“I heard about your brother,” Harlan says slowly.
“I don’t want to talk about that.” My voice is anything but pleasant. I’m dangerously close to breaking a Key and all Harlan needs to do to get me reprimanded is report me to the Covinus. I take a deep breath through my nose. I won’t be able to cross the Boundary if I’m stuck doing sanctions all night.
“I will trust in the Covinus. The Covinus knows what’s best for Easton,” I say in a lighter voice that doesn’t sound anything like mine.
“Mirren, I’m sorry about what is happening to Easton. And if you do need to talk, I’m here to listen.”
I stop walking and turn to stare at Harlan. He looks much the same as yesterday, all golden hues and pleasant smiles, but his eyes are more earnest. Maybe I am simply imagining what I want to see in them. “Talk aboutwhat,Harlan?”
The challenge hangs in the air.How I am feeling.
I shouldn’t be feeling anything other than complete trust in my government and Harlan shouldn’t be assuming I do. We are on a precipice, only a step away from free falling into treason. Will Harlan make the leap? A leap I’ve made so many times, but always unspoken and always alone.
“I’m here to listen,” he repeats carefully, “Trust in—
I huff in annoyance and begin walking again. “The Covinus. I know. Thank you, Harlan,” I say tightly. I shouldn’t be so abrasive. He’s only doing what he was raised to do, what we’veallbeen raised to do. Emotions should be kept to ourselves. History has proven they must be reined in or even the most solid of foundations are at risk of cracking beneath them. It’s a logical Key, to limit our feelings, and until today, I’ve always considered it a benevolent rule.
But if the world isn’t crying out at losing someone as kind and good as Easton, then it isn’t a world I care to be a part of. I can’t stay here—not when there’s still a chance, even a slight one, that Easton can be saved. I can’t pretend to trust in the Covinus, when the Covinus is so willing to wash Easton’s life away. Nothing belongs to us in Similis, not really, but Easton belongs to me. And I will hold onto him as long as I can.
“Did you hear about the Boundary?”
My heart thunders at his question, as if Harlan can somehow see into me, cataloguing all the treasonous thoughts that entangle themselves around me like black ribbons. I force myself to breathe. He’s only making conversation, just like yesterday when I cut him off.
“I was in the square when the bomb went off,” I tell him neutrally.
“There’s a hole in it.”
I stop once more, turning to stare. “Ahole?”
The Boundary hasn’t been breached since the days of the Founders.
“A hole so large a child could fit through it.”
I look around wildly. Foot traffic is still sparse at this time of morning, and no one pays us any mind. “How do you know that?” I hiss.
Harlan shrugs. “I saw it.” He begins walking once more and this time, it’s me that follows.
“How?” There have been plenty of attempts on the Boundary before. While bombs are rare, I can recall a handful of times one has gone off in just my lifetime. All other manners have been tried, from grenades to good old fashion sledgehammers. Nothing has ever even made a dent. To blow an actual hole through it—I can’t even imagine the kind of fire power needed.
Or what kind of person would wield it.
“They haven’t been able to fix it,” Harlan continues. I lower my brow. How does Harlan know so much? The Covinus has said nothing about the attack, other than to further damn the Dark Worlders who committed it.
I hum noncommittally, but my blood suddenly feels hot running through my veins.
For the first time in our history, the Boundary has been breached. For the first time, there is a clear way into the Dark World. A clear path to find my parents and force them to come home. Force them to save Easton.
It has to be tonight. Before the Boundary men can figure out how to repair it.
Harlan and I reach the Education Center, the red heart of the metropolis fanning out beneath our feet. Today, I’m not reminded of blood. I am reminded of rebellion.
* * *
The machine lights throw shadows across Easton’s face and sap what little color remains in his cheeks. He doesn’t look like a real person, but a carved wax figure, lifeless and wan. Is this the natural order of things, to be so vibrantly alive one day and then fall so quickly to a muted version of yourself?
I sprinted out of the Education center as soon as the bell rang, pushing my way past stunned looking classmates. I’ll get sanctions for behaving so carelessly, but I won’t be here to complete them. I needed to leave before Harlan could insist on walking me home.
I had to see Easton before I cross the Boundary. To explain where I’m going and why, just in case. It seems prudent, considering what I know of the Dark World. I’m not guaranteed to survive. It isn’t even a high probability.
