Divided (The United Trilogy Book 2) (6 page)

“Yea, like that’s easy to do. Half of the Council doesn’t even have faith in me now as it is. I give them dance parties, not faith.” Malik chuckles at this.

“It isn’t something that can change overnight, Roz. It’s going to take you a long time. You have to first win them over and make them see the way you do before you can make a change. There is a reason why the Council is made up of so many and such different personalities. It is designed that way so it will not be easy to change their minds.” I slump at this thought.

“There is no way I will be able to change their minds, Malik. I don’t even know where to start.” A small smile creeps onto his face.

“You didn’t ask permission to come here you said, which was very smart by the way, but I’m guessing that Annabelle has been trying to get you back ever since you came, am I right?” I nod.

“Think about it. Why would they keep this place a secret from you when it wasn’t kept from Vaughn? Think, Roz.”

I have been asking myself that from the moment I found out about this compound. I still have not one idea as to why Vaughn could know and I can't. “I’ve been asking myself that over and over, Malik, but I keep coming up stumped. That’s what upsets me the most.” It is now his turn to nod.

“Several things are different, Roz. For one, Vaughn came up with the ban because he wanted to get rid of people who didn’t want to live with by the way he did things. The Council agreed with his way of thinking so there was no problem there. You, however, my little fire cracker, see things different from the Council’s views, and that is why they both love and fear you. As much of an asset you are to them, you can also hinder what they want to be kept intact. I don’t know for sure, but if I am to guess, they have not intended to keep it from you. You said you started creating acts right off the bat, right? You went out to the prisons even, which I think was quite brave. It’s amazing how hands on you are, and as much as I’m sure the Council appreciates that about you it also became their biggest threat. Vaughn locked us up and threw away the key; they knew you would come to find us and talk to us like you are doing now.” Malik takes in a deep breath before he continues: “So now, you have to ask yourself not what they are hiding from you, but rather who.” 

Okay, now I am lost. They are hiding someone from me? But who do they need to hide from me?  “Malik, I’m so confused here. Why would they hide someone from me?”

“Why indeed. But why do you also feel drawn to the very person they wish for you to never find?” Instantly, I know where he is going with this.

“Dex?” I ask, totally amazed and confused at the same time. He just nods his head.

“But why do they want to hide Dex from me?” The thought of his torn up and scarred beautiful body goes through my mind. “Did they do that to him? Did they torture him, Malik? I need to know! Is the Council to be blamed for his pain?” Malik shakes his head.

“It isn’t my story to tell, dear one. That is for Dex to tell you when and if he decides to tell you. You two have gravitated towards each other from the moment you got here; don’t think I haven’t noticed how much you already mean to each other after just a week. He will open up to you in time, but in order for him to do that, you are going to need to do the same. Be careful with how much you tell him, Roz; he hasn’t finished healing yet. Inside, he is still very angry and bitter. I don’t want him to use this as a catalyst for violence and destruction which I’m sure is what the Council will think if they realize you have found him. You are going to have to keep that fact very hidden. It is your only ace. Dex is going to be your key in taking down the Council, but even he doesn’t know that yet.”

After that, Malik told me that he needs to take a nap before we go back to the compound, but I can’t turn my thoughts off. How in the world can the Council use Dex against me? What can he possibly know that they do not want me to know about? And if he is in fact so dangerous to them, why not put him in prison? Why do they let him live here among the people? I must find out, and I can’t let them know why I am staying here so long. When I get back tomorrow, I am going to send Annabelle a message and pray she doesn’t catch on. Somehow, I’m going to find a way to get everything out in the open, even if I have to take the Council down to make it happen.

Just before dawn, Malik and I wake up and eat the rest of the food. We take turns in finding a large rock to go behind in order for us to ease our bladders.  We stretch our legs and take off for the long hike back down the trail.

We walk mostly in silence. Malik knows how much I am still digesting what we have talked about before, and he is good at letting me mull it over. Once we are about half way to camp, I see a huge figure in the distance making his way towards us. There is only one giant I know and I can’t keep the smile from my face.

