“I would think not,” said Torin. “Look at the splendor they are able to enjoy, thanks to the labor of the outer sectors. Do you think the people here want their illusion of paradise destroyed by witnessing the squalor in the rest of the country?”
Kai scowled. He’d known that already, and he regretted how naïve his question sounded. But he couldn’t understand it. He still remembered the day Nainsi told him the statistics of poverty and homelessness in the Commonwealth, back when he was ten years old. Nainsi had impressed upon him how good the numbers were. How, even though the numbers had crept upward since the spread of letumosis, they still remained lower than they had been in the decades following World War IV. Even still, Kai had gone a week of near-sleepless nights, thinking of all those people, his people, who had nowhere to sleep and no food to eat, while he was so comfortable and cared for in his palace. He had even written up a proposal about how they could lease out parts of the palace to the citizens with the most need, offering up half of his own private quarters if that would help, but while his father had promised to read the proposal, Kai doubted he’d ever taken it seriously.
He could recognize, now, how childish the proposal had been, but he still couldn’t imagine not wanting to do anything to help the citizens of the Commonwealth, just like he couldn’t imagine how the members of Levana’s court could lack compassion for the people who had built the paradise they got to enjoy.
“Your face has healed well,” said Torin. “I’m sure it will be hardly noticeable in the wedding photos.”
It took Kai a moment to comprehend him. “Oh—right.” Reaching up, he felt for his cheek, where Wolf had punched him. It was only sore to the touch now, and without any mirrors to see himself, he’d forgotten all about it.
“I guess that ruse didn’t do me much good,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“It was a valiant effort, nevertheless,” said Torin. “Speaking of your time away, have you seen the report from the American military that came through this morning?”
He spun around. “Of course not—she took my portscreen.”
Torin grimaced sympathetically. “Right. I will leave you with mine.”
“Thank you, Torin. What report?”
“It appears they’ve found your friends’ ship orbiting in space, abandoned. They’re towing it back to the Republic now to begin searching it for evidence to be used against your kidnappers. Once they’re found, of course.”
Kai rubbed the back of his neck. “They knew it would happen, but still, Thorne won’t be happy when he finds out.”
“It was a stolen ship. Regardless of whose side he’s on now, the man is a thief and a deserter. I find it difficult to be sympathetic to his loss.”
Kai couldn’t keep down a wry smile. “I don’t disagree, but when we see Thorne again, maybe I should be the one to break this news to him.”
He let his gaze travel out to the edge of the lake, where the water met with the encompassing dome. It looked like the end of the world out there. Civilization inside a perfect capsule, all sparkling and pristine. Beyond it, nothing but wasteland. On the horizon he could see the edge of another dome and he wondered which it was.
He had chosen his words carefully. When they saw Thorne again, not if. Because that’s how he had to think about all of his allies, his friends. That’s how he had to think about Cinder if he was going to make it through this. He wondered where she was right now, how far she’d gone. Was she safe?
A tap at the door startled Kai, but the surprise was suffused with dread. “So it begins,” he muttered. “Enter.”
It wasn’t a wedding stylist, though, but one of his own guards in the doorway, holding a small package wrapped in strips of colored velvet. “Pardon the interruption. This was delivered by a servant as a wedding gift from Her Majesty the Queen. We’ve tested it for chemicals or explosives and have deemed it safe to open.” He held the package toward Kai.
“You mean she doesn’t intend to blow me up before the ceremony?” said Kai, taking the box. “How disappointing.”
The guard looked like he wanted to crack a smile, but he resisted. Bowing again, he retreated into the corridor.
Kai made quick work of the wrappings, eager to be done with whatever new torment Levana had devised for him. He was picturing a very tiny ball and chain as he lifted the box’s lid.
He froze. The blood drained from his head, seeping all the way down to his feet.
A cyborg finger was settled onto a bed of white velvet. Grease was smudged into the knuckle joints and disconnected wires jutted out one side.
His stomach twisted.
“She has Cinder,” he said, passing the box to Torin. Dazed, he paced back to the windows, his thoughts muddled with denial. This gift answered so many of his questions, and he realized that Torin was right.
Sometimes, it was better to be ignorant.
* * *
It had been ages since Levana could remember feeling such contentment.
Her bothersome niece was once again in captivity and, soon, would be no more bother at all.
Her annoying stepdaughter was dead and she would never again have to listen to her mutterings or indulge her inane wishes.
In mere hours, she would be married to the emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, and in a few short days she would be given a crown and the title of empress. It would not be long before all of Earth was hers. Resources. Land. A place for her people to enjoy the beauty and luxuries Earthens took for granted.