I’ve been waiting for what feels like hours before the door opens again. It’s Holly, and she looks both cheerful and melancholic at the same time, which unnerves me. “And?”
“Natalie and the baby are safe,” she says, holding her own hands close to her. “But you have to know it was very hard on her, especially given the circumstances.”
I nod but push past her anyway. I have to see her.
She’s lying in bed, and the moment I step inside, all eyes land on me, including hers.
But all I can look at is that beautiful bundle of joy cradled in her arms.
My heart skips a beat.
“It’s a girl,” Natalie says, a smile forming on her lips.
Tears spring into my eyes, and I step closer to look at the little girl in her arms. She’s so beautiful, calmly resting in a tiny blanket hand-woven by one of the other Matriarchs.
“We’ll leave you to rest now,” Abigail says, and she gets up from the bed. “C’mon, ladies. Time to go.”
The ladies nod and exit the room. Marsha’s the last.
“Don’t let her out of your sight,” Marsha says. “I mean it.”
“I’ll be careful,” I reply.
She nods and then leaves, closing the door behind her.
I know I won’t have a lot of time alone with her as I’m sure the guards will come and pick me up once the president realizes his grandchild has been born, but I will make the most of the time we have together right now.
I climb up onto the bed with her and lie beside her, hugging her and our baby tight. “She’s so beautiful, just like her mother.”
“I did it,” she whispers, looking up at me. “I birthed our baby.”
“You did well.” I press a kiss to her forehead.
She sighs out loud and then yawns. “I can’t believe I did all of this …”
I touch her hand, but she’s cold to the touch. “You’re freezing,” I say, and I grab her blanket and pull it over her.
“Put her in the bassinet,” she says, and she gives the little girl to me.
I’m stunned for a second that she’d trust me with her baby, but then again … she’s mine too. My little girl. And the moment that little girl briefly looks into my eyes, only to yawn and smack her lips a second later, I instantly fall in love.
I stare into her eyes and press a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’ll protect you, little one.” And then I place her in the bassinet that’s right beside the bed, made by hand by the people in the community. She’ll be loved by all, I just know it.
I go back to the bed close to Natalie, letting her snuggle up against me. “How do you feel?” I ask.
“Tired,” she says, yawning again. Both the birth and Emmy’s death took an enormous toll on her body.
“Rest a little then,” I say, caressing her hair.
“But what about the people down there? And … Emmy?” She gulps, tears staining her eyes.
“The other patriarchs will take care of it. They always have,” I say. “Don’t think about it … Focus on healing for now.”
I want her to forget about it even though I know what’s really going on downstairs.
While she gave birth, I heard the commotion in the auditorium. People were yelling, angered at the hanging that took place. A girl was killed just to show how powerful the president is, but it won’t be enough to subdue the crowd. Not anymore.
Whatever Natalie did in that dining hut, it changed people. It moved them to fight for something more, and a hanging won’t stop the rage from spreading. It’s only a matter of time.
But I won’t tell her that. I won’t burden her with it. She’s already too tired as is.
When I look down, she’s already closed her eyes. She was deadbeat tired. No wonder.
I press a soft kiss to her forehead before closing my eyes too. After getting caught trying to help my wife, almost getting hanged, and then having a child on top of that, I’m completely beat. And even though I know I’ll be dragged away from her soon and probably put into confinement, at least I can enjoy this moment together with her … for now.
Natalie
When I wake up, the setting sun breaks through the windows, blinding my view. I get up from the bed, my knees weak and unsteady, but I hold myself together as I walk to the crib to check on the baby.
But as I peer over the edge, my eyes widen, and a visceral scream follows.
“My baby!”
She’s gone.
“Where is she?” I scream, and I look around, but she’s nowhere. And Noah’s gone too. “Noah?!”
With whatever strength I have left in my body, I stumble out of the room and call for help. “Agatha! Someone! Please, help!” I yell.
But no one comes. It’s as if the place has been abandoned. I don’t hear a single sound.
Where is everyone? What’s going on?
“Noah!” I yell, but there’s no response, so I continue walking despite the pain. I push open all the doors to all the rooms, but there’s no one there. Even the patriarchal rooms are empty, and so are the matriarch rooms. What the hell is happening?
Suddenly, a loud thud emanates from one of the other rooms, and I rush to it. There’s a patriarch on the floor … foaming at the mouth. He looks up at me with terror in his eyes, and I gasp in shock.
The hemlock. They must’ve gotten it from their wives.
Shit. Noah!
I spin on my heels and run as fast as I can past all the rooms until I hear someone yelling not too far ahead in Noah’s father’s room.
“Give her to me, now!”
It’s Noah.
I rush to the room and slam the door open, but the scene in front of me makes me come to a screeching halt. His father is holding my baby … and has a crossbow pointed right at Noah.
My eyes widen. “That’s my baby!”
“Natalie,” Noah mumbles in shock. “Stay there.”
“No, give me back my baby,” I yell at his father.
“Don’t get any closer!” the man growls.
“Why?” I mutter.
“You two can’t be trusted,” he says, his hand shaking as he clenches the crossbow tight. “I know about your plans. I know all of it.”
Fear ripples through me, and my heart beats in my throat.
“Please don’t hurt her,” I beg. “Please.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you decided to murder the other patriarchs.”
Panic takes over.
“We didn’t do that,” Noah says. “Their wives did.”
“Bullshit!” he growls. “Tricia’s not a wife.”
“She’s a daughter, and she hated her father,” I say, trying to reason with him.
“Then what happened to Patrick, huh?” he asks. “Are you going to pretend he didn’t just disappear?”
I swallow hard. “He fell.” I grind my teeth. “Now give me back my baby, or I swear to God—”
“Or you’ll what?” he interjects. “Go to the president? He’s not on your side any longer. In fact, guards will be flooding this place soon as we speak. The whole temple is going on lockdown.”
Noah’s visibly concerned. “What?”
“Like you don’t know. You started this coup,” he spits. “Now get out and close the door behind you.”
“Please, she has nothing to do with this,” I beg. “If you give her back, we’ll leave you alone, I promise.”
“Stupid girl, you think I’m going to let you fools raise my only grandchild?” he barks. “I’ll raise her myself … after I get rid of the two of you.”
He points the crossbow at Noah and pushes off the safety. I squeal in terror as Noah quickly ducks away. I can’t look.
BANG!
What if he’s dead?
Oh God, oh God.
I force myself to open my eyes.
Noah’s wrestling his father, who is trying to grasp a new arrow from the table, and my baby is being held in just one arm.
“No!” I yell, and I quickly rush to them, ignoring the sharp pains in my belly. I punch his father in the back as hard as I can.
Noah grabs ahold of her and quickly shoves her into my arms. “Run!”
I don’t think twice before spinning on my heels and bolting out the door. For just a second, I glance over my shoulder to see Noah and his father fighting over the crossbow, and then I’m gone.
I can’t see what’s happening, but I know they’re fighting to the death and only one of them will win. All I can do is hope and pray it’ll be Noah and not his father because if that man survives, he’ll come after my baby.
I can’t let it happen.
