Their permanent dweller residence was set out much the same as the recruit side, but they had one window, and a few squishy-looking day beds. I paused at a small structure filled with games and books.
“Books?” I laughed. “For all your free time, I guess?”
Atti gave me a sympathetic smile. “Once you’re promoted to resident you’ll get one sun-cycle off per moon-cycle. We’re expected to spend that time learning of the gods, and the gifts of the sols, so that we may increase their chances of success.”
“Wouldn’t it just be easier for us to plot all of their deaths? Since they have to die to get to Topia. They’ll know their exact chances …” I trailed off as his face went a sickly white colour. “What?” I looked around, afraid that someone had busted me in their residence.
Atti shook his head in this manic back and forth motion. “Don’t even joke about that, Willa. The gods are always listening here in Blesswood, and the sols would take any threat against their person seriously. You never know when a dweller might be acting under the influence of a powerful sol. Sometimes they’re happy to act as spies and saboteurs—even if it will get them killed—because they think they’re serving a future god.”
I forced my face into sober lines. “No worries. I’ll keep all plans for mass execution to myself from now on.”
He swallowed hard, seeming unsure if I was kidding or not. That made two of us. With a shake of his head, he hurried off toward dorm 17, rushing inside and throwing things around to find me some clothes. I waited in the doorway with my arms out as he piled things into them. He was a lot taller than me, and really skinny, so Emmy was going to have to work her needle magic and fix a lot of these up. But at least I was going to attempt to look male.
“And finally this cap will work to cover all your hair. You have a lot of hair.”
Well, thank you. I was taking that as a compliment. Not very much hair seemed like an insult. My arms closed around the pile of dark clothing and I hugged it closer to my body.
“Run now, Willa,” he said, giving me a shove out of his door. “You have to be at breakfast shift in five clicks.”
Did they ever stop rushing? We barely ever used our timepieces in the village. Our schedule ran on shouts from Leader Graham’s advisors out into the centre, where our old statue and well were located. But here it was all bells this, and clicks that. The sun was a pain in my ass. It never stopped moving; always making me late.
I took off, clipped my elbow on the side of his door, and shot-putted all of the clothes and my own body across the room and into the wall of the dorm next to Atti’s. My head hit with a decent thud and my vision was a wash of colour and then darkness, all at the same time.
“Willa! Holy hell. You … can’t even walk? How in the gods did you get chosen for Blesswood?”
Rolling over with a groan, I ran my hand across my forehead. Pain sprang back at me, sending another burst of light and darkness through my mind.
“Long story,” I managed, releasing another groan. “I’m totally a secret genius … just shove me in the corner and throw a sheet over me.”
Atti, who was going to end up on the same shit-list as the Abcurse brothers if he didn’t stop chuckling, ignored my words and hauled me to my feet. “There are no sick days here, no matter the size of the lump on your head, so you’d better get moving.”
By the time I’d prodded the already-raised side of my head, Atti was back with all his clothes, and I was again stumbling out of the room.
“Remember, dining hall in … now four clicks.”
I compartmentalised his words, placing them away for when I could think around the splitting pain in my brain. My natural healing would kick in soon—my body was good with injury—but until that time, I was in half-dead mode.
I somehow found my way back to the hall that lead to the domed room, with double points for not falling again on my way, and then I was down the stairs and back in the dungeon.
“Holy crap, Will, you look like, well … crap.” Emmy was tugging on my foot. I was on my back, spread eagle across my bed. I’d made spread-eagling on the bed a priority, so I hadn’t even bothered to look at her after barging into the room.
“You weren’t at the dining hall,” she continued. “I was worried you’d forgotten. Some teachers were there this morning, and Jerath. They’re observing the recruits. You need to get up.”
I propped one eye open in a tiny slit, sending forth all of my dark thoughts. “This is all your fault, Emmy. You made me come here.”
She snorted before grasping my leg and hauling me off the bed. I landed hard on the rocks below and now I had a bump to my butt which would match the one on my head.
“Get up now before I make you get up,” she ordered. Damn, she was mean. “Willa …”
I glanced up, curious at the adjusted tone of her voice. She was clasping her hands in front of her, lines deepening between her brows. She was about to give me some shitty news.