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Authors: Meagan Spooner
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mouth and the pallor of his face made me realize something was badly wrongâsomething he had not seen coming.
Caesar turned until he could reach for the robed figure, his movements startlingly gentle. Iâd never seen Caesar treat anyone so carefully before, and my heart twinged with something I barely recognized as envy. He helped the figure move to the front of the group, then pulled the blanket away and tossed it to one of the other brass. The figure laid a hand on Caesarâs arm and straightened.
âI can stand,â said a low, musical voiceâa female voice. âThank you, Caesar.â
Bowing her head, the woman lifted her hands and pushed back the hood of her robe.
It was the Renewable. In the golden, artificial light she glowed like the sun disc itself. Every inch of her was whiteâher hair, her lips, the irises of her eyesâgleaming as she had the day I saw her last, suspended in the Instituteâs cage of glass. She shone like the Star standing guard over Lethe. I gasped, falling back a pace; she wasnât just blinding to my eyes, but to my magic as well. Far more powerful than any Renewable Iâd ever seen, she was so strong I didnât even need to switch to my second sight to sense itâher magic bled over into the physical realm, emanating from every pore.
âHello,â she said, lifting her chin as her white, empty eyes swept over the crowd and her mouth curved to a tired, gentle smile. âMy name is Eve.â
With a jolt, I realized I knew that name. Her strange eyes fell on meâand there was an instant spark of recognition. She knew me; but more shocking, I knew her. Knew her as more than the creature of light that helped me escape the Institute. I could feel her, as though a tiny yet tangible thread connected us. I could sense her thoughts churning just out of reach, like movement on the other side of a curtain.
The dreams Iâd been having with increasing frequency the closer I got to my homeâthey were memories. Eveâs. The Renewableâs. I was reliving her arrival in the city again and again, for reasons I couldnât explain.
Her tired smile faded, but I felt warmth as she gazed at me, a very real tingling that spread over me, bathing me in light. Around us the crowd surged, voices rising and falling with questions, exclamations; but I heard none of it. I couldnât take my eyes off of her. I stood, shaken, staring.
âWelcome home, sister,â she whispered to me from across the cavern.
CHAPTER 8
Caesar hollered at the crowd gathered around to make a path, and he ushered Eve along at his side. Glancing over his shoulder, his eye fell on me, and he summoned me to follow with a jerk of his chin. He moved with a limp, turning away to move toward a tunnel. I realized I was still holding Orenâs arm, and from the confusion on his face I knew he hadnât sensed the same thing I had from Eve.
I was stretched thin, wrung outâsomething about Eve had made me weak at the knees. Perhaps it was the revelation that my dreams had come from a real person, that I was sharing someoneâs memories. I stumbled forward a step, my feet tingling with pins and needles.
âHelp me,â I muttered to Oren, who started, looking down at my face. Though he hadnât had the same reaction to Eve that I had, he could tell instantly that something wasnât right. His grip shifted until he was half supporting me, and then he led the way through the crowd, worming our way forward.
Kris met us along the way, and the three of us shoved through the crowd in Caesarâs wake until we emerged into a tunnel leading away from the Hub. I was starting to feel a little more steady, but I was relieved when Caesar turned off toward what had clearly once housed machinery, but was now a small room furnished with battered sofas and chairs. He eased Eve down onto a cot as Oren found a chair for me. I was struck by the similarities in
Caesar turned until he could reach for the robed figure, his movements startlingly gentle. Iâd never seen Caesar treat anyone so carefully before, and my heart twinged with something I barely recognized as envy. He helped the figure move to the front of the group, then pulled the blanket away and tossed it to one of the other brass. The figure laid a hand on Caesarâs arm and straightened.
âI can stand,â said a low, musical voiceâa female voice. âThank you, Caesar.â
Bowing her head, the woman lifted her hands and pushed back the hood of her robe.
It was the Renewable. In the golden, artificial light she glowed like the sun disc itself. Every inch of her was whiteâher hair, her lips, the irises of her eyesâgleaming as she had the day I saw her last, suspended in the Instituteâs cage of glass. She shone like the Star standing guard over Lethe. I gasped, falling back a pace; she wasnât just blinding to my eyes, but to my magic as well. Far more powerful than any Renewable Iâd ever seen, she was so strong I didnât even need to switch to my second sight to sense itâher magic bled over into the physical realm, emanating from every pore.
âHello,â she said, lifting her chin as her white, empty eyes swept over the crowd and her mouth curved to a tired, gentle smile. âMy name is Eve.â
With a jolt, I realized I knew that name. Her strange eyes fell on meâand there was an instant spark of recognition. She knew me; but more shocking, I knew her. Knew her as more than the creature of light that helped me escape the Institute. I could feel her, as though a tiny yet tangible thread connected us. I could sense her thoughts churning just out of reach, like movement on the other side of a curtain.
The dreams Iâd been having with increasing frequency the closer I got to my homeâthey were memories. Eveâs. The Renewableâs. I was reliving her arrival in the city again and again, for reasons I couldnât explain.
Her tired smile faded, but I felt warmth as she gazed at me, a very real tingling that spread over me, bathing me in light. Around us the crowd surged, voices rising and falling with questions, exclamations; but I heard none of it. I couldnât take my eyes off of her. I stood, shaken, staring.
âWelcome home, sister,â she whispered to me from across the cavern.
CHAPTER 8
Caesar hollered at the crowd gathered around to make a path, and he ushered Eve along at his side. Glancing over his shoulder, his eye fell on me, and he summoned me to follow with a jerk of his chin. He moved with a limp, turning away to move toward a tunnel. I realized I was still holding Orenâs arm, and from the confusion on his face I knew he hadnât sensed the same thing I had from Eve.
I was stretched thin, wrung outâsomething about Eve had made me weak at the knees. Perhaps it was the revelation that my dreams had come from a real person, that I was sharing someoneâs memories. I stumbled forward a step, my feet tingling with pins and needles.
âHelp me,â I muttered to Oren, who started, looking down at my face. Though he hadnât had the same reaction to Eve that I had, he could tell instantly that something wasnât right. His grip shifted until he was half supporting me, and then he led the way through the crowd, worming our way forward.
Kris met us along the way, and the three of us shoved through the crowd in Caesarâs wake until we emerged into a tunnel leading away from the Hub. I was starting to feel a little more steady, but I was relieved when Caesar turned off toward what had clearly once housed machinery, but was now a small room furnished with battered sofas and chairs. He eased Eve down onto a cot as Oren found a chair for me. I was struck by the similarities in