The Almost Girl – ebook edition (38 page)

“Well, I wasn’t too upset. The last time you wore a dress, epic things happened, so win-win for me,” Caden says with a meaningful look, clearly referring to our last day at Horrow. He leans in so only I can hear him. “Can’t wait to see what happens this time.” At his whispered words, I can’t control the tingle that weaves its way through my body, but I fight it just the same.

“Keep talking,
my lord
,” I snap with a glare, “and the only thing that’s going to happen is your ass meeting the ground, dress or no dress. Now, go away.”

Caden backs away, hands in the air, grinning, and I stare at myself in the mirror again, blinking just to make sure it’s still me. The top of the dress is lower than anything I’ve ever worn, and I tug at the bodice uncomfortably. “Seriously Cade, I look like a stranger. This isn’t me. And how the hell am I going to fight in this?”

“Just because you’re wearing a dress doesn’t make you a different person, Riv. Plus, Sauer’s got your suit and your sword for when we get inside. It’s just clothes… wear a tunic underneath if it’ll make you feel better. And you don’t look like a stranger; your eyes are the same, and those I’d know anywhere.”

“I
am
wearing a tunic and I still feel naked,” I flash back. “And these don’t even look like my eyes. Mine are more dirt-colored than silver.”

Caden’s glance is like velvet. “Well, they always look like this to me.”

It’s all I can do not to melt inside, but I keep my face expressionless, then scowl slightly for good measure. I sneak one last look at the mirror and sigh.

I have a job to do.

Sauer and Loren are ready and waiting by the time we get downstairs. Outside, the streets are already crowded with people heading to the training fields between Sector Two and One for the Games. When evening starts to fall, everyone will eventually find their way to the castle, the final event and celebration of the Winter Solstice.

It’s a tradition dating back to the beginning of Neospes, one of the first decrees of the then newly crowned king. It used to be a celebration of our survival after the War. Now, its meaning has become far more mundane – merely a way for the monarchy to fawn over itself and its power. We’ve lost sight of what’s important, as has our leadership.

Aurela is right – I see that now. And I understand why it has to change.

I glance at Sauer, who nods curtly in my direction as we merge into the throng of people on the street. He’s all business, a commander first and a friend second. His role as a double agent is about to end, once we wage our combined attack on the monarchy. Until today, I hadn’t realized how deep the unrest reaches… and how many followers Aurela has, not just in Sector Seven but
all
the sectors. She has thousands of reserve soldiers on hand if things get ugly.

But that isn’t Aurela’s plan. She prefers a quiet, stealthy infiltration. She doesn’t want hundreds of innocent people to die, especially at the hands of the Vectors. Our population is devastated enough without diminishing it even further. Which is why we split into three groups – me, Sauer, Caden, and Loren to safeguard Cale; Aurela’s team to infiltrate the lab and locate the kill code for the Vectors; and finally, the third team to depose Murek.

My father will have to wait until Cale is safe. Then I have my own plans for him.

“You OK?” Caden asks, jerking me out of my murderous thoughts.

“What?”

“I said, are you OK?”

“Of course,” I snap. “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s just a mission. Stay as close to me as possible. I don’t want to draw undue attention.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the point of how we’re dressed, but don’t worry; I won’t embarrass you. I’ll just think of it like going to prom.”

I half-choke, half-snort on my retort. “
Prom?
”

Caden grins at me. “Yeah, you know… the whole life-or-death school dance thing in my world when girls murder each other with their eyes, and guys are expected to fall in line or face certain death. Don’t worry; got it down pat.”

Which is why I am grinning from ear to ear when Sauer announces that we are splitting from the rest of the other groups. Just before we jump into Sauer’s hovercraft, I feel Aurela’s hand on my arm.

“Riven, be careful,” she says quietly. “And please don’t do anything rash. I’m trusting you.”

