“So what are our official plans as a group?” I ask.
“Well, Toby and I have never had official plans of moving to safety. Just to survive. It’s been a struggle,” Zavy says and I can see the sadness in her eyes as I’m sure the first days after her parents were taken were miserable.
She gently runs her fingers through her brother’s hair. I thought my job was hard, keeping my mother and brother alive in the cell, I could never imagine what Zavy has gone through. At least we were given the food and shelter we needed to survive. She’s had to do it all on her own.
For the first time in as long as I’ve known Zavy, I feel like I can actually see her. She isn’t being the sarcastic girl who makes everything out to be a joke. Her guard has fallen and I can see her, as a real person who has gone through something tragic.
But as quickly as her stiff guard falls it returns and she continues, “But after seven years out here we’ve pretty much got the hang of it. We try to move camp around as often as we can so we are harder to track if anyone were looking for us. What about you guys? You two seemed like you were heading somewhere specific,” Zavy asks
“Alexander and I were thinking we could head to Libertas. It’s an island that isn’t too far from Dather. We’d need to get a boat,” I start to say.
“Or steal one,” Zavy offers.
“Or the bunker could be our home,” Toby’s soft voice offers. Zavy nods her head, liking the idea. Alexander glances at me and I can see he likes the idea of staying too.
“We can stay for now,” Alexander offers as a medium. “Hiding in a hole in the ground isn’t much of a life, but at least it’s somewhere safe.” I feel my stomach drop, but I remind myself it’s just for now. We’ll start moving again soon. Darkness starts to engulf the area so Alexander lights the fire and he puts some of the meat from the earlier catch, which was neatly cut and cleaned, onto the hot stones.
“So, Alexander,” Zavy begins, “did you ever see Paylon when you were a guard at the castle? He is sort of famous.”
“Yes, I actually did, quite a lot,” he says.
“What was it like? Do you have any good secrets on him? You know everyone has a good secret,” Zavy says, emphasizing everyone, meaning that I have yet to tell anyone else about my gift. Her emerald eyes glance my way.
“Well, it was definitely interesting. I actually never worked for him, but more so hung out with him and I’m extremely grateful. Turns out Paylon has the gift. No surprise really. King Renon has to have nearly every person with the gift under his control,” Alexander explains.
“What was his gift?” I ask, eagerly wondering if that had something to do with the reason why my gift had no affect on him.
“He has an enhanced sense of touch. He’s able to control anyone he comes in contact with,” Alexander says shortly.
“A Controller?” Zavy asks and her eyes widen.
“What’s that mean exactly?” I ask her.
“A Controller is someone who can control the minds of any human, but not someone that holds the same gift,” she says shortly. So still no explanation of why my gift didn’t affect him.
“So he could still control some gifted, but not one’s with enhanced sense of touch?” Alexander asks and Zavy nods.
“You know, you would think King Renon would have something that would allow a person to be unaffected by someone’s gift. That way him and the other regular people could be protected from their power,” I say, hinting at the fact that Paylon did.
“Well they do,” Alexander says. Bingo I think. Then he continues, “It’s a green stone that the guards wear as a necklace. The guards can’t have it on at all times though. If they wear it too long it will start to kill them. It’s a pretty poisonous substance. It’s not perfect. It can only block out a certain amount of force, but it’s definitely something.”
“So gifts have no power around them?” Zavy asks.
“No, gifts still work,” Alexander clarifies. “They just can’t directly affect the person wearing it.”
At the mention of the green rocks, I’m reminded of the guards who wore them when I tried to escape. I hadn’t noticed if Paylon was wearing one or not, but he must have been. We grab our share of the meat and eat it with some of the ray berries as we continue discussing.
“So why weren’t you taken under control of Paylon?” Zavy asks, scanning Alexander up and down.
“Well, I think it’s because I never actually worked for him. I was just someone that ate lunch with him, so I guess he never thought he needed to control me.” Alexander says through bites of food. We finish our meal in silence and once we are done the sounds of the woods surround us.
