“Good.” A smile blazed across his face.
Her breath caught. Sandstorms, but he was gorgeous. Leah’s memories had left her more than half in love with Gideon. If Jasper was like Gideon, he was also honorable and protective and wonderful.
He was her soul mate, and she’d forever botched her chances with him. Regret knotted her belly. She had to look away before he saw the tears in her eyes.
“So what’s Fire World like?” he asked after a pause.
Don’t give yourself away. “It’s…different. The sky is red. Everyone lives Above. There are tall mountains that belch out fire, and the air is full of smoke.”
He grimaced. “It sounds horrible.”
“It is,” Dorotea said with feeling. Whoops. Would Leah have said that? She cleared her throat. “At least it is since Qeturah ruined it. Before that, the dukes kept the Volcano Lords under control, and the valleys were fertile.” Much more so than the pale vegetable gardens that lived under artificial lights.
“The storm’s stopped. Should we go?” Jasper asked. “I know it’s risky, but we can’t stay here without food and water.”
She hesitated, but nodded.
“Good. Let’s hurry before another storm brews.” He pushed on one wall, and light came in on three sides. Oh. It was a door. He put his back to the door and shoved it open inch by inch, the bottom edge scraping against sand.
Dorotea ducked her head and exited in a crouch. She winced at the harsh sunlight. In the very old tales, the sun was described in terms of warmth, but then it had grown sullen and stern, burning fragile flesh. “Do you know which way to go?” she asked Jasper. Do we have a destination?
“The dead city’s that way.” He pointed.
Curiosity stirred. She stretched her neck, but all she could see was a few disappointing square outlines poking out over the line of dunes.
They started walking. The sand shifted beneath their feet, making every step require extra effort.
“Do you think they’ll still be after us?” Jasper asked her.
Who? Scavengers? Cannibals? Dorotea answered cagily, trying to conceal her ignorance of who they were. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
He considered. “I think the Elect will give up and take their group of Unskilled volunteers to go repair the power station. But the Stone Heart and Rose Granite will still be after us.”
A Stone Heart, a gargoyle, one or more Elect, and some Unskilled… She knew she’d burned her bridges as soon as the priest had identified her, but she still winced. Honestly, she would have preferred cannibals.
She searched her memories and found out Gerhardt had collared Rose Granite and was forcing her to track them.
They lapsed into silence and trudged through the sand. After ten minutes, Jasper paused to wipe sweat from his brow. “Ugh. I wish we could go back to the caverns. How can you stand being in this kind of body? It’s so fragile.”
Her/Leah’s memories provided context for his strange words: the gargoyle writhing on the ground and changing into a boy as soon as they came Above. Gargoyle below, boy Above. Did all the gargoyles have that ability?
“It’s just what you’re used to, I guess,” Dorotea said. “I can’t imagine being made of stone. I’d be afraid of breaking things.”
They crested a hill, and Dorotea stopped, her eyes widening. “So that’s a city,” she said in amazement. She’d always thought the numbers in the stories were exaggerated, but now she saw she was wrong. Thousands of man-made, box-like structures were grouped together in neat rows. Most were of a size and the same red-brown color, but some were very tall and shone like metal. All of them looked deserted, missing roofs and windows, with drifts of sand piled against one side.
The city sprawled for at least five miles in diameter. The total population of the caverns couldn’t have occupied more than one tenth of it.
What had happened to the rest of the people? Had they all died or turned cannibal when the water retreated underground? Were there Elect strongholds like Jasper had told her, or did they live in caverns elsewhere? She’d never heard of either, but the lore had been wrong about so many other things that she didn’t trust it anymore.
“Do you think she’ll recognize me?” Jasper asked.
“Who?”
He glanced at her, eyebrows raised. “My mother, of course.”
His mother was in the city? Dorotea cudgeled her brains and dredged up the knowledge that his human mother had been exiled years ago. He was here looking for her. A rash of goose bumps spread across Dorotea’s skin. His mother was Qeturah’s otherself and might well have been murdered and replaced by Qeturah.
“If she does recognize you, it might be a sign that she’s not your mother.”
