I seized on to his reason for my nerves. “What is he nervous about?”
“He has certain gifts too, and he says there’s some movement in the United Territories that will bring war.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What else has he said?”
“Not much.” Hanai started down the steps to the bathing pool. “You’re lucky it’s still warm,” he called over his shoulder. “In the winter, our pool is ice cold.”
I’d managed to keep my back turned away from Hanai during our bath, and in the succeeding days I’d gone to the pool early in the morning. The sun didn’t have a chance to heat the water, and I felt the iciness of it despite the early fall weather. But I couldn’t risk letting anyone know that I was a sentry—and still active.
I was assigned my own tent, and it was barely big enough for me to lie down in. I had a narrow strip of canvas on one side of my cot where I stored a small knapsack the Chief had given me. I kept it packed with a spare set of clothes, extra socks, and a day’s worth of food. I didn’t know when I’d need to leave the settlement, but I did know I didn’t want to endanger the Chief, his settlement, or any of his people.
Over the course of several weeks, they taught me to find food in the forest. As first I couldn’t see the ground squirrels and birds. I pretended that I didn’t have experience with hitting a target, but after a few days of hunting with Hanai, I allowed my sentry skills to emerge. I used a slingshot to kill a bird, and as I roasted it for lunch, I felt a sense of pride I’d never felt while training to kill people.
I knew it was because I’d only killed the bird out of necessity—not because my Councilman didn’t like the way it looked, or sounded, or flew.
In return, I taught the Outcasts how to hide in plain sight. I taught them how to mend broken bones, breathe for another person, and how to boil the sap out of harkroot to make syrup that would relieve pain.
They had a basic knowledge of medicine, but the Chief wanted to know more, especially how we fixed things without a healer. I spent many hours with him and his healers, and their questions were endless.
If I wasn’t doing that, Hanai and I fished in the stream running through the settlement. Or we practiced with the slingshot. Or we mended our boots while the wind pushed through the trees.
Fall was just starting to fade into winter when I received an air message from Davison. “Can you come to Gregorio? I believe now is the time to talk about a rebellion. I can promise you safety within my high-rise, and we can work together to find a solution that will benefit all people in the Territories.”
I wanted to leave the next day, but I had preparations to make. The journey from the Outcast settlement to Gregorio took nine days, and I didn’t want to collapse from hunger the way I had before.
I sent him a return message, telling him to watch for Adam Gillman to arrive in two weeks. Then I had to figure out how to tell Hanai and the Chief that I was leaving.
“Adam Gillman?” A sentry emerged from the shadows of a tree ten miles from Gregorio, his eyes as sharp as Felix’s had ever been.
I stopped at the sound of his voice as I appraised him. He likewise sized me up.
I’m taller than him , he thought. He’s skinny, but looks to be all muscle. Needs a haircut, and his eyes look like he’s seen dangerous things and knows how—
I blocked his mind then, unwilling to know what he thought I could do. Sentries tended to be able to identify a fellow sentry easily enough. There was something about the way we carried ourselves that spoke of the horrific things we knew how to do.
“I’m Adam Gillman,” I said, taking a step backward. A sentry would never do that. He was taller than me, and he obviously ate better than I had been. But I’d been trapping, hunting, and cooking my own meals for a few months now. He sat down in a dining hall and ate as much as he wanted. He probably didn’t even know where his food came from.
He probably worked out every day. My life had become a constant workout, and though I had stayed in shape, I knew I’d lost some of my strength. This sentry could likely take me in a hand-to-hand battle.
“Davison sent me to accompany you to his high-rise.”
“Lead the way,” I said.
“You’re sure?” Davison asked. He’d cleared his conference room upon my arrival, and then demanded to know how I knew Alex was a woman. I’d told him of sneaking into her quarters.
“Absolutely sure,” I said. “She has a vest she wears to make her shoulders wider and to cover her chest. It’s impossible to see under her clothes.”
Davison sighed like my confirmation of Alex’s womanhood caused him great pain. “I do not want to start a war,” he said. “But she’s nearly destroyed the Elemental educational system in our country. She almost destroyed the school here, and it still hasn’t reopened.” He stood and paced to the window, where he looked across the expanse of the city. “To my knowledge, there are only four schools left, and I believe they won’t be operational much longer. She is systematically removing the opportunity for Elementals to train and advance their skills.”
“But sir,” I said. “Why? Why is she doing that?”
“I don’t know,” he said more to the glass than to me. “I wish I did. At the same time, it doesn’t matter. She cannot be allowed to eradicate the way our government functions. We need trained and talented Elementals in order for our city-states to operate.”
“Maybe she wishes to be queen,” I suggested.
“The thought has crossed my mind,” he said, turning back. He took a deep breath, which seemed to buoy him up. “Which is why I’ve spent every moment these past few months finding out the heart of each Councilman in each city across the Territories.” A tight smile formed on his face. “Secretly, of course. Everyone agrees with me. Something must be done to stop Alex. So Mr. Gillman, are you with us?”
“Of course,” I answered quickly. “I still have much to learn about my Element.” And politics. And running a city. And being a Councilmember. But I kept those things to myself.
