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My eyes are glued to the screen. The images are crisp and colorful, as if we’re hovering right there in the corner of the room. I see an ornate dining chamber with an elegantly decorated dinner table and soldiers lining the walls. The young Elector is seated at one end of the table. June sits at the other, wearing a gorgeous dress that makes my heartbeat speed up. When I’d been the Republic’s prisoner, they’d beaten me to a pulp and thrown me in a dirty cell. June’s incarceration seems more like a vacation. I’m relieved for her, but at the same time, I’m a little bitter. Even after betraying the Republic, people with June’s pedigree get to coast, while people like me suffer.
Everyone watches me watching June. “Glad she’s doing good,” I say to the screen. Already I’m disgusted with myself for dwelling on such mean thoughts.
“Clever of her to start talking to the Elector about their college years at Drake,” Razor says, summarizing the audio as the video plays. “She planted the story. They’re going to have her take a lie detector test next, I’d imagine, and we’ll have a straight path to Anden if she’s good enough to pass it. Our next phase tomorrow night should run smoothly.”
If she’s good enough to pass it. An early bond. “Good,” I reply, trying not to let my face betray my thoughts. But as the footage continues, and I see Anden order the soldiers out of the chamber, I feel a knot tighten in my throat. This guy’s all sophistication, power, and authority. He leans close to say something to June, and they laugh and drink champagne. I can picture them together. They match.
“She is doing a good job,” Tess says, tucking her hair behind her ears. “The Elector’s completely into her.”
I want to dispute this, but Pascao chimes in brightly. “Tess’s totally right—see that glow in his eyes? That’s a man won over right there, I can tell you that. He’s head over heels for our girl. She’ll have him completely hooked in a couple days.”
Razor nods, but his enthusiasm is more subdued. “True,” he says. “But we’ll need to make sure Anden doesn’t get into June’s head too. He’s a born politician. I’ll find a way to have a word with June.”
I’m glad that Razor speaks sense and caution during a time like this, but I have to turn away from the screen now. I never considered the idea that he might be able to get into June’s head.
Everyone’s comments fade as I stop listening. Tess is right, of course; I can see the desire on the Elector’s face. He gets up now and walks to where June sits shackled to the chair, then leans in close to talk to her. I wince. How could anyone resist June? She’s perfect in too many ways. Then I realize that I’m not upset over Anden’s attraction to her—he’s gonna be dead soon anyway, right? What makes me sick is that June doesn’t look like she’s faking her laughter in this video. She almost seems to be having a good time. She’s on par with men like him: aristocrats. Made for the Republic’s upper-class life. How can she ever be happy with someone like me, someone with nothing but a handful of paper clips in his pockets? I turn and start to walk away from the crowd. I’ve seen all I want to see.
“Wait up!”
I look over my shoulder to see Tess hurrying after me, her hair flying into her face. She skids into step beside me. “Are you okay?” she asks, studying my expression as we head back down the hall toward my room.
“I’ll be fine,” I reply. “Why shouldn’t I be? Everything’s going just . . . perfectly.” I give her a tense smile.
“Okay. I know. I just want to make sure.” Tess gives me a dimpled grin, and I soften toward her again.
“I’m fine, cousin. Seriously. You’re safe, I’m safe, the Patriots are on track, and they’ll help me find Eden. That’s all I can ask for.”
Tess brightens at my words, and her lips curl up into a teasing smirk. “There’s been some gossip about you, you know.”
I lift my eyebrows playfully. “Oh, really? What kind of gossip?”
“Rumors that you’re alive and well are spreading like wildfire—it’s all anyone’s talking about. Your name’s spray-painted on walls all over the country, even over the Elector’s portraits in some places. Can you believe that? Protests are popping up everywhere. They’re all chanting your name.” Tess’s energy wanes some. “Even the quarantined folks in Los Angeles. I guess the whole city’s under quarantine now.”
“They’ve sealed Los Angeles?” This takes me aback. We’d learned about the gem sectors being fenced off, but I’ve never heard of such a large-scale quarantine. “What for? The plagues?”
“Not for the plagues.” Tess’s eyes get wider with excitement. “For riots. The Republic’s broadcasting it officially as a plague quarantine, but the truth is that the whole city’s rebelling against the new Elector. Rumors are spreading that the Elector is hunting you down with everything he’s got, and some Patriots are telling people that Anden was the one who ordered—er, who ordered your family’s . . .” Tess hesitates, turning bright red. “Anyway, the Patriots are trying to make Anden sound bad, worse than his father. Razor says the LA protests are a great opportunity for us. The capital has had to call in thousands of extra troops.”
“A great opportunity,” I echo, remembering how the Republic had put down the last protest in Los Angeles.
“Yep, and it’s all thanks to you, Day. You triggered it—or, at least, the rumor that you’re alive did. They’re inspired by your escape, and pissed about how you’re being treated. You’re the one thing the Republic can’t seem to control. Everybody’s looking to you, Day. They’re waiting for your next move.”
