23. Chapter 23
Maryn
My eyes flew open, and I sat up, throwing back the covers. The air tasted like ash. A scream tore down the hall; I scrambled to the door.
I wrapped a hand around it, hissing at the heat, but yanked it open. Scorching air blasted my face. Overhead, thick black smoke billowed.
A wail erupted behind the closest door, and I wrapped my nightgown around the handle, twisting. “Oh, mother and child,” I cried, darting in and scooping up a small boy. He buried his face in my shoulder, crying louder.
“Hush, child. I’ll get you out.”
I raced for the door and wrapped my arms over his head to protect him from the flames surging overhead.
Another cry—I shoved the next door open. A girl rushed for me, knocking me back into the hall. I wrapped a hand around hers and tugged her with me, running for the stairs.
“Maryn!”
My blood ran cold.
“Mama?”
I turned around. There was a third door. We’d run past it, not checking.
“Maryn! It’s stuck!”
“I’m coming, Mama!”
I turned back. The girl holding my hand yanked hard, pulling us toward the stairs. I ducked down until we were eye level. “I have to help my mom. Do you think you can make it out the door on your own?”
She shook her head, tears spilling over her cheeks.
“Okay. Don’t cry. We’ll get her out, then we’ll all go together.”
She shook her head again, pulling harder on my hand.
I straightened, tucking the boy closer to my chest, and dragged the girl toward the last door. “I’m coming Mama.”
A blast sounded—the ceiling collapsed farther down the hall. “Mama!”
The boy in my arms screamed and wrapped his arms around my neck, choking me.
“Mommy,” the girl wailed, digging her nails into my hand.
More of the ceiling began to crash to the floor. I coughed, looking down at the children in my arms.
I can’t save her. My eyes burned, but not from the smoke.
I turned for the stairs.
We raced down, taking them two at a time, hitting the ground floor as the stairs began to crumble behind us. The smoke was so thick now my vision was blurring.
I took the lead, pulling the girl behind me.
Her hand was ripped from mine, and I stumbled to a halt, spinning around. A beam had fallen across my path. The girl was somewhere behind it. Trapped.
Her silence was more terrifying than her cries. I looked down again. The boy’s cheeks were bright red, his eyes closed. My heart pounded.
I spun toward the door, bare feet singed with every step over the burning wood. I reached the door, throwing it open, letting out a pained scream as fire exploded across my back, knocking me to the floor.
The world was swallowed in black smoke, and my skin burned where fire licked up my clothing.
I crawled toward the door, shoving the unconscious boy in my arms through the frame.
Then nothing.
I blinked, coughing up the putrid taste of radiated slime.
I blinked again as the room came into focus.
To my left, a monitor beeped, and I could just make out the numbers tracking my vitals.
To my right, a nurse in brown set a glowing leech down on a metal tray and peeled her gloves off.
I sat up, hand going to my head.
No one spoke to me or acknowledged my presence.
My heart was slowing, my breathing calming.
I stood, staggering to the door and leaning against it. Mama. My vision blurred, a silent tear sliding down my cheek. Suddenly, I desperately wanted to be home.
***
Outside the Rite house, I stood beside Phoebe waiting for our car to arrive. Her fingers were laced together, twisting and untwisting, but she stared silently ahead.
“Good luck tonight,” I said.
She glanced at me. Her neck was splotchy, her cheeks stained pink.
The car arrived, and we both slid inside. Our chaperone sat across from us.
Had Phoebe been through the same ordeal as me in trial six?
Had she let someone she loved die? Or was she only thinking about who would be eliminated tonight?
Suddenly, I wished I could write to Ruth, warn her.
But sharing Rite secrets with other women after Trial Four was a crime.
Not that I was allowed to contact her anyway.
The car stopped; I’d been so lost in thought, I hadn’t realized we’d arrived.
I climbed the wide stairs to the second floor and stopped. While nothing could compare to that rooftop view, this was something magical.
A soft blue glow slipped from low-hanging lights mounted at each corner of the dance floor, illuminating the water beneath our feet. I stepped back as a dark shape glided under the floor.
“Do you like it?”
I jumped, spinning around.
Elias took a step back and held out a hand. “You look lovely, Maryn.”
I curtseyed and extended my arm. His lips brushed over the fabric of my glove, and my cheeks warmed.
“Will you dance with me later?”
Heat crept up my neck. “Yes.”
He smiled, but it wasn’t anything like the warm, genuine one he’d shown me on our last date. A reminder that the eyes of the Elite, and the nation, were on us tonight.
He backed up; I watched him go.
Nami appeared by my side. “Isn’t this amazing?”
I glanced around at the space quickly filling with couples, and my stomach dipped. “It is.”
