Under My Skin (4 page)

The clicks of red cards dropping into boxes rose over the sounds of conversation. The woman who tested me came my way. “We meet again, Tate.” She dropped something into my box before brushing her fingers against my forearm. Like before, she left me breathless. I tried to smile, but my face froze in place. She was the first of many who visited me. They touched me, as she’d done, then they dropped a card into my box. By the time five people had floated by, I was bewildered, while the girl next to me didn’t show such confusion. In contrast, her almond-shaped eyes appeared eager to accept their patronage. She was far prettier and taller than I was.

“I love your clothes. How beautiful,” she said to one. Friendliness didn’t seem to matter much to the Guild. I watched when others received red cards. Apparently, no words were needed, only the touch. But why did they need to touch us to determine if they wanted to be our sponsors? A chill went down my spine. None of this made sense. Did they treat their servants… inappropriately after they acquired them? From the way the Water Bearers and attendants smiled, I pushed that idea aside. There had to be something else at work.

Another elderly man in a wheelchair stopped in front of me. He gestured to catch the attention of his pale attendant. He whispered something to her and she nodded in reply. With a few tufts of white hair and a distinct wheeze, the man looked like a frail child swallowed by his midnight-colored robe. He lingered in front of me, his black eyes empty. Cold. His withered face broke out into a grin, revealing yellowed teeth. When he reached for me, his attendant pushed him toward me. I watched his hand, covered in liver spots, quiver in my direction.
 

I wanted to take a step back. To flee from the room or have myself carried away like that other girl. Before I could give into the idea, his hand snatched my wrist. I recoiled from the hard leathery feel of his skin. He didn’t seem to mind my reaction. Matter of fact, he chuckled. “So the rumors are true.”

What rumors?

He reached into his robe and dropped several cards into my box.

By the time the Guild left the room with the guards, the murmurings turned into excited conversation as the newest Water Bearers checked their containers. I, for one, didn’t want to look inside mine. My eyes went to the door as the weight of the box pushed down on my hands. One girl beside me shook her empty box, perhaps hoping one would materialize.

Once Zoe reached my side, I had to open the container.

“I have five credit cards! Can you believe it? Did you get some? I saw some old guy stop in front of you. So creepy.”

I opened my box and whispered a curse. When I peered inside, I didn’t know what emotion to feel. Tucked inside my sponsor box, lay seventeen red credit cards.

After the initiation, the older members shepherded us to dinner while younger boys ushered us into the seats. The watery bowl of soup on my tray was warmer than the dining hall. Maybe the cold feeling I couldn’t shake meant I was still trying to process it all: the test, the offering at the well, and now the red cards in my box.

“Not much of a dinner,” grumbled one of the girls on the other side of the table. She used her spoon to stir her soup until it formed a whirlpool.

Most of the girls and boys around me laughed and smiled. A few of them were withdrawn and quiet. Among the sounds of eating and conversation, most of them chatted, excited over meeting the Guild. It was a comforting and familiar scene that resembled my lunch room back at school.

I touched my clothes, by far the fanciest things I’d ever owned, and tried to live within the excitement of the moment. But apprehension continued to plague me. Who was that strange elderly man in the wheelchair who offered me all those credits? And what about those rumors he spoke of? Had other Guild members talked about me?

“Do you think we’ll find out about the red cards tonight?” I asked Zoe.

She finished chewing first. “Yeah. I heard on the way here that most of those rich girls didn’t get many cards. That can’t be good.”

Everyone looked behind me.

I turned to see Eva holding a tray. Her hands gripped it tightly as she eyed every corner of the table—noting that the only free spot was next to me.

“There aren’t any more free seats,” she mumbled, jerking her head toward a table filled with girls.

So her friends hadn’t offered her a spot.

Zoe shook her head and smiled, probably holding back what she really wanted to say about Eva’s situation.

But I wasn’t one to judge, so I scooted over without words. Perhaps it had been just as difficult for her to come over here.

She murmured a brief thanks and placed her tray on the table. She brought the faint scent of nutmeg. Another girl arrived in the dining room, and two others at the table too full for Eva eagerly parted to give the new girl a spot.

