LOGINFive's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the flee
Five's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the flee
Five's POV It wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien. It had come at the perfect time. Castellan grounds. I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel. I needed to be there. I was going. The only question was how. *** Ninety knew about the vehicles. Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them. The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the fleet of armored
Five's POVIt wasn't hard to make my decision after hearing what Cato had to say to Lucien.It had come at the perfect time.Castellan grounds.I didn't know the name or what the intensity behind it meant, but I knew it was a different pack. And I knew that a different pack meant different humans — different slaves, different facility girls. Potential alliance outside the citadel.I needed to be there.I was going.The only question was how.***Ninety knew about the vehicles.Of course she did — Ninety knew about everything that moved through the citadel's lower levels, had spent two years being invisible in precisely the places that mattered, and had accumulated the kind of knowledge that people with power never thought to protect because they never imagined it would be used against them.The vehicles were kept in the lower east structure — what had once been a stable before the citadel's expansion had converted it into a garage of sorts, housing the fleet of armored transports th
Lucien's POVShe was in the garden.As I'd hoped.She was below, in the east garden, crouched beside the beds with her hands in the soil and her fringe catching the afternoon light.I watched her without deciding to watch her.She moved the way she always moved when she thought no one was paying attention — with a kind of ease that disappeared the moment she became aware of being observed. Something looser. Something that was closer to the person underneath the managed exterior she deployed for everyone including, most of the time, me.She sat back on her heels and tilted her face up toward the light.I swallowed.She was—Beautiful."Five," I called.She didn't flinch. Of course she didn't.She must've sensed me the way she usually did.She turned."King Lucien."I pressed my lips together.The way she said my name, the softness of her voice when she was not trying, did something to me.Everything about her did something to me."Come with me to the pond," I ordered.She opened her mo
Lucien's POV "Find out who runs Facility Seven," I ordered. "The head administrator. Their name, their location, their direct communication channel." Cato didn't move immediately. Which meant he had something to say about it. "Speak," I said. "Requesting a meeting with a facility administrator through official channels will alert the faction," he informed carefully. "If they have someone watching your correspondence—" "I'm not requesting," I clarified. "I'm summoning. There is a difference." I turned from the window. "Use the royal directive channel. Not the council's administrative system — the crown's direct authority. It bypasses the standard logging." Cato's expression shifted slightly. The royal directive channel was not used often. It was not used often because using it announced, to anyone who understood the kingdom's administrative architecture, that the King was moving on something he did not want the council to see in advance. It was also, importantly, irrefusa
549’s POV The forest swallowed me whole. Branches tore into my skin, as I moved, roots caught my feet—making me stumble. But I didn’t slow down, I couldn’t. The voices behind me were multiplying, flashlight beams cutting through the trees. I ran until my legs stopped working properly. Unti
549’s POV"You’ll never return to us." Twelve’s words echoed in my head. The dread tinged with melancholy made it sound more like a sentencing than a prediction. I stood on the far end of the line, my gaze on the floor, my shoulders squared, chest pushed out—just the way we were taught. My body
549’s POV “What did they say?” Twelve asked as she twisted the cap of her water bottle. I shrugged, trying to act casual. “I passed.” She froze, then her eyes snapped to mine. I looked away, unable to bear the pity that swirled in those grey orbs. “Oh five forty nine,” she sighed, droppin
549’s POV The buzz of my alarm clock brought me back to life. It was 6:45am on the third moon day. Which meant— My room door burst open, and a familiar head of brown hair walked in. My reaction was instant, almost instinctive. I wrapped my arms around my body, trying—but failing to cover my br







