Grave Read online

  “Snub?” Came Grave’s rough voice.

  Rikar rolled his eyes. “Nora.”

  There was a pause, then, “I’ve had enough of those two. They’re gone.”

  “We have to have a vote for that,” Rikar replied. When silence filled the other end, he shook his head and shoved the device back into his pocket.

  “It’s about time you two got rid of them, and I can name a few others who deserve the same thing.” Miss Yulle kissed Rikar’s cheek, bringing on a blush.

  “You know that’s not how it works. We’re supposed to be a refuge for these people.”

  “And they should follow the rules. Now, how’s Grave? He hardly stops in anymore.”

  Rikar shrugged. “He’s Grave. Now, can I trust you not to talk our guest’s ear off and allow her some time to rest?”

  “Oh, me!” Miss Yulle jumped back into action and bustled over to Nora. “Of course. Let’s get you out of that wet mess.”

  Nora nodded and turned to say goodbye to Rikar, but the man had silently slipped out.

  The woman ushered her into another room with a bathtub, raised basin to wash her hands and a sunken platform with what looked like a special water spigot hanging from the ceiling.

  “Bath or shower, either is fine. Now, let’s see…” Miss Yulle tilted her head and studied Nora. “You’re what…a size four?”

  “Um… Whatever you think,” Nora responded, her cheeks once again burning. She had never been judged on a size before and wasn’t sure what a four meant. “And, um, Miss Yulle? What is a shower, and where do I get the water for the bath?”

  Miss Yulle blinked at Nora with deep green eyes for several moments before releasing a shrill, “Oh, you poor dear! From Yunnika, I bet. If those old-age archaic bastards would just accept a few gifts from the other colonies, they might have some hope in catching up. This is coming from me, and I’ve been here a long time. We’ve come a long way with implementing some of the technology from other civilizations, but we’re still horribly lagging. Now, the Yunnikas… Why, they might as well dwell in caves!”

  Nora’s gut twisted, and she bit back her immediate reaction to defend her people. No. She was no longer Nora from Yunnika, she was Nora from Kilton, and she would learn to blend in. She had to.

  “Oh my. Sorry for my rant. Now, a shower is a way to bathe yourself, but instead of soaking in a tub, you can stand in this basin and rinse beneath the water.” Miss Yulle turned the knob on the wall, and water fell from a spigot in the ceiling.

  Nora’s jaw dropped open, and Miss Yulle laughed. “Oh, dear, quite silly, isn’t it? Such simple things that I forget others don’t have it. Well, which would you prefer? Bath or shower?”

  While Nora was eager to try out the shower, her body shook with chills, and she ached all over. “Oh, I think I would like to soak in a bath.”

  Miss Yulle winked at her. “I totally understand. You must be chilled to the bone. I’ll get it fixed for you. I have a few relaxing mixtures to add, too; you’ll like it.” She giggled to herself. “While I do that, why don’t you try on a few of the pants from the shelf? I’m guessing you don’t know what your size is, so pick the one that fits best on you.”

  Nora nodded and went over to a shelf where numerous articles of clothing were folded in neat stacks. Two different styles of pants sat on the shelf. One looked like small, stretchy pants. She immediately declined that selection; she had never worn clothes that fit tightly over her body. The other style appeared to be some sort of work pant, a style much more to her liking. The fabric looked thicker than her cotton and felt smoother than what she was used to. For a moment she worried about modesty, but when she looked behind her, Miss Yulle was busy with the bath and not paying her any mind.

  Slipping out of her skirt, Nora wondered if she should choose a pair of pants that had some growing room. She would need a bigger size eventually to accommodate the baby, and in the meantime, she could hold the excess fabric up with a belt. The size four was just right, as Miss Yulle had predicted, but Nora grabbed a six in hopes to buy her some time without needing a replacement.

  “All right then, here is a nice warm bath. When you’re all done, you can choose a cot and grab yourself some soup. Tomorrow Rikar will show you where you can settle down.

  Nora nodded and watched the other woman leave the room. She breathed a sigh, but her nerves didn’t settle much. Here she was, in a place she knew nothing about, and she had no idea what she was going to do.

