People called Langlia ‘The Shining City’. Now I understood why. After walking its cobbled streets for the very first time, seeing its tall glossy buildings reflecting the afternoon sun, it was hard to not be at least a little bit dazzled.

  Lovers strolled hand in hand, feeding each other sweets from red and white striped paper bags, entering and exiting shops like ants, carrying heavier and heavier loads back to their homes.

  Each shop name was written in curly gold lettering, with windows designed for peering in and marvelling at the products inside, each display more elaborate than the last.

  There was a place for everything, from upmarket shops selling the most beautifully detailed lace masks for the upcoming ball to the food stalls with rainbows of fruit, milkshakes, pastries, anything you could dream of, flooding the eyes and nose with colour. The only thing that didn’t belong here was me.

  “We should head back soon,” warned Ganymede, flitting around each time he caught glances from the civilians. Civilians had androids too of course, but the presence of an Estate android was bound to draw particular attention. If it had been up to me, I would’ve come alone, but Ganymede had insisted.

  For your protection, he’d said, though the thought of him going up against a thug in a dark alleyway wasn’t exactly comforting. It was hard to say who would win that particular fight since, despite his programmes, Ganymede was built tall and lanky. Not quite fighting material. Luckily, no one seemed to be looking for an altercation, probably because they were too concerned with the fancy gadgets and pretty dresses they wanted to buy. Still, it didn’t hurt to watch our backs. Money might have made people soft but it didn’t make them any less vicious.

  “Stick to the plan,” I instructed, “We’ll be back before anyone notices we’re gone.”

  The plan was a simple one. Estate androids ran errands all the time, and with all the buzz Elian had caused, the guards were much too distracted to take note of a girl in a mechanic’s jacket.

  “Usually android assistants run errands without human companions,” Ganymede pointed out.

  I pulled Niva’s jacket a little tighter over the R on my shirt.

  “Surely all androids need a mechanic on standby. What if they malfunction?”

  He shrugged.

  “Maybe, but let’s not push our luck too much.”

  I waltzed between the market stalls, mostly admiring the vast array of pastries on offer, their sweet smells beckoning people from near and far, when I caught sight of the jewellery stall right next to it.

  The owner had fitted an old wagon with hooked wooden poles designed to optimally display the handcrafted necklaces and bracelets. Some were simply beaded on string but the others were intricate creations plated in gold or silver. I reached to lace a silver-plated butterfly necklace through my fingers, stopping to glance at the stall-owner for any sign of protest but he merely held out his hand to invite a closer look. An offer I was only too happy to oblige.

  “Look,” I said showing it to Ganymede, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  Its wings spread slightly backwards as if it was taking flight.

  “If you say so,” he said, tilting his head to observe it better, as if it would help him form an opinion. I returned it with a sad smile.

  “Bit outside the budget though. Thanks.”

  The stall-owner snatched it back, sneering at us for wasting his time. We left the stall, turning down the road towards the other stalls, ready to see what else this town had to offer when a mass of mahogany curls stopped me in my tracks.

  We made eye contact then someone passed between us, blocking her from view momentarily, and she was gone. Disappeared among the tide of the crowd.

  But that hair was unmistakeable.

  I wrapped the jacket around myself tighter and searched for Daniella.

  Her pin curls were in fashion, judging the many women in similar hairstyles, but the colour was unique. She couldn’t be too hard to find.

  I darted among the crowd, ignoring their stares as I outpaced their leisurely stroll, but none of the faces I searched were hers. I was beginning to think I’d lost her until the people parted just for a second to reveal her standing a stone’s throw away, watching me, observing me with forest green eyes. Then another person passed in front of her and she was gone again.

  She continued with the appearing and disappearing act for a while, guiding me like a torch further and further from the busy main streets. Soon enough it was just us two and Ganymede, though Daniella kept several paces ahead. She ducked down a dark side street, so I followed, jogging the last couple of steps toward her to finally catch up.

  “Daniella!”

  She turned around and sent me crashing to the floor with a swift sweep of the legs.

  I was about to yell in protest when she covered my mouth and dragged me down the alleyway even further from prying eyes.

  I tried to squirm out of her grip but her muscles clamped hard to ensure escape was impossible.

