Page 117 of Us Dark Few

“Morality?”

His eyes narrowed imperceptibly as she turned to face him. That appeared to strike a nerve.

“Unpredictability. I long for variability in this monotonous play, and you, Khalani, provide that much more than any of these blubbering, shortsighted, mindless constituents living on Genesis.”

She flinched at the sound of her name coming from his deceptive lips. “You shouldn’t say that about your people.”

“They were never my people.” A darkness flickered over his expression.

Khalani drew back and froze, like she was trapped in a venomous web.

He loomed over her, studying her with a predator’s unwavering attention. “There are few things in common between us, Khalani. Fewer than you realize. But our hatred for this city is a thread that connects us.”

She didn’t want to have anything in common with him.

“You’re…you’re wrong.”

He grinned. “Ah, there it is. Denial. A consistent hallmark of emotion. Let me ask, what has Apollo done for you other than reap destruction in your life?”

Blood rushed to her face, and the hatred she bottled began to pour out. “Destruction byyourhand. Under your rule, my parents died, and I was sentenced to Braderhelm Prison…you took everything away from me.”

“Death is but a cycle in life.” Alexander flicked his hand. “You are born just to die, and that’s the human curse. But it was not I that took your life or your parents’ lives. It was the people that came before you. If destruction is in the equation, peace can never be the outcome. The people who lived on the surface fooled themselves into believing otherwise, and they selfishly destroyed their lives and the lives of every future generation. Your ancestors destroyed your life, not me. I am but a catalyst to bring about necessary change.”

“And what change is that?”

His eyes flickered with antipathy as he bent to whisper in her ear, “Taking destruction out of the equation.”

The harsh lines on her forehead deepened as the Governor stepped away, his perfect mask back in place. “You should get back to your duties, Miss Kanes.”

She numbly nodded, grabbing the plates and walking as fast as possible toward the kitchen. She felt Takeshi’s gaze on her the whole time but kept going. That was all she could do.

Her mind raced. Everything was somehow connected. The crop failures, Genesis, the killings, the Governor—she just didn’t know how. The truth was beyond her grasp.

The kitchen was crowded with prisoners. She craned her neck and finally spotted Serene, Derek, and Adan in the back corner.

“Hey.” Khalani practically ran at them.

“Where the hell have you been?” Serene asked.

Adan shook his head. “Explanations later. We don’t have much time.”

They nodded and left out a side door in the kitchen. They moved down a dimly lit hallway away from the ballroom, and Adan opened an inconspicuous wooden door.

“Hurry, get in.”

They shuffled in, and Derek closed the door, plunging them into complete darkness. Someone switched on a light, revealing a cramped room where their heads nearly brushed the ceiling, with a large trashcan occupying most of the space.

“The janitor’s closet?” Serene sniffed her nose in disgust.

“Oh, I’m sorry, were you preferring the palace?”

“This works! Let’s hurry.” Khalani brushed a shaking hand through her hair.

Adan pulled out the walkie from his back pocket. He lifted the antenna and breathed heavily.

“Here we go.” He pushed a button, and a light on the walkie turned green, a weird buzzing noise reverberating from the machine.

Khalani swallowed excessively and shifted back and forth in the confined space. They waited.

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