He stopped. “What?”
“I mean, you look like Gideon. Qeturah knows what he looked like, whereas your real mother last saw you when you were, uh—”
“Six,” he supplied grudgingly. “And she’s never seen me as a boy, only as a gargoyle.” His mouth turned down at the corners.
“I’m sure your mother would recognize you in gargoyle form,” Dorotea offered. “Your red jasper stone is very pretty.”
He rolled his eyes. “Pretty?”
“Distinctive, then. And so are your eyes. She’ll recognize those.”
“All gargoyles have golden eyes,” Jasper said dismissively.
“Can all gargoyles turn human?” Dorotea asked in surprise. The thought troubled her. Jasper wasn’t a monster, but did that mean Flint and the other savages in the Cavern of Traitors were human, too?
Jasper stared at her, perplexed. “You know that they don’t. You told me I could change because my father is a Cave Lord, not another gargoyle.”
Ice slashed down Dorotea’s spine. “Oh, yes, of course. I forgot.” Her voice came out far too high and nervous.
Puzzlement gave way to suspicion. His eyes narrowed, and his hand shot out and grabbed her arm. “You’re not Leah!”
The instinct to run hit her system. Her heart beat faster, and her nerves twitched, but his hand chained her in place. She closed her eyes for a moment, then met his gaze. “No, I’m not. I’m Dorotea.”
He shook her shoulders. “Bring her back!”
“I can’t!” Dorotea said, anger coming to her rescue. “I don’t know how!” Only that it involved a mirror. “And I wouldn’t, even if I could,” she added defiantly. “This is my body.”
He released her, as if she’d suddenly become toxic. Dorotea felt like he’d slapped her. “How long?” he demanded.
He meant how long had she been pretending to be Leah. “Since just before we left the shelter.”
“Exactly when?” he asked, eyes narrowed.
She shied away from admitting that they’d kissed. “Since you mentioned Gideon,” she lied. “Thinking about him made Leah sad, and she left.”
He turned his head away, his hands clenched into fists. She studied them warily, but the wicked claws that had so frightened her in gargoyle form didn’t emerge.
When he had control of himself again, he turned back to her. “So what was your plan?” he asked harshly. “To pretend to be Leah until the Stone Heart and Rose Granite showed up, then betray me?”
“Plan?” Her mouth dropped open. “I didn’t have time to come up with a plan. I’m just trying to survive. If Gerhardt finds us, he’ll take me prisoner, too.”
“Then why lie? Why pretend to be Leah?”
“Because I—” I didn’t want you to hate me. That confession would strip her naked, but she could still apologize for her earlier actions. She swallowed. “I wanted a fresh start. I treated you wrong earlier. I should’ve asked for your help from the beginning, instead of using the collar to compel you.” No response. She kept going. “I really did think you were attacking me when I woke up from my nightmare. I’m very sorry for my mistake, and I’m glad Leah…stepped in before you were hurt any more.”
His expression remained distant. It occurred to Dorotea that he could simply walk awa
y and leave her to fend for herself in the dunes. Her pulse leapt into her throat.
“Even if you despise me, we have a common goal,” she said quickly. “To prevent Qeturah from shattering our world.” And if his mother had survived here, she might know of any lost libraries of medical knowledge.
His golden eyes met hers. “This Qeturah has nothing to do with why the Goddess is angry. Your people’s lust for gold is killing her children, the Cave Lords.”
Dorotea hadn’t known that, but she didn’t argue. “I know that what the priests and Elect have been doing—imprisoning the gargoyles and keeping the Goddess in a coma—is wrong.” And it wasn’t working. The Goddess was waking up, and when She did, humanity would perish.
Not that Dorotea had the faintest idea how to fix it, how to make the adults see the truth. Nobody was going to listen to a traitor. But she had to try, for her mother’s sake and Marta’s.
“I don’t trust you,” Jasper said bluntly. “You’re saying all the right things, but I don’t know if I can believe you.” He stabbed a finger at her. “I’ll be watching you. If you betray me again, I’ll…” He couldn’t seem to come up with a strong enough threat.
