Darkest Dawn

A Carpet of Flowers

Maria spun in Emily's desk chair, her arms around her knees. Briana had just told her about the secret passage.

"Elias shouldn't be helping you break the rules - it's - it's irresponsible." Maria was frowning unhappily. Briana stopped watching her - feeling dizzy.

"It's fine. Nobody's going to recognise me," Briana reassured her. Maria came to a stop, stretching her legs to rest her toes on Briana's knees. "Aren't you curious?" She grinned conspirtatorily, "we could do normal things. Go shopping, go to the cinema - museums - join clubs anything and do it like normal people."

Hesitantly, Maria allowed herself to smile. "What would you like to do first?"

"I..." Maria blushed. Briana seized her foot before she could pull away.

"Tell me." A knock on the door interrupted them. The girls looked up (Maria's expression full of guilt) at Troy's entrance. "You should wait for me to say come in." Briana chided. "We might have been changing or something." She saw his jaw tick but otherwise his expression remained unmoved.

"Apologies."

Briana frowned. Troy was a problem. The passageway was in an old playroom. A large dollhouse covered in a white sheet took up most the room - the property of an Erebus Great Aunt. Briana had taken to studying in the room - to make it less suspicious if she was caught going in and out of it. But Troy could watch her study for hours.

"Well - try again." He cocked his head in surprise. "Go on."

She knew she was being a bitch as Troy went back out the door to knock and wait for her but she tried to not care. "Come in." Obediently he entered - his gaze fiercer than ever. "Yes?"

"You're mother has received a report from your tutor."

"Oh," Briana's heart sank. "I'm in trouble aren't I?" He nodded.

Antonia was mad at her - accusing her of being selfish to choose to act up now when things were so tense for her father. Normally being scolded like this would easily reduce her to tears but this time she was able to take it in silence. She felt no guilt because she knew she was being wrongly told off. It wasn't that she was slacking off - it was that she couldn't compete with Emily.

Emily was an excellent student - Briana had read through her essays and been astounded that they'd been written by a sixteen year old. Honestly it had made her start to wonder. What if... What if the revolution hadn't happened - what kind of Princeps would Emily have been? So cunning and cool - would she have been good?

"Who's texting you?" Troy asked. He was watching her study. Again.

"Err Maria," she lied - putting down her phone and pretending to be interested in her homework. She and Abel had been messaging back and forth for the last few days. Briana's heart glowed with happiness. She'd been offering encouragement for his cause - taking on the role of cheerleader that she supposed destiny had marked her for. He wanted to meet up.

Troy's hand came down on the page she was reading and he leant over her. "Yes?" She swallowed nervously. He scrutinised her face.

"Something's...something's new with you." He mused thoughtfully. Briana bit the inside of the cheek.

"You think I'm taller?" His eyes narrowed. "Cause I think I've grown a bit taller." He pulled back and returned to his place in the corner of the room.

"You're not taller." No just dumber, Briana thought despondently.

She needed to see Abel. She wanted to learn everything about him. This was the chance of a lifetime.