The Watchers of Eden (The Watchers Trilogy, Book One)

by Edge, T. C.

  When we change to new stations, I find myself lying alongside Ellie and Link, a heavy automatic weapon in my arms. Behind us, Theo, Rupert, and Kyle are now engaged in combat training, while the twins are working through their simulations.

  Link gets straight to it, firing relentlessly at the targets as they appear. He's a good shot, filling them with bullets until they disappear, then quickly moving onto the next as it sprouts from the ground. Ellie, meanwhile, is a little slower and more tentative, and I have little interest in shooting at all. I'm not a soldier and never want to be, so learning how to fire all these weapons isn't going to be overly helpful.

  When Ajax appears, however, I'm forced to show willing at least. To my own surprise, I'm actually quite good, and have been improving each day. Now, after only a week, I'm able to shoot a moving target from over a hundred feet. When I started, I spent my entire time spraying at the wall behind them.

  I've noticed Link and Ellie getting close recently. Ever since we all began spending time together, it became clear that there was something between them. They make a funny looking pair. He's so tall and strong looking, assertive and confident. She looks about 14 years old and, despite everything we've been through, maintains some of that sweetness and innocence that she had when I met her.

  He helps her now, as we fire, to use the weapons and shoot straight. She giggles at his little jokes and I see her smile as his hand slides over the top of her own. When I turn back, I notice Ajax watching from across the hall. He misses absolutely nothing, and I begin to wonder whether his ability to see into the future goes beyond just dangers to his personal well-being. It's like he's got this sixth sense that alerts him to just about everything going on around him.

  I turn back and continue firing, knowing that he'll be watching me too. After a while, we change stations again, and I move to the combat quarter to spar with Lorna. She's actually the best fighter of all the girls, and seems more naturally athletic than her sister. She manages to kick high and punch hard, rocking me back as her blows crash against my protective clothing.

  I notice Ajax hovering nearby, his eyes burning into me, and focus on the fight. I've got little technique but, as Ajax tells us, when you can see into the Void, you don't need good technique. I focus hard and see the wisps of Lorna's arms coming towards me, followed quickly by her real fists.

  I fail to avoid the first few, but eventually am able to dodge through her punches, seeing them a split second early. She grows frustrated, punching and kicking harder, yet I avoid them all. Then, as I step away from an oncoming right hand, I move quickly forward and send my own fist right into her face. She fails to see it coming and I connect with my full force on her nose. Blood immediately spills out from underneath her mask and she drops to the floor, her face in her hands.

  “Good, good!” shouts Ajax, smiling at me once again. He kneels down and pulls the mask off Lorna's head to see blood spurting from her nose.

  “Ah, I think it's broken,” he says. “Right, let's get you down to the hospital to check you over,” he says, oblivious to Lorna's sobs.

  “Sorry Lorna,” I say as she's taken off, but all she does is respond with a glare. Ajax, meanwhile, has never seemed happier.

  “Always causing problems, aren't you?” I look over to see Theo, emerging from one of the simulation stations. “It would have been better for everyone if you'd just broken for good.”

  “What did you say?” says Link, marching across the room.

  Theo turns to him. “It's got nothing to do with you, scarface. Go back to playing with your little girlfriend.”

  I see Ellie's eyes duck a little in embarrassment. I don't think she realises how obvious they are together.

  Link continues to storm forward. “You want to say that to my face? There's no Ajax around to protect you now.”

  Theo huffs. “It's always violence with you, isn't it. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone from Fossor. I've heard it's the most simple of all the regions. Full of dunces like you.”

  Link comes storming forward now, lifting his fists. Somehow Theo manages to duck away from the first punch, backing off quickly. He stumbles over his feet, tripping to the floor, Link towering above him.

  “Say one more thing, and I'll knock your head off,” growls Link, staring Theo down.

  Then, out of nowhere, Rupert's fist comes crashing into the back of Link's head, knocking him down. He clatters to the floor as Ellie runs forward, screaming. I hold her back, her legs kicking out as Theo returns to his feet.

