Page 9 of The Divide that Binds Us

My thoughts are a jumbled candy machine.The grogginess is heavy on my eyelids and shoulders, so it’s hard to drag myself out of bed.I toss my uniform from yesterday in the laundry bin since it’s infested with blond hair and cheese.I meander around the room, throwing on my clothes and slinging my jacket over my shoulder.It’s hot, stuffy, and smells like spring dust melting in a greenhouse.My stomach growls again while I sloppily brush my teeth before heading out with my backpack to meet Evangeline in the infirmary.

Doors open and close in the dormitory hall as foot traffic is at its peak due to people ending and starting shifts.Some members poke their heads out to shout something to their neighbor across the hall, while others are goofing off and running down the corridor.Somehow, I slip by everyone fast enough to make it out.

Evangeline is talking to the nurse in Billie’s room when she approaches me with a muffin, garlic parmesan bagel, and a banana.

“You got all this for me?”I ask.

“Oh, no.”She only hands me the banana which I snatch from her with a grimace.“Sorry, the selection wasn’t the best because they were closing up.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, eying the nurse from yesterday.“Any news?”

“Yes, yes.Billie was awake earlier and will make a full recovery today.She has medication she should really take with food but doesn’t, which caused the reaction.”The nurse adjusted her glasses.“I’ve informed Master Azul that recovery has noticeably been longer with members, possibly due to the constant death of dragons.Ladies, do take care.”

The nurse walks away without another word, leaving me gaping at Evangeline.

“Well, I’m more frightened than a Spirit User disguising themselves as a Guard,” she whispers.

Does this mean we’ll become weaker if the deaths continue at this rate?

I’m tempted to shake Billie awake, but don’t want to disrupt her rest.Her annoying voice feels so distant.

When we head out, a member with a gash on the side of his head limps into the infirmary with someone at his side.He looks at me, eyes lighting up.

“Yo, Alice!Think you could work some of that healin’ to fix this up?”he asks, pointing to his head.“Just a little bit?”

“Sorry, but no.Going out on assignment,” I say.

“No worries, bruh.I get it,” the guy drawls in his Emeraldian accent.“Gotta save up that magic juice.Good luck to ya.”He continues limping inside the infirmary as Evangeline and I press forward through the lobby.

The air is hot and muggy when we step outside.Evangeline was smart to wear cargo capris and comfy sneakers for a long day of patrol.

“Bus?”Evangeline asks.“Or taxi?”

“Taxi, but only because I don’t remember the bus schedule.”I sit on the steps and feel the heat of the concrete seeping through my pants.Evangeline calls the taxi while Elite members come and go.People with cars park on the street in front of the building because we don’t have a parking lot.Evangeline sits next to me and leans back, resting her hands behind her on the pavement.She mentions the taxi arriving in ten minutes, then angles her head upward to bake in the sun.It’s a complete change of pace from yesterday’s grim forecast—almost as if it never happened.

When the taxi arrives, Evangeline is first to jump up and sprint down the stairs.I munch on the overripe banana and slouch back for the long thirty-minute ride.I press my head against the window and watch the sun flicker between trees taller than any building on the island.The ride is bumpy because of all the potholes; construction happens once every other year, and some areas have No Development Zones.

My focus is the white, jagged mountains that seem to follow me wherever my eyes wander.Like the moon.They’re always in the background, and it brings a surprising sense of security to be surrounded by their structure.

When the car slows to a stop, Evangeline fishes out her Elite key card with a pleasant nod from the driver.He thanks us for our service in Elite as we exit the car.The train station is just a large outdoor platform with a crowd of people waiting for the next train.Luckily, the wait is five minutes wherever you go.Garnet has four more stations like this dedicated to the other islands, plus the Isle of Superiors.

“You’ll be okay?”Evangeline asks.

“Yeah.Text me when Billie wakes up.”

She hugs me and skips off to a nearby Elite member to trade places.She tries to keep the foot traffic moving so the station heading to Topaz doesn’t become too clogged, but her short stature soon disappears in the crowd.I throw on my jacket, head inside the train, and find the closest seat in the tight quarters.

Five minutes isn’t enough to process (yet again) that the world relies heavily on people not killing dragons.It’s so easy and dangerous that it’s ridiculous.

Since everyone utilizes Elite and Ultima, I wonder if disgruntled citizens are unhappy with the monarchs’ stance on not deploying us.We look like fools proceeding with business as usual, but we might get a deficiency for interfering or a warning if we’re lucky.

Which makes this whole Special Agent mission stressful.If I’m gonna investigate all the islands, then I’ll always be at risk of getting caught by a Guard or monarch.All it takes is five deficiencies in a calendar year and Elite is closed for good.

But how obvious will it be that I’m snooping for clues, though?

“Oh gosh,” I whisper, feeling the spiral vibrating through me.

What if some citizen interrupts me for help saving a wild dog or a neighbor complaint?What will I say to avoid helping since it’ll be obvious, I’m not patrolling?Shouldn’t I not have my uniform then so I can be discreet?

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