by Rebecca Ann
“She risked the entire hideout,” Shannon muttered. She joined me on the bed. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but we voted not to do anything about Ada yet. We’re going to wait a few days. We’re safer here.”
I stared at the light on the end table next to the wardrobe across the room. “I guess it can’t hurt to let her help.” I got to my feet and walked out of the room. Time to get to know my mother.
Chapter Fourteen
LINDSEY
I flipped off the net-screen with a sigh and stood from the bed, stretching to get the kinks out of my back. I never watched net-dramas, but sitting here for hours made me feel like I’d watched the same thing multiple times. In reality, it had only been a few hours since Madalina had led me onto the ship and to this lovely room with its metal floor and walls and cold air seeping in through holes in the ceiling. Not that I could tell with no windows and no clock of any kind. Not even the net-viewer told me the time. Madalina had come to check on me periodically, but most of the time, I’d been left alone.
A soft knock at the door shattered the silence. In two steps, I reached it, my palm on the door. “Who is it?”
“Melody. I’m coming in.”
I skittered away from the door as it opened, sitting down on the bed. “Am I being released from prison?” I joked as Melody stepped into the room, decked out in her Watcher’s uniform, holding a tray with a sandwich on a plate and a water bottle.
“I brought you something to eat. We have about twenty minutes left of the journey. Also, Madalina wanted me to tell you that you’re being kept in here because of the deal she made with the Caldwell Watcher force. Once you’re on Ada, you’ll no longer be a prisoner.” She set the tray down on the small white table by the bed, the dishes rattling.
I glanced over my shoulder from where I’d been about to pick up the water bottle. “That’s great and all, but you do realize I mind-controlled a tech and a Watcher, don’t you? Technically I’m supposed to be in prison right now.” I unscrewed the cap and took a long sip.
“You were trying to save your people.”
I looked at her with a raised brow as I screwed the cap back on the water bottle. “Are you a Controller or something? How did you know that?”
Pink colored Melody’s cheeks, but her expression hardened. “Half-Controller, actually. My parents both worked here until the king’s new wife put Half-Controllers in their own section of Ada. My dad was a Controller, and my mom was an Invie.” She cast her gaze downward. “Sorry. I tend to go overboard with information.”
“It’s okay.” I looked down at my sandwich. I’d never told this to anyone except Victoria. “My dad was married before he met Diane. She’s not my biological mom. My bio mom was a Controller, and my dad’s an Invie. It’s why I have both Controller and Invie powers and why my sister only has Invie powers. I was actually born on Ada. She died giving birth to me, and we fled—my dad and I—and went to Caldwell. So I’m Half-Invie, Half-Controller which is why I have Invie powers and Controller powers! I’ve been hiding my Controller abilities my whole life.”
“And let me guess, you wanted to be the hero and test out your new powers,” Melody retorted, eyebrows raised. “I gotta say, mind-controlling a nurse—or tech, whatever they are—and a Watcher took guts, especially if you’re just learning.” She pointed to her head with a smirk. “I kinda snuck into your thoughts when we met.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you did.” I looked at the net-screen and back at Melody, not sure how to phrase this next question. “So, how’d you land this gig?” I reached for the sandwich still sitting on the plate and took a bite.
“My parents worked here until the king’s new wife put all the Half-Controllers in their own location. I was ten when she came, but before that, I grew up in the palace. My dad was a Watcher. Anyway, Madalina and I were super close growing up. Best friends.” Sadness crept over her features. “But after her mom died, her dad sent her to some special school, and he got married, and, well—my parents and I were asked to go to the location for Half-Controllers. It’s called District Fourteen. We somehow managed to escape and came to Caldwell. After the laws started, we came back here, and both got a job working in the palace. Madalina remembered me, though our friendship wasn’t the same as it once was, and she made me her personal Watcher. Between you and me though, she’s changed.”
I stared at her as I swallowed another bite of the sandwich, not sure what to say. “That’s—wow.”
