Moirai (5 page)

It wasn't something I looked forward to. “Where will we
stay until the house is cleaned up?” My voice was hoarse but I was sounding a
little more like myself.

Joshua smiled. “I'll worry about that. You get some rest,
okay?”

I frowned, reaching for his hand. “Are you leaving?” I
didn't want to seem like a wimp but I wasn't crazy about staying in the
infirmary any longer than necessary.

Joshua leant down, dropping a kiss to my forehead. “For a
few hours. You should rest,” he insisted. “I need to take care of a few things.
I'll be back with lunch though, okay?”

I nodded, wondering what he needed to do that couldn't
wait. I suspected the fact we couldn't stay in our house tonight may have been
part of it but I didn't want to think about that at the moment. I closed my
eyes, trying to get some rest while I heard Sydney bustling around the medical
center, tending to Hazel and a few other patients I wasn't familiar with.

I slept a few hours and when I woke up Sydney was
checking my vitals. “Everything okay?” I asked, as she scribbled down some
notes. My voice was less raspy.

“Here,” she offered, grabbing an empty cup and filling it
with water. I took it from her, sipping it slowly. My throat felt raw but the
cool liquid seemed to go down okay.

“Thanks.” I put the cup beside my bed. “Can I go home?” I
felt better.

“Yes, your blood work came back fine.” she smiled. I
wondered if she was glad to be done with me. I moved to sit up, wanting the
wires removed as I was ready to leave. “Olivia.” She stared at me seriously and
I paused what I was doing, glancing up at her.

“Hazel wasn't thinking very clearly with what she did
today. You both could have been killed. I know she was trying to protect you.”
Her voice grew quieter so Hazel couldn't overhear our conversation. “But you're
much too important for anything to happen to you.”

I sighed, glancing down at my arms and realizing how
dirty I was from the smoke and ash. I chewed on my bottom lip before glancing
back up at Sydney. “I wouldn't know what else to do. Hazel was quick on her
feet and I
know
she was right. The smoke would have signaled the drones
to attack us.” I defended Hazel. How could anyone suggest otherwise?

“I'm going to talk with the Chancellor but I'd like to
put you and Joshua up in different housing.” She stared at me. “We have some
facilities that are newer, a little more up-to-date. You wouldn't have the need
for a wood-burning stove,” she acknowledged. “I'm just worried about you. If
something were to happen…” Her voice trailed off.

“I know.” I didn't need her to spell it out for me.
“Listen, I'm fine. I appreciate your concern but unless the drones fly over the
town again soon, we're okay.”

Sydney sighed. “That's my point, Olivia. The drones come
whenever the government sends them. We have little to no warning at all. If
we'd have known we wouldn't have sent Jaxon, Margo, and Mason out to the
Gravelands.”

My face paled. Had they been seen driving east? “You
think they've been caught?” I asked, feeling my stomach sink.

“There's a meeting right now,” she admitted. “It's why
Joshua has been gone for a while,” Sydney explained. “Listen, I know you want
to help and do what's best for all of us but you have to sometimes do what's
best for you first,” she told me seriously. “You are important and I know you
realize that. You could have been killed today and you were lucky you weren't.
Maybe Hazel in her split decision did what was right. I can't know for certain.
I do know that if you ever become pregnant and a stunt like that happens,” she
stared at me gravely, “it wouldn't end well for the baby.”

“I'm not pregnant,” I answered bluntly. “If that was one
of the tests you ran, you should know that.”

“It wasn't,” Sydney remarked. “Joshua assured me when we
brought you in that you weren't pregnant. You just…you need to be careful.
Okay?”

“Fine.” I didn't like being told what to do. I understood
her concern but it was my life. Besides, it wasn't as though Sydney had given a
better suggestion for what Hazel and I could have done earlier that day. She
just chided me like a child and I didn't appreciate it.

Sydney worked to remove the monitors I had been connected
to. “Hold still,” she told me, finally letting me go. “Joshua will be here in a
few minutes, if you can manage to wait.”

I didn't try and get up from the bed. My hands gripped
the edges as I glanced over at Hazel across the room. “How are you doing,
Hazel?” I asked, seeing her lying quietly.

