Smoke and Shadow: The Fireweaver, Book 1

Chapter 20. GOLDEN TICKET

CHAPTER 20. GOLDEN TICKET

It wasn't fair.

She'd won Lerusas for her grade level. Hadn't even cheated. And she'd gotten a spot in the Festival, to walk with the other winners from the other grades in the opening ceremony's parade. At the end of year, she was qualified to compete again, against all the age groups.

She promised not to get in another fight. Or steal anything. Promised not to do anything at all.

But Denai had given her a stern look that morning that brooked no argument. Even Mehlie's best sullen expressions were useless against Denai's impassive face. Like water dashed against rocks.

"Not this time. Not today."

"Why?"

"We need to keep a low profile," Denai had said, looking around the entirely foreign surroundings of the house. No, mansion. The kind of place she'd never try to break into, with cameras and computer systems and other things happening unseen. She might be able to pick a lock, but she was no computer hack. 

"Yeah. This place sure looks low profile," Mehlie snarked. The Lord Whatever His Name stood in the other room talking to the other. Gramps. The white-haired Resisten who'd made her clean up after herself the next morning after breakfast.

Dimarrah gave a slight frown. "You know what I mean."

"Right, right. Running from the law, yeah, I know," said Mehlie with more sarcasm. "I'm familiar with it."

"This is no joke, Mehlie. Please." Dimarrah clutched her arm. "Go to school today. It's the safest place for you to be right now. Trust me."

So she'd gone. Chaperoned to the front doors of the school by the Lord himself. He'd even taken her on a magrail. First time she'd ever been on one, and the shuttle was even above ground. 

It had been a challenge to stay mad once she'd felt the exhilarating press of gravity as it pulled from the bustling station. Tried not to stare, gaping, at the bits of city center and sky that blurred past them. Tried not to press her face and hands to the glass, but she did. And the Lord hadn't seemed to mind. They had a section all to themselves. He might have even had the slightest grin on his face when she'd turned with a gasp to watch the world rush by.

They arrived much too soon for her liking. She guessed that sullenness would definitely not get her anywhere with the Lord either. She almost resorted to getting on her knees and begging to go to Festival. She tried everything just short of that, with no such luck. If Dimarrah was an immovable rock, he might as well be a whole cliff-side.

He held out her backpack with a finger and she snatched it. He handed her something else.

"Put it on. You know how to use it?"

Sure she did. She'd stolen a couple of them before, but sold them soon after. The penalty for a stolen wristscreen was severe in the cities.

Mehlie took the wristscreen slowly, trying hard not to gasp at such a luxury, trying hard not to let one part of a grin show through. She fit it around her wrist. Touched the smooth rainbow design of the band.

She looked up at the Lord, almost said thank you. But she knew well what it was; a collar and nothing else. A way for them to keep tabs on her. One look at the Lord's stalwart gaze sent her through the doors. It wasn't fair. So many of the other kids from school were going to Festival. Or had already gone. Lorelai was there today.

"Yeah, well, I have to go," Lorelai had explained to Mehlie, a couple days before. "My parents work in the center. They have to be there."

"Wait. You don't want to go?"