Being the Suun by J.A. Culican & Cassidy Taylor

Author:J.A. Culican & Cassidy Taylor [Culican, J.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragon Realm Press
Published: 2019-05-21T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Fu Shen, the god of luck, was on my side when, at breakfast the next morning, a cart rumbled up to the depot. None other than Governor Luthair himself stepped out, brushing imaginary dust off of his deep-red cloak. At the other end of the table, Arun held court with Group A, discussing their plans for escape in hushed tones. Plans that I knew didn’t matter. They would never make it out. Xalph was hovering nearby, looking both excited but uncertain. The group fell silent as they noticed our visitor.

It was Haklang who greeted him, just as he’d been the one to greet me. He crossed the room with long strides, cutting his eyes first at Arun, then at me, then stared resolutely ahead. “Governor. It’s been too long. What a nice surprise.”

A surprise? So, the visit was unplanned. Had someone betrayed Arun already? Had a guard seen us? Or perhaps Haklang was going back on his word, striking some other bargain with Luthair.

But when Luthair’s eyes found me in the crowd of diners, I knew that none of that was true. I knew that he had come for me. It was my last day, after all. If I was still here, then he knew that any escape attempt would happen today. It was as if he’d been drawn to the smell of my doubt, of my weakness. It made me sick.

He and Haklang conferred briefly, and I could just imagine the conversation. Small talk about quotas and shipping costs and labor needs. The dining room was still quiet when Haklang returned and rang the dismissal bell.

I stood and joined my group.

Arun looked at me, then away, as if I no longer existed. Maybe to him, I didn’t. I wasn’t some lost cause or damsel in distress, after all. I could—and would—save myself.

A hand clapped down on my shoulder. “You’re to stay,” Haklang said in quiet Ahvoli. “The governor wishes to speak to you. Please . . .” He trailed off, looking away from me.

I followed his gaze to where Xalph was clearing plates from the dining tables and knew what he was asking me, knew what he couldn’t say. Knew what I couldn’t promise.

Arun saw us, and though he didn’t understand, I thought he knew what was happening. He opened his mouth as if to speak. My heart stuttered, and I hated myself for it.

My own words got stuck in my throat. I should have told him that I was sorry. I should have told him that we could have saved each other, that we still could.

But neither of us spoke, both of us waiting on the other. Then he snapped his mouth shut and turned away, taking whatever sentiment or request or farewell into the mineshaft with him. I didn’t call after him even though I desperately wanted to know, desperately wanted to speak my own apology.

The last of the miners disappeared down the tunnel after Arun. Even Haklang made himself scarce.

I felt Luthair’s presence behind me, smelled the cloying floral scent of his perfume before I turned to face him.

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