Pulse Point

by Colleen Nelson

  We’d talked about Lev’s pulse point. Its beat was intermittent. He was dehydrated and without electrolytes, the electrical currents failed, at least that was what we thought. I hadn’t told Lev what would happen to his pulse point when we got to camp. But we would do it together. Our connection to the City would be severed, once and for all.

  One by one, we walked into the tunnel that would take us back to camp. I let Akrum, Gideon and Lev go first and stayed close to Jacob until they were out of earshot. “Jacob,” I said. “There’s something you need to know.” I paused. He’d been shocked to learn Mara had born a second child by him. What would my next revelation do? “Mara’s never told the Prims the truth. They think the City forced her to bear Sepp and me.”

  An unfathomable expression crossed his face.

  “If they find out who she really is, her life with the Prims will be over.”

  I expected Jacob to understand, maybe even agree with me, but instead, his eyes turned icy. “They stole my life, Kaia. Raina, Mara, whoever she is now, and whatever she told you, she’s not the victim.” His voice was determined when he spoke. “And neither are we. Not anymore.”

  Jacob turned to go, but I grabbed his arm, insistent. “Promise me you won’t say anything. Not until you’ve talked to her.” Jacob met my eyes. It felt like two rocks grinding against each other, neither of us willing to look away. “No good is going to come from it,” I insisted. “Not now.”

  “People who take from us have to pay, you understand that, don’t you? Energy isn’t the only thing that needs to be balanced in the City.” His jaw clenched and for a moment, I saw the ferocity that lay beneath the surface. Years of captivity hadn’t made him meek, they’d unleashed a beast.

  I thought of the person I’d been before I left the City and I knew she didn’t exist anymore. I had Prim blood in my veins. I had the strength to survive the harsh outside. I had a people who accepted me and a weapon the City couldn’t take away: knowledge.

  I didn’t know what lay ahead for us. We’d round up a group of Prims, and then what? Storm the City? Tame the beasts to help us? Free the Underlanders? But I did know one thing, I wasn’t going back as Kaia.

  I was going back as a fighter.

  The End.

  Acknowledgements

  Pulse Point began its journey seven years ago when it was rejected from a screenwriting contest. The dystopian world we’d dreamed up was too good to give up on, so we began developing it as a YA book. Through many (and we mean many) drafts, the story morphed into this novel and we couldn’t be prouder.

  We would like to thank some people who made this book possible.

  Firstly, the ladies at Yellow Dog: Catharina de Bakker, Mel Marginet and Stephanie Berrington. Thank you for guiding the book to publication and beyond.

  Hart Pollack and Sheldon Nelson.

  Paul and Kathy Zubick; over the years, much of the book was written at your Canmore residence.

  Thank you to early readers Harry Endrulat, Kathie MacIssac and Erin Wood.

  Colleen would like to thank Nancy for always making time to chat about characters and plot lines. I am so lucky to have a sister and writing partner rolled up in one beautiful package.

  Nancy would like to thank Colleen for being such a talented and motivating force in writing this book. Your efficiency and endless energy to write so many drafts while always being open to new ideas has been inspiring.