Sanctum (Guards of the Shadowlands Book 1) by Sarah Fine

Author:Sarah Fine [Fine, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Published: 2012-10-15T23:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

WE WOULD REACH THE center of the city by midday, or so Malachi informed me. I couldn’t tell what time it was. As always, it was dark, just block after block of mismatched buildings and sorrowful faces.

Guards patrolled in pairs, their glowing eyes sweeping the crowds, searching for unusual behavior. Whenever we passed them, they snapped to attention and waited for Malachi to acknowledge them. They all looked the same to me, but he knew each of their names. He would nod or give a few instructions before sending them on their way. One of them leered at me and said to Malachi, “Finally taking one downtown, Captain?”

The expression on Malachi’s face made the Guard step back and jerk to attention again. I glanced at Ana for clues, but she was staring at the Guard with the same violent intensity.

When I asked why we couldn’t have brought a few Guards with us, Ana answered. “Because this isn’t an official mission. Right, Captain?”

Malachi ignored her and kept walking.

I tried to kill both time and the tension by asking all the questions that had built up in my brain over the last few days. “So how come you guys don’t have phones and stuff?”

“They have not been given to us,” Malachi replied. “Guards are outfitted by Michael and supplied with essentials by Raphael. We have not been supplied with a telephone.”

I smiled at the thought of him trying to figure out a cell.

“But you said people can grow entire buildings here—so why can’t you grow one tiny little phone?” I considered giving it a try, just to see if I could do it.

“Guards don’t grow anything,” Ana said. “It would be considered a dereliction of duty. We have certain privileges, like being able to enter occupied apartments, but we also have rules.”

“But haven’t you ever been tempted to try?”

Malachi made a strained sound in his throat. “It’s an easy decision, if the choice is between a telephone and being released into the Countryside sooner.” He stopped and turned to me. “When it’s time for you to leave this city, I’d like you to be free to go.”

“Seriously? I’m not talking about a luxury pimp palace. I’m talking about a phone. Wouldn’t it make life easier?”

Ana bumped my shoulder with hers. “If you think anything here is supposed to be easy, girl, maybe you aren’t ready to leave after all.”

“That’s enough, Ana,” Malachi said as he pivoted on his heel and resumed the hike. “And Lela, a phone would be completely possible, if a resident of this city ever decided to communicate with another person. But even if they did, who would they call?”

I couldn’t really think of a response to that as we trudged past an endless stream of people, all with glazed eyes fixed on the ground. One lady sat on a curb surrounded by piles of shoes. As I watched, a slimy pair of stilettos grew over her previously bare feet. She took them off, added them to a pile, and bent over to stare at her feet again.

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