Read Online Isaura by Ruth Silver - Free Book Online Page B

remember a
history lesson or two, perhaps a book I'd read that described what Spade was
all about. I couldn't recall it though and it puzzled me to no end. “A Duke,” I
repeated.
    “Your government is a monarchy,” Joshua scoffed at the idea.
“You think this is better than the government's system?”
    Henry studied Joshua for a moment. “The closest terminology
you have is Monarchy,” Henry explained. “But if we were, I'd be King, and you a
lonely peasant.” He smiled as if he were joking and I wasn't sure what to say
or think. “You think I'm the bad guy? I let people come and go as they please.
I keep order and establish law. Is that terrible? My people are fed, they have
clothes on their backs and are never forced to give away their children,” he
emphasized.
    “Wait!” I held up a hand interrupting Henry. “Your people
can have children?” This was news to me. As far as I'd known, I was the only
woman who could conceive a child through natural means. Torv had tried to
reproduce the same process as the government but it hadn't been as successful.
    Henry sighed. “Not in the old way. There are children around
the palace, most come from 'The Day of the Chosen',” he acknowledged.
    “Most?” Joshua asked. “What about those who don't?”
    “Two pregnant women have fled Torv in the past few years.
We've taken them in, cared for them. We've tried to send a handful of women
spies to get impregnated and return to us, but so far none of them have
returned.”
    I glanced at Joshua. Chloe, the reproductive specialist from
Torv, had failed to mention any of the pregnant women leaving, being exiled or
kidnapped. It felt odd to me that they'd have just up and left. I smiled at
Henry. “Can you tell me more about these two women?”
    “The first was seven years ago. She came in on a carriage.
One of the tradesmen brought her to us,” Henry explained. “She was smuggled out
of Torv. It was the first we'd learned of the city having the ability to
reproduce.”
    “Did she willingly leave her home?” Had she been bought?
    “Sadly, yes,” Henry responded. “Her husband was abusive and
violent. She feared a miscarriage and paid a great deal to get onboard the
carriage. We offered her a new home and a life when she arrived. Her husband
had no idea what happened to her or the child.” Perhaps that was the reason for
the armed guards in Torv at the hospital. They feared women being abducted and
children bought on the black market. There were always two sides to every
story.
    Joshua sighed. “What about the other pregnant woman?”
    Henry reached for his drink, having a sip as he recalled the
memory, “She didn't make it through delivery,” he answered somberly. “However,
the child is still alive and thriving in our city.”
    “How old is the child?” I couldn't help but ask. He made it
sound as though she was still young.
    Henry paused for a moment. “She'll be seven next spring. A
maid took her in and is raising her as her own,” he explained. “You can meet
her if you'd like. In fact I'm sure Adelaide will probably meet both young
girls at school.”
    I was happy there was an institution in Spade. In Shadow
there hadn't been any regular schooling for Adelaide. She'd had a tutor, but
being around other kids her age again would be good for her. It might help her
readjust and fit in to her new surroundings.
    Henry finally pushed his chair back and stood up. “If you'd
like, I can show you both drones we've captured.”
    I saw the faintest smile cross Joshua's lips. “I'd like that
very much.”
    We spent much of the evening examining two drones that had
been fired upon and shot down. A guard had managed to hit the fuel line and
brought down both drones, making them inoperable. Joshua and Aidan examined the
drones as it grew dark. Elsa and Cate headed back to their rooms long before I
did. Eventually growing bored, I retreated to my suite as well.
    My gaze moved over the stone tower where our rooms