The Estate (Sacrisvita Book 4) Read online

  THE ESTATE

  SACRISVITA BOOK IV

  Dylan Steel

  THE ESTATE: SACRISVITA BOOK IV

  Dylan Steel

  Heritage Publishing

  Copyright © 2016

  www.DylanSteel.com

  Cover design by Flappy Dog Designs.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places, and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  ALSO BY DYLAN STEEL

  1. TECH

  2. PICK AGAIN

  3. NATURAGRE

  4. STRAWBERRY FIELDS

  5. UNDECIDED

  6. HELP NEEDED

  7. QUESTIONABLE BEHAVIOR

  8. MISCHIEF

  9. THE CLOAK

  10. TAKE A BREAK

  11. DROP THE GRAVEL

  12. THANKS

  13. K.O.

  14. GONE

  15. TUTORS

  16. TELL THE TRUTH

  17. AN UNLIKELY DEFENSE

  18. SMUDGES

  19. THE ASSIGNMENT

  20. THE BENNICKS

  21. THE WOODS

  22. NEVER EASY

  23. THE OUTBURST

  24. FOR HER

  THE VANISHED: SACRISVITA BOOK V - EXCERPT

  READ MORE BY DYLAN STEEL

  ALSO BY DYLAN STEEL

  Sacrisvita

  THE PRODIGY: A Sacrisvita Prequel

  (FREE and only available HERE.)

  THE INSTITUTION: Sacrisvita Book I

  THE ARCHIVES: Sacrisvita Book II

  THE RELIC: Sacrisvita Book III

  THE ESTATE: Sacrisvita Book IV

  THE VANISHED: Sacrisvita Book V

  THE CAPTIVE: Sacrisvita Book VI

  THE OUTCAST: Sacrisvita Book VII

  THE TRIALS: Sacrisvita Book VIII

  THE ROGUE: Sacrisvita Book IX

  THE CITIZEN: Sacrisvita Book X

  THE SURVIVOR: Sacrisvita Book XI

  ***

  Third Earth

  SLEEPER: A Third Earth Prequel

  (FREE and only available HERE.)

  ALONE: Third Earth Volume One

  ***

  For the most updated list of Dylan’s books, visit www.DylanSteel.com.

  Join Dylan’s Insiders Club to find out when her next book is out! Plus, get an exclusive prequel scene to Sacrisvita.

  1. TECH

  “What was that?” Sage reached her hand out, stopping Penelope in her tracks. She jerked her head toward the room they had just passed. A familiar image had caught her attention as she was walking toward the Common Lounge with her fellow newly-promoted Level Tens.

  Penelope raised an eyebrow and backtracked a couple steps so that she could see what her friend found so fascinating, letting the crowd of students pass by. She peered past the door, her eyes falling on the unusual interior.

  The room appeared to be lined with the same material that their databook screens used. Writing and symbols scrolled across the walls. A large round table sat in the center of the space, a translucent scene floating eerily above it. The view changed every few seconds, sometimes splitting a large image into multiple smaller three-dimensional ones.

  “Oh, that?” She seemed almost disappointed. “That’s nothing. Just a tech classroom. We’ll be in one soon. We’re just not old enough yet.”

  Sage shook her head. “No, not just that—”

  Before she could say another word, a skinny boy not more than a few years older than them appeared in the doorway. Sage shot him a confused look—it seemed he’d just materialized in the room. She craned her neck to see where he might have been hiding.

  The boy didn’t seem to appreciate her curiosity. He furrowed his brow and scrunched up his nose at the two girls. His unruly dark curls bounced along the top of his head as he swung the door closed without saying a word.

  “That was strange,” Sage mused.

  “Eh, not really,” Penelope said. “I mean, techs are always like that. Super private. Kinda awkward. And he must be a tech if he’s working on stuff outside of class.” She rolled her eyes. “No one else would.”

  Sage looked up. “Techs?”

  “Mmhmm,” Penelope nodded. “They’re total geniuses with technology, but they’re not usually much for conversation, if you know what I mean.”

  She frowned. “Wouldn’t that be a problem? You know, when they graduate?”

  “Them? No. Not a chance.” Penelope waved her hand dismissively. “They’re insanely valuable to Eprah. They get more Chances than most government people.” She hesitated. “If they’re assigned to the right job, of course.”

  “Got it.” Sage wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes at the door. Surely her mind was playing tricks on her. She couldn’t have seen what she thought she’d seen.

  Penelope shrugged and started walking away, clearly expecting her friend to follow. But Sage remained rooted in place, staring at the door intently as if she could still see inside the classroom.

  “Trying to burn a hole through it?” Penelope stopped and cast a backward glance at her.

  Sage peeled her eyes off the door. “What? Oh, no.” She shook her head back and forth sharply as if to clear away the questions she was asking herself. “Sorry.”

  She turned away from the room and skipped forward, smacking Penelope on the back. “Well, let’s go. What’s taking you so long?” She winked as she shot past.

  “Not even funny!” Penelope raced after her, quickly catching up.

  They arrived at their new Common Lounge at the same time, out of breath, just moments after their other classmates. Other than the commotion they made racing to the door, their absence had gone largely unnoticed.

