Jonas~~
Surprisingly I got a decent sleep. When I was little and my parents put me to bed after rebel attacks, my heart would always be racing. I could never sleep. But they ended up happening so often I eventually got used to them—out of necessity.
It's around three in the afternoon when I step onto the patio. Many Society members are spread between the tables and chairs and pool, laughing, chatting—socializing. Only one person is off by herself under the umbrella of a table.
"How are you doing?"
Iris looks up at me, blinking. "I just woke up from a nap."
"Restless night?"
She nods.
I hold out my hand like I did last night when she rejected me. "Care to join me?"
"Join you where?"
"A surprise."
She places her hand in mine, her fingers closing around me as mine do the same to hers. Her hand's soft but not delicate. There's something about them that feels certain.
"All right," she says, and I help her to her feet. We walk to the other end of the patio where it drops off where the lake begins underneath. We take the set of stairs to the right and walk along the side of the lake, its water lapping against the edge of the walkway. The walkway here is paved. Farther down it ends, replaced by a beach. My family had to have the white sand brought in—the first load brought over a hundred years ago. I prefer this Estate to the other one, my only regret is that I didn't grow up here.
"Did they find the rebels?"
"They did not."
Not only does she have my family to fear, but now she'll believe she has to fear the rebels as well. She'll never want to stay.
"I hope this won't influence your decision whether you stay."
"I promise you, it won't."
I guide us around the sand and to where the path is no longer paved, instead changing to only packed dirt. The path is more of a trail with the bushes and trees brushing into the space.
One such branch marks where we need to veer off the path. I let go of Iris's hand to hold it to the side for her, and I realize I never let go of her hand this whole time. That I am certain is not good.
At the end of this new path is our destination. A man-made cove. Cut into the side of a cliff, this pool of water was built for Preeminences. Rocks, piled on top of each other, cover the sides of the cliff. The water here is shallower, making the lake water that feeds into it from a stream clearer.
"I understand the pain of hiding your Mark." I pull off my shoes and socks. "Preeminence's can't let anyone know theirs. Only their parents may know, and one day"—I roll up the hems of my pants— "his wife." I wade out into the ankle-deep water toward a boulder and motion for her to follow me. She slips out of her flats and sticks a timid foot into the water.
"What's your point?" she asks as she follows me to the boulder I'm now sitting on, my feet submerged in the water. She raises her eyebrows. "You aren't proposing, are you?" There's a teasing lilt in her voice.
I laugh and pat the spot next to me. "Maybe I wouldn't miss your jesting. My point is that this place is where I can take off my bandage and swim. I don't have to worry about it falling off and people knowing. This place is off limits to everyone unless I bring them here."
She sits down beside me. The rock is only large enough to accommodate the two of us. Our bodies hover mere centimeters from each other, her feet dangling in the water beside mine.
"I wanted you to know about this place. I'd be more than happy to bring you here whenever you feel like you need a break from the world."
Tears form in her eyes, but she brushes them away. "Thank you. You're making me feel bad for hating you all these years."
"Then I'm glad."
She ducks her head. Her left foot pushes the water back and forth. "Something's been bothering me. Erik and I were talking about the man his father had killed."
I frown. I didn't go to breakfast, but I heard about what Gwen did.
"We were talking about Expiration Dates. Why don't you stop the conspiracy theories?"
"They make people fear us. None of the theories depict us as heavenly angels who just want to make the world a better place. It's truer to say they paint us to be the spawn of the devil. Fear keeps people in line. It's not our fault that many don't want to accept that we just know the date of their death. People fear us because they want to hate us, so they tell themselves we decide when they die as if we have some control over their fates."
"Every decision can't be predestined."
I smile. "Why is that?"
"I'm alive."
"Fate is an odd thing, Iris Levine." I can't pull my eyes away from hers. In them I see a thousand questions, none of which have words yet. Her hip grazes mine. I don't want to shatter this moment, but I know if I don't, she'll put words to those questions, and some of those I cannot allow myself to answer.
I stand, feet pressing into the sand, and hover a few feet from the rock.
"Do you know—"
I splash her with my foot.
She throws her hands out, her body tensed. "Really?"
I clasp my hands behind my back, looking at her with the best innocent expression I can muster. "You can splash me too, if you want."
"That seems like it would be highly inappropriate."
I splash her again.
"You're the Preeminence!"
"And?" I step closer, until my legs press against hers. "Are you scared?"
She splutters.
I lean toward her ear. "It's okay. I won't be angry."
Next to mine, her body stiffens. "You're incorrigible."
"So says my mother." I slip one arm beneath her legs and the other around her back.
Her eyes widen. "Jonas?"
I lift her up and wade through the water to the center of the pool where shallowness gives way to depth. She kicks her legs, causing her skirt to slip above her knees.
"Put me down."
I hum, "No."
"I swear, if you try to drown me—"
"Can you swim?"
She glares at me. "Yes."
"Perfect." I toss her, and she falls into the water with a splash that sounds rather painful.
She surfaces, shaking her head, and swims back to the shallow area. "Why is it that my clothes are always getting ruined when you're around?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
She stands up and crosses her arms. "Oh really?" Her lips curve.
And she pushes me in.
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