  She kept one arm wrapped around me while the other reached for the knife at her side which promptly found its way to my throat.

  “I’m going to let you go now, not one word ok?”

  I hummed what I hoped she’d understand as agreement.

  “Was that attack necessary?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips, “There’s no one around.”

  “Cute. You think that was an attack.”

  I mean, she did put a knife to my throat.

  “My bad, you’re right, I greet all my friends by threatening them.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She raised the knife to eye level.

  “Easy Relegate, you still have to prove yourself for me to consider you a friend.”

  We stood there for a while, staring each other down.

  “I never thanked you for rescuing Rolene by the way,” I said to break the silence.

  “No problem, it was a piece of cake.” Briar stepped out from the shadows. His aviator jacket hung neatly on his frame, fluffy collar brushing his neck. Apart from his hair, which was ruffled over his forehead, he looked more put together than I expected of a revolutionary. And in better spirits.

  “So.” I looked at both of them in turn. “You wanted me to follow you here. Why?”

  “To talk,” Daniella grunted.

  “Well, I don’t know about Customs and Typics,” I said, “But when Relegates have a conversation we usually use our words rather than weapons.”

  Apart from that one time I tried to prove to Niles I could juggle knives, but he put a stop to it before I could start so that didn’t count.

  “She’s got a point.” Briar laughed. Daniella shut him up with a glare. “I just mean you could take it easy on the whole threatening thing, you know? You got nothing to prove, love.”

  After a second of deliberation, she tucked her knife back into its sheath.

  “Fine. We’ll do this the boring way.”

  He held up his hands in surrender, showing off his fingerless leather gloves.

  “I’m merely suggesting you save it for a better time.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.” She almost smiled, then turned to me. “We’re having a meeting a week from now to discuss the next stage of the rebellion and the future of Saxanglain,” she explained, “You’re invited to be part of it.”

  My head started to buzz. A meeting to plan a rebellion to change the institutions. It was the kind of thing old Ayla would have jumped at the chance for. But now I’d seen the consequences of decisions made with my heart instead of my head. To be fair, I always had, but this time I was learning from them. It was time to follow my head.

  “I can’t go.”

  “Why? You got something better to do?” Briar laughed, while Daniella rubbed her chin.

  “We’ll see. Oh, and it goes without saying but if you tell anyone you saw us today…”

  “I won’t make it to tomorrow?” I offered.

  She nodded.

  “See you in a week.”

  I shook my head.

  “I wouldn’t count on it. Thank you for saving us from the witch trials, really, but I don’t want to get wrapped up in this whole rebellion thing. It’s too dangerous.”

  Once upon a time, maybe, but the risk was too great, the politics too turbulent to navigate, and if it failed, Relegates would bear the brunt of it.

  “You’ve been in danger your whole life. If you want to look out for yourself I respect that but the stakes aren’t going to change if you join us. The reward however… you could help so many people. You already have the bravery you need, so direct it in the right place.”

  I never thought of myself as brave, but if brave meant trying something new, maybe I could be. Would it be bravery or stupidity to risk so many lives though?

  “Can I think about it?”

  “We’re giving you time to.” She shrugged.

  “Oh.” Said Briar, fishing something out from his pocket, “Before I forget…”

  He tossed me a small device.

  “We’ll use that to message you the time and location.” Briar popped the collar of his leather aviator jacket. “We used to use letters but Frey managed to get his intercepted by the Estate.”

  “Which is why you’re my right hand and he’s not.” Daniella crossed her arms. “We best be on our way. I hope to see you next week, little butterfly.”

  I blinked.

  “Little butterfly?”

  “Isn’t that what the necklace you liked so much had on it?” she asked.

  “Yes, but how did you know?”

  “Ex-informant over here,” Briar pointed to himself. “I picked stuff up.”

  I blinked again, and they were gone.

  “That nickname’s not gonna stick, is it?” I called out, certain they couldn’t have gone far, but received no reply.

  The next day, I entered the hospital again with Ganymede. The doctors weren’t as taken aback as the first time, although a couple still looked at me with suspicious glances.

