Broken Wings (Cruel and Beautiful World, Book One 1) (5 page)

She debated when and where she should get off. Part of her felt like she should exit as soon as possible, but another part of her wanted to wait until she was closer to a gate to Outer City.

Of course, right now she was also thinking about the best way to get away from this Guardian, whose eyes she could feel burrowing into her. She pulled her hood more forward. There was no way she could get off before him. What if he followed her? She shuddered at the thought.

Having settled on a plan to wait for the Guardian to exit before choosing a stop for herself, Deryn refolded the map and put it in her pocket.

Even though the seats in the tram were not the most comfortable, it still beat sleeping outside in the cold against a metal wall.

Deryn grabbed a pillow from beside her and put it against the window. She rested her head and closed her eyes. It felt good. She hadn't had an owner who gave her a pillow in a very long time. Probably not since the last time Soren had a hold of her, and that was only when Elvira wasn't around to scold him for it.

The tram came to another halt, causing Deryn to jerk forward in her seat and her hood to fall back a little. She quickly adjusted it and glanced sideways at the Guardian. He had finally stopped watching her and was looking out his window curiously.

While the tram normally started up again after a minute or so, this time it didn't. Deryn held out her ear and listened. The bustling activity going on in the other cars had stopped as abruptly as the tram.

"Shit," said the Guardian under his breath.

"What's going on?" asked a woman. Deryn didn't remember seeing any women when she came through the car, so she assumed she must have been one of the people under the squirming blanket.

"I hear -"
Hiccup!
"- Garjens been checkin' da -"
Hiccup!
"- tram a' night."

Deryn went white.

"Ter make sure we all gots our ... ugh ... bands. I needa bucket."

"That'll be three coin," said the tram worker who was patrolling this car. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket, flicked it once and it popped into a bucket. His wristband scanner was at the ready.

"I ain't gots -"
Hiccup!
"- no mer money ter spen'."

There was a strange gurgling sound that Deryn did not find pleasant at all. She put her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

"For the president's sake, just give him the bucket!" shouted the woman.

"Three coin," repeated the tram worker.

"Please ... ugh ... no ... Bleh!"

Even without looking, Deryn was quite sure she knew what had just happened.

"My coat!" shouted a new voice. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"S-so s-s-sorry," sputtered the drunk man. "I-I din' mean to -"

The familiar sound of whip-like beam of light shooting out of an Element made Deryn wince, and that was before the man screamed. She put her hand back in her pocket and gripped her knife tightly.

"Check his information before I lose it, Luka."

There was the clear sound of a scanner as a set of footsteps walked slowly down the aisle. Deryn could hear as the two new Guardians grabbed everyone's wrists, making a few comments along the way.

"You sure are pretty," said the same Guardian to a whimpering woman. "Your body already reeks of sex. Did you do it right here in this seat?"

"No," she cried.

"You toxic little liar."

"I'm not toxic. My aunt and her family went out, but -"

"Same thing," he spat. "Hey, Luka, your shift's done after this, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said the voice of Luka Voclain. Deryn hadn't seen him in years, despite the fact that he lived with his father Barath, who often favored her during the slave trade.

"Maybe you'd like to take this lovely piece home with you?"

"I'd rather not. The last time I brought a girl related to an Outsider home, my father whipped her to near death. Needless to say, she hasn't been over since."

"You're ... you're kidding, right?" she asked.

"I wish I was," said Luka. "She's all yours."

"Excellent," said the other Guardian. "Clean yourself up. I don't want any traces of some other man on you while you're in my bed tonight."

"You're not even going to fight for her?" asked Luka, assumingly talking to the man she was with.

"I ... we ... I mean ... I only met her an hour ago."

The Guardian laughed. "Looks like I got myself a real class act tonight."

Footsteps continued down the aisle. Deryn clenched her eyes shut and moved her face farther into her hood. Her palm was sweating as she fought to keep her grip on the knife in her pocket.

"Evening, Veli."

Deryn trembled as the hooded Guardian said the name. She knew it well. Veli Tash, older brother to Soren and an adamant hater of Deryn. He couldn't stand the way his brother acted when she was around, so he tortured her every chance he got. He said she made Soren weak. It seemed he was right. If Soren wasn't weak then he might still be alive.

"What are you doing here?" Veli asked the hooded Guardian.

"Just trying to get home. A process you're currently delaying. Could you move this along, already?"

There was silence, followed by another footstep. Closer to her. A presence leaned in. Deryn gripped the knife even harder to stop her shaking. Should she strike? If she did, would there be any chance for her to -

"I would prefer it if you didn't wake her," said the hooded Guardian.

"Why? She with you?"

"Yes she is, and she's a little drunker than I prefer, so I was hoping to sober her up a bit. I don't want to end up with something sloppy tonight."

Deryn knew she had stopped breathing but she couldn't bring herself to start again. He had just lied for her.

"You scan her band?"

"Yes, because I always ask to see a woman's information before buying her a drink."

"Don't get smart with me, you little -"

"Watch your tone! You forget that I am your superior now."

Veli shut his mouth.

"She's not who you're looking for, so get the hell out of here and let me get on with it!"

There were several more creaks on the floor as Veli stepped backwards, away from Deryn.

"By the way, I was so sorry to hear about your brother."

