5

I purposely arrived at the Foundation Hall with half an hour to spare. I’d visited my father once or twice at his work, so assuming he was still in the same office, I made my way up the stairs to the second floor, third door on the left. His name plaque was still in place.

I knocked and his familiar voice called for me to enter.

When he saw it was me, his grim expression lightened a fraction. “Georga, what brings you here?”

“I was…in the area,” I said lamely, not wanting to launch straight into my meeting with Geneva and the new dynamics of our family.

He stood and came around the desk to engulf me in a hug. I pressed my cheek to his chest and savored the moment. My father was not a lenient man, but he was a fair and consistent man, and I’d never once doubted his love for me.

When he released me, he invited me to take the visitor’s chair and returned to sit behind his desk.

He planted his elbows on the table and studied me, his brows drawn together.

I resisted the inclination to squirm. “Mom said you were concerned about me. I just want to let you know that I’m fine.”

He didn’t acknowledge that, but he did sit back in his chair. He was reserving judgment, and maybe contemplating how everything had gone so wrong, how I’d turned out so bad despite his efforts, how terribly I’d managed to disappoint him.

“You don’t approve of the Sisters of Capra,” I said in a small voice. I couldn’t help it. And what I really meant to say but found I couldn’t, was that he didn’t approve of me and Mom, and our involvement. “You think we’ve brought disaster upon Capra. You believe a woman’s place is to be suppressed and under council rule.”

He waved that aside with an irritable flap of his hand. “Don’t speak for me, Georga.”

“Then tell me what you think,” I challenged, as I never would have before. Already our relationship was changed. But some things remained the same. I’d always respected and trusted my father’s opinion.

I truly wanted to know. “Do you approve of the reform? Or do you think the future of mankind is doomed if we diverge from the confines of council rule?”

His brow creased deeper. “I’ve never aspired to politics and I would never presume to predict the best path forward. I’m a simple man.”

That wasn’t altogether true. “You manage the Utilities Infrastructure for Capra.”

“And do you know why I’m so good at that?” he said. “It requires logic and organization. If pipes degrade, it’s a matter of securing the materials and planning the work. Politics is abstract, an ideology to hold us together while we wait for our world to fix itself.”

“But surely you must care about who’s in charge?”

“With regards to the future of mankind?” He shrugged. “Some days I’m not sure it makes much difference. The fate of the human race lies in the hands of our scientists or our God, or perhaps both, but not in the men—or women—who govern this town.”

His words didn’t match the reserved, almost defeated, look in his eyes.

I didn’t understand. “You’re not angry with Mom for belonging to a secret organization all these years? You’re not disappointed in me?”

He scratched at his jaw, watching me, not answering.

“You’re obviously not happy about something,” I pointed out.

“The only job I’ve ever really cared about is providing for my family and keeping them safe. That meant keeping my head down, and ensuring you and your mother never publicly defied the rules of society or drew unwanted attention. Clearly, I failed.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” I said. “That’s what the Sisters of Capra are all about.”

“Georga, these Sisters of Capra have made you their figurehead.”

“Hah,” I scoffed. “Trust me, I’m not their figurehead.”

“No, you’re their pawn,” he said, his voice filled with deep-seated concern. He wasn’t mocking me. “But you’re also their public face. If there’s any retaliation, it will be aimed at you. This is Capra, my dear child. If you push your head above the ground, you are not safe.”

If the only way to remain safe was to remain invisible, then I’d rather be dead. I didn’t say that, though. My father wasn’t angry. He wasn’t disappointed. He was worried, and he blamed himself for any danger I might have put myself in.

“Geneva is slowly and steadily edging me out of the limelight.” As I spoke, I realized it would become the absolute truth.

She’d eagerly threatened to stamp me out if I became too demanding. She wouldn’t risk keeping my profile high. As soon as the dust settled, she’d started fading me out.

I leaned forward, offering my father a smile I wasn’t feeling. “Geneva is our leader and our figurehead, and it won’t be long before she makes sure everyone forgets about me.”

My father sighed, unimpressed with my reassurances. “Do you have any idea why last night’s coup went so smoothly? Why mostly everyone is back at work today, supporting the Sisters of Capra instead of protesting on the streets and causing mayhem?”

“Most of them are like you and don’t care who’s actually running Capra?” I stabbed a guess.

“Many of the men are like me, and like me, they’re appalled at their own lethargy,” he said. “We placed our trust in a higher power, the council, and blinded ourselves to the reality. We didn’t agree with the restrictions placed on our women, but at least they were safe. They were cared for.”

“Except when they weren’t,” I said heatedly.

