Isaura (9 page)

“Olivia!” Adelaide, giggled climbing atop the mattress.

“I'm sorry, Lady Olivia, but I didn't quite know what to do
with her,” Tria admitted.

“It's just Olivia,” I corrected her. I wrapped my arms
around Adelaide, tickling her. “Do you like waking me up in the morning?”

Adelaide giggled and laughed nodding vigorously. “I wanted
to wake Joshua, too, but he was already outside.” Tria walked out of the room,
leaving Adelaide with me. I shifted onto my back, letting my eyes adjust as
Adelaide bounced on the mattress excitedly.

“Are you hungry for breakfast?” I asked. She must have been
ready to eat. It was why she'd wanted to wake me, right?

Adelaide shrugged. Her eyes lit up with a smile. “I want to
show you something.”

I nodded through heavy eyes, sitting up in bed. “What is it?”
I asked, trying to seem interested even though I was tired and cranky from lack
of sleep.

Adelaide smiled. “Promise not to tell?”

“I promise.” I kissed her cheek and she clasped her hands
together and blew into them. She giggled and opened her palms as a butterfly
flew out.

“See what I can do!” she squealed with delight.

I sighed, realizing she'd figured out about the Mindonsiphan
long before the rest of us had. Perhaps she hadn't fully known or understood
what she was capable of, but she was smart and imaginative, a dangerous
combination.

“I bet I can make fairies, too!” She giggled clasping her
hands together again.

“Wait!” My eyes widened as I stopped her, resting my hands
above hers. “We need to talk,” I breathed. Adelaide frowned, confused. It
hadn't been the easiest conversation to have with a six-year old. Trying to
explain to her what we'd done to save her life and how she was now forever
different. She didn't mind that. What she hadn't liked was the fact we insisted
she keep it a secret.

“I don't want to,” Adelaide whined, climbing off the bed as
she sulked out of my suite.

“Adelaide!” I called out to her. I climbed off the bed,
grabbing the robe from the previous night as I headed for the hall. I glanced
from side-to-side trying to make out which way she'd gone. “Adelaide!” I tried
to keep my voice down, unsure the hour and concerned about waking the entire
town. The sun had come up some time ago and based on Adelaide's previous time
living with us, she was an early riser.

Joshua turned the corner, a steaming hot mug in his hand. I
stopped abruptly, careful not to walk into him. “What's going on?” he asked.

“Adelaide knows,” I emphasized giving Joshua a look.

“Knows what?” He frowned.

She's figured out about the Mindonsiphan
.We
didn't have time to sit down and talk. I needed to find Adelaide.
I
explained she couldn't use her power or speak about it around anyone but she
ran out of the room.

“Where'd she go?” Josh asked taking a sip of tea from the
mug.

“I'm not sure.” If I knew where she ran off to I'd have sat
her down again, tried to reason with her.

“Okay.” Joshua sighed, thinking it over for a minute. “Go
back and get changed. Meet me outside in five minutes. We'll find her before
breakfast and both of us will sit down, try and figure this out together.”

“Thanks,” I breathed, rushing back into our room. In a
hurry, I grabbed the first gown from the wardrobe, pulling it down from a
hanger and tossed it on the bed. Stripping out of my pajamas, I slid the gown
over my head. This one required the back to be tied up, but I left it for the
moment, unsure how to do it on my own. The gowns were extravagant, nothing like
the dresses I wore in Haven or Shadow.

Heading out of my room, Joshua stood in the hall, waiting
for me. “I need some help.” I gestured towards my back. The sleeves of the
dress were short, but kept me covered as he examined my back. “Not too tight,”
I warned him.

“Okay. I can figure this out,” he muttered working on the
ties as he laced them properly and tightened them down, giving me a bust I
never knew I had. “I think it's a corset.” Joshua smiled as he tied the bottom
and I turned around to face him. His eyes moved over and down my body and I
felt my cheeks redden. The bottom of the dress fanned out.

“Quit staring,” I chided, grabbing his hand before leading
him down the hall. “We need to find Adelaide.”

We spent most of the morning searching the hall and square.
Tria was setting the table as we entered the dining room. “Have you seen
Adelaide?” I asked. I bent down, glancing under the table to make sure she
wasn't hiding there.

