A huge, relieved smile breaks across Quade’s lips. “That confirms it. You didn’t kill Bale. You would have had to be aware of calling them. Felt them.”

  I cover my face with my hands as a sob breaks free from my lips. I’m overwhelmed with relief. Quade enfolds me in his arms and I cling to him.

  “I’m not a killer!”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “Wait! How did the necromancer get the Beloved Dead out of the Perdition Sanctuary?”

  “The cover story for Bale’s death was that he was climbing up the side and fell in. I didn’t grasp immediately what that meant.”

  “The top. It’s open! They used to lower the bodies inside. When it got too crowded, they expanded the sanctuary by building an outer ring.” I shake my head, annoyed with my failure to grasp the truth sooner. “The Unblessed are climbing out.”

  “They couldn’t do it on their own, but with a necromancer controlling them, it’s possible. The necromancer started stealing the Unblessed before Bale attacked you and apparently hasn’t stopped. That’s why the suspicions about you haven’t gone away. Elder Alvus most likely believes you’re a necromancer and hoarding the undead somewhere underground just waiting to call them to your service.” Quade leans his body against the window panes and stares down at me. “The necromancer was watching you that night and killed Bale to protect you.”

  “Why, Quade?”

  “That’s the big question, isn’t it? If Kalab was working with her, it would make things easier. We could just go ask him.”

  “I still don’t think he’s working with her. He really looked surprised when I accused him.”

  “I’m not so ready to strike him off the suspect list, Ilyse. Jane wants you to go to The Republic and join the Padres. The Republic has been trying to recruit necromancers for some time now. It hasn’t been until recently that they’ve been successful.”

  “Because the Chantry always recruited them first.”

  Quade gives me a sly grin. “Yeah, but also because we know how to train them. It’s tough on the necromancers that don’t join the Chantry. They don’t have the best survival rate.”

  “The one tormenting me is alive.”

  “For now.”

  “You know it’s very annoying how the Chantry claims dominance over all necromancers. We have a right to choose our own path in life.”

  “Hey, hey, hey. Don’t get riled. I’m on your side. I already agreed to take you wherever you want to go.” Quade brushes my cheek with fingers so warm that when he drops his hand I still feel the heat from his touch on my skin. I’m drawn to him in a way that is difficult to describe. I crave his touch again, so I’m disappointed when he turns away. “I’m here for you, Ilyse. I’m working on your side. I can’t even contact the Chantry right now. I’m completely cut off, remember? I can’t get a transmission out of the settlement. There is definitely a suppression device being used.”

  “By the necromancer?”

  “Or the resistance. Or Jane. Or maybe even the Elders.”

  “The Elders are against tech.”

  Quade gives me a disbelieving look as he falls into a chair near the heavy dining room table. “And we’ve both seen they’re fine with bending the rules to suit themselves.”

  “You have a point there.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he slumps down with his feet planted apart. He looks comfortable, handsome, and alluring. A pleasant but unsettling desire rushes over me when I gaze at him. I’m ill-equipped to deal with the sensations he stirs in me. I deliberately turn my focus to the view outside the window again.

  Jane’s words haunt me. I know that my marriage to Quade isn’t real. Its only purpose is so that he can escort me from the Atonement Settlement. Once we’re beyond the wall, the marriage won’t carry any weight. That reality does bother me since I was raised to believe finding a husband was the purpose of my life. Though I don’t want to contemplate it now, at some point I will have to start seriously thinking about creating a life for myself apart from Quade. Even if I choose to relocate to the Chantry, I’m not under the illusion that he’ll stay at my side. He works for the Clerics and he’ll do their bidding. Most likely he’ll be dispatched to a new settlement to seek out another newly awakened necromancer.

  The bite of jealousy that follows is unsettling. I’m acutely aware of my attraction and deepening feelings for Quade. His confession and kiss linger constantly on the edges of my thoughts, but doubts have taken root inside my heart. I believe he cares for me and that he is my friend. But the fact that he is an Undertaker that works for the Chantry definitely influences him. I don’t dare hope he will stay at my side out of loyalty or love, and I’m surprised at how much that hurts.

