Page 35 of Serpent In White

At this point, my name might as well be Abdiel Curiosity, because I've never been so keen in my life. I've never been sonosy. My parents taught me it was rude. And especially when it comes to Head Priest, we were always taught not to ask about him.

He does what he does because he can. He's theHead Priest. It's an entitlement that comes with his seat.

But over the years, watching him from the sidelines, quietly observing him, I've developed quite the craving for more. Watching hissolitudethe other night solidified it.

I need answers. I need to see The Alchemist.

Interestingly enough, the next day, Lorn shows up at my trailer as I'm finishing breakfast.

Standing in the doorway, I offer to have him inside, but he declines.

“Not a social call, bud.” He scrapes a palm over his shaved head. "I was sent to fetch you."

"Tofetchme?" I lift a brow.

He grins, but shrugs. "Yea. You're needed in the lab."

Gulp. "What...?"

His voice goes quiet as he says, "He asked for you."

All my nerves are suddenly bunched up, the anxiety immediate. "He did..."

Lorn nods, then motions to his ATV, parked right by my trailer. "Let's go. He doesn't like to wait."

My mouth is just hanging open, and I probably look like an idiot, but there's nothing I can say or do right now. I'm speechless.

Drake sent for me?? Why? Is it just because I stopped by the Field?

This is incredibly worrisome, but I can't deny the mild excitement rushing through me as I step into my boots by the door and follow Lorn to his vehicle.

Hopping on the back of the ATV behind him, I wrap my arms loosely around his waist as he starts it up and pulls away. The trails for ATV and cart travel are off to the side, apart from the paths for foot traffic, so people don't get hurt. It's a one-way on the right side of housing, and the other way on the left.

We're traveling on the right side now, past the housing trailers, then the farmland. Lorn is whipping pretty fast, wind hitting my face every time I peer around him to check where we're going. Once we get to the entrance of the Field, he slows down but doesn't stop, saluting the other two guards on duty at the front as he pulls onto a trail.

We drive slowly up a path that cuts through the Field of Influence. It's a remarkable sight. I've never actually been in here before, though I've seen it from afar. It's only just been planted for the season, so all you see are little baby seedlings sprouting up. But still, it goes on forever. It looks like miles of them, although I'm not sure how much there actually is.

This is the part of The Principality not everyone knows about. I'm not even entirely sure what the purpose of the Field is, and why it’s so heavily guarded, protected by the Tribe at all costs.

But I know what these plants are. And what they do…

We reach the end of the Field, then cut farther into the woods. We're traveling up the mountain now, approaching the lab. I can see it up in the distance, along with at least five visible soldiers, AK47's and M16's in hand.

I swallow my nerves as we pull up to the lab and Lorn parks. I hop off at his side, all eyes on me while we walk to the large metal door.

Lorn knocks on it hard, turning to me. "Well, this is where I leave you. I'll bring you back when you're done, just have someone radio me."

I nod as the door opens, and this dude from the Tribe named Jasper greets me. He brings me inside, walking me down a corridor. I can't help but peek over my shoulder at the door as it slams shut, hoping I haven't made some terrible mistake by coming here. Sure, these people are my family, but there’s still an air of danger brushing through me at the unknown.

The inside of this building is unlike any other on the Expanse. It's a lab, so everything is clean, metal and stark white walls. Industrial doors with plexiglass windows, though I can't stop to observe inside. We're walking the hallway at a steady pace, and when we reach some double doors at the end, I see more people. They're in lab coats.

Chemists.

It's so interesting to me. I mean, I know these people, but I don'treallyknow them. The chemists have separate housing too, just like us Domestics do, so they can be closer to the Field and the lab. Honestly, they don't join the rest of us too often, which I've always felt a little strange about. It’s like they have their own little clique.

But that's their prerogative, I suppose.

At the double doors, Jasper pushes them open, then stands to the side, motioning for me to go first. I give him a look like I don't know where I'm going, but he just nods for me to walk, so I do.