Veli stopped moving.

"Of course, Elvira's another story. She says her lousy husband deserved it, considering his obsession with that slave. Didn't keep a good enough eye on her."

"Fuck you -"

"Ah! Language!"

Deryn's hand gripped the knife even harder. She hated that he was prolonging this. Just let them leave, already.

"I oughtta -"

"You
ought to
what?"

Veli said nothing.

"That's what I thought. Get out of here, Veli. I'm tired and I would like to get home."

"Bastard," said Veli under his breath as he walked back down the aisle. "Just like his father."

"And, Veli!" the hooded Guardian called once his subordinate had gone a fair distance. "Leave the girl sitting up there, will you? I suddenly have a craving for a three-way tonight."

Veli grunted. He left the car and headed for the front of the tram.

Luka laughed.

"Drinks later this week, Luka?" asked the hooded Guardian.

"Definitely," answered Luka before following Veli out of the car.

As soon as they were gone, the Guardian looked at the whimpering woman near the front of the car and said, "I suggest you get home quickly. And don't go out again at night anytime soon. If he sees you then he'll undoubtedly try again."

"Yes, thank you," she cried.

A few seconds later, a bell rang and the tram started again. As it continued to move, Deryn sat there baffled. She had been saved. By
him
.

After taking a deep breath, she released her knife, sat up straight and turned her head to face the Guardian. She kept her eyes down for a long moment before lifting them slowly, first taking in his feet, which were aimed in her direction, then his knees, his chest, his shoulders, his neck, and finally his face, no longer hidden beneath the safety of a hood. It was a face she hadn't seen in years but would never forget. A face she had never wanted to see again. The face of Xander Ruby.

Xander stared back at her with his golden-brown eyes, which were hidden behind two dark circles that made his creamy complexion appear even paler. By the looks of it, there was a good chance his exhaustion rivaled her own.

Xander only held Deryn's gaze for a moment before he lifted his hand and motioned for her to turn around. The old her would have fought him on such an order, but the present her knew he was right. She was not in the clear yet. Someone could still recognize her. She turned back around and closed her eyes, silently wondering what could possibly happen next.

Deryn must have drifted off to sleep, because she shot up in panic and nearly attacked when someone grabbed her shoulder.

"Our stop is next," said Xander, fixing her hood, which had fallen halfway off.

She blinked.

He leaned in and whispered, "Everyone here heard me say you were getting off with me, so I suggest you do just that before you risk both our lives."

Deryn looked around the car and saw that everyone was watching them, including the other woman who was trying to get a good look at whomever it was she wouldn't be having a three-way with that night.

Deryn stood. She flinched as Xander grabbed her hand, but he kept a firm grip and pulled her towards the front of the tram.

While taking a good look down at their clasped hands, Deryn felt absolutely sick. Filthy and starved, holding hands with Xander Ruby,
forced
to rely on the help of a Guardian. It really didn't get any lower than this. And that was saying a lot, coming from her. She had been pretty close to the bottom before but at least she always somewhat had her dignity.

Deryn kept her head low as they walked, not making eye contact with anyone.

Xander led her through the tram's cars, each more crowded than the last. When they reached the front, he stopped by the exit and gripped a pole, pulling her into him and holding her tightly as the tram came to a halt.

The doors opened. Xander took hold of her hand again and hurried them outside. They were the only ones who exited. The doors closed behind them and the tram zoomed off, creating a loud whistling sound as it sped through the night.

As soon as it was out of sight, Xander dropped Deryn's hand and the two of them were left standing outside in the cold, damp air.

Unsure where they were, Deryn looked around. They appeared to be in an older neighborhood, with houses and apartments built with brick, as opposed to the steel and glass structures that were favored throughout the majority of Middle and Inner City.

It was pretty dead. Not only were there no people walking around, but every building was pitch black. Many people ran and even more were killed when Saevus came down harder on his citizens after defeating her father. Their population had already been dwindling for years and a lot of buildings were left deserted. Sometimes entire streets were devoid of human life. This looked like one of them.

Without a word, Xander turned and started walking to what Deryn recognized as the east, thanks to the stars they could see in the artificial sky, which Saevus claimed mirrored the outside world. She knew that was another one of his lies. It rained far more in here than it ever did out there.

While growing up on the outside, Godfrey had taught Deryn how to read the stars. The real stars.

After Xander had taken a few steps, he stopped and turned. "Coming?"

Deryn's eyes widened. It was a ridiculous question. Of course she wasn't coming, and she made that very clear by rapidly shaking her head.

"It's not safe for you to stay out here."

She crossed her arms and remained silent.

"If I wanted to turn you in, don't you think I would've done it already?"

That was a very curious question. If he had been any other person - Guardians and guards aside - then she might have said yes, but this was Xander Ruby. Someone history had taught her never to trust, and for good reason. Why should now be any different?

"Look, I understand why you don't trust me."

At least they were on the same page.

"I never gave you much reason to before and the band on my wrist doesn't exactly help. But if you stay out here you
will
be caught and you
will
be executed. They have a plan to capture you and, without someone's help, they will succeed."

Even though Deryn was starting to feel less confident, she still stood up straight and held her ground. This was Xander Ruby. The boy she had pleaded with to save her moments before she was forced into the life she was now trying to escape. She could never forget that.