  “Now that's more like it,” he says, looking down on Link. “That's just where you belong. At my feet.”

  Link seems dazed on the floor, a cut on the back of his head now dribbling with blood. Ellie scrambles from my arms and runs towards him, quickly sliding to the floor and tending to his wound.

  Rupert, meanwhile, stands to Theo's side, his pathetic, subservient lieutenant. He rubs his fist and keeps his eyes on Link, making sure he doesn't get up.

  “So, you got anything to say,” says Theo, turning back to me. “You got any spine at all?”

  I can feel my insides burning with rage now, my heart pounding.

  “No, I thought not. At least you know your place,” he sneers.

  What I do next I don't expect. It comes like a flash, before I can even think. I dart at him, so fast he barely has time to react. My fist swings and catches him in the jaw, knocking his head sideways. I hear him roar in anger as his own balled fist comes swinging at me, but I see it all coming a moment too soon. I duck below the ghostly fist and send my own back into his nose. I feel the crack, and see the blood, just as Ajax storms back into the room.

  “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!” he roars, storming forward and catching me before I can inflict any more damage.

  Theo drops to the floor, his hands filling with blood. “What have you done to me,” he says, his voice shaking. “My face...”

  Ajax is quickly at his side, lifting him to his feet. “Come on, Theo, let's get you to the hospital too.” He stares at me, his eyes dark as the night. “And you, stay here. I'll see you after. Alone.”

  “But, it was all him. He started it...”

  “I don't want to hear it. Everyone else, clear out and I'll see you tomorrow. Cyra, stay put.”

  Theo is still mumbling something about his beautiful face and how I'll regret it when Ajax drags him off. Link, thankfully, has managed to get back to his feet, and is now laughing as Theo stumbles out of the Grid. Then he sends his eyes at Rupert, who turns sheepish and scuttles out of the door.

  Ellie, Link and I share a few giggles as Larna and Kyle wander out of the Grid.

  “Good shot,” says Link, his eyes still a little dazed. “He had it coming.”

  “Thanks. You'd better get that cut checked out, though.”

  Link waves it off. “It's nothing. I've had a lot worse.”

  “It's all right, Cyra. I'll take care of him,” says Ellie. “Are you OK, though?”

  “Never better,” I say, smiling. “You two should go, Ajax will be back soon.”

  They nod to me as they leave, a silence dawning inside the hall as the door slides shut behind them.

  I know what Ajax is going to tell me. That Theo Graves, as unbearable as he can be, is nevertheless the only son of two members of the Council. Even if he wasn't, I'm sure Ajax would want to reprimand me for fighting with another recruit.

  “You have to learn to control your emotions,” I can almost hear him say.

  Yeah, well that's hard when you have to spend your days with someone so hell bent on antagonising anyone from the mainland.

  I walk around the Grid, slipping from station to station. I still can't quite believe this is my life right now. Only a few short months ago I was out there, picking fruit in the orchards, listening to those worker songs. Rushing home to check on my mother, negotiating down at the merchant sector for her medication. Meeting Jackson in the Grove, talking about how I'd make sure I stay in Arbor.


  Now they're both gone, and I'm stuck here in a place I don't belong. A place where I get funny stares just walking down the street, where I'm teased and taunted for being different. Yet I hardly see the girl who left Arbor in the mirror any more. That girl with shining blonde hair and golden skin. Now my reflection tells of someone fading from who they were. Brown skin and bright hair dimming. Blue eyes losing their shine.

  The sound of the door sliding open turns me on my heels, and I see Ajax storming back towards me. He wears a scowl so intense it could kill, his jaw snapped shut like a crocodile.

  “Look, I'm sorry, OK. I know I shouldn't have done that. I know I need to control myself. But you didn't see what happened before. You didn't see him taunting me and Link. You didn't see Link get hit in the back of the head by Rupert...”

