Page 23 of Chosen (The Registry #2)

Chapter

Eighteen

JAMIE

A nother day has passed and I’m hit with a new emotion.

Boredom.

Even now, as I stare out the window on the snowy estate, I find the need to get out of this room and do something, anything.

At the manor, Noah had encouraged that I read.

Willa had given me an e-device where I could access most forms of entertainment media but I wasn’t sure how to use it and I was too embarrassed to ask.

When I first arrived, I was perfectly fine staring at the walls and clinging to the numb, and sleeping most of the day away. But now that something had been awakened in me, I’m starting to feel human again. And I blame the Sector Leader.

Last night was so surreal. Did I really get into the shower with Draken and do lewd things to him without being told?

Was I under some kind of spell? More than anything, I wished I could speak to my sister.

Maybe she would understand what’s happening to me.

And then I remember the last time I saw her.

She probably thinks I’m some ungrateful brat.

Maybe I am. I was so wrapped up in my own pain, and resentment that I was unwilling to let anyone in, even my own family. I wish I hadn’t spent that time in the Sector 6 manor pushing everyone away.

I regret judging Noah so harshly now that I find myself in the same predicament. Is this love? It can’t be. We haven’t known each other long enough for such deep feelings to develop. And can I feel anything other than contempt toward a superious ?

Then why do I feel so bereft when he’s not here? Why did I dream about him? Why can’t I stop thinking about how my body comes alive from a simple touch? His touch to be specific.

Draken is full of surprises. I’ve seen a side of him that I didn’t expect. But I also realize he’s holding something back. He’d hinted that something was going on at the fortress but he didn’t elaborate. When he said he wanted me to get to know the layout, it almost felt like a coded message.

I wondered if it had something to do with those awful maids I had to deal with that first week. His personal attendant Johra had been distant but he wasn’t as bad as those two.

Rhia and Sahra reminded me a lot of Lynsey in the way they treated other homo sapiens.

There had been people on the commune whose personalities didn’t gel with mine but living under the authority of the Registry, I learned how anyone with just the tiniest sliver of power used it to subjugate others.

And now that I was a breeder, I’d be bringing a child into this fucked up world. I absently touched my stomach. I’d never thought about having children, until now.

Even when I’d been given the breeder designation I didn’t think of actually carrying anyone’s child, but now I wondered what would happen when or if I became pregnant? I couldn’t assume that I would get the privilege as Noah. Not that I want to be Draken’s bride. Or did I?

I’m so confused.

I’m rescued from my chaotic thoughts when the door to my room opens.

Willa steps in followed by another dark clade maid I didn’t recognize.

This woman had a round, pleasant face with skin even darker than mine.

Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun. She’s tall.

Very tall, standing nearly a head taller than Willa.

Her cheek bones are high and she possesses dark eyes that are tilted upward at the corner.

She was by far one of the most stunning women I’d ever laid eyes on.

It surprises me that she’s not someone’s companion. Usually, young people who the superious considered attractive were often given the companion designation.

“Good day, Miss,” Willa gives me a friendly smile as she walks in with a basket of random items in her arm.

“Hi,” I greet back, pasting what I hope looked like a cheerful smile.

It’s been so long since I’ve smiled, I’d almost forgotten how. I’ve been standoffish to her up until now, even though she has been kind to me and the guilt of how I’ve behaved hits me. I’m reminded that even though I’ve suffered, I’m not the only one who has endured the evils of this world.

She raises a brow seeming to take note in my change of demeanor, but she quickly returns her face to a neutral expression.

“I wanted to introduce you to Ayla. She’ll be taking over as your personal maid.

I’m just going to show her how things are done for the next couple days before she’s on her own. ”

“Thank you. Hi Ayla.”

“Greetings Miss.” Ayla nods her head.

“I’ve brought some lotions, and new bath accessories that you might enjoy. I also have some new outfits for you. I’ll go put them away for you.” Willa headed to the bathing room leaving me alone with Ayla.

The other woman stood with her hands behind her back and her head held forward. An awkward silence fell in the room because I wasn’t sure what to say. Would she be as horrible as the last two?

