32

 

I read several chapters before I realize the sky is growing dim. Making my way to the first floor, I try to find Keegan. I can only assume he’ll be around, since he’s not been walking long enough to get upstairs. A crush of people meets me at the bottom of the stairs, but none of them are him.

I wander out of the building and into the streets. People brush against me at every turn, and I mumble a dozen “excuse me’s” before I find him. He’s sitting on a bench surrounded by a few of the Free. They’re telling him something, and whatever it is, he’s completely into their story.

His skin is paler than it used to be. His shoulders are less broad, and one is still bandaged.

But he’s as vibrant as ever. As animated and passionate.

I can only imagine in my worst nightmare what I would feel if he’d died a week ago. Coldness wraps around me and I shiver.

He didn’t die, and I am so grateful for that. He’s the only link to my past, and the thought of letting him go pains me.

At some point he notices me watching him, and he smiles. The others with him notice me, too, and they quickly move away. I slide onto the bench beside him. “Feeling OK?”

“I had to sit down since I couldn’t even get back inside, but I feel good.”

“This is a bit overwhelming, don’t you think? All these people?” I shake my head. “I never dreamed there were so many people who were willing to stand up against the Greaters.”

“According to these people, the Greaters are a force to be feared. They say they’re decimating the enemy.”

I hadn’t thought of it like that, and I wince. Fighting them won’t be easy, but then another thought strikes me. “It’s the Middles and Lessers who are fighting, and they’ll be on our side.” At least, I hope they will. Dad’s face pops into my mind, and I push it away.

“No, we won’t have to fight against an army like that,” Keegan says. “If it comes to a fight, it will only be against Frost Moon and his guards.”

An idea forms in my mind with his words, and I turn away, thinking. “I saw him.”

“Who?” Keegan frowns.

“Frost Moon. I saw him when we were running from the dome, and he saw me. Do you think he’s here?”

His eyes grow wide and he shakes his head. “I don’t know. He might be.”

I turn back to him fully. “Guard Nev and Guard Rok know the other guards. Maybe not all of them, but some, at least. Do you think they could convince the other guards to turn against Moon?”

His gaze moves to the high windows of the skyscraper. “It’s possible, I guess. We’d have to make our way into the city again, though. Are you up for that?”

I eye him. “Are you?”

He smiles. “Not today, but hopefully soon.”

I nod. Now isn’t a good time, anyway. We wouldn’t want to take Frost Moon out of leadership until the fight against the mother country is won. Which brings me to my second thought. It’s one we’ve already discussed, but I can’t get it out of my head. “How do you feel about others fighting for our freedom while we sit here and hide?”

Now his eyes widen further. “You’re not thinking of running off, right? Because I don’t think anyone would agree that is a good idea.”

“I just don’t feel right about sitting here in hiding while other people make a stand. We need to win our freedom from Frost Moon, but we also need to win it from the mother country.”

He shifts his body, his nostrils flared. “First of all, I wouldn’t call what we’re doing hiding, exactly. I would guess even Frost himself knows where we are. Second of all, no one is particularly making a stand. The Greaters are rounding up people and forcing them into a war they aren’t even sure is raging.”

“I thought you wanted to fight?” Anger stirs inside me. How can he not agree with me on this point? I pull myself up and straighten my shoulders. “Don’t you think the win would be swifter if those fighting actually believed in the cause?”

He shakes his head. “I’m sure the Greaters are feeding them some kind of spill about their duty to the country. The people wouldn’t fight otherwise. But I don’t want you going into that.”

“I want to go.”

“Hana, you can’t be serious.” He leans toward me and takes my hand. “It would take days just to get there, and what then? You just slip in and tell some random military person you want to fight?”

I pull my hand away and stand. “I thought you would agree with this cause. We’re standing back and letting someone else win freedom for our country.”

“Hana.”

But I don’t let him finish. Keegan may not agree with me, but Guard Nev must. There’s no way he thinks sitting on his hands while others fight is the best idea.

“Hana, wait!”

I turn at Keegan’s voice. He hobbles after me, and my heart squeezes. I stop.

Finally, he reaches me and takes my hand. “Don’t run off like that. It’s not fair when I can’t catch you.” When I don’t speak, he goes on. “I get what you’re saying, it’s just that I saw what those flying death machines can do. I don’t want you out there.”

The truth burns in his eyes. Worry mixed with fear.

He cares about me, and he doesn’t want me ending up like him. I should have thought of that a moment ago. Fighting himself is one thing, but of course he doesn’t want me running off to fight.

Forcing myself to calm down, I turn to him fully. “There has to be something we can do.”

“There are too many of us. The Greaters and guards inside the city cannot control us, not if we get a big enough army together. We can spread the word and build loyalties now, while Frost Moon is thinking about something else.”

“What if he’s in the city?”

His determination doesn’t waver. “It doesn’t matter. We can make it work, especially if your idea pans out about Guard Nev and Guard Rok turning the loyalties of the guards.”

He’s right, and if everyone is made aware of the war, then others may take up the cause and join on their own. It’s sickening that Frost Moon still thinks so little of his people he believes he has to lie to them in order for them to fight for their own freedom.

I close my eyes and hold in my sigh. I’m so tired of being conflicted. Confused. Uncertain. I’m just tired.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes. “OK. Let’s go make some plans.”