21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Ali
Ali hadn’t expected the day to be so draining, but by the time all the newcomers were settled into their new homes, she was ready to crash.
The hardest part was leaving behind Julia and Kaydence with a middle-aged woman they’d never met.
The girls clung to Ali and Nik, but with a little encouragement, they were finally convinced to stay with the kind woman.
Grace explained that Ms. Carpenter took care of any children without parents until they could find a more permanent placement for them. It was heartbreaking to know that such a role was necessary, but Grace assured them she was a sweet and caring woman and the kids would be safe there.
Ali promised to meet them for breakfast the next morning and Kaydence shyly asked if Nik would come along.
“I think she has a little crush on you,” Ali joked, and Nik shrugged her off.
He sat next to her, casually massaging her shoulders in Grace’s private office space.
The room was small and nearly empty aside from a wooden desk and a few mismatched chairs.
Given that this was the first time Grace had even mentioned the office, Ali figured she rarely used it, choosing instead to spend her days actively involved in the community.
“Thank you both for helping today,” Grace said. “And stepping in to protect me.”
“Of course,” Ali said. “I had a great time today, even after Scott showed up. It was nice being on the other side of things and getting the opportunity to welcome people to Berland like we were.”
“It’s a shame that asshole ruined it,” Nik commented.
Grace shook her head, and her brown hair rippled. “Things are far from ruined. I spoke with everyone afterwards to reassure them they are safe here.”
“Are they? Safe here?” Nik asked, and Grace frowned.
“This rebellion…they truly seem to hate you and, by extension, anyone who associates with you. What if something does happen and Trevor winds up by your side? Or, god forbid, Eamon finds a way to forcibly remove you and your family from power. How can you guarantee their safety?”
Grace thought hard about this before responding.
“Nothing is guaranteed in this life. Any one of us could lose everything tomorrow. But that possibility can’t stop us from pursuing our dreams, our goals, and our happiness.
I won’t stop pursuing a better community for my people, new and old.
The rebels might be bold with their hatred, but they are not the majority, and we won’t let them silence us.
I can’t guarantee my people’s safety, but I can promise that I will always fight for them. ”
Nik considered her words before nodding, satisfied with her answer. Ali, on the other hand, tried not to think too hard about the frequency of attacks against Grace and her family.
“Should we get going?” Nik asked as he rose from his seat. “It’s getting late and we haven’t even eaten yet.”
Grace yawned and stepped out from behind her desk while Ali followed Nik out of the office. Together they headed toward the entry chamber, which was quieter than usual. Given how late it was, most people were home fast asleep already.
The dining hall was still open, however, and a few stragglers were seated near the buffet line. Their heads were huddled together as one woman showed the others something in a notebook.
“Shoot,” Ali said suddenly. “I left my bag back in the council chamber. It has all my stuff, including my notebook.”
Nik shrugged. “You can grab it tomorrow.”
Ali shook her head. “I need those notes to prepare for a meeting tomorrow. It can’t wait. You go on and grab something for us to eat and I’ll run back and get my bag. Meet you at home?”
Nik frowned like he’d rather she not venture out alone, especially after the day they’d had, but the halls were empty. She’d be fine.
She gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning back in the direction they’d come from. It wouldn’t take long to reach the council chamber and return home.
The halls were dimly lit, but she met no one on her way to the chamber.
She used her key to unlock the room and slipped in, leaving the door cracked so light from the hall filtered in.
Her bag was right where she’d left it earlier in the day, and she snatched it from the table and slung the strap over her shoulder.
On her way out, her eyes caught on an envelope lying beneath the table. She bent down to pick it up, figuring someone must’ve dropped it and she could return it to its owner. Once she grasped it, she stood and checked the outside for any sign of who the envelope belonged to.
It was larger than a letter, but thin. She guessed it held important contracts or something along those lines. It was light brown and bent in places but otherwise had no clues to what it held.
She thought for a moment, turning the envelope in her hand. If it did hold important documents, they might be confidential. But how could she know who it belonged to if she didn’t open it? She supposed she could just leave it where she found it and the owner may be back the next day to claim it…
After another moment of hesitation, she slid her finger under the folded edge and opened the envelope.
But when she peered inside, she couldn’t find anything.
She reached in, thinking perhaps it was too dark to see and maybe there was something at the bottom.
The only thing she felt was a powdery substance.
She was left with nothing more than disappointment when she pulled her hand back out. Her fingers were covered in a reddish-brown dust and she rubbed it between her fingers.
What the…
She brought her hand closer to her face and inhaled an earthy scent with a hint of something fruity.
Her head spun at the same time her fingers began to tingle.
She staggered a few steps backward, and the room began to turn sideways.
Her body felt as though it were tumbling forward even though her feet remained on the ground.
Panicking, she stumbled for the door, but each step felt heavy and impossible.
Something was wrong, and she tried to say as much, but no one was around to hear her.
She shouldn’t have come alone. She shouldn’t have picked up the mysterious envelope.
And she definitely shouldn’t have checked its contents.
Whatever was on her fingers was toxic. She wiped her hand against her pant leg, though it was too late. Her vision was growing blurrier by the second, but in her terror, she couldn’t think of what else to do. What could be so potent to have such an instantaneous impact? What if it was lethal?
Her throat constricted, but she wasn’t sure if it was the poison or her fear. She reached for it, realizing too late that she’d inadvertently spread the powder to her neck.
Shit.
Her knees slammed to the floor, and she lost her balance. Her only option was to crawl toward the door and hope someone passed by in the hall. “Help,” she cried, but it was little more than a whisper. “Help!”
Silence was the only response. She could hardly feel her toes, and she used her forearms and knees to push herself forward. Her stomach roiled, and she dry heaved.
She was going to die here alone. The thought of Nik finding her lifeless body brought angry tears to her eyes.
Her heart was full of regret, disappointment, and longing for all the things she had yet to experience in her life. Soul shattering hurt for the family she’d leave behind.
For her unborn child…
Her body was giving up, but her mind stayed determined. The harder she fought to stay awake, the more her eyelids resisted. With each passing moment, the darkness swirled closer, enveloping her in a suffocating blanket of permanent night.
Finally, her strength gave out. Her chin slammed into the hard floor and a muffled cry escaped her lips. Her heart beat faster and faster until it seemed to cease altogether, thudding irregularly inside her aching chest.
Ali’s eyes fluttered closed, and she surrendered to a deep sleep.