  He continues forward, marching on.

  “I don't know what else to say, all right. I swear I won't do it again.”

  “Stop talking,” he says, shutting me off. “What happened happened, and there's nothing you can do about it now.”

  “Oh, right. So, you're not mad?”

  “I don't care what happened down here. People from different parts of the country always clash, it's nothing out of the ordinary. What I do care about, however, is what happens from now on.”

  “I know, I know. I swear I won't rise to it again.”

  “I know you won't, because if you do there will be hell to pay. It's one thing fighting with another recruit down here, but it's another fighting with your partner.”

  His words don't register. “My partner?”

  He reaches me and nods. “You, Cyra, are going to be Paired with Theo Graves.”

  18 - The Pairing

  The words repeat in my head

  You, Cyra, are going to be Paired with Theo Graves.

  I shake my head and laugh.

  “You're joking, right? You're not serious?”

  Ajax's face remains a picture of calm. “You were the best match during your genetics test.”

  “But...no. I can't be Paired with him. That's not fair...I won't do it.”

  “Oh, you'll do it. I imagine he'll feel exactly the same way when he finds out. You're both going to have to learn to get along.”

  “Get along! We need to do more than get along though don't we?! How can you do this to me, after everything...”

  “It's not me, Cyra. It's just meant to be. No one has any control over the results of the genetics test, you know that.”

  “But, can't we swap with someone. He'll want to swap as well. I'll go with anyone else. Anyone.”

  Ajax shakes his head, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. “Look, I know this is tough, but it's the same for everyone. When you spend some time together, I'm sure you'll find some middle ground. That's what it's all about. Finding some foundations to build a relationship on. You've just got to unearth them first.”

  I turn away, disbelieving. I've only just found out a little over a week ago that Jackson's been killed, and now this. Now I'm going to be inextricably linked with the biggest jerk I've ever met...forever. Someone who looks down on me at the best of times and downright bullies me at the worst. The only solace I'll get from this is that he's probably just as unhappy as I am. And maybe, with his powerful parents, he'll be able to change it.

  The thought rushes into my head and out of my mouth. “But his parents are powerful. If anyone can switch things it will be them.”

  Ajax is still shaking his head. “No one can change it, Cyra. Do you know who brought in the whole idea of Pairing? It was Augustus Knight. Sure, Theo's parents are on the Council, but they're all under Knight's thumb. He's not going to give special allowances to anyone. It would destabilise his entire system."

  “So, Knight's the enemy here is he? Pairing is such a stupid damn idea anyway. Why the hell did he bring it in?!”

  “You know why, don't be obtuse.”

  I nod slowly, rolling my eyes. “To put the right people together,” I mumble.

  “And why?”

  “So they breed offspring better suited to their duties.”

  “Exactly. Not everyone agrees with it, but it does work. Mostly, anyway.”

  “And do you agree with it?”

  “I'm not going to answer that, Cyra.”

  “Of course not. Your duty isn't to question,” I say sarcastically.

  Ajax doesn't react.

  “Anyway, I didn't think we would be Paired as Watchers. I thought we were like the soldiers in the military? How does it even work if one of us can see into the Void and the other can't? If one of us is called to war, or if we're stationed away from each other?”

  “They're valid points,” Ajax concedes. “Most probably there will be no call for war and, well, you'll be stationed together somewhere. Watchers are always stationed in their pairs because they will often share the same vision. It helps us see the details when there are two sets of eyes.”

  He comes towards me and rests his large hands on my tense shoulders. “In any case, the chances of two Watchers having children with the same abilities is much higher than random genetic mutations, and Knight wants more Watchers.”

  “Children!” I say. “I am NOT having children with him. Not gonna happen. No way.”

  Ajax takes a deep breath. “Take it one day at a time, Cyra. I can't give any better advice than that.”

  He lifts his hands off my shoulders and takes a step back. “The Pairing is a public ceremony here in Eden. Is that the same as where you're from?”