My eyes are drawn to her beauty. I’d always thought my sister was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen but Ayla is otherworldly.

And she has the height of a superious female though on the shorter end of the spectrum.

It isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that she carries superious blood but not recognized as one based on her current position as a maid.

“Um, have you been in the fortress for long?” I ask Ayla more to break through the awkwardness of the moment while Willa busies with placing decorative objects around the room.

“I’m new to the fortress, Miss. I arrived this morning from region 5 not too far from here.”

“Oh. Well, I hope we can get along.” I say for lack of anything better to say.

“I’m sure we will, Miss.” She’s so formal and I can’t tell if that’s her personality or if she’s nervous because this is her first assignment in the fortress.

I don’t have a chance to ask her anything else, because Willa returns. “I thought I would make the room more colorful for you, Miss Jamie.”

I glance around the room notice the new accents she’d placed on the stands, and my table. They didn’t make that much difference to the décor but I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

“Lord Draken wanted me to take you around the fortress today. Would you like to take that tour now?” Willa asks.

I nod eagerly. This would be the first time I’ve left this room since I arrived. Even though the room was even larger than the one I’d occupied in the Sector 6 manor, I needed this change of scenery.

“Follow me, please,” Willa leads me out the room and I’m followed closely by Ayla. Almost too close but I don’t tell her to back away from me.

“There are 10 floors in the fortress. We’re on the 8 th floor. Lord Draken’s suite is adjacent to yours.” She points to a room with gold doors across the hall from mine.

I didn’t realize he was so close by.

Around the corner is Master Johra’s room, The Advisor in Chief, whom we address as Chancellor and their personal attendants all stay on this floor. Directly above us is the surveillance unit, and that level also houses most of our high-ranking Enforcers and the top floor is the observatory.”

We take the elevator and get off on the 9 th floor first, and I see an open floor of holo monitors that shows various parts of the fortress. Each screen is being manned by a uniformed men. They’re all wearing plain gray jumpsuits.

Three Enforcers in black walk between the aisle, randomly checking the screens as they walk back. They were probably in charge of the operation.

“These are the security monitors. They alert the Enforcers in case there are any safety breaches in the Fortress.”

Half of the screens are focused on the outer perimeter while the other half are various places inside the fortress.

Willa then takes me to the 7 th floor and I automatically freeze. I remember this halfway because of the of the paintings on the wall. This was where I was originally brought by those two maids. As if sensing my unease, Willa turns to me.

“Is there a problem Miss?”

“This is where my first room was located. Right over, I point to the room with non-descript metal door. Now that I’m looking at it, I notice how different it is from the other bedroom doors which all have ornate designs on the outside.

Willa frowns. “But that’s a supply closet.”

I shrug. “That’s where I was.”

“I’m so sorry, Miss Jamie. Lord Draken mentioned that your first days here were uncomfortable, but I didn’t realize they had gone this far.” Her brows furrow and for a moment she opens her mouth to say something but apparently thinks better of it.

She puts a smile on her face. “Let’s continue the tour.” We walked the length of the floor and stopped in front of a row of rooms.

“This is where the companions stay,” she says so casually, that she could have been speaking about the weather.

My stomach drops. Of course, Draken has companions. Why wouldn’t he? All high-ranking superious men have them. The more one has the higher the status.

I hate myself for caring but I ask, “Does, The Sector Leader visit this floor often.” The moment the question is out of my mouth, wave my hands in front of me and shake my head. “Forget I asked.

Willa glances over her shoulders. “I’m not at liberty to discuss Lord Draken’s comings and goings but the companions on this floor are not assigned to him.

There were two who were but they were recently reassigned and are no longer at the Fortress.

And as far as I know, he hasn’t requested new ones. ”

I don’t know why this information makes me happy. I wasn’t arrogant enough to assume his companions were reassigned because of me, but a heaviness in my chest was suddenly lifted.

The remainder of the tour was uneventful. One entire floor was designated for entertainment. There was a section that showed old Earth media films and shows. There was a library that held paper books that rivaled the collection in Sector 8.

There were three pools, a gym, and even a game room.