fitting any better.
“I can’t leave the City Center. Regardless of the lies, it’s my home. Graduation Day is next week. I’m competing for Queen.”
“You really think Morray’s gonna let you get away with this?”
“I can tell him you forced me to help you.”
“And then what?”
“It doesn’t matter, after next week I’ll relocate to the Royal Palace and serve in Royal Court—for eighteen long and painful years.”
“You don’t have to stay here living a lie.”
“How am I living a lie? Won’t you please tell me?”
“There’s a lot to explain, but if you want to know more we gotta leave now before they realize we escaped.”
“I can’t just leave, can I?” The thought of running away with Joseph sounded exciting and terrifying. Isn’t this what she always dreamed of—an adventure on the Outside, away from her duties as a Successor Candidate?
“I can’t force you to do anything. But I have to go.” Joseph patted Ava’s shoulder and walked down the alley.
She thought about Morray. Could she pull off another performance? What if she couldn’t convince him the Outsider forced her hand? She’d stand trial and be executed. And if she did convince him, she’d graduate and most likely become the next Queen—a position she didn’t want in the first place. Or worse, she might get stuck serving a lesser position and listening to James berate her for the next eighteen years. She wished there was a way to disqualify herself from the competition, and go work in the Garden Sector. She could live out the next eighteen years in peace. But how could she live in peace knowing Morray was hiding something?
“Wait,” Ava called out. “I’m coming with you.”
“I’m right here.” Joseph stood at the edge of the alley.
“You knew I’d come, didn’t you?” Ava ran up to him.
“I saw you digging my new cut.”
“Digging your cut?”
“Admiring my new hairstyle.”
“You do look rather handsome,” Ava laughed.
“Come on, we gotta get to the underground tunnels before they catch on.”
Joseph took her hand and they ran through the alleyways, avoiding surveillance cameras, until they reached a gravel yard containing hundreds of metal pipes rising up from the ground and connecting to the armored wall. Joseph stopped at a giant metal lid in the ground and pried it open with a bar.
“Down this way. It’s going to be dark and cold. But it’s the only way out.” He lowered into the hole. “Are you coming?” Joseph called up.
Ava stood over the opening, looking into the darkness. She could either go into the unknown, or return to the only thing she had ever known. The knot in her throat tightened. She looked around at the armored walls stretching high into the sky. No matter how many visual enhancements were used to conceal the walls, she could still see the solar panels encasing her city. The walls that served as protection from the Outside had been holding her a prisoner. Sure, she’d leave the City Center after graduation, and move away to the Royal Palace, but that would be another form of prison. She knew there was only one right choice. She’d rather live as a free woman running from Morray than live a lie.
“I’m afraid of the dark,” she yelled down the hole.
“I’m right here.”
The Trial
Inside the Arena, Morray waited in a private room until it was time for Ava’s grand entrance with the Outsider. He watched the audience on his monitors, anticipating their response to Ava’s idea to beautify the Outsider. He predicted it would elicit a thunderous response from the crowd. He was impressed with her ingenuity and looked forward to getting to know her. He checked the time—they were already two minutes behind schedule. Everyone knew this type of conduct was inexcusable. Something was wrong. He checked the time again, wondering if the Outsider had caused any problems. Panic started to pull at his chest. He took some deep breaths to calm himself. The longer
“I can’t leave the City Center. Regardless of the lies, it’s my home. Graduation Day is next week. I’m competing for Queen.”
“You really think Morray’s gonna let you get away with this?”
“I can tell him you forced me to help you.”
“And then what?”
“It doesn’t matter, after next week I’ll relocate to the Royal Palace and serve in Royal Court—for eighteen long and painful years.”
“You don’t have to stay here living a lie.”
“How am I living a lie? Won’t you please tell me?”
“There’s a lot to explain, but if you want to know more we gotta leave now before they realize we escaped.”
“I can’t just leave, can I?” The thought of running away with Joseph sounded exciting and terrifying. Isn’t this what she always dreamed of—an adventure on the Outside, away from her duties as a Successor Candidate?
“I can’t force you to do anything. But I have to go.” Joseph patted Ava’s shoulder and walked down the alley.
She thought about Morray. Could she pull off another performance? What if she couldn’t convince him the Outsider forced her hand? She’d stand trial and be executed. And if she did convince him, she’d graduate and most likely become the next Queen—a position she didn’t want in the first place. Or worse, she might get stuck serving a lesser position and listening to James berate her for the next eighteen years. She wished there was a way to disqualify herself from the competition, and go work in the Garden Sector. She could live out the next eighteen years in peace. But how could she live in peace knowing Morray was hiding something?
“Wait,” Ava called out. “I’m coming with you.”
“I’m right here.” Joseph stood at the edge of the alley.
“You knew I’d come, didn’t you?” Ava ran up to him.
“I saw you digging my new cut.”
“Digging your cut?”
“Admiring my new hairstyle.”
“You do look rather handsome,” Ava laughed.
“Come on, we gotta get to the underground tunnels before they catch on.”
Joseph took her hand and they ran through the alleyways, avoiding surveillance cameras, until they reached a gravel yard containing hundreds of metal pipes rising up from the ground and connecting to the armored wall. Joseph stopped at a giant metal lid in the ground and pried it open with a bar.
“Down this way. It’s going to be dark and cold. But it’s the only way out.” He lowered into the hole. “Are you coming?” Joseph called up.
Ava stood over the opening, looking into the darkness. She could either go into the unknown, or return to the only thing she had ever known. The knot in her throat tightened. She looked around at the armored walls stretching high into the sky. No matter how many visual enhancements were used to conceal the walls, she could still see the solar panels encasing her city. The walls that served as protection from the Outside had been holding her a prisoner. Sure, she’d leave the City Center after graduation, and move away to the Royal Palace, but that would be another form of prison. She knew there was only one right choice. She’d rather live as a free woman running from Morray than live a lie.
“I’m afraid of the dark,” she yelled down the hole.
“I’m right here.”
The Trial
Inside the Arena, Morray waited in a private room until it was time for Ava’s grand entrance with the Outsider. He watched the audience on his monitors, anticipating their response to Ava’s idea to beautify the Outsider. He predicted it would elicit a thunderous response from the crowd. He was impressed with her ingenuity and looked forward to getting to know her. He checked the time—they were already two minutes behind schedule. Everyone knew this type of conduct was inexcusable. Something was wrong. He checked the time again, wondering if the Outsider had caused any problems. Panic started to pull at his chest. He took some deep breaths to calm himself. The longer
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