After Humanity

Chapter Forty-Four

Ready for Torvald? You will see his style of operating is a bit diff than his brother's....

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Rachel

It was late when Kathryn finally returned to the bunks, but Rachel had been unable to sleep. Having taken Kathryn up on her offer she'd climbed into to the older girl's bed, staring into the darkness and listening to the others slow slumbering breaths around her.

"You're still up?" Kathryn asked when Rachel immediately turned to her as she walked to the bed, eyes wide open. "You should really be asleep by now.

"I tried," Rachel answered. "I just couldn't."

Kathryn sighed, quickly undressing and climbing into the bed beside her. Rachel snuggled in close grateful for Kathryn presence as the older girl welcomed her into her arms.

"What did Alice say?" Rachel asked.

"Not now, Rachel," Kathryn answered, laying her head on the pillow. "I must sleep and so should you. We have to be up before dawn."

She could tell by her tone Kathryn would not reveal anything, but Rachel still could not close her eyes. Even with Kathryn's warm embrace and her steady breath slowing to the point that Rachel knew she had succumbed to sleep, Rachel's eyes remained open.

She kept seeing Magnus's fall in her mind. She had seen Alice's expression when she'd returned. She'd looked tired, worried. In fact Rachel realized she had never seen the older woman look so unsure as when she had answered the question of Magnus's chances for recovery. She couldn't help but run over and over Alice's tales of other sibla masters. With her mind so consumed with worry it seemed impossible it might find rest.

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When Rachel woke the next morning to Kathryn shaking her she found her head was throbbing and her eyes were blurry. She'd barely slept at all. Kathryn showed no sympathy.

"Get up, Rachel," she demanded, sounding like Alice in her bossy manner. "We can't be late and you must look presentable."

Rachel nodded, though looking at the still black sky outside the window she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes again and bury herself within the warm covers.

"Now!" Kathryn said, pushing her hard. Rachel rolled from the bed and saw that most of the other girls were already dressed. Kathryn herself looked impeccable. Her dress was neat and pressed, her hair in place. Her face was fixed in a frown.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said, hastily slipping her camisole over her head before donning the dress she saw Kathryn had already laid out for her.

"When you are all dressed you will line up for inspection," Kathryn ordered the room. Rachel saw the other girl's hesitate, not doubt as surprised as she was to hear their friend attempt to command them so, but Kathryn did not seem to take any notice.

"Alice has gone ahead of us to speak with our Master's brother," she said. "She asked me to ensure that all look presentable before we go to the main house. When you have washed and dressed, line up outside of the cabin. Is that understood?"

No one answered.

"Do you think this is a joke?" Kathryn challenged, forcing each of their gaze as her eyes swept over them. "Our lives are in danger if we cannot fully please our temporary Master. Alice's position is in jeopardy if there is any question she can control our ranks. Do I really need to explain how disastrous it might be if Torvald decides to bring in his own sibla overseer to take her place?"

Silence.

"No? Then I repeat, am I understood?"

The girls all nodded their heads, a few murmuring of "yes Ma'ma," audible.