“This will take some time,” Davison said. “And when the moment is right, we will strike Tarpulin and evict Alex from her Supremist position.”
I swallowed. “Do you think we can, sir?”
“I hope so,” he said, sounding tired now. “It’s never been done in the two hundred years since the Manifestation, but there’s a first time for everything.”
Only a week later, I was training with my old instructor in the orchards. I’d just sent a particularly powerful cyclone into the sky. He said, “Take a break, Adam. You’re doing great.”
I retired to the edge of the orchards, where I could see into the broad expanse of land surrounding Gregorio. I liked watching the wind wave through the prairie grasses and listening to the air currents sing as they streamed above the earth.
In the distance, my eye caught movement. I stood, trying to make out what the black dots on the horizon were. In my heart, I already knew. “Sentries,” I whispered. When the hum of a vehicle met my ears, my suspicions were confirmed. Only sentries on a mission could use motorized transportation.
“Mont!” I called to my instructor. Several seconds passed before he joined me. I pointed into the wilderness. “Sentries. Tell Davison, would you? I’m going to sneak out there and see who they are.”
Mont clapped me on the shoulder. “Be careful. Heroes can die too.” He turned, created a cushion of air, and soared toward the city. I copied him, but I aimed myself toward the black ants marching in two neat rows.
I positioned myself ahead of them by a few miles, which gave me enough time to find a hiding spot. My plan was to watch and wait—a lesson I’d learned well over the years.
My stealth was rewarded as the first sentries passed the low brush where I’d concealed myself. I could see them, but I didn’t recognize anyone. Their thoughts roamed from hunger, to concerns over the northern winter—which had been particularly nasty thus far—to what they might find in Newton.
I kept my anxiety containe
d. Newton was one of the last cities to house an Elemental school. I felt certain that if these sentries were allowed to reach their destination, Newton wouldn’t have a school for much longer.
“…Felix will know,” a man said, and I jerked my attention back to the line of sentries. “We keep moving,” he continued. “We don’t stop until Quail Run.”
“If only we all had a hovercraft,” one grumbled, and I knew where I’d find my brother. Of course he wouldn’t walk all the way to the Unmanifested village of Quail Run. Not if there was a heated vehicle available.
I waited until the sentry squad had gone another two miles. Then I sailed back to Gregorio to alert Davison of their mission.
“We need to go now,” I insisted. It had been two days since I’d spotted the sentries on the prairie. “They could be there any day.”
Davison spared me a withered look. “Newton is a two-week journey from here.”
“On foot,” I argued. “And Felix had a hovercraft.”
“These things take time to plan,” he said. “I had Airmaster Jones send Councilman Sumpsion a message. He has assured us that they are ready for an attack.”
I accepted his answer, but my skin itched. I needed to go, follow Felix, and soon.
“Requesting permission to leave ahead of the defense party, sir,” I said. That got Davison’s attention.
“Mr. Gillman, is this personal?” he asked carefully.
I was unsure if an affirmative answer would get me what I wanted. I decided to go with the truth. “Yes, sir. I need to know what my brother is doing. Where he is. And why he’s doing this.”
Davison scrutinized me for a moment. His Unmanifested leaned close to him and whispered something. Finally Davison nodded. “Permission granted.”
I left that night, a backpack stuffed with an extra set of clothes, a blanket, two knives, and enough food to get me to Newton. I’d insisted I didn’t need so much, that I could find birds and rabbits on my own, but the cook didn’t listen.
I wasn’t willing to waste time by walking. I used the air, hoping to get to Newton at the same time as Felix—or faster.
When I’d been flying for five days, I smelled the smoke. I knew I hadn’t made it. I crested the rise to see thick, black clouds hovering over the city in the distance. That night, the amber color of coals shone in the darkness.
In the morning, I saw a line of dejected people leave Newton. I followed them for three days as they walked to a city completely surrounded by forests. It had been built on top of a hill, though anyone living there wouldn’t know that.
The people moved with quick steps; they hardly spoke; when one snapped his fingers and lit a fire, I knew they were the only remaining Elementals from Newton. I saw them safely to Crylon—the city on the hill—and then turned back to find my brother. Along the way, a stiff wind ruffled my hair.
“All schools except the one in Crylon have been destroyed.” The air carried the voice of Airmaster Jones. “What have you learned? Have you found Felix?”
I didn’t respond, because I hadn’t learned anything, and I didn’t know where Felix was. Part of me wanted to run to Crylon and enroll in their Airmaster training. I couldn’t stand the thought of not having a school to attend.
Four days later, I found Felix in the Unmanifested village of Forrester. I’d abandoned my airmaking Element in favor of my sentry tracking skills, seemingly unable to be both an Airmaster and a sentry.
He drank too much in the tavern and lost all the coins in his pockets when the men started playing cards. He stumbled to the loft in a farmer’s house and slept until noon the next day. I hid in the shadows, stealing food from trash bins and climbing trees during the day to stay off the radar.
I couldn’t be seen by anyone, lest they come across Felix and be intimidated into confessing they knew I was here. The best thing about Forrester was its close proximity to the Outcast settlement. After several days of trying to rest against the hard bark of a tree, I made sure Felix was snoring and then I lifted myself over the wall and sprinted into the forest to the west of Forrester.
