Free New World Rising by Jennifer Wilson

never told me your name.” I took a bite of my apple relishing in its juicy sweetness.
    “You never asked.”
    That brought me up short.
    “You have a point.” I waited for him to respond but he continued forward in silence. I rolled my eyes at his stubborn back. “So what is your name?”
    “Triven,” he replied. While I could not see his face, I was sure he was smiling.
    “Phoenix,” I offered in return.
    “I know.” He was certainly smiling now.
    We had moved down several halls I had not seen before. There were more doors, more sounds of other people. We stopped in front of an archway; there was no scanner panel here, just an open walkthrough. A pungent aroma filled the air around me as we moved through it, mixed with the foul stench of human filth. The room was ten times bigger than any I had seen so far. Blackened pipes hung from the ceiling above great vats. One side of the room was filled with piles of filthy rags and clothing. At the other end fresh linens hung from wires and piles of nicely folded clothing lay next to them.
    “Work.” Triven gestured to the piles around him. “Every person here contributes in some way. Today we are going to help with the laundry.”
    The work was easy, mindless even, but it felt so good to be on my feet moving again that I didn’t care. We worked mostly in silence; folding the dry garments, hanging the wet to dry and washing the dirty clean. It was systematic and we worked surprisingly well as a team, the large pile dwindling quickly.
    “Are there usually others in here helping?” I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow.
    Triven mirrored me, pressing his sleeve to his glistening temple. “Normally yes, but Arstid felt it was safer to keep you from the other citizens for now.”
    It surprised me to hear stern-faced Arstid had agreed to my little outing. But even more surprising was hearing Triven call his people citizens not Tribesman.
    “Triven,” I waited until his eyes met mine. “Where are we?”
    I knew there was fear in my eyes and for the first time since I arrived here, I didn’t try to hide it.
    He leaned closer opening his mouth to speak, but a louder voice rang out. My muscles instantly tensed at the sound.
    “That’s enough work for today.” Maddox’s voice boomed in the large room. “Arstid has requested your presence.”
    The blood in my veins boiled as his eyes raked over my sweat-soaked body. I was now acutely aware of just how tightly my damp clothing clung to my skin.
    “We can’t have you appearing before her like that though. Showers first, I think...”
    I actually recoiled as his meaty hand reached for me. It was a sign of weakness. I feared him and the horrid smile on his face proved he knew it. Hatred crept through me— hatred at myself for exposing my fear and hatred at him for delighting in it.
    I braced myself to attack. I would die before I let that man defile me. He had managed to restrain himself from touching me last time, but the hunger in his eyes told me I might not be so fortunate again.
    To my surprise, a body stepped between us, blocking me from Maddox’s reach. Triven rose to his full height, but Maddox still towered over him.
    “I will take her to the showers and then to see Arstid. You are dismissed.” There was a harshness in Triven’s voice I had never heard before. It was commanding and strong.
    Despite the murderous look on Maddox’s dark face, he backed down.
    “Fine,” he hissed though his teeth, but he didn’t move.
    Motioning with his hands, Triven guided me around Maddox’s hulking frame, careful to keep his body between us at all times. I moved awkwardly, making sure not to turn my back to Maddox and fear prickled over my scalp when Triven did. His eyes were tense when they met mine, but he kept his unarmed back to Maddox. Still cautious not to touch me he motioned towards the door. My heart hitched as Maddox’s hand twitched on his gun.
    “It’s okay, turn around and move. He won’t follow