Sentinel - Cyndi Friberg Page 0,39
once. He insists that children will be welcome, but the focus of all the outposts will be a safe harbor for those abused or completely dependent on the Ayrontu.”
The first outpost had been built near Riverside Village. The capital had a high concentration of the elite, and because the entire village was underground the lower designations had no alternative but submitting to them. The outpost had been a loud and clear message, a tangible way of demonstrating that the stranglehold of the elite would no longer be tolerated. Outpost two was in Lake Walker Village which wasn’t as exclusive but still had many business owners who were taking advantage of the desperation of their workers.
“Are there any Ayrontu in Ghost City?” She crossed her legs then uncrossed them. It was hard to concentrate with him so near. “If there are pockets of luxury, I sure as heck didn’t see them.”
He slowly tucked her hair behind her ear, fingers lingering against her skin. “There are a lot of factories and workshops, but the owners generally live elsewhere.”
“Then who will utilize the outpost? I’m not sure I understand why Malik is objecting to your idea.”
A smile curved his lips, but his gaze smoldered. “If we follow Malik’s plan, our outpost will become an overflow for other villages. I feel strongly that the needs of Ghost City should be met before we attempt to help other villages.”
Natalie chose her words carefully. The last thing she wanted was to start an argument. She was tired and her emotions were too raw for any more conflict. “Malik and Kara would argue that one of the primary goals of the alliance is to unify all common Sarronti.”
“I hate that term,” he muttered, jaw momentarily clenching. “There is nothing ‘common’ about urbanites.”
She raised her hands in a helpless gesture as she admitted, “I don’t know a less demeaning one. Working-class, non-elite, lower designations, they’re all designed to put the masses in their place.”
“Sorry to interrupt. Shall I finish Malik’s argument for you?” When she nodded he lowered his already deep voice and took on the rumbling quality of his brother, “The rebellion will only succeed if each community puts aside their priorities and works together toward common goals. Once the designations are abolished and the power of the elite has been curtailed, the United Council will work on more specific needs.”
She smiled. The impression hadn’t been half bad. “You’ve heard it a time or two?”
“At the very least. I understand what he’s trying to accomplish, but each community is unique. I think that has to be taken into consideration when deciding how the outposts should be utilized.
She nodded. Everything Salvo just said made sense, but Malik thought his points were just as valid. “Obviously, the greatest need in Ghost City is the care and education of its orphans. So how do we convince your ‘stubborn older brother?’”
“If we can get Kara on our side, we have a better chance of convincing Malik.” He caught a lock of her hair and stroked it absently with his thumb. She wasn’t sure if it was the dark color or the curl, but he seemed fascinated by her hair. “Females have a way of getting their mates to listen when no one else can.”
Needing a more direct connection, she tilted her head and rubbed her cheek against his fingers. “I’ll talk to her. I’ll talk to them both if you think it will help.”
“It couldn’t hurt.” He released her hair, but shifted his other arm forward and gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “This opportunity is very important to me. There hasn’t been any new development in Ghost City for many cycles. It would mean a lot if this was designated for the benefit of city-dwellers, or better yet urbanites.”
She nodded. There wasn’t anything else they could do to help the orphans until Malik and Kara arrived. Natalie was tired, yet not really sleepy, and her emotions still felt raw from all the heartbreaking things she’d seen tonight. Dropping her gaze to her lap, she hid behind her hair, needing a moment to process. She felt awkward and restless. She wasn’t a virgin, but the same combination of anxiety and anticipation was twisting through her now. She wanted Salvo and had no doubt that he wanted her too. Still, she hesitated.
Kara had warned her that being courted by a Sarronti male was fast and intense. Once she let Salvo touch her there would be no turning back. The thought made her