Malik chuckles and says, “’Looks like someone missed you.” I can’t help but grin because I missed Dex too.

“It doesn’t look like he missed me as much as he wants to tell me off, if that expression on his faces means anything.” I say it once I get a closer look at his handsome and furious face. Malik laughs at my comment.

“It’s all coming from the same place. Go easy on him.” Malik continues on and I stop to wait for Dex. He shares a few fast words with Malik before he makes his way to me at a brisk pace. He doesn’t say a word; he just scoops me up and holds me close for a long time. I can tell that I scared him and I feel horrible for making him worry, but at the same time, it’s nice to know that someone cares for me. After a while when he still hasn’t put me down, I laugh slightly. “Is this my punishment, to be smothered to death? I’m pretty sure you broke a few ribs,” I manage to joke. He puts me on my feet and then holds me at arm’s length, taking me in from head to toe, assessing me for injuries. My goodness, I just walked down a hiking trail and Malik would have told him if I was hurt, but I still find it nice to be cared for so I let him act like a mother hen for a bit.

“Satisfied that I am in one piece now?” I ask, not being able to keep the sarcasm from my voice.

“No,” he says then scoops me up into his arms, catching me off guard and making me squeal.

“Would you put me down, you big oaf?”

“Nope,” he starts spinning me around until we are both dizzy, and then he carries me off the trail down to a patch of grass and lays me down there. He moves down next to me for a while, not saying anything, just looking up at the sky. After a few moments, he turns on his side. “You know you scared me to death, right? If it wasn’t for Gracie who’s having a hard time at night, I would have been up here last night searching for you. Don’t do that again!”

I smile at him and nod. I brush the hair out of his eyes and touch his rough cheek with my hand. “I’m sorry Dex. The last thing I wanted to do was to worry anyone. I just needed to clear my head but I fell asleep while resting, and when I woke up it was already dark.” He nods like he has figured that out as much.

“I would have gone with you, ya know. All you had to do was ask.”

“I know, really I do. But there’s so much for me to think about and my time here is running out. I guess I just panicked.”

He looks sad now. He has taken his eyes off mine and brought them to the ground. “So you are going back then.”

I lift his chin until he is looking at me in the eyes. “You know I am. That’s always been the plan, Dex. I can’t stay here. I have a country to run, one that as you know needs all the help it can get. As terrified as I am, there are some major changes I need to make. Hiding out here doesn’t do anyone any good.” I am not talking about him, but he flinches as if I have slapped him. His eyes turn cold and that hard scary Dex is back.

“I see. Well you go off and run that little country of yours and I will stay here and hide.”

I sigh in frustration. “Stop, you know that’s not what I meant. As much as I want to stay here, and I do, Dex, I’d like nothing more than to stay here with you; I have a duty that I have to return to.”

This seems to calm him down a little, but not much. I can’t believe it’s been just a little over a week since we met. I never thought I could become so close to someone in such a short amount of time. Especially someone who scared me so much upon first meeting him.

“I know it’s selfish of me to want you to stay, but in such a short time you’ve brightened up this place. I don’t know what Grace is going to do without you singing her songs and reading her stories, and Zara is starting to act like she is whole again…” I grab a hold of his hand.

“And you? What about you, Dex?”

He looks at me with a fierce longing I’ve never seen before.

“I feel like I’m losing my home all over again.” He couldn't have cut me deeper if he used a knife. All the hurt that poured off of him when we first met is now back with a vengeance. He looks so broken and defeated. Part of me refuses to take the blame; he knows nothing can happen between us, he knows I am leaving, but just like my heart, his heart doesn’t care. I hug him and run my hand over all his scars, trying to take the pain away, not knowing what to say to make this right.  I need to change the subject, but I also need Dex to start opening up to me. I am not sure if he will answer any of my questions, but I will not know until I ask.

“Where are your parents, Dex? Why is Grace with you and not with them?” He instantly stiffens and let go of my hand. I continue to rub his back and wait to see if he will answer or tell me to mind my own business.