“Don’t worry. If I betray you, Leah will take over again,” Dorotea said bitterly. And the two of them could live happily ever after while she broiled to death on Fire World.
…
Fire World
(you did the right thing. leaving Jasper, I mean.)
Leah met Holly’s gaze in the ice mirror. “Did I? I wish I could be sure Dorotea won’t turn on him again.”
(give her some credit for admitting she was wrong.)
Leah crossed her arms and brooded at the blank golden surface. She wished Stone World had more mirrors so she could check in on Jasper and Dorotea again. “How do we know she wasn’t just saying what she thought you wanted to hear? I don’t understand how she could have treated him that way in the first place!” Slavery was such an ugly word.
A beat of silence went by, then: (don’t you think you’re being a little hard on her? she was told over and over as a child that gargoyles were evil monsters and one of them killed her dad right in front of her eyes. how would you have reacted if, the first time you saw the dragon, after he burned Saul, someone told you that he was your soul mate?)
“That wasn’t Gideon’s fault! Qeturah used the amulet to force him to attack the castle.”
(yes, but you didn’t know that at the time. you fell in love with Gideon before you knew he was a dragon. you were terrified the dragon was going to eat him!)
“Well, yes, but—”
(if Qeturah had offered you a talisman to control the dragon, wouldn’t you have taken it, for your own safety?)
Yes. Yes, she would have.
Holly continued relentlessly. (how different is that from what Dorotea did with the collar?)
Leah sighed. “I suppose you’re right. But I’m still going to keep close watch on her.”
(just don’t get so obsessed that you forget about Qeturah. Audrey may be in danger, too.)
…
Stone World
“You don’t know where we’re going, do you?” Dorotea blurted.
The realization had been building for a while. Neither she nor Jasper had spoken a word for the rest of the hike to the city, and then she’d been too busy gawking to pay much attention to their path. But they’d definitely passed that steel-and-glass tower before. She remembered counting the rows of windows: thirty rows, each stacked one above the other. So tall and yet there was still more yellow sky above. It was unnatural.
“No, I don’t,” Jasper growled. “Any suggestions?”
He was being sarcastic, but Dorotea considered the question seriously. Had she ever heard any rumors about where in the dead city exiles or scavengers congregated? She shook her head. “Sorry.” Exile was supposed to equal a death sentence.
Already, she could see that being Above wasn’t as fatal as she’d been led to believe. Not that she enjoyed sweating in the harsh sun, but she hadn’t died yet, so survival was possible…if one could find food and water—a need that grew more urgent by the minute.
So far the city had seemed deserted…though, twice, Dorotea had caught herself looking over her shoulder, certain she was being watched. “Maybe your mother will find you. I mean, you could make a loud noise and see if anyone comes to investigate.”
He glared at her. “Like the Elect or the Stone Heart controlling Rose Granite, for instance? No, thank you.”
Dorotea threw up her hands. “Is endlessly tramping up and down any better?” Wide paths separated the rows of buildings, but the sand that covered them made for hard slogging. Nor did searching each building for a library seem like a good plan. They needed insider knowledge of this place. People. “If anybody’s watching from up there”—she pointed to the nearest large building—“they’ll have seen us already.”
His mouth fell open. “I didn’t think of that. Of course they’ll have lookouts—”
“Right you are,” a new voice interrupted. “I been following you for five blocks now.”
Dorotea turned and saw a shabby figure in a loose brown robe standing ten feet away. The boy—or maybe it was a girl under all the dirt?—looked about ten years of age. Hair that might have been red if it had been clean hung to the kid’s shoulders—too short for a girl, too long for a boy. Of more immediate importance was the slingshot clutched in his or her grubby hands.
Dorotea flinched as a rock missile the size of an egg cracked into the wall behind them. “I’m giving you one chance,” the child said. “Leave now.”
“Wait.” Jasper held up his hands. “My name’s Jasper. I’m looking for my mother. She was exiled here twelve years ago.”
“She’s probably dead, then. You cavers seldom last long,” the kid scoffed. “Now get.” The kid sent another rock whizzing, this time directly at Jasper.