“Look, I don’t usually like to talk about stuff like that. I just wanted you to know that I don’t see you as a criminal.”
I looked down at my sandwich. I’d never told this to anyone except Victoria. “My dad was married before he met Diane. She’s not my biological mom. My bio mom was a Controller, and I was actually born on Ada. She died giving birth to me, and we fled—my dad and I—and went to Caldwell.”
A soft knock at the door cut me off, and I exhaled. Thank the heavens. Melody rushed to open it, and Madalina stood on the other side, wearing a long purple dress, her black hair in a ponytail. The same gold earrings from yesterday dangled from her ears, catching the light.
“You ready?” Madalina asked as she stepped into the room. “We’re about to dock. I wanted you to see the planet from space. Melody, please go make sure the other Watchers are ready to disembark.”
I stepped out of the room, my shoes tapping on the tile floor. A long hallway with large windows on either side stretched out before us. “Where is it?”
Madalina went over to the window off to the right. “Here.”
I glanced out the window, seeing nothing but a ball of white and blue with tiny sparkling dots. Lights maybe. My stomach twisted. I’d bring my people here. “Will you show me where my friends will be?”
“Yes. It’s called District One.”
I forced my gaze back to the planet. Would this ball of white really be the key to my people finding freedom? As it drew closer, I spotted a clear dome-type structure over the lit-up buildings. “Why is there—”
“Because the planet isn’t really livable without it,” Madalina explained, “but it does have a sun and a moon; it’s just that it’s very cold most of the time. Too cold for us to live without the glass.”
I didn’t let my gaze leave the planet. I’d studied Ada in school. I’d taught my students about it. I’d taught them to fear it. Now, seeing it up close—well—it wasn’t anything like I’d imagined. It was beautiful. “Can you take me by District One?”
“Of course! After we go to the palace. I might get someone else to take you.” Madalina’s thin fingers clasped my shoulder, making me jump a little. “Come on! Let’s get ready for landing.”
I followed Madalina down the hall, glancing back a final time at Ada. In a few minutes, the ship would land there. A nervous energy trickled down my arms and legs. It was to be home, and if all worked out, it would be the place Victoria and our people would finally have their long-awaited freedom. I exhaled, jaw locked tight. Hopefully I hadn’t made a mistake.
The ship landed with a thump that made me grab hold of the wall to keep upright. On shaky legs, I followed Madalina down the hall. We met a couple more people at a metal door. One of them was Mark. I nodded to him. More for protection than anything. If Madalina or anyone found out we were devising another plan, it could mean serious trouble for all of us.
“Ready?” Madalina asked. She bounced on her toes like a little kid. Too bad there wasn’t a camera anywhere. The people of Ada would probably get a kick out of their future ruler acting like a child on her birthday. “Open the door!”
Another Watcher stepped up and turned the large metal handle. The door opened with a loud creak, like the hinges hadn’t been oiled in a while. Tiny white squares shined down a long hallway with a dark gray floor. I took a breath. Once I exited this ship, there was no turning back. Behind me, someone cleared their throat. I started down the metal steps, the railing cool to the touch. A blast of cold air hit me in the face th
e moment I took the last step. A man in black rushed forward, draping a blanket over my shoulders.
“Give me your hands,” the Watcher instructed sharply.
“Edward!” Madalina called out, the excitement from earlier replaced with authority. “She’s not to be handcuffed.”
“But, Your Majesty, she’s—”
“Not to be handcuffed.” Madalina’s hands went to her hips, her thin lips set in a straight line, dark eyes blazing.
The Watcher mumbled something under his breath but put the cuffs back on his belt.
I took a moment to survey the empty port where other ships sat parked, some of the doors closed, others open. People in black uniforms moved back and forth across the dock, their shoes tapping in almost the same rhythm.
“Keep up,” the Watcher barked as he headed down the dock at a brisk pace.
