He looks to be guarding the sticky bun with his life.
I weave between bodies, forcing my way towards him. He’s wrapped his arms around my treat, protecting the precious cargo from several Rying elbows.
‘Mak!’ My shout is swallowed up in the commotion, but I force my voice louder. ‘Mak!’
When his head whips in my direction, I wave my hands in the air, jumping high enough to catch his attention. At the sight of me, I swear he smiles.
He jerks his head towards a nearby alley – a silent order to follow. I stumble behind him, pushing through the crowd until I’m able to suck in the open air of the alleyway.
‘What’s going on?’ He examines me closely. ‘Is everything okay?’
My lips split into a smile, my voice a squeal. ‘Everything is more than okay!
She’s here. She’s here and she’s taking me with her!’
‘Slow down.’ He steps towards me, placing a hand on my shoulder. ‘Who’s here?’
‘Pae!’ Words tumble from my mouth. ‘An Imperial told me that I’m being sent to the palace to become her seamstress for the Trial’s balls! Isn’t that amazing? I’ll get to sew her dresses and—’
‘When?’
The Rat tone of his voice makes me falter. ‘Um, now, actually. But I told the Imperial that I had to say goodbye, so I’ve been trying to 1nd you before I have to get back to him.’
‘But,’ his voice is alarmingly lethal, ‘we have our mission tonight. We have a plan. A plan for both of us to sneak into the castle.’
I shake my head, hoping a smile will lighten the mood. ‘Mak, your uniform is done. You are free to go to the castle whenever you—’
‘No, it will be much riskier without you. I need your power there with me,’ he mumbles, more to himself.
I shift on my feet. ‘Look, I can see why you would be nervous to go alone.
Why don’t you just write Hera a note, and I can make sure it gets to—’
‘You don’t understand!’ he shouts, shoving a hand through his disheveled hair. ‘I need to be there! We were meant to go together so I could ensure you’d be in my range, but now I’ll have no idea where you are…’
He trails oI, murmuring more things I don’t understand. ‘Mak.’ He shakes his head at the mention of his name. ‘I… I don’t understand. What are you talking about?’
I reach out a hand, hoping to run it comfortingly down his arm. But he steps back, shoving space between us. ‘I need to get her out of there! Out of this kingdom! And if you’re too deep within the castle, I won’t be able to wield your power,’ he rambles. ‘Or worse, I’ll run into the prince who will sense exactly what I am.’
‘Wield my power?’ I echo quietly.
‘Yes, Adena, wield your power,’ he breathes. ‘Because that is what I do. What I am.’ He steps towards me, forcing me back until my shoulders hit the wall. ‘And now it will be even harder to save her.’
My mind reels, running over every bit of information given to us about the Elites. It’s public knowledge that Kai Azer is the only recorded Wielder in all of Ilya. Some believe it is because no one has ever possessed such power, while others speculate that the king has ensured his son is the most powerful Elite in the kingdom by killing oI any other threat.
And I think I may be staring at one. May have been staring at one for weeks. Confusion clogs my throat, forcing me to swallow. ‘You’re not a Phaser.’
He laughs, the sound strained and bitter. ‘No, honey. I’m not. And Hera is going to die in these Trials if I can’t get her out.’
I shake my head, 1ghting the tears starting to sting my eyes. ‘Get her out? You mean, run away with her?’ He opens his mouth, but anger is already spitting out of mine. ‘You were going to leave me! You were going to get Hera and Ree the kingdom!’ I suck in a quivering breath. ‘You were going to die when they caught you.’
‘I was bound to die anyway,’ he breathes. ‘It was only a matter of time before someone found out what I am. And there can only be one Wielder in the kingdom.’
My vision clouds with unshed tears. ‘You lied to me. You used me.’ He shakes his head, urging me to understand. ‘Hera is all I have left—’
‘You had me!’ I choke. ‘You had me, and I would have kept your secret. You have no idea what I’m willing to do for the people I care about. But you lied.’ I stumble towards the street, wiping furiously at my damp cheeks. ‘At least I had the decency to say goodbye.’
I shake out of Mak’s grasp, hearing the faint shout of my name as I disappear into the current of people.
