Part 34 (1/2)

A small camera hovers to my left, broadcasting my sniffles across the society. Callum slips his hand into mine, a show for the cameras. I send a spark of electricity rippling off my finger tips and smile inwardly as my brother tightens his grip and tries not to yelp in pain.

The cleric recites a few words, which is my cue to stand and take my seat in the front row next to Annalise. With a little forced help, Kyra's managed to drag herself from bed. A guard sits on each side of her. For her protection, of course. We can't be too careful. Not when she has a traitorous mate running around.

Annalise nudges me as another camera buzzes past my head. ”You'll have to speak to them, again. Just something quick. To thank everyone for their support during this terrible time.”

”I know.”

The cleric strikes a tiny bell five times. On the last chime, he extinguishes the pillar candle before Mother's photo. I close my eyes and allow silent tears to stream down my cheeks.

The backs of my legs ache when I stand. I give a low bow first to the cleric then toward Mother's photo.

Annalise and I, followed by Kyra and her guards, shuffle out of the room. No sooner are we through the door than a pesky camera flits before my face.

”Lark! When did you learn Ryker was aiding Beck?”

I sigh. I know what they're calling me. The Sensitive Lover. First Beck was outed, and now Ryker's disappeared with him, and is likely a Sensitive, too. In the eyes of the public, I don't have the best track record. Which Minister Sun-Wei has hammered home. My closest friends are enemies of the State.

Luckily, Oliver has coached me on what to say. ”It appears the Sensitives have plotted against my family and me for many years. They wormed their way into our lives, garnered our trust and favor, and plotted to destroy us. But we will not let them win.”

I catch Oliver's eye and he nods. One question down.

”Can you tell us why you and Malin were in the Midlands?”

I shake my head. ”I'm sorry, I can't. Mother didn't discuss State business with me.”

It's a lie, but since I don't hold an official office, it's one I must propagate.

”Did it have to do with the food riots?”

Until Mother's death, there was no discussion of food riots on the newsfeeds. Most people in the cities had no idea, but now, it's the second biggest story after Mother's death. And people are panicking.

Anger simmers beneath my skin. We never would have been in the Midlands if it weren't for those riots. Mother would still be here.

I grind my teeth.

”I don't know why my mother was there,” I snap. ”But I had a meeting at the Agriculture Center to discuss a possible job placement.”

It seems like a reasonable answer. After all, my a.s.sessment scores were released publicly and everyone knows I did outstanding in Agriculture.

Annalise grasps my elbow and signals to Dawson and Oliver to clear a path for our exit. The men hold back the crowd as we walk toward the door with a blubbering Kyra, and her escort, at our heels. The newscasters continue to pepper me with questions, but I shrug them away.

”What do you say to the accusations your mother was a Sensitive herself?”

My mouth goes dry. It's the question we've all been waiting for. The rumors of Mother's abilities have been growing since her death, fueled, no doubt, by the Splinter Group. I tilt my head and keep my face blank. ”My mother was killed by Sensitives. She fought her entire life to keep the good people of our society safe. She died honorably, doing what she loved: protecting the people of the Western Society.”

”Are you hoping to follow in Malin's footsteps?” a female voice shouts.

I spin around and stare into a nearby camera. I don't bother to hide the smile on my lips or the ice in my voice. ”Absolutely.”

31.

”Get out of bed,” I order, glaring at the ball curled beneath a heavy blanket. When Kyra doesn't move, I wave my hand and turn the bed onto its side. She slides to the floor and gapes at me in disbelief.

It's only the two of us in her room. All three of my guards wait in the library, watching the secure State feeds of the council meeting. Within the next hour, they're voting on my admittance to the inner circle and I've instructed my guards to alert me as soon as the vote comes up.

Still on the floor, Kyra grabs the blanket and pulls it back over her head. ”Leave me alone.”

”No.” With magic, I fling the blanket across the room. ”I've been kind and have let you sit in this room for days, but it's time you get up and start behaving like a proper States woman. You need to do your duty.”

Kyra's fingers curl around the edge of the bed. Her wild curls spring out from all sides of her head and her bloodshot eyes water.

How is it possible she still has tears left?

”This is all your fault!” Her fingers twitch and a bolt of magic vibrates toward me. With a swish of my hand, I send it careening into the door which splinters into thousands of pieces.

”Miss Lark, is everything all right?” Dawson's voice booms out of my wristlet.

”We're both fine.”

”I'm not,” Kyra shouts.

I blow on my hand. ”Nice, Kyra. I'm trying to help you, if you haven't noticed.”

”Help me? Is that what you were doing when you were sneaking around behind my back? When you pulled Maz into this insanity? For all I know you forced him to harbor Beck in my house.” Her voice cracks. ”Why am I the only one suffering for what you did?”

I grit my teeth and force my quivering hands into my pockets. ”Blame Maz. Blame Beck. But you will not blame me.”

She wipes the back of her hand across her nose and sniffs. ”You sound just like Malin.”

I smile. ”Thank you.”

”It wasn't a compliment.”

I snort. ”Oh?”

”She was a monster. People feared her. You feared her once.”

I stretch my neck from side-to-side as blood pounds in my ears. ”Your story has certainly changed. What happened to the Kyra who gladly took a house from my Mother? Or the Kyra who didn't have to sit for her a.s.sessments to get the fancy green wristlet you now wear.”

”I had no choice. Didn't you realize that? If I didn't do what she wanted, I wouldn't have been allowed to be with Maz.”

”So everything you've ever done was to be with Maz?” I say, narrowing my eyes.

”I love him.” Fear lurks behind her brown eyes. ”Please, Lark. Please don't hurt him.”

Fire and ice lick at my heart. ”I would never hurt him, Kyra. Not when he's so important to you.” A small smile forms on her lips. ”But the problem is, I think you would choose him over me.”