Submit (Book 1, The Karyln Trials)

Chapter Eleven

     "He said what?" I grip Clara's shoulders and she stiffens. I release her, feeling terrible for the rough contact. I take a deep breath, trying to control my anger towards her brother for she shouldn't have to suffer for his actions.

"He said that he doesn't care about treason and that he was on his way to speak with Eve about choosing you and August during the draw." I deflate where I'm sitting on my bed and Millie takes my hand.

"Everything will be okay, we'll figure something out." I turn to my sister and shake my head.

"Even if nobody figures out what's going on, what about during The Trial?" Guilt and pain claw at my insides and I can feel my whole being begin to tear apart.

"I'm not sure I follow." Clara gives me a confused look and Millie nods.

"What are you getting at, Ada?"

I heave a sigh and start to explain. "Out there, we depend on our numbers to keep us safe. That's why, in the past, pairs have always chosen the next highest pair, to have the highest chances of keeping their numbers.

"If Eve and Lincoln chose August and I, people will start to question why. Other groups will start to think that we know how to cheat the system or that we've got somebody on the inside that will help us during the race. August and I will be targeted by everybody we come across, not to mention that Eve and Lincoln will be with people that don't have the same privileges.

"Even worse, if somehow, August and I die—"

"Ada! Don't talk like that!"

"Millie, it's fully an option. Back to what I was saying. If we die, it will leave Eve and Lincoln that much more vulnerable. Really, in the end, nothing good will come out of Eve and Lincoln choosing August and I." I look between Millie and Clara, both of them as pale as the surrounding white room.

I give Millie's hand a squeeze and a tear falls down her cheek. "I wish you didn't have to go." I scoot closer to her and surround her with my arms.

"That makes two of us."

A pair of arms wrap around the both of us and Clara sets her head on my shoulder. "Three."

Millie lets go and her sobs shake the three of us. We all sit, huddled on my bed, supporting the others until there's a knock on my door. We all pull apart and look towards Mother who has her head peeking through the door.

"Yes, Mother?" I hold Mother's gaze, hoping she doesn't notice Millie swiping at her tears and rubbing at her eyes.

"You have a visitor, looks like seeing you once today wasn't enough." Mother winks at me before walking away. She winked at me! Who is she?

"You better go see what August wants." I look at Millie and cringe. My sister needs me, but I need to come up with a plan with August to downsize the extent of damage that the draw will bring.

I look at Clara and she nods when she meets my eyes. They'll look after each other when we leave for The Trial and only that will bring me comfort while away.

I leave the room and hurry down the stairs to see August laughing with Father. I walk up to the pair and train a large smile on my face. "Tell me I haven't missed all the fun." I stand next to August and take his arm.

"Of course not, Adaline. I was just telling August here about when you were little and you first started taking your ballet lessons." Father looks between the two of us and laughs. "There was a time when she was about four, Jane and I had gone out to get a few groceries and when we got back, we found her trying to perfect her pirouette. When she noticed us watching her do it wrong, she started to cry and refused to speak to us for a week. From there on out, she only ever practiced at the center."