“Your mother has asked for you,” Aleria announced, walking up to me. Her shoes thudded against the pavement in front of the apartment, the setting sun glaring down on the both of us. I looked away, leaning back on the porch swing I was sitting on. There was no way I was going to talk to my mother after the lecture she gave me earlier.

“If she wants to talk to me, she can come to me,” I grumbled.

Aleria gave me a look, “She’s your mother. You’ll do what she says.”

“Yeah, right,” I rolled my eyes, “Actually, I was planning on leaving for the night, anyway. So, you can tell her that.”

“Where?”

A pause, “Does it matter?”

“It most certainly does. Surely you’re not thinking about going to visit that boy in the Fields? He’s a bad influence on you.”

My fists clenched tightly. What did she mean by that? Cassian wasn’t a bad influence. In fact, he’s probably the reason I’ve stayed sane all these years.

“I’m not. Actually, I’m staying over at Lyra’s house.”

I was surprised how easily the lie rolled off my tongue. A tiny bit of guilt surged up in my chest, but I shoved it back down. I’d been lying to people since I was born. Once more wasn’t going to change anything.

“Hmm,” Aleria still seemed suspicious, obviously aware that my second language was lying, “I seriously doubt your mother would let you leave.”

“That’s why you’re not going to tell her.”

She raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Why in the world would you believe that?”

“Because…you’re my friend and want to help me?” I said hopefully.

Aleria’s face remained stone cold. “I will not tell your mother, Miss Barek. But don’t think I’m doing it because I’m your ‘friend’. Rather, because when you are gone, I won’t have to deal with your incoherent babbling.”

There was a tense moment of silence. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and turned away from Aleria. Part of me was a little hurt by her words. I guess I thought we were, maybe not friends, but at least we had some sort of a friendship. Obviously, I was wrong.

I forced myself not to look back as I stepped off the porch. The swing creaked softly behind me, swaying in the empty space I left. For a second, I wanted Aleria to call me back, to say something. Anything. But she didn’t.

Fine. That made it easier.

The pavement was warm beneath my feet, dress fluttering in the gentle breeze. The sun was even lower now, rapidly sinking by the second. As I walked, my mind couldn’t help but trail off with thoughts of Blue. I still hadn't found him after the commotion of the ceremony, and doubted that I ever would. All for what? A little speech that people would forget within days?

Turning back towards the road, I waited until a tram drove by and waved for it to stop. The driver obliged, slamming on the brakes before coming to an abrupt, screechy, halt. He opened the doors for me, and I gingerly stepped inside, aware of all the people staring (some of them looking so ragged a person could mistake them for prisoners who just got out of jail). The air was thick and had a horrible odor to it, like a room that had been closed for decades.

“Where to, Miss Barek?” The driver asked impatiently, picking at his teeth. He had a brutish accent that I couldn’t make out what it was.

“You know who I am?”

He shrugged. “Sure. After that speech, everybody knows who you are. Now, I repeat. Where to?”

Taking a deep breath, I announced, “Take me as close as you can to The Fields, please.”

“The Fields, eh? And what’s a princess like you doing around those parts?”

“None of your business. Just take me there.” I tossed the guy some money, which was plenty more than enough. He raised an eyebrow at the large amount. “That’s to make sure you don’t talk about this to anybody, yes?”

The driver nodded briefly, shoving the money hungrily in his pocket. Without another word, he put his foot on the gas peddle and started the vehicle again. Breathing a heavy sigh, I made my way to the back of the tram and sank down into a vacant seat, noting with distaste that the seats were heavily worn down and dirty. Apparently this was another thing that the Council didn’t care about.

A few of the passengers turned their heads to look at me, grumbling some (probably rude) things under their breath. Even as I tried not to pay attention, I couldn’t help but feel really out of place. Here I was, one of the richest girls in the dome without a care in the world. And there they were, some of them breaking their backs in the Fields, others just living aimlessly in the Middle Ring, all of them constantly getting the short end of the stick.

Was it fair?

No.

Could I change it?

Also, no.

I wanted to, but I just couldn’t. Even with all my money, all my power, all my status. I couldn’t change anything that really mattered.

***

The ride was relatively short, and as soon as the driver stopped in front of my destination, I practically ran for the exit. The cool, fresh air was a huge relief after the musty smell of the tram. But the darkness outside was eerie, almost as if it was screaming ‘run away now, before it's too late’.

Squaring my shoulders, I set down the slope towards the Fields themselves. The farther I went, the more muddy the ground became. The air was thick with who knows what, and the starlight was shielded by ominous fog. I shivered, heart beating loudly as I entered the seemingly empty marketplace.

Down the street I went, past the broken down market stalls and towards the residential area. Just as I reached the outskirts of the marketplace, a deep voice rang out from the darkness.

“Well. Look what the rats dragged in,” The male voice sneered.

I spun around, body tense. My eyes darted around the stalls, hoping to catch a glimpse of the owner of the voice. But all I saw was empty blackness.

Another voice spoke, this time female. “My, my. You’re right. Why, it’s Princess Yelena.” the person’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“I’m not—” I protested, but stopped myself. They didn’t need to see a girl who was trying to defend herself. They needed to see a girl that they needed to defend themselves from.

