by Silver, Ruth
I shifted, placing my free hand on Joshua's stomach, smoothing my fingers over his shirt. “I was thinking about that and what we could do to best defend Spade. I think we should declare Spade a country. Gain independence from Cabal.”
“The Republic of Cabal.” Joshua smiled.
“Okay, gain independence from The Republic of Cabal and then when our new militia is trained we send a team after Isaura. She needs to be stopped.”
“I agree, with stopping Isaura.” His fingers moved up my arm and danced down my skin causing goose bumps to rise on my flesh. I shifted closer, wanting to get warmer. “I think we will have some trouble declaring Spade a country. Their militia is larger by far and Isaura is powerful. Maybe after Isaura is taken down, we could work to achieve statehood or independence.”
“Isaura is powerful, but with the numbers treated with Mindonsiphan, that's got to give us an advantage,” I reasoned. I shifted closer, sliding my leg between his, my hands finding his lower back.
I didn't hear an answer or if he provided me one it wasn't in words so much as actions. His lips descended down onto mine and I felt my body relax back against the mattress as my hands roamed over warm skin. “You know we can't,” I mumbled against his lips. “I want to, but I haven't been eating the Silphium and we can't risk pregnancy. “ I kissed him. “I'm not ready for kids and honestly I'm not sure I want them.” At least I had a choice and I should have been grateful for the opportunity since many craved the option. It didn't change how I felt though and what I was going through.
Joshua dropped one final kiss to my lips before pulling back breathless. “Can we procure any Silphium in Spade?”
I hoped we could. I didn't want to imagine never being able to do amazing things with Joshua again. “We'll find a way,” I assured him, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze.
CHAPTER 17
Four months had come and gone. Henry had offered freedom to anyone wanting to leave. Not a single woman spoke against the town that had brought them in, accepted them as their own and saved them from the horrors they'd experienced. Spade's wall had expanded as had housing for all the new members of town. Four afternoons a week had been spent training different groups that had all been treated with Mindonsiphan. It had been difficult but I hadn't expected anything less. I was thankful there hadn't been an uprising within Spade's walls. Perhaps Henry's offer of freedom had shown to the people they were not being held against their will, and at any time they would be allowed to leave. As had the promise of being reunited with their families.
It was late afternoon and the final week’s training had surmised. I was proud of the work we'd accomplished. Monday would start a new week, but the few days off would be nice to relax. The town of Spade expanded farther than anyone had imagined. The stone pillars and towers reached four stories above the city. Stone streets reached as far as the eye could see and homes built within the walls of Spade stretched on for what seemed miles. I was impressed by everyone's eagerness to help. Old and young alike. I'd been made aware that a party in the city square would convene at sundown tonight to celebrate the finished project.
“There she is!” I heard Joshua's voice and spun around on my feet finding his arms wrap around me.
“Hi.” I smiled and laughed. His lips place a chaste kiss on mine. “Done for the day?” I'd spent my afternoon training the town along with Elsa and Cate. Joshua and Aidan had spent it making sure the new structure was secure. I didn't know how they did it or if it involved their abilities.
“I certainly hope so.” He lifted me off the ground, spinning me wildly. My arms clutched around his neck as I held on, laughing.
“What's gotten into you?”
“I have some news.” My feet grazed the ground and I felt his hand in mine. “Come on.” He smiled, his eyes full of promise as he led me back towards the main tower and our quarters.
We moved quickly through the halls on the first floor out of earshot of anyone who may be nearby. “Thirteen of the women we brought back from Torv are pregnant.”
My eyes widened and my mouth hung agape. How was that possible? “What?” I didn't believe it! We didn't have the facilities to help thirteen women through childbirth let alone save their lives if they had the same fate as most in Torv.
“Thirteen,” Joshua repeated with a smile. “They're all four months pregnant. It seems they were pregnant when they arrived here. It's good news. I already spoke with Henry. In fact he's the one who told me the news.” Joshua continued on, “The doctors can find no evidence that the women aren't perfectly healthy and I know what you're thinking, that there is a high mortality rate, but that might not be true for these women. After all, they've been treated with Mindonsiphan and whatever Isaura mixed up, prior to getting pregnant.”