  Panting, Sage plopped down in one of the lounge’s overstuffed chairs. Penelope followed suit, sprawling out on the couch beside her.

  “Where were you guys?” Marnie raised an eyebrow as she approached them, sipping a turquoise beverage through a straw.

  “Nowhere. Sage just thought she saw something—”

  “—which apparently was just a tech room,” Sage finished, interrupting Penelope’s explanation. “We just peeked inside for a sec.”

  Penelope’s eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to say something, but Sage shot her a pleading look that made her snap it closed.

  Marnie settled in beside Penelope on the couch. “I really don’t know why you’re still an ambassador.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” Marnie didn’t try to hide her exasperation as she rolled her eyes. “I just meant… well, you don’t seem to like following the rules very much. I don’t get why you’d still want to be one.”

  An impish smile spread over Penelope’s face. “It has its perks.”

  “That’s true,” Marnie sighed. “But I wonder if you’ll actually be selected again. I mean, showing up late, not being where you’re supposed to be… people might think you’re not taking the position seriously.” An edge of warning was in her voice.

  “Who says I’m not where I’m supposed to be?” Penelope was unruffled. “And I’d hardly call ten seconds late. Especially when I’m just explaining things about the Institution to another student. That completely falls within the job description,” she said pointedly.

  Marnie shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess that’s for the instructors to decide.”

  “Yes,” Penelope said coolly. “It is.”

  Sage squirmed in her chair. She was r
elieved when a few more of their classmates wandered over, breaking the tension.

  “I wouldn’t be too worried about ambassador assignments,” Nic said as he flopped into the chair opposite Sage. “I’m having more trouble figuring out which Interest Society sounds good this year. There’s probably at least a dozen I want to sit in on, and there’s not enough time for that.”

  The two other boys who had come over with him, Everett and another Level Ten named Drue, nodded.

  “You have to have a favorite,” Penelope said.

  Nic shook his head furiously. “Seriously. I can’t decide.”

  “I guess that’s why they give us a couple weeks to visit different ones.” Marnie sounded annoyed. Clearly, she’d rather have continued grilling Penelope about her merit in the position of student ambassador.

  “It’s not that hard,” Sage said. “You just pick one that’s interesting. You can always pick something else next year.”

  “Just like you did?” A grin played at the corners of Everett’s mouth.

  Sage pursed her lips, irritated. “I just happened to find one I liked right away.”

  Marnie rolled her eyes. “Just by chance, huh?” She glanced across the room at Carnabel.

  Sage’s face reddened.

  “It’s a good plan though,” Nic said, shooting a smile at Sage. “There’s always next year. I’m sure I’ll figure something out. I guess… I’m really leaning towards the Splahnkahn Interest Society. Lots of trips out of the gates.”

  “The what?” Pippa’s forehead wrinkled as she joined the group.

  “Splahnkahn. From what I’ve heard, they do lots of stuff outdoors, beyond the city even. Exploring caves, hiking, stuff like that. They won’t even let Level Eights or Nines do it—they’re not mature enough. It’s too risky for them.” With those words, he sat a little taller.

  “That’s a weird name,” Pippa said.

  Nic shrugged. “But it sounds fun.”

  The Society piqued Sage’s interest for a moment as she realized the rare opportunity of leaving the city. But reality quickly set in: there was no way the zeptobes and bracelets weren’t set up to deal with escape attempts. If she tried to run, even while outside the city, she was sure to be caught or, at the very least, rendered unconscious. And with her track record, she’d definitely be shunned without a second thought.

  No, the Historical Interest Society would be much safer again. She’d have Mr. Walsh looking out for her, and she’d be able to look into more of the relics that showed promise. She was especially curious about the gems, unconvinced that the information they potentially held was purely a made-up story to trap Lawless rebels.

  Her thoughts drifted from talk of Interest Societies back to what she’d seen in the tech classroom. The tech boy obviously hadn’t wanted her to see what he was doing.

  She shook her head. Maybe her eyes had been playing tricks on her, but she could’ve sworn she caught a glance of the cataloguing room from the Archives hovering in the air over the table before the image switched to something else entirely.

  Even more disturbing, the view of the cataloguing room was centered squarely on the desk where Lita had hidden jewelry last year.

  Granted, it was possible she’d imagined the whole thing. She was a bit on edge after everything that had happened at the end of the year—losing two friends, finding out about her parents, wondering whether or not she should join the Lawless cause…

  She sucked in her breath. That last question still hung heavy over her head. She hadn’t given Mr. Walsh an answer yet, and she wasn’t ready to.

  As much as she hated Eprah, she wasn’t sure she was ready to potentially forfeit her life to see it destroyed.

  2. PICK AGAIN

  “That sums us up pretty well. We can’t get into the truly great discoveries and discussions until we dig in to the real, tangible history of Eprah. And that happens outside these walls, so unfortunately, we’re not in a position to begin that quite yet.” Mr. Walsh sighed.

  “I know a few of you are actually crazy enough to be here voluntarily, but I’m sure the rest of you are quite ready to leave. Any questions?” He paused, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Alright then. Consider yourselves dismissed.”

