Iron Seas 03 - Riveted

started. Pickart, you and Fridasdottor search the cottages in this row.”
    They started off with Elena’s nose in the diary. Halfway there, she shut it with a gasp.
    “What is it?”
    “Nothing,” Elena said. But her face colored, and Annika didn’t think the blush came from the cold and the effort of walking through the snow. “I’m not sure they were all Christian women, though.”
    “Neither am I,” Annika said wryly.
    Though maybe she was, a little. Sunday services included versions of stories that Annika had heard many times, passed down from Hanna. How many did Annika have to hear before she was one or the other?
    “The captain knows you didn’t mean anything by it.” Elenakicked away the snow piled against the cottage door, pushed it open. “You’re different, Annika, but you’re not unnatural.”
    This was unnatural. Another woman sat frozen in her bed, this one older, her hair white, the tight curls cut as short as Annika’s. Her shoulders propped by pillows, she’d been knitting a hat when she’d died. Her chin rested against her chest, as if she’d fallen asleep as she’d worked.
    Annika’s vision blurred as she pulled the blanket up. How many women lived on this island? She didn’t know how to bear doing this over and over again.
    Elena was managing better. Eyes clear, she said, “Let’s go on.”
    They searched five more cottages, found more women, all in bed and sleeping—some single, some together. Elena abruptly stopped in the sixth doorway.
    “Go on back. Not these.”
    What was different? Frowning, Annika pushed past her. Oh. Her heart constricted. They hadn’t been sleeping. Unclothed, they lay in each other’s arms. “I didn’t know you were so modest, Elena.”
    “Annika, don’t.” Elena’s frustrated sigh followed her inside, and her silence held until Annika covered them. “You waste your pity. They brought this on themselves.”
    Annika stilled, certain she hadn’t heard that correctly. “What?”
    “Don’t you see? All of these women are like this—committing unnatural acts that led to an unnatural death.”
    Disbelieving, Annika stared at her. Elena was the kindest person she knew. To hear her speak so cruelly was shocking. “You don’t believe that.”
    “Oh, you’re so innocent. Soft-hearted. Come on.”
    Elena took her hand. Feeling brittle inside, as if that touch might break her, Annika yanked it away.
    “God, Annika, you belong on Hymen Island more than they do. Do you understand what these women were doing?”
    “I understand perfectly.”
    “I doubt it. You have no idea what it’s like to grow up knowing that the Horde might land on your shores at any moment.”
    No. She’d been afraid people like Elena might. “What does the Horde have to do with it?”
    “You know what they did to the people they controlled, those frenzies? Those bugs in their blood drove them to pure lust—not caring whether the person they were with was a woman or a man. It’s horrifying.”
    Annika knew all about the frenzies. Some of the Englishwomen had lived through them, had passed the stories down. They’d described a terrifying loss of control, forced to rut with anyone nearby whether they wanted that person or not.
    These women had been making love. “You’d compare being raped to this?”
    That was horrifying.
    “Thanks to the Horde and their frenzies, the infected in England don’t know what family is. They never married, never raised their own children, never learned the natural order of life. These women aren’t controlled by bugs, but they’re still giving in to that urge. Something is wrong in them, Annika, and what you see isn’t love. It’s just lust. And if it continues unchecked, the New World will be the same as any Horde territory.” She glanced over at the bed. “That’s probably why they are all sent here—so they can’t corrupt the rest of us.”
    “No.” Annika wanted to slap her. “They’re brought here for protection from people who think like you.”
    “Damn it. Can’t you see—” Elena broke off with a long-suffering sigh. “You have a good heart, Annika, but you’re too sensitive. You’ll understand, one day. Come on.”
    Annika already understood. Elena thought they were all sick. Only this morning, she’d been terrified that David would have this very response. Now, she was glad to have taken a risk.
    This wasn’t the friend she’d expected to lose today.

    It was impossible to remain still. David