  “How many other girls did you have to marry to get them out of their settlements?” I ask abruptly.

  I hear the chair skid against the floor as he stands. I maintain a steady gaze on the wardens on the wall. The green leaves of the tree outside the window wave over my vision, hiding some of the action from view. More pops are followed by the whoosh of the bombs bursting.

  When Quade answers, I hear the apprehension in his voice. “Two. I married two so they could travel.”

  “The same as with me.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I know this isn’t a real marriage, Quade. I have no illusions about that, but I’m trusting you more than anyone else in my life. I consider you my friend. You don’t have to pretend to like me as something more.”

  “Ilyse, where is this coming from?”

  “I just need to know the truth. Now that it’s confirmed that I didn’t kill Bale, I want to continue my life in truth. No more lies. No more illusions.”

  Quade settles into my periphery, leaning against the wall to regard me with a somber look on his face. “I didn’t lie to you. I came here to recruit you for the Chantry. Like I told you last night, I can’t deny that I’m developing deeper feelings for you.”

  I tilt my head toward him to study his facial expressions. I’m struck again by the gentle handsomeness of his face. He does appear sincere. “Have you felt this way toward your other recruits?”

  He shakes his head, his dark blonde hair falling messily over his brow. “No.”

  A smile starts to tug at the corners of my mouth. “That’s the truth?”

  “Yes. It’s the truth. Though I have to confess one recruit did have a pretty bad crush on me and took the marriage very seriously. That made things a little difficult when we reached the Chantry.”

  “I see.”

  “Cleric Fabiola had to intervene but things worked out. The recruit found someone else to love eventually.”

  “And you?”

  “I’ve had relationships in the past, but never with recruits, which is why this is a little uncomfortable for me. I’m definitely in violation of the rules. I have to be honest. I don’t know how to cope with that reality right now.”

  “We’re both dealing with unknowns, huh?”

  “Yeah. I have to admit none of my previous assignments were anywhere near this complicated.” Quade chuckles while wagging his head in disbelief. “I’ve never had this rough of a time extracting a recruit.”

  “I’m not a recruit,” I remind him. “Not yet, at least.”

  He sobers, nods, and draws a little closer to me. “Since you’re not technically a recruit yet, I guess I can’t be in violation of the rules, huh?”

  I place my hand over his heart, feeling the gentle thump under my palm. “You bought me, Quade, for the Chantry.”

  “Technically, since I’m out of communication with them, I bought your hand in marriage for myself with my funds. Your father was very happy with the price.”

  “He was willing to give up part of his business to Crofter Beckett. I suppose he was happy to make a profit after all. I’m sorry you had to spend so much.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t lying. I’m from a very wealthy family.”

  “And they’re fine with you being an Undertaker for the Chantry?”

  Resting his hand on mine, he shrugs. “It doesn’t matter what they think. My inheritance came from my grandmother and I’m an adult.”

  There’s definitely a much deeper story layered beneath his answer. I’m curious, but the hurt lingering in his eyes wipes away my questions. Maybe we have more in common than I appreciated. I suspect we’ve both disappointed our families.

  “So if I’m not a recruit and you’re not in service to the Chantry right now, what are we?”

  “Sorting it out,” Quade answers.

  I giggle. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Let’s agree to escape this crazy settlement and find our way to a safe place to figure out our next move. It’ll make it a whole lot easier for us to both to deal with what’s to come.”

  “Agreed.”

  Reaching toward me, he gives me a questioning look.

  I take his hand and allow him to pull me close. My worries fall away as I join my lips with his in a gentle kiss. His fingers glide into my hair as he pulls me closer, his tongue and lips seducing me into a more passionate embrace.

