“Better get buckled up, Evie. This will probably be a bumpy ride,” Asher says, startling me. I’d all but forgotten he was there.
At first, I consider ignoring Asher, but then I realize if I do lose my balance and fall, I’ll land on Gavin, causing more harm.
I press a gentle kiss to his forehead and run my fingers along the side of his face, before sighing and pushing myself up to walk to my seat and buckle up.
Seated behind the console, Asher frowns and pushes a button, but nothing happens. He pushes another. No response.
Finally, his face lights up. “This has to be it,” he says, and tries one more. The glass top shuts over the top of us and he leans over the console, more confident now, before pushing a lever forward. We move, the nose dipping down so we can pass under the broken doors leading to the open water.
Soon we’re completely under the surface. My breath catches in my throat when it closes over our heads. For a terrifying few seconds I’m dead certain that we’re going to drown, but then Asher says, “With hands held high into the sky so blue, As the ocean opens up to swallow you.”
“I’m sorry?”
He turns to me, and shrugs. “It was from a song back before the War.”
“Ah.”
He turns back to controlling the sub and the way he’s competently pushing buttons I have to think he knows what he’s doing. I turn to ask how, but he only smiles at me, obviously anticipating the question. “I … ah … kind of played with this when you first got here.”
I laugh, roll my eyes, and shake my head. Of course he did. “Didn’t your dad know you were playing around with this thing?”
He gives me a look. “My dad doesn’t know anything unless his assistants tell him. And he doesn’t know anything of what I do, unless I screw something up.”
I wrinkle my nose and go back to staring at the water. I try to control the flutters in my stomach that seem to grow stronger with each passing air bubble.
It’s hard to tell how fast we’re going since it all looks the same and I don’t know how long it’ll take to get there. I decide to ask Asher, since he seems to know where we’re going. He’s probably gone down there a lot while “playing around.”
He shrugs. “Don’t know.”
“But … you do know where we’re going, don’t you?”
He shakes his head. “Not a clue.”
I lift an eyebrow and sit up straighter. “Then … what … how are we going to get there?”
Even in the dim light from the console, I can see him blush. “Uh … the buttons are labeled and this one here says ‘autopilot.’ When I pressed it, it gave me a list of choices. I chose Sector Three.”
I stare at him for a minute, then burst out laughing. “Cheater,” I say.
Asher winks at me, then goes back to studying the panel, while I look over at Gavin. He’s still breathing, so that’s a good thing, but I’m worried about him. He’s been out awhile.
But I can’t find it in me to feel too bad about it when I think how close I am to answers. To getting my memories—and my mind—back.
Asher looks over. “You okay?”
“Just excited.” It’s not entirely a lie.
From the look he gives me, I can tell he doesn’t really believe me, but he only says, “Okay, just let me know if you need anything.”
I don’t respond, but when I turn to face out the window, I gasp and stand to walk closer to the front of the sub and get a better view. Asher gasps behind me.
There, rising in the murky depths, like Atlantis, is Elysium. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. The feeling of rightness returns with a vengeance and I smile.
“I’m home,” I say and press a hand to the glass in front of me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
PRIVATE PROPERTY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW*
*The Law in Elysium permits the use of lethal force.
—SIGN IN SUBMERSIBLE BAY
Evie
The computerized voice of the submersible says to have a seat and buckle up to prepare for docking, and while I do sit, I can’t stop staring openmouthed at everything as we drift slowly down a trench. From a distance, it looks like an overgrown, lopsided octopus. In the trench, though, you can see one entire side is lit up like a strange glow-in-the-dark honeycomb. Directly below us I can see more lights. The sub slows and I have a minute of panic about what we’ll meet when we dock. A memory pushes into my brain of a glass-walled room filled with blue-eyed, blond-haired girls, all wearing the same thing.
Black dresses and hooded capes, with black gloves and black boots covering up every square inch of visible skin.
Enforcers, my brain supplies not so helpfully, and I shiver. Something about them makes my blood run cold.
Another flash: I’m standing in the center of the room and all around me are the charred remains of the girls … the Enforcers.
I blink when I hear the computer voice again reminding us to remain seated. That was the same memory I had in the Outlands. So that was probably real, too!
My breathing is ragged and I recognize the signs of an impending attack. Despite the ominous computer warnings, Asher pushes himself up, leaps over the few centimeters separating us, and tries to shove my head between my knees. I push him away.
“I’m fine,” I rasp, trying to swallow the cough away. “I’m not having a panic attack. Promise.”
“Then what’s wrong?” he asks.
“I remember them,” I whisper. “We were there, trying to find a way into the submersible, and they were trying to break down the door.” I look up to meet Asher’s eyes. “Mother. I think. Her Enforcers. And, before that, these strange, murderous men. Gavin was right.” My heart speeds up. Oh Mother. Gavin was right.
I shove my own head between my legs this time.
“It’s okay, Evie. We’ll be fine. It’s been weeks. It’s doubtful they’re still there. I’m sure your mother took care of them. No way she’s going to let murderers run around and destroy her perfect city, right?”
After a minute, I nod. “I hope you’re right.”
We’re all jolted as the submersible docks to what, according to the computer, is Sector Three. The seat belt digs painfully into my ribs, but Asher gets the worst of it when he flies into the front of the submersible, then back. He lands on top of Gavin, who groans.
Poor Gavin.
Asher quickly shoves himself to his feet and brushes himself off, before giving me this cocky grin that says, “I meant to do that.”
Snickering, I disconnect myself from the seat belt and turn to face the rear of the sub, where another door I didn’t know existed is open. I can see what appears to be the room from my memory.
I exchange a look with Asher, who takes a deep breath and starts forward. “Stay here,” he says. “The big red button on the console closes the door. If I shout, shut the door.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m not letting you go out there alone.”
“But I—” He points to himself, then hesitates and adds helplessly, “And you…”
I use my best no arguments voice. “I don’t seem to recall you tearing vulture-hawks apart with your bare hands.”
He flushes. “You’re injured.”
“So are you.” Gavin gave him a good walloping on the dock. There’s still a bit of blood trickling from his nose.
He sighs. “Will you at least let me go first?”
“A gentleman always lets a lady go first.” I push out of my seat and lead the way onto the concrete deck.
There are bloodstains and burn marks on the floor. I don’t even know what could have left the divots in the concrete, and I don’t think I want to.