“What about the antidote we administered to counter the effects of what Isaura injected them with?”
“It woke them up, so we assumed it had worked,” Joshua said. “Apparently, we were wrong.”
“Isaura did this?” I asked having to be certain.
Joshua pulled me inside another corridor, practically dragging me by the hand as he led me towards the women. All of them had begun to show, their bellies pushing against their shirts, their breasts swollen and a nervous smile laced on each of their faces. Five of them sat waiting patiently to be seen. I smiled trying to hide my concern as I held out my hand, introducing myself. “Henry wants us at the births. To make sure everything is okay.”
You're not serious? My own experience months ago while Drezden gave birth hadn't gone particularly well. I had saved her, but she'd been close to death, too close.
I think we're the most skilled in Mindonsiphan. If anyone has a fighting chance it'll be with us around. Besides it's just a precautionary measure. Hopefully, they won't need us at all. His lips didn't budge as he smiled at the women. They talked amongst themselves, the chatter in the room was electrifying and I finally I gave a weak nod and slipped out of the room.
“Where are the other pregnant women?” I asked him.
“They're all healthy and have returned to their jobs or home for the day. There's no reason to be concerned.”
“We're not midwives or doctors,” I reminded Joshua. “Besides even if the pregnancies are healthy and the women are fine, what then? Do you think Isaura is going to let these children be free? As it is we don't know the effects of Mindonsiphan or if it can pass from the mother to the child.”
I felt Joshua's hand rest on my arm. “Take a breath,” he reminded me as he led me further away from the women, careful so they wouldn't hear us. “Listen, I know you're scared. It's okay to be nervous but trust me, this is good news. Amazing news. It's going to give hope to every woman that maybe they too can conceive.”
I glanced down at the ground. “False hope,” I muttered under my breath.
“You don't know that.” Joshua was always the optimist. Nothing seemed to change that about him. “Listen.” He reached for my hands, giving them an affirmative squeeze. I glanced up, meeting his stare. “Isaura's still out there, but everyone in Spade is prepared to fight for our freedom and stand behind you.”
“I'm not a leader.” I sighed, stepping towards the window at my right cut from stone. “Henry's the leader.” I was relieved not to be in charge. If things went to hell at least it wasn't on me. I felt Joshua's stern gaze and finally I turned my head meeting his stare. “I guess I'm just uncomfortable,” I offered. “Isaura isn't going to forget about me and I'm sure we've ticked her off to no end. Stealing the women she experimented on isn't going to win us any brownie points.” It was the truth. We couldn't get away without someone dying. Life was never that simple.
Joshua leaned forward, dropping a kiss to my forehead. “Relax, okay?”
I wished I could relax. I smiled, hoping it was enough to keep his own worries at bay. “There's something I never told you. Find Henry.” I gently pulled from his grasp. “Call a meeting. Just those from Shadow and Henry. We need to talk, it's
about Isaura.” I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner . Isaura had taken me to 2225. Whether it was real or not, there had to be something about that time, that moment she wanted me to see. I just hadn't been looking for it.
“What is it, Olivia?” Henry stood in his office gesturing for us to come in and close the door behind ourselves. Joshua shut the door and I walked towards the window. It was always easier to speak when I felt like I had freedom within my grasp. Though Henry never held us against our will, it wasn't as though we had anywhere else we could go. Elsa and Cate sat on the couch along the wall, Aidan propped himself up on the arm.
“When I walked outside and gave myself up to Isaura, what did you see?” Had I gone mad and dreamt it like I had Joshua while I was under her control. Now though, the pieces were slowly making sense, falling into place.
Henry paused. “I wasn't at the gate, but the guards told me about it. They mentioned a cloud of smoke that plummeted around both of you before you disappeared.”
“You vanished into thin air,” Cate answered. “I thought you were playing a trick, trying to go invisible to outsmart her.”
