Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

not allowed to leave the buildings.’
    Spence rolled his eyes. ‘Technically, neither are we, but in case you’ve forgotten, we have particular talents when it comes to getting out of high-rises.’
    At that, I couldn’t hold back the smile.
    Fifteen minutes later, I was in Zoe’s favourite pair of black leather pants, high-heeled boots and a gold beaded halter-neck, which was crying out to be danced in.
    Zoe yanked my hair up into a high ponytail while I smudged on some eyeliner and a layer of mascara.
    Spence stuck his head back in the door. ‘Coast is clear. Mission Bridge is a go.’
    Mission Bridge?
    Zoe grabbed my hand and yanked me down the corridor.
    It was getting late so not many people were walking the halls. We stayed close, travelling through three buildings and over two skywalks, Spence hiding us under glamour whenever we were at risk of being seen. Finally, on the lowest of the Academy levels in Building D, Spence and Zoe came to a service lift.
    ‘Zoe,you’re look-out,’ Spence said.
    She nodded and kept a watch on the hallway while Spence started to pry open the doors.
    ‘Are we going to die trying to get out of here?’ I asked.
    ‘Don’t think so,’ he said, as he pulled them apart. ‘Zoe, let’s go,’ he whisper-yelled.
    She ran straight for the lift and … jumped.
    ‘Holy hell!’ I yelped as I looked over the edge to see she had grabbed onto a ladder on the far side of the shaft.
    Spence chuckled. ‘After you, sunshine.’
    My shock quickly morphed into a smile. This was going to be fun.
    Following Zoe I leaped into the lift shaft, landing easily on the ladder and following her down. Spence was close behind.
    When we reached the second floor, Zoe stopped climbing down and started heaving open the doors there. When we had clambered out, she led us straight through a fire door onto a balcony.
    ‘Why are we going this way? Why not just use the front doors?’
    ‘Motion detectors,’ Spence replied. ‘They’ll still pick us up, even when I’m using a glamour.’
    ‘How often do you guys do this?’
    Spence shrugged. ‘The service elevator is like … Like a rite of passage. We’ve both spent almost a year here confined to the buildings – use your imagination.’
    ‘Right.’
    With that we walked to the edge of the balcony and, despite the two-storey height, jumped off, landing easily before hailing a yellow taxi.
    ‘Look up,’ Zoe said.
    I gave her a dubious glance but followed her line of sight.
    ‘Oh, my God,’ I whispered.
    For the first time, I saw the skywalks connecting – curving between – the Academy buildings. Now that I was conscious of them, they shone in luminous gold.
    ‘Is that …’ I couldn’t finish the absurd question.
    Surely not.
    ‘Yep,’ Zoe said. ‘Josephine built a halo over the city.’
    I followed my friends into the waiting taxi, still amazed that Josephine had actually haloed New York.
    ‘Brooklyn Bridge,’ Spence said to the driver.
    I wound down the window and sucked in the air that spelled temporary freedom. It was actually kind of dense, but when I looked at Zoe and Spence, both buzzing with adrenalin, I couldn’t fight a smile spreading across my face. ‘Mission Bridge?’ I asked.
    They nodded in unison.
    ‘It’s time to show you our New York.’



CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    ‘Love is a familiar; Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.’
    William Shakespeare
    ‘M ission Bridge’ turned out to be under Brooklyn Bridge.
    After the taxi had left us, we stood in front of the massive supporting pillar that held up the Brooklyn side of the bridge. It was a warehouse district but the art community had clearly taken hold – many of the buildings showed signs of recent face-lifts and restaurants spilled onto the streets.
    Zoe said the area we had just driven through was called Dumbo. Seeing all the art galleries reminded me of who I was, of the things I loved – the human me.
    I stared up at the stone pillar noting with surprise that there seemed to be fewer exiles in the area. My shoulders relaxed and I breathed a sigh of relief at not having to work so damn hard to keep the senses at bay.
    ‘Okay. So … I hate to tell you guys, but I think most of the nightlife was back a few blocks,’ I announced. I looked out over the Hudson and towards Manhattan’s city lights, sparkling on the other side. ‘Though the view from here is pretty spectacular.’
    Spence snorted.‘We’re not here for the view, Eden,’ he