Souls Below

Chapter Sixteen

The city hummed quietly as we made our way back to my window, the gentle thump thump beneath my feet always reassuring. I paused before heading in, eyes locking with Krane's, they seemed to hold a question I didn't understand. His eyes flickered to my necklace that had slipped from my shirt, a small smile spreading over his face as he gently grabbed the stone.

He held it a moment, neither of us moving, the air itself seeming to hold it's breath in case the world shattered around us. Part of me wanted to moved closer, but another part told me it would be a bad idea. I felt my breath hitch as Krane leaned in and planted a small kiss on top of my head, lingering a moment longer than he had in the past.

My heart crashed against my ribs while my body remained frozen. He drew back, bidding goodnight and disappeared over the rooftops, almost melting into the haze with his silent footsteps.

I stayed were I was a moment longer, trying to calm my racing heart, while also trying to understand Krane's behavior. After a moment I crawled back inside, stripping a few layers before snuggling back under my blankets, a sense of giddiness sweeping over me. Distracted by Krane's proximity I failed to notice the blue eyes watching from the street below.

~*~

I trudged my way through the streets of the Lower city, the air cold in the early morning causing my breath to come out in little clouds of steam. The cleaner robots clunked around as they cleaned the roads as best they could. Passing one of the alleyways that branched off I saw one of the robots in pieces on the ground, parts stripped and broken after finally malfunctioning - the scrappers had spared no second taking what they thought we be valuable. I kept walking, sights like that becoming more frequent as the city kept falling further into disarray.

I wanted to get as close to the front of the ration line as I could. Despite my late night I still managed to wake early, but as I rounded the last corner surprise rippled through me; there stood old woman Merla again, her thin and frail body trembling in the cold morning air.

I eyed the guard that was nearby, his hands on his weapon while he surveyed the area as more people started to emerge. I pulled the hood of my jumper up further around my face, wanting to remain as invisible as possible. I stood behind Old Woman Merla, practically hearing her bones rattle. How was she still alive? And manage to get here first?

As if sensing my eyes old woman Merla turned to stare at me, her eyes matching her gray hair and almost gray skin, those broken glasses sliding down her nose. I gave a small smile, her scowl the same as ever

"Pretty little things like you don't stay pretty forever" she croaked out "One day they will discard you like yesterdays trash" she broke into a coughing fit, her frail body shuddering "coming from experience" she wheezed after a while. I regarded the women before me as she turned to face the front again. I knew there were many rumors that said she had once been an Upper, or had tried to get above and failed, Krane said she had been married off to a rich Upper, and the only way to get out was to flee to the Lower City.

"Heard about the Upper?" I slipped in quietly. She turned back abruptly, gray eyes narrowing but I kept my face neutral "I heard he was killed" she let out a scoff

"Not likely. Uppers are well resourced. Guards probably helped get him out" she let out another shaking cough "half the guards do as they're told, the others live as if they are gods. The quarantine zones are a testament to that" that peaked my interest

"Like the restricted sector?" she nodded absently "what happened?" if anyone knew more than Jerard or Strem, it would be old woman Merla, she had been here just as long, if not longer. She turned around fully then, her eyes seeming to sparkle as she looked me up and down

"Curious little one, aren't you?" I pulled my hood around my face and glanced down "not many youngin's wanting to know about places they aren't allowed" I glanced at the guard off to the left, his face bored and eyes glazed over

"I lost a sister to the sickness, and my...pa, never talks about her" her eyes seemed to soften then

"We lost many souls to that abomination" I frowned "if the Uppers weren't so greedy in wanting what is beyond their reach, our city would still be flourishing today" I paused as I processed her words

"Wha...what do you mean? The Uppers did that?" Merla started coughing again, causing the guard to glance in our direction - I quickly averted my eyes and stared at the pavement

"You don't think it strange that an entire district, one that provided food was sealed within a day due to an sickness outbreak? If a sickness were to start anywhere, would it not be the medic wards where the sick and found in abundance?" my mind was reeling as that information slowly started to sink in. Many believed Merla was crazy, her rantings nothing more than paranoia, but for someone crazy those questions sounded like the most sane thing abut the restricted sector yet

"why would they poison our food?" the grin that spread over her face was creepy in a way I had never experienced.

"Not poisen my dear. Experimentation requires trial and error. What are the two quickest ways to find out if something succeeded...or failed?" I felt like the wind had been knocked from my lungs

"Water and food" the cackle that left her mouth grated on my ears "but why?" I whispered

"When I get above I'll ask for you, yeah?" she broke into a fit of laughter, turning to face the front as the gate for rations began to open. I glanced behind, only noticing then how much time had passed while I had been speaking with the Old woman. I waited until my turn for rations came, quickly stuffing it all in my backpack and heading home, eager to talk to Calian about what I just heard.

~*~

I pushed open the door to the office, urgency removing all reason I didn't hear the multiple voices inside until five sets of eyes fell on my as the door bounced off the wall. Geaves glared from his spot near the window, his dark eyes always so daunting - I still didn't know what I did to the man. Jerard's eyes were hard as he stared at me, mouth a thin line

"Oh...ahh, sorry Jerard I didn't reali-"

"leave" Geaves growled.