  I nod my head, eyes to the floor.

  “Then you'll understand the set up. It takes place at noon on Sunday in the main square. Please, take tomorrow to try to get used to the idea.”

  He lifts my chin up, making sure I make eye contact with him. “You've been through so much already. I know this isn't what you want, but it is how it has to be. You'll get used to it, I swear.”

  Then, for the first time, he steps forward and hugs me. “If you need to talk, I'm here, OK,” he whispers, before stepping backwards, turning away, and walking back out of the hall.

  When I wake on Sunday morning, I feel like a knife is stabbing at my stomach. The previous night I spent tossing and turning, my mind full of awful thoughts of the next day. Having to stand there, in front of everyone, as Theo and I are bound for life.

  I think back to the ceremonies in Arbor, which were always small affairs. It's much like the Duty Call really, with boys on one side, girls on the other, and parents at the back. Only this time, when the names are called, both parties have to go up onto the stage, take each other's hands, and speak the oath: I honour the Pairing, and I will honour you forever.

  It's been around for decades, so long that it's now ingrained into everyone's psyche. Yet I still don't understand why people accept it so easily. I guess, for many, it takes a lot of the guesswork out of finding a partner. That's how it used to be. People would choose who they wanted to be with and develop a relationship based on that.

  Now, though, we're told who our partner will be. I had no idea, but according to Ajax, one of the functions of the genetics test is to find out who will be the right match for you. So, not only did it curse me to this life, but it cursed me to being Paired with Theo. And there's no one to blame for it except Augustus Knight. Him and his damned scientists, playing God.

  Ellie is a bag of nerves when I see her. Her situation can go one of two ways. Either she'll be Paired with Link and she'll live happily ever after, or she'll have to settle for Rupert or, at best, Kyle. Whatever the case, she'll know within a couple of hours.

  There's a dress in my wardrobe specially made for the occasion. It's simple, yet stylish, and nothing like anything I've ever worn. When I put it on and look in the mirror I look like my mother used to, although my skin and hair have lost some of their colour. Still, even now, they contrast nicely with the white dress that clings to my body, loosening at the waist and hanging to my knees.

  Ellie appears, looking a little older in
her make up. She wears white lipstick to coordinate with the dress, foundation on her cheeks to give them more colour and gleam, white mascara that makes her green eyes pop. She tells me that we're all meant to do the same, so helps me apply mine. Suddenly, when I look in the mirror, I no longer look like my mother. I look like a girl from Eden now.

  When we arrive at the main square it's brimming with people. This is nothing like Arbor, where there's only a hundred or so school leavers and their parents. Here, there are at least a thousand boys and girls, many with their parents in the crowd. Around, I see others. Member of the public who have come to watch this special occasion. I suppose life here is meant to be social, so such an event will naturally draw people together.

  The square looks different than usual though. A large stage has been constructed at the far end, with hundreds and hundreds of seats lined up in rows ahead of it. Banners and other decorations have been erected, mainly in white but with a smattering of dark blue and crimson. I see the flag of Eden, hanging above the stage and billowing in the light wind: a large band of white in the middle, with thinner bands of dark blue and crimson both above and below. Within the central white band is a basic grey sketch of the city, with it's high pylons and massive dome, and jagged waves beneath.

  The seats in front of the stage are already beginning to fill. The girls, all adorned in white dresses, sit on the left, with the boys on the right. They wear black cloaks with high collars, the two sexes in perfect contrast. I catch sight of Link and give Ellie a nudge. He looks handsome in his outfit, his dark hair now carefully styled back. Just like the two of us, he suddenly looks like he belongs.

  We move forwards through the growing crowd and manage to find some seats towards the back. Behind, parents dress in fine livery, mostly in the neutral colours of grey and white and black that are so common here.

  We see Leeta, bustling her way towards us, a wide smile on her face.

  “Girls, you look beautiful,” she says. “Are you excited? You must be excited!”