Growling, Jasper held out a hand, and the stone swerved into his palm. It struck with a clack of stone meeting stone. Had Jasper turned his hand gargoyle?
Wide-eyed, the kid backed away.
“Please, wait. I just want information. My mother’s name is Sigrun.”
The kid stilled.
“You know her?” Jasper asked eagerly.
“I might,” the kid hedged. “Why you looking for her after all this time?” The voice climbed higher. A girl, then.
“Because she’s my mother. I didn’t come sooner because I was imprisoned. Please, take me to her.”
“Not yet. A whole bunch of you cavers crawled out of your hole yesterday. One bunch headed for the power station. You two veered off into the storm, and there’s two more chasing you. Why?”
She must mean Gerhardt and Rose Granite. “They’re after me,” Dorotea said.
“What’s so special about you?” the kid sneered.
Her chin lifted at the rudeness. “I’m a traitor. They want to punish me.”
“How close are they?” Jasper asked urgently. “The two chasing us?”
“Not far. Two blocks maybe.”
A block of what?
“Okay. He can come with me. You”—the kid pointed at Dorotea—“scram before you bring down trouble on us all.”
Dorotea expected Jasper to walk away without a backward look. Instead, he paused. “Will you be—?”
“Hurry up!” the kid snapped.
“Too late.” A bald, pink, stone head emerged from the ground at Dorotea’s feet. Pink granite hands locked around her ankles.
Rose Granite’s features were blocky and crude, barely recognizable as female. Her bosom, on the other hand, was a mountain range compared to Dorotea’s hill. The gargoyle didn’t fully emerge from the rock, apparently comfortable buried up to her waist. A slave collar gleamed around her neck.
Dorotea pulled, but each of the gargoyle’s hands was like an iron vise. She lost her balance and would have fallen had Jasper not steadied her. He pried at Rose Granite’s fingers, while the gargoyle w
atched sullenly.
Jasper snarled. “This stupid form is so weak! I can’t do anything!”
“Hush,” Dorotea said in a low voice. “If you keep quiet and don’t let Gerhardt see your eyes, he may not realize what you are.”
Rose Granite’s golden eyes widened. “Your eyes,” she breathed.
Jasper offered her a twisted smile. “Yes, Rose, it’s me.”
“How—?”
They didn’t have time for long explanations. “His mother is human, and his father is a Cave Lord,” Dorotea said quickly. She addressed Jasper. “You should slip away now, before he comes. There’s no reason for you to be captured, too,” she said urgently.
Jasper bared his teeth. “I won’t run like a coward. I’ll fight him.”
“Don’t you understand?” Dorotea cried. “He won’t fight you himself; he’ll make Rose Granite fight for him. Gargoyle against gargoyle.”
Rose Granite hung her head. “She’s right. I won’t fight you, but when I disobey him, he’ll torture me.”
Still, Jasper hesitated. “What about you?”
“Consider this my penance,” Dorotea said. “Just go!”
“I have a better idea. Free her.” He pointed at Rose Granite.
It was a good idea. Dorotea ruthlessly pulled off a scab on her knee so that blood trickled out, then crouched down and smeared blood on Rose Granite’s golden collar.
“Take it off! My master is close!”
Dorotea tried, but the clasp resisted her. Maddening thing. It felt like the necklace was fused together. “Why isn’t it working?”
Rose Granite’s expression sagged. “You have to be stone-hearted.”
“I am a Stone Heart.” She’d freed Jasper from stasis, something only a Stone Heart could do—except it had taken her several tries. Honestly, she wasn’t sure exactly how she’d woken him. And, of course, Leah had been the one to remove Jasper’s collar.
“Half Stone Heart,” a new voice said.
“Too late,” Rose Granite groaned.
Sandstorms take it! Dorotea stood up. The broad-shouldered Stone Heart Clan leader stopped a few feet away. Gerhardt panted, slightly out of breath, and his face was flushed, but he sounded triumphant. “I figured it out,” he said. “You’re Niall’s daughter. He was a traitor, too.”
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