“Invisible?” I asked, “Can we do that?”
“No.” Elsa laughed. “Not technically. In the same way a glamour works to help you disguise your appearance, invisibility makes you disappear, but your physical form is still in the same space. It gets complicated because your clothes, will give you away.”
Joshua frowned. “So you should have known, Cate, that Olivia didn't disappear because of the Mindonsiphan,” he prodded.
Cate sighed. “I didn't know what to think. I've never used the ability. I'm not as strong as you, Olivia.”
That surprised me. “Aren't we all the same?”
Elsa and Cate exchanged glances, wondering who should explain. Aidan cleared his throat. “Not exactly. You both were given a stronger dosage of Mindonsiphan.”
“Why?”
Elsa sighed. “There was a mix-up in the lab.”
“You're kidding.” Joshua scoffed. “When were you planning on telling us this?”
“Never,” Cate whispered. “Collins told us after the injection took place. The dosage was twice the usual strength. He worried it'd kill you both and when it didn't, he was adamant that there would be other side effects.”
“Like?” I asked.
Cate stared at me. “Your abilities are stronger than ours. I could never manifest fire, let alone create a portal.”
“Well, you haven't tried,” I reminded Cate. “Maybe you can do those things, too.” Why was I always being told I was different? I wanted to be the same; I wanted a normal life.
“I have,” Cate answered and stood up, approaching me by the window. “Like it or not, you and Joshua are extraordinary.”
“So much for being ordinary,” I mumbled. I glanced past Cate at Joshua. “Speaking of extraordinary, Isaura claimed to have taken me back in time. To 2225. When we disappeared on the lawn.”
“Time travel?” Henry frowned. “Can the Mindonsiphan do that?”
“No.” Aidan was adamant. “If it's true, it's something else entirely new we’re dealing with.”
“We moved through time like nothing happened, except it had. Spade hadn't been conceived yet. It was just grass and dirt.” I remembered that much. “Is it possible there's another reason she chose 2225?”
Joshua stepped towards the bookshelf. “The Red Plague. Wasn't it in the twenty-third century? Do you have a history text?”
Henry sighed. “2225 was the year the Red Plague swept over the world. Why would she take you back in time?” Henry questioned. “Did she want to infect you?” He walked towards the bookshelf and Joshua stepped aside. “I don't have any history texts in here on the Red Plague. The school house might, but I do have something a little more interesting.” Again he pulled open his mythological book, rummaging through the handwritten inked pages and paused with his finger over a drawing. “Is this what Isaura wore that day?”
The drawing was a picture of a cuff bracelet, with inscriptions in a language I didn't recognize and a pattern grooved of swirls on the surface. I remembered the piece of jewelry. I hadn't thought anything of it. “She had it on her right arm.”
Cate walked over, peeking over Joshua's shoulder to get a look at the ancient text and the picture they were talking about.
“It's a magus bellus. Its legend states it allows wearers the ability to travel to another time. It works like the portal through your mirror. You can only use it to travel to one time and in the same place.” Henry laughed, “I never thought any of these stories were real.”
“I've never even heard of it.” I glanced at Joshua. “What do you think?”
Elsa and Aidan stood from the couch, walking over to the open book. “Do you mind?” Aidan asked wanting to have a look.
Joshua examined the pages in the open book before stepping back giving Elsa and Aidan room to view it. “Why 2225? If she could pick any year, why then? Do you think she could find a cure from the original inoculation?”
“No,” Elsa answered. “But the original virus, yes. It's possible the cure could be within the original host.”
Henry's face grew pale and grave. “Do you think she'd bring the host through to present day and infect us?”
Joshua sighed. “She's evil but why go through the trouble? Aren't we all inoculated already?” He glanced at me. “Any suggestions? Theories? Ideas you wish to enlighten us with?”
I paced the length of the room. I was disgusted that I hadn't seen it sooner. “Isaura was trying to reverse the infertility problems. I'm sure of it. We have thirteen women who are pregnant. All the women under her experimentation were given Mindonsiphan and something else.” I eyed Elsa: She was the scientist in the group. “What antidote did Hunter and Gavin work up?”