“Except when they weren’t,” he agreed gruffly. “We all thought we were doing okay, doing the best we could. What more could we do? It took a young girl with no power, authority, higher learning or protection on her side to show us the truth. You had the courage to push through our boundaries, climb our walls and venture into the unknown to discover what lay beyond. Then you came back and defied the powers that be to make that truth known.”

The pride in his voice floored me. A thick block of emotion stuck in my throat.

“Whether you meant it to be or not, you are the hero of this story,” he said.

“I’m not the hero,” I said. “Geneva put me on those screens without my knowledge or consent. If she’d asked, I wouldn’t have agreed. I’m not that brave.”

“I’m not so sure about that, but telling your story is only one part. You lived that story and brought home the truths.” The pride fell out of his voice, replaced with that heavy concern. “Heroes are not easily erased, Georga. You’ll be remembered long after your face disappears from our screens. And heroes make easy targets. If you want to undermine a movement, the first step is to take down their hero.”

“I’m not in any danger.”

“So long as there’s anyone out there capable of restoring the council, you’re in danger.”

Geneva had already taken care of that. The councilmen and their heirs were locked up. She’d never release them. Well, not until they’d been wiped clean and carved out into empty shells.

I spent another five minutes convincing my father that I wasn’t in imminent danger. The old council wasn’t a threat. I was pretty sure Geneva had neutralized the Puritans, too.

Then I had to excuse myself, if I didn’t want to be late for my meeting with Geneva.

When we said our goodbyes, my father’s mood seemed marginally less grave than when I’d arrived. He didn’t need to know that the heirs weren’t going to stay locked away. They weren’t going to be wiped clean or carved out. Not if I could help it.

Geneva had claimed a corner office on the top floor of the building for herself. Two walls of windows and a stately desk that looked out over the pavilion between here and the town square.

She didn’t bother with small talk.

“You’ve requested a position at the rehab center,” she said while I was still walking toward her desk.

That sounded like I’d called in a favor. Seriously? It was laughable. As if I’d ever been given the option of calling in favors. Both Rose and Janice had made it clear that I shouldn’t expect any preferential treatment.

“I didn’t request anything.” I stood behind one of the pair of visitor chairs, curling my fingers over the leather back-rim. “I applied for the role by filling in a standard form.”

“Hmm.” Her gaze searched mine, her gray eyes narrowed and hard as steel.

She had a way of looking at you that felt like she was hunting through your thoughts. I couldn’t be sure how much she saw, but probably more than I wanted her to. I’d never been as good with masks as Roman was.

“Is there a problem?” I asked when the silence dragged on too long.

“I’ll be frank,” she said. “I’m not sure you’re a suitable candidate for such a sensitive role, Georga. The last time we spoke, you were reluctant to accept that sometimes one has to make difficult, impossible decisions.”

She was referring to her decision about Daniel and the heirs. The council must be stamped out in all its iterations. We didn’t execute people in Capra, we sent them to rehab. I was more convinced than ever that my instincts were correct. I needed this role, so I could be in place when Daniel was transferred.

Geneva wasn’t a stupid woman.

She’d seen straight through me.

“I didn’t outright agree with your decision. That doesn’t make me emotionally soft.” I looked her in the eye, daring her to search deeper, all the way to where I buried my real truths.

Because I knew the heirs were a threat.

I wasn’t an idiot.

“I don’t like it, but I understand why you wouldn’t simply release Daniel and the older heirs without taking precautionary measures.” I did understand. That didn’t mean I liked it, or would accept there wasn’t another way.

I couldn’t pull off a complete U-turn, though. “The younger heirs, however. That still disturbs me, if I’m honest. They’re only children.”

Geneva steepled her fingers beneath her chin, and gave a slow nod. “The younger boys have already been released back to their families. The Sisterhood has been received more warmly than we’d anticipated, and our foothold in Capra will be sufficiently established by the time they’re old enough to be of any value to dissidents. I try my best to be pragmatic, Georga, never cruel.”

I accepted that with a thin smile, then pushed my advantage home. “I betrayed my husband and my friends to bring you Julian Edgar’s handprint. I know all about making difficult, impossible decisions.”

“You’ve certainly proven yourself,” she conceded. “Very well, I’ll let Janice know that I’ve approved the request.”

Just like that?

My heart thudded so loudly, I wasn’t sure how she couldn’t hear it. But she dismissed me without further interrogation. I wondered if my father was right, and if Geneva knew it, too. It wouldn’t be as easy to snuff out my flame as she’d threatened it would be.

I walked out the building with renewed confidence and strength. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been cowering beneath defeat and self-persecution until it started to lift from my miserable soul.

I wasn’t perfect. I’d never pretended to be. But neither was anyone else. I wasn’t always happy about it, but I was always prepared to accept the consequences of my actions. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t fight to change the consequences. That also didn’t mean I had to accept everything thrown at me.