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Twenty-Sixth

I couldn’t tell you how long we were in that safe room. It was supplied with enough food to last a family months. There were five cots lined up against the back wall, Mrs. Bly and Hal were resting on two of them. I sat on the ground with my back up against the wall. I pulled my legs up to my chest and rested my chin on my knees. The bathroom was through a small door on the wall opposite of where I sat.

An automated voice broke through the silence. “Lincoln Bly requests access.”

Mrs. Bly shot straight up. She was disoriented at first. “Who?”

“I thought it said Lincoln Bly, but that’s not possible. Is it?” I stood where I was.

“Open the door.” It was Hal who had given the command. She walked over and stood by the door.

Lincoln Bly? It couldn’t be him on the other side of the door. He was dead. I saw his body lying in the casket at the funeral. The whole country and most of the world saw his body. The door automatically unlocked from Hal’s command.

When the door opened, Hal launched herself into his arms. Addeck? I looked over at Mrs. Bly who no longer seemed confused, but I sure as hell was. “Emmary!”

Vox pushed past his siblings and enveloped me in a hug. He held me tight and close to him. I sunk into the hug, glad to know he was okay. Everything else seemed to melt away, it was just us, as if we were in our own world. “You aren’t hurt, are you?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“No.”

“I was so worried.”

“Me too.”

Addeck’s voice broke through our little world. “I would have gotten you out sooner, but I had to wait for the guard to let Vox go.” He gave me another tight squeeze before letting me go. He kept one arm around my shoulders, keeping me close.

Mrs. Bly nodded, “Thank you, boys. Will you please tell Captain Pike that we need to remember to change the security settings.”

Addeck nodded, “I’ll be sure to tell him right away.”

Everyone started to file out of the room Vox and I were last. I slowed down our pace and we fell further behind. Vox gave me a knowing glance, “I have a feeling you have something to say.”

I nodded as we stopped. I waited until the rest of our party had climbed up the stairs to the main floor. Being left alone in the basement was a little unnerving, but I had a feeling that as soon as we climbed those stairs, Vox would be whisked away from me.

He waited, his golden eyes trained on mine. “What’s wrong? You said you weren’t hurt. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I nodded again, “I just.” I took a breath, “I’m just really worried about you. Being in that room gave me a lot of time to think about everything that happened. I mean those protesters were coming after you, after us. It just scares me.”

He pulled me into a hug, “You have nothing to worry about. I’m fine, you’re fine. Everything turned out okay.”

I pulled just far enough away that I could look at his face. “Yeah, but what about the next time, or the time after that? They still don’t know who killed your father. What if that same person comes after you? Things feel like they are spiraling out of control, and I… I need you. I need you, Vox. I don’t have anyone else.” Before I knew it hot tears were spilling down my face. He pulled me in once again as I cried into his chest. One hand held me tight while the other stroked my hair, trying to calm me down.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I just don’t know what I’d do if I lost you too.”

We stayed like that for a while longer. He didn’t respond to my confession. Instead he just held me tightly in the dark and musty basement of the Bly mansion.

“Hey, Vox?” Addeck’s voice echoed from the top of the stairs.

“What?” His voice had a slight edge to it, he was annoyed that we were disturbed.

“They want you to do a press conference on the riots.”

Vox didn’t say anything at first. He took a deep breath. I could tell he was weighing his options. He knew I wanted him here with me, but duty called. I was scared for our future. It was always going to be this way. I would always come second to Selection. I understood that. Our society and his place in it was more important than me. That’s just how it was going to work.

“Go.” I spoke barely above a whisper.

He looked down at me, “Are you sure?”

I nodded, “Yeah, you should go.”

Vox kissed the top of my head, “Addeck, tell them I’ll do one tomorrow before the party. I have other priorities I have to attend to.” He squeezed me tighter.

“Okay.” I could hear Addeck’s footsteps retreating, leaving us alone once again.

“You didn’t have to do that. You should go.”

“It’ll be fine. Like you said, you need me.” He pulled me away so he could look at my face. His thumb traced across my cheek, wiping away the trails my tears had left. “I know you’re scared, but I will always be here for you. I promise. You can come to me for anything, you know that, right?” I nodded. “And if you ever need me to come home, I will.” I opened my mouth to speak. “I can rearrange me schedule.”

“I don’t want you to drop everything for me. I know that your work is important. In two days you’ll be the most important person in the country. I know that I’m going to come second a lot of the time, that’s just reality. But, I do miss you a lot. You leave early and work late. I never see you. But-”

“But nothing. If you’re missing me, I’ll come home. You just have to let me know and I’ll cancel my appointments and come home. I don’t want to be like my father. Barely present in my wife’s life. I want to be there for you…” He paused and took a breath. “Emmary, I love you.”

I felt like I was going to just start throwing up. If I had eaten some of the soup that Mrs. Bly had offered in the safe room, I probably would have. He loved me? He loved me. He loved me. Did he just say that? I could feel myself blinking rapidly, but I was too numb to feel the rest of my body.

I knew I had to say something, but I didn’t know what. I wasn’t sure about my feelings toward Vox. I knew I was falling hard for him, but with everything that had happened I hadn’t had much time to think about my feelings. How much time had passed? Seconds? Minutes? I wasn’t sure, but I knew that time hadn’t paused for my mini panic attack.

Instead of saying anything I kissed him. I let my hands run through his hair. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer toward him. Electricity ran through me. He just told me he loved me. Vox Bly loves me. I began to relax as he kissed me back fiercely and passionately. I could feel him trying to convey what he had said into actions.

Why was I being such an idiot about this? Vox was perfect. He was kind and thoughtful. He could make me laugh, and he did everything in his power to make me happy. He was what I wanted. He was what I needed.

I broke apart from the kiss, “I love you too, Vox.”

His grin spread from ear to ear, his eyes were sparkling off the light that came from upstairs. “Why don’t we continue this in my room?” My grin matched his.