Eva took another sip, her focus on her food. The noisy room didn’t prevent us from hearing those girls greet the new one. Eva had been abandoned for some reason. Even though her face was blank, the feelings of rejection hit me instead. The feeling was all too familiar.

Zoe avoided the awkward situation and restarted the conversation. “Did you see that old lady with the little dog?”

“I saw a bunch of old ladies,” said one girl a few seats away. “Which one?”

“She was the one with the pink dog. You couldn’t miss her anyway. If you shook her hand, it was damp and disgusting.”

The two girls beside Zoe made faces.

“I remember her. Her hand
was
kind of nasty,” said the girl to her left.

“I’m glad she didn’t touch me,” added the other to her right.

“They’re not all that bad. One of them told me I wouldn’t have to work much once he hired me. He said he’d take care of me.” All eyes shifted to Eva again. Her voice softened. “He was really cute. Brown hair, brown eyes. He even promised to talk to my father about business.”

Zoe groaned. “Do you really think they’d be interested in people like us? In that way?”

“I don’t know about people like
you
, but I have connections,” Eva said. “Once I’m hired, they’ll be put to use.”

My cousin’s eyebrows lowered and she smirked in a manner that made me wonder if she planned to jump across the table and make Eva regret her snide words.

“I guess lower-class folks like us just wouldn’t understand,” Zoe said quietly. “How kind of you to educate us.”

I opened my mouth to keep the conversation from going further downhill, but Zoe diverted her attention back to her food.

Whether we were the lower class or the merchants, the Guild wanted something from us, but I didn’t know what. I kept seeing that man’s hands, the way they reached for me. I wiped my hands on the napkin and still didn’t feel clean.

Zoe addressed me while the girl on my other side played with her soup. “Hey, Tate. You should be happy. You got a bunch of cards. I can’t wait to see what you’ll be able to do with them.”

What good were all those cards when none of them could buy me a ticket to leave this place? I bet none of those credit cards could be used to immediately buy my father medication or to repair the scar on my face.

After the third slurp, my soup had gone cold. I picked up my napkin again. Instead of wiping my mouth, I used it to wipe my tongue. The soup had done nothing to remove the metallic aftertaste in my mouth from the offering at the well.

Astrid showed up with several older Water Bearers in tow. One of them, a short girl with brown hair, stepped forward and used a compu-tablet to project a list on the far wall. The beam flickered five times before a list appeared. The list contained three columns with everyone’s name and number of credit cards.

“Attention please,” Astrid said. “The red credit cards have been counted and assigned to your Water Bearer accounts. For those of you who are lucky enough to receive patronage, you are free to follow me to your new quarters after your dinner.” She strolled through the aisles between the tables. All conversations ceased. “A few of you won’t be happy with the amount of credits you received. But remember, we are a community of those who serve. The Guild has made their choices. No matter how much you may disagree with it, it’s for the best.”

It was easy to figure out who didn’t receive many credits. A few frowned while others barely concealed their disgust, in particular, the more affluent girls. They stared at the list and whispered among themselves. Two of them pointed at the wavering projection and shook their heads.

I checked for Eva’s name. She got eight red cards. A nice number compared to most who received two to three. She grinned and waved to the girls who cast her off.

Someone whispered, “Who’s Tate Sullivan?”

Not far from me, I caught Casper’s glare in my direction. Albert and Casper ate with other boys in a corner. There was only one Casper on the list with a zero next to it. Apparently, no one had dropped a card in his box.

“Tate?” A voice behind me called my name. It was Astrid’s assistant. “Are you finished eating?” She smiled.

I managed a nod.

“Both you, Eva, and Zoe can come with me if you like,” she said. The other girls at our table looked to her expectantly, but she hadn’t addressed them.

“What about them?” I asked.

“Their sponsors didn’t provide enough credits for them to receive private quarters.” Her facial expression didn’t waver. It was what it was.

