“You’ve never had chocolate covered strawberries, I’m guessing?” Cai asks. I nod, and get myself another, grinning. He picks up a tiny cube of cheesecake and eats it slowly in multiple bites. How?? It’s not even an inch wide! I think, marveling at his good manners. 

“They’re delicious,” I say, eating a third strawberry. “I think I have an amazing idea,” I say, wiping chocolate off my face with a gold napkin. “I am going to eat my weight in strawberries until I don’t fit in this dress, and then I don’t have to wear it anymore.” Cai laughs. 

“What’s wrong with it?” He asks, looking me up and down.

“It’s too tight,” I reply. “Did you not see me gasping for air up there?” He smiles and looks down, his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet as he watches me. 

“Well, you look great,” He says. I roll my eyes, and try a little piece of pound cake in the chocolate dip. “I’m not kidding, Olive.” I laugh. 

“Well, you can thank my mom for this, then. I wanted to wear sweatpants and a t-shirt but she wouldn’t let me,” I say, smiling over at her. Cai laughs. I turn back to him. “I suppose boys get to wear comfortable clothes?” Cai gestures to his charcoal black suit and gold tie, immaculate.

“I could sleep in this getup if my mom would let me.” He says, smiling at me, as I dip a pretzel in the chocolate. 

“Where’s your mom? Is she here?” I ask. Cai nods and moves my head to look at a space near the wall, where Jackson talks with a tall woman with coal-black hair and a gray dress that makes her look twice as tall somehow. “She doesn’t smile as much as her brother, does she?” Cai laughs. 

“No, she does not,” He says. Some music starts. I recognize it from my dancing lesson. Cai looks over at me and raises an eyebrow, offering his hand to me. I shove a chocolate-covered peanut into my mouth and walk with him to the dance floor, rolling my eyes.

I feel a thousand eyes boring into my back, making it even harder to breathe than before. My breath hitches in my throat as we start to move. My dance partner watches me, and leans forward, whispering in my ear. 

“It’s okay. Just pretend you’re back in the piano room and it’s just us,” Cai advises. I nod. “You’ll have a million more people watching you on the mainland, so might as well start ignoring crowds now.” I nod again, and release a breath, my ribs aching from the dress. 

The chatter silences, and I just hear the old records playing, the sound of my heels on the floor. It’s just Cai, nobody else. My breathing starts to slow. 

I paste on a fake smile as we swirl across the floor, and I only trip over my own feet three times, but nobody notices, because of my long skirt and Cai’s master attempts to hide it whenever it happens. 

“That was fun,” I comment, grabbing a glass of lemonade and walking out into the courtyard with Cai. He looks up at the flowers growing on the vines around the gazebo, and I look down into my drink. “Is there gold in this?” I ask, pointing to the tiny metallic flecks floating in it. 

“It’s the edible kind,” He tells me, and I blink for a few seconds at him. 

“Edible gold?” I ask. He nods. “How much money do you guys have to waste?” I ask, sipping the lemonade. Thankfully, I taste nothing but lemonade. Cai laughs aloud, leaning on the gazebo pillar.

“It’s not real gold. It’s just sugar paper that’s painted gold with edible paints.” I almost drop my cup again. 

“Sugar paper?” I ask. Cai bursts out laughing. What is wrong with Gold cuisine? 

After several failed attempts to unzip my dress by myself, I call for Skylar, who smirks as she helps me with the dress. I pull on an oversized t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, not feeling like wearing finery to bed tonight. I lay down under the covers, my back stiff from the dress. I close my eyes, and quickly fall asleep. 

“Olive!” Someone whisper-shouts, tapping my shoulder. I rub my eyes and sit up. 

“Cai? What are you doing here?” I ask, trying to fix my hair. His face is worried. 

“There’s an angry mob outside your house,” He says. Now I’m fully awake. I tilt my head. 

“The other Golds found out that you used to be Iron, and they rallied everyone who would be offended by that.” I run to the window, and pull the drapes aside. I see a rock flying towards the window. “Get down!” Cai yells, pulling me down to the floor just before the rock shatters the glass. He shields me from the shower of falling diamonds, breathing heavily. “Let’s not go anywhere near the windows, okay?” He asks. I nod quickly, and he helps me up, pulling me towards the door and down a maze of hallways. 

“How do you know my house so well?” I ask, as he expertly leads me down flights of stairs, not getting lost like I am. 

“All houses in this neighborhood have the same floor plan. I’ve been to most of the other houses,” He explains, and stops running. I shy away from the window in this hallway, as Cai knocks on a wall. 

“What are you doing?” I ask, and the wall opens up to reveal a secret door. “Clever architects.” I say, running into the dark space. Cai follows me in, and fumbles on the wall for a light switch. The room lights up with sickening green light. It’s empty. “Is my family safe?” 

