“Old dogs and all that,” I mutter, taking a seat on the stool.
Elena grins. “Very true, Madison.” She walks to the sink and fills up a glass of water. “Your father is out at the moment but will be home a little later. Are you okay?” She turns to face me, taking a sip of her water. She truly is beautiful. She has dark auburn hair, blue eyes, and soft milky skin. She doesn’t look forty-one, that’s for sure. She had Nate young, and I’ve never really asked about Nate’s dad, but I gather it’s a dark story since no one has bought it up. Elena Riverside—her name alone holds more substance than Nate’s lack of ability to turn down a lay.
“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “We had a great time, thank you.” I stand up from the stool. “But I’m dying for a shower.”
Nate grins at me, taking a bite out of a leftover roasted chicken leg. “Yah, I just bet you are.”
I narrow my eyes. Elena rolls hers. “Nate, leave her alone. You could do with a shower too.”
I laugh, poking my tongue out at him. His lip curls and I walk out the kitchen, picking up my duffle bag and walking up the stairs. I slip into my bedroom, dash into the bathroom—locking Nate’s side—shower, and then quickly shuffle into some loose gray track pants that hang off my waist and a relaxed white shirt. I loved being out in the forest, but damn it’s nice to be home.
I’ve never wanted to get attached to any of our houses before, but I don’t know. Something feels like this is it for us. I hope I’m right, because I will seriously be thinking about letting Tatum’s parents adopt me if my father thinks he can pack us up again and leave. I lotion up my hands and feet before slipping on some socks. Picking up my duffle bag, I rip through all my clothes until the tips of my fingers skim over the familiar brown leather book. My phone vibrates on my bedside table, but it’s too late. I’m already flipping the cover and skipping to the chapter I’m up to.
4.
The tomorrow
What happens when everything you possibly thought you knew, everything you were educated on, was suddenly nothing at all?
Choosing a husband to bear my children wasn’t easy for me; my parents chose him, and at the time, he seemed like an appropriate fit. He was hardworking, charming, and well-spoken. I thought he was everything I ever wanted in a companion, everything a girl ever needed in one, but it’s only lately I’ve started to realize just how distant and out of touch my judgment may have been.
Lying Damien back into his woven crib, I hummed to him softly while continuing to rock the little crib in hopes of not waking him.
“Katsia, there seems to be an awful racket going on out there tonight.”
I nodded, stepping away from the crib. “I hear that, too. Fear not, it shouldn’t go on much longer.”
Maree looks at me as if she was waiting for some sort of confirmation. I bobbed my head in understanding. She wouldn’t let this go unless I spoke to my husband, and rightly so. Maree has a new-born baby just like I. And where Humphrey holds his gatherings, it so happens to be right beside her home.
“I won’t be long.” Giving her a curt nod, I walked past her and out the door, the soles of my flats pitter-pattering across the dusty forest floor. The moon was setting behind the overgrown forest trees, while the ash from Humphrey’s fire hovered through the night like fireflies lighting my way. His words caught me as I opened my mouth, halting any coherent words from passing my lips. Suddenly, I knew I wasn’t wanted here during this gathering, and if he found out I was, my safety would be in question.
“We kill him!” my husband’s righthand man salutes proudly.
“No, we should not rush this,” my husband replied. “This needs to be done carefully. I want people to know it was me but can’t prove it. I want to be feared. I want to rule this fucking village, and you’re going to help me do it.” He paused. “Tomorrow,” my husband continues. “Tomorrow I will put my ax through his skull.”
He was going to kill one of our leaders? For power? Why? What must he need to do so badly that he needed full power and control? Things were spiraling out of control. Every passing day it seemed things were getting worse, and worse.
They were.
“What?” I whisper to thin air, trying to wrap my head around the latest events in this story. Why? Why did Humphrey want to kill one of their leaders? To rule? Sounds like mighty big actions for something that is still, realistically speaking, not really up to him. He would have to win the people over as well. My phone dings again in the background, this time ringing, and I blindly reach for it, my eyes still on the book.