“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.