“We should be more prepared in case Paylon finds us,” I mumble to myself, but my group nods, agreeing. “Alexander and I each have a sword, and Zavy has the bow, but that’s hardly enough. We should look in the bunker for anything else we can use,” I say. Alexander puts out the fire and we file back into the bunker for the night. Zavy pulls the heavy lid closed and my heart jumps to my throat. My breaths come short and I have to lean against the cool stone walls to steady myself.
Zavy relights some of the candles and Alexander is at my side. “Are you okay?” he asks me and his strong hand holds my shoulder tight.
I take in a few more short breaths and try to get my words out, “It reminds me of.” I don’t have to finish my thought because Alexander knows exactly what I’m trying to say.
He quiets me and motions for me to take slower and deeper breaths. “You aren’t locked up anymore, Adaline. We are free. It’s okay.” Alexander helps me to one of the soft couches in the bunker and sits with me. He pulls out his water and tells me to take slow sips between my deep breaths and eventually I feel my heart slow back down.
“You good?” Zavy asks in a not so concerned voice as she leans over the back of the couch. I catch Alexander shoot her a disgusted glance, clearly annoyed with her tone.
“I’m fine,” I start to say and Zavy stands and interrupts me.
“Good, help me find some more weapons we can use,” Zavy commands and moves around the bunker.
“You don’t have to,” Alexander begins to offer, but I stop him short.
“I’m better, really,” I say, even though it’s not true. My stomach still threatens to give up what little food I’ve eaten today, but I’m hoping that searching the bunker will take my mind off the thought that I am currently several feet below ground. We dig through the bins throughout the bunker, looking for anything useful. We don’t find much except for a set of four kitchen knives.
“It’s something,” Zavy says, twirling it through her fingers. Toby is far more interested in the bin of toys than looking for weapons. His favorite seems to be a little family of colorful squishy frogs. While looking for the weapons I do come across a crate full of bags. We distribute a backpack to each of us and fill them with the extra knife, and food rations.
“Have you tried these yet?” Alexander asks, shaking the ration. He tears it open and similarly to the one I had earlier, it is filled with white powdery chunks. Alexander pops one in his mouth and wrinkles his nose.
“Not good?” I ask with a light laugh.
“It tastes like nothing,” he says. He turns the bag over in his hands and the word EGG is printed on it.
As I suspected Alexander continues eating the dried rations, not use to the lack of food. The difference in our reaction to the rations is obvious. I saw them as a miracle, an endless supply of food that could keep me alive. I’ve lived off of prison food for years so this white powder seems like a luxury. He’s always had the privilege of getting to choose what he wants to eat.
Additionally, I move over my mother’s journal, the gold coin, and my photograph to my new bag and scrap the old one Alexander gave me. After we’ve sorted our things we settle in for the night, each getting our own bed.
“I’m blowing out the candles,” Zavy says, glancing at Toby who is hopping around the couches with his new frogs.
He scoops them up and places them in a line at the foot of his bed before crawling under the thin sheets. She blows out the candles on her side of the bunker, leaving one flickering flame at my bedside. “You can get that one,” Zavy says, letting out a large yawn before curling down into her own bed. Almost instantly, Toby and Zavy are asleep with their backs turned to us.
Down in the bunker, swallowed in almost complete darkness, it’s surprisingly chilly. I turn my head to Alexander and say with a light laugh, “I didn’t expect it to be so cold down here.” Alexander doesn’t respond, but he takes out his thick navy jacket from his bag and hands it to me.
“Better?” he asks as he crawls back into his bed.
“Somewhat,” I say as a smile forms across my lips. Wrapped up in the coarse material thick with Alexander’s scent I’m overcome with the feeling of safety. Tonight is the first night I’ve laid in a bed with blankets and pillows in nearly seven years.