Nami leaned closer, whispering in my ear. “I heard Sera say Elias built it for her.”
My gaze shot up in time to see Elias stop in front of Sera. Her smile was sultry as he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. My dance floor. The thought landed before I could stop it.
If it were true, I’d been foolish. If it wasn’t, Sera was playing a game I couldn’t afford to lose.
“I need punch.”
I spun around, leaving Sera, Elias, and the rest of the crowded room behind.
A soft buzz sounded above my ears, and I looked up. The drone had followed me. Was it watching for my reaction or just filming each of Elias’s matches? I straightened, lifting a ladle and spooning punch into my glass.
Nami stepped up beside me. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“You didn’t.”
She reached for the ladle and filled her cup.
The metal eye above us whirred, a cold reminder that whatever I said could be broadcast for the nation to see on Monday.
I lifted my chin. “I wouldn't believe everything you hear.”
Nami lifted her glass to her lips, saying nothing.
My gaze roamed over the room, the people. They laughed, drank, danced. A dark, brooding set of eyes was notably absent. I stilled. Stop, Maryn.
The music stopped, and Elias found Phoebe, leading her onto the dancefloor.
Nami and I watched in silence.
The soft hum overhead disappeared, and I exhaled a slow sigh, setting my cup down. Song after song, Elias worked the room.
Finally, he approached. Our eyes met, and I stepped forward.
He held a hand out to Nami.
My stomach dropped. I’d stepped forward. Like I’d forgotten there were six other women in this room. I pressed my fingers together behind my back and made myself watch.
When Elias returned, releasing a breathless Nami beside me, he extended his hand to me.
My fingers were laced tightly behind my back, and I worked to pry them loose. The drone buzzed overhead as I stepped forward, taking his hand.
The walk to the center of the dance floor was agonizingly slow, every eye burning my shoulder blades as he wrapped an arm around my waist.
His eyes were on me as I glanced around.
“I saved the longest song for our dance.”
His words jolted my attention to him.
He watched me.
My skin prickled.
“What do you think?” He looked down.
“It’s nice.”
His lips turned down.
“I chose the extra lighting so you could see all the way to the bottom.”
We spun, and I glanced down. “Very impressive.”
Elias’s jaw ticked, and I swallowed. His arm slid lower on my back, pulling me closer. I stiffened as his grip on my hand tightened.
“Maryn. Look at me.”
I looked up, meeting his stare once more.
“What’s wrong?”
My eyes burned; I hated that one stupid question could make me feel so weak.
“Did you build this for Sera?”
His face went blank, eyes snapping up, and we continued spinning in silence.
The burn in my eyes intensified, and I blinked rapidly.
When the song ended, he marched off the dance floor, pulling me behind him. We stopped beside the punch table, his gaze darted around, then up before settling on me again.
“I told you who I did it for.” His words were sharp. Clipped. He released my hand.
I nodded, trying and failing to meet his eyes.
“Maryn.”
I stared at the punch bowl.
“Maryn.”
I looked up. His gaze burned, the intensity enough to make me want to run.
“I told you it was for you, and I meant it. Do you doubt me?”
I shook my head. Blinking again.
“You do.”
He turned on his heel.
“Wait.” My words were soft. And too late.
He reached the center of the dance floor, and a weight settled on my chest. He spun in a slow circle, taking in the crowd. “Welcome!”
The enthusiasm in his voice made my stomach churn. A born performer.
“I hope you’re all enjoying your evening.”
Applause.
“Before I share the results of this week’s trial, can we take a moment to appreciate how lucky we are?”
This time, the crowd whistled and clapped.
“We’re standing atop the last fresh water on Earth.” Elias held up his hands to quiet the roar of approval. “But. I didn’t design tonight’s ball with any of you in mind.”
He glanced at me, and my pulse thrummed at my throat.
“Maryn. Come here.”
His smile was warm, inviting, and completely false. I smiled back, teeth gleaming in the low light.
He held out a hand.
I swallowed and stepped forward. I’d felt everyone’s eyes on me before, but now they scorched my skin.
When I reached him, he squeezed my hand. “Maryn surprised us all by revealing her father’s Elite status in Trial Four, but she continues to shock the judges.” He turned us in a slow circle. “This week, she proved her loyalty to this great nation in Trial Six.”
Polite claps. Not the whistling he’d gotten moments before. I kept the smile fixed on my face and squeezed his hand, wondering if he noticed too. Wondering if that was the point.
He looked at me again. “She told me once she’d always dreamed of seeing this lake up close, and I thought…” He stopped. “That’s a dream I can bring to life.”
His eyes never left mine as the crowd burst into loud applause.
My grip tightened around his, but I pasted a smile on my face.