  6

  Nora looked around the small bungalow Rikar had assigned her as he gave her a tour. The home had one large room consisting of a kitchen, living, and dining area. Two smaller rooms sat off to the side, with one bathroom between them. Though the home was in need of a lot of work, it had a cozy simplicity that reminded her of home. Several pieces of furniture remained from the previous occupant. She had a nice hide-covered love seat, a strange looking box in the kitchen, and a sink that had running water with just the flip of a knob! The toilet in the bathroom flushed, and the shower worked, too, though Nora didn’t have a bathtub. The walls of each room were in need of patching and paint, and the wood floor could use a good sanding and restaining, but the place was livable, and gratefulness swelled in her chest.

  One of the bedrooms had a bed in it with freshly folded sheets sitting on the end courtesy of Miss Yulle, Nora had been told. The other bedroom remained empty.

  “You’ll have to get firewood for the nights, it gets cold here,” Rikar informed her. “If you don’t want to heat with the stove, you can hire one of the mechanics to have the hot pads installed. Do you want me to set you up with the mechanic?”

  Nora shook her head. “No, thanks.”

  Rikar shrugged but didn’t press. She imagined he thought it odd that a young woman would not want whatever hot pads were, but the stove reminded her of home with the smell of burning logs and the grit of ash residue on the floor beneath her feet. She loved that memory of home. The palace had some sort of heating and cooling system, but she thought it smelled like burnt rubber.

  “Well.” Rikar put his hands on his hips and looked around. “I guess that’s about it. Most people do trades around here, so if you need food or something, you can work for it or grow your own. Same goes with just about everything around here. Did you bring money with you?”

  “Of course.”

  “Listen to me carefully. You need to hide all of the possessions you don’t want to be stolen, and money is not allowed. I usually confiscate it, but I don’t want to put you in the position that if you decide to leave this place, you’re left without anything to get you back home. If you do want to go back, let one of the crew know when the supply ships come.”

  Nora’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue with him. She didn’t want him to confiscate her money because she would need something to trade with, but she had no plans of leaving.

  “Remember where you are. This place is full of criminals, and they’ll take everything from you. Don’t be fooled.”

  “Right.”

  “Just keep to yourself, and no one will bother you. But never forget where you are.”

  Nora nodded. “I won’t. Thank you so much, Rikar for your help.”

  Rikar paused in the doorway and turned back to her. “And Nora. Don’t hide your coin under your bed.”

  Nora forced out a laugh. “Heh. Of course not.” Nora paused in the doorway for a moment, watching as Rikar moved through the village, pausing at groups of people to chit-chat. He seemed so at ease here, yet she wondered why he had built this place, to begin with. What had he done that he wasn’t welcome anywhere else? She pushed down the thought. She wanted to think of him as an ally, not a criminal.

  “Okay,” Nora said out loud to herself. She turned back to look around her little hut. The bungalow backed to the thick forest, and cutting through the forest was the thirty-foot wall. Next to her was a piece of empty land Rikar said she could use to grow crops. She had neighbors on both sides, and several homes dot
ted the other side of the street as well. There was a large council chamber in the center of town, its white domed roof looking a bit odd amongst all the worn-out bungalows. Rikar had explained that much of the town had been destroyed during the war with the mainlands, but they were slowly bringing it back to where it had once been.

  Nora pressed a hand to her stomach. Part of her had thought that once she got to Morala, she would find a woman who wanted a child and when Nora gave birth the woman would adopt her baby, but now that she had ended up in Kilton she wasn’t sure what to do. Were there women here who wanted to be mothers? Women who were gentle and motherly? Who would be able to give her child a kind home?

  Nora sighed. All she knew is that she wanted this little life to live.

  She closed her eyes and thanked her God she was still alive. Hopefully, he would guide her next steps.

  Since Rikar had mentioned that crops and food could be used for trade, and since she had an extensive background in farming, she decided to get some seeds to start her garden. She didn’t have anything else to trade, so she plucked out a few coins from the bag and stashed it away. Surely a few coins wouldn’t make her stand out. Rikar was probably just being paranoid because of what happened with Ruf and Sal the night before.

