Yarik shrugged and moved to step away. I could see disappointment in her eyes, and I wondered what being a liability to them might mean.

  I had run out of time, but I not only had to play the game smartly if I wanted to live, I had to win. Failure was not an option, which meant I needed to find the right answer.

  I squeezed my eyes shut. Why was I here? Why had I been created? What could a genetic kid who was abandoned by its own creators be useful to the government for? Why train us, teach us, feed us…

  I realized the answer stared me in the face. She had said it, more than once. The reason I was here. I was too focused on everything else, I hadn’t seen the small bits of detail Yarik had left for me to decipher. Pay attention.

  This was a test. No. We were the test.

  When I opened my eyes again, Yarik was smiling.

  “We’re the test. The Marked kids, you’re using us as a test.” My voice was barely a whisper but Yarik nodded.

  “And if you fail this test, you die.”

  Chapter 31

  Jayla

  “Ready?” Caspian asked, as he held open the heavy door to city hall for me.

  I winked at him. “Always.”

  Lacing my arm through Caspian’s, I gripped the hem of the long train of my dress. We walked through the familiar foyer of city hall, lined with oversized crimson chairs and deep, wood-paneled walls to the elevators where a guard ushered us one flight up to the main banquet hall.

  The wide hallway led to a large room where most of the other guests were already mingling. Two large steel doors opened to the oversized dining room of Governor Wallace’s personal residence inside city hall. The space was decked out with gold and ebony accents. Large arrangements of fresh flowers lined the center of an enormous oak table, filling the room with an almost overwhelming floral scent.

  More than forty chairs circled the table. Many faces I didn’t recognize, but the one walking towards us was familiar.

  The elite and wealthy citizens of Cytos did not skimp on anything when it came to celebrations. I noted a few of the Pur Kids making their way through the crowd. None of them paid even the slightest attention to Em, who stood at the back with her cocktail dress on, ready to serve. A Pur would never be a waitress, so she went unnoticed to most.

  The Pur were rarely seen out anywhere that didn’t require fancy dresses and an exorbitant amount of diamonds. And why would they? Most, if not all, came from rich families who didn’t have to work a day in their lives. They reaped the benefits of being what they were and left others to do the work.

  They hadn’t held back tonight, and neither did their Governor, clad in a thick, black jacket with gold cuffs and a red tie.

  “How do you do Miss…Daisy? Or is it someone else tonight?” Governor Wallace whispered as he stretched out a hand, which I took. He squeezed it a little firmer than a friendly handshake.

  “Lillian Cassey, sir.” I nodded my head to Caspian. “And my husband, David.”

  Governor Wallace nodded his approval to the alias names we’d been given. “Here from Kuros, correct?” Governor Wallace continued, knowing many ears were likely listening to the exchange. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

  “Both.” I flashed a smile.

  Governor Wallace nodded along. “Lovely. Well, the first course of tonight’s dinner will begin soon. Please find your seats.”

  Caspian led us toward where the other guests were mingling and searching for their nametags around the large table. We nodded our hellos as we passed, taking the long way around to our seat, so the pair of eyes I felt following us continued to watch until we sat down right beside him.

  Mr. Holden was indeed a good-looking man. Despite the speckles of grey in his hair, it was clear he took good care of himself. Caspian pulled the chair beside Mr. Holden out for me to sit, and I made sure to brush against him as I took my seat.

  “So sorry, sir, this dress is just too damn long. It’s always getting in the way,” I said.

  “Ah, but it really brings out the amber flecks in your eyes.” Mr. Holden smirked.

  I giggled and blushed at the compliment. It was hard not to take notice of the shimmering emerald green dress I wore. It hugged my body before flaring out at the knees, a long train following behind. Strategically placed slits on the side of the dress exposed a smooth line of skin from my rib cage to my hips.

  “I’m Lillian.” I stretched out a hand. “And this is my husband, David.”