Tria frowned. “Not since I brought her into your room this
morning.” She paused for a moment. “Have you tried the kitchen or the school?”

Joshua and I exchanged a look. “I'll check the kitchen,” he
offered as Tria pointed the way.

“Where is the school?” I doubted she was taking classes, but
it was a place to hide. No one would question why a child was at school during
the day.

After she gave Joshua directions she turned towards me. “I'll
take you there,” Tria offered.

“Thank you.” I followed her out of the dining room and back
to the square where we'd come from. From the city square, we descended stone
stairs that led further into the building. I had no idea there were so many
halls and places to hide.

“If you don't mind me asking, why did Adelaide run off?”
Tria led me through the corridors and down to the school. Adelaide wasn't
there.

I've got her
. I heard Joshua's voice and glanced at
Tria. “We should double back to the kitchen. Make sure Joshua hasn't found her.”

Tria didn't ask again and I was glad she hadn't pried for
more information. We turned around and headed up the stairs. I squinted as we
escaped the dark narrow halls surrounded by stone walls and back into the city
square. Tria escorted me past the dining room and towards the kitchen. I didn't
want to tell her I'd found my way the previous night there with Henry. I didn't
need Joshua worrying and rumors spreading.

 The last leg of the way, Joshua came walking with us,
Adelaide in hand. “I found her!” He waved towards us with a relieved smile.

“Thank you, Tria.” She disappeared down the hall and I
headed towards the two of them. “Where have you been?” I scolded Adelaide, eyes
wide as I gripped her arm. Joshua let go as I guided her back up to her suite.
I wasn't even sure she should have her own room here.

“I don't have to listen to you!” Adelaide pulled from my
grasp. “You're not my mother,” she retorted. I showed no emotion, not giving
into her temper tantrum. We were all she had left.

“You're right. I'm not.” I led her into her suite, with
Joshua right behind us. He shut the door. Adelaide didn't budge from her space,
standing in front of me defiantly. She was strong-willed and had already experienced
so much as a child. I stared at her, leaning forward and down to her eye level.
“You do magic.” It was the only word I could use to describe what she'd done,
what we were all capable of. “And they'll see to it you're locked away without
ever seeing the light of day again.” I had intended to scare her, whether it
would work or not, I wasn't sure.

Joshua watched the exchange and I was happy he didn’t play
the good guy, undermining what I said to her. I'd saved her once, I wasn't sure
I'd be there the second time.

Adelaide stared at me, her lip pouty and she crossed her
arms. “You lie!” she screamed at me, scrunching her face, judging me. It was
all she could do: try and determine if I told the truth.

“I wish I were, Adelaide.” I moved towards her bed, seeing it
already made. I sat down above the covers, patting for her to join me. “What we
can do, others view as dangerous,” I tried to explain it to her in a way she'd
understand. “We're special, so special that everyone who finds out will want to
be just like us.”

“Can't you give them the same needle?” she questioned with
wide eyes. “Can't you make more?” She asked.

Joshua came towards the bed, sitting down with me. “Adelaide,
sweetie.” He pulled her into his arms for a hug. “We're only keeping your
abilities a secret because we love you.”

Adelaide glanced from Joshua to me. “Do I always have to
keep it a secret? Can't I tell anyone?”

I couldn't imagine a room safe enough to practice in secret,
but it would do Adelaide good to train appropriately. It might not even be such
a bad idea for Henry to fully understand his abilities. Someone like us in such
a powerful role worried me. If the power were to be abused, all hell would
break loose. I had to trust we'd done the right thing in saving Henry, that he
wouldn't betray us.

“No,” Joshua whispered, leaning in kissing her forehead, “I
know you want to and you're going to make friends, but you can't share what you
can do with any of them. You can talk about it with Olivia and me, though. Or
anyone from Shadow.” He smiled. “I know right now you're not happy with us, but
you will understand when you get a little older.”

Adelaide made a face and I glanced at Joshua. “I bet
breakfast is almost ready. How about we go downstairs and have something to
eat?” I suggested. I stood up waiting for Adelaide to follow. “Do you want some
time alone?” I asked her. She shook her head no, grabbed my hand and walked
with me to the door. Joshua followed behind us as we headed down the hall and
back towards the dining room. I was glad we had that all settled.

