Soul of Glass

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

“The primary goal of each of our departments is to serve the mission of the Incorporation,” Mrs. Hale said. “Just as serving the mission of the Incorporation must be the focal point in each of our lives.”

I pressed my hands flat against my desk, concentrating on keeping my face passive and my gaze to the front of the room where Mrs. Hale had pulled up a flow chart of each of the departments in the domes. There were big circles for things like Outer Guard, Dome Guard, Plant Preservation, Medical, Animal Husbandry, and Maintenance, and smaller circles for things like Transportation, Veterinary Care, Genetic Research, Education, and Asset Management.

“As citizens of the Arcadia Domes, we have the privilege and responsibility of serving the mission of the Incorporation in every aspect of our lives. It’s my privilege and responsibility to teach all of you, to educate you on our history, the sciences that help us survive, and yes”―Mrs. Hale looked to one of the boys in the front row―“the math behind those sciences. But the most vital lesson I need to be sure you carry with you for the rest of your lives is our duty to the future.

“The domes weren’t built to keep us alive and comfortable. They were built for the ones who will come generations after us. In everything we do, we must consider those who have yet to be born. Refusing to learn the material I’m giving you today will leave less knowledge to be passed on to future generations.”

The bell marking the end of the school day dinged.

“Which is why I expect all of your work for tomorrow to be pristine. Enjoy your evening.”

The others in the class all grabbed their tablets and headed toward the door.

I lifted my palms from my desk. My arms ached from having pressed down so hard for so long. I tested my temper, making sure I had the willpower to not throw my tablet before lifting it off my desk. I started to leave, following the rest of the class.

“Lanni,” Mrs. Hale said loudly enough I couldn’t ignore her.

One of the students’ shadows stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes, Mrs. Hale?” I pressed a careful smile onto my face as Mrs. Hale stepped around me, blocking my escape route.

“I just wanted to take a moment to check in with you.” Mrs. Hale furrowed her brow in a concerned sort of way. “How are you doing?”

“Fine.” I gripped my tablet. “I think I’ve been keeping up with your assignments.”

“Oh, absolutely. I’ve been very pleased with your work.”

“Thank you.” I gave her a nod and stepped to the side, hoping to skirt around her.

“I’m more concerned about you as a person than as a student.” Mrs. Hale stepped sideways, blocking my path again.

I glanced toward the stairs.

Five corridors to reach the Herd Dome. One minute to stash Mari in the paddocks, then…

I don’t know how we’d get out.

“Most of my students have been in the same class since they started school,” Mrs. Hale said. “For better or worse, they know each other very well. You and Walsh coming in so close to the end of your education can’t be easy.”

“I’m really fine,” I said.

“I’ve been impressed with how Walsh has integrated with the other students.”

An ember of rage burned in my gut.

“But you still seem to be all on your own,” Mrs. Hale said.

“I have to take care of my little sister.”

“She can’t be your whole world, Lanni.” Mrs. Hale placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Yes, she can.” Every nerve in my body begged me to shove her away.

“It seems like that now, but in the long term, making friends will be better for you and Mari. Which is one of the reasons you’ll be getting some extra assignments.” Mrs. Hale’s brow smoothed as she smiled.

“What kind of assignments?”

“PAM will give you all the details. I just wanted you to know in advance that this isn’t a punishment. I care about your future, and I believe you can thrive. Think of this as my way of helping you secure a joyous and bountiful life.”

“Thanks.” I tucked my chin and rounded my shoulders enough to break away from Mrs. Hale’s hand.

“Go see to your sister.” Mrs. Hale winked. “You’re an amazing girl, Lanni. You deserve a chance at happiness.”

I gripped my tablet hard enough to hurt my fingers as I headed down the steps. The shadow that had waited in the stairwell slipped away before I reached him.

Walsh didn’t have the courtesy to bolt or even pretend he’d been tying his boot as I stepped out into the corridor. He just met my gaze and walked away, like he wanted to be sure I knew he’d been eavesdropping but was too much of a coward to stick around so I could say anything about it.

Not that I would have. Ours was a fragile peace, and I couldn’t risk shattering it.

It had been a month of him lingering nearby, eavesdropping on me. Or waiting until we had a bunch of classmates around us, then laying his hand on my shoulder and saying nice things about how glad he was to have someone from the Ice Domes with him. How I was a piece of home.

