“Ah. Clearly it’s the best way to show off flowers.” I tugged my coat sleeves over my arms, then checked my pockets for the important things. SED, knife, water bottle, temple key, and notebook. Not that I would have time to write in my notebook in the temple—or I’d have too much time—but I didn’t like going out without it.
The awkward moment passed, and Sam kissed my cheek before we headed downstairs and out the door.
My SED chirped with a message from Sarit, and I stifled a laugh as we took to the dark streets of Heart. “Sarit just said to have fun and to make sure you massage my shoulders. I wish we really were just sneaking out for a few days of romance. It sounds like a lot more fun.”
“I think so, too.” Sam walked close to me, cutting his steps short so I didn’t have to run to keep up.
With a sigh, I put the SED back in my pocket and took my flashlight out instead. The moon shone brightly, but it wasn’t quite enough for someone who hadn’t been walking around Heart for five thousand years.
As we came to the road, I caught sight of the temple rising above the city, and the white glow of shifting patterns. It was almost hypnotic.
“What’s it like in there?” Sam asked. I’d warned him several times already, about the everywhere-light and the unsound, but that was knowledge he kept losing. The forgetting magic had cracked, not shattered.
I told him again as we walked to the market field, and his face grew pale and drawn, lined with fear. “You don’t have to go.” I spoke gently, and he really didn’t need to go, but I wanted him to. I didn’t want to go by myself. The time I’d been in there had been terrifying. Having Sam with me would make it easier.
“I’m going,” he said, and in the temple light, I caught his determination, and that strength he got from loving me. It made him brave.
Answers beckoned from across the market field. I couldn’t help but imagine everyone all across Range looking up one night to see a strange, beautiful light, five thousand years ago. Of course they’d been drawn to the city. Sam had said they’d lived in tribes for a while, fighting over Heart before they realized it could easily house everyone. Maybe they’d been fighting over the light, too, if it brought them comfort.
My stomach turned. I couldn’t believe I was going in again. Willingly.
For the newsouls, for answers, I would do anything.
I stashed my flashlight away and took a quick drink of water before heading across the market field. There was no one out this late, so the way was clear as we approached.
There was a crevicelike place where the Councilhouse and temple huddled together; Sam had told me earlier that in a few of the back rooms, there were spots on the walls that glowed at night, though none of them were big enough to use the key to create a door. It would have to be done outside.
“Ready?” I pulled out the key and squeezed into the hidden place. It was just big enough for elbow room—for me. Sam stood a little outside.
“Yeah.” He took a deep breath, as though preparing himself, but tensed instead and looked over his shoulder. He swore quietly. “It’s Stef.”
“Sam!” Stef’s voice carried across the market field. “What are you doing?”
Sam swore again. “What will happen if we just go in with her looking? Will she forget?”
“I don’t know.” I really didn’t, but being pinned between these two buildings made me itch. “Go see what she wants.”
He nodded. “I’ll hurry.” Then he trotted toward Stef, who was halfway to the temple, and halfway to spotting me clutching the key and ready to make a door.
I held still while they greeted each other.
“Going somewhere?” Stef motioned to the backpack.
“Ana and I are taking a short trip out of Heart. Didn’t you get my message?”
“Yes, but you’re here in the middle of Heart. In the middle of the night.” She put her hands on her hips.
“So are you.”
I swallowed a groan. This wasn’t going to end well.
“I,” Stef said, “am going home after working on Orrin’s data console, since he insists he needs one at his house, too. I have been working on it for the last seven hours, because he decided he wants to track seismic activity in Range.” Her pause was sharp, daring. “Where’s Ana?”
“She’s waiting on me. So we can go.” Sam shifted his weight and didn’t glance back at me, but his shoulders twisted like he wanted to.
“At your house? At a guard station? We can walk together.” She hooked her arm with his. “Come on.”
“No, it’s fine.” Sam pulled away, and it seemed unlikely anyone had ever looked more suspicious.
The buildings pulsed around me, making my skin prickle. Being this close to the temple made the faint taste of acid crawl up the back of my throat.