The Girl Who Dared to Think (The Girl Who Dared #1)

I picked a path that would take me through the Lion’s Den—the biggest outdoor market, which stood just in front of Greenery 10, the farming floor that jutted out the sides of the Tower like dark wings. They always grew the best food. It was the de facto capital of all the greeneries, as the Head Farmer had always resided here.

I was picking my way through the stalls, when suddenly the hairs on my neck stood on end. The sensation that I was being watched loomed over me. I slowed to a stop, my heart pounding up into my throat. I realized I needed to look busy, and turned toward the stall closest to me, becoming very interested in apples, while furtively searching the crowds for the source of this horrible sensation.

The feeling started to fade as I looked around, finding no sign of anyone watching me. It lessened considerably as I scanned the market, and suddenly, I felt very silly.

You’re being paranoid, I told myself, turning away from the stall and heading back down the aisle. If Devon or Gerome knew, they would’ve come to question me already. Besides, even if they were watching, I hadn’t given them anything to be suspicious of. I mean, I had, but I hadn’t done anything bad recently, so...

I stopped in the middle of one of the narrow aisles between stalls and breathed deeply, trying to calm my fraying nerves. Truthfully, I was more concerned about the paranoia itself. I kept jumping at shadows, my heart hammering every time I saw a Knight heading toward me, and I barely slept anymore, thanks to the nightmares that seemed to find me. It was not a recipe for emotional stability.

“You okay?” a familiar voice asked, and I looked over to see Grey standing there in his battered green coveralls, his eyes glittering with humor.

I immediately looked around, my instincts screaming at me that something was wrong, and he took a step closer, concern radiating from him.

“Liana?”

“What are you doing here?” I asked, jerking my head around and meeting his eyes. “This greenery is right next to the Citadel! Do you think you should get this close, considering your recent brush with death?”

“Hey, whoa.” He raised his hands, as if to soothe a startled animal, and I bit back the urge to growl at him. He wasn’t sticking to the plan! Roark had promised me he’d be lying low for a month as well. “I swear, I didn’t know you were here. I was just grabbing some breakfast before I ran a few errands.”

“Yes, but around the Citadel?” I pointed out, still clinging to the same line of questioning. “I can’t get you out of that room again if you get caught. I can’t. They haven’t even taken me back down there since that day. I—”

“Liana, calm down,” he cut in, taking another step closer so that only inches separated us, and placing his hands on my shoulders. “It’s okay. I promise. This is accidental, and I’m fine.” He tilted his wrist toward me, revealing his blue, glowing nine, and I nodded, but I wasn’t any less tense. We were so close to the Citadel, and Knights came through here all the time. What if Gerome or Devon came through here—and, being bachelors, they would be through here—and saw us together? I shuddered to think of it.

Grey studied me, and then looked around. “You need a day off,” he said after a pause. “When’s your shift?”

“This afternoon,” I replied. “But we really shouldn’t be—”

“You need to talk,” he said firmly. “Maybe we shouldn’t have just left things like we did. I’ve been pretty paranoid as well, but at least I’ve had Roark as my sounding board. You’ve been all alone with it. What about your friend, the one who helped me?”

I lowered my gaze, a pang jabbing into my heart. “I’ve been avoiding her... and everyone else. I didn’t want to drag them down with me.”

Grey frowned, his brows furrowing, and then nodded as if he’d just made a decision that I wasn’t yet privy to. “Wait here for a minute,” he said, his warm eyes earnest. “I’ll be right back.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but he disappeared before I could even say anything, leaving me standing there sputtering. I looked around, wondering if anyone had seen us. It was only five thirty in the morning, but the aisles were already packed with people in an array of colors, using their ration cards to secure their breakfast for the day. Again, there was no reason for it, but it felt like I was being watched, and the longer I stood stock still, waiting for Grey, the worse it got.

When he finally arrived, I was a mess of nerves, and he noticed. He shifted the bag he was now carrying to his other hand, grabbed mine with his free one, and began guiding me down one of the aisles. I let him, thinking he would let go of my hand as soon as I started to follow. But to my surprise, he didn’t.

We quickly threaded our way out of the Lion’s Den and down one of the wide platforms that jutted out from the shell and over open space. As soon as we were free, he slowed. We looked at each other, smiled, and looked away, and I felt a blush forming on my cheeks.

I pushed it back, not letting the nervousness that seemed to form every time Grey was in proximity flood in, and focused on the matter at hand. “We really shouldn’t be seen together so soon,” I said. “We talked about this. We agreed. You were going to keep a low profile in Cogstown and play the good reformed boy.”

“Relax,” he replied, releasing my hand. “If anyone asks, they’ll probably attribute it to my life-altering near-death experience, and the need I might have to talk about it with someone who was there.”

“I’m pretty sure they won’t want to ask,” I said under my breath, but he smiled, and I realized he had heard me.

“Yeah, probably not. I’m surprised they even let me leave. Why aren’t they afraid I’ll say something?”

“They probably want you to,” I replied bitterly. “It’s Scipio’s will that you survived, and the Knights’ will that you go forth and spread your message of enlightenment, so that others may learn what it is to truly serve.”

Grey gave me a crooked smile and reached into his bag to pull out a white blob that I immediately recognized as bao: a steamed bun stuffed with a rich filling.

“It’s curry,” he warned as I took it from his hand, and I gave him a bored look before taking a big bite. Immediately the taste of spicy potatoes and peas caressed my taste buds in an exquisite combination of flavors.

I chewed and swallowed, barely registering the spice, and looked over at him. “So, you never answered my question. Why are you out of Cogstown?”

“Roark is crap about getting us food,” he replied. “He barely knows what time it is. Anyway, we ran out last night. I had half a head of lettuce left for dinner tonight, and it won’t last. Believe me, I’m not much of a morning person, but lately...”

He trailed off and looked away, and I recognized the look—it was one that had settled upon my own features lately—slightly glazed and weary. The look of a person not getting enough sleep.

“Same here,” I told him, picking at the edges of the bao. “Keep having nightmares... Waking up thinking the Champion is just outside my room, about to press the button and kill me.”

Grey’s lips quirked up, but his eyes were sad. “This is my fault. If I hadn’t—”

“Given me your pills?”