Moirai (26 page)

“I drew this a few months ago. After the dream.” He
handed it to me. “Believe me now?”

I nodded slowly, unsure how else to explain what he was
showing me. I didn't fully believe in the ability of premonitions and seeing
the future. Anything could be changed. I didn't want to disappoint him though.
I smiled weakly, wrapping my arms around him. “Of course,” I whispered, kissing
his cheek. “I have some news of my own.”

“You do?” he asked, pulling back slightly.

“I haven't told you…” I hadn’t been sure how to bring it
up sooner. I wasn't even sure I was ready, or when I would be, but at least now
we would be protected. Joshua merely stared, waiting for me to elaborate.
“There's a plant I've been eating that will keep us from getting pregnant.”

He tilted his head slightly. “Are you positive it'll
work?”

I shrugged with a nervous laugh. “I don't know. I hope
so. I've been eating it for a few months. Since before we left for Torv,” I
admitted. “Elsa read about it in an ancient book about Rome. Apparently Fora
had a supply for its medicinal purposes. Luckily, she managed to cultivate some
in the greenhouse.” I smiled up at him. His thumb reached out, stroking my
cheek as he leaned down, brushing his lips against mine. “We don't have to do
anything you're not ready for.”

I knew he was right. I knew he wouldn’t push, and yet I
felt the desire building inside of me as his lips touched mine. A single spark
of electricity was all we needed to ignite the burning fire I felt. Never
before had I been touched in the way he touched me now. His fingers smoothed
down my back as I opened my lips to his. I felt his body, my hands against his
chest, but it wasn't close enough. We weren't close enough.

“Upstairs.” I pulled back slightly, feeling myself out of
breath. Gasping for air, we headed up the stairs, Joshua ahead of me as he took
my hand and led me up behind him.

Once inside the bedroom, together we fell in a heap
against the mattress. His fingers skimmed my thigh as my leg shifted, wrapping
around him. I couldn't find the words to speak. My breathing quickly became
ragged and hot as I pulled at his clothes. I touched him, felt him, let my
fingers graze against warm skin. Every detail I memorized. Every breath I felt
caused me to shudder. Joshua was everything I'd wanted. Everything I'd dreamt
of for so long. Finally it was mine. He was mine. It was all within my grasp to
take.

Our time in Shadow as newlyweds felt much too quick. I
didn't quite know what a honeymoon was but I began to suspect how it must have
worked hundreds of years ago. Although we hadn't the chance to travel to
foreign or exotic lands like we'd read about, we certainly spoiled each other
in any way we possibly could.

We drove to Torv in May, just a few short weeks after the
fall of the government. Joshua and I were honorary guests since we had been the
biggest supporters and causes of the uprising. Elsa, Cate, and Chancellor
Collins represented Shadow. Each city had an invitation for three to represent
themselves. The three had been chosen based on a democratic election.

I sat beside Joshua at the large mahogany table and to
the right of me was Elsa. Cate and Chancellor Collins grabbed seats against the
wall, squeezing into the room. To the right of Elsa sat Douglas. Beside him a woman
from Torv whom I didn't recognize sat. She kept staring at me, her dark green
eyes and jet-black hair stark against pale ivory skin. “I'm Olivia.” I stood
up, introducing myself, feeling her attention on me. The room was loud, filled
with commotion.

“Isaura,” she shouted over the noise. “I've heard a lot
about you,” she acknowledged.

“Nice to meet you,” I offered, sitting back down. There
were a few familiar faces from my home, Genesis. Two of those I recognized were
Jordan and my teacher during my first three years of primary school. I didn't
have time to say hello before the meeting started.

The room was huge, filled with members from every town.
We worked tirelessly for hours to structure a democracy of laws, choices, and
freedoms, giving the people what they wanted. It wasn't easy deciding how to
deal with the current mess of the system. Children had been stolen from
families, how could you fix that? Arguing and disagreements came from every
side on some matter of law. Everyone had been affected one way or another. Some
had had children taken, others had been provided a child. Neither side was
willing to part with their vision of a new future.

It seemed futile. It wasn't though. Our part lasted three
days and when it was over I couldn't have been more grateful to know it was
time for Joshua and I to start our lives together. We packed our bags and I
glanced behind me when I heard a knock on the door. “Come in,” I called over my
shoulder.

“I just wanted to say, we're going to miss you,” Chloe
answered from the door. “Everything you've done for us, it's huge.”

I turned around, surprised to see her. “Thank you.” I
smiled. We still didn't know if the hormone injections had helped. I suspected
they hadn't and I was the reason Drezden had lived. I wanted to give them hope
and now, with the additional medical staff from Maven, they would be able to
pull their resources and minds together to fix the problem and help move
forward towards a future generation.

“I know we haven't talked about your father.” Chloe watched
me curiously.

“I don't want to,” I answered. “He's a part of my past,
one I don't want to relive.” I sighed when I saw him standing out in the
hallway behind Chloe. He'd been waiting to see me, to talk to me. I never would
feel ready for this moment, but it was here.

“Olivia?” His voice was soft, almost kind. If he hadn't
left us, I would have been relieved to see him. I had thought he was dead. A
part of me had died finding out he was alive. Maybe it was a terrible thing to
think but it was the truth. I'd put the man on a pedestal. Believed he was
bigger than he was, greater and more important. I idolized him, until I learned
the truth.

He didn't come into the small room, and I was thankful
for the space. I faced him, crossing my arms against my chest. “What do you
want?” I tried to look tough. I wanted to feel tough, strong, unbreakable.