  After considering several places: the cupboard, under the mattress, in the couch cushion, Nora realized how much of an amateur she was.

  Okay, think like a criminal, think like a criminal. In the end, she tucked the money up beneath the stove and nodded in delight. There! That’s much better. Grinning to herself, she looked up and realized that the entire town could look through her curtainless windows. Had someone seen her? Paranoia had her heart pounding, but after a moment of rational thinking, she took a deep breath. No, no one here cared about her.

  The key Rikar provided for the door didn’t work Nora realized as she headed out, so she would have to get that fixed as well. Deep breath. I’m resourceful, I’ll figure it out, she told herself as she stepped outside.

  The warm rays of Vivid Flor, the planetary system’s host star, beat down at her as she stepped outside, a complete contrary to the prior night’s blistering cold. The sky had a lavender tint to it and soft, coral clouds drifted lazily by. A breeze rustled the grasses, and the smell of baked brittle drifted with it. The sounds of rough laughter, a heated argument, and several conversations buzzed in her ears. All in all, it felt like a normal place. Beautiful even. But mostly safe and far away from the king and his holy advisor. And my family. But that memory was too heavy to take with her through the day, so Nora shoved it back down. They made it out; I know they did.

  As Nora moseyed beyond her new home, a woman hanging clothing from a line strung between two trees looked up and waved. Nora waved back, and the woman’s face beamed. She dropped her armful of clothes and raced over. She wore leggings with a long brown tunic and boots that came to her knees. Her low-cut top showcased a bit more than an eyeful of cleavage and with her wide hips and narrow waist she had the perfect hourglass figure. Red hair cascaded around her shoulders in loose curls, the color matching that of her painted lips.

  Nora self-consciously licked her own lips. She had been scolded over and over again by the king’s attendants that she must never leave her room without makeup. Not only should her lashes be double their normal size, and her eyes rimmed with various colors, but her face must be covered in a thick layer of powder hiding all blemishes, and her lips had to be exaggerated with vivid reds and pinks. She hated that and had decided she would never wear makeup again; she was a free woman now.

  “Hi!” the woman exclaimed, waving her arm with enthusiasm. “I’m Lit-ta.”

  Nora smiled. “Hi, Lit-ta, I’m Nora.”

  “Are you new? When did you get here? Where are you from? Did I see you come from the house over there?” she asked, pointing down the road. “Eee! I’m so happy to have a female neighbor.”

  “Oh…” Nora bit her lip and glanced over at her new home. Maybe someone had noticed her after all. Maybe someone was waiting for her to leave so they could take her coins.

  “Sorry.” Lit-ta bared her teeth in an awkward grin. “I didn’t mean to pry; it’s just that we don’t have a lot of women here. You look about my age, and, well, I just got excited to have someone around that I might be able to talk with. I understand if you’re skittish and don’t want to talk. Especially being new to a place like this.”

  Nora held out a hand in apology. “No. No, Lit-ta, it’s fine. Honestly, I’m a bit nervous. I just got in last night. I’m from Yunnika.”

  “Welcome, Nora from Yunnika,” Lit-ta said with a deep voice, imitating an official. “I’m Lit-ta from Morala.”

  “Morala. Isn’t that the woman’s sanctuary?”

  Lit-ta nodded. “Yep. Before that, I was from Huftor, so, well, you can imagine why I ran away from there.”

  Nora nodded, knowing that the other woman was referring to the slave colonies that resided on Huftor. “Lit-ta, if you don’t mind me asking, why would you leave Morala and come to a place like this?”

  Lit-ta laughed. “That’s a solid question. And a long story. Let’s just say I stepped on the wrong toes and was told I could leave or be forcefully removed. I had nowhere else to go, so I came here.”

  “Oh. How long have you been here?”

  Lit-ta shrugged. “About a yearonly, not very long.”

  “Longer than me.” Nora laughed at her awkward joke.