I looked over at him. With his round baby face, he looked no older than nineteen or twenty, save his broad shoulders and large hands. I looked into his eyes, blue like the ocean and full of emotion. Sadness or fear, I wasn’t sure which. He walked with a practiced grace, like he’d been doing it for years.
“What’s your name?” I finally managed to ask as I walked alongside him. We stopped in front of a large hover parked at the edge of the docks, which were covered by an archway of sorts, ships parked on either side of the dock.
He ignored me. “Get in,” he ordered and all but pushed me up the metal ramp into the hover. Taking me by the arm, he shoved me into a nearby seat. As he reached over me to grab the seatbelt, his eyes softened for a split second. As the seatbelt clicked into place, the coldness slid back onto his face.
“My name’s Edward,” he whispered. Without another word, he walked to the other side of the cabin.
I stared after him, forehead wrinkled. What was with that Watcher? Was this an act? Was he really nice underneath the mask of coldness? I shook my head as I leaned back in the leather seat. I wanted to trust this Edward person. I wanted to trust Madalina. Until I saw what was what, I had to keep up the walls.
Several pairs of footsteps sounded on the ramp leading up to the hover. Madalina stepped into the cabin, followed by Melody, who sat in the seat across the aisle while Madalina took the seat beside me.
“I apologize for Edward,” Madalina said after a few minutes of silence. “He doesn’t like LIs from Earth very much.”
I nodded. “Gee, that’ll be fun considering I’m about to be a Royal Watcher.” As the hover rose in the air, I glanced out the nearest window. A hazy natural light spilled into the cabin, leaving a strip of it along the floor. The engine vibrated, and I sat up straighter. Mounds of what looked like snow rose up around us, stretching as far as I could see. The hover flew over buildings, some clustered together while others were spread far apart.
“Off to the right is the district your friends will be in,” Madalina said. “And we’re almost to the palace.”
I leaned forward to get a better look. “Those clusters of buildings?” I pointed off to the right to the buildings cloaked in shadow, as though the sun couldn’t reach them.
“Yes. You can’t see it from up here, but there’s a wall surrounding the district. It’s to keep them safe. There’s also a location for Controllers who—well—aren’t in control. Who’ve abused their power.”
My heart picked up at the word Controllers. I’d been so focused on my sentence and figuring things out, I barely thought about Controllers. “They’re in a secure location, right? They can’t hurt—” I let the sentence fade. “What am I saying? I’m Half-Controller.”
“You may be Half-Controller, but—except for a couple of times—you’ve never used your powers. Controllers here have been using their powers since they were young, most of them. You don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.”
The hover dipped downward then back up, making my stomach roll. I gripped the armrest, my eyes glued to the window as the top of the palace came into view. A gold light poured over it, and I glanced to the right where a hazy sun tried to peek through a bunch of clouds.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Madalina asked, her voice lifting with a smile. “Wait ’til you see the palace. I sometimes can’t believe I live there. Ada is the only planet apart from Earth that is livable this close to the sun.”
“Yeah.” I pressed my hands to my forehead, trying to ease the tension that had built up over the last few hours. “Is there any water around here?” I leaned against the back of the seat, eyes closed.
“I know all of this is overwhelming,” Madalina spoke up after several moments of silence. “I hope I can ease some of your concerns once we arrive at the palace, which should be any moment.”
The hover dipped lower until it landed on the ground with a thud, rolling for a few seconds before it came to a complete stop. I exhaled but stayed seated. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts. Madalina was right. This was overwhelming.
Edward came over to us. “Come on.” He grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the seat and to the door. “She must like you,” he whispered as we walked down the steps. “But don’t forget, just because you’re working here doesn’t make you any less of a criminal.” A bit of anger reflected in his words but another emotion simmered underneath.
I morphed my face into a cold stare identical to his. Tried to keep my lips from shaking as the cold seeped into my thin uniform. “If saving your people is a crime, I’d hate to think what robbing a bank would be.” I wrenched my arm out of his hold. He wasn’t going to speak to me in that manner and get away with it. “I may be an Invie and a criminal, but that doesn’t give you the right to speak to me that way.” My voice shook from the cold, and I gritted my teeth. Whoa. I had to be careful. My anger had landed me here in the first place.
