Page 74 of The Red Woman on Mars

By her side sat Chancellor River Hawk.

Vivian froze at the doorway.

“History will remember your sacrifice, Delilah.” River’s hand was on top of Delilah’s. “Today is a great day for Martian independence. We will speak your name and remember it. You’ll be the only Red Mother to go down in our history books.”

Delilah watched them warily, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry. Think of the number of Martian children who will now be born ready to populate Mars. Think of what we will do. You’re part of the new world, Delilah.”

“Chancellor River,” August said, holding his sword aloft. “We are here to take Delilah home.”

“Delilah is home,” River said calmly. They rose from their seat.

“Vivian?” Delilah blinked up groggily at her. “Vivian? What are you doing here?”

“I told you I’d come back for you.”

Delilah reached one hand to the other arm and clumsily extracted the IV from her skin, wincing at the pain. “You’re too late.”

Vivian shouldered River out of the way and went to her sister’s bedside. “What did Silas do to you?”

“It didn’t hurt.” Delilah’s voice shook. “Not really. I didn’t fight. I—it didn’t hurt. I have cramps. Bleeding. I’ll be fine. I’m fine.” She swallowed. “They’re running tests on my b—on the specimen now.” She pulled herself to the side of the bed.

Vivian couldn’t keep the disgust off her face as she looked at River. “How could you do this to her?”

River’s serene expression did not change. “Great acts require sacrifice.”

“Indeed they do.” Vivian turned to see Silas with a knife held to Xavier’s throat. “Drop it, X.”

Xavier opened his hand, and his sword clattered on the unfinished floor.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

2 Sols to Presentation Day

“I do love getting the drop on you, X. A bit distracted, are you?”

Xavier said nothing in response, his body unmoving under the knife. His eyes caught Vivian’s from across the room, full of apology. The knife. She knew that knife. She’d already witnessed the damage Silas could cause with it.

“Chancellor,” Silas continued. “The ship has been sighted.”

“Excellent.” River flared their nostrils just slightly as they beheld Silas, and Vivian could detect disdain behind their mask of civility. They looked down at Delilah, still seated at the side of the bed, glassy-eyed. “Delilah, can I persuade you to stay here with us, under my protection?”

“I want to go with my sister.” Delilah’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Soon. After you do one more service for Catena today.”

“What are you talking about?” Vivian demanded. She took her sister by the arm and helped her to her feet.

“You’ll see.” River surveyed the assembled group, eyes widening when they spotted the orb. “Is that what I think it is?”

The orb beeped. “Hi River, we’re pumped to finally meet you. Catena has so much raw potential, right? You’re pushing the frontier of what’s possible here. With our guidance, you could actualize your full vision for Catena’s future.”

River whirled on Xavier, who remained motionless with Silas’s knife pressed to his throat. “You brought that abomination to my dome? I thought you despised the Intelligence.”

“There is nothing I would not do to protect Vivian and her sister,” Xavier growled. “Nothing.”

“A Martian heat signature is headed our way,” the Intelligence announced.