My classroom is not nearly as fine as Will's was.

There is no shabby but comfortable couch, no window to tempt me outside and onto the rooftops of the sprawling City. There is only a cold, steel walkway to perch upon and the ceaseless sound of dripping water.

Luca dangles his legs over the side of the walkway and peers between the metal slats, watching the scene below us. Tawny and her fellow subterranean dwellers drift back and forth between the various tunnels. Observing the minutiae of their daily lives creates a nostalgic pang within me. How many hours have I spent like this, perched high above the world, observing and making plans. Plans that used to involve basic survival. Now, they involve war.

"Are you ready to begin?" Luca's voice breaks through my thoughts.

I blink, bringing myself back to focus. "Right, yes." I straighten my spine and clap my hands on my thighs. "First thing's first. Your look."

"I can see fine."

"No, not your sight. Your look. Your style."

"My clothes?"

"Not just your clothes. Your hair, your tattoos." I gesture vaguely at the whole of him. "Your general aesthetic."

He grins in that small way. "Do what you like. No manner of dress will make me any less beautiful."

I kick him lightly. "That's good, keep up the arrogance. A guard who gets off on doing a tyrant's dirty work naturally possesses the biggest of heads."

"Not a problem." Luca's tone is light but he nods earnestly.

"There will be time to go over all of that, later. For now, I think we should get you looking the part." I lean over the railing and blow a sharp whistle. Tawny waves her acknowledgement and disappears from view as I straighten and turn to Luca once again.

"How attached are you to that mop?" I ask.

Luca's raises his hand to his dark, wavy mass of hair, touching it curiously. "i am not. There are far worse things to lose."

I smile, stepping aside to allow Tawny and her friend to pass. Tawny reclines against the rail across from me while the girl withdraws a pair of fine-tipped scissors and moves behind Luca, unceremoniously grabbing a fistful of his hair.

He raises his brows at me, feigning fear as the first black locks fall away, slipping through the slats of metal beneath our feet. My chest twists unexpectedly as bit by bit, the Waster before me is stripped away and is replaced by a sharp-cheeked aristocrat.

"While you're occupied," In one swift movement I pull myself up onto the rail, sitting comfortably and smirking a little at Tawny's alarmed gasp. "I'll just rhyme of a few more tricks."

"By all means."

"Underplay everything. Don't show that you care too much or too little. Remember you are a background player; nothing more. The less attention you draw, the further you'll go."

Luca's remains perfectly still for the hair dresser's benefit but I know he is paying close attention to my every word.

"Talk only to who you must. Don't ask too many questions; don't try and make friends or allies." I emphasize each point, all-too-aware that time is not on our sides. "Which brings me to the most important piece of advice I can offer." Holding his gaze with mine, I will him to understand the importance of what I say next. "Trust no one."

He swallows but gives the barest of nods.

"Rely on your own instincts and take care of your own safety first." I force myself to speak calmly even as fear runs its icy finger down my spine. "Assume that everyone is your enemy."

Tawny speaks up, her tone dry. "Should I be worried that the Runner assimilated with us so readily?"

"Probably." I respond, barely giving her a second's attention while keeping my eyes fixed with Luca's, needing him to grasp the seriousness of my words.

He holds my stare easily, giving me no doubt.

"There." The girl sets down her scissors and comb, stepping back to admire her handiwork. "I think you'll do."

Luca shoots her a small but nonetheless charming grin and I don't miss the hint of red staining her cheeks as she makes her way back down the catwalk.

"Looks good." Tawny tilts her head back and forth, considering Luca from all angles. His shorter hair has been brushed and tamed into black, silken waves that cause my fingers to tingle with a strange impulse.

"Mm hmm." I acknowledge, concentrating on repositioning myself upon the railing.

"The Mech uniform should hide those markings." Tawny continues, indicatinghis tattoos. "Geoff is going to bring us one in your size."

"Great, that's great." I say testily, eager to get on with the lesson. "We still have a lot to go over. I want to work on Luca's speech."

"Yes, I suspected as much." Luca glances back and forth between Tawny and I. "You rush your talking but speak in circles."

"That's because you can never be sure that there will be enough time to say everything you need to say." I respond, growing more annoyed by the second.

"So then, why not only say the things you mean?" He asks.

"Gods, Luca." I throw my hands up. "I can't debate this with you right now. We have more important matters to deal with."

"Shame." Luca shakes his head. "It would have been an interesting discussion."

I snort out a laugh, my exasperation dissipating somewhat. "Can we please focus?"

"Perhaps, if you can tear your eyes away from admiring my new..." He raises his eyebrows in question. "...look?"

I roll my eyes. "Very good. You're a quick study."

"I know. Now, go ahead and show me how to do a poor job of speaking."

It is impossible to measure time belowground, but Tawny abandons us long before I realize that we should break for sanity's sake.

"Sorry." I say, rubbing my face with my hands. "That was a lot to dump on you at once."

