Page 107 of The Order

I watch her disappear behind the curtain she came from, moving with a certain grace I could never find within myself, no matter how many times my mother scolded me on my posture.

Hunter hesitates a moment before sitting on the stool, watching my brother repeatedly turn the Cure-All in his hands.

“I don’t bite,” Hunter mutters, both of us watching Kai cringe at the words.

“Right,” Kai says, applying a small amount of the solution to Hunter’s skin, watching its healing properties work instantly.

Hunter's face fills with a sense of relief, his pain being washed away with each stroke of my brother's fingers across his skin. I hear the loud patter of my foot as it taps against the shop’s floor, watching the pair with little patience as I anticipate someone eventually willing to point me toward Fallan.

Hunter’s bruises are deeper than I expected, taking multiple layers of the solution to lighten in color. Kai becomes hyper-focused on him, making sure not to press too hard on his swollen and battered visage. Hunter bites back pain, clenching his pant legs to stop himself from making too much noise.

“Your silence is killing me,”I say, closing my eyes as I focus on the empty spaces of my mind.

“I suppose you won’t stop that tapping until I give you more information?" Hunter questions, pulling my attention away from my pointless attempts at shouting into the void of my mind.

Kai pauses, letting his hands drop from Hunter's face. Something close to a smile lingers on my brother's expression, fading away when Hunter gives him a second look.

“How far away is he from here?” I question, offering no light-hearted tone as my frustration surges.

“No more than a few blocks away. He lives in the older units, the ones with the chipped blue paint,” Hunter says, moving himself away from the stool. Standing beside my brother, he’s shorter, yet he holds himself in a way Kai has never been able to. Hunter is defensive, always expecting the worst. But he’s also a fighter, and his resolve is unyielding.

“Great, shouldn't be too hard to find,” I start, dropping my bag on the floor as I dig around in its contents. I feel the metal of my blade meet my palm. Its mechanics need some adjustments considering the absence of my chip. I begin strapping it to my side, feeling how it rubs my skin, before concealing it under the massive hoodie Kai let me borrow.

“You brought your blade?” Kai questions, cocking his head at me.

“Never know what's lurking in the shadows,” I say, tightening the strap. I feel a sense of security with the weapon so close to me.

“If you give me a few minutes, I can take you to him-”

“No,” I say, cutting off Hunter as he reaches for his things.

“No?” Hunter questions, crossing his arms.

“No, all of us in a group will draw attention, and I don’t exactly feel like figuring out if my father has already plastered our faces on every screen in the sector looking for us. I don’t feel like dealing with the consequences of pissing off Officials, especially if they find us here.” I say, watching Hunter sigh.

“So, after years of this kind of treatment of us happening right in front of you, you’re only now seeing the corruption for what it is?” Hunter asks.

Kai lowers his head. It’s the same shameful, disgraced motion I’ve seen coming from the Unfortunates as they interact with us all around New Haven.

“Ignorance is bliss,” my foot kicks away my bag. “I was the biggest fool there was,” I say, keeping my gaze on Hunter.

“Fallan isn’t in a state to receive unexpected visitors. He’s unpredictable-”

“I know… I’m counting on that,” I say, turning to grab the door handle. “Is there a reason you’re trying so hard to keep me away from him? Did my father say something to you?” I question, feeling a shift in Hunter's confident posture. I hear the way his heart rate accelerates, listening to the slight sneer of my reflection in the window closest to me.

“Everyone has secrets,”it says, looking unamused.

“Like I told you,” he explains, sounding less sure of his wording. “He just doesn't want to see you.”

Kai looks between us both, unsure of who to support.

“Well, I guess he can tell me that in person. Kai-” my brother's head snaps to me. “Stay here. I’m the one that dragged you with me today. At least I know you can't get into trouble here.” I make my way to the front of the shop and reach for the door.

“And you? How do you expect to stay out of trouble if you get into it with the wrong person around here?” Hunter questions.

It’s a valid concern, given the crime in this sector. I touch my mark from beneath my hoodie, feeling an energy pulse through me as my fingers graze over the raised skin.

“I'll manage,” I whisper, heading through the door and out into the filthy street once more.

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