Promised by Caragh M. O'brien Page A

wants desperately to have a child, but can’t? Your heart goes out to them.”
    â€œI thought that’s why we used to have advanced babies. So they could adopt,” Gaia said.
    â€œBut those Wharfton mothers never had a choice. You saw that firsthand. Isn’t this better? We vessel mothers see where our babies are going. They aren’t just lost to some void.”
    Gaia was surprised. “You know the parents of your babies?”
    Emily’s profile was aimed toward the courtyard below, and she smiled once more at one of the women who looked upward. “We aren’t supposed to know, specifically, which couple’s child we carry, but some of us have guesses,” she said. “The couples know. They picked us, and some of them can’t help seeming to have favorites. We meet them socially. They like to take us to events and give us cute little gifts. They’re so grateful. We’re invited to all the nicest parties. We’re like royalty here.”
    â€œFor a year,” Gaia said.
    Emily turned to her. “Yes. For a year. Maybe longer.”
    â€œAnd then what? The mothers go back outside the wall, like nothing ever happened and leave their pampered lives behind? What happened to Sasha?”
    â€œI haven’t heard from her. I’m not surprised.” Emily paused beside a corner pillar and leaned a shoulder against it. “We’ll have to see about the rest. Some will have a chance to stay on, as I said. For the ones who go back outside, their lives couldn’t possibly be as hard as they were before they came because they’ll have sizable payments. And memories. They’ll have memories of living here that they never could have had. Look at them.” She glanced sideways at Gaia. “Don’t you remember how amazing this all was to you the first time you saw it?”
    Gaia regarded her friend. “Yes. But it changed. And it changed how I see things outside the wall, too.” Gaia wondered uneasily what role in this scenario the Protectorat saw for her. “How were the women chosen in the first place?”
    â€œThe Protectorat chose the women. We invited forty initially. We ended up with twelve who agreed to be vessel mothers, plus me.”
    â€œBut why the original forty? I want to know how they were chosen,” Gaia pressed. “Was it for genetic reasons? Didn’t you say that the couples picked you?”
    â€œI only meant that each couple picked a vessel mother to carry their child once we’d joined the institute.” Emily’s expression grew puzzled for a moment. “I don’t know how the forty women were originally selected. I mean, they were all healthy, single women from Wharfton. They had to be intrinsically generous to even consider joining. No one’s doing it purely for greed, that’s for sure.” She met Gaia’s gaze directly. “Frankly, Gaia, you don’t need to worry. The institute only takes women who actively want to do this, and you obviously don’t. The Protectorat won’t want you on board.”
    â€œHe has some other plan for me,” Gaia said. “I don’t know what. I could have told him already that I’d never sell a baby of mine, not for any price.”
    Emily’s face closed as completely as if a shutter were drawn. “Harsh, Gaia.”
    Gaia couldn’t help herself. “I’m telling you, Emily, this isn’t going to work. This is heartache just begging to happen.”
    â€œI’m not naïve,” Emily said, moving toward the hallway that led back to the Protectorat’s headquarters, snapping her fingers to signal the guard to follow. “Heartache’s a given, isn’t it? At least this is chosen heartache.”
    â€œ Emily ,” Gaia said, her voice hushed.
    Emily managed two more steps and then spun around again. With her cheeks flushed and her poise gone, she looked once more like the girl