Page 54 of Reckless
“Suggest for what?”
“Ilya,” I say simply. “What other option is there but to carry on as we have for the past thirty years?”
She sits up slightly, seemingly surprised by my question. “I suggest we carry on with what we were doing for seventy years prior to the Purging. Back when Ordinaries and Elites lived side by side—”
“And the weakening of our powers? The disease?”
She sighs. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Elites weren’t meant to be? That what the PlaguegiftedIlya with is unnatural?” I stiffen at her words, but she pushes on. “Humans aren’t meant to play God. And the Elites have played that part long enough. If their powers being weakened means no more isolation and killing of Ordinaries, then so be it.”
I look away, shaking my head at the stars. “Ilya will be weak without its Elites. We could be easily conquered and—”
Her laugh cuts me off. “You think we aren’t weak now? We are so isolated that there isn’t enough food to feed those of us in the slums, let alone hold everyone, when there is no more land to expand into.” Her voice is stern, but her eyes are pleading. “Without a single ally or kingdom that doesn’t hate us, are we not weaker than ever? And we will only continue to crumble unless something, or someone, changes.”
Someone.
She’s thinking of Kitt. She’s probably always thought of Kitt as that someone who could change Ilya for her. Someone with potential to be persuaded into seeing things differently.
I almost laugh at the thought.
The Kitt I left is devoid of any potential that wasn’t a part of Father’s plan. He’ll do nothing but what the king wanted and wished for. Even dead he’s controlling Kitt, ruling Ilya from the grave.
“Good to finally hear how you really feel,” I say with a scoff.
“Well, there’s no point in hiding it now. Treason is the least of my worries at the moment.” Stretching, she scans the stars before curling onto her side. “Do you believe I’m diseased?”
I’m startled at how earnestly she asks the question. “I believe the Healers. And thirty years ago, they found something undetectable. Something that will deteriorate the Elites’ powers over time.” She’s quiet, so I take advantage of it. “Do you believe you’re diseased?”
“I’m biased, but no, I don’t think so. My father was a Healer, and he didn’t think so either. Maybe there is no way to know for sure,” she says softly. “But I do know I deserve to live either way.”
She quiets, favoring sleep over finishing this conversation. After a long moment, I feel her shiver before hearing the complaint slip past her lips. “Please tell me I wasn’t kidnapped only to freeze in the desert?”
“You are a pain in the ass.” I wave a hand at an Imperial as I lie down beside her. “Get me an extra blanket.”
She doesn’t bother rolling over to mock me to my face. “And I thought chivalry was dead.”
When the Imperial throws me a blanket, I don’t hesitate before tossing it over her head. “Oh, it is, darling.”
With a huff, her head peeks over the folds of fabric, sending silver hair sliding across her face. The look she gives me promises a death I know she can deliver. Then she’s turning her back to me once again, content to ignore my existence until sleep claims her.
No, she’s likely plotting something. I suspect she rarely isn’t. She makes for a difficult captive, needing to be watched even when there is nowhere to go. Because if anyone can find a way to—
“Shit, Gray!” I jump away from her, cursing colorfully.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Wrong withme?” I’m exasperated. “Your feet arefreezing.”
She glances over her shoulder, clearly failing to conceal her smirk. “Well, I can’t sleep with shoes on. Never been able to.”
“Seems like you can’t sleep with socks on either,” I grit out.
She shrugs. “It’s a curse, really.”
“Well, keep the curse on your side.”
Her face falls. “But you’re warm.” Before I can respond, she’s nodding across the fire. “Me and my cold feet could always just sleep over there. Alone.”
“Like hell I’m letting you sleep alone,” I mutter.
