In a compound on the edge of Razor City, things begin to go wrong...
She didn't notice Shaw behind her as she slipped past the kids in the common room. She didn't turn around or pause to see if anyone was following her. She didn't even say goodbye to the inner circle as she snuck out through the tunnel that lead out into the city. For the briefest moment, Shaw considered following her out of the compound, but he hadn't been out into the city since Eloise had found him wandering the outlands, orphaned and lost, cowering in an old, abandoned house in fear for his life.
He hadn't wanted to go back out into the city. There was too much fear and danger and death. Even now, the outlaws and the rebels and the King's Marshals waited to snatch up the first hapless, weak lost child that wandered into their path. It wasn't going to be him.
He turned back at the tunnel entrance. He peered at the kids playing in the common room. The compound's inner circle was lying to them. They were involved in something that could put them all in danger. They deserved to know what it was. He deserved to know what it was.
He hadn't heard everything, but he had heard enough.
Now was his chance. He strode quickly toward the hall of shops where the inner circle stayed, where they kept everyone else out. Even if they deserved to know what was going on. Even if they were old enough to lead the younger kids and help make the decisions that effected them.
He paused in front of Petra's room. He wasn't sure, but he thought he'd heard voices behind the thick curtains. The inner circle was talking about someone, and whoever he was, he was inside that room. Shaw wanted inside that room.
Key's gate opened abruptly. Shaw ducked around the corner. Key crossed the hall to Petra's room. He unlocked the padlock and slipped inside. Shaw hurried forward. The padlock hung open. He fished in his pocket for a small piece of paper. It was a note from Clarice. He hadn't replied. He wasn't interested in younger girls. He liked girls who weren't afraid of the outside. He liked girls who weren't afraid of anything.
He tore a corner from the paper and rolled it into a ball. He stuffed it into the lock on Petra's door. It was risky. Key wasn't stupid; he might notice the lock didn't catch. But it was worth a try. Shaw didn't have a key, and he thought Petra would notice if her lock was busted open when she arrived home.
He waited. Key wasn't inside the room for long. There was no expression on his face, but Shaw was sure he'd been talking to someone in there. He was sure he'd heard the soft hum of voices.
Who is it?
When the gate closed Key back into his room, Shaw strode forward. The padlock was closed, but Key must have been anxious to leave. It popped open easily. Shaw glanced around. If the inner circle caught him breaking into Petra's room, he would be expelled from the compound. He would be back out on the streets.
No one was nearby. He yanked open the gate and pushed aside the curtain. He poked his head inside the room.
There was someone inside. It was a young man. He was tall with dark, shoulder-length hair. He was standing in the center of the room. His shoulders were tense. He spoke before he turned. "What now?" The tone of his voice was slightly sour. Shaw wondered if he and Key had been fighting.
The young man spun around. When he saw Shaw, he looked surprised. He wasn't as surprised as Shaw. Shaw knew him instantly. He had seen him in the city. He knew his reputation.
Prince Dante.
"Oh," the prince said. His sour expression softened. He didn't look like the Dante Shaw knew. He looked different. He wasn't sure what had changed. "Sorry. Hi." He frowned. "Who are you?"
It took Shaw a moment to reply. He knew what it was that had changed in the prince. There was no cruelty or malice in his gaze. "I'm Shaw. I'm a friend of Petra's."
The prince didn't seem to like this. He frowned. "Friend?"
Was he jealous? This was interesting. "Yeah. Just a friend."
"Do we know each other?"
The question was strange. Shaw shook his head slowly. "No." He knew the answer to his next question, but he wasn't sure the prince did. "Who are you?"
"I'm Grey."
"Grey." Shaw stared at him a moment. His mouth turned up slightly at the corners. "Are you really."