The Lofties (The Echelon Book 2)

hands, and he was pulling me toward him. For one frenzied moment, I thought he meant to drag me offstage, run with me and keep running, set me free somehow. Instead he hugged me, hot breath on my neck.
“You listen to your mother. We’re keeping your beds, your seats at our table. We’ll expect you for dinner at least once a week.”
I pulled back and saw Dad’s eyes were wet. He still had my hands, clutched tight to his chest.
“We’ll come,” I said, but his expression stayed desolate. He didn’t expect to see us ever again. I could see it in his eyes, in those tears that never fell.
“Be happy.” He dropped my hands, at last, and the elevator yawned open. I didn’t want to get on, but the time for second thoughts had passed. A pair of guards materialized, one at each of my elbows, and I didn’t doubt they’d drag me, if need be. I opted to go with dignity, joining Ona and Lock. Prium got on with us, and the gate rattled shut behind him. He pressed his palm to a reader and a metal pane slid back, revealing a keyhole beneath. He took a key from his pocket and turned it, and the elevator began to move. I watched the crowd dwindle below me, and the market square, all the scenes of my childhood sinking out of reach.
“This is it,” said Ona. Her knuckles brushed mine. “Our reward. Our new life.”
One of our guards made a strangled sound. Ona didn’t seem to notice. Prium stepped forward as we reached our destination. A faint green light passed over him, and I heard a beep. The gate slid open, then a steel portcullis beyond. We passed through a decontamination chamber, into a long, featureless corridor. It reminded me of the tunnel leading Outside. The gate was shut at the far end, a line of bright light slicing in along the bottom.
“Well,” said Prium, “here we are.” He waved the guards back and set out toward the light. His heels clicked on the concrete, marking a slow, measured beat. He stopped abruptly, halfway down, as though he’d forgotten something important. “Before I turn you three loose, there is one more bandage to rip off. I find it’s best to do this quickly, so we can put it behind us and move on.” He turned to face us, hands clasped behind his back. Lock froze in place, eyes wide with alarm.
“Sky is a safe haven,” said Prium. “Our citizens enjoy a life free of violence, free of fear, free of disease. Certain Dirt-borne ailments—what you call the Undercrud, in particular—don’t exist above ground. And the reason they don’t is that—”
“No.” Lock clapped his hand to his mouth, shook his head from side to side. Prium showed him a sad smile.
“It seems you’ve guessed. Travel between Dirt and Sky is permitted only as necessary, and for you, it won’t be needed.”
Ona made a squawking sound. I’d have laughed, but my heart was in pieces, shattered at my feet.
“That can’t be true.” Her hand fluttered to her throat. “What about our supervisors? The watch? The doctors? They’re all Lofties, and—”
“And they live in the quarantine districts, and you’ll live in the Center.”
“So, why can’t we live in the quarantine district, too? Why can’t we—”
Prium held up his hands, and Ona fell silent. Lock hadn’t said a word since his initial outburst. He stood like a statue, hand pressed to his mouth.
“Once upon a time, that would have been the norm,” said Prium. “Our first Decemites had that choice, but it wasn’t to their benefit. They never found their footing. They hung between our two worlds, outsiders in both, never happy in either.” He stepped forward, arms extended. “It seems cruel, I know, cutting you off from all you’ve known. But it isn’t forever. If, after two years, you find you still miss your homes, you’re free to move to a quarantine district.”
“Two years.” Ona’s words came out hollow, and she swayed on her feet. “They’ll hate us by then. They’ll think we forgot them.”
“They won’t think that, I assure you.” Prium laid his hand on his heart. “Family forgives, and yours will too.”
“Mom won’t hold on that long.” Lock’s words came out muffled, stifled between his fingers. He looked like he might throw up.
“Come,” said Prium. “You’ve all had a shock, but it’s a beautiful day. Your families are celebrating in the Stars—celebrating your new beginnings. They’d want you to enjoy this, to soak it all in. Live every moment for all of them.”
I thought Lock might punch him, then. His shoulders went tense, and he growled deep in his throat. He wiped his face instead and sucked in a deep breath. Ona was pinching herself, like she thought she might be dreaming.
“Welcome to Sky,” said Prium, and the gate rattled up on its tracks. He strode into the glare and we followed, leaving everything behind.

Chapter Nine
My sunblindness cleared slowly, like mist burning away. The towers emerged first, silver up close, greenery cascading from every balcony. A web of light rails wended between them, so ethereal I took them for washing lines till I saw a train zip past. It seemed to hover above the tracks, like a dragonfly over a pond. I saw a great wall of granite ten storeys tall, with a waterfall rushing down it. A river flowed through the city from its base, white rapids glinting in the sun. I heard a strange sound and glanced to my right, and I saw a huge cage, filled with—
“Birds!” I darted toward them with arms outstretched. Prium pulled me back, nails scoring my arm.
“Careful,” he said. “You’ll want to stay off the tracks.”
I looked down and saw where the platform dropped off. One of the birds screamed at me and flapped its messy wings. It was black and gray all over, except its shoulders, which were red. It looked angry, I thought, the way it stamped its feet.
“Why are