“Lindsey!” Madalina called, and I didn’t miss the warning in her tone. Yep. I’d overstepped. Let my emotions run things. Again. “I have this, Edward.” A cold stare took over Madalina’s features. “Look, I get you’re ticked off that you got caught. You’re worried about your friends, and you don’t trust me.”
I opened my mouth, but Madalina held up a hand. “I’m good at reading people. I see it written all over your face. You agreed to the deal I offered you out of desperation, but you don’t trust that it’s real.”
I stared at her, brushing a strand of hair from my face as a shiver swept through me. I wasn’t about to have this conversation freezing to death. “Can we talk about this somewhere warmer?” I wrapped my arms around my stomach, but it did nothing to take away the biting cold.
“Of course. Follow me.”
Madalina led the way down a brick path lined with different-colored flowers that had to be fake. I walked slowly behind her, my boots hardly making any noise. The oak door, as tall as a giant, with the hazy light shining on it, was two feet in front of us. I scuffed my foot against the sidewalk with a huff. Why were we still out here in this cold?
The door opened to a stone floor hallway. A bright light spilled onto the floor from a high vaulted ceiling, everything else cast in shadow. People dressed in black and white uniforms hurried about like there was a fire. I paused, watching them run from one end of the foyer to the other, disappearing through the doors on either end. I blinked as nervousness settled in my stomach. Hopefully I’d be able to keep up.
“I know it’s daunting,” Madalina said. “But you’ll learn the ropes quickly.” Her hand rested on my shoulder, and I flinched. “Let’s talk in my study. My parents will be here soon.”
I caught Melody’s gaze, who nodded. “Um, sure.” I cast another confused look over at Melody as I followed Madalina across the foyer to a door almost hidden in a corner. “I feel like I’m being sent to my dad’s office for punching a boy at recess,” I joked as I went toward a large oak desk that took up most of the room. I had to do something to ease the tension that stretched out before us, though I wasn’t sure Madalina noticed it. “He was the principal—”
“I know who your father is,” Madalina in
terjected. “He was the first to start an LI school.” She extended a hand toward the black straight-back chair in front of the desk. “Please. Have a seat.” She sat down behind the desk, hands intertwined in front of her. “I know all of this is confusing and a lot to take in. I know you still have reservations, but I was serious when I said your people will be free here.”
I sat down. My fingers rubbed the back of my other hand, and I cleared my throat. “Um, yeah, but...” I glanced around the room, taking in the paintings that covered the walls and the sheer drapes that hung from the large window. “Look, the Caldwell president put Lighters and Invies through hell these last fifteen years. I was ten when the laws started. I had to transfer schools. If my father hadn’t started the LI school, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere. I had to get my teaching degree online. We had to buy our clothes from thrift stores because no other store would allow us to shop there. So I’m sorry if I don’t trust your intentions.”
“I understand your fear and concern. Ada isn’t exactly well-known for being safe. Controllers have a reputation, one we’re trying to get past. Not to mention the experiments.”
“That’s not something you can just erase,” I cut in.
“I understand that. I really do. It’s why I’ve tried to keep this program as separate from Carmella as I possibly can. We want desperately for other planets and countries on Earth to accept us as a valued member of this vast universe. Your president feared LIs because of his own lack of education. You want to get rid of the laws? You want to be somewhere free that will accept you? Bring your people here. I’ll even give you a ship and send a few of my guards along with you to help.”
I kept a steely glare trained on Madalina. This girl wasn’t giving up. If I wasn’t scared and irritated, I would’ve found admiration in that. “Show me District One. Right now. Take me there.”
“Oh, everyone is still at work. We’ll have to—”
“No. Now. I want to see them at work. I want to—” I fisted my hands. Clenched my teeth. If she made one more excuse, I was going to smack her. “Please. Just take me there.”