  The students hopped up from their desks quickly, some before he had finished speaking. Chatter and the sound of shuffling feet filled the classroom as everyone made their way to the door.

  Mr. Walsh walked back around his desk and took a seat, grabbing his databook.

  “Miss Indarra, please stay behind for a moment.” His gaze was fixated on his databook. He didn’t bother looking up while the other students streamed out of the room.

  Sage’s eyes shot up in surprise. She swallowed hard and approached his desk. This was a conversation she’d been dreading. In fact, since their last discussion on the rooftop, she’d avoided any scenarios that left her alone with Mr. Walsh.

  He’d given her answers to some of the questions that had been plaguing her for years, and he’d posed a new question to her. One that she desperately wanted to answer. One that terrified her.

  After everything that had happened, all the losses she’d grieved, how was she supposed to tell him that she needed more time to think about it? That she was scared? She didn’t exactly want to put her life on the line—or further endanger the few remaining people she cared about.

  She licked her lips and looked over her shoulder to make sure the last of the students had left.

  “I haven’t—”

  He held up a hand, stopping her from saying any more. After an uncomfortable pause, he set his databook down and met her eyes.

  “I’m not sure what you thought I held you back to talk about,” he began, “but what I wanted to say was just this: I think you should choose a different Interest Society this year.”

  A confused look fell over Sage’s face. “What? But I—”

  Mr. Walsh shook his head. “You’ve already been a part of this Society for two years. And while I’ve enjoyed having you as one of my pupils, I know it would be quite unfair for your development and your future to limit your experiences.”

  “But, Mr. Walsh—”

  “This isn’t a discussion, Sage. A third year of the Historical Interest Society is not an option for you at this time.”

  She furrowed her brow, frowning. “I thought we could choose whatever Society we wanted.”

  “You can.” He nodded and then cocked his head at her. “But no student your age would choose this Society for a third time of their own volition. It would be highly unusual.” He paused, letting the full weight of his words sink in. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Sage?”

  She bit her lip and nodded. Making an unusual choice in the Institution was bound to bring her more unwanted attention. Standing out—at least in this way—wasn’t a good thing in this place.

  “Alright,” she said slowly, her mind spinning. “But we have to make our decision next week. And I don’t really know which of the other options I feel like checking out.”

  Mr. Walsh pursed his lips. “I figured as much when you showed up again this afternoon. That’s why I felt I needed to pull you aside. It’s time to expand your interests.”

  She dropped her eyes. She hadn’t expected to have to make a different decision. Her heart began beating faster as she realized the ramifications of her choice. She’d have to spend the year without the one instructor she could trust. There would be no one to talk to. No relief.

  “Any suggestions?” she managed to squeak out the question.

  A smile spread over his face. “Why, yes, actually.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “I’d like to think I’ve gotten to know a bit about you over the past couple years. I think the Naturagre Interest Society would be a great fit for you.”

  Sage raised an eyebrow. “The what?”

  “Naturagre,” he repeated. “The choice is up to you, but I do think you’d enjoy it. They learn about a great deal of things that take p
lace beyond the borders of this city—things that sustain us all, everyday. Things we often take for granted.” He leaned forward. “But horses are bred and food is farmed and water is collected. And it all has to happen somewhere. We can’t very well manage those things solely on the cobblestones of the city now, can we?”

  Sage frowned as she picked at the corner of the desk. She’d never really considered where everything they’d gotten had come from. An old memory of picking wild strawberries at the edge of the forest flashed across her mind. A slight smile played at her lips but stopped abruptly when the memories of the rest of that day flooded back. Her breath caught in her throat, and she suddenly found herself fighting back tears.

  She held back the torrent that threatened and looked back up at Mr. Walsh. For a moment, she thought she saw a look of sympathy behind his eyes, but it disappeared quickly. They both knew better than to say anything. It wasn’t safe.

  “Sage,” he said quietly, “you have my recommendation. You have many options at your disposal—more than you could possibly take advantage of during your time here—but ultimately, the choice is yours. At the very least, I suggest you visit several other Interests, including the Naturagre Interest Society, to see in which manner you’re inclined. You might be pleasantly surprised by all of Eprah’s offerings.”

  It took every ounce of strength that she had not to gag at that last statement. She knew Mr. Walsh’s feelings about Eprah. She was surprised he’d say anything positive about it, but she hadn’t forgotten that they were almost always being watched.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled.

  “Just think about it.” He picked up his databook and leaned back in his chair again. “I hope you find something you enjoy just as much as the Historical Interest Society, Sage. And I am flattered that you’ve been so inclined as to join us on our adventures these past couple years. But even the best things have endings, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

  “Ok. I’ll—um, thanks.” She shifted her weight uncomfortably. “So… Naturagre?”

  He nodded, dismissing her with a grin. “Have a good evening, Sage.”

  Sage left, walking down the hallway in silence. She’d never discussed horses or farming or any part of nature at all with Mr. Walsh. Her brow furrowed. Why he thought she’d enjoy that particular Interest Society was a mystery.