“Okay,” she answered hoarsely. She sounded worse than I
did. “I'm sorry, Olivia. I hadn't meant for any of this to happen.”

Grimacing, I pushed myself off the cot, walking over
towards Hazel's bedside. “Don't listen to what anyone says.” I stared at her.
“You did the right thing. You probably saved everyone's life in this town. They
owe you,” I told her proudly.

Hazel reached for her cup, taking a sip of water. “I wish
everyone agreed with you.” I patted her hand softly.

“It'll be okay,” I assured her. “We're safe now. The
drones are gone. Nothing can touch us.” I wasn't going to let the government do
what it had to Haven. Not ever again.

“Olivia, what are you doing out of bed?” I heard Joshua's
voice and turned around, glancing at the door.

“I'm fine. Sydney said I could go.” I glanced back in
Sydney's direction as she tended to another patient, ignoring us. I didn't mind
it. “Come on, take me home, Josh. Please.” I knew home wasn't going to be the
place we'd spent the past several months making our own.

“Are you sure you're okay to walk? You're not dizzy?”
Joshua asked.

“I'll be fine.” I didn't dwell on it. “So where to?” I
asked, knowing we'd be in temporary housing for a while. I just hoped it didn't
mean being put back into the recruit center.

Joshua led me out of the medical center and into the cold
winter air. I wrapped my arms around myself and Joshua held an arm around me. I
didn't complain: I was grateful for the additional body heat. “We have nicer
accommodations,” he informed me as we walked down the road.

“Nicer?” I gave him a peculiar look, confused. What we
had was already a step up from when we first came to Shadow.

“I spoke with the Chancellor,” Joshua explained. “He
wants to make sure you're comfortable and that what happened, never happens
again.” He held me close as I shivered from the breeze. “Cold?”

“No, I just like to freeze to death,” I smirked. “Where
are you taking me?”

Joshua couldn't resist laughing. “You're freezing? You
were going outside the other day without shoes on. You amaze me.” He leaned
closer, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. We rounded the corner to another
street, south of where we lived. I hadn't traveled much to this block of town.
Mostly because it was housing for the recruits and a few other members of
Shadow. Our house had been situated west of the main road. The council members
all lived on the south side of Shadow. I never asked why. It hadn't crossed my
mind. I had just been glad we had someplace to live. He pulled out a key from
his pocket and led me to the front door of a two-story cottage. “This is home.”

“For a few weeks?” I guessed. “Until the house is fixed
up?”

“No,” Joshua shook his head. “The Chancellor was serious,
as am I. We're going to live here now, where it's safer.”

“How is this any safer?” It wasn't as though I didn't
like our little home near the infirmary and the center of town. I just didn't
see how moving a block south would protect us.

“Well for starters, our home is heated without the use of
a wood-burning stove,” he informed me. “No chance of smoke inhalation, at least
from that. I can't promise what'll happen if you get behind the stove and
cook,” Joshua teased as he unlocked the front door, leading me inside.

I stepped in first, glancing around, surprised by the
size of the home. “Wow,” I breathed, turning around to face Joshua. “We don't
need anything this big.”

“Maybe not,” he shrugged. “But it's ours. Remember how
Jaxon kept telling us if we passed the tests it was a lucrative job?” He leaned
in and kissed me softly.

“Then why did they put us up in the other house if this
is where the recruits live?” I didn't understand.

Joshua grimaced. “I suppose it's my fault. I told them I
wanted the simplest place for us. That we didn't need anything except each
other,” he confessed. “I missed Genesis and a part of me hoped that if we lived
in simplicity it would remind me of that.” I stared at him, seeing something else
flash across his eyes. “I'm sorry,” he breathed and I understood why. If we'd
come here first, I never would have ended up in the infirmary.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I'm not mad at you,”
I told him. “How could I be?” I mused, kissing his cheek before letting go. I
took his hand, guiding him with me through the home for our own private tour.
“This place, wow.” I shook my head in wonder, amazed that the home was
furnished and stocked with food.

“I know.” he nodded as we walked from one room to the
next. It was ours and the fact that we didn't have to share it with the other
recruits made it even better. Together we walked upstairs, finding three
bedrooms.

