Page 48 of The Red Woman on Mars

Vivian dug her nails into her palm. “What message?”

“I haven’t watched it yet. I was waiting for you.”

Inside, Delilah tapped the shared console off the kitchen, and her parents’ smiling faces appeared on the screen. A tightness in Vivian’s chest eased.

“Girls, we have received news from Arcadia that Delilah has found a partner,” her father began. His thin voice carried an unfamiliar upbeat and energetic tone. “Congratulations, darling. I hope that she gives you a lifetime of love and happiness.”

Their mother leaned in. “We wish you a marriage as blessed as ours has been.”

Delilah huffed a humorless laugh. “Love and happiness. Does she honestly think that’s what this is about?”

Vivian turned worried eyes on her sister. All Delilah had wanted was to fall in love. Were things with Mitzi really that bad?

“Arcadia has sent us a payment,” her father continued. “Enough for us to rent a trailer outside of Greenwood. Delilah, my girl, you got us out.”

“Girls, we can’t thank you enough for your courage. We had to use most of the money to buy permits to leave the camp, and the trailer is only paid for a month. Those nice Arcadia reps explained we’ll receive another lump payment in a few weeks when Vivian selects her partner. That should hold us over for a while.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “Everyone is so friendly here. And there’s a bus only half a mile down the road to take us into town. That’s where we are right now. We’re recording this at the post office.”

“Your mother’s trying to convince me to get a dog,” her father put in.

“Oh! Our time is about to be up. We love you both so much.”

“Girls, I hope you know how much we appreciate you and—” Her father’s voice cut off as the recording ended.

Her parents were safe. Vivian let out a slow breath. The awful weight she’d carried since she’d left Sumter was suddenly lifted.

Delilah rose abruptly to her feet. “I need to get out of here.”

“I’ll come with you. Delilah, we should celebrate! A dog? Can you imagine?”

Delilah’s face flicked in a smile that came and went. “Alright, come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“The barracks,” Delilah answered promptly.

“I don’t know if I want to see the soldiers again,” Vivian said, thinking of Xavier’s revelations.

“Suit yourself. I’ll go alone.” She walked toward the door without looking back.

Vivian scrambled to catch up with her as her sister hurried through the grounds. “Delilah, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

“I’m fine.” Delilah walked rapidly to the wall and found the low tree they had used before.

“You can walk freely out of the compound, can’t you? Now that you’re partnered?”

Delilah made a face. “Mitzi gets a report every time I use my ID. No, thank you.” She reached for the tree branch.

“Should you be climbing trees?”

“I’ve been pregnant for one week. Don’t be such a spoilsport,” Delilah grumbled and lifted herself easily onto the branches.

At the top, Vivian winced as she watched Delilah jump off the wall, but she climbed to her feet without issue. They easily located the barracks, and Delilah soon struck up a conversation with her old acquaintances, giving the soldiers a bright smile Vivian knew was forced.

In the distance, the door to the militia tavern opened, and Silas stepped out, his handsome face alight as he turned behind him to speak to his companion. Vivian blinked. Was that River Hawk? Surely not.

“What do you think, Viv?” Delilah called.

Vivian turned to see her sister twirling in a tricorn hat. “You should enlist.”