“I know,” I say. “Cale and Caden will be safe, I promise you.” She frowns at my evasive response, but I climb into the hover. There’s nothing that will stop me, once Cale is with Sauer, from doing what I have to do where my father is concerned. And if the opportunity presents itself during the raid, I’ll take it. But I know what Aurela is worried about. I turn around. “Don’t worry; I won’t jeopardize the mission,” I say. “The code in his lab is my birth date. At least, it was until I defected. And Mom, you be careful, too.” The hover accelerates, but not before I see the startled look on her face that I’d called her something other than Aurela.

Driving is slow going, especially around all the people, but after a while Sauer pulls off onto a less major road where there’s far less pedestrian traffic. The Games are well underway, and the training fields are packed with huge colored tents full of participants and street vendors selling wares and trinkets. People are laughing and dancing, and cheering on the various combatants.

We ditch the hover and make our way to the main tent in the middle. It’s where the exhibition fighting is and where anyone important will be. Falling into my role, Caden and I separate from Loren and Sauer, pretending to be interested in a couple battling it out with swords in the middle of the tent. It’s an exhibition match, so the opponents are clothed in protective padding. Still, it is amazing to watch. Their technique is faultless and perfect in its form.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Loren taking up her position near the entrance of the tent and Sauer making his way to the far end, where there is a raised dais, likely for any royal attendees and their court. Although I’m straining my neck to tell who’s there, I can’t quite see over the heads of everyone, so my attention swings back to the exhibition fight. Four Vectors are stationed around the ring like silent, dead pillars. There seem to be a lot more of them than usual, I notice, frowning. Has someone tipped them off about Aurela’s plans? Or maybe I’ve just been gone too long from Neospes. Shaking my head, I let go of my heightened paranoia – this stupid dress is making me edgy.

A fat man in a gaudy gold outfit jostles me, and my fingers curl into fists at his lascivious leer. He’s staring at my chest like it’s a giant pile of precious stones. My fists tighten. I’ve never wanted to smash in someone’s face more.

“Not here,” Caden warns in my ear, moving to stand between me and the man who’s just been spared having my fist in his face. He turns to the offending man. “The lady is with me,” he says quietly. His words aren’t threatening, but the low growl underscoring his words is.

“I wasn’t going to do anything,” I grit out as the man moves away with a lingering glance at me. “I’m fine.”

Ignoring the low burn that Caden’s possessive tone had ignited in my belly, I turn my attention back to the exhibition match and notice that the combatants have switched to double-edged Artok weapons similar to mine. The one on the right is half a step slower than the one on the left, but they are evenly matched. Again, their combat technique is brilliant.

I wish I could see who they are, but they’re both wearing antique decorative facemasks. The truth is, I probably wouldn’t know them, anyway. Our mortality rates aren’t that great, and they’re probably up-and-comers in the ranks. The fighter on the left drops into a low crouch, spinning to the left to catch the other unawares, and wins the point.

“He’s good,” Caden comments. “The one on the left.”

“Not that good,” I say snarkily, still semi-peeved to be in a dress. To tell the truth, a part of me wants nothing more than to be in that ring, showing off and strutting my skills. Winning meant everything to my father, so I won everything I could, including all of my exhibition matches, which didn’t technically have winners. His approval used to mean so much.

I turn away, unable to watch, and catch Sauer’s eye. He’s gesturing to someone on the dais. Caden gasps, his eyes connecting with the four Vectors standing on either side of it. But I knew they’d be there. I want to see who they’re protecting so vigilantly.

We inch our way forward, the throng of people thinning the closer we get, and I recognize the gaunt face and the bulbous, fish-like eyes immediately. Instinctively, my fan opens in front of my face, concealing my own features from view as a hollow feeling spreads in my stomach. My disguise may fool most people, but there’s one person who could see right through it… a master manipulator and schemer himself.

Murek.

Usurper. Traitor.
Murderer
.

 

THE WINNER TAKES IT

 

Twilight is falling as the last of the Games wrap up, and people are already starting to take the revelry to the castle courtyard for the Midnight Ball. The streets are lit with multicolored halogen lights with shiny decorations draped over storefronts and houses. Everyone is laughing and dancing… well, everyone except us.

