The Outcast (Sacrisvita Book 7)

by Dylan Steel

  But no one was looking at the boy. Everyone’s eyes were on the mirror—or at least, where the mirror had been.

  For the most part, the entire panel had been destroyed, falling to pieces around the loser, but a remnant of cracked shards clung to the wall. And light danced off the shattered shards, revealing an unexpected glittering message on the wall in the shape that remained.

  SV

  The symbol bounced back against the mirrors, reflecting from the opposite wall, eerily surrounding everyone standing in the room.

  A confused murmur filled the room as Coordinators and students alike gawked at the letters. A girl shrieked and jumped back as the cameras all plummeted to the ground in unison, thumping unceremoniously on the mats. Apparently, someone didn’t want the rest of the city to see what the students had just seen.

  Somehow, in the midst of one of the most celebrated events of the year, sheltered behind the iron gates of the Institution, the Lawless had left a clear message.

  It didn’t matter how closed off the Institution thought it was, how many measures of protection it put in place—it wasn’t impenetrable. It was still vulnerable.

  12. UNTRADITIONAL

  “The Quorum would like to extend its deepest apologies to Eprah’s citizens for another year of breaking with tradition. I know it’s a supreme disappointment not to be able to see our youngest, most promising members of society in person.” The lighted form of the headmaster rippled as he cleared his throat and dabbed at his eyes dramatically. “But as you all know, these children are some of our most precious assets, and they are still threatened by nefarious rebel factions, ones who would seek to…”

  His voice faded into an indiscernible noise in the background as Sage screwed up her face and shifted in her seat again. These benches hadn’t exactly been designed with comfort in mind—at least, not when sitting for this long.

  All the levels had already finished their Founders’ Day presentations, performing on a makeshift stage along one wall of the cafeteria, cameras buzzing overhead. Ironically, the headmaster and Quorum and everyone else important had decided to celebrate with the rest of the citizens in and around the Grand Hall. Most of the instructors remained behind to maintain order and keep watch over the students.

  As for the students, they were undeniably cooped up in the Institution for all the fanfare. Not that Sage minded skipping the more formal aspects of Founders’ Day, but she was beginning to understand why everyone had been going so stir-crazy. According to the administration, there was no event so significant that it was worth risking the safety of Eprah’s most promising individuals, so they were to stay within the four walls of the Institution until the threat was neutralized.

  Somehow, Sage didn’t find much comfort in their imprisonment. It seemed everyone wanted to keep her locked up in one way or another, and the only real difference was a matter of square footage. Of course, it did help that she was able to interact with more than one person—and that nobody wore masks—but this place was even more of a prison now than it had been before she’d been taken.

  Penelope kicked Sage’s foot. She turned to her and frowned.

  He’s talking about you, Penelope mouthed.

  Sage’s stomach dropped to the floor. She pursed her lips and followed Penelope’s line of sight back to the front of the room. By this point, the headmaster had been replaced with Mr. Gaztok, and as usual, his presence ushered in a sense of foreboding. His appearance was never good news.

  Part of her wished Penelope would’ve just let her stay zoned out. She dreaded hearing anything he had to say. The other part of her hoped he might have some news about the investigation. She was beyond ready to put this whole nightmare behind her, not to mention her sessions with Ms. Verdan.

  “As you may be aware, there have been no arrests in the matter of the kidnapping of one of our students…”

  Sage shuddered. Even as a projection, Mr. Gaztok’s eyes seemed to pierce through her soul. It was uncanny how his gaze landed in just the right place—as if he knew exactly where she would be sitting in the cafeteria even from his position in the Grand Hall.

  “… and you all saw how dire the situation has been for both the Peace and the students at our beloved Institution…”

  Of course. Everyone had been on edge since the Bokja Tournament. The administration couldn’t provide any explanation for how rebels could have infiltrated the Institution to leave another message, and no one wanted to voice the obvious alternative: There were Lawless rebels already hiding in plain sight in the Institution.

