Venus City 1 by Tabitha Vale Page A

haze.”
    “You're bringing war to our city?” She cried in alarm.
    “No, no, no,” he hastened to amend. “We're here to warn you.”
    “Why did you have to sneak in to do that?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “Your government won't listen to a word of what we have to say,” he explained. “They insist they can remain uninvolved forever.”
    “So, if I'm to believe all this war mongering, why are you guys hiding underground? Why sneak around? Why enslave me?” She asked, her voice nearly shrill.
    “How well do you think your precious Court would react to intruders?” He asked spitefully. “They would kill us on spot, most likely. No...” he sighed. “We have to make you guys see it on your own. If the citizens can realize it, your government will have no choice but to act.”
    “And what kind of action do you expect us to take?” She asked snidely. “We definitely won't be jumping up to join the war.” At least she hoped not. It sounded dreadful.
    “I'm not the leader of this operation,” he said with a surprising amount of disdain, “So I don't know every detail. I just know that we have to warn you lot before it's too late. The other countries, the strongest ones, they're plotting against you now.”
    Braya swallowed hard. An image of grotesque men with sharp teeth, red eyes, and burly muscles surrounding her city rose to mind. She shuddered. “Plotting what ?” Braya hated that the fear carried through her voice.
    Asher didn't seem to notice. “Like I said, I'm not the leader. I know very little of what is going on. I've been assigned to do my part and I'm not to question it.”
    She was suddenly aware of how close she was standing to him, and she felt an irrational urge to grab him.
    “What does this have to do with me, though?”
    “We're using Venus boosters for de-hazing. Since we're not born of this city, though, we can't use them. We need a true-born Venusian to help us,” he uttered, his voice hanging between a whisper and a sigh. She could smell him again—flowers and soil, and this time something additional. Something sweet.
    Had he eaten when she was asleep? Her stomach grumbled in response to the thought of food.
    He chuckled, and his breath swooshed over her face. “Don't worry, my appearance is quite appetizing, is it not?” And just like that, the weight of their conversation was lifted and he was smirking down at her.
    “I'd say not,” she said with a huff. She maneuvered around him and posed herself at the door. “Show me the way out, now.”
    Asher explained the way as they went. Braya tried to remember—so that when she got out of there she would know how to direct the Court to their hide-out—but soon lost track after what seemed like the thirtieth corner they turned. It didn't matter what he said. She wasn't convinced. How come she'd lived her whole life without hearing a whisper of war? It wasn't only that, though. She'd grown up to believe there wasn't anything beyond Venus City—that the rest of the world had killed each other in the Great War. So why should she doubt all of her beliefs after having a conversation with a foreigner? It wasn't like he was an ambassador coming to bring a pleasant message, either. He was a combat fighter. An intruder. A kidnapper and mind controller. A man. No, there was definitely no reason to take him seriously. Still, the very existence of him and his gang made it impossible for her to shut him out completely—after all, if there were still foreigners outside Venus City, wasn't it possible that there was still war?
    Asher was carrying the lantern in his left hand, and the shadows that swerved across the dark hall they were currently walking made his face look fearsome. “You've been quiet this whole time,” he observed. He stopped walking, and turned to face her. “What are you thinking?”
    She shrugged. “Just about how I don't believe you at all.”
    He made a face. “Are you kidding me? Ah...” he paused, considering