The Young Elites

“Where are they headed?”

Violetta’s voice is strained and breathless as she hurries along behind me, holding my hand. We make our way through the dark streets in a blind rush, relying only on what I remember of the city’s layout. “They’re growing fainter,” she replies. “To the right. I think they might be going this way.” She gestures toward where a series of buildings surrounded by archways begins. The university.

“That’s one of their safe houses.” I shouldn’t be going back to the Daggers. But with Raffaele held hostage, and Enzo preparing to duel Teren tomorrow in the arena, I feel the pull of the bonds I’ve formed over the past few weeks. My steps quicken. I cannot leave Raffaele to die like this. Perhaps Dante was the only one who wanted to get rid of me. Perhaps I can still be a Dagger, and they care about me, and I can still belong.

Lying to yourself again, my dear? My father’s voice whispers in my head. I ignore him.

“This way,” I say after a moment. We hurry on.

Finally, as we near the university, I pause to find the entrance to the catacombs again and lead us down. It will be too dangerous for us to get inside the university out in the open, while Inquisitors might be patrolling its halls. Through the catacombs, I find the worn stairs that lead up to the dark hall inside one corner of the university. I take the steps one at a time, careful not to trip. Behind me, Violetta is tiring fast. Her power must drain her much more quickly than mine does.

“They’re here,” she whispers.

I stop in front of the door at the top of the stairs, then place my hand on the gem embedded in the wood. It opens.

We emerge from the underground. The hall is so quiet that we can still hear the commotion outside the university’s walls, the sounds of Inquisition patrols marching by, of raucous crowds. The next thing I hear are voices coming from within—voices that I know. I shrink into the shadows, and Violetta follows my lead.

The first voice I recognize is Lucent’s. She sounds frustrated. “He’ll kill him before morning even comes—how can you believe a word he says?”

I pause for a second longer, collecting myself, and then I start hurrying toward the voices. Violetta follows behind me. They lead us into the university’s main temple, where the doors are bolted shut. Light streams in from the stained glass high above us. And there, in the center of the looming space, stand several figures I know all too well.

They pause at the sight of us too.

I take a deep breath. Then I step out of the shadows.

“Where have you been?”

Lucent asks the question first. I have no idea how to answer. Where do I even start? Enzo requested a small room in the hall of the university temple’s apartments for us, and now Violetta and I are holed up inside, resting on the tiny twin cots. Lucent stands at the doorway, questioning me with her arms crossed over her chest. Enzo sits in the lone chair in the corner of the room, while Gemma and Michel perch on the edge of one of the cots. Violetta stays close to me on the other cot, silent and still, trembling slightly. I’m glad she’s too afraid to speak.

I glance at Enzo, who leans forward in the chair and rests his chin on top of his hands. He watches me in silence. “Teren threatened to kill my sister,” I reply. “He was keeping her in the dungeons of the Inquisition Tower.”

Enzo narrows his eyes. “When did your path first cross with Teren?”

Weeks ago. I can’t bring myself to say it. “He threatened me during the Spring Moons, before he fought you.”

Michel furrows his brows. “Why didn’t you tell us?” he asks.

I hesitate. “I didn’t think you would help me,” I decide to say. And it’s the truth. “It was too risky to involve everyone so close to the Tournament date.”

Lucent sniffs and turns in the doorway so that I see her profile. She doesn’t go so far as to accuse me of betrayal, but I can sense it in every line of her body. She doesn’t trust me. Her respect for me has withered to make room for suspicion. I tell myself to stay calm. Even though Raffaele’s capture is a large part of why I’ve come back to the Daggers at all, in this moment I’m relieved he’s not here with the others.

He would probably sense the lies I’m weaving around myself.

My gaze wanders back to Enzo, who stays silent for a long time. He doesn’t speak for me, but he doesn’t speak against me either. Finally, he straightens in his chair and regards all of us.

“Teren is not going to keep his word,” he says. “Make no mistake. When we duel tomorrow, he will use it as a chance to kill not only me, but the rest of us. He is not going to release Raffaele. He knows we will all be in the crowds at the arena, and he wants it to be the last standoff. He wants an all-out battle tomorrow.”

Enzo is including me in the plans. I am still one of them.

“What exactly is the plan then, Reaper?” Lucent says. “The king is dead, and your sister has Teren under her thumb. The Inquisitors are rounding up every malfetto in sight. How do we take on Giulietta?”

“Giulietta will never show her face at the arena tomorrow,” Enzo replies. “She’ll be hiding somewhere, protected by her guards. Tomorrow morning, our remaining patrons will send their supporters to attack the arena. We’ll rescue Raffaele, and I will kill Teren.” His jaw tightens. “We are going to wage war.” He glances at me. “I need your help.”

When we kissed in the courtyard, I say to myself, surrounded by rain and lanterns, did you mean it? What do you really want with me?