Her gaze meets mine for an intense moment and then she looks away, staring out at the city. "You won't like it."
"Let me decide that. I need all of the information so I can make the best decisions for the Sanctuary that I can. You’re the expert, I’ll do what I can to abide by any advice you give me."
Her eyes fill with tears and she nods, swallowing visibly before answering. "I needed to hear that," she whispers. "I need to know that the future leader of this Sanctuary has its citizens best interests at heart. I'll tell you what needs to happen, and you can decide what you'll do."
"Go ahead," I tell her.
She looks at me, her gaze serious. "You need to post a citywide order telling everyone to stay home, then impose a curfew. The only ones that are exempt are people who have permission directly from the Warlord. You’ll need to come up with a system for your citizens to let you know when they need supplies. Have your security forces drop the supplies off and leave. No contact between households. Anyone who’s sick must be immediately isolated. And finally, no one in and out of the city."
My mouth goes dry as she speaks and I nearly shake my head automatically. What she’s proposing goes counter to everything I believe in. This country, this continent and this world have fallen. There are a select few of us who survived the apocalypse. It’s our duty, our right to fight for our freedom, our right to survive as a species. If I enact the changes that she’s proposing, I’ll be taking away those freedoms.
But freedom means nothing if we’re all dead.
After several moments of thought, I say, "I'll make sure it gets done."
"Thank you," she tells me, her sincere gratitude clear in those two words. She pulls her mask back over her face and turns to go back into the hospital.
I stop her. "Have you managed to make any progress at the lab?"
She glances back at me and gives a slight nod. "I've been going to the lab in the evenings, and my assistant works during the day when I have to be at the hospital. For obvious reasons our progress has slowed, but we're getting there." A kernel of hope has entered her voice and my heart leaps in response. "I think we'll have a treatment soon, Skye."
I twist my lips in a smile, thank her and wave her back into the hospital. I turn back to my escort, glancing at Kingston in particular. He has become my righthand man, my second-in-command. Some days I wonder what I ever did without him.
"What's next on my agenda?" I ask him, half joking. It drives him nuts when I treat him like a secretary, yet we both know how indispensable he's become to me.
He ignores my teasing and looks down at me, his dark eyes serious. "I think we should go back to the palace."
I shake my head at him. "We have more stops planned. Hannah is going to meet me at the new school for an inspection and then I’m going to go to the wall to see if Wolfe needs anything."
"I think we need to go back to the palace," he insists.
I frown. "Why?"
His gaze is steady on mine, but I can feel the tension in the air. Finally, he says, "No more hospital visits."
It finally dawns on me what he’s so upset about. He doesn't want me near the flu-stricken hospital or out in the city where I can meet citizens who might be sick. I appreciate his protectiveness, but I can't stop doing my job. The city needs me, and I must make myself available.
I reach out to touch his arm. "I understand your concern and I promise to be very careful. I'll even wear a mask when we come to the hospital, but I have to go where I'm needed."
He shakes his head. "No, you don't."
Now I'm starting to get annoyed. This man works for me, not the other way around. "It doesn't matter what you think, we will continue with my agenda for the day."
He looks at me with a straight face and I can see the hesitation in his eyes. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree. Your safety is more important than your desire to tour the city. You are going back to the palace immediately, Skye."
I open my mouth to argue with him, but he takes my arm in a tight grip and pulls me toward the vehicle. His men falling in around us. I frown at them. This is a coordinated plan, and I know exactly who’s to blame.
Wolfe.
We get into the lead vehicle, Kingston sliding into the driver's seat while I take the passenger seat. The rest of our escort get into the vehicle behind us. "Tell me, Kingston, were you given permission to defy my orders?"
At first, he doesn't answer so I add, "It’s in your best interests to tell me now what the standing order is so I take out my anger out on the correct person."
He seems to see the wisdom in my words. "Warlord Wolfe has made it very clear that your health must come above anything else, including your direct orders."
"And whose decision was it that I should be removed from my duties when the illness in the city became critical?" I demand, my voice rising in annoyance.
"The Warlord and I have agreed that if you become at-risk for catching an illness, you are to be returned to the palace immediately."
"When I become Warlord…" I start to say and then stop myself. I haven’t agreed to become Warlord, yet here I am, acting as though it's inevitable.
We remain silent for the rest of the trip to the palace. As Kingston drives into the underground garage, he finally murmurs, "He cares about you. More than he'll ever say. If anything were to happen to you…"
He trails off, but he’s said enough. Those few sentences have diffused my anger. Wolfe loves me more than logic or reason and this is why he’s trumped my orders when it comes to my health and safety. I don't agree with him, but I understand him. Finally, I understand Wolfe.
"Thank you, Kingston," I say calmly, letting myself out of the vehicle. "I'll see myself up to the Warlord's chambers. Please let Wolfe know where to find me."
It’s a mark of our mutual respect and how far we’ve come as a team that he nods and turns away, striding from the garage to find his Warlord. He trusts me enough not to escort me and I care about him too much to break my word to him. I stride over to the stairwell and start the climb up 30 stories to the top.
Forty-One
Wolfe
"Warlord, Miss Skye is waiting for you in your chambers."
Kingston bows his head toward me as I pass him in the hall. I grunt my acknowledgement and continue on my way, but his voice stops me.
"Sir… I'm not sure it's my place to say anything…" He hesitates, his tone uncomfortable.
I raise a brow and turn to look at him. It's not like Kingston to be so tentative. He’s one of our top warriors and I’ve been pleased by his service to my woman. Whatever he's trying to say must be about Skye. She's about the only person that can disconcert a man like Kingston.
"Either spit it out or let me get on with it. I'm tired, dirty and eager to see my woman."
He clears his throat and says, "I am completely loyal to Skye. She’s a good person, in her heart and in her actions. As such, I will be her devoted servant until she no longer needs my service."