Like I could have forgotten the lie I’d been trapped in.

If I’d only had to worry about myself, I would have told him to leave me the hell alone. But I couldn’t risk him outing me. If the Incorporation figured out I hadn’t been born in the domes and wasn’t really a kep, they’d know Mari didn’t belong, either. Then we’d both be kicked out of the Arc Domes. Or worse. I didn’t know if the Incorporation would execute children or if they’d prefer to keep their hands clean and just toss us outside to slowly die.

I dug my fingers into my hair, pulling hard on the roots as I walked toward Mari’s classroom. It didn’t stop me from wanting to punch Walsh in the face, but it made the anger zinging through my arms settle enough that I could shake out my shoulders and unclench my jaw before I turned down the corridor to the Herd Dome.

Mari waited at the bottom of the steps, bouncing on her toes as she spoke to two other girls from her class.

“―just the fluffiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Sarah said.

“But I don’t like the way the wool feels.” Ellie wrinkled her nose.

“I love all the animals,” Mari said. “But the donkey is definitely my favorite.”

I bit back my laugh as I stopped beside the girls.

“You’re late.” Mari took my hand.

“I had to stay a little after class,” I said.

“Why?” Mari wrinkled her forehead.

“To talk to my teacher about a new assignment.” I winked, trying to make it seem like I’d been granted a fun project instead of a fresh reason to worry.

“It’s okay,” Ellie said. “We waited with her.”

“Thanks. Come on, Mar. Let’s get you fed.” I waved to the girls and led Mari toward Bloom Dome.

“I got to feed animals in the Herd Dome today.” Mari pranced along beside me. “We got to help groom them, too. And not just the sheep and donkeys. Has your class been in the Herd Dome?”

“Nope.”

“Well, they have little animals, too.” Mari took a shuddering breath like she was bracing herself for the most miraculous thing. “They have rabbits, real rabbits, and cows, and goats…”

She kept the list going all the way up the stairs to Bloom Dome and along the tree-lined path to our building.

I let go of her hand to open the main door.

“And the best part is we get to go back twice more this week,” Mari said. “And the teacher said we’ll get to keep going back all year.”

“That’s amazing, Mar.”

A box of food waited outside the door to our room. A whole box of food just sitting in the hallway.

I picked it up as Mari opened our door.

“And there are some grownups whose whole job is just to take care of the animals in the Herd Dome.” Mari kicked off her boots and ran through the kitchen to throw herself onto her bed. “That’s really their whole, entire job. They feed them, and take care of them, and clean up after them, which would be smelly, but I don’t think I’d mind.”

“So you want to work in the Herd Dome?” I didn’t open the box of food. I just set it on the counter before closing the door, taking off my boots and walking to my bed. I didn’t realize what I’d done until I sat down opposite Mari.

“I don’t know yet,” Mari said. “Because there are people who work on flowers all day, too.”

I’d been given a treasure, and I hadn’t even looked at it. Like knowing I’d be able to feed Mari wasn’t a wonder I needed to appreciate. People would have been willing to kill for that box in the city.

I’m becoming a kep.

“…or a doctor maybe.”

I blinked, trying to catch up to Mari’s words.

“I’d like to help people.” Mari pursed her lips. “But I think I’ll have to see how many explosions the doctors here get patients from.”

“You have plenty of time to figure it out.” I set my tablet on the table. Another wonder no one in the city could have hoped to possess.

Except Mari and me. Amery made sure we’d have a tablet and a way to learn. We had to be ready to come here. Had to be ready to pretend to be everything we’re not.

“Are you okay?” Mari crossed the few feet between our beds to sit beside me.

“Of course I am.” I kissed the top of Mari’s head. “My brain is just tired from packing in so much schoolwork.”

“Then you should rest. I’ll make us dinner.”

“Mar―”

“They also have people who make sure everyone gets the right amount of food.” Mari skipped to the counter. “Feeding everyone could be fun, too.”

I dug my knuckles into my eyes until white spots danced in my vision.

My tablet dinged.

I pulled it off the table and lay down on my bed.

A little tab in the corner showed a message from PAM.

Schedule addition to begin tomorrow evening.

Class assignment.

Elder-focused learning opportunity. Meet in the atrium at 6 p.m.

Assignment partners: Gideon Pace and Mr. Travis Lewis