bowed to indicate that I finished. Linda waved her hand casually to suggest that she no longer needed me. I passed Master Black on my way out the door, but just as I moved passed him he grabbed my wrist and pulled me close, forcing me to bend over so that our faces were level.
The motion shocked me, and I started to shake in fear while sucking in a huge gulp of air to stifle the scream that begged to escape. We were so close that I was able to precisely determine that Master Cyler Black smelled of cinnamon and mint, the combination matching his rustic appearance.
He then asked me a shocking, yet simple, question that no one else had ever bothered to ask. “Are you happy here?” His deep-brown eyes bore into me, and I could almost feel his stare tickling at the base of my soul. I looked around the room for assistance. His question was unusual at best, and I wasn’t sure what the correct answer was. You didn’t need to be happy to be safe.
“Answer him, Ashleigh,” Josiah ordered with more force than necessary. “Dormas is considering accepting some of our homeless Walker citizens into their community and providing them with jobs in their mines.”
The Walker overpopulation was becoming an increasingly apparent problem, despite the sterilization law that went into effect last year. I, too, would be expected to report to headquarters on my nineteenth birthday in a couple of months to be sterilized. Moving these Walkers to a neighboring province would ease a significant burden from Josiah's shoulders.
I swallowed deeply. “Yes, I am happy. The Stonewell family is very good to me,” I replied in half honesty. “They acquired me as a young child after my family died from Influenza X.” I shuddered at the memory of my parent's death, and Master Black watched my distress with a look that mimicked pity. I was three when my parents died of that horrible disease. From what little I could remember, it was crippling to watch them suffer.
Sometimes at night I still remembered them. The way my mother smelled of lilac, and how I envied her soft curls. I remember my father’s bright smile and kind eyes. They were poor but happy.
They couldn’t give me much, but in the end, they gave me the greatest gift of all:
Immunity.
Being exposed to Influenza X allowed me to discover that I was in the top two percent naturally immune to it. I was still born a Walker, and couldn’t escape my class despite being immune to the disease. But because of my immunity, I was allowed to be procured by a high-ranking family. I was more desirable because I didn’t require the vaccine.
Josiah used to fondly tell me that he begged his parents for me because I looked like a princess, and he wanted to rescue me like a knight in one of his books.
Mr. Black nodded thoughtfully and pulled me closer, jerking me out of my memories.
“Dormas recently acquired an impressive fortune. A gold mine was discovered within our borders making us one of the richest provinces in the empire,” he said simply. “However, this discovery has been accompanied by some complications. Our population dwindled when we succumbed to the X outbreak, and we were unable to afford the vaccine that Galla produces. We need people to harvest our gold and defend our mines against neighboring scavengers. We are considering allowing Walkers into our village to work in exchange for vaccinations, food, and shelter.”
I considered his deal and smiled. It would give Walkers the opportunity to make their way to a new place.
“Our trade is still in the finalization process,” Josiah interrupted. “This will only apply to our homeless Walkers; those with jobs or belonging to families will not be traded,” he quickly added in what I assumed to be his attempt at covertly comforting me. “We also need to discuss further the terms of payment. It won't be cheap to vaccinate all the Walkers you want, and we have a monopoly over the vaccine.”
“Ahhh! Always talk of money with Galla,” Mr. Black interrupted. “I think I might like for this particular Walker to join me back in Dormas,” he said with a playful smile. I found it difficult to believe that the hard, threatening man that scared me earlier was the same one now smiling at me.
“That is truly a kind offer, but I am pleased with my position here in the Stonewell family,” I answered automatically.
“Oh, babe.