I prop myself up above the last lit candle and stare down into its flame. I’m about to blow it out when I’m hit with the thought that today is my birthday. I am sixteen years old today. Outside of the cell, I let myself lose count. I let go of my numbers, but the flickering flame pulls up memories of past birthdays before the prison with my mother, father, and brother. My heart hurts that they aren’t here with me for this one. “Happy Birthday,” I whisper in my head before blowing out the flame and letting the bunker fall into complete darkness.
I drift into the deepest sleep I’ve ever reached, and my mind places me in one of my last memories with Alexander and Zavy. It was just three months before my family was taken, and my father had already been missing for a week. I move through the dream as if it was in real-time and I can’t help but think how simple my life was then. How simple all of our lives were then.
***
I drag my heavy feet into the overcrowded wooden school building. The sun has just begun to peek over the trees, a sure sign it’s much too early to be awake.
“Welcome back,” Ms. White’s voice rings through the hallway. She floats effortlessly down the crowded hall, her beautiful pink dress glowing in the dim morning light. She’s all dressed for the occasion, the first day back to school.
I follow her into our classroom and take a seat in my usual spot. The same wooden desk as the last two years. I’m in fifth grade and this will be my last year in this building, at this desk. Then, all of us, Ms. White included, will be moved to the newer school building next door for the older kids. I’m told I should be in fourth grade, but I tested out of my first year. I drop my patched together bag to the floor under my desk and let my head lay on my folded hands.
“Too early for you too?” I ask Zavy, my best friend. She skipped her first year of school just like I did, so we’ve pretty much stuck together since day one. Zavy sits with her face flat on the desk with her long jet black hair blanketing her shoulders. For a moment, I think she may actually be asleep until she gives me a small nod in return. Then, there’s a loud smack on both of our desks and we rocket up.
“Why the long faces?” Alexander asks, taking his seat behind me. Zavy drops her head back to her desk, determined to get a few more minutes of sleep before Ms. White begins teaching.
“I don’t know how you can function at this time of day,” I say and turn to face Alexander.
“Well,” he begins and his light green eyes dance with excitement, “I may have just happened to have heard something life-changing.”
“What?” I ask and I sit up straighter in my chair. The weight of exhaustion seems to lift as curiosity floods my veins.
“They’re letting fifth graders take training classes,” Alexander whispers to me.
“Like to work for the King?” I ask and wrinkle my nose.
“Isn’t that really cool?” Alexander boasts.
“No,” I say simply and turn back to the front of the room. In actuality, I do think the idea of getting training to be in the King’s army is really cool. It’s the idea of Alexander being on the other end of a war that makes me want to throw up. Of course, none of us can be sent to war until we’re fifteen, but just the thought threatens to break me.
The scratching of chalk against the green board pulls my attention up. GIFTS is delicately scratched out in Ms. White’s clean handwriting. The loose chatter in the room subsides and even Zavy lifts her head from her desk. We don’t talk about the gifts very much, not in class, not with family, and not with each other. This is mostly because there are too many mixed emotions that come with that conversation.
“It’s time to talk about the gifts that some of you possess,” Ms. White says as she walks in front of her desk. “I know this is a hard conversation to have, and many of you have a lot to learn.” She pauses and scans each of our faces. The silence in the room makes my ears throb.
I know that gifts are powers that get passed down to certain people based on their ancestors. I have a feeling Ms. White is going to finally tell me all the things I don’t know.
“Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have a gift?” Ms. White asks the classroom. I don’t need any time to think about my answer, I know it’s yes. I thought of it every day for a long time. I mean, what kid wouldn’t think about having cool powers?
“I think many of you would jump at the opportunity, but I’m here to give you the full explanation of what happens to those with gifts.” Ms. White stands and moves to the board. She carefully writes out the five senses around the word GIFTS. “Sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing,” Ms. White reads off. “These are the five categories that gifts fall into.”