I want to leave but am at the mercy of Sauer’s lead. I still haven’t seen Cale. He’s nowhere to be found in the main tent or the surroundings, and Murek did the presentation of the Games’ trophies in his stead as if he were already acting in the position of king. I wonder for a moment whether Cale is already dead and hidden away somewhere deep in the castle where no one would ever find him. Murek is twisted like that.

My father is also mysteriously absent. Not that I expected that he would attend the Games, but he’d been present at every single match I’d ever won. His pride would keep him away, I realize. My only hope is that he isn’t in the lab – he is my prize, not Aurela’s. I have to be the one to make him pay for what he’d done to all of us.

“Riven,” a voice rasps in my ear. It’s Sauer, standing with his back against mine. “Remember the strategy. We separate after entry and regroup thirty minutes later. You take point to extract Cale, and Loren and I watch for Vectors. Here’s your comms.” He palms two tiny skin-colored devices into my hands. “Stick to the plan, and remember your cover. Code word for help is
reptile
.” There’s a clear warning in his voice. “Clear?”

“Clear.” My own voice is terse, ready.

The wireless comms device is a tiny bean-shaped pod that tucks snugly into my ear. I hand the second one to Caden, who does the same. Together, we join the crowd walking toward the first security checkpoint. Loren and Sauer fall in a little way back behind us.

“Scan, please.”

Caden goes through first without any problem. I hold out my wrist underneath the scanner, and for a second my stomach lurches as the screen flickers before validating my identity as Tania, a danseuse. The electronic words are tiny, but they may as well have been on a neon banner over my head. Inside, I’m cringing at the appreciative look the soldier tosses my way, but instead of punching him in the face, I smile coquettishly, thinking of Sadie, and play the part I’m supposed to play.

“Bravo,” Caden says. I purposefully stomp on his toe as I walk past him. “Ow! What was that for? I was paying you a compliment.”

“You know what for,” I hiss back. “And I was only channeling Sadie; so glad to see her ridiculously simpering ways still work on you.”

“What–?”

“Come on,” I snap, inexplicably angry. I’m a soldier, not a seductress. The pretense does not come easily.

The next security checkpoint is at the entrance of the courtyard beyond the tall and forbidding gilded gates. Cale and I used to scale them as children – a fair feat, given that they are over eight feet tall and spiked, but we were inventive and determined. I glance up at the parapets overlooking the grand courtyard that are decorated with brightly colored banners and flags, hoping to see a glimpse of Cale’s face, but he’s not there.

My body freezes at the sight of the two Vectors stationed with the guards at the checkpoint. Just seeing them standing there, their milky blue eyes staring at nothing, sends a chill deep into my bones. To think I used to command them without a second thought! Now I’m the enemy.

Following in Caden’s footsteps, I flick my wrist through the scanner, and the screen flickers and then fades to snow. The guard frowns and taps the scanner lightly. One of the Vectors swivels his eyes toward me, his gaze heavy. Feigning a bored look, I hold my wrist out even though my heart is racing. The guard scans my chip again. This time, it goes through.

I feel the Vector’s eyes on me all the way to the middle of the courtyard.

“What happened?” Sauer’s voice is tinny inside my ear. I can barely hear him over the loud music.

“I don’t know,” I reply, touching my ear gently. “I think the nanobes are attacking the chip. They must think it’s something foreign. There was a lot of electronic interference on the scanners. I’m not sure that it will work again.”

“OK,” Sauer says. “Be careful. Those two were the main ones Aurela knew about so we’ll figure out any others. And Riven?” His voice is quiet, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. “You have a Vector on your tail. He’s been with you since the checkpoint.”

Sauer’s right. I can still feel the Vector’s oily, wet gaze on me. So I do the only thing I can do. Half-dragging a bewildered Caden to the platform in the center, I throw my arms on his shoulders. I giggle loudly, a flirtatious sound that sounds grating and false to my own ears, and wave my fan teasingly in front of my face. Caden’s eyes widen.

“Put your arms around my waist,” I hiss urgently from behind the fan. “Don’t you know how to dance?”

“I thought you didn’t do dancing.”

“I don’t, but we have company, and I need it to not consider us a threat.”