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“This is where we’ll be staying?” Molly asked as the flyer landed on the towering platform, built in the middle of nowhere. Her eyes were holding doubt, which was expected. The place wasn’t glamorous, and it lacked the flash that my sisters were accustomed to seeing.
“It isn’t about the infrastructure, it’s about the technology,” I said.
Molly snorted. “Sure. Tell Daddy Dearest that.”
“I’m more worried about removing my Hyndroyl crystal,” Amy shakily admitted.
“Why? You can’t access any abilities.” Molly obviously didn’t understand where Amy’s mind was.
“Molly, she’s worried about missing the opportunity to develop an ability. Amy, it’s necessary to remove your crystal. If you don’t, you die.” My words elicited a gasp from both sisters. The side of the flyer vanished, and I stepped into the blazing Nerethian heat. The sun radiated scorching heat for sixteen hours a day, four more hours more than Earth. My sisters joined me, both of them wearing the valuable jumpsuits that Jade crafted for them. Jade. Longing hit me at the thought that my twin was far from my grasp. For years, our circumstances kept us apart. Where would we be standing at the end of it all?
“Follow me,” I ordered. We descended the stairs and walked toward the unassuming, black two-story building. I wrapped my hand around the warm doorknob and it clicked, recognizing my handprint. I pushed the door open and was welcomed by frigid air. We entered and the door slammed shut behind us.
“The place is nothing more than a hallway,” Molly said, her green eyes glaring at the dead end twenty feet away from us.
“That’s the beauty of it, Molly. We need to go down.” I tapped on the wall five times to activate the floor lift. The floor slowly descended, Amy and Molly letting out surprised shrieks. I shook my head at the pair, since I did warn them. If they weren’t good listeners, they only had themselves to blame. As soon as the floor stopped moving, I led them to the wall in front of me and pressed my hand against it. The wall vanished, revealing a wide corridor with doors on either side. I turned to eye my two sisters.
“Once you make it through here, there is no way out. I won’t let you go back to the surface until Father dies,” I said in a blasé tone.
“So, we’ll die old and alone?” Molly complained.
“It’s better than dying young,” Amy tossed at our sister. I knew so much, but very little at the same time. My instincts were driving me to keep Amy and Molly safe. It was odd, the knowing that flooded me. If they were to resurface, they would both reach a bloody end. What was coming? Any time I focused my thoughts on that question, only images of shattered buildings and piles of bloody bodies popped in my mind, along with the horrid scent of decay. But why? What planet was I seeing? The truth would reveal itself soon enough, that’s how my gift worked.
“I just thought of something,” Molly said, her green eyes wide with terror. “If you remove your Hyndroyl crystal, you’ll no longer be able to see the future.”
“I know. But if I keep it in my body, the crystal will kill me. I’ve seen it,” I said. Then I led the way to the door on the left. I was hoping that the surprise wouldn’t piss off my sisters. I walked into the infirmary and smiled at the sister that could now reveal herself. Lia stood there, wearing a lab coat, her confident grin making my heart warm. I gave her a brief hug and waved at Charles, the physician who purchased her from Lord Peirc six years ago.
“You betrayed us,” Molly cried. “That cow spied on us.”
Lia rolled her eyes. “If that were really true, I would have told Father that you guys planned on having Gwen spy on the suitors before the auction.”
“You started a fight with us,” Molly accused.
“Our father expects us to act a certain way. I merely gave him a show.” Lia’s responses were placating Amy, but Molly had her doubts.
“In order to stay alive, we need her. I’ve seen it.” My words didn’t soothe Molly, who scowled at Lia.
“Where’s Jade?” Lia asked, changing the subject. She knew how badly I wanted to be reunited with my twin.
“We had to leave. I missed my opportunity to snatch her. The prince was too close to her. We’ll have to hope that David can figure something out.
“But you’re a mean girl. Why would you care about Jade? You don’t care about anyone,” Molly protested.
“Judging by her outfit, I would have to guess that Lia was playing a part.” Amy looked impressed.
Lia rubbed her hands together. “The easiest way to remove the Hyndroyl crystal is to break it down slowly. It’s similar to the serum Gwen took. But Lord Peirc’s physician gave her a nearly fatal dose. Charles and I measured out a dose that won’t knock us out for days. But we’ll have to take it once a day for a week.”
“What happens if you don’t take the dose every day?” Amy wondered.
“Then the crystal will only partly dissolve. That could be dangerous. So, I don’t recommend anyone to do that.” Lia shot Molly a hard look. Our troublesome sister raised a hand in protest.
“I’m sucking down every drop of the serum. I like the idea of being rid of that stupid crystal. What about the trackers?” Molly demanded.
“We’ll have to remove those with a quick procedure. Who would like to go first?” Charles asked.
“I’ll do it,” Molly said. Charles directed Amy and I to wait outside, and we complied. Amy shot me a concerned expression.
“Will it be safe to remove the trackers?”
“Yes. I had visions of us after the trackers are removed, and we’re healthy.” My words caused a scowl to appear on her face.
“Why didn’t you tell us how this night would end? Did it occur to you that some of us welcomed a marriage? I’m still a Peirc, which means that Father has rights to me.” Amy’s words stunned me, though they did make sense.
“You’d rather marry a stranger than hide out until Lord Peirc dies?”
“Yes. At least if I was married, that means I’m no longer under my father’s control. Your crystal is about to be removed. You won’t know what Obi is going to plan for us. At least Lord Peirc is predictable. I didn’t want to express this in front of Molly, but maybe securing a marriage for us would be better. Can’t one of your associates marry us?” Something felt off about Amy’s panic. But I shoved that away, since I knew my sister to be practical. Risk taking wasn’t something she did willingly.
“I have your best interests at heart. Our sperm donor doesn’t. Trust me, as we speak, he’s about to kill someone.”
“Gwen?” Sadness filled Amy’s eyes at the thought.
“No,” I said, knowing that there was no way to change Lord Peirc’s path. He would use death to control the living because that strategy worked for him.
“Who, then?”
“We can’t change it, Amy. Believe me when I tell you, it’s best that no one knows what’s about to happen.”
“But you can stop it. Can’t you send your people to the Peirc Estate and save Gwen?”
“No. I’ve seen what happens if I interfere. Trust me,” I pleaded, hoping Amy would listen to me.
“I have no choice, since I’m stuck down here.”
Lia poked her head out. “Who’s next?”
“I’ll go,” Amy said. After she left me alone in the hallway, I sank to the floor and bawled my eyes out.
