“I think we need to look in the city,” I say, and Cai nods, calling Isaiah and Austin over to us. Cai holds my hand and we walk up the street to the buildings. I close my eyes as we pass the square, seeing a gallows out of the corner of my eye. Isaiah stops. 

“Caden, there are…” Cai looks where Isaiah is pointing, and claps a hand over his mouth. An Iron, his hair cut so short he looks bald, yells at other rebels, leading lines of cuffed Platinums up the stairs to the gallows. 

“We have to help them,” Cai starts, but Isaiah stops him. Austin just stares, his eyes wide and his face green. “They’re going to be killed!” 

“You need to think about your own life,” Isaiah says. “I don’t like this any more than you, but you’re a high-born on the mainland, and here. They’ll kill you as soon as they see you.” Cai bites his lip and puts his arm around me, nodding. I refuse to look at the bodies, my stomach churning. 

“Isn’t the chaos beautiful? I love anarchy.” The voice says, coming back. I ignore it, and walk towards the Gold neighborhood, noticing Cai’s hands have gone cold. I see my house still has graffiti on it, but is still intact. I drop Cai’s hand and run up the driveway at breakneck speed, tears in my eyes. I bang on the door, a thousand possibilities in my mind of what could have happened to my family. 

“OLIVE!” Casey screams, running into my arms and nearly knocking me over. Her hair is gray again, by her own choice, I suppose, with tinges of blue at the ends. It looks good. “There’s been so much happening, and the power keeps going out, and they turned off the phones!” She squeezes me tightly, sobbing. “They’re letting us live, but they’re making us watch the executions.” I squeeze her back just as firm, never to let go. 

“It’s okay. I’m here now,” I say, kissing her cheek and wiping her tears away with my sleeve. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” 

“Where did you get that armor?” She asks with a sniffle, stepping back. 

“Long story, but I’m kind of a fugitive from the government,” I answer. “I’ll tell you more later.” Casey’s jaw drops. 

“So you’ve had an eventful week too, huh?” She asks with a nervous smile. I nod and hug her again. Cai walks up behind me. Casey glances between us, and smiles. “Are you guys in love?” She asks with a smirk. I mess up her hair, and grin. 

“And just like that you’re the most annoying person on the planet again,” I mutter. Cai holds my hand, smiling at us. “Where are Mom and Dad?” I ask Casey, who’s framing our faces with a heart made from her hands. 

“Mom’s having tea in her bedroom, insisting everything’s all right. I haven’t seen her since she went upstairs last night. Dad’s reading, but he hasn’t turned the page in six hours, so he’s obviously stressed.” 

Isaiah and Austin also join us in the entrance hall, and Casey, more mature than ever, arranges for bedrooms to be prepared for them and Cai. 

I hear giggling, and singing, and walk into the living room, smiling at Jackson’s children, who dance around in a circle, with the blissful ignorance of childhood. Jackson sits in a chair, watching them, with dark circles around his eyes showing he hasn’t slept in a while. He smiles a little when he sees us, and hugs Cai. 

“How are you guys home?” Jackson asks. “Were you eliminated?” 

“I guess you could call it that,” Cai says through gritted teeth, then starts telling Jackson the whole story. He listens with wide eyes. I walk over to Audra and Adam, who tug at my hands as I enter their fairy circle of childhood. 

“Can you play with us?” Adam asks, his thick black curls bouncing. 

“Sure. What are we playing?” I ask, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Audra giggles. 

“We’re playing castle,” She says. “You get to be the princess. You’re pretty,” She says, pulling on my hair. 

“Well, thank you,” I say, rolling my eyes at Cai’s wink after Audra’s comment. “Are you the queen?” I ask. 

“Obviously,” She says, in the most sassy voice imaginable. I laugh and lie down on the ground, closing my eyes. “What are you doing?” She asks, putting her hands on her hips. 

“I’m Sleeping Beauty, and I’m going to sleep for a hundred years,” I say, yawning and stretching my arms. Audra groans, and walks away. I keep my eyes closed. 

“Cai!” I hear her yell. “You gotta come kiss her awake! You’re the prince!” I blush and try not to smile in my ‘sleep’. 

“Okay, Queen Audra,” He says, and comes closer, bending down next to me. I feel his lips on mine, and open my eyes, staring up at him. He smirks. 

“Go away. Five more minutes,” I say. He chuckles and scoops me up in his arms. 

“Sorry, but as the Prince Charming, it’s my job to carry you away to my castle so we can live happily ever after,” He says, standing up. I put my arms around his shoulders, and lean against his chest, sighing. 

“You’re ridiculous,” I mutter, my eyes closed. 

“Get married!” Adam cheers, jumping around. I blush. 

“No, I’m afraid he will need my blessing before they can do that,” Dad says, rolling his wheelchair into the room. I leap out of Cai’s arms and run to him, tears in my eyes. “Hey, sweetpea,” He whispers, his arm around me. “What happened? Did they kick you out for being the best one there?” I laugh quietly, as I pull out of the hug, sighing. 