  Lit-ta paused then a wide grin dimpled her cheeks, and her red eyes sparkled. “True. So, do you need a tour of the town?”

  Nora smiled and shoved down her doubts about the other woman. She needed a friend, and who was she to judge and assume. Lit-ta could be just as innocent as herself. “I would love one.”

  Lit-ta marched forward and glanced over her shoulder. “Follow me, young traveler, and I shall show you great wonders.” Her voice held a fake, playful accent, and Nora found herself laughing as she followed Lit-ta’s lead.

  She didn’t know if Lit-ta was trying to make her laugh or if this was just how she was, but either way, Nora already loved that she had met her. She felt herself loosening up for the first time since being ripped away from her family.

  “So,” Lit-ta said after they passed by several houses, “you probably saw the inside of the initiation hall yesterday. Usually snubs, the new people, stay there for the first night. The big dome building in the center is like a city hall type of thing. Around city hall is the market. You can trade goods there. Try and stay away from the houses on the outskirts of town; some of the rougher crowd live there.”

  “Where does Grave live? I thought I might pay him a visit,” Nora asked before she could stop herself.

  Lit-ta let out a nervous sounding laugh. “You’re not serious, right?”

  “Oh, well… No. I was just messing around.”

  Lit-ta released a loud breath. “For a moment there, I thought you were out of your mind. That would be a shame, too. Finally get a girl around here who isn’t some crazy bitch, an organ trader, or sex trafficker, and she turns out to be suicidal?”

  Nora gave her a lopsided grin. “Haha…” Her laughter trickled away as the two women slipped into the crowds of the market. As Nora surveyed her surroundings, taking in the people bustling around and negotiating through the swarm, all she could think about were horrific crimes and bloody murders.

  “What are you looking for?” Lit-ta asked.

  “I want some seeds to start gardening, some food for tonight, and some fabric for curtains.”

  Lit-ta nodded. “Follow me.” She grabbed Nora’s hand and pulled her through the crowds with expertize. Merchants stood behind booths yelling out their prices, while buyers filled baskets with goods, bumping into each other in the tight quarters. Thankfully, Nora and Lit-ta were small and able to squeeze between elbows and baskets.

  Lit-ta tugged Nora in front of a stand selling fabrics. She gazed over the cloth, tracing her fingers over the textured fabrics and designs. The man
behind the booth was tall, looming over the table like a giant. He was bald, and his brown skin glistened with sweat in the hot sunlight. Unlike some of the other booths, he had no tarp to protect himself from the brutal rays.

  “Hey, Lit-ta, what can I get ya?” the man asked with a flirty wink.

  Lit-ta motioned to Nora. “This is Nora. She’s new here. Just got in last night. She needs some fabric for curtains.”

  “Hey, Nora, I’m Deon. I live a few houses away from Lit-ta. Welcome to the neighborhood. You see a design you like?”

  Nora smiled. She held up a light teal fabric with ruching at the top and bottom. It looked fancy and feminine, and was unlike anything she had ever owned herself. In the past, she either couldn’t afford it or when she did have money, the king would hate it; not that she had been allowed to make any changes to the castle following her forced marriage. But why couldn’t she own it now? There was no one to stop her, and her little home honestly needed some soft touches.

  “I really love this one.”

  Deon raised a brow. “I’ve been trying to dump that for ages. Not too many females around here to pick that out, and it’s not really a guy’s thing.”

  Nora stared blankly at him for a moment, not sure what to make of his comment, and only now beginning to realize just how few women there really were in this place. She had met only three of them so far and saw no more than a dozen weaving in and out of the crowd. She assumed there had to be more, but even so, the place seemed overrun by males. And now that she really gave it some thought, why wouldn’t there be? There was a sanctuary specifically for woman, so most went there. It made her wonder why the others did not. Again, Nora felt like an outcast; she truly had no business being here.

  “How much?” Nora asked.

  Deon waved a dismissive hand. “Nah, this ones’ on me. Just help with my garden once it starts to bloom? I ain’t any good at that.” He winked, and Nora felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She hated taking handouts.