  I made my way to Elian’s room, where the same two doctors were attending him. They stood to attention as the door opened, relaxing their shoulders when they saw who had entered.

  “Oh,” said the one with the receding hairline, “It’s you.”

  I gave the most innocent smile I could muster.

  “Always nice to have a warm welcome.”

  Elian smirked before patting the space next to him.

  “Come now, Dr Kaylin’s doing very valuable work and deserves our utmost respect. Please accept Ayla’s sincerest apologies, Dr Kaylin.”

  The doctor merely grunted in response, going back to his charts and lists of other patients.

  “So there was something I wanted to talk to you about…”

  As I leant in closer my hand brushed the glass of water on the bedside table, almost sending it crashing to the floor had it not been for Elian’s quick hand, setting it back upright before I could even react.

  “That was a close one.” I forced a laugh. “Glad to see your reflexes are still working.”

  He flexed his fingers, studying them as if they were brand new. “Training doesn’t wear off easily I’m afraid. What did you want to talk about?”

  “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

  He took both my hands.

  “Of course it does.”

  I’d decided to tell him about my meeting with Daniella and the upcoming rebellion, I wanted to tell him everything. So why couldn’t I?

  “You realise what your father’s done is insane?” I asked instead, “Changing hospital records to make you seem more impressive in front of the Triumvirate.”

  Elian shrugged.

  “He chose me to lead them. If he wants their support, I need to appear the strong, right choice.”

  “You are strong. And you’re clever and kind and the bravest man I’ve ever met, if they can’t see that, they’re fools.”

  He chuckled. “How about you tell them that at the ball?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Because I’m sure that would end well.”

  “My father’s committing fraud with the treasury’s money, the Hammertons are expecting a proposal that’s not coming... You telling them about my virtues is hardly going to be the worst thing to happen that day.”

  Shirley’s voice echoed in the back of my mind. Elian’s proposal to Ariadne, the one thing I wasn’t allowed to mess up.

  The other doctor came over to us.

  “The Chancellor has requested Elian have time to rest.” he said directly to me, a dismissal if ever I heard one, “Your android will guide you back to your room.”

  “Right,” I got up and smiled at Elian, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  I tried in vain to stop the warmth seeping into my heart, to stop the giddy feeling that overcame me whenever he flashed that smile, but it stuck with me all the way back to my room.

  When we reached the door, Ganymede bid goodnight then started to leave as usual.

  “Hey Ganymede,” I called when he was halfway down the corridor, “Where do you go, when you’re not guarding me? Do you ever sleep?”

  “There’s a room where the Estate stores all the electronic equipment, we must report there after lights out for recharging.”

  “That can’t be much fun.”

  “Androids don’t get bored and the time passes quickly enough.”

  “Alright, well, goodnight. Have a good recharge.”

  He bowed smoothly.

  I creaked open the bedroom door with a yawn, yearning for the sweet emptiness of sleep. But such a reprieve eluded me once again, as it had many times before, because as soon as the door shut and I turned to my bed, I had to catch the scream in my throat as I saw Niva’s slim figure standing menacingly across the room, her face half covered by the green hood she wore and a gun sitting in a holster at her side.

  The scream died but I couldn’t still the beating of my heart nor stop my back from digging into the wall.

  “What the blazes- Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I asked, my eyes wide and alert.

  She prowled toward me, making the few inches she had over me count.

  “Listen close, because I’m only going to say this once, and if you tell anyone I said this I’ll deny it, but I want you to join the Lion Legion. I want you to be one of us.”

  “Why?” I asked. It was all I could say.

  “Because until you do you’ll never know what you’re capable of.”

  “I’m not a good fighter, or strategiser, or spy. I’m not clever, like you, or strong like Daniella. I don’t have the skill to pull off joining a revolution, as much as I wish I did. Why do you want me involved?”

  “This world the Chancellor’s created, it only benefits him and the people like him. People like you, me, even Elian, deserve better. And you can help with that.”

  She climbed out of the open window and disappeared into the night as the pitter-patter of raindrops began to pour.

  “Wait!” I called, rushing to the window. “How far along are the plans for rescuing your mother?”

  But she was long gone, disappearing as quickly as the raindrops falling off the open window.