Archenemies (Renegades #2)

by Marissa Meyer

“N-no,” he stammered, his voice coated in terror. “What is this? What have you done?” The dark eyeliner began to bleed. Nova clapped a hand to her mouth. It was makeup, or at least it appeared so now, its inky blackness dripping down his face in thick, gloppy tears. It mingled with the rosy splotches on his cheeks and soon all his features were melting black and red. Even his porcelain-pale whiteness began to fade, oozing down the sides of his face and onto the collar of his striped jumpsuit.

Winston was hauled from the stage by two security guards. Though he had been walking on his own feet when the Captain had brought him in before, now his entire body was limp, like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

Adrian tilted his head, inspecting the last poster. A book was pictured, a thriller novel with a shadowy figure silhouetted between two pine trees. The book’s tag line read, It’s not that he’s back … it’s that he never went away. And though Adrian couldn’t be sure, it almost appeared as if the large poster was … crooked.

She gulped and leaned forward. Adrian took in a sudden breath and, before Nova knew what was happening, he had jumped to his feet and started brushing himself off. “Yeah, wow, we need to hurry,” he said, glancing at his wristband. “Don’t want to be late for … uh … jousting or … whatever it was…” Nova gaped up at him. Sweet rot. She had tried to kiss him and … he had rejected her. So, that’s what that felt like.

Electrolysis. The idea had struck her like one of the Sentinel’s laser beams. It was the process that was used for metal plating, and chromium was used to plate other metals all the time. Using a battery, she could alter the charge of the neutral atoms at the box’s base. The atoms would lose electrons, turning them into positively charged ions, which would dissolve right off the box. Over time, the positive chromium ions would move through the solution, attracted by the electrons that were being pushed out from the other side of battery, and be turned back into solid metal on the surface of the wheel. The result: no more chromium box. Or, at least, a big hole in the chromium box.

“It was a good idea. This is … magical.” Adrian started to grin, and Nova braced herself. She had become familiar with that particular look. The one that said he was about to do something that would impress her, whether she liked it or not. “I guess I figured you deserve to have good dreams once in a while,” he said. “Even if you never sleep.” Then he pressed his hand against the nearest wall and exhaled. The mural started to come alive, emerging around his fingers. Fronds unfolded, engulfing his wrist, and the effect spread like the ripple in a pond, outward across the wall. Tree trunks sprouted from the concrete. Grasses curled against their knees. Lazy vines trailed over their heads. Nova moved closer to him, pressing her side against his. The hard ground under their feet transformed into squishy moss. Flowers bloomed. Mushrooms sprouted. The smell of paint was replaced with the earthiness of dark soil and a heady perfume. Though Nova hadn’t seen any birds or insects in the painting, it was easy to imagine birdsong disrupting the silence. The hum of cicadas, the clicking of beetles. The tree canopy crowded in overhead, but sunlight was filtering down, spotlighting the statue.

She remembered why she had come there that night. To find the Vitality Charm. To protect herself in the upcoming fight with Agent N. To fulfill her duty. It could wait. Just one more hour. Maybe two. Then she would put Adrian to sleep and she would continue with her plan. For now, in this strange, impossible dream, it could wait. Steadily, slowly, their heartbeats fell into sync. Nova listened to them thumping in tandem for what might have been an eternity. She was still staring at the star when, unexpectedly, it winked out and Nova fell into a quiet, dreamless sleep.

“Now, don’t you go getting me into trouble,” Adrian muttered. “What?” said Hugh. “What are you talking about?” “Just that Adrian thinks he might be able to get into it, if he tried.” “Ha! Adrian? No. Nice thought.” Hugh stuck a forkful of pasta into his mouth, as if the conversation were over. “I obviously haven’t tried,” said Adrian. “But I think it’s possible.” “How would you do it?” said Simon. “Draw a door on it?” “A door!” Hugh chuckled. “Please. That’s…” He hesitated, his brow creasing just slightly. “That would never work. Would it?” They all exchanged uncertain looks.

“I’m glad,” he said. “Because I know I haven’t always been super smooth when it comes to … this.” He gestured between the two of them. She lifted an eyebrow. “No, you’re clearly a neophyte when it comes to … this.” She mimicked his gesture. Rather than laugh, as she expected, Adrian’s small smile turned to a confused frown. “Neophyte?” “Sorry,” said Nova, chuckling again, and wondering if it was possible for her to be any more terrible at this. “It means amateur.”

A muscle in his cheek twitched, and a memory flashed through Nova’s mind. The world laid out before her. The ocean glittering beneath a vibrant sky. A city pulsing with life. A thousand little miracles, and more occurring every day. A million little things to wonder at. And Callum had showed her that. Callum had— A guttural cry was torn from Nova’s throat. She spun the pike around and lunged forward, knocking the butt end into Callum’s chest. He grunted and fell to the floor. “Great skies,” he gasped. “What was that for?” “Stay out of my head.”

But she had shot Nova mere inches away from the Vitality Charm that was hidden beneath her jacket. Nova hadn’t been able to test if the medallion would protect against the serum, but now was as good a time as any. “Thank you,” Nova said once the wheezing laughter had dried up. She ground her teeth behind the mask. “I’m not sure I would’ve had the guts to do this otherwise.” She swung one frozen fist, smashing it against one of the spheres strapped to her belt. The mist-missile crunched beneath the blow and the lever sprang open. A cloud of green vapor spilled into the air, surrounding Nova’s body. Gasping, Frostbite jumped backward, shoving Aftershock aside. “What the hell is that?” “Your worst nightmare,” said Nova. She turned toward Gargoyle, who had stumbled back a step when Frostbite had, but hadn’t moved far enough. He was trying to scowl past his confusion. Nova batted her lashes at him. “No darts required, pebble brain.”

Gargoyle’s skin began to morph, losing its crusted, stony exterior, turning splotchy and baby soft. Starting with his head, then moving down his neck, into his shoulders and chest. He gawked at Nova, stunned. “Does that upset you?” she taunted. Gargoyle roared and charged for her, swinging his arm—still stone. Nova lifted her hands. Frostbite screamed. His fist smashed down onto the solid blocks of ice, shattering them. His last act before the stone was gone completely.

He curled his armored fingers, pressing a fingertip into the wall. He drew the first thing that came to mind—the simplest thing he could manage. A circle traced into the dust. A single curved line sprouting from its top. A few scratches bursting at its tip. A bomb. A wick. And a spark. “Oscar,” Adrian grunted as he pulled the bomb from the wall. “Take cover!” Oscar’s eyes widened. He grabbed Ruby beneath the arms and hauled her behind one of the coffins. Adrian let the bomb fall. It rolled a few inches from the wall and exploded. The flash was blinding. The blast pummeled against Adrian’s body and knocked a hole through the wall. Adrian fell forward, landing on his hands and knees. He immediately clapped a hand to his chest and retracted the suit, though he was left coughing from the smoke and dust in the air. The room was darker now. The explosion must have toppled one of the candelabras, extinguishing what little light it had provided.