  “…which is why I am coming before you again today with a plea for you to do your duty as citizens of Eprah. We have certain leads in the kidnapping case, but we need your help to bring these Lawless rebels to justice. Your cooperation on this matter would be invaluable and would result in a medal of recognition as well as a consideration for additional… compensation should it lead directly to prosecution of the guilty party.”

  Mr. Gaztok held up a hand. The implications of what he was offering were unmistakable. Sage understood the bribe by now. The chance of life for a life. It sickened her, but an unsettlingly large part of her wanted someone to take the deal. For the sake of justice, someone besides her needed to testify against the benefactor. But unjustly accusing a benefactor of a terrible crime would be a death sentence if Eprah didn’t guarantee secrecy.

  The crowd at the Grand Hall must have been reacting quite strongly to his speech because he stood in silence at length before continuing.

  “I wish such incentives were unnecessary, that each person would be so inclined to uphold the high standards of Eprah without anything so base, but I understand that this situation extends far beyond the comforts of our daily lives. What I’m asking of you is, perhaps, one of the hardest things you may ever do in your lives. I understand. But this may also be one of the most rewarding things you ever do.” He paused, scanning the crowd. “This is our duty. This is our privilege. This is the care we owe to the next generation of citizens, to their boundless promise. This is our unique calling, and this is how we continue Eprah’s great name.”

  A small smile slid over his face as he stared out across the students. Sage knew he wasn’t actually looking at them. He was looking at the elite citizens of Eprah, the ones powerful enough to gain a seat inside the Grand Hall. She imagined the people there were nodding and cheering, just like they always did when he stood in front of them. As if they had any other choice.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Penelope fidgeting awkwardly in her seat. Her face looked a little paler than usual. Not surprising, considering they both understood the real ramifications of the offer Mr. Gaztok had just made to the entire country. Somehow, though, Sage couldn’t bring herself to feel sorry for Sophia Bennick. She still wasn’t convinced the benefactor was really Lawless, but if she was and had put Sage through that nightmare anyway, then maybe Sage didn’t want to be a part of a group that would do something like that either.

  She wondered if Mr. Gaztok’s speech would make any difference. If anyone would come forward. If things could actually get back to some semblance of normal in this place. And maybe someone else did actually know something. Maybe Sophia had slipped up in some other way. Maybe there would be justice. There was always a chance.

  Sage sighed and glanced around the room. She noticed Darren a few tables over, staring at her. She shot him a smile, but he quickly turned back to the front, suddenly engrossed in every word Mr. Gaztok was saying.

  She slumped in her chair, disappointed at another frigid reception.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Penelope whispered.

  “Huh?”

  “Darren.”

  “What about him?”

  “He doesn’t hate you.”

  “Well, he’s sure acting like it.” Sage crossed her arms.

  “He was pretty messed up after you were taken.” Penelope shook her head. “He blamed himself. It was obvious. And I think maybe some other peopl
e blamed him too.” She pursed her lips together sympathetically. “Everyone was upset about the administration’s new power trip, and I think… him still being here, unlike you, you know… he was an easy target.”

  Sage’s brow furrowed as she thought about Penelope’s words. In all the time she was held captive, she never once considered how awful things might have been for those remaining at the Institution in her absence.

  It seemed Eprah was indeed quite serious about how much it valued its children. And after an embarrassing slip like Sage’s kidnapping, Eprah would make sure that they would all be protected. No matter the cost.

  13. BETTER EXPLANATIONS

  Sage wrinkled her nose as she picked at the wilted green mass on her plate. They’d at least been served a decent meal on Founders’ Day, but that was a week ago. Whatever this was, it was positively unidentifiable and wholly unappetizing.

  Her eyes wandered the cafeteria as she made a point to look at anything other than the food in front of her. The girl she’d sent to the infirmary during the tournament was sitting a few tables down. The rumor was that she’d wound up with a bad concussion and had spent a few days under observation. Considering Sage had briefly been worried she killed her, it was a relief. She shifted her gaze abruptly, not wanting to get caught staring at someone who obviously hated her.