  Caspian shook Mr. Holden’s hand, keeping a smooth grin on his face. He tucked his arm around my shoulder and began tracing little circles on the bare skin of my arm. I did my best not to tense at the soft touch, to act like it was perfectly normal. He was my husband, after all.

  “Marc Holden.” He twisted his body to face us, resting his arm on the table as he glanced between the two of us. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you two before here in Cytos. And trust me, I would remember such an attractive couple if we had ever crossed paths.”

  “We’re from Kuros, just here for a little business,” Caspian said.

  “Care for some wine, sir?” Emery stood behind us, a bottle of wine in her hand and a devilish grin on her face.

  Mr. Holden trailed his eyes up her body, from her toes up to the short, black dress she wore and the ruby red lips pursed as she waited for him to respond.

  “Yes, please.” He passed his glass to her. “And some for my new friends here,” he said and passed our glasses for her to fill up as well.

  “Of course, sir.” Em leaned between the two of us as she placed the filled wine glass back on the table, pausing as she caught Mr. Holden’s eyes.

  I took my cue, dropping my napkin on the floor. “Oh, shoot, how clumsy of me.” I reached down for the napkin, my hand slipping into Mr. Holden’s pocket. I pulled out the ID card I had spotted peeking out as soon as I’d sat down. As I sat back up, Em moved away from the table, trailing her hand down my arm and taking the ID card from where it hid in my hand.

  The only thing Mr. Holden noticed was the seductive way my gaze followed Em as she sauntered off, and his eyes sparkled with delight before turning his hungry look back on Caspian and me.

  “Beautiful thing, isn’t she?” he murmured.

  “Very.” I grinned, letting out a little sigh.

  It took him a moment to collect himself before Mr. Holden turned back to Caspian. “What do you do for work, David?”

  “I’m in trades, mostly robotics, but I dabble in a few areas of industry,” Caspian said his practiced lines. Reveal as little as possible, and keep the lie simple. That was the trick. “And yourself?”

  “I work with Governor Wallace. I’m one of his senior advisors.” Holden sat up a little straighter as he took a sip of wine.

  This would be easy work. It wasn’t hard to see this kind of man would love having his ego stroked a little. And the attention from a young, attractive couple was icing on the cake.

  “Oh, wow, but you look so young to be in such a high position.” I rested my hand on his arm and gave a playful squeeze.

  Holden grinned. “I was groomed at a young age. I grew up around politics. My own father was the Governor of Cytos for eight years before his passing.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear.” I tilted my head.

  “Ah, it’s nothing to be sorry about. He was old and a grump, but an inspiring leader.” Holden’s eyes wistfully gazed into his glass of wine. “I aspire to be like him one day.”

  I could easily read between the lines to what Mr. Holden truly aspired to be—he wanted the Governor’s job. Ambition like that could breed unhealthy partnerships to get to the top.

  “Thank you all for coming tonight.” Governor Wallace drew the attention of the room back to the front, where he stood at the head of the table. “Tonight, we celebrate not only the Peace-Making, but the prosperity and blessings we have received because of it.”

  I tried not to spit out my wine at the thought that a war nearly killing my own kind was a cause for celebration. Long before the Peace-Making, we lived in turmoil, in fear of the Carbons who were created to destroy us. How quickly we forgot what our true history was, how easily we could slough off the things they’d done under the control of a madman. What if someone else were to one day control them as they had been before?

  “Cytos is a beacon to all other cities of what they could be like, the life we all could and should be living, if they only tried a little harder.” The crowd chuckled, and Wallace beamed at his own dig. The other cities within Armestes did not rule the way Cytos did. Eres ruled over the southern deserts with a diplomatic council making their decisions, and Kuros ruled the entire eastern coast through a monarchy with a King and a throne, much the contrast to our dual governors on the west coast in Cytos. “Let us toast to the next one hundred and fifty years of prosperity, and may we all continue to see the successes and blessings in our lives and within our wonderful city.” Wallace raised his glass and we all followed. “For Cytos!”