"Geaves, enough" Jerard silenced the large man "Mira, we are in a meeting, please head upstairs" I looked between all five of them, stomach churning, realizing one of the men was Zinnivia's dad. I quickly backed from the room, heart pounding as I closed the door. Damn I needed to get my head straight, last time I went in charging I was running for my life.

I headed upstairs, head swirling with information while also wondering where Jerard stashed Calian. Dumping my backpack near the kitchen I headed towards my room, not paying attention so when the door to the bathroom swung open and Calian stepped out, chest bare, my momentum carried me right into him.

In a shuffle of feet and limbs we half tumbled into the hallway, Calian crouched over me with one hand on the wall to steady himself and the other behind my back, face inches from mine. My heart practically stopped, his eyes so bright they looked like they were glowing as his hair stuck to his forehead. Neither of us moved, chests rising and falling rapidly, my stomach flipping as my eyes flicked to Calian's lips outside my control. I felt his fingers tense on my back, face relaxing as he leaned in slightly.

I heard the door to the office bang open, Calian practically jumping from his skin as he stood up, leaving me stunned on the floor. He glanced between the front door and where I lay in the hall before letting out a sigh, gripping my hand and helping me up. I stumbled with the unnecessary force, my mind a whirlwind as I tried to decipher his sudden mood shift.

Calian gripped my arm to steady me, my eyes zeroing in on his bare - and very well toned - torso. He let out another sigh while looking at the front door, snapping me from my moment, my face blushing

"Jerard instructed me to stay hidden, but there was only so long I could stay in the bathroom" he glanced down at me, the look on his face strange. He turned and strode into the kitchen, it was then I spied the strange scar sitting in the middle of his back, perfectly round

"What's that?" the curious question slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself. Calian half turned back, grabbing a shirt that was slung over the chair at the able as he did. I didn't think he was going to reply as he gathered the shirt to pull on

"It's called a halo" he replied tightly "When I was little I became extremely ill, my parent's thought I would die. There was one man who had developed a type of cure and brought me to him" Calian tugged his shirt over his head and down his torso, hiding the scar - he turned to face me, arms crossed over his chest "it was the first time I visited this city. The scientist had developed a device that held an advanced supply of nanobots, and once they had completed their programming - which was fixing what was wrong with me - they became inactive" I fiddled with my fingers, picking at the bits of skin around my nails

"What's a nanobot?" Calian let out a huff, his shift in mood confusing - It felt like my questions were an irritation

"They are robots, like the cleaning one you have, only so small you cannot see them without a magnifying device" my brain couldn't comprehend a robot being that small, but then again the Uppers had technology that far superseded ours down here

"I found out something today at ration pickup. About the sickness and restricted sector" he regarded me a moment

"Wouldn't you prefer to tell your boyfriend?" I blinked a few times, jerking back at his harsh words "I wager he would love to exult that kind of information over me, considering I'm the ignorant, untrustworthy Upper" as I tried to think of a response, still perplexed by his attitude shift, it suddenly dawned on me - Calian was jealous. I felt my heart react to that revelation, but was unsure on what it meant

"Krane?" Calian rolled his eyes

"Yes, the Lower that would love to throw me to the wolves along with the rest of this city" I frowned at the word he used, similar to Jerard's, however Calian mistook my reaction "aside from you, and Jerard, I mean" he sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration "Your boyfriend would have my head on a spike if it were his decision" a laugh slipped from my mouth before I could stop myself

"Krane isn't my boyfriend Calian" his eyes whipped up to lock with mine "He's my best friend. Well, he's my only friend, but he cares about me as much as I care about him. I would be very...alone, if it wasn't for him" I explained, biting my lip as my mind started to wonder

Would Krane even consider being my boyfriend? He looked after me, like a big brother, he wouldn't see my like that, would he? Is that what this feeling is when I'm near him? I picked harder at the skin around my nails, not registering the pain as I pulled pieces off, exposing the raw pink skin beneath. My eyes that had been lost to my thoughts snapped back as Calian gently grabbed my hands in his, jolting my mind back to the moment. I looked down at our hands, my stomach fluttering at the touch

"I'm sorry. I was rude when speaking before, it is not my place to assume who you are with" he drew in a shuddering breath "this place has changed my view on things" he slipped a finger under my chin, bringing my eyes up to his. My heart practically stopped, breath catching and body tingling where his skin touched mine "You changed my view, and made me question why I was here" his finger dropped, hand clasping back around mine

"And why are you here?" I managed to breath out

"Theia guided me in many ways when she was alive, but I feel as if she is guiding me even now. I feel as if she guided me to you, that day in the markets, and in that street where you saved my life" he paused as he looked away, eyes glassy as he held back tears "I know to my core, she would have wanted me to help you, and this City. She led me to you, because you resemble her so much in spirit." he drew in a deep breath "I am going to help you save this city. No matter the consequences" he declared