Page 19 of Darkness I Become
“How did you manage all this?” Asha asked in wonder. “The rest of the place looks like it’s about to fall apart.”
Leo smiled. “With some help. Most of the fixtures were made in the Settlements. Angel—and everybody else—benefits from a doctor having the right tools.”
She frowned. “But where’d all the medicine come from? I can’t imagine they can make much of that in the Settlements. Not if they’re anything like Little River.”
“Little River’s in worse shape than our settlements,” Leo replied, “but no, a lot of it is scavenged. Or grown by Dom.”
“Dom?” Asha asked, more surprised by that than even the medicine. “He grows things?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s a big gardener. I’m lucky he helps me out.”
Asha couldn’t help herself; she giggled. Her limited experience with Dom made clear that he was a man of few words, and usually grumpy. The image of him kneeling in the dirt, fussing over delicate flowers, was too much.
But another question niggled at her, and she raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t scavenged medicine long since expired?”
Leo shrugged and looked away. “Sure, but we make do with what we have.”
His too-casual tone gave him away. She couldn’t imagine why, but Asha was certain that he was lying.
Before she could interrogate him further, however, he changed the subject. “I should bring you back to the mess hall. Wouldn’t want them to think you’re missing at dinner.” He paused briefly, staring at his exam table. “But…if you need help at any time, come find me.” He pointed at a door behind the exam table. “I live in the back room. I’m always here.”
Asha nodded slowly, trying not to think of why she might need his help. “I just hope Cade…”
She trailed off, not sure how to express herself, but Leo seemed to understand.
“He’ll find a way, Asha,” he said gently, touching her shoulder. “He’s the most determined man I’ve ever met. If it’s at all possible, he’ll do it.”
She smiled in spite of herself, cheered a little by his kindness.
“Thanks, Leo.”
A week passed in hard domestic labour and little else. Each night, Asha fell into bed exhausted and slept like a baby. Besides the hard work and constant leering from the men, however, she had few complaints. Lana and the other women were decent company, and Leo checked up on her often.
She hadn’t actually seen Angel since the night of the claiming. He rarely seemed to leave Angel’s Wing during the day, and in the evenings, it seemed like Lana mostly kept him entertained. Still, there was that nagging worry at the back of her mind that Cade wouldn’t make it back in time.
On the eighth night since Cade’s departure, Asha was sound asleep in her bunk, much like the other dozen women who shared the dormitory with her. All candles had been extinguished, and the room was pitch black.
She was abruptly awoken by a cold hand wrapped around her throat. Alarmed, she tried to scream, but the man tightened his grip, strangling the sound.
“Don’t scream,” a voice she recognized as Dax’s demanded. “Stay quiet and I’ll let you go.”
Asha nodded slowly, terrified. Dax forced her to her feet and directed her out of the dormitory and into the corridor wearing nothing but the standard-issued nightdress that all the women wore. At least out here, there was a single torch burning on the wall, illuminating the way.
Dax pushed her down the hallway, stopping in front of Lana’s door. The silence of the night was split by his hard knock on the wood. Asha heard movement within before a bewildered-looking Lana appeared.
“Find something for her to wear,” Dax ordered. “Angel wants her.”
Lana’s confusion turned to alarm. “Why?”
“No business of yours, is it? The boss wants what he wants.”
“If he wants entertainment, I can—” Lana began, but Dax growledat her.
“Shut the hell up,” he spat. “He wants the new girl, and that’s what he’ll get. Got it?”
Lana nodded mutely, her eyes wide. She gestured for Asha to come into the room, and closed the door behind them. Lana’s young sister, Cassie, appeared to still be asleep on her side of the bed.
“What’s happening?” Asha asked in a low voice, and she hated that her fear had crept into her voice. “What does he mean?”
