The Annex

Chapter 24

After the rallying of the soldiers, we had been able to control the flames. Fortunately, the infirmary and half of the barracks had remained unharmed. The cause of the fire had been determined to be an explosion in the kerosene storage. The fire had spread quickly through the wooden structures. The air was hazy from the smoke and the able bodied soldiers were already putting up tents as makeshift barracks. Over the next few days, we had settled in with the soldiers. The rest of the candidates had been rerouted here and it had been amusing to watch as the rest of the Candidates were forced into lives like the soldiers. Ella, Humphrey, Atlas and I had held a candlelight vigil for Killian as we mourned his loss together.

Delia and Isotta had not taken to life at the military base very well, but then again, they had used their charm against the men to get out of any chores. Atlas and I had just taken a shift in the kitchens and had fed everyone and the sun was getting ready to set. In the midst of the commotion of the past week, we had lost track of the Commander and Atlas and I were on a mission to find him.

"Did you know you had magical powers," I asked Atlas. The words coming out of mouth felt ridiculous.

"No," Atlas shook his head. I threw open another tent flap to no avail.

"Well the Commander certainly seemed to know he could heal me," I said. "Goddess, this all is crazy. You can see the future, the Commander can heal people." I threw my arms in the air.

"Have you seen the Commander," Atlas stopped a soldier.

"'I've never seen the Commander, what does he look like," the soldier asked.

"Dark hair, scary grey eyes," I said as I stuck a hand high over my head. "About this tall."

"Oh, yeah, scary eyes, he's talking with Captain Rain," he pointed to a tent that we hadn't checked yet. I stalked over to the tent with Atlas at my side and threw open the tent flap.

"I need to speak with you," I demanded. The Commander and Captain Giraffe spun to look at me. The Commander let out an exasperated sigh.

"Captain, I will return later this evening to discuss this," the Commander went over to the tent flap and held it for us as Atlas and I exited.

"You owe us some answers," I said, pointing my finger at him and then pointing at myself and Atlas.

"Let's find somewhere else to talk," the Commander answered. He led us towards the forest.

"How do we have these powers," Atlas asked. I looked to the Commander expectantly, but his eyes were trained on Atlas.

"I think you know the answer to that," the Commander said. "You haven't told her yet, have you, Atlas." He bit out his name as if the word itself tasted bitter on his tongue.

"Told me what," I turned to Atlas. "I'm really confused. You know each other? And you did know that you had magic?" The Commander crossed his arms and leaned against a tree.

"Look, Cara," Atlas' expression was pained as he turned towards me. "I didn't want to tell you this way."

"Tell me what," I said slowly as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I'm not Atlas Moreau," he said slowly. I opened my mouth to speak and backed away from him, confused. "Wait, just let me finish." I closed my mouth.

"I was an orphan. Atlas Moreau, he died when we were both five and the Moreau's, they adopted me, they took me in and raised me as Atlas. My mother, Fiona Moreau, had fertility issues and Atlas had been a miracle birth. My mother and father had been traveling by the orphanage and had passed by as I was playing on the side of the road. She stopped to talk to me and she fell in love. She hadn't thought there was anyway to fill the hole in their heart, but she said she had felt drawn to me. They wanted to offer me all they had and so they never told anyone about Atlas' death. They were lucky that we looked similar."