He stays silent for a long time and then he very softly voices out, “My dad left when I was young. He didn’t need me or my mother anymore, and went off to save the world. He came back briefly only long enough to produce Grace and when she was born weak and sick, he took off again. I could see the hatred pouring off of him. My mom only lasted a few more years, until she died then she was gone too. I took Grace and never looked back.” 

Well that explains the grief that has etched itself into him, the hurt that pours off of him and his fierce loyalty to Grace, but not the bitterness.  I bring his head down to my lap and rub his head like I would do to a child. In some ways, he is a child. Nobody should have to go through being abandoned, bury a parent and then becoming one within moments. I continue caressing his head and start humming, just staying like that for a while, while I think about how much he's lost and wondering how I will be able to leave this strong yet broken man behind. I finally speak.

“I’m sorry, Dex. I’m so very sorry. I wish I can take it all away, I wish I can bring your parents back to you, and give you the love that you deserve. I don’t want to be another person who walks out on you...I can’t.”

It is the absolute truth. No matter how much the people of my Country need me, there is no way I can walk out on Dex right now, not after all he has been through. Eventually, people will understand, at least I hope they will.

Dex arises to a sitting position and looks at me. “Just like that, huh? Just like that and you are going to abandon everything you believe in just to stay and take care of me?” He sounds mad and I am at a total loss. Why on earth is he mad at me for doing exactly what he wants? He just said he wants me to stay, did he not?

“Blast, Rosaline! I don’t want your pity. I don’t want you to stay because you don’t think I can handle another person leaving. That’s not why I told you that. You just got done saying your people need you, yet you will give them up for what, a shell of a man and a girl who is too afraid of her shadow to speak?” I jump to my feet, fully pissed off now.

“You can say what you want about me, Dexter, I can take it, but you have no right to call yourself a shell, and don’t you dare speak ill of Grace. I won’t stand for it! That child is precious and perfect and you can take your anger out on me all you want but don’t you dare bring her into this!”

I am spitting mad and pacing by the time I am done talking. I speed off down the road, intent on leaving him there. That’s what he wants anyway, isn’t it? Who knows what that man wants? I don’t even think he does. Within seconds, he has caught up to me, and I am silently cursing these short legs of mine. He touches my shoulder and I turn bitterly on him.

“NO! You can’t tell me how to feel and you can’t tell me who to love, protect, or serve! I’ve had my life directed enough in the past few months to last me a lifetime, I’m not going to follow blindly anymore, Dexter!” He smiles down at me. Actually smiled, the smug jerk! He takes a perfectly good moment to make me as mad as a hornet and then has the nerve to smile.

“There’s my little firecracker. Calm down, Tink, I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

“Don’t think just because you smile and look at me like that that I’m going to forgive you for being such a jerk.”

He walks closer to me now and starts stroking my cheek. “You will forgive me, Roz; it’s who you are. You are kind, loving and loyal to a fault, and you just can’t help but forgive.” Well crap, he has me there. Maybe I can’t hold a grudge, but I don’t have to like it.

“I’m sorry for making you mad, Tink. I just know you are meant for so much more. You are the only one who can fight them and win.” Now we are getting somewhere.

“Fight who, the Council?” And just like that, his face hardens and it might as well have said closed for business. I am not going to get anything else out of him right now so I decided that it is time to lay everything out. When the time is right, he will come to me.

“I don’t know what you have against the Ministry or the Council, Dex, but I do know that you probably have information that can help me. I’m not going to ask you for it. If you want, you will come to me; I know you will, but I will tell you that I can’t hide out here much longer. I have another two weeks before they send someone for me. I’m sending a message to them tonight to try to keep them at bay, but I will have to take them down, Dex. I don’t know what they did to you but know this: I’m going to fight them. I fight for justice and for unity, and I know we aren’t united anymore. I will not stand for a divided America. They have to know that, but I have to be smart about how I do it. Right now I have no clue, but in a few weeks I will have to figure something out because that’s when I will have to go back. You are right; staying with you here as much as I want to will be for the wrong reasons.” He nods but says nothing as we walk back in silence.