“They’re in another safe room.” He says, checking the shelves at the back wall, and pulling down a blanket, handing it to me. I wrap it around myself, and stop shivering. I sit in the middle of the floor, wary of the sunken wet spots in the floor that remind me of my own Iron house. 

Cai sighs and sits down next to me, nervously running his fingers through his hair. I hear more shattered glass from outside the door, and jump as something bangs against the door. Cai puts his arms around me, whispering words of assurance. 

“Should we try to get to your parents and sister, or do you want to stay here?” He asks, brushing my hair out of my face. I wipe tears from my eyes, and yelp as something hits the door again. 

“Maybe-maybe later,” I mumble, and Cai nods. He looks down at the scar on my leg. 

“Whoa,” He says, staring at it. It’s almost six inches long, made of white burned skin. “Work?” He asks, and I nod. “Okay, never go back there,” He says, wrapping the blanket closer around me. He’s wearing his glasses, and they’re falling slightly off of his nose. I reach up and straighten them, and he chuckles. “Are you going to need a bodyguard everywhere you go? Because you keep getting yourself in trouble.” 

“I thought that was your job,” I tell him. He laughs, and stands up, leaving me sitting on the floor as he walks to the shelves. 

“I’m just here to teach you geography and history,” Cai mutters, shaking his head with a smile. “How do you think they found out about you guys being Irons?” He asks, grabbing another blanket for me even though I’m already warm enough. I shrug. 

“Maybe my mom got a little too chatty at the party,” I say, scooting over, and leaning against the wall. Cai nods silently, moving to sit next to me. “What’s wrong with Irons?” 

“Everything, according to most higher-ups,” He says, sighing. “Not me, though.” I smile, and lean against his shoulder, exhausted. 

“Why didn’t you wear your glasses at the party?” I ask. 

“My mom doesn’t like me wearing them in front of people. I’m blind without them, though,” He mutters. “I’ve got contact lenses that I can wear when I go out of town tomorrow.” I nod. 

“You’re leaving tomorrow too?” I ask. He nods. “That’s fun. Where?” 

“The capital, like you,” Cai answers. 

“Wow, me too,” I say, laughing. “If you ever have time, you should come and visit me. If that’s allowed in the competition.” 

“It is,” He says, then stares at the floor. I yawn, stretching my arms, and accidentally hit Cai while doing so. “You should warn me next time you plan to assault me, Olive,” He teases, and I turn pink. “If you need sleep, you can use the extra blanket as a pillow.” I fold up the blanket, and curl up with it under my head. It smells like rust. Ah, that good old familiar smell. I can fall asleep easily with this. “Good night,” Cai says quietly. My eyes droop closed. 

I hear humming, and lift my head. I’m leaned on Cai’s chest, as he sits with his back to the wall. 

“Oh, you’re awake,” He says, taking his hand off of where it holds my waist. I’m sitting on his lap, my hair disheveled. I blush, and turn back to him. “You woke up sometime, and fell asleep on me,” He explains, as I quickly fix my hair. I nod. 

“What time is it?” I ask. Cai checks his watch, then his eyes widen. 

“I need to go home and finish packing. I’m supposed to be on my train in an hour,” He says, then lifts me up, and sets me on the floor next to him. “Oh. It’s eight.” I nod, and rub my eyes. “I’ll… see you in the capital.” He turns and opens the door, leaving the room. I get to my feet, blushing. Oh my gosh, I hope I see him a lot in the capital. I think. 

Half of the windows are shattered, but luckily that’s the only thing that seems really damaged. Mom finds me and orders me upstairs to get ready.

I wear a white shirt and black jeans, the clothes we’re supposed to wear to be introduced. Cai says it’s to humanize the contestants to the people with casual clothing. That’s dumb. I think, putting my hair up in a ponytail with a golden ribbon. I promise Casey I’ll write letters, and leave home. 

I ride with Jackson in a limousine, tapping my foot anxiously. “It’s going to be okay,” He tells me. I nod, and pull my knees up to my chest, looking out the window. 

“How long is the contest going to last?” I ask. 

“About a month,” He explains. My mouth drops open. 

“A month?” I’ve never been away from home that long. 

“You can back out, if you want,” He offers. “There are plenty of people who could take your place if you don’t think you can do it.” I shake my head. 

“No, I’m ready,” I mutter. Jackson nods. The limo passes the docks. “Aren’t we taking a boat?” I ask, pointing to the docks. Jackson shakes his head, smiling. 

“I always take the train.” He says. “It’s faster and safer.” 

“Train?” I ask, then look at where the limo stops. “Wow.” As soon as the door opens, I run out, and look around. A streamlined train sits on the rails, shining in the morning sun. I look around at the freight being loaded onto the back, metal products that need to be on the mainland.