Chapter One
Josiah Stonewell consumed my every waking thought. I knew how he liked his coffee. How he preferred the summer heat to the chill of winter. I could predict his actions based upon the way his nose wrinkled while reading the morning news. I had a borderline obsession with a man I could never have. Josiah Stonewell was not only the love of my life, he was also my holder.
It was a chilly morning despite the summer season. I placed a breakfast plate in front of Josiah and covertly admired the way the sunlight danced along his blond hair. I noticed grey circles beneath his bright-blue eyes and bit my tongue to hold back the concern that practically poured out of me.
I couldn’t help but worry that he was pushing himself too hard lately. Taking over his father’s job was out of character for the artistic boy I knew well, and each day pushed him farther and farther into the cynical beliefs of the capital. I could sense that the corruptions of the Galla province left him feeling drained and depressed.
“Thank you for breakfast, Ashleigh,” he said in a sleepy voice that made my stomach clench. Its thick and gravelly tone was delicious. I wanted to dive right in and take a bite. No matter what Josiah did, I couldn’t help but want him. My addiction was both dangerous and heavenly.
“You’re welcome, Josiah,” I replied sweetly.
“That’s Master Stonewell to you,” said a proper and high-pitched voice that filled the finely-furnished dining room.
Josiah’s mother, Linda Stonewell, was a nasty combination of distinguished and prideful. Although I will forever be thankful that she procured me when I was orphaned as a young girl, she consistently reminded me of my place in the Stonewell household. I was an attendant in their home, or as commonly called in our society, a Walker.
Josiah smiled at me, causing my cheeks to blush a ruddy hue. We’ve known each other almost our entire lives, and sometimes it was difficult to remember that he was my holder. We spent the majority of our childhood together, sharing secrets and secluding ourselves from the world. Despite our drastic, socioeconomic differences, we were kindred souls.
I was procured at the age of three, but it wasn’t until I turned seven that Mistress Stonewell demanded that I refer to Josiah as ‘Master Stonewell.’ She saw our friendship as a threat to his wellbeing and placed a respectable amount of distance between us. She sought out every opportunity to brand me with the Walker status. I received the highest training in cooking and household management while enduring her outrageous demands.
The life of a Walker was exhausting, but I looked forward to the evenings. After I spent my day scrubbing floors and cooking their meals, Josiah would sneak into my small room and gift me with a glimpse into what our life would be like if I weren’t a Walker. Although we maintained a platonic relationship, the tension between us increased daily.
“I apologize, Mistress Stonewell,” I answered.
She smoothed her floor-length, crimson dress and sipped her breakfast tea with indignation. Her bright-plum lipstick and perfectly-styled hair gave the illusion that she was well put together, but I knew better. She was hanging by a thread. The entire house was.
The Stonewell Family was well-known for their influence in politics and trade. Generations of Stonewells lobbied for various laws still in place today, they also negotiated numerous alliances with neighboring provinces, securing our position as a wealthy and flourishing city-state. Almost every regulation and trade deal in existence was either crafted or signed by a Stonewell.
Before his death last year, Master Stonewell Sr. was working his way up the empirical ladder. He was projected to claim the next empty congressional seat for the entire Confederation of Dasos, but his untimely death left the family struggling to keep up with his shady, gambling debts and failing trade deals.
Josiah took his place as Governor of Galla, but he was unhappy. The violin he used to play for me—in secret—sat covered in dust at the bottom of his closet, and each day I noticed a broader slump in his shoulders.
“Ashleigh, we need to discuss a few things before you begin your daily chores,” Mistress Stonewell said while motioning for me to sit. I kneeled at her feet and bowed my head submissively while she scrolled idly on her tablet. She liked scanning the socialite and gossip columns so she could be up to date on the most recent scandals at mid-morning tea with her friends.
“We have an essential family coming to stay with us for a few days,” she said before sipping her tea.
I noticed the wide grin that encompassed her face and revealed her brightly-bleached teeth. She was excited about this visit.
“Josiah,” she continued, “is working on procuring a very lucrative, trade deal, and it is imperative that this visit goes well.”
There were fifteen different provinces within the empire, each making up the Confederation of Dasos. Each province had its laws and ways of running things, but the empire governed all trade between them. Josiah was in charge of one of the largest and most wealthy provinces in the entire realm.
The Capital was at the center, and each province surrounded it. The further away you were from the capital, the more at risk you were from attack by scavengers. It was a confusing web of alliances and trade deals.
I briefly wondered why Josiah wasn’t the one telling me this, but quickly reminded myself that it was because, ultimately, Mistress Stonewell controlled the house. She relished feeling powerful and wasn’t afraid to use her son, or late husband, as a pawn.
“Master Black and his sister are to be treated with the utmost care. I want this house to be spotless before their arrival. I also want you to prepare only the finest meals available. Spare no expense.”
I had access to the budget, as I regularly referenced it when meal planning, I wasn’t quite sure how she wanted me to spend money we simply didn’t have.
“Also, I think we should convert the basement into your permanent, living quarters. It has direct access to the kitchen, which I find to be more appropriate and convenient for your role here. Please be completely moved in by this evening—that is all.”
I had my reservations and fears regarding the basement but knew that arguing would be useless. It was hot and muggy in the summer and unbearably cold in the winter. Not to mention, the shadows that danced in the basement’s darkness haunted me in ways I couldn’t explain.
“Yes, Mistress Stonewell,” I replied with artificial respect. The damp and dismal basement was intimidating, and the thought of spending my nights in its scary embrace made me tremble. My current room was an oversized-storage closet located on the main floor, but I found it to be comfortable and warm during the winter.
I cleared their plates and stole a quick glance at Josiah, wondering what he thought of this new arrangement. Although our eyes met, a stiff smile answered me back. He apparently had no say in the whims of his mother. Honestly, he had no say in anything–not if he didn’t want to become a Walker like me.
It wasn’t always this way. The divide between Walkers and the Elite began decades ago when Influenza X came into existence. It was a deadly virus that spread like wildfire through our communities. Although a small handful of the population was naturally immune, entire cities still crumbled as it infected those within its path. The disease caused its victims to burn white-hot and collect painful blisters all over their body.