Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)(35)

“I would have been ready,” he whispers.

I can only nod when he backs away. My head is still swimming as I hitch my backpack farther up on my back. I don’t have time to think about this. I blindly turn around and walk headlong into the wall.

Whoa! I shake my head, trying to clear it.

Gavin chuckles and turns me around so I face down the corridor. “I think we go this way,” he says.

A little spurt of anger from the embarrassment of it all clears my head. “I’m fine.” I march in the direction of the Palace Wing. “If I take you back toward my gardens, can you remember the way to the door you came in from?”

The smile slides off his face. He’s all business now. “Yes.”

I try not to think about the kiss, but it doesn’t help that my mind keeps replaying the scene over and over in my head, distracting me. I touch my fingers to my lips. They feel tender and swollen. My lipstick is all gone and I slide my eyes to the side to sneak a peek at Gavin. His lips carry a tint of the red that had been on mine.

My stomach flutters at the same time that I lift a foot to climb the slick stairs, and I slip. Before I can crash face-first into the stairs, Gavin grabs me around the waist. Then, in one move, I’m being spun around to face him and he’s only centimeters from me.

His pulse flutters in his neck. I see what’s in his eyes and my body responds in kind. But before anything happens, he’s righting me so I stand, somewhat shakily, on my feet.

“Oops.” His voice is light, despite his rapid breathing. “Don’t want you to get hurt before we figure out a way out of here.”

Still staring at him, I nod before straightening my dress and turning to walk up the stairs. What is this? What’s wrong with me? I’m not entirely sure what Gavin was doing—or what game he’s playing at—but this time I’m careful to watch where I’m stepping.

I stick carefully to the shadows. It’s of the upmost importance that no one sees Gavin. Sector Two is filled with people, and although he’s been allowed to wash, Gavin’s not as clean as the people of the city. It’s not a stretch to see he’s the Surface Dweller.

I turn around to make sure he’s still with me, only to panic when I see he’s drifted away from the safety of the shadows and is instead staring at the glass ceiling and heading toward the glass walls.

Glancing quickly to make sure no one’s seen him, I rush over to him and grab his arm and firmly but gently guide him back to the shadows.

“Don’t do that! Pay attention,” I say. “Do you want to get caught?”

He shakes his head and we start back to the Palace Wing, but it isn’t long before Gavin starts drifting off again. While amusing and kind of sweet, it’s annoying to have to keep pushing him forward whenever he pauses.

Just before we reach the marble arch that frames the tube entrance to the Palace Wing, I pull Gavin into the shadows. A Guard waits at the gates and an Enforcer should be somewhere nearby. I rely on the hope that Mother hasn’t anticipated me rescuing him and hasn’t alerted anyone here to be on guard.

“Just follow my lead, all right?” I say. “Don’t say anything, and look a little scared.”

He places a hand on my arm. “Why?”

I slide my arm out from under his. “We have to get by that Guard. If he senses something is wrong, he’ll alert Mother. I have a plan, but you have to trust me.”

“I do,” he says, keeping his eyes directly on mine.

I straighten my shoulders and saunter up to the Guard with my hips swinging. The Guard’s eyes darken and he smiles when I stop to talk to him.

“Good evening. All is well?” I ask.

“Fine, Miss Evelyn.” He glances over and narrows his eyes at Gavin. “Are you aware this man is the Surface Dweller?”

I laugh. “Yes. Mother has chosen him to couple with me. Apparently he has perfect genes and will help foster the growth of the perfect heir.”

The Guard’s eyes widen. “Him?”

“Yes. Ridiculous, isn’t it? But Mother is quite insistent.” I sigh heavily. “Well, we’ve got to go, Mother has us on a schedule.”

The Guard, still in shock, waves us on. Gavin stops in the middle of the tube and looks around, his eyes wide. “It’s gorgeous,” he says. “No wonder you don’t want to leave.”

I smile, looking around as well. The lights outside are fully lit and make the water appear to be a beautiful sapphire blue. Different schools of fish swim around. Their colors stand out in beautiful jewel tones of blue, yellow, and orange. I press a hand to the glass and one of the little blue ones swims closer, as if he’s trying to touch my fingertips.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it? It’s easy to take it for granted sometimes.”

With a sigh, I pull my gaze from the water and continue forward. He follows, still gazing at the water. We have to take the stairs because the elevators are loud, not to mention there shouldn’t be anyone using them. It is only for family, not for the Guards, Enforcers, or Servants, and I’m supposed to be safely shut in my room right now. Taking the stairs is faster anyway.

It’s times like these that I wish my gardens weren’t on the very top of the three-story building, but there isn’t anything for me to do about it now. If all goes well, there will be no reason for me to do anything about it at all.