Ms. White begins to ramble about how each gift is unique and while two people can have an enhanced sense of hearing one person may hear people better and one may hear animals better. In the end, she tells us that it is truly up to the skill of the gift holder to unlock the full potential of their gift.
Zavy’s hand next to me shoots in the air, “Have you ever met someone with a gift?”
Ms. White nods her head gently. “I’m getting to that,” she says and I see her face set in a solid blank stare. “You all know so little about gifts because you have probably never interacted with someone who had a gift. Have you ever found that strange?” Her words settle across the room and my skin begins to crawl. “This is because everyone with a gift is taken to live in the castle and work for King Renon.”
“My father told me if you’re taken in for a gift they kill you,” Miguel, one of my classmates says. The murmur of hushed whispers causes Ms. White to raise her voice to quiet us.
“Rumors are just that, rumors.” Ms. White clears her throat and I can tell these next words are hard for her. “The truth is, no one knows what happens to you when you get taken into the castle. I’ve heard stories of the gifted going off to fight in our wars to protect us. They use their powers to keep us all safe, and to keep the rule in Dather undisturbed.”
“But they don’t go willingly. They are forced,” Miguel spits back.
Ms. White simply nods her head. She knows that what he is saying is true and she doesn’t want to lie to us. “At the age of ten, which many of you are or are soon to be, you must be tested for a gift.” Ms. White’s words sound like a death sentence. I glance around the room and wonder how many of my classmates I won’t see again soon. How many of them have these gifts?
“So who did you know that had a gift?” Zavy asks again.
“My son,” Ms. White says softly. I tilt my head confused, I hadn’t known Ms. White was ever married or had kids. “My husband died in the Alignmass battles over 20 years ago, and in that same year my son was taken for his gift.”
“You don’t know what happened to him?” Zavy asks softly.
Ms. White silently shakes her head no. “I know he had an enhanced sense of sight. He was a Force Lifter.”
Chapter 7
When I awake I realize I’m alone. I roll onto my back, remembering what had happened last night. For starters, I finally figured out why Paylo
n is immune to my gift, and what gift Paylon has. The thought that he could control someone with a single touch makes my skin chill. That has to be one of the most powerful gifts, especially to King Renon. This information will definitely help me if we ever meet up with his search group in the forest. Zavy’s sarcastic comment is still echoing throughout my head, “You know everyone has a good secret.”
I unwrap myself from Alexander’s navy jacket and smile. Is there something going on between us? I mean the connection has always been there, but we’re practically strangers now. When I hear Toby’s laughter and catch a scent of freshly cooked meat all memories of Alexander and last night fade away. I drape the jacket on Alexander’s bed and grab my sword and bag. I make my way out of the bunker and across the clearing to join them.
When I reach them, I’m welcomed by a handful of ray berries and a couple pieces of meat. I sit next to Zavy and watch Alexander and Toby run through the forest. Zavy sees me looking at them. She leans over and whispers in my ear, “Don’t think I didn’t see you two last night. I know what’s going on,” I look at her and laugh, shaking my head no.
“Nothing is going on between Alexander and me, Zavy. I can promise you that,” I say and eat my breakfast.
We finish eating the meal in silence. Soon Alexander and Toby walk over and sit by us. I’m about to ask what we should do today when I hear the gallops of horses not too far off. Alexander and I leap up and draw our swords ready for the attack. We already know what we’re up against, but Zavy and Toby look at us confused.
“What’s that sound?” Toby asks, his voice shaking.
“It’s Paylon,” I say beneath my breath, as my mind is elsewhere trying to figure out a plan.
Zavy sends Toby down into the bunker for safety. As the gallops grow near I start working out a plan. I position Alexander to my left and Zavy up in a tree with the bow and arrow, with all three of us surrounding the bunker Toby is in. I’m about to tell Alexander that I am a Force Lifter and they just need to follow my lead, but the gallops are getting faster and louder by the minute so I don’t waste my breath.
The Markings Page 7