Finishing breakfast, Henry pulled me aside after the table
was cleared. “I wanted a moment, if you don't mind.” Joshua took Adelaide
outside into the city square for a walk together.

“What's wrong?” I asked. Was it the fact I'd told him he was
special from the Mindonsiphan? It had been a lot for me to deal with, but I'd
had Joshua at the time, someone to confide in who had been my lifelong best
friend.

“Gavin and I spoke earlier this morning and he'd like to
return to Torv soon. It sounds like Elsa and Aidan will be joining them.” I
listened to Henry, unsure where he was going with it. “I wasn't sure if you'd
want to return home, too.”

“Torv wasn't my home.” He hadn't known the full extent of
what had transpired over the last several months. I let out a heavy breath. “Are
you going with them?” He'd want a seat at the table. Henry ruled Spade: there
was no way he'd ignore the chance to be a part of the new system.

“I'll be sending some of my most trusted advisors,” Henry
answered. “But I think it would be best to stay here. At least for the time
being.” He studied me as we walked down the corridor and I glanced at him,
curious what it was he was thinking. “Do you trust them?”

“Torv?” I asked. “Or the new government?” I wasn't sure
which he was referring to.

Henry frowned thinking the question over. “Both?” He'd been
kept in the dark during the uprising and revolution. Now he was walking in and
didn't know what to expect. I didn't blame him if he was nervous.

“Our city, Shadow, had some doubts about Torv, but the
government of Cabal has fallen and a new government by the people is being
formed. It'd be nice if Spade got a say in its system. Joshua or myself could
accompany one of your advisors. We were a part of the council for a short time,”
I offered.

Henry stopped walking and paused to stare at me. “Why aren't
you anymore?”

“By choice.” I explained, “And by consequence. Joshua and I
led the uprising. We took out the governors of each city and destroyed their
science and medical centers for reproduction. We led the people in a revolt and
finally led them towards peace. We couldn't stay in Genesis. I'd used my
abilities to protect Joshua and people heard things, rumors,” I admitted. “Shadow
was the only place to call home, but I didn't want to be entwined in politics
forever. We were offered a temporary place until the laws were formed and the
structure was solidified.”

“I see,” Henry answered. “Do you think they'll welcome our
town if they've already developed a system?” I could see the concern he held
with sending his men to a foreign land.

“You have to try,” I reasoned reaching out for his arm. “Without
hope, what do you have?”

Henry studied me for another moment. “And what of Isaura?” he
asked curiously.

I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. “I don't know,” I
admitted. “She's out there waiting to strike.” I rubbed my forehead in
frustration, feeling a slight headache coming on at the thought of her. “It's
my fault she even has any power.” If I hadn't used my abilities to escape the
outlaws, they'd have never known what we could do.

Henry reached out, resting a comforting hand on my arm. “You
can't blame yourself. You can only control your own actions,” he told me. “That
reminds me. I wanted to talk to you about the little girl you brought with you.”

“Adelaide?” I asked.

“Yes, that's her. Adelaide. I was thinking of a maid who
might make a good mother to her. She needs a family to look after her and I
know she loves having her own suite in the tower, but I worry about her being
on her own.” Henry smiled. “She's too young to live on her own forever.”

“She's been through a lot already.” I pulled back slightly
from his grasp. “Is it Tria?”

Henry smiled shaking his head. “Tria is a sweet girl, but
too young to look after Adelaide. I was thinking of someone a little older who
could handle her, perhaps Ainsley.”

I tried not to laugh. Adelaide was a handful and I wasn't
sure how any parent would deal with her, especially if Adelaide couldn't keep
the Mindonsiphan a secret. “You're not concerned about her special abilities?”
I asked.

Henry paused thinking it over. “An even better reason to let
Ainsley look after her,” he reasoned. “She of all people can handle it without
freaking out.”

“Are you sure?” My mother made me vow never to return to
Genesis, when she'd seen what I'd done.

“I can introduce you,” he offered. “We'll have lunch
together this afternoon before I send my advisors to Torv.”