she wasn’t. The newbies were in the rooms around her, all in the same hallway. She might as well have been alone, for all the camaraderie shown her by the other kids. Not that she cared, but it did make her appreciate Anna a little more, and miss her.
Honor shivered. It was cold in the church and the coolness of the floor was seeping into the soles of her feet, chilling her more. She was to the open area where the metal benches were. She stayed near the wall, shifting her eyes in the almost dark. Honor turned right and hesitated by the second doorway that led to the basement. Her pulse ra ced and her heart was pounding as Honor moved through the open doorway, a hand to the cold wall as she descended. What are you doing? You’re going to be in so much trouble if you get caught. What if they kill you? Torture you? She didn’t let herself believe for one fleeting moment she was anything special to them, to Nealon. That impassiveness of his showed her how much he didn’t care about others. There wouldn’t even be a second thought given to her if he thought her expendable. Honor’s throat tightened. Still she walked.
Honor wondered with all the locked doors why the one area that probably should have the most locks on it did not. W as it arrogance on their part, or something else? Maybe they wanted a chance to kill any UDs who tried to escape. She looked behind her, hearing and seeing nothing. Honor turned her gaze to the middle of the room. Again there was nothing. Her eyes studied the dark corners. Were people there, watching her? Honor’s body trembled and she told herself to ignore it.
Honor remembered there were ten UDs, unless the number had grown or lessened since her earlier visit. She thought about the cameras watching her and paused. If they wanted to stop her, they could have at any moment. Unless they were gone, but again, she doubted it. She hadn’t exactly been told this part of the building was off limits. She’d just kind of known. Honor could play dumb if she had to. Why weren’t they stopping her? That bothered Honor more than anything.
She approached t he window to Christian’s room, although cell was a more appropriate word, even if there were no bars to keep him in. He was still a prisoner. So was Honor. All the UDs and UDKs were—prisoners of fate, prisoners of circumstance. It was darker in there than where she was. There was a soft glow of light in the open area, but not in the rooms. They were pitch black and eerie. Something in the room moved.
Honor frowned and walked closer. “Christian?” she whispered. She glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone would approach, caught a flash of silvery eyes from another room, and quickly turned away.
Two glowing orbs of silver were directed at her. Honor started and sucked in a sharp breath. They moved, came closer, and Honor could make out Christian’s tall form. His white clothes shone in the dark, a line of gray around him and blackness beyond that. She had to tilt her head back to look at his face. Honor drank in the sight of him, noting his hard features. There were lines around his mouth that gave a hint of the pain he’d endured. She wondered if he was still in pain.
“It’s Honor…from school?”
He didn’t acknowledge her, didn’t show any sign of knowing who she was. His eyes were intense, flashing like strange lightning bolts. She dragged her gaze away and swallowed, feeling hot and shaky. Her mind went blank. She couldn’t think of a single thing to say to him. Why had she come there? What had Honor thought would happen? She turned back. He hadn’t moved, continuing to stare down at her.
She frowned and backed away, something inside her dimming. “I just…wanted to make sure you were okay.” Why wasn’t he saying anything? Did a person’s personality completely change along with their body? Maybe he simply didn’t like her. But he’d never been impolite to her before, not in school, and not any other time she’d
Honor shivered. It was cold in the church and the coolness of the floor was seeping into the soles of her feet, chilling her more. She was to the open area where the metal benches were. She stayed near the wall, shifting her eyes in the almost dark. Honor turned right and hesitated by the second doorway that led to the basement. Her pulse ra ced and her heart was pounding as Honor moved through the open doorway, a hand to the cold wall as she descended. What are you doing? You’re going to be in so much trouble if you get caught. What if they kill you? Torture you? She didn’t let herself believe for one fleeting moment she was anything special to them, to Nealon. That impassiveness of his showed her how much he didn’t care about others. There wouldn’t even be a second thought given to her if he thought her expendable. Honor’s throat tightened. Still she walked.
Honor wondered with all the locked doors why the one area that probably should have the most locks on it did not. W as it arrogance on their part, or something else? Maybe they wanted a chance to kill any UDs who tried to escape. She looked behind her, hearing and seeing nothing. Honor turned her gaze to the middle of the room. Again there was nothing. Her eyes studied the dark corners. Were people there, watching her? Honor’s body trembled and she told herself to ignore it.
Honor remembered there were ten UDs, unless the number had grown or lessened since her earlier visit. She thought about the cameras watching her and paused. If they wanted to stop her, they could have at any moment. Unless they were gone, but again, she doubted it. She hadn’t exactly been told this part of the building was off limits. She’d just kind of known. Honor could play dumb if she had to. Why weren’t they stopping her? That bothered Honor more than anything.
She approached t he window to Christian’s room, although cell was a more appropriate word, even if there were no bars to keep him in. He was still a prisoner. So was Honor. All the UDs and UDKs were—prisoners of fate, prisoners of circumstance. It was darker in there than where she was. There was a soft glow of light in the open area, but not in the rooms. They were pitch black and eerie. Something in the room moved.
Honor frowned and walked closer. “Christian?” she whispered. She glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone would approach, caught a flash of silvery eyes from another room, and quickly turned away.
Two glowing orbs of silver were directed at her. Honor started and sucked in a sharp breath. They moved, came closer, and Honor could make out Christian’s tall form. His white clothes shone in the dark, a line of gray around him and blackness beyond that. She had to tilt her head back to look at his face. Honor drank in the sight of him, noting his hard features. There were lines around his mouth that gave a hint of the pain he’d endured. She wondered if he was still in pain.
“It’s Honor…from school?”
He didn’t acknowledge her, didn’t show any sign of knowing who she was. His eyes were intense, flashing like strange lightning bolts. She dragged her gaze away and swallowed, feeling hot and shaky. Her mind went blank. She couldn’t think of a single thing to say to him. Why had she come there? What had Honor thought would happen? She turned back. He hadn’t moved, continuing to stare down at her.
She frowned and backed away, something inside her dimming. “I just…wanted to make sure you were okay.” Why wasn’t he saying anything? Did a person’s personality completely change along with their body? Maybe he simply didn’t like her. But he’d never been impolite to her before, not in school, and not any other time she’d
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