Page 19

“Everyone and everything I know went up in flames when I was ten years old. I was the only survivor,” she adds in response to my silence.

“Oh.” How much death hassheseen?

A smile spreads clear across her face despite her revelation. “And if I don’t share the stories I was told, they’ll be gone, so I’ll tell you about the Separation, and Eli will put up with it.”

Eli snickers and pulls me along.

“The Separation was when a border was put up around Sonnet hundreds of years ago,” Kaleida says. “Ever since then, the two realms have been advancing separately, and now they’re completely different from each other and from how they once were. Before they were overthrown by a group led by the first Centress, a king and queen ruled Sonnet. Everything held beauty back then, and people weren’t driven by hatred. They traveled and celebrated, families stayed together, more babies survived birth and everyone lived longer. Oh, and art was appreciatedandencouraged, and the food—I can’t even imagine. And so many more animals could be found, and clothes were—”

“We’re here,” Eli interrupts.

Why did everything go so wrong after the Separation? And why separate at all?

My chest pulls tight as I look up at the massive granite walls and blood-red roof of the school. Eli’s steps slow, and he veers toward the arched entrance. Kelter and I are forced into the entry room, our boots squeaking and ankle chains scraping along the copper-flecked granite floor.

Kaleida sweeps one arm out wide. “This is where all the children in Sonnet live, from one year old to sixteen, never leaving the school grounds. They share rooms, attend classes every day and participate in combat training in the evenings. Then at sixteen they can move into any available house in the village or choose to pick or build something more remote in the woods. By the time they finish school, most parents have already died—or will soon after—so they’re on their own. Their only option is to follow the rules and join the Service Sphere, like us.” She signals to Eli and herself when we stop in the middle of the room.

The main foyer is crowded with people caught in discussion, pushing papers about and standing around tables with gray stones situated in the middle. Bookshelves line the walls, each spine gray and the same size as the one next to it. Tragic. Only a handful of children are among the adults, and almost everyone stops to stare at us.

A little girl at the nearest table takes one look at Eli and ducks beneath it, dragging a boy down with her. “Hide! It’s him.”

Some adults around us back away from Eli, knocking into each other’s tall bodies in their attempt to retreat, while others pat him on the back and greet him as we pass. He keeps his face forward, not a single sign of notice.

I retreat when I see the Centress at the opposite end of the room, but Eli yanks me back to his side. The metal scrapes my wrist, and I hold in a whimper. He hasn’t let go since I tripped and fell.

The Centress’ dress is red today, standing out like a blood stain amid the gray jumpsuits of the others. It’s almost like mine, made with that same seamless fabric that finds every curve offered. The idea of being like her in any way makes my soul itch. Kaleida and Eli are the only two in blue jumpsuits. Protectedby three smug guards in black, the Centress beckons us her way with a hooked finger.

My heart searches for a way out of my chest as we near the guard that held me underwater, the supple lips and pointy nose of her hateful face unforgettable.

“It had to be you,” she snarls at Eli, low enough for the Centress not to hear. “Of all the useless border guards that could have been assigned to take on a Hollow, we’re stuck being around your weird ass.”

The guard at her side pushes his long tail of hair over his shoulder, fair cheeks caving in despite his chilling grin. “Maybe the Centress will do us a favor and put him out of his misery after this assignment. He’s bound to screw something up.”

The third guard inches back as he looks the four of us over with his slashing blue-green eyes.

So much hatred.

Eli ignores their comments and pulls me as far away as he can from them without straying from the Centress. Somehow, he’s a pocket of safety in this awful realm despite his constant hold on me—or because of it.

“The children live here? When do they see their parents?” I ask Kaleida in a whisper.

“They don’t,” Eli cuts in, his voice shady and distant.

No parents for all those years? A life without knowing my parents has left me detached and wandering the forest, mapping every path that could have been mine. Plenty of other kids grew up parentless too, but they didn’t seem to mind. Maybe because they didn’t have the hollow kiss of death tucking them in at night.Hollow. I guess the name fits.

“Bring the Hollows and follow me.” The Centress and her guards turn toward a hallway branching off from the main entry room. “Better not to keep them waiting. They’re impatient little things.”

Chapter

Nine

“Night shift is over. We’re leaving them here and heading to the border,” Eli says, tugging me closer with the cuffs, despite his words indicating a desire to be far from me.

The Centress whirls around. “You stay until I say. I’ve arranged for a special lesson before we begin. I don’t need you after that. Get out of line again and you’ll find yourself with double shifts like this for the next year.”

Eli’s body tenses next to me. He folds his lips in, likely holding back a retort as the Centress takes off again.

Kaleida whispers in my ear, “She’s been a little grumpy since her mysterious lover left her in her early days as the Centress. She thinks she’s scary because she can cause pain and meddle with minds, but she’s like us…only in charge.”