"It was." Luca agrees, placing a hand on my shoulder and spinning me in the direction of the stairs. "You either have too much faith in my abilities, or none whatsoever."

"I just don't want to miss anything."

"You will not— you won't." He corrects himself. "Don't worry so much, we have time, still."

"Not much. Every day we spend fermenting in these tunnels is another day the Madam gains." I quicken my pace, abandoning the stairs and instead swinging myself over the railing, the metal reverberating beneath my feet as Luca lands beside me. We drop level by level until our feet hit solid ground, ignoring the curious glances thrown in our direction and heading off in search of Jaron.

The Waster chief finds us first, appearing from one of the tunnels with his pack thrown over his shoulder. The other Wasters linger nearby and I look for the escaped Babelonian, Mia in their midst. Failing to locate her, I realize that it's been several days since I saw her petite form moping around Tawny's camp and wonder vaguely if she made another run at the surface.

"You're leaving." Luca states. "Already?"

"There is nothing more we can do here." Jaron confirms. "We will go back into the desert and prepare for war; you will send word when you are ready for us."

Luca nods, looking as though he wants to say something else before Jaron turns away.

"Runner." Jaron fairly barks at me. "A word."

I follow him a few paces away. "You have a guide?" I ask once we're out of earshot.

"One of Tawny's men." He confirms. "He has promised to see us past the tunnel-dwellers."

"Good." I nod approvingly. "Send a message back with him. Something coded, that only I would understand, so that I know you've arrived safe."

"So, you do not trust them." Jaron's eyes dart over my shoulder. "Not entirely."

"I never trust anyone entirely."

"You and I have that in common." He grunts his agreement. "But I hope you realize how much faith I am putting in you, by leaving my brother in your hands."

"I won't let anything happen to him."

He doesn't say anything for a long time and I have to consciously stop myself from fidgeting beneath his unforgiving glare.

"He would do anything for you, you know this." Jaron's voice is a low warning. "It would be easy for you to use him for your own purposes."

The colour red shudders through me. "You would could write the book on that."

"Speak plainly, Runner."

"You used Luca as your own personal Hunter, sent him out into those camps to do your dirty work. I know all about how you manipulated him." I hiss.

Jaron's face at once turns a deep purple. He grips my arm and drags me even further off to the side. "You do not know what you are talking about."

"What I know is that he is infinitely safer with me than he ever was with you." I say, the cloud of red now pulsing at the edge of a headache.

Jaron releases me, breathing heavily. "He told you that I used him?"

"He told me that you helped to turn his skills for hunting animals towards hunting people." I rub my arm where he gripped it. "How selfish are you? What do you think that does to a person?"

Jaron's face turns even darker. "It is not as simple as that."

"Seems pretty cut and dry to me."

"They were dire times. We were all forced to make difficult choices."

"You didn't give him any choice."

"It was his idea, did he tell you that?" Jaron thunders. My face must show shock because he nods and carries on. "It is true that I applied pressure for him to find himself a purpose, but the plan to carry out stealth kills was entirely his own."

The cloud of red dims but continues to pulse a warning at the edges of my vision.

"Do not let yourself be fooled, Runner. Luca is no innocent. He is a killer." Jaron's stare turns to ice. "Same as you."

The truth hammers through me, twisting my stomach into knots and causing the crimson halo to pulse anew. Rage feeds the fog, threatening to pull me under as I actively fight against it.

"You know why I do not trust my brother to your keeping." Jaron's voice ebbs through the haze, brazen and infuriating. "We all remember what happened to the last man who stood beside you."

At once I give up the fight and call forth the cloud in all its fiery splendour. Fear is instantly replaced by power and I draw myself up to my full height, believing myself to tower over the mighty Jaron.

"Yes, I am a killer." I rasp. "And so are you. And so is Luca. Even the most peaceable person has the capacity for murder; press someone's back up against a wall and they'll come back at you with everything they have. The harder you push, the more deadly they become."

I moving forward suddenly, catching Jaron off-guard and forcing him back a step.

"I have been pushed to the brink." I continue, my voice growing louder. "I have reached the very limits of what pain and suffering have to offer. I have visited the pinnacle of darkness again and again and each time I return, I return more dangerous. Do you know what that journey does to a person, chief?"

Jaron's mouth opens, then closes.

"It makes them more lethal than you could possibly imagine." Staring down my nose at him, I spit my poison. "I am glad that you chose this moment to condescend to me. You and I both know that this conversation has been a long time coming. Now, I want you think on all of this. Think really hard. Think of everything you have invested in this vendetta against the Madam. Your people are counting on you; your reputation is at stake. Think of all that and tell me, would you like to reconsider challenging me?"

Rage burns through every fibre of the behemoth before me. The veins in his neck and arms bulge and his leather-wrapped hands ball into threatening fists. Despite the image of abject fury I catch a glimpse of something else. Something that feeds my power all the more.

Fear.

"I will never answer to you." The warlord's words drip with warning but I sense that his threats are all but spent. "I am no follower."

