I bite down on my tongue. Determined to suppress the frustrated growl from escaping my lips. My boots, of course, echo obnoxiously against the linoleum floor. I'm forced to slow my pace as I make my way down the long main hallway of the Red Movement building, sticking to the shadows. My heart beats against my ribs so loud I fear it will awaken someone. But I keep going. At last, I reach the end of the hallway and skip the elevator, taking the stairs. They are darker, quieter.
I wind my way down the staircase, cautious at the turn of each corner, fully aware that I could bump into a guard at any moment. Although the fact that I have my sword now gives me back an advantage. When I arrive at the bottom, I skirt around the perimeter of the room, hugging the shadows. There, I wait.
Soon enough, a deep rumble echoes through the tunnels, the sound increasing in intensity as it approaches. The bright beam of the headlights burst through the darkness, followed by the rattle of the wheels as the train emerges from the tunnel and screeches to a halt at the platform. As soon as the doors hiss open, I leap in. I duck into the shadows of the seats and hold my breath. I only release the breath when the train, at last, jolts forward and begins rolling away from the platform. As it picks up speed, I allow myself to rise from the shadows and sit more comfortably on the seat. The train climbs a hill and arrives at the surface. Through the window, I watch the train round the perimeter of the Red Movement compound before clicking onto a new track. The train accelerates further still. As the crimson glow of the Red Movement begins to shrink away, I grin. I did it. By the time Edward Mallory realises that I am gone, it will be too late. I am already rushing back towards the Floodgates.
As the last of the Red Movement's glare disappears, I silently promise all those I left behind that I will return for them.
---
My cheek smacks painfully against the plastic seat as the train lurches forward and I am jolted awake. The inside of my cheek stings and I prod the area with my tongue, tasting blood. I curse myself for falling asleep as I sit up and peer out the window. I had no way of knowing whether I was alone in this train. Anyone could have stumbled upon me. I tried to remain alert for as long as I could but sleep had other plans.
Outside, I can no longer see trees. The train must be descending beneath the lake; we are getting close to the Floodgates now. A thrill of excitement shoots through me and I smile again. As the train crosses beneath the lake, I pull my scabbard over my shoulders and slip the dagger into my belt.
Soon enough, the train hits its decelerate. As it slows, my bubble of excitement grows. The train jolts as it pulls into the platform and I jump to my feet when the doors hiss open. I step off the train and cross the platform to the door at the end, yanking it open. I fairly run up the stairs of the bunker beneath Segment Six and down the tunnel that leads into the familiar main underground network of the Floodgates. I find the trapdoor below the Southern Forest and shove it open. Reaching up on my toes, I grip the sides of the hole and bodily hoist myself up, falling ungracefully onto the grass. I stand and brush the dirt from my clothes. There, I look up. Above me is a canopy of trees, with gaps of grey, where the sky is bringing on the dawn. The familiar scent of the woods fills my nose as I breathe in; the sweet grass and musky soil. I orient myself in the direction of the Convex Sector and begin trekking back through the woods, taking the route I always have. By the time my boots begin to walk on cobbles instead of forest floor, dawn has well arrived. I weave my way through the backmost streets. People are already beginning their day. As I walk through the streets, I notice just how much more colour is bursting from the seams of the Convex Sector. Dust does not swirl in the wind, faces aren't so grim.
With Ajax as the leader, the Floodgates have improved already.
I also notice something else. As I press deeper into the Convex Sector, heads turn my way. My tell-tale red hair is, of course, easily recognisable.
"It's the Red Leaf," I hear a boy whisper as I pass a group of people around my age.
"The Red Leaf?"
"Yes! Look, it's Elizabeth Fallon!"
I want to pull my hood over my head and shrink away, but instead, I turn to them, giving a little wave.
Others around them pick up on it. Everyone I pass seems to recognise me and suddenly my name is all I can hear. "Elizabeth Fallon. Elizabeth Fallon. Elizabeth Fallon." The whispers echo in my wake, following me through the streets, towards the drawbridge.
I cross the drawbridge, stepping into the Concave Sector. I wave down a small horse and carriage and climb in.
The short horseman turns his head around and shuts his mouth as soon as he opens it. "Holy shit, Elizabeth Fallon."
I give him a small smile. "Yes."
"We didn't know...he wouldn't tell us...where have you been, Miss Fallon?" He fairly stumbles over his words and his crinkled eyes flicker to the bloody wound on the side of my neck from the removed tracker.
"I have been beyond the walls," I tell him, watching his eyes widen. "We were kept very much in the dark under Sneya's rule, sir."
"My goodness, I have no doubt about that." The man seems to lose awareness of his surroundings before giving his head a little shake. "Would you like a lift to the Palace, Miss Fallon?"
"Yes please, sir. That would be great."
He nods a smile before turning back around and giving his horse a light crack of the reins.
When the carriage pulls up to the Palace gates, I thank the horseman and climb out. Standing at the gates is a young man and young woman. They are dressed in a silver and white jumpsuit. They're guards of some kind, but they're most certainly not Tranquility patrol; Ajax must have abolished that system and appointed a new guardianship.
As I approach the two guards, their eyes widen.
"My god, Elizabeth Fallon," the woman gasps, stepping forward, squinting as if she does not quite believe her eyes.
"Call me Elle," I say, offering a hand.
She accepts it, shaking politely. "You have returned to the Floodgates, Elle."