The Outcasts had kept their settlement hidden, unwilling to endure the endless pilfering of their gifts. Chief Tavar had told me he preferred his life inside his own settlement, even if there were walls and fences. He protected his settlement with his own brand of magic, and no one could cross the border without being invited in.
I wandered through the woods, unsure of where the barrier was, or how to obtain permission to enter. After a couple of hours, I sat down on the ground and traced patterns in the snow. It was there that Hanai found me.
“You’re back,” he said, a smile in his voice.
I jumped up and shook his hand. “For a bit. I’m tracking my brother, but all he does is drink, play cards, and then sleep until the afternoon. I’m bored.” I returned his smile, and he led me through the trees.
“So you thought you’d loiter outside our settlement,” he joked. “You know, you could’ve just come in. My father has cleared you.”
“I didn’t think it wise,” I said. “The Chief seems kind of… uptight.”
Hanai laughed. “You’re probably right. But in the future, I’ll be able to admit you faster if you come north by the stream, then go west for a hundred paces. There’s a knobby stump there that signals you to turn north again.” He continued rattling off directions to find the entrance point of the settlement, but I couldn’t remember them all.
I spent the day lashing sticks together to make snowshoes. At dusk, Hanai led me out of the camp, east to the stream. We followed it south, where he bid me farewell.
Felix didn’t drink that night. He questioned every guard at both gates. He collected food, and by dawn he was on his way. I followed him, being careful not to get too close. He didn’t seem concerned about leaving a trail, and his boots made large imprints in the snow as he headed northwest.
I stepped in his footsteps, my boots not quite filling out the impressions he’d left. I wondered if I’d forever be just a little bit smaller, a little bit behind, my brother. He only walked for a day before coming to a small city without an Elemental school.
Rhyss was ruled by Elementals, but only because the land surrounding the city grew and supplied almost half the food the citizens of the United Territories ate. The railroad line went right through Rhyss, continuing both north to the border and south to Tarpulin.
Felix disappeared inside the city walls while I was still traipsing through snow-covered fields. Soaked from head to toe, I limped into the city hoping for a warm fire and a dry bed. The street continued straight into the heart of the city, and I followed it, scanning for Felix.
I didn’t see him, and the crowd thickened the closer to the city center I went. I found an inconspicuous spot that allowed me to see anyone and everyone entering the center, but Felix never appeared. The shops closed, the people dispersed. I left with the last of them, heading to the only establishment that remained open: the tavern.
Felix was seated near the back wall, engrossed in a conversation with another man. He looked furious and gestured with his hands. When he suddenly lurched from his seat and stomped toward the door, I had to drop into an empty seat at a table with three other men. I kept my face turned toward the wall until my brother passed, then I leapt up and joined the man Felix had just left.
“Tell me what you were talking about with the Tarpulin sentry,” I demanded before the man could ask who I was. I picked up the butter knife on the table and spun it around the back of my hand, catching it casually before looking into the man’s eyes.
The fear I found there was fleeting, replaced quickly by fury. “He is dissatisfied with the speed of our trains,” he said. “I assured him we are loading them as quickly as possible.”
“You ship wheat, correct?”
“Yes.” The man frowned. “He claims Tarpulin is not receiving its shipments on time, but my logs indicate they are.” He shoved a ledger toward me, but I had no interest in examining it.
Felix wasn’t here to burn the city to the ground. Could the Supremist’s personal sentry really be attending to wheat shipments in the remote city of Rhyss? I puzzled through why he’d bother—surely he would delegate this unsavory and somewhat degrading mission to someone else.
I thanked the man and left the tavern. The wind coming from the plains felt like ice, and I couldn’t warm it with my Element. I couldn’t sleep outside in this weather. I returned to the tavern and inquired about a room. Within minutes, I found a farmer who had a bed and I followed him home.
The next morning, I woke to the scent of bacon. When I joined the man and his family for breakfast, I asked, “Do you not have work today?”
“It’s the new year,” the man said. “One of our only days off.” He smiled as he pointed to a plate with eggs. “Help yourself.”
I ate as much as I could, paid the man with all the money I had, and faced the bitter winter weather. Since it was a holiday, the streets were bare. I assumed people had stayed up late celebrating and were having a bit of a late start to the morning—a fact I was grateful for, because it made spotting the sentry striding toward the city gate much easier.
Felix returned to Forrester by nightfall, but I opted to spend the night in the Outcast settlement. I needed the calm energy to reason through what Felix was doing. Why wouldn’t he simply return to Tarpulin? What was keeping him here in the northern part of the Territories?
Months later, I still didn’t have an answer. Felix had actually rented a room in Forrester, making the Unmanifested village his full-time home. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to do much of anything. For a few days, I speculated that he’d defected the way I had.
Then he’d take a day trip to Rhyss, or even a two-day journey to Crylon. When I followed and investigated to learn what he’d been doing, it was Territory business. Supremist business. So the theory of him turning fugitive didn’t hold up. His movements seemed innocent, almost mundane.