  When we reluctantly part, I know it’s for the best. Though I’m expected to give myself to my husband on my wedding night, we both know our marriage isn’t real. I also recognize that I’m not emotionally prepared to do all the things Prudence told me about conjugal relations in explicit detail, at least not yet. Quade’s kisses and embrace are wonderful and sufficient for now even though they do create a hunger deep inside my body that makes me uncomfortable.

  The tenderness of his final squeeze on my fingers sends a delightful quiver through me. He’s so kind to me.

  “Let’s finish packing and make some food. We should get to bed early. The train arrives before sunrise and is scheduled to leave thirty minutes after,” he says.

  “When will we arrive at Prairie Settlement?”

  “By evening. Then we’ll decide where to go from there.”

  The clock is ticking down to my final moments in the Atonement Settlement. We only need to survive one more night and freedom awaits on the train.

  CHAPTER 15

  All Things Hidden

  Standing in the center of the ancient cemetery, I feel oddly at peace. The empty graves are marked only by crooked stone monuments obscured by grass and wildflowers. In other spots, cement borders outline resting places that weren’t so final. The names etched on the grave markers are long gone, worn away by time. I can’t imagine what it was like hundreds of years ago in the first few days of the apocalypse when the graves opened and the dead poured out. I’ve heard the stories but never seen the vids that exist from that time. I suppose I will be able to see them once I’m far from this place.

  The afternoon sun is gradually sinking behind the high stone wall that protects the Atonement Settlement. The last rays of the day turn the sky orange and pink. From the top of the hill, I can’t help but admire the pretty scene with the tidy gray stone houses locked behind protective walls and iron gates. Further away are the multi-storied merchant buildings and then the square where the Council Building sits. From where I stand I can even see the ribbon of green water that curls past the settlement. There are dark shapes on the river, boats that will dock to deliver or pick up goods.

  I ignore the only blot on the tranquil scene.

  Beyond the high wall encapsulating the settlement, dark plumes of smoke spiral toward the sky, a reminder that all is not as pretty or peaceful as the view in front of me. The winds flowing off the river spare us the stink of burning corpses. The assault on the Unblessed ended a few hours ago, and it seems the numbers are culled sufficiently for there to be fewer wardens maintaining watch on the wall.

  I redirect my focus to the task at hand. Quade sits on a gravestone nearby, chewing on the end of a blade of grass while keeping watch. The Undertaker is my anchor, keeping my power rooted to where I stand. Between us, a tentacle of green fire writhes in the air. It’s a strange sensation. It feels as though I’ve grown a long, floppy third arm and it’s holding hands with him. It’s not a comfortable feeling, but it’s not painful either. Around my feet is a ring of green-black magic with long tendrils buried in the ground.

  Quade can sense the Unblessed, but only when they’re above ground. With our powers combined, I can dig deep into the earth around me and send feelers outward to search out the dead. I struggled at first. It’s hard to block out the presence of the horde on the other side of the wall. My powers naturally want to latch onto them. I have to fight to prevent my mind from being sucked into their midst. Quade helps me focus to keep me from drifting. I’m beginning to understand how valuable an Undertaker can be to a novice necromancer like me. It’s always disorienting when I find myself standing among the dead. Fortunately, each time it has happened, Quade has been at my side to guide me back to my body.

  Several large stone mausoleums stand nearby under the dark shade of the trees. This is where Bale used to meet with his friends, according to Prudence. I shiver at the memory of his hands on me. The look of horror on his face when he was dragged away will never fade. Since I never sensed the hidden Beloved Dead, it’s confirmed that I didn’t kill Bale. But why did the necromancer save me?

  A troubling thought pops into my head. In the past, I would have stewed silently on it, but I can’t live that way anymore. With boldness I don’t quite feel, I say, “Quade, why didn’t you want to talk to me about the possibility that I hadn’t killed Bale? You seemed reluctant earlier.”

  Quade adjusts the hat on his head, a nervous tick I suspect, and stares past me. He doesn’t speak immediately, which is unsettling.