“I’ll tell you later, okay?” I ask, standing up straight again. Dad smiles and nods. Casey runs into the room, her hair wild. Dad waves at her awkwardly, and she waves back. “Mom wants to talk to you,” She informs me. 

“Why can’t she come down here?” I ask. Casey shrugs and gestures to the stairs. I wave to Cai, and walk slowly up the stairs to Mom’s bedroom. She sits with the lights on, and the TV at full volume, her back to me. 

“I heard you returned,” She says. “Eliminated?”

“No, I’m actually a national fugitive,” I say, putting my hands in my pockets. She doesn’t have any reaction to this, so I go and turn off the TV. “You’re using too much electricity.” 

“Olive!” She yells, standing up. “That’s my one lifeline to real life!” 

“Mom, real life is downstairs with your husband and daughter. They haven’t heard from you for hours.” Mom pouts and folds her arms. 

“They don’t care about me down there,” She says dejectedly. 

“Yes, they do.” 

“You all treat me like I’m stupid.” 

“Well, if you came down, instead of indulging yourself up here, they wouldn’t think that,” I say, folding my arms. Mom looks away. I bend down until we are at eye level. “I love you, Mom, but you need to help them. Dad’s shut himself away, and Casey is terrified, and she has nobody to turn to.” I straighten up, as she doesn’t answer. “I’m going to go get some rest.” I say, walking out of the room. 

My bedroom is cold and unused. I walk over to my closet, and take the armor off, hanging it next to my dresses. I might want to wear that later. I think, smiling at it. The voice in my head has gone away. 

“Where is the rebellion based?” I ask, as I poke the rations the rebels gave us in return for the food they stole from our kitchen a few days ago. Jackson looks up from his plate. 

“Town hall. The leaders are based in my old office,” He answers, obviously malnourished from the rations. I nod. 

“You’re not thinking of going there, are you, Olive?” Casey asks. 

“I need to find Ember,” I say, scooping the last of my cold scrambled eggs into my mouth with a plastic fork. 

“And Flint,” Mom reminds me. 

“And Flint,” I mutter, then stand up. Cai stands up too. “Are you coming?” I question. 

“Can I?” He asks, putting on his coat. 

“I guess,” I reply, as I zip up my jacket. Cai turns to Isaiah and Austin. “Do you two want to come? It doesn’t hurt to have extra protection.” Isaiah shrugs. 

“I don’t think they’d like it if you brought two government soldiers into their base,” Austin says quietly, poking his rations. 

“Then don’t wear your uniforms,” Cai says. Once we’re all ready, the four of us walk out onto the lawn, ignoring the mess in the square as we walk up the steps to the town hall building. An armed guard points his gun at us. 

“Name and purpose?” They ask, turning the gun at me. I put my hands up in surrender. 

“Olive Ferrum. I need to talk to whoever is in charge here.” He turns to my Cai and the other two. “They’re with me.” 

“Check them for weapons,” The guard says to another guard, and we all empty our pockets as they command, then follow them into the building. 

The floor stones are cracked in places, and I see that the only stones left untouched were the ones that represent Iron. This was intentional. 

Graffitied on a wall are the words “lowest of the low.” But it’s proud somehow. Not an insult, but a call to action. We are shoved into the elevator, and a guard accompanies us to the top. Cai holds my hand as we walk out onto the carpet, torn and fraying. 

Jackson’s old office is at the end of the hall, the plaque ripped off the door. The nails that holding the plaque are still stuck deep in the mahogany. The door is opened for us, and we enter. 

The office is different. The array of potted plants are gone, the bookshelves are empty, and the couches, carpet, and table are missing, showing the wooden floor, making even mahogany look drab. The desk is the only thing that stayed, but is dusty. 

About six Irons in military uniforms stand, talking. I glance at the guns on their belts, and stand closer to Cai, holding my breath. 

“Olive,” Flint says to me with a blank look. What the heck? He’s here? 

“Flint,” I growl back, my face emotionless as well. “How is your mom handling what you’ve turned into?” He doesn’t answer and looks down at his boots. Cai squeezes my hand. I clear my throat. The men turn to face me. Crap, what was I going to say? 

“Olive, just repeat after me.” The voice in my head says. He starts talking, and I repeat what he says. 

“This violence is only going to make things worse here,” I say, listening to the voice. “You are making the island worse than it was before you rebelled. This anarchy will not last.” 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” The obvious leader of the group asks, raising their eyebrow. Another officer pipes up. 

“She’s that girl they sent to the mainland to compete,” They say quietly. “The Gold girl who used to be Iron?” 

“Oh, yes,” He says, walking towards me. He glances at Cai. “And the Light boy with her.” He taps his foot. Cai rubs my hand with his thumb. “Did you see the news? They’re both criminals now. Therefore, useless to us.”