“You have no right to ambush me. There aren’t any laws that forbid me from being here.” I narrowed my eyes. My hand inched towards the dagger hidden in a belt behind my dress. I decided to bring it just this once. Going alone to The Fields at night never was that good of an idea. This just proved it.

“No. But there are no laws that say we can’t ambush you.” The girl laughed.

“Actually, I think there ar—”

“Whatever.” The boy stepped out of the shadows, staring intently at me. He was tall, with burgundy red hair and grey eyes. His hands were callused and bruised, skin dark from the many hours in the harsh sun. There was a second pause, and the girl joined him. She had dark brown hair (cut unevenly in little jagged marks) and brown eyes.

“Who are you?” I asked, standing my ground.

The boy shrugged. “Nobody that you or your other prestigious friends would care about. If you need names, I’m Ivor and this is Janet,” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Why are you here? This is our home, ours and the rest of the people down here. Just like we’re not accepted where you live, you aren’t accepted where we do. Or is it not the same?”

I opened my mouth to argue, but closed it just as fast. They were right. Why did I think I was different just because I was richer?

“He asked you a question.” Janet crossed her arms impatiently.

“I…I’m just passing through.” I whispered softly, feeling worse by the second. Suddenly, the filth of the place didn’t bother me.

My attitude about it did.

These people called this place their home, because it’s the only one we’ve allowed them. And what? Us in the Upper Circle call it a dump.

“Leave her alone, you two,” Another voice chimed in, breaking the awkward silence. Cassian emerged from the darkness, a determined look on his face. He barely glanced at Yelena as he continued, “It’s my fault she’s here.”

“Oh? And why would it be your fault?” Janet questioned.

“Because,” he answered. “I invited her.”

Ivor didn’t blink. “You? What business do you have with one of them?”

“Does it matter?” Cassian moved towards me, squeezing my arm with his hand. He had a vice-like grip as he pulled me away. I didn’t resist, but I turned and shot Ivor and Janet a glare.

Before we got far enough away, Ivor ran in front of us. His breath was hot on my face as he whispered to both of us, “Don’t cause any trouble. If you do, that’ll be it, understand? And I expect you to be gone by morning.”

Cassian nodded respectfully, squeezing my arm even tighter. I could almost sense the worry oozing off of him like the plague. “We mean no trouble.”

“They never do.”

And with that, Ivor turned and strode away. Cassian didn’t say another word as he pulled me along, eyes darted to every turn or corner like the enemy was lurking. Our footsteps echoed on the cobblestone path, breathing stilled and quiet. Everything else was silent, however. Like the world was holding its breath, waiting for someone to interrupt its slumber.

“Cassian,” I tried, turning my head to face him. He didn’t so much as glance at me. I tried again, voice slightly raised, “Cass, stop!”

He didn’t until I halted, planting my heels in the ground so that he couldn’t move me. He turned, eyes glinting. At first I thought he was mad, but then realized that wasn’t it.

He was scared.

“What?” Cassian said sharply.

I paused, thinking of the right words to say. Taking a deep breath, I asked, “How did you find me? Were you watching the whole time?”

“No,” he said darkly. “When you didn’t come on time, I got worried. So, I went to look for you. It’s a miracle I found you when I did. Those two would’ve killed you. I know it.”

Shaking my head, I answered. “I don’t think so. They were just scared…of me.”

Cassian’s expression softened. “Don’t take it personally. Most people in the Upper Circle have done nothing but hurt us, one way or another.”

A pause.

“Have I?”

My words were so soft, I wasn’t even sure if he could hear. But when Cassian looked away, I knew he did.

“Come on. We have to keep going,” he said, noticeably avoiding the question.

We continued in silence, but my mind was racing. Why hadn’t he answered? Had I really done something wrong? Something to…hurt them? It didn’t seem right. Since when had I bothered, or even talked to, the people of the Lower Circle (except for Cassian)?

Never!

Or…had I actually done something? Was I really just like everyone else?

I hoped not.

But hoping didn’t change a thing.

Cassian suddenly held out a hand, stopping me from going any further. Looking where he was, I stared at the small apartment building. It was made out of a mix of clay and stone bricks, and I noticed a bit of moss growing between a few of them. Cracked pieces of wood made up the roof, and some of the windows were broken, shards of glass dotted on the ground below. All of the lights were off in the building, except for one.

“We’ll go through the back door,” Cassian whispered, steering me towards the other side of the building.

The door creaked loudly as it opened, and we walked through with haste. We entered into a dark hallway, with rugged carpet on the floor, and cracking paint on the walls. To the right of us was a staircase, and Cassian started climbing it, motioning for me to follow.

Who knew there could be so many stairs?

Up and up we went, one endless stair after another. Eventually, I started counting every step I took. At around step two hundred and fifty, we finally made it to the highest floor of the building. Cassian stopped at the first door to the left, bringing out a small key from his leather coat. He fidgeted with it for a second, and a couple seconds later there was a tiny click and the door swung open.

“It’s…nice,” I said quietly as I stepped inside his home. It was one small room, with a tiny kitchen to the side, a table and chairs next to that, and a bed in the corner.

