AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘You do not need training,’ she says.
‘But you said—’
‘I am buying you time.’ Her piercing look gives way to one of exasperation.
It only makes me feel worse. Loricel’s given everything for Arras, but I’m so selfish that she doesn’t expect me to sacrifice myself. All I can think to say is thank you.
‘Now go use it,’ she says, shooing me out of the studio.
I slip out of the tower and past the guard. He looks at me closely, the way men regard a weakling. The last thing I need is for him to send for an escort.
‘Loricel sent me for something in the lower studios,’ I lie.
I’m certain he doesn’t believe me from the way his eyes squint together, but he lets me go.
I rush back toward my quarters before anyone can reach me. Loricel might not believe Cormac is responsible for Enora’s death, but I saw what he did to her. Even if she felt trapped here, she wasn’t desperate. She seemed happy obsessively picking each outfit I wore, right down to the shoes. And she was so protective of me. She cared too much about me to just abandon me. She’d even gone to all the trouble of getting me a digifile when I had to travel around Arras, and she had warned me about Erik.
The digifile!
Suddenly the lift seems to slow down and the buttons light up for each floor in slow motion. Five more left. Four. I hate living so high up! As soon as the doors open I dash out. The digifile is resting safely under my pillow, and I snatch it up.
Sliding my fingers across the screen, I frantically open folders and programs. There are games. Catalogues. An application that patches me into the daily weather programming for each sector. Nothing. It was only a gift. It’s stupid to be so disappointed. Loricel’s pushing had me believing Enora cared enough to – I don’t know – tell me why, or at least say goodbye or something.
‘It can’t be,’ I mutter. Erik and Jost were so surprised to see me carrying the device on that trip – it must mean something. I wish I could go to Jost now and ask why they acted that way, but that would draw attention to him.
I pick the digifile back up and start combing through the programs more slowly. A weather program. I think back to the first time I met Enora, when she caught me weaving a thunderstorm. Scanning through the weather application, I find a file labelled Precipitation. The rest of the program is organised by date and month. I press down on the file and wait for it to load, my heart pounding at the possibility of answers or information. Even a simple farewell.
Inside there’s another file, marked Thunder. I open it and a dozen smaller files appear. The first reads, To Adelice.
20
I pull out every tailored suit in my wardrobe and hang them on my bathroom door. The digifile slips into most of the tiny pockets on each jacket, but I have to rip the basting stitches out of some. No matter what, I’m keeping the small pad with me from now on. I’ve renamed Enora’s note for added safety. At least now I know where to start, even if not much else is clear.
The digifile contains information that I’m pretty sure could get me killed. Maps. Tracking systems. But it’s Enora’s note that burns in my brain. I think I could stand to have them find everything in those folders but that. It’s too personal. But even though I’ve read it so many times I have it memorised, I can’t bring myself to erase it. It plays on repeat in my head, spoken in Enora’s soft voice. Her written words sound so much like her that reading them makes me hurt like I’ll break into pieces.
Dear Adelice,
If you found this by accident, close this file. Nothing in here will do you any good, and you know I won’t like it if you get into trouble!
But if you came looking for it that means you’re ready for answers. I assume you’d come to me in person. So first of all, I’m sorry for leaving you. I wish I could prove to you that I fought to stay. I suppose it doesn’t matter anyway, but now that I’m gone the only person you can trust is Loricel. Please believe that she will help you when you need it.
That said, there are answers you have been searching for, and you should find them on your own. I’ve given you everything I can to help you do this, but protect these files or I’m afraid they’ll come after you.
And finally, Adelice, don’t be sad for me. I’m free, and it is my sincerest wish that you will be as well. That’s why I’ve fought to protect you, and it’s why I’m giving this to you now. You’re a smart girl. Keep your wits and trust your instincts, and you’ll be fine. And don’t ever forget who you are.
With love,
Enora
Her words offer small comfort, but they do give me hope. I choose a lavender suit to wear to dinner, and I’m sliding on the clingy skirt when there’s a knock at the door. Shimmying into the jacket, I stash the digifile in my left pocket, right below my heart.
Cormac’s at the door. This can’t be good.
‘Come in,’ I say, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice and failing. I giggle a little, hoping I look like the nervous, awestruck girls that made up my cohort. Although it may be a little late to go fanatic on him.
He enters without a word and wanders around the perimeter of my room, stopping to finger the suits hung over my door. ‘Packing?’
‘No,’ I say, grabbing the clothing to shove back into my closet. ‘I like to plan my wardrobe for the week.’
