I couldn’t believe it when we exited Roki’s house onto his porch and I was staring down at an enormous underground city. There were houses, tall buildings, streets, huge complexes. I even saw flyrarcs hovering beneath the domed ceiling. It must have been half the size of the capital!
“Are we beneath Krug?” I asked.
“About a hundred yards beneath Krug. We started building this place roughly a century ago. The more people we recruit, the larger the city gets. We have many Min on our side, so we use our combined power and influence to keep it secret and to expand. We also have the best architects and engineers in Geniverd working for us.”
“Us? We? Our side?” I blinked at him, ready to explode if I didn’t get some answers. “Roki … who are you?”
Roki exhaled deeply, steadied himself, and looked in my eyes. “I always wanted to tell you. It just never seemed like the right time. Kaelyn, I’m the leader of the so-called Gurnots. It’s been my task to support them for the last hundred years, a direct order from the Crown of Crowns to keep the balance. Our proper name is Defiance. And now, as the leader of Defiance, I am serving my second year in office.”
It felt like Roki had punched me in the gut. Leader of the Gurnots? The man I had fallen in love with was a freaking Gurnot! How could that be?
“I want to show you more. Let’s walk to the center. I want you to see my people. We’re not evil, Kaelyn. We’re just tired of the upper class. I mean, why should anyone be born superior? We’re willing to fight to free the kingdom from the tyrannical rule of the clans. Our views are directly in line with yours. We want to restore the balance between rich and poor.”
I had no words. This was the ultimate shock. After so many twists and turns, betrayals and revelations, to find out Roki was the leader of the Gurnots—it turned my perception of the world inside out.
I couldn’t believe the things I saw as Roki led me through the city. There were markets, people selling meats and fruits, artisanal crafts—only this time it was all real! And women with large round bellies waddling through the streets. They were pregnant! I had forgotten that the Gurnots favored natural births. I supposed it was also a way to keep their children out of the system. But I thought the most fascinating part was how the city smelled. I was so used to the controlled atmosphere I’d spent my life inside that I had never experienced such a bombardment of different smells. There was the scent of fresh bread, of engine exhaust, of tangy human sweat. It was overwhelming.
“There are about six hundred thousand living in the city,” Roki was saying as we went past a couple of kids playing with their dogs.
Dogs! I thought. They’re probably not even replicas!
“But in the entire world, I’d say about a quarter are associated with Defiance. That means a billion people. When the time to rise above the clans is at hand, it will be an even fight. Yet we must pick our time to rebel carefully. It was unfortunate how much life was lost during the Nurlie Islanders’ revolution, but it was a good test of our abilities. It may be the catalyst that will ignite global change.”
“Where do I fit into all this?” I asked. We had reached the center of the city, a big stage and a huge throng of people waiting for Roki to speak. He must have had us masked, because we walked straight through them unimpeded.
“By my side,” he said with a wink. “Only if you’re happy. These people revered Lordin, and they can never know her truth, or they would be broken by it. As for you …” He licked his lips, giving me an “uh-oh” look. “Well, many will hate you because of the pandemic—the decisions made through your council’s process. They won’t know the truth. But you’re a Min now, and you’re in a new body. No one knows who you are.”
“Neuge did,” I said, remembering how he had ignored me. Now that I thought about it, he had seemed perturbed to see Roki with me on the rooftop.
“Neuge is clever,” Roki said as we climbed onto the stage. “You’re new, and Kaelyn of Gaard is dead. I’m sure he put the pieces together. But Neuge is loyal and won’t say anything. Even if the other Min find out, they can’t defy me as the leader, nor can they reveal your identity to the people. Trust me, Kaelyn, you’re safe with me, and I’ll protect your loved ones.”
I did trust Roki. I trusted him more than seemed appropriate. I couldn’t help it. He had been my dream man from day one, and now I was standing by his side as he was about to address thousands of Gurnots in a secret underground city. I wasn’t queen of Geniverd anymore, yet I felt more like a queen beside Roki than I ever had sitting in my council chamber. As a Min, I had energy and power beyond mortal grasp. I had forfeited my original body and found confidence in the skin of my host. I felt complete, smart, aware of who I was. More than anything, I felt valued. I felt ready to face the next trial.
“My people,” Roki said, his voice echoing over the attentive crowd, “thank you for joining the battle in Nurlie. Thank you for fighting for our freedom and sacrificing your lives for the good of the world. It was not the first fight, and it won’t be the last. We have hardships ahead of us, foes the world over, and seemingly impossible odds. Yet we will prevail!”
The crowd