  “Well?”

  “Ilyse, I was reluctant because what if I was wrong? All that guilt would crash down on you again. I was fairly certain I was right, but you’ve shown a natural inclination in using your abilities. What if you had done it by accident? I still wouldn’t blame you for protecting yourself. After everything you’d been through, to cause you to hurt again seemed unfair.”

  A tiny bit of doubt flickers to life. “Are you sure I didn’t do it?”

  “Did you sense the dead? Call to them?”

  “I was angry, scared, and felt my power rising. I saw the green flames, but…” I shake my head. “I didn’t feel the dead. Not like I did during the Necromancer Trial.”

  Quade nods but remains silent.

  “I don’t feel anything right now either. I don’t think the necromancer hid them here.”

  “This would be the way-too-obvious place to hide the stolen dead.”

  I stare down at my feet and the green flames churning around them. “I thought maybe the necromancer hid them here believing we wouldn’t search the cemetery. I just wanted to make sure.”

  “It was worth a look,” Quade concedes.

  Again, I have the impression we’re running out of time. The necromancer is adamantly opposed to me being with Quade. She’s made that very clear. I’m sure by now she knows the appeal was overturned and that I’m at the Murrow House. As I have recently discovered, gossip spreads quickly in the settlement. Though I fear the necromancer might send their stolen dead against us while we sleep, I also want to know where the dead are hidden for other reasons.

  I study the wide expanse of the settlement. There is some land beyond the woods that borders the cemetery that’s allocated for future housing. It’s currently empty fields of wild grass. It’s the perfect place for the necromancer to hide the dead. I still don’t comprehend the extent of my power. It’s time to figure out my reach. The tendrils of my power stretch outward.

  Quade gives me a sharp look.

  “I’m trying to reach that barren area from here,” I explain.

  “You might not be able to.”

  “So then I’ll take a walk.”

  “We should stay close to the house. We’re not safe yet. Don’t wander off.”

  He has a point.

  “I promise not to wander off when you’re not looking.”

  He smirks. “I’m always looking, so there’s no chance in hell of that happening.”

  I blush deeply, my fingers tugging at the bottom of my tunic top. My legs feel so exposed even though I’m wearing leggings. It’s definitely going to take a while to adapt. I feel as though I’m half-dressed, which only heightens my nervousness when I’m close to Quade.

  “We should call it and go inside, Ilyse. The necromancer isn’t the only danger right now.”

  “Just a little while longer. Maybe if I can find the cache and see which of the dead she’s stolen, I can figure out what the necromancer is planning.”

  With a sigh, he adjusts the brim of his hat again. He’s definitely uneasy but trying to hide it. “Nothing the necromancer has done so far makes sense, Ilyse. It seems as if she’s trying to expose you, hurt you, maybe get you killed. Yet, you say she’s telling you to escape. To fight for your freedom. I don’t get her motivations at all.”

  These questions have haunted me since the day I discovered the necromancer’s existence. “The one thing I am certain of is that she wants me to rebel against everything I was raised to believe in and not depend on you.”

  Quade scowls, pulls the grass stem from his lips, and flicks it away. “Are you sure it’s not Kalab whispering in your head? Trying to make you join The Republic?”

  The dream the necromancer implanted in my head about her unleashing the Unblessed to kill everyone in the settlement still bothers me. There had been so much raw anger and hatred emanating from the necromancer. Some of it had been directed at me. “I feel like the necromancer resents me, and when I spoke with Kalab, I didn’t feel any animosity from him.”

  “Why would the necromancer resent you?”

  I shrug. “Because I’m not fighting back like she would?”

  I don’t want to admit it to Quade, but during my interactions with the necromancer, I always feel as though I’m being pushed to not only reveal myself but do something horrific. There’s so much anger in the necromancer. Maybe she escaped the Atonement Settlement, too. That thought niggles at me.

 

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