Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles #1)(41)

It’s quiet again while he takes a few more minutes to memorize the layout of the city.

“I don’t think that’ll happen,” I say when I’m sure he has the route locked in his memory, “but an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” I swipe a hand through the dust, erasing the map.

I gather my pack and sling it over my shoulder, then head to the side door. I hold my breath when I open the door and don’t release it until I see there’s no one around to hear the door’s squeal. I gesture for Gavin to follow, then make a dash for the deep shadows along the wall.

If we can stay there, and as long as we can move silently, we should be able to avoid detection. Unless we run into an Enforcer, which I pray we don’t. When I feel a hand on my shoulder, I glance behind me and smile—Gavin hadn’t made a noise.

Must be his hunter training. I have to admit I’m impressed.

We creep along the edge of the building slowly. Each step seems to take forever, but rushing headlong into anything without looking could be disastrous.

If I could have had time to plan this all out appropriately, I’m sure Gavin would be on his way home by now. But because I’ve had to wing it, we’re stuck slinking in shadows and hoping for a miracle.

I’m so lost in my thoughts, I almost scream when Gavin squeezes hard on my shoulder. I turn to scowl at him, but he places a finger over my lips and tilts his head to our left. That’s when I hear it: running footsteps. I halt, pushing myself as far against the wall as I can. He does the same and we both hold our breath as a group of Guards rush past. I hope the shadows are dark enough that we won’t be seen. Or that the Guards will avoid looking too deeply into the shadows, which they should. No one wants to run into an Enforcer.

“A woman says she spotted them over by the fountain,” one Guard is saying. “It’s probably not them. If he managed to kidnap the Daughter right under Mother’s nose, I don’t think he’s dumb enough to be out in the open after that announcement.”

Gavin raises his eyebrows at me, while I stifle a laugh with my hand. When they pass, we move even quicker toward the Residential Sector.

Several times along the way we have to pause and wait for more Guards to pass by, but I don’t notice a single Enforcer. Where are they? Mother wouldn’t entrust something this important to the Guards alone.

Then, without warning, we lose the ability to use the shadows. We have to cross an alleyway that is brightly lit and there are dozens of Citizens around. If we take the chance and run for it, we’ll be spotted. But the longer we wait, the more likely someone—probably an Enforcer—will find us. The thought causes a shiver to sputter up my spine.

I glance back at Gavin, who is studying the street as closely as I am. He looks down and a slow smile crosses his face. He quickly squats down and wiggles a loose brick from the wall. Then he wings it behind us and across the street into a store front, completely shattering the glass.

He pushes me forward, but my feet are already moving in a mad dash across the street and back into the shadows. Even though I hear shouting voices and running feet, I don’t bother turning to look. I just keep going until we get to the corner we need to be at, an even darker alcove.

More Guards pass by our little street.

“Good thinking,” I whisper to him, then I turn back to face the dead end.

I recognize it from where I stopped earlier on my way to see Macie. That feeling of déjà vu hits me again, as does the elusive memory of an area that looks like an exact duplicate of Sector Two. Except the windows to the shops and restaurants are boarded up and the entire area has an abandoned feeling.

As the memory takes shape, I begin to understand. “Oh,” I say.

“What?” Gavin asks.

“I think … I think I might have a plan after all. There’s something here. Behind this wall.”

He looks at the wall with a skeptical expression. “You sure?”

“No, but I think so.”

“We don’t exactly have time to try this out just because you have a vague idea.”

“We don’t have time to not check this out. It’s worth the risk. Trust me. Please.” I look over my shoulder at him.

After a second, he nods. “I trust you.”

Grateful for it, I furrow my brow as I try to remember and my thoughts get muddier and muddier. It’s a place I knew of before going to the Palace, I’m sure of it. Somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be. But I only get a headache for my trouble, a sharp, stabbing pain in my temple that causes me to gasp and clasp a hand to it.

“You okay?” Gavin touches a hand to my temple.

“Yeah. Fine.” I run my fingers over every brick and groove while Gavin keeps watch. I don’t know how he plans to protect me from the Guards or Enforcers without any weapons, but considering his strength, it wouldn’t surprise me if he took them on barehanded … and won.

There has to be a way in. Some kind of latch. Mother wouldn’t want to use something that had a key that could get lost, and a hand plate or key code would be too conspicuous.

If there’s even anything there.

Finally my fingers catch on a little button that is barely visible. I press it, then there’s a click and the wall moves, pouring out a cloud of dust through the tiny crack. The dust chokes me and I stifle the urge to cough and tug harder on the door. It swings completely open with a loud squeal.