Birthright

CHAPTER TEN

"No. The stuff they inject us with makes us sleep through the whole thing. It takes about a couple of hours to be harvested because that's how long the Flare lasts, but the inhibitors don't wear off for another two hours after that."

Kray did the calculations in his mind. From what he remembered, there were about seven or eight hours between Flares. He would be there for about three weeks. Four, if he was unlucky. If they harvested him three times each day, he would go through the dangerous process at least sixty times before he was released.

The rising fear almost choked him. Sixty times. Sixty chances for the inhibitors to corrupt his Sen.

Sixty chances for him to die.

Calm down, Kray. Most people survive this. Don't assume the worst.

The thought didn't reassure him. How many children had thought the odds were in their favor, only to be among the unlucky? How could he assume that he was in a better situation than any of the other five boys in there with him?

There's no use worrying. It won't change anything.

Kray sighed, starting to feel annoyed with his inner voice. Instead of dwelling on his thoughts, he got up from the bed and glanced around his cell. He noticed for the first time that there was a small, digital clock built into the space right above the head of his bed.

It read 4:35 A.M. More than fifteen hours had passed since his last Flare. He wished he knew exactly when the Metas had come for him and what had happened to the Morrisons since then.

Looking more closely at the smooth, white surface, he noticed gray, circular bumps on the corner where the two walls met, at the height of his torso. He pressed one of them with his fingertip and jumped in surprise when a whirring sound came from the wall.

A small section of the wall slid upward, revealing a square compartment that contained a lidded bowl and a bottle. The compartment closed when he pushed the button again.

He pushed the button below the first. A noise came from overhead, a soft humming sound that was followed by a cold draft. Shuddering at the decrease in temperature, he immediately shut it off.

"That's so weird. Why would they have air conditioning when it's already so cold?"

His question caught the attention of the others. Orkoy smirked at him. "That's not an air conditioner vent, dingo."

"What else would it be?"

Shane chuckled. "Press the button next to it to find out."

When he did, there was a louder sound behind the wall. This time, a circular object as high as his knees and half as wide slid out. There was a shallow pool of water inside it, and the rounded top was lined with a thick slab of marble.

Kray stared at the strange contraption. "I don't get it."

"The fan doesn't blow air in. It sucks it out. When you take care of your . . . bodily functions."

Kray's eyebrows drew upward as he realized that he was staring at a toilet. "You mean there are no bathrooms here?"

"I'm sure there are. We're just not allowed to use them."

"But how will I . . . I mean, this is way too public."

Carter gestured behind Kray with a flick of his finger. "Try the last button."

When he did so, the glass walls immediately turned opaque. Crystallized glass. That made him slightly less uncomfortable.

Realizing that the others had fallen silent, he pushed the button again.