Page 83 of Dissent

Matias was silent, but he placed his hand on my back, as if wanting me to know that he was here and that I was safe now.

“She hated that we were so close. At one point, she even hit him, and sheneverdid that before. She had left me in the basement for days after probably one of the worst beatings I had ever gotten. I was seven.” The memory was drifting in my mind, the sounds of the whip cracking in the air, the smell of iron-rich blood, all so faint now. “I don’t even remember what I did that made her so angry.”

“What happened next?” His voice was gentle, laced with a hint of encouragement.

I took a deep breath. “Jacob let me out.” A smile crossed my lips as I visualized the spear of light slicing through the dark from the opened door. “I thought it was Raúl finally deciding that it was enough and letting me out.” I snorted. “Silly me to think that my dad would actually try to rescue me. But it was Jacob, just standing in the doorway, telling me to hurry.” My throat stung with unshed tears.

“When she found out, she actually hit him. I don’t think I’d ever seen her wail on him as hard as she did that day. She was justso angry. I don’t know if it’s because he defied her or because he was helping me or what. But Raúl had to get involved with that one.” I shuddered, remembering the sounds of Jacob’s screams. “He never opened the door to the basement for me again, and I didn’t want him to either. But he’d sneak me nourishment pills and cups of water. He’d check on me every day, slipping stuff through the door.” I sighed and shook my head slightly, trying to remove the memory from my mind.

Matias was quiet for a moment, the silence stretching between us. Then he sighed. “Maybe he’s notallbad…” It was a tease, an attempt to help lighten the mood. It worked.

“He’s not.” I bumped his shoulder with my own. “And I bet he’ll help us once he sees all this and knows the truth. Jacob’s different…sweet, caring. He’s not cruel like Belinda and Raúl. He actually cares about the Telvian people.” I turned to look at him, catching his eyes. “He’s one of the good guys.”

Matias smiled at me. “If you say he’s one of the good guys, then he’s one of the good guys.”

“Heis,” I reaffirmed, “and he’s important to me.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to convert him into a Dissenter, just like we did with you.”

I smiled. Yes, that was the missing piece. I needed Jacob, and then everything would be perfect. “I like that plan.”

His arm snaked around my waist then, drawing me toward him and then down on our backs. He pulled me close, and I nestled up next to him, my head on his chest while his arm wrapped around me, keeping me safe.

It was sonormalfeeling. Like everything was right and safe in the world. And I didn’t want any of it to end. But the sun kept drifting down, darkness was creeping in around us, and dusk had arrived.

Bing, bing.

The light on Matias’s tab flashed. He lifted his left arm, bringing his tab into his line of sight. “It’s Edith.” He unwrapped his arm around me and sat himself up. “She’s probably wondering when I’m bringing you back.” He glanced at me with a devilish smirk. “Maybe I should tell her I have no intention of returning you anytime soon.”

Cheeks aflame, I resisted the urge to bury my face in my hands. He turned away, tapping his finger on his mini-tab.

“What does it say?” He didn’t respond. Several seconds passed, and as they did, his body tensed up, back muscles rippling through his shirt. “Matias?”

He dropped his arm and looked at me, expression blank. “Chelsea…she’s back.”

42: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Iwasshockedbyhow fast Matias had us down the mountain. He wasted no time in gathering things up and rushing down the trail. And, as much as I hated to admit it, the whole thing was leaving the bitter taste of jealousy in my mouth. It made total sense why he raced to her. She was his friend, missing for days and presumed dead, only to find out that she was alive and back at camp. I got it, I really did. But it didn’t make the fact that he was running to fall into the arms of another girl any better for me. I tried my best to stamp out the jealousy, to remember that it wasmehe was wrapped up in just moments ago. But I guess that was the shitty part about having feelings for someone and being insecure—logic didn’t always register and jealousy was a bitch.

For the second time today, I was standing in front of headquarters. I was tiring of this freaking place. Edith was there, already waiting outside of the tent, pacing back and forth as her long black locks trailed behind her.

“Where is she?” Matias almost jogged the last steps to Edith.

“She’s in confinement in the medical bay. They’re not letting anyone near her. She needs to be evaluated.”

“What does that mean?” I finally caught up to them.

Matias didn’t give Edith the time to reply, answering the question first with a stony expression. “It means they’re going to interrogate her, search her for a tracking chip and all that crap.” His attention returned to Edith. “Did you see her? Was she okay?”

“Yeah, she’s okay. Pretty effing beat up, but okay.”

I sensed an old flicker of guilt in my gut, but I did my best to shove it down. “What happened? How did she get here?”

Edith threw up her hands. “I don’t know. I was getting our tent cleaned up and heard someone come in. I thought it was you. I turned around and just about had a heart attack. She looked like a zombie or something. I hardly recognized her.”

I stole a glance at Matias, but he looked lost in thought, his expression blank, and his lips set in a thin line. I turned my attention back to Edith. “Does Sasha know?”

She nodded. “Yeah, she knows. Chelsea’s been back for an hour now.”

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