  We repeated in unison, clinking our glasses together before downing our drinks.

  Holden placed his empty glass on the table and tapped it twice to the cocktail waitress standing behind us. She promptly filled it. Em was nowhere to be found, likely already inside Holden’s office a floor below us.

  “So, how did you two meet?” Holden asked and I instantly tensed.

  Caspian didn’t show the slightest bit of concern at the question we hadn’t prepared for. “We were high school sweethearts. Met in our tenth year when I moved to a new school in Kuros. She was the tall, brown-haired beauty, and I was the new kid. I’d walk her home from school every day, just hoping she would give me the time of day, but I was hardly on her radar.”

  I found myself watching Caspian, hanging on his every word just as Holden was. Not because I was trying to play up the story as I should have been, but because everything he said was the truth. The best lies have a bit of truth in them, after all. And this was our story, how we’d met, and how he’d walked me home every day. It was exactly what happened.

  “Lillian is a hard shell to crack. She very rarely lets others in, but when she does, it’s well worth the wait. And so I did. I waited, and I was by her side every time she needed someone until she finally realized I was the only one who really knew her, who really loved her for who she was, flaws and all. Even though she took a while to convince, once I won her over, she was mine. And I was hers.” Caspian rested his hand on my leg and his thumb moved dangerously high. I took another sip of wine to hide the sudden dryness in my throat. The wine went down like a lump, and a flutter in my stomach awoke.

  “I bet she wasn’t easy to wrangle in.” Holden watched Caspian’s hand move on my leg with an amused smile before flicking his eyes back up to my face.

  I smiled back, fighting the venomous words I wanted to spit at him, and instead shrugged my shoulder with a little coy wink. Caspian gave my leg a squeeze, and I glanced over to find him watching me, as if waiting for a reaction or response to what he’d said. Making sure I was okay. But instead, I turned back to Holden.

  “What about yourself, Mr. Holden. Are you married? Seeing anyone?” I asked.

  He nearly choked on his wine. “Oh, God, no! I’m not really the marrying type.” He leaned in. “I prefer the freedom and excitement that comes with being single.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “Oh, it is.” He winked.

  Waiters brought our first course out; a plate filled with various types of cheese and meats, bread and dips. I took a few bites before continuing.

  “So, what is it like here in Cytos? We’ve only been once, and David here had to work the entire time. I didn’t even have a chance to see the city.” I nudged Caspian playfully with my elbow.

  “It’s an amazing city, indeed. The best nightlife across the world, if you ask me. But some of the people can be a bit…dull,” Holden said. I inclined my eyebrow, coaxing him to go on. “When you spend your life around politics, you tend to look elsewhere for a little fun. Cytos has plenty of fun, if you know where to look.”

  “I assume you know all the right places?”

  “But of course,” Holden said. “Even more so when we build the new Recreation and Entertainment center. Right now, all we have are a few hidden gems, the Underground, Kate’s House of Kittens…the usual.”

  I nearly vomited at the mention of Kate’s House of Kittens, a burlesque house for whores basically. “Sounds exciting.”

  Holden gave me a suggestive wink before he moved back to his plate.

  “What sort of industry is Cytos focusing on outside of ‘fun’ Mr. Holden?” Caspian asked.

  “Business talk on a night like this?” he replied.

  Caspian shrugged. “I like to know where my future investments might go.”

  Holden conceded and said, “The new facility would be your best investment, that’s for sure.” He leaned in a little closer. “But if you’re looking for a little insider information, I may know of a few projects in the works that will affect the market and stocks. That knowledge could come in handy very soon and could be quite profitable.”

  “Aren’t we all looking for a little profit?” Caspian grinned.

  “Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but if I had a large sum of money and was looking to invest, I may put it into steel and gun powder stocks.” Holden glanced behind him to make sure no one would overhear him. “There may be an influx in production soon from the Weaponry and Manufacturing Department here in Cytos, which would skyrocket prices for such commodities as these. Someone in the market for a sure investment would be wise to look into those stocks first.”