“Why so many rooms?” A part of me knew the answer and
another part still felt compelled to ask. Joshua tugged my hand, pulling me
into his embrace as he stared at me for a long moment.

“One day, we may want to start a family together.” He
breathed against my skin. I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his. I
wasn't ready yet and I didn't think Joshua was either, but just the fact we
could have a family and could have two children of our own was something to be
grateful for. I let out a nervous breath, pulling back as my hand stayed tight
in his.

“Time to see our bedroom.” I smiled, pulling him with me.
My eyes glanced over the room, still not believing this place was ours. Walking
further in, my fingers brushed over the powder blue bedspread. I shifted to sit
down, only now realizing how warm and toasty our home was. “How does the heat
in this place work?” I asked, lying back on the mattress, staring up at the
ceiling with a smile.

“Solar energy. There are panels on the roof actively
working to produce solar heat or air in the summer,” Joshua explained. “It's
part of the newer technology that Shadow uses. As is this,” he told me, walking
over and pushing a button on the wall. The blinds slowly shut. “Vertical
blinds.” He smiled. “They have complete black-out properties to ensure no
drones or soldiers can see the lights on from outside. They automatically close
at sundown unless we adjust the settings,” he assured me. “We'll finally have
electricity at night again.”

“Wow.” I didn't know what to say. I pushed myself off the
bed and glanced from room to room upstairs before heading back down to the main
floor.

“I have a surprise for you,” he told me as we reached the
bottom stair by the foyer. “Close your eyes,” he told me. I shut them and he
grabbed my hand, leading me further into the house. “No peeking,” he insisted
as we walked several feet before stopping. “You can open them.”

My eyes opened and, though the vertical blinds were still
shut, Joshua had turned the lights on in the house. My eyes moved over the warm
yellow painted walls towards the bookshelf.

“Like it?” I felt Joshua's breath at my neck.

“It's amazing,” I whispered, turning in every direction,
seeing books lining the shelves and a plush red sofa to sit on. Joshua knew
about my love of reading but I hadn't been spoiled with books before, never
like this. “How did you manage it?” I asked, turning in his grasp, wrapping my
arms around his neck. I knew it must have cost a fortune, considering how rare
books were in Shadow.

“That would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?” He kissed
me softly and I pulled him to the sofa, sighing in comfort as we sat down
together.

“It wouldn't for me.” I shook my head, staring at him. “I
don't know how you did this, Joshua. All I can say is…”

He cut me off. “Wow?” He teased, leaning in and stealing
another kiss.

“I was going to go with 'thank you,’” I remarked. “But
yes, wow is another good word for it.” I reached out, resting my hand on his
thigh. “Are you going to give me a hint how you managed to acquire all these
books?” I could tell most of them had been read and some had quite a bit of age
to them but I didn't care. New books were incredibly hard to come by.

Joshua grinned, staring at the shelf on the wall where
the books were situated. “Let's just say I know how to make friends,” he
teased.

“And I don't?” My jaw dropped in mock anger. My fingers reached
out, tickling him.

Joshua laughed. “Are you sure you want to go there? Do
you remember who won the last time we did this?”

My eyes narrowed and I dropped my hands. “Fine. Fine.
Know that this isn't over yet,” I told him, standing up.

Joshua watched me and finally stood up to follow. “Where
are you going?”

I glanced back over my shoulder at him as I headed into
the kitchen. “I'm hungry,” I remarked. After all, I hadn't eaten much
breakfast. “Then I'm taking a shower.” I was covered in grime and smoke. After
lunch and a nice hot shower, I climbed onto the sofa, having grabbed a book
from the shelf. It was on Greek mythology. I didn't know much about Greek
history or its mythology. The cover looked old and worn, from more than a
lifetime ago. I shouldn't have been surprised. Most books came from hundreds of
years ago. Few of them had been reprinted. It was rare to find a press in any
city. Genesis only allowed printing of sanctioned materials. I glanced at
Joshua, wondering how he'd acquired so many used books.

“What are you reading?” Josh asked, climbing onto the
sofa beside me.