Zoe, Eva, and I followed her out of the dining hall. A trail of other students joined us. Astrid’s assistant directed everyone down a few hallways. Eventually, we reached a stretch of doors where an older Water Bearer led us to private rooms. New scents filled the air: lit fireplaces and a smell that made my stomach growl—freshly baked bread.

Zoe grinned. “Smells like dinner time. A real dinner, that is.”

Astrid’s assistant stopped in front of one of the doors. “My name’s Monika and I’ll be taking care of your needs. This is your room, Zoe.” She pointed farther down the hall. “Eva and Tate, your suites are down the hall.” Using her compu-tablet, she pressed a few buttons and the door clicked. The wood groaned as it opened.

Zoe peered inside and squealed. “I have my
own
room.” She squeezed between us and rushed inside. “Look at this, Tate. Can you believe it?”

The room was the same size as my living room back at home. Around ten by ten feet, the whole space was beautiful. A small stone fireplace against the wall warmed the room. Along the right side, sat a desk with a communications console and sofa chair. On the other side, a twin size bed with a dark blue coverlet. What I wouldn’t give to live here and snuggle under those warm-looking blankets. The scene seemed even more complete with a serving of dumplings, fresh green vegetables, and bread on a rolling tray.

A young boy dressed in a lime green jumpsuit cleaned the room. When Zoe entered, he snapped to attention. While she checked the bed and then ran to touch the comm-console, the boy filled a cup with steaming tea.

“Can Tate stay with me?” Zoe asked Monika.

Monika tilted her head with a sweet smile. “As much as I’d like to keep you and your cousin together, I’m under orders to make sure each sponsored Water Bearer has their own proper quarters.”

Monika whispered a few words into Zoe’s ear and then directed me out of the room. As I left, Zoe mouthed the words “I’ll be fine.” Before I could reply, the young boy pushed tea into her hands.

Eva waited right outside the door. Even if she wasn’t thrilled, an excitement I hadn’t felt before tickled the side of my mouth into a smile. Would I have the same things as Zoe? I’d never had a fireplace in my room. Our house had one fireplace in the living room that heated the entire house. Which meant, during the winters, we all slept together in the living room.

Monika led us past several other doors. In the open ones, Water Bearers ate elaborate meals, checked out their comm-consoles, and others gossiped with friends.

The two doors at the end of the hall were open. I checked the first one.

“Oh no, Tate, yours is the one at the end.” Monika pointed to the next one.

“Which one is bigger?” Eva asked. “Since I have a high number of credits, I hope mine is big enough.”

I should’ve warned Monika about Eva. It was far too late now.

“Your sponsors couldn’t afford the grand suite. Therefore, this smaller one is where you’ll stay.” Monika pointed to Eva’s room. Her voice was gentle and patient. “I believe you’ll find your accommodations are more than adequate...compared to your peers.”

Eva didn’t glance back or thank Monika. She merely strolled inside and took a seat at the table. Two young girls immediately sprang into action. One tended the fire while another placed a napkin in her lap. Eva’s room was far larger than Zoe’s. The size of my kitchen and living room combined. Eva had a full set of couches and another door at the end.

Eva turned to her servant. We’d already been forgotten. “I’ll take the soup first. I prefer it hot.”

She glanced at the doorway briefly, and our gazes locked for a few seconds. The side of her mouth turned up while her eyes formed slits.

“Shut the door,” she said to the girl who served her food.

Wow, she worked hard to make new friends. I backed away to follow Monika. Would seventeen credits get me something just as grand? When I reached the doorway, I couldn’t move. Everything locked in place while I took in my room. It was a palace.

Four servants waited for me as well. Two of them worked on the final details of a table with a single place setting. An elaborate display of endless forks and spoons surrounding a single plate. An antique desk of carved wood with a comm-console embedded inside sat behind a set of sofas and chairs in soft yellow.

But it wasn’t the furniture that tugged me inside. It was the rich scents that filled the room.

A single step was all I managed.

“Come eat, Tate,” Monika said. “We’ve selected a few dishes you might like.”

The lump at the back of my throat grew harder to swallow. All of this was for me. From the four-poster bed in the back to the double doors that most likely led to another room—all of it was mine.