  “Weaponry? Whatever for?” I pressed my hand to my chest.

  “Oh, do not fear, darling. There’s nothing you should be worried about. But with any change, there has to be an avenue to ensure compliance and obedience. The easiest way to do that is by displaying a unified front for the people to feel safe and secure.” Holden squeezed my hand, and I did my best not to pull it away. The smile on Holden’s face dimmed, and his gaze went a bit cold. “There is a change in our city coming soon, and not all will understand the significance nor the implications of it. But rest assured, despite something having a bad rep or seeming dangerous, creating a stronghold built around safety, power, and leadership will always be what’s best for the people, even if not everyone agrees with that idea.”

  I glanced down the table to Governor Wallace, and Holden nodded his confirmation that he was the one who would oppose this idea, although I could think of a number of others who would object to our government moving towards building up its military.

  “You see, when my father was the Governor, he understood that you can’t demand respect from your people or other governments if you don’t have the power to back it up. Now, if someone stepped out of line, if they didn’t listen to the few rules we have, they go unpunished. It leaves us looking weak and vulnerable.” Holden plopped a piece of cheese in his mouth, shrugging. “If my father were here today, there never would have been a bombing in the middle of his city. And if there had, you’d better believe the assailants would have been caught and put on full display for their actions. Covering it up with some lie is a coward’s game.”

  “Bombing? But I heard you had a gas leak,” Caspian said.

  “That’s what everyone would want you to think, but it was a cover-up, just like many things are.”

  I pressed my lips together, feigning a scared housewife as best I could, not the assassin already on the job. “What else have they covered up?”

  Holden glanced beside him again before leaning in. I moved with him and so did Caspian. “Well, to name a few…there have been mysterious deaths in this city that are not reported officially to anyone, such as an old lady who was tortured and stabbed to death less than a week ago. And some bum who goes by the name of Fred mysteriously overdosed a few days ago when it’s a well-known fact he’s very particular about his narcotics.”

  I bit my lip to keep from saying anything. Fred had overdosed? Beside me, Caspian shifted only the slightest bit at the news. I hadn’t told him the information Fred had given me, and I’d nearly forgotten his claim someone had wiped the memories of the Carbons. I hadn’t had time to investigate any of it, and truthfully didn’t know how much of it I believed. Now, Fred was dead, and it was deemed a suspicious death.

  Holden continued, “And, of course, there’s the biggest cover up of all. The one not only our city is hiding, but the entire world has kept from us for a long time.”

  “What is it?” I let my eyes widen with curiosity, and Holden soaked in the attention.

  “Everyone is told the Void is a sacred landmark, with a wall to preserve its history. But I’ve been told it holds something else, though no one has seen or been into the Void to verify if this is truth or not.” Holden smirked at my gaped mouth. “You don’t build a wall to keep people out, you build a wall to keep something in.”

  I blinked. I couldn’t speak. I was suddenly fourteen again, wishing the rumors about the Void were true. But now…if it was true, I had little doubt this had something to do with the missing Marked kids, and that thought alone terrified me.

  “But enough of the serious talk.” Holden leaned back and finished off his second glass of wine. “What do you have planned for your time in Cytos?”

  I swallowed back the lump in my throat, composing my face as best I could. “Oh, I’m quite certain David will be busy with work all weekend, and I will be stuck in the hotel all alone.”

  “Well, then, allow me to give you an exclusive tour.” Holden smiled. “That is, of course, if it’s okay with your husband.”

  “By all means, I would be pleased to know she wasn’t, what did you say? Stuck in the hotel all alone?” Caspian teased as his hand, still resting over my shoulder, made its way down to my waist and slipped through the little gaps in the fabric of my dress. My core ignited at the touch, and I felt Caspian chuckle against my side at the knowledge of what he was doing to me.