Page 1 of The Divide that Binds Us

Chapter 1

Standby for Suspicion

Elite: Alice

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Near the end of mywalk, the first drop of blood falls into my book.Rolling clouds obscure the lapis blanket as more drops sprinkle on my face.I close the book in a poor attempt to cover my head and sprint through the last two blocks before running up the steps to the Elite building.When I reach the door, I look back.

The sky is on fire and raining blood.

Well, shit.This isn’t good.

I cross my arms over the book, withstanding the bloody shower to watch the brewing moment before me where a lifeless dragon is suspended in the tangerine sky.Other dragons circle the corpse, annihilating innocent clouds with their heartbreaking flames.

The ninth dragon murder of the year sends a nervous tickle down my spine.My arms tighten around my book; any more deaths at this rate and the world may be in trouble.

“Hey, Alice!”Evangeline steps outside and holds an umbrella over us, looking up at the sky.“Perfect timing.We finished auditions.”

I nod, eyes trained on the dead dragon as the others circle it and roar fire in the cider sky.One hovers beside its deceased friend and unleashes a hollow whine before dashing off.The blood rains harder as we stand at the top of the steps of the Elite Organization.Traffic stops; people exit their cars and houses to watch the agonizing show.

Evangeline holds her hand outside the umbrella.Blood rapidly pools in her pale palm before it loses its bright color for a pellucid puddle.At least it clears up shortly after hitting a surface, and not a flood of blood sliding down the streets the color of Evangeline’s pixie-cut hair.

“I can’t believe this is happening again,” she says.She huddles close to me as her gray eyes squint at the sky with a grimace.“You think we’ll be deployed?”

“Not sure about us, but definitely Ultima.This is teetering on worldwide emergency at this rate,” I murmur.“You heard about the homicide yesterday?It’s getting worse.”

Evangeline nods.In my five years in the Elite Organization, I’ve never seen anything like what’s happening now in the world.Dragonsandhumans dying?Something isn’t right.Across the six islands, crime this year has tripled.As for the dragons, well, they’re the life of our world; killing them is illegal.

“E-Excuse me?”A lady with uneven, choppy hair approaches us with a child beside her.She halfheartedly shields the top of her head from the rain with one hand.“I heard today was auditions for Elite.My son here is ten and was recently Traced.He doesn’t understand his abilities.Can ya help him figure that out?”

I scowl.“Auditions are over, and he’s not eligible.”

Evangeline clears her throat.“Wh-what she means is Elite has new requirements this year.Spirit Users must be eighteen or turning eighteen the same year they audition.Okay?”

The lady nods and looks up at the vivid orange sky.The rain grows softer, but the dragons’ heartbreaking cries persist.Goosebumps rise when a cold, wet breeze hits my arms.

“So sad, isn’t it?”she says.“Someone has to be sick to kill our sacred creatures.What’s going to be done about this?Will Elite be investigating?”

Evangeline bites her lip and looks at me.

“I assume Ultima will be.We are on standby until we receive orders,” I say, recalling my first time seeing a dead dragon in the sky.I screamed and thought the world was ending.Not a sight for the faint hearted, but this lady’s son seems unphased.

The lady puts her hand on her hip, shifting her weight with a grimace.“You’re just waiting?This is what my tax coins are going towards?The whole lot of ya standing around twiddling ya thumbs?”

I clench my jaw, fighting every cell that’s itching to snap back.My fingers tingle until I squeeze the book in my arms.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and Evangeline’s ringer goes off.Simultaneously, we check our phones and receive the same notification from our E-Force app to meet in the gym.

“We have to go, but it was nice to meet you, ma’am!”Evangeline chirps to the lady before she and her son carefully descend the slippery stairs.The dragons unleash more piercing wails that reverberate in the sky.

The umbrella moves from above me as Evangeline hurries back into the building.A few soft drops disappear into my black hair while I trudge behind her.The weight of the dragons’ pain pushes against my shoulders.I want to pretend it doesn’t bother me, but my arms tremble around my book and it’s not from the icy breeze.

Most of the bleachers in the gym are occupied when we arrive.It’s hard finding a seat in the sea of chattering members in their maroon, gold, and white uniforms.I squint, bracing for the shoddy fluorescent lighting, and blink away the needles in my eyes.Evangeline struggles to close her umbrella when I see a blond mop jumping up and down in the seated crowd.Ah yes, Garnet Island’s most energetic roommate is nice enough to save us seats.

“Hey.”I plop beside Billie and put my book on my lap, sandwiched between her and Evangeline.

“Oi!Great timing!”Billie’s radiant energy pollutes the gym, and I swear I’m close enough to see her eyes vibrate, and she’s not even transforming.“You were just outside, right?How bad is it?Is it bad?Wait–don’t tell me!Well, maybe tell me.It’s really bad, isn’t it?”

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