“You don’t have to lie,” Cassian grinned, nudging my shoulder. “But this,” he gestured around the room. “is all I have.”

“I know. And it’s great, Cass. Really.”

There was a stretch of silence. Cassian started fidgeting with his coat pocket, clearing his throat as he mumbled, “So…”

“So, why did you want me to come in the first place?” I finished for him, plopping down on a chair. Cassian did the same, still looking uncharacteristically nervous.

“I’m sorry,” He said quickly. “I know it was stupid, and dangerous. I just…I have to ask you something.”

“Okay,” I studied him with questioning eyes.

“We’ve known each other for a long time now. And, I, uh…well…” he fumbled over the words, staring at the floor. Whatever happened to the brave and funny person I used to know?

“Hey,” I said, forcing him to look at me. “Just say it.”

He looked into my eyes and took a breath. I barely even realized he had gone onto his knee and pulled out a small, black box from his pocket. “Yelena Barek, will you marry me?”

My heart caught in my throat as I stared at the open ring box. The ring inside was plain, just a simple bronze band, but I knew he had to have been saving up for that for at least a year.

Mind racing, I just kept staring. Marry him? Now? How could he ask me that? Did he know the scorn that would follow us?

I opened my mouth to decline, but stopped in my tracks. His face was so kind, as it always was, almost as if he was preparing to say, ‘it’s okay you don’t want to marry me. I know we’re too different.’

How could I let him say that? I couldn’t.

“Cass. I…” A smile tugged at my lips. “I—”

Suddenly, the door barged open with a slam. Cassian jumped, stance ready to fight off whoever was at the door. My gasp echoed throughout the room, but the figure didn’t seem to notice. He just started ranting, words running together as he paced.

“Cass! Listen, Mack isn’t home and I found something in the compost and its documents, the Domes are a lie! Cass listen I have the evidence, I found a manila folder with documents and report my mom was killed by the government…can you believe it? The outside is safe, maybe it wasn’t but three years ago it was almost safe so maybe it’s safe now or at least mostly safe Cassian!”

He finally looked up, realization dawning on his face. His cheeks darkened slightly and he looked out the window.

“Milo? I didn’t even hear half of what you said,” Cassian quickly hid the ring back in his pocket, obviously too distracted to understand what Milo had been saying.

“Uh,” His eyes landed on me, “That your rich girl lover?”

My mind flashed back to earlier, when I ran into him at the ceremony. It wasn’t a very pleasant experience.

I averted his gaze as I mumbled, “How do you know?”

“Oh, Cass talks about you a lot! He’s actually really in love with you,” The boy grinned deviously, his gaze flashing to Cassian.

“Yeah, well…” Cassian stole a glance at me, eyes silently asking if it was alright to tell him we were getting married. I shook my head slightly and Cassian’s face fell. It then dawned on me that I never actually told him my answer, and now he thought I didn’t want to be married.

“Well, anyway,” Cassian sighed. “Can you repeat what you said? Slower?”

With one more glance towards me, he began talking again. “Right, uhm. So, the Domes, right? Big plastic? Glass? I don’t know. They’re made of something, and they keep us safe from the outside. Basic history. Now, I found this manila folder during my shift at compost,” He patted his bag, of what looked to be made out of thin, grey canvas, “And basically, the outside is now safe. This folder contains a report on the tests, air is okay. The soil is okay too, and the water is either close to safety or fully safe. I’m not sure, the report is…old. Ish. And the Explorers, the government killed them! It’s right there on the report. ‘Executed.’”

I froze as the news fully registered in my brain. The government was lying to us? And after everything. My dedication, my service, my speech earlier! I was doing it for…liars? A wave of nausea hit me, and I sank down into my chair again.

Cassian’s eyes were locked on Milo, shock written all over his face. “How…” He swallowed and tried again. “How old is the report?”

Milo’s face paled, “It’s…it’s not that important, I mean the report is soon enough that I know that everything should be safe-”

“Milo, how old is the report?” Cassian repeated.

“Three years.”

“Oh…the incident,” He stole a look at me, and I tried to look fine. But I definitely was not.

“This can’t be right,” I whispered, glaring at Milo. “How do I know you’re not lying? It’s not like I can really trust you.”

His eyes narrowed, then widened, “Wait! You’re the girl I bumped into at the ceremony!”

“I thought you knew,” I said, at the same time Cass asked, “What about the ceremony?”

“Okay, listen. That’s not important right now. You can not tell anyone. We could get into trouble. Everyone knows of the massacres.”

“I won’t,” Cassian nodded.

“Me neither,” I promised.

“Right. So, what do we do? Do we…go public?”

“No,” I interjected quickly. “There’s no way we’re doing that. The government will be after us in a heartbeat. And the rest of the public won’t believe us without considerable evidence, obviously.”

Milo took out the folder from this bag and slammed it onto the ground, a few pages sliding out, “So, then what do we do?”

“I…” Shaking my head, I sighed. Then, an idea slowly surfaced on my mind, pieces clicking together like a puzzle that was just beginning to be solved.

“Wait. I have an idea.”