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We reached the elevator a few minutes later, and as it rose, I watched Celia in the mirrored wall What if it was a trap? What if Celia or Daxton saw n that I could turn?

I already knehat it was going to be anyway There was no point in waiting to tell her

"Celia?" I said, steeling hter is terrible, and I don’t bla to do--whatever it is you want to do to Daxton But I can’t help you I’aze in the e yourto," I said Noalive for Benjy was ?"

"If you must"

I hesitated "Why didn’t you kill Daxton when you found out what he’d done to Lila?"

For a longAt last she met my eyes, and to my surprise, she wore a small smile

"Who says I didn’t try?"

I didn’t respond Whether she’d tried or not, I didn’t see how she could sit across a table frohter and act like nothing had happened I had a hard enough ti he’d had Tabs killed

The elevator door opened to reveal the rooftop, and a blast of cold air hit my face It was still so early that the sky was painted a wared inside s, Benjy and I would cliroup home to watch the sunrise, and it made each day a little more bearable

Now all it did was re for us in front of the jet, wearing his usual winning s oodbye, Daxton ushered ht of steps and into the interior of the jet

I’d never been on a plane before, and ined frohout the cabin, and three of the with colorful flames that almost looked real

Other seats surrounded a table fire television screen covered a wall halfway down the length of the plane Beside it was a narrow passageway that led to another door

"What’s that?" I said, peering down the corridor

"A bedroo a place to sleep in thedeal

It probably wasn’t to hirown up with this kind of luxury Never mind the fact that it could undoubtedly have kept the entire population of the Heights in food and clothing meant for VIs for the rest of their lives

No, I couldn’t think like that--the way Celia wanted me to, the way Lila had before she’d been killed I wasn’t the the right decision Sticking with Daxton would buy et out of this mess At the first hint that Daxton was done withmore than a bad lowing screen e azed out the , enchanted I’d never seen this kind of sky before--endless and blue, stretching on for miles over mountaintops

For a moment, I couldn’t wait to tell Benjy about it Until I reain

I fell asleep an hour into the flight, and by the time I woke up, we’d landed I refused Daxton’s arm as we descended the stairs and stepped out onto the runway, and after e trees in every direction

"Where are we?" I said There was a ss nearby, but otherwise it looked like we’d landed in thein the woods

Daxton beamed and spread his arrounds in the entire country"

What ood or bad, I had no idea, but I didn’t ask Beckoning for roup of unifor our way Each carried a pistol, and my pulse quickened

This place was different from the uards would dare point one of those at a Hart The only person I had to worry about was the one standing beside me

"Your Excellency Miss Hart," said the uard He wore a white uniform to the others’ black, and he bowed deeply when he reached ed for your visit, and your usual vehicle is ready Your requested game has been herded into Zone Four, as well"

"Fantastic, Mercer," said Daxton, clapping the head guard on the back "Is there anyone else here today?"

"Minister Bradley, sir," he said "He is in the lodge"

The name Bradley stirred up a memory, and it took me a few seconds to remember he was the mustached man who’d lost the auction No doubt I wouldn’t have wound up a Hart if he’d won

"Co , alked through the crisp autumn air toward a suards weren’t close enough to hear us, I said quietly, "Do all the ministers co to keep his voice down "You remember from our visit last year, of course, when Minister Creed hunted with us"

Minister Creed Knox’s father "Of course," I said as we entered the second building So Lila had hunted with him before If she’d survived it,was full of circular s, and connected to them were vehicles that looked like cars with the top half reeted another reen splashed across the fabric Everyone kneho Daxton was, naturally, but the stunning part was that he seemed to knoho they were, too

"Your weapon, sir Fully loaded," said the reen, and he handed Daxton a rifle He didn’t bother to offer esturing forthe gate behind us With one hand he held his rifle, and with the other he gripped the railing I hung on as well, and the platforround

My eyes widened, and I had to biteLila would have knohat to expect, and Daxton stood cal to the htly thatin midair, the platform didn’t wobble

"Ready?" called the driver, and Daxton nodded I resisted the urge to squeeze my eyes shut, and instead I watched as he steered us out of the building, past the clearing, and into the forest

The faster ent, the higher the platfor forest We had plenty of run-down parks in the Heights, but they were nothing like this Thick with auturound was the reen I’d ever seen The air here was cleaner, too, and everything seehter

The driver weaved between the trees expertly, and the bitter wind rateful Celia had bundledto fall off or loseI could see why Daxton enjoyed it so much Besides the chill, it was almost fun

After nearly fifteen uarded by dozens of Shields with guns that looked even ate opened for us, and I frowned

"To sort the ga et hurt, would we?"

He flashedround

A minute later, Daxton raised his rifle and aimed As I craned er, and the sound was deafening I clamped my hands overto himself, he lowered his rifle and instructed the driver to slon