The Third Splintering by Jearl Rugh

Author:Jearl Rugh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2017-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Off to a Meeting

“Nariko... Sarah,” Silone says and turns his face from one to the other. “We will try an experiment.”

Sarah leans back and stiffens her shoulders. Her little body trembles as she stares transfixed into his green face. For a moment, I experience what I did in my mom’s body when under Silone’s attack—a mother’s instinct to protect her young. I shouldn’t have encouraged her to go when he first called her to the stage.

“Silone,” I say and step away from my group, walking toward him. “Why don’t you let me take Sarah’s place?

“You proved your birth heritage even before you arrived in the Citadel. It is important that this lesson be for your true kin.”

There it is again. He tugs on that phrase like he’s using it as a tool to keep my emotions connected to these kids as well as a threat to me alone—if I don’t comply with their demands, consequences will follow. Protéa told the kids my protective nature is natural. Now there’s a banana peel. Compliance and protection. If I comply, the kids are protected to the extent the Schemakainos’s plan for us has already been determined. If I slip into a protective stance that might challenge the Schemakainos’s plan, a lot of lives are at stake. Not just the seventy-three children here but, if each child’s parents and siblings were abducted, there could be three or four hundred people. Does the future for every one of these lives depend on me? That’s a lot for a fifteen-year-old.

With no further response, I step backward until I’ve rejoined my group and taken my place between Brandy and Nate. When Brandy slips her hand into mine, it’s like non-verbal reassurance. It’s not a sign of “it’ll be okay,” but rather “whatever happens, I’m here.” I look into her eyes, and, with the warmest smile I can arouse, tighten my grip enough to let her know I understand.

“Nariko... Sarah, face each other.”

Silone’s voice again draws my attention back to the stage. Before I can give my full attention to what he’s about to say, though, the milk chocolate Timbrel at the head of our team splits apart. My crimson manifestation floats to the front of me.

“Follow we,” it says with its piercing monotone voice.

As always it encroaches in my personal space. I want to shout, “Back off,” but restraint seems more sensible.

“What’s going on?” Brandy asks. Although she whispers, the tension in her voice is unmasked.

I have to look around Timbrel to find Brandy. “I’m not sure. Maybe I have a meeting.”

Nate has stepped up next to me and says, “You can’t leave us. All this voodoo is so scary. What are we supposed to do?”

“Try being brave,” I say with a scolding quality to my voice. Then, I soften my tone. “Sorry, you and Brandy keep everyone together and safe. Nothing bad is going to happen. I’ll be back, you’ll see.”

“Promise?” Brandy asks.

“I’d pinky-swear, but we’re not ten anymore.”

She cocks her head, rolls her eyes and passes me her familiar, but noncommittal, “aren’t you amusing” smirk.

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