Elsa frowned. “I don't know. Hunter had already procured it when we arrived. I helped prepare it into vials but I didn't ask for a rundown of ingredients.
“Does it matter?” Joshua asked. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Thirteen women are pregnant,” he reminded me of my own words. “Seems like something is working.”
“Yeah, but they were all impregnated,” I reminded him. “It doesn't mean anything until women can naturally conceive.”
Joshua rested a hand on my arm. “Which might never happen.”
“We have to do something.” I hated to think Isaura may have been on to something. “We'll make an announcement tonight at the festival about the thirteen who have become pregnant and that all women treated with Mindonsiphan may have the ability to conceive.” It didn't make me hate Isaura any less, even if she had been the reason these women were fertile.
Henry frowned. “Is that such a good idea? To get people's hopes up when it could be a lie?” He didn't agree with my methods, but there was only one way to know for sure. Besides if it were the case, the women who were fertile had the right to know and be prepared for a pregnancy they might not want.
“They have a right to know,” I answered.
Henry sighed leaning back against his desk. “I suppose I'm the one to make the announcement.” He hung his head. “What do you think this will do regarding Isaura?” He didn't want some of the women turning to support her.
“We make her a saint, after we kill her,” I remarked.
CHAPTER 18
As the sky grew dark, I slipped on a dark red strapless dress and Joshua put on a nice pair of slacks and dress shirt for the evening festivities. I felt the slight bubble of excitement brewing within me. “Nervous?” I felt Joshua's breath on my ear as he'd snuck up behind me in the bathroom.
“No reason to be.” I smiled into my reflection in the mirror. I fixed my hair, curling the ends before following Joshua down to the city square. I wanted to look amazing for tonight. The city square that used to be no larger than a few hundred feet now stretched for half a mile. Spade had grown and with the hard work and dedication put forth, the town was spending the evening celebrating. We
had all earned it and I looked forward to the festivities, music, food and dancing.
I took Joshua's arm and together we headed down the stone corridor. There was no forgetting tonight as from the moment we stepped out of our room we could hear the music and excitement from below. Walking out into the night air, I pulled Joshua close to keep warm.
“Hi, Olivia!” Elsa waved to me as I held Joshua's hand. We mixed in with the crowd. Music filled the air and candles encased in colored blown glass hung overhead to offer a beautiful ambience along with some light.
Joshua tugged my hand, pulling me tighter. His lips brushed my ear and I smiled, glancing at him. “What's that?” I asked, having missed what he'd said. It was loud and though I tried to focus on his words it was difficult with the music and commotion. I had also been a terrible lip-reader and every time I attempted to figure out what he said, I failed.
Happy Anniversary. He smiled and my eyes lit up like the stars in the night sky. Had I forgotten it was today? I laughed, smiling as I pulled him tight into my arms and planted a kiss to his lips. Just kidding. Joshua laughed aloud and I breathed a sigh of relief, shaking my head in dismay.
“I can't believe you!” My voice barely reached his ears, but he heard me. My cheeks reddened from the embarrassment of having been caught.
Joshua smiled, shaking his head. “Me? You don't even know when our anniversary is.”
“Which one?” I smirked. “We have technically been married twice now.” I dropped another kiss to his lips, laughing as I pulled away. My hand stayed planted in his as I pulled him towards the upbeat music, dancing with the crowd. I wanted to be a part of it. Forgetting all we'd been through, unwinding for the night and just letting it all go.
Maybe it wasn't our anniversary. Maybe there'd been too much going on to remember the exact date that we'd been wed in front of our friends and family. I hadn't cared. I had Joshua and he had me. I danced like there was no tomorrow. My feet spinning and hands clapping with the music as the song changed but I never stopped. I never let up. Not for an instant. I didn't want to forget this memory. Even if the date I wouldn't remember, this moment I would for the rest of my life.