My duty is to report them—turn them in to the Guards—but he’s … different. I’m curious about him. Curious about the Surface. If it’s really as Mother says, or if Father’s accounts are more accurate.

But I mustn’t think of Father’s stories. Our little secret. Nothing but bedtime stories.

Gavin glares at me. “Not anymore,” he says, hate peppering his voice. “Y’all took care of that.”

Before I can ask him what he means, I’m jerked back and shoved behind my Guards, who block my view. That tingle of panic I felt when I touched the wind chimes tickles my nerve endings and, for a second, fury curdles in my belly.

Anger is a poison and will eat away at your beauty.

Dizzy, I sway as the words swirl through my mind, erasing the anger. Biting my lip, I stand on tiptoe to peer over the Guards’ shoulders.

Others yank Gavin out from underneath the table, hitting his head in the process. Blood trickles from the small gash on his forehead and into his eyes. He struggles to pull away, but they’re holding him too tightly. I bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from coming to his rescue. It will only make things worse if I do.

An Enforcer steps from the shadows with her blank face and dead eyes and aims her pistol at Gavin, awaiting orders from Mother, whose shoes click on the concrete as she approaches. It makes me nervous that despite my vigilance an Enforcer was still able to remain unseen. It appears, even here, Enforcers can hide in plain sight.

It didn’t take long for the Guards to call Mother, I think as she pushes her way past them and straight to Gavin, muttering, “I don’t have time for this. First Three and now an SD. What else could go wrong?” Then she takes his chin in her hand and studies him, asking him questions about how he got in and who else is with him, but he ignores her.

His attention is on me, and he’s not happy. He glares at me, but there’s something beneath the surface—something more than just the feeling of betrayal. There’s still a glimmer of hope, and I can’t let it die out.

Knowing what his fate will be if he refuses to answer the questions, I elbow the Guards out of my way and step forward, refusing to even glance at the Enforcer. “Mother, before the Guards placed their hands on me,” I say, and watch as she tenses, “I was getting the Surface Dweller to answer my questions. If I had a few more minutes with him, I could get all the information you are requesting.”

She moves her attention from Gavin to the Guards and I know I’ve effectively distracted her for the moment. “The Guards touched you? Without permission?”

“Yes, Mother,” I say, and the Guards squirm. I squash the little worm of guilt burrowing itself into my stomach lining.

“Which ones?” She stares coldly at them as they avoid looking at either Mother or me.

I pause. I shouldn’t say. I can’t remember why exactly, but I’m sure it would be a mistake. “I’m not exactly certain. It happened very fast.”