  She didn’t even realize she was staring at the infamous mirror-smashing blond boy from the Bokja Tournament until he returned her look with an icy glare. She dropped her gaze quickly, her ears burning with embarrassment. He had probably gotten tons of unwanted attention after the tournament. And if he was anything like the rest of the student body, he probably blamed her for that too.

  Turning her attention back to her table, she shoved a forkful of food in her mouth. She tried to think about something else—maybe her history assignment—she couldn’t let his bad mood ruin her morning.

  Penelope snorted. “You’d think somebody told him he’d been assigned to the factory.” She must have seen the glare he’d shot at Sage.

  Sage returned a small smile before taking a big gulp of water to wash down her breakfast.

  “I wonder if he knew about the Lawless message. Or if he’s the one who did it in the first place,” Nic said thoughtfully.

  Great. Apparently, the whole table had witnessed the dirty look Sage had just gotten. She shrank down a bit further in her seat.

  Marnie looked up, following Nic’s gaze to the older boy. “No way. Didn’t you hear? One of the Fifteens said she saw both of them talking to the headmaster and Mr. Gaztok. They couldn’t have known about the mirror.” She shook her head. “They definitely would’ve been shunned if they had.”

  “Mmmmrumpbbff.” Pippa swallowed. “It happened because of the bet.”

  “That’s disgusting, Pippa.” Marnie stared at the food rolling around in her mouth.

  “Whaddya mean? What bet?” Penelope scrunched up her nose.

  “A bunch of Level Sixteens thought it would be cool if someone smashed a mirror during the tournament. You know, since it was here instead of in the Grand Hall.” Pippa slurped her drink. “I think it was one of those first-to-do-it-wins type of things.”

  Sage frowned. The obsession with betting on every little thing over the past year was getting out of hand.

  “Please. Where’d you hear that?” Marnie rolled her eyes.

  “In the bathroom before lights out. I guess I just pay more attention than you do.” Pippa stuck out her tongue. The drink had turned it purple.

  “But that doesn’t explain why the mirror shattered like that,” Penelope pointed out. “It only explains why he threw a kid at it in the first place.”

  “Exactly,” Marnie said. “No one knows why it left a freaky message behind.”

  “But there are theories.” Nic’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

  “Like what?” Sage couldn’t help herself.

  “There are lots, but only a couple make sense to me.” Nic grinned. “Either someone suggested the mirror-smashing bet, knowing they had time to set up the mirror like that—”

  “—because they were Lawless.” Marnie’s eyes were wide.

  “Exactly.” Nic nodded. “Or, someone heard about the bet and decided to take advantage of it. Sounds like it wasn’t exactly a secret bet—unless you were an instructor.” The side of his mouth tugged up.

  “Or it had somehow been set up like that who-knows-how-long ago, and it just happened whenever it happened,” Sage mumbled.

  “Possible,” he agreed. “But it seems like way too much of a coincidence for it to break when the entire Institution—and the entire city—are watching.”

  “True,” Penelope said.

  “That would explain why neither one of them was shunned,” Marnie said thoughtfully. “If they can’t prove it was either of them, then it really could’ve been anyone.”

  “Uh-huh.” Nic bobbed his head.

  “Which basically just means that there really is someone Lawless in here with us,” Pippa said, her eyes darting nervously around the room.

  “Duh. But it’s not like they’re gonna come up and grab you.” Marnie shot Sage a look of half-hearted sympathy. “Sorry. But seriously,” she said, addressing Pippa again, “it’s not like they’re gonna be able to just do something crazy and leave. No one can get in or out of here without permission. Everything’s locked.”

  “Beautification was being locked down when I was taken, but they still got me out somehow,” Sage spoke quietly.