I shake my head slowly, drawing out his self-doubt and allowing him to stew in it. "Do not let this come to blows, Jaron."

"Or what?"

"Or I will pluck this war straight from your hands."

He blinks, his colour all but drained and the black and blue tattoos crossing his neck and chest appearing stark.

"That's right." I delight in the feeling of fire pulsing through my veins. "Your precious glory. It means everything to you, doesn't it? I know it must, since you gave up the love of a Queen for it."

"You told me to break with Megra." Jaron sputters. "That was your doing."

"It was yours." I remind him. "I merely offered my hand. It was your choice to take it."

"You witch." The fear in his eyes now flares bright.

A grin pulls my mouth crookedly. "I suggest that you tread carefully from now on, Chief." I am purposelessly careless with his title. "Take care with how you speak to me and do not challenge my authority again."

He swallows, some of the blood returning to his cheeks. "You truly are mad, Runner."

"Almost certainly." I agree grimly. "But I'm mad enough to bring you the victory over the Madam that you want so badly."

We stare one another down and I watch with unabashed satisfaction as the warlord visibly seethes with hatred. Eventually turning to go, I pause and address him one last time, "And do not worry so much about your brother."

The image of fury before me doesn't change.

"The safest place for Luca is right by my side." My tone leaves no room for argument. "You know that I would die before I let what happened to Will happen again."

Fury wavers, but only barely. I take that as an acknowledgement and nod before ducking back into the tunnel. Jaron's heavy tread trails me a few heartbeats later and we arrive back at the encampment together.

Luca glances up at us, giving me a questioning look to which I respond with a small, reassuring smile. Still riding high on my newfound power I watch with a detached sense of interest as Jaron and the others shoulder their packs and bid their final goodbyes. As Jaron approaches I note the ease at which the chieftain is able to wipe away the impression of defeat.

Without a word Jaron reaches out and crushes Luca to his chest. Luca's eyes stretch wide with shock and it takes him a moment to react, eventually snaking his own arms around his brother and hugging him back.

I turn away, the cloud at once dissolving as I am overcome with the sudden ache at missing Frye.

"Be well, Luca." Jaron says, clapping him on the shoulder. "Happy hunting."

"And you, also." Luca responds.

Jaron and the others retreat into the tunnels with Tawny's guide at their head. Luca comes to stand by my side, remaining perfectly still long after his brother has disappeared.

"What did you say to him?" He asks, bewildered.

I shrug. "Only that he needn't concern himself with us while he is away."

Luca glances over at me. "Is that all?"

"All that matters." I turn, putting my back to the tunnels. "Come on, we can't stand around all day. Let's get some food and get back to work, there's still a lot more to learn."

"Kay." Luca stops me. "Do not...don't treat me like a child. Tell me what has happened between yourself and my brother."

I study him, considering. I imagine a look of disgust crossing his familiar features and nearly choke on the truth. Taking a deep breath I square my shoulders and push away the fog, needing to speak to Luca with a clear head.

"I stood up to him." I say, then add quickly. "He challenged me, my decisions and my ability to protect you."

He raises his brows. "Protect me?"

"He'll always worry about you. I don't fault him for that." I dodge the question, soldiering on. "But the way he went about warning me..." I shake my head, remembering the sudden embrace of the red cloud and the release it brought. "Sharing leadership with him is proving—"

"Impossible?" Luca finishes. "Had you asked, I would have saved you the time."

A slight smile betrays ne.

Luca sighs, looking back towards the darkened maw that so recently swallowed the Wasters. "So, yet another war is brewing."

"I don't want to fight him." I say carefully. "Especially if it means placing you in the middle."

"But?" Luca presses, sensing that I'm not finished.

"But," I search his face. "I will, if that's what it comes down to."

An eternity passes while I wait for his reaction. Luca's blue-black eyes are half-hidden by the shadows and betray nothing. Finally, he breathes a heavy sigh, simultaneously running a hand over the back of his neck.

"I know that my brother can be ruthless," He speaks slowly. "But he is family."

"I know."

"And in many ways, so are you."

"You don't have to choose between us." I shake my head. "I would never ask that of you. I would understand why you have to remain loyal to your brother."

The shadow lfts from his eyes as he edges closer. "I know, Kay. You never ask anything of me. Unlike Jaron, who has asked everything."

I don't have a response for that.

Luca sighs again, shaking his head. "Come." He nudges me into step, pointing us towards the aroma of roasting meat. "You mentioned a meal and I'm going to need to build up my strength if there are still more of the Runner's lessons to absorb."

I trod along readily, conscious of the way relief floods my entire body.

"Tell me, when you confronted Jaron, did you actually manage to render him speechless?" Luca asks as we walk.

"In fact, for a moment I did."

"Feels good, doesn't it?" He smiles at some memory and I remember that my companion is no stranger to defying the will of a warlord.

A small grin escapes me, fed by the welcome rush of crimson. "It felt great."