Page 68 of The Red Woman on Mars

Xavier caressed the well-worn hilt and then picked up the clothes. “Earther-sized and everything. Very thoughtful cousin.” He crouched down and handed Vivian a set of clothes and thecleansing cloths. “Go,” he told her with a crooked smile. “Find what passes for a bathroom in this blighted place.”

Clutching the clothes to her naked body, she hurried away. The poorly lit bathroom smelled of sawdust and consisted of a compost toilet and a sonic hand cleaner. Her standards had changed, Vivian realized as she scrubbed herself with a cleansing cloth. At Sumter, she would think nothing of a quick wash in a basin in her one-room tent. Now, she longed for the feel of warm water cascading down her hair.

Peering into the cloudy mirror, Vivian attempted to smooth down her tangled curls. She paused, noticing several red marks on the pale skin of her neck.From his mouth, she realized with a frisson of desire.

Dressed in a new black outfit and rather clean, Vivian returned to find Xavier’s and August’s faces close together as they spoke rapidly.

“You’re clearly injured,” August snapped. “You should be seeking medical attention, not taking on the entire Catena militia in some misguided vigilante suicide mission.” He crossed his arms. “X, you know what we need to do. Go home. Persuade the Council to open a formal negotiation with Chancellor River. I don’t know what possessed you to come here on your own in the first place. You’ve never had any sense when it comes to him.”

Xavier waved his hand in dismissal. “We don’t have time for all that. I won’t allow him to destroy another young woman’s life. I don’t know what he wants with her, but she’s carrying one of the enhanced fetuses. She’s in incredible danger.”

“And what are you going to do about it? Bleed on Silas until he relents?”

Vivian huffed an involuntary laugh.

Xavier turned to look at her and the scowl on his face softened. “Ah, Vivian. You’re looking refreshed. I suppose I’m next.”

“Be quick about it,” August grumbled. “I don’t want to linger here.”

“How did you find us?” Vivian asked after Xavier left for the bathroom. She picked up one of the ration bars, and her stomach growled.

“Xavier sent word before he departed Arcadia. He should have waited for me, the fool. At least he had the good sense to implant a tracker into his arm and share the frequency with me before he left. It allowed me to keep an eye on his movements and vitals.” August handed her a bottle of water. “The tracker spiked about ten hours ago. I didn’t—” He ducked his head. “I didn’t misread the situation, did I? I assumed his heart rate had spiked because he was in danger, but—”

His earnest discomfort made Vivian smile. “I’m very happy to see you. And I would bet Xavier is relieved as well. Silas used a knife on him, and it got … ugly.”

August winced. “How bad are the wounds under those bandages?”

Vivian took a swallow of water and a bite of the ration bar. “Numerous, but they’re shallow. Liquid stitches and a few painkillers did wonders.” She managed not to blush.

“Indeed,” murmured Xavier as he slipped in beside her.

“Silas attacked you?” August scowled. “Does the man have a death wish? Aunt Constance will tear him apart.”

“Tortured, more like.” Xavier’s face was calm as he accepted a bottle of water from Vivian, but she noticed his hand trembled slightly. “Luckily, he was only in the warmup stage when Vivian rescued me.” One side of his mouth quirked up. “Hijacked a moped and raced my weak, bleeding body through the streets of Catena. Very daring. I do love a woman who can take charge.”

August raised his eyebrows. “Very impressive, Vivian. But you, my dear cousin, are changing the subject. Tortured? He torturedyou? One of the most well-connected people on the planet?”

“Mm, that he did. Silas told me he was planning on sending my mutilated corpse back to Arcadia as a gift for our aunt.”

August hissed through his teeth. “He’s trying to start a war.”

“A war? I don’t understand.” Vivian glared at Xavier. “Why didn’t you tell me that Silas wanted to kill you?”

He tilted his head. “I had other things on my mind. More important things.”

She felt her face grow warm. “More important than the possibility of a war?”

“Yes.”

Without meaning to, Vivian’s eyes slid to his lips. They might have had a very different morning, if they hadn’t been interrupted.

August cleared his throat. “This happened in the soldier barracks, yes? How did the Catena soldiers react to his plan to provoke Secretary Yarrow with your dead body? Surely Chancellor Hawk wouldn’t approve of such a bold move.”

“The soldiers didn’t hear. He was whispering in my ear like a lover while his knife scraped down my chest.”

“A bit kinky for my taste.” August made a face. “And even yours, I’d wager. But then he’s always had an unhealthy obsession with you.”

An emotion passed over Xavier’s face, quickly repressed. “He wouldn’t be foolish enough to cross Hawk. Silas is many things, but he’s not a fool.”