Decima: One Mission - Chapter 4 - A'mara Books

4

(Wirnday)

Imperial Palace Irola

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“Where is Issyk,” Empress Belmara Wolfkin asked the naked young woman again.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

“I can have Lant kill you, you know,” Belmara added.

“What do you want from me?” she asked.

“The truth. Then you can produce me grandchildren.”

“You’re disgusting!” she insulted. “Your son is old enough to be my grandfather!”

“And young enough to produce a child with you anyway!” Belmara retorted. “Tell me where Issyk is or you will be living the rest of your days in this building.”

“You’ll kill him, like you did my Breith.”

“True. He is a dissenter, he makes too much trouble.”

“I will never tell you where he is then!” the young woman declared.

“Take her, Lant,” Belmara said.

Her son nodded and lifted the young woman to him. He left the room, the young woman not saying a word in protest. For that, Belmara could admire her. Maybe once she was pregnant with her grand child, she could be molded into someone more useful.

“Mother,” the call came from her PCS link.

“Oleana,” Belmara replied.

“Fire in the Understory. Bad one.”

“And I’m interested because…?”

“It’s the building we were in earlier – the T.R.A.S.H. base.”

“Oh?” Belmara asked. “That is interesting. When the fire is out, please send unit 7 to investigate. If there are any clues to be had, I will have them! Issyk must be found!”

“I will, Mother.”

“Oh, if there are any witnesses, have them brought to the hospital. Quarantine, you know...”

“Of course.”

Belmara disconnected and looked out the darkening window towards Soundside, where she had grown up. It was times like these when she missed Fashi the most. He would have loved to see how far she’d come since their days in the Understory, running the Neví. The fire brought it back to her. She remembered burning out a few buildings that the Neví had finished with. Fire was the best way to make sure there was no evidence.

Who was this Kjane Issyk anyway? He had obviously learned from the Neví and the Uugli before them.

“Kanji,” she said to Oleana’s husband. “Find out more about Kjane Issyk. We know his parents, of course, now working a restaurant in the Understory, I believe.”

The man nodded his head. “Many peer councilors are now without work. They are lucky to have something, Mother. What do you want to know about the boy?”

“Who his relatives are. Is he leya-sensitive?”

“Yes, Mother.” Kanji left the room.

Belmara placed a connection to the hospital. “Any progress on finding the daughter?”

“None, Your Imperial Majesty,” the woman replied.

“FIND HER!” she shouted.

“Yes, Ma’am!”

Belmara wouldn’t admit to anyone that she had any worries over maintaining her lofty position. However, the woman who had been killed earlier that day had been married to a prominent A’mara. Fain Kulun had frequently been mentioned as a possible successor to Saraca Krijo until Belmara’s army destroyed their Complex, the old widow still inside. Served her right for putting Belmara and her children in prison all those years ago – a prison where Oleana had been forced to serve as a brood mare for one of the senior guards. No, she had never forgiven Saraca for her part in that.

The search for Fain had been in vain. He had already led a group of A’mara off Irola. Apparently, his sons had also left. That left just the daughter now that the mother was also dead.

She had no idea whether the daughter was also gifted, though it was very likely that she was. Whether the girl knew it was another issue entirely. Belmara had impressed upon her children that it was vital that Hrista never learned of her leya talents.

♥

Irolean Sound

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Hrista felt apprehensive again as they approached Soundside.

“I’m going to teach you a trick. Then we can disembark with no trouble,” Kjane explained. He then described how to completely disappear.

“That’s impossible!” she cried.

“Not at all. That’s the only reason I am alive today. I disappeared completely when they searched my place. Breith didn’t manage it, and died for it.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied instantly.

“It’s past!” he said sternly. “We won’t survive if we dwell in the past.”

She nodded.

“Now, give it a try.”

Hrista pulled her consciousness around herself like a blanket.

“Sloppy, but it may do,” Kjane said as the boat bumped the dock. He retrieved the purply membrane from the door, then took her hand. “Let’s go.”

Hrista didn’t argue, but kept pace with Kjane.

It didn’t take them long to zip past the crowd, then onto the docks. The workers were over-worked and tired, so didn’t as much as look at them.

“Well done,” he complimented as they disappeared into the darkness. “Now, to find a place to crash for the night.”

Hrista wondered what she was going to do. She hadn’t thought as far as night when she knew she had to leave Irola.

“In here,” Kjane urged, pulling her into a building.

“What?” she hissed as she followed into pitch darkness.

A moment later, Kjane produced light from a blade. “Don’t you have a shazeknife?”

“No,” she replied. Hrista worried that he would want more from her – like the thought he’d put in her mind earlier.

“I won’t take advantage of you, Hrista. Don’t you believe me?”

“I don’t know what to believe, Kjane. Until a few hours ago, I believed my mother would survive Decima. Then she suddenly died.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“She told me she was going to be fine. Then, she started coughing. The doctors came in… and she died.”

“Who was your mother?” Kjane suddenly demanded.

“Hraeva Hollins,” she replied.

Kjane whistled in surprise. “Don’t hate me, please,” he said severely. “But they killed your mother.”

“Why would they kill her? They’re doctors, right?”

“And they wanted to keep you there?”

“Of course. Quarantine.”

“To keep you well? Or to make sure you never leave?” he asked.

“I don’t know… why would they… Kjane! Tell me it’s not true!”

“I’m sorry,” he said, holding her against him. “I knew your mother, she helped T.R.A.S.H. quite a bit. She was a good woman, but she caught the attention of the Empress, I’m afraid. I’m so sorry!”

“You must have been part of the truth she wanted to tell me about.”

“Yes. She wanted to protect you. She didn’t even tell me your name.”

“But in the end...” Hrista couldn’t continue as her tears started afresh.