  She squirmed under their stares. Pippa’s face twisted with worry, and Marnie just looked annoyed. Penelope and Nic shared a look of general sympathy, which she wasn’t sure was any better. She wished she hadn’t said anything.

  No one said anything at first. The silence expanded until everyone at the table was shifting their weight and picking at their last few bites of breakfast.

  It was Nic who finally spoke, changing the subject altogether as he looked at Sage. “So… Do you have time to go over Mr. Sorns’ assignment later? This one’s been brutal.”

  “Oh. Um, sure.”

  “Great.” He smiled. “Me and Everett were planning on working on it at lunch. Maybe then?”

  “Ok.”

  “Ok.” He stood, picking up his tray. “Gotta get to class now. See ya.”

  Everyone else followed his lead without saying another word. Sage picked up her tray, the food on it only half-eaten, and trailed behind Pippa.

  Maybe class would be a nice distraction from all this Lawless drama. Because right now, she was just being reminded once again that she had no idea what to believe.

  14. QUESTIONABLE

  Sage shifted subtly in her seat, trying not to move too much. She didn’t want to earn Ms. Verdan’s ire by disrupting the test results. Fortunately, she’d had a lot of practice sitting still this year.

  “And in all the time you were in the room—before your nearly successful escape attempt—did you ever see the benefactor’s face?”

  “No.” She clenched her teeth. She was positive she’d answered that question—or a variety of it—at least fifty times already, but Ms. Verdan never seemed happy when she pointed that out.

  “Sage?” The woman’s eyes darted up to her face and then back down to her screen. “That’s what I thought,” she said under her breath. “Please try to relax.”

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, loosening her jaw. It was unsettling to know just how much Ms. Verdan could see without even looking at her.

  “And you never saw anyone else’s face before that either?”

  Sage sighed. “No.”

  Ms. Verdan swiped a finger across the screen robotically.

  “Alright. Good. One more thing before you go. Do you believe everything Mr. Gaztok’s told you about your abduction?”

  Sage could’ve sworn she felt her heart stop beating. Ms. Verdan had never asked her that before. “Wh-what?”

  “Do you believe everything Mr. Gaztok has told you? About your abduction?” Ms. Ver
dan repeated the question without emotion.

  “I…" A surge of heat rose up in Sage’s body. Ms. Verdan would know if she lied. “I’m not sure,” she said reluctantly.

  Her eyebrow shot up, but she continued staring at her databook. “Yes or no, Sage,” she said calmly.

  “I really don’t know what to believe.” She paused, grasping desperately for a way out of answering. “Would you? If you were me?”

  “That’s not relevant. Yes or no?”

  Sage crossed her arms and slumped back in her seat deliberately. Her nostrils widened as she glared at Ms. Verdan. She’d been cornered, and she hated it. She wasn’t about to sit perfectly still and cooperate any more than she had to.

  “If you have to have an answer, it’s no. Not everything.” Her muscles tensed as she braced herself for the reaction, the inevitable declaration that she would be turned over to Mr. Gaztok to be dealt with directly to be taken out of her Level.

  Instead, Ms. Verdan simply pursed her lips together, saying nothing. She might have been wrong, but Sage could’ve sworn she saw a slight smile turn up at the corners of her mouth.

  “Thank you for your candidness today, Sage.” As usual, Ms. Verdan didn’t bother looking up from her databook as she spoke to her.

  “Uh, sure…” Sage sat in disbelief for a moment. She’d just admitted that she didn’t believe Mr. Gaztok, one of the most powerful men in Eprah, and Ms. Verdan had barely even acknowledged what she’d just said. “Aren’t you… Are you going to tell him what I said?”

  “Despite what he may think, Mr. Gaztok is not the same thing as Eprah.” Ms. Verdan wore an almost bored expression. “He is merely an instrument to serve this nation, as we all are. But he is, of course, not infallible. And it’s already been established that you’ve been given sufficient reason to have misgivings. The only real question is the extent of those misgivings.”