"I have indeed." I bite the inside of my cheek to stop a laugh as I shake the man's hand too.
"Well, we had best let you into the Palace, Elle."
The woman turns and opens a small panel at the side of the enormous gates, pushing a key into a lock. She twists it and there is a click. A deep shudder emanates from the gates as they ease back on their mechanical hinges, allowing entrance to the Palace grounds. I thank the two guards with another shake of the hands and stride forward, crossing the threshold. I hurry down the path, letting myself in the already open Palace doors. I skid to a stop in the foyer and glance around, eyes landing on the stairs that lead up to Ruben's room on the right side of the foyer.
"Elle?"
A figure with a familiar mop of dyed green hair strides into the foyer, stopping at the entrance of the main Palace. Ajax looks only slightly different to the last I saw him; dressed in a white suit with brown boots. He still sports his eyebrow and lip piercing.
"Ajax!" A grin breaks onto my face and I hurry forward, embracing my friend in a hug.
He hugs me back. "You are the bravest, most reckless person I have ever had the misfortune to meet." Ajax shakes his head in disbelief and I laugh.
"Elle."
I instinctively glance around. He stands at the top of the flight of stairs, staring down at me with wide, piercing eyes.
"Ruben," I whisper. I run. Stumbling up the steps as he fairly leaps down, meeting him in the middle with a crash. I leap up, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, legs around his waist and bury my face into his neck.
He presses his lips to my forehead, breathing erratically. "Elle, Elle, Elle."
"I'm here, Ruben. It's me," I whisper into his shoulder. "I'm here."
"Elle, I love you," he murmurs into my hair.
In his arms, I inhale his beautiful scent, holding it in my lungs and breathing it out with a smile.
"I love you, Ruben."
We part at last, and I turn my gaze back down to Ajax. "What are the others up to?"
"It's still fairly early in the morning, I will round them up. You wait in the ballroom."
Ruben grasps my hand, interlocking his fingers with my own. He walks me into the ballroom and sits with me on a couch against the wall. Ruben wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me into his chest, pressing his lips to my temple.
A figure walks through the far door of the ballroom. He is dressed in a white and silver outfit, with his sandy blond hair pushed neatly off his forehead.
"Hello, Gryffin," I say, smiling.
My friend double takes before grinning back. He strides over. "Hello, Elle. It's so good to see you again at last." Gryffin smiles at me but glances at Ruben warily. Gryffin was a servant in the Palace under Sneya's rule and it's fair to say that he and Ruben did not get along.
"What are you up to these days?" I ask.
"I'm a Palace employee, I am the head house manager. Ajax appointed me the role himself," Gryffin tells me proudly.
"That's great, Gryffin!"
"Thank you, and I must get going, I have a team that I must direct today. I hear that there will be a dinner tonight with your friends to celebrate your return."
"That sounds like something Ajax would organise, yes."
"Ah, well, I had best get going then. See you soon, Elle. And welcome home!" Gryffin waves enthusiastically as he marches out of the room.
"Elle!"
My head snaps to the source of the voice to see Aston breaking into a run, though it is interrupted by his limp. I leap to my feet and stumble forward, crashing into my best friend.
"Aston!"
As we part, his hazel eyes fly to the dried blood at the side of my neck. "My God, Elle, what have you done?"
"Oh, you need not worry, Aston. It's nothing," I assure.
Aston rolls his eyes. "I don't believe that for a second, Elle, you crazy, reckless thing."
"It's good to see you, too, Aston."
He laughs, that deep rumbling chuckle that I grew to become so accustomed to.
That is when I notice the others: Killian and Monet. I greet those two as well, realising how much I have missed all my friends.
"It is so good to finally have you back, Elle," Ajax tells me. "Tonight, we will celebrate your return with just us friends. Tomorrow, we will discuss plans and announce your return to the rest of the city."
---
Bellies full from the light-hearted dinner, Ruben and I leave the dining room. Hand in hand, we walk down to his room in silence. His thumb runs up and down my own. When we reach his room, Ruben unlocks the door, gesturing me in. He closes the door behind him and I turn around, glancing up at him.
"I missed you so much, Elle," Ruben mutters, green eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"I missed you, too."
"Then, why?" he asks. "Why did you do it?" He reaches out, gently tucking a red curl behind my ear.
"Because I needed to, Ruben. I was given no choice. In the prophecy, he told me he would hurt you or the others, and I couldn't take that risk."
"God, Elle." He blows out his cheeks, running a hand through his dark hair, tousling it further. "You incredibly brave girl."
Ruben cups my face and kisses me with such suddenness I almost lose my balance. But he steadies me. And I steady him. I smile into the kiss as it deepens and he lets out a soft moan. My heart pounds against my ribs so erratically I fear it will burst from my chest. Instinctively my hands fly to the buttons on his shirt, pulling them apart one by one, and my hand slides over the warm skin on his chest. His heart beats against my palm. His own hands slip under my top and I gasp, his fingertips burning my skin, igniting a fire in my bones.
We gently guide each other to his bed, lips never parting. I fall back into the sheets and he hovers above me, sending chills up and down my entire body. "I love you, Elle," he mutters against my lips.
"I love you."
I know that this is where I belong. With him. With his lips pressed against mine or his arms wrapped around me. For he is home. I feel him in my bones and his name has the power to put my demons to sleep. He is still, after all this time, my every reason why.
****
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this more light-hearted chapter :)
~ Emma