“To explain.” He stared at me with soft eyes, and I felt
my insides want to melt. I wouldn't let it happen. “Everything has been a
misunderstanding.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” I muttered. “Go on.” I waved for
him to continue.

He sighed heavily, taking a step closer towards me but
still not reaching past my door. “You were just a child of five when I left. I
wanted to tell you the truth that you were not part of 'The Day of the
Chosen.’” He elaborated, “I thought you deserved to know the truth. Your mother
didn't agree with me. She felt you were too young to keep such a secret. She
worried it would have endangered your life. She may have been right but I was
stubborn, Olivia. I didn't want you to grow up and resent us for lying to you.”

“So what? You faked your death and ran off to Torv to
marry Chloe and have a new daughter?” I spat back.

He grimaced. “I see how it could look that way, but
that's not how it happened. Your mother and I fought about it constantly. One
night I gave her an ultimatum. I tell you the truth, or I leave. I didn't think
she'd tell me to go but she did. She pointed towards the door. She kicked me
out.” He shook his head. “You know Genesis forbade divorce. Marriage was deemed
the perfect system because the government determined one’s match. If I left
your mother, they would have banished me. It was better I left without causing
a big scene. Trust me.” He emphasized, “It was safer for you.”

“You could have come back for me.” I stared at him,
appalled that he was acting as if he'd done the right thing in all of this. “It
still doesn't explain the fire, your funeral, any of it.”

“No,” he sighed, hanging his head. “I was a coward and I
left during the night. Climbed over the stone walls and made it into the
Gravelands. I walked for days until someone from Torv found me and brought me
in, looked after me. It was only after I reached Torv that I heard there had
been a fire back in Genesis and I was presumed dead. I thought you were better
off believing that, Olivia. I thought it was better than knowing I abandoned
you and your mother.” He hung his head in shame.

I wasn't convinced he told the entire truth. “I saw Mom.”

He sighed, glancing up at me. “How is she?”

“Fine.” I didn’t elaborate.

Gavin nodded slowly. “Fair enough.” He didn't push and I
was glad he left it alone. “I've always missed you,” he admitted, glancing down
the hallway at Chloe as she waited for us to finish conversing. “She was there
for me. As a friend first and foremost. The rest with time just happened. We
hit it off and her daughter Zarrah reminded me so much of you.”

“So you replaced me,” I muttered.

“I didn't, I hadn't meant to.” He shook his head. “I'm
sorry. I know you probably hate me, I just wanted closure before you left.”

I shifted anxiously on my feet. “Just because I'm leaving
doesn't mean I won't come back to visit.” Though I didn't feel any desire to
come to Torv to visit him, I was still welcome in town. “I'm sure you did what
you thought was for the best. Maybe it was, for
you
,” I acknowledged.

“I am sorry, Olivia. You deserved a better father.”

“I deserved a father,” I answered, staring sadly at him.
I couldn't easily forgive him, but at least I understood a small part of what
had happened.

I turned around, zipping my bag and slipping on my shoes.
I grabbed my duffel, sliding it over my arm before heading out of my room. I
shook Gavin's hand. It was all I could do. A small gesture, a sign of almost
being able to move forward. I refused to hug him. He still wasn't a father to
me. At least not more than biologically. He and Chloe walked down the hallway
together. I stopped by the next door and gave a prominent knock. Joshua should
have been packed and ready to go by now.

“Josh, you ready?” I called to him as I knocked again.
There was no answer. I tried the door and felt the handle loose, broken. I
pushed it open and saw that the contents of his bag had been scattered on the
bed along with a note. It was definitely not his handwriting.

The honeymoon is over. - Craynor

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. I grabbed the
note, left my bag in his room, and took off for the elevator. Repeatedly, I hit
the button, pounding on it for it to come faster. “Damn it!” I screamed, growing
frustrated with every passing second. I hadn't heard a fight when Joshua had
been taken. He wouldn't have gone willingly. I knew that about Josh, and he
hadn't so much as tried to contact me telepathically. I knew if he was alive
and conscious he would have tried.

Just as I turned to head for the stairs, the elevator
dinged. I jumped in, pushing the button for the lobby. I paced nervously until
the doors opened yet again and I ran from the building as fast as I could to
where the meeting with the representatives of each city had met. I knew chances
were slim they were still conversing. What other choice did I have? I didn't
know how to call an emergency meeting, and this was important!

Running through the tiled floors, I slipped, but caught
my balance before pushing open the heavy wooden doors. I was surprised to see
about half the members still in session.

“Olivia?” They nodded at me, taking a momentary pause to
see what the rush was about.

“Joshua's gone missing,” I gasped between breaths,
shoving the note on the wooden table in front of them. “The former governor of
Genesis has taken him.”

• Title
  
• Table of Contents
  
• Legal
  
• Dedication
  
• CHAPTER 1
  
• CHAPTER 2
  
• CHAPTER 3
  
• CHAPTER 4
  
• CHAPTER 5
  
• CHAPTER 6
  
• CHAPTER 7
  
• CHAPTER 8
  
• CHAPTER 9
  
• CHAPTER 10
  
• CHAPTER 11
  
• CHAPTER 12
  
• CHAPTER 13
  
• CHAPTER 14
  
• CHAPTER 15
  
• CHAPTER 16
  
• CHAPTER 17
  
• CHAPTER 18
  
• CHAPTER 19
  
• CHAPTER 20
  
• CHAPTER 21
  
• CHAPTER 22
  
• CHAPTER 23
  
• CHAPTER 24
  
• CHAPTER 25
  
• CHAPTER 26
  
• CHAPTER 27
  
• CHAPTER 28
  
• CHAPTER 29
  
• About the Author