As I watched her work, I wondered how big a part she was going to play in my adventure on Ibara. Would she be a friend? An enemy? Or would her role end as soon as I left this place?
“Hungry?” she asked, bringing me a brown mug of something.
“I don’t want to go back to sleep.”
“You won’t. This is broth. You need to get your strength back.”
I took the cup gratefully and sipped. It was warm, salty, and good. It tasted like chicken soup. I guess it doesn’t matter where or when you are, chicken soup is the universal tonic. As I sipped, Telleo went back to work at her table. She busied herself with whatever she was doing, but kept stealing curious looks at me. She had no idea who I was or where I came from. I, on the other hand, had no idea where I was or how I got there. Between the two of us, we were pretty clueless. I needed to learn about Ibara, but had to choose my questions carefully.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” I said.
“You’re welcome. It’s my job.”
“You’re a doctor?”
“I assist the doctors.”
“So this is a hospital?”
“No, it is a community hut used by the tribunal.”
Tribunal. I was beginning to learn. I still had no idea what kind of society this was. From what I’d seen of this small hut, it was a weird mix of the primitive and the modern. The thought hit me that this might actually be some kind of vacation resort.
You know, where people spend loads of bucks to stay in authentic huts and pretend like they’re roughing it.
“You were brought to the village by a group of fishermen who saw the attack,” she explained. “If they hadn’t arrived and sprayed the bees, there’s no telling how badly you would have been hurt.”
“So I guess I really was lucky,” I declared.
Telleo looked like she wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure if she should.
“What?” I asked.
She looked around, as if making sure we were alone, then quickly knelt down by me. When she spoke, the words came quickly, like she didn’t have enough time.
“Where did you come from?” she asked curiously. “I know you aren’t from here.”
She wasn’t being aggressive or anything. She seemed genuinely curious. Trouble was, I had no idea of how to answer. It was time to get vague.
“You’re right. I’m not from here.”
I figured that was about as generic and truthful an answer as I could risk. She looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. She suddenly seemed much younger than I first thought. It was like talking to a naive little girl.
“But there was no boat,” she countered. “At least not where the fishermen found you. They searched the beach.”
“There are other ways to travel,” I said, again being vague.
She gave me a curious look. “I don’t understand. How else could you get here without a boat?”
I didn’t mention the flume. My answer was a noncommittal shrug.
“There is so much I don’t know,” she said, mostly to herself. She looked at me and her you should be left on the beach to die. I wouldn’t let them. We aren’t savages.”
“Nice to know. Thank you,” I said sincerely.
“Don’t thank me,” she said. “Tell me the truth. Are you a Flighter?”
Gulp. Flighter? I had no idea. Was it good or bad to be a Flighter? I decided to be vague again. “I didn’t come here to cause trouble. That’s the absolute truth.”
Telleo stared at me for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether she believed me. Finally she gave me a relieved smile. “I didn’t think so. You don’t seem at all like a Flighter. I’m glad.”
Phew. Me too. Note to self: Flighters = Bad.
She stood up, excited again. “So tell me where you’re from. I’ve never been much farther than the border of Rayne. There must be so much to see. I hear stories, but it’s not the same as seeing things for yourself.”
Rayne. What was that? I wished I could have just asked, but that would raise too many questions in return.
“I’d like to go outside,” I said, ducking the question.
Telleo bit her lip nervously. “That’s not wise.”
I forced myself to sit up, more slowly this time. “Why not? I’m feeling better. I think I can-“
The door burst open. Three men strode in, each wearing the same kind of clothes I had on. They stood together, glaring at me. Glaring was bad. They were all about my size, or bigger, which meant I wasn’t going to be the tall guy. Oh well. They all had long hair, nearly to their waists. They wore leather straps around their middles, like belts. Tucked into these were short, wooden clubs. Weapons. One on each hip. This was not a welcoming committee.
Telleo faced them boldly, her legs apart. “He shouldn’t be moved yet.” She tried to sound all bad, but she didn’t have it in her.
The guy in the center, the biggest of the three, stepped past her and looked down his nose at me like I was a disease. “You are under arrest,” he growled.
Oh. Great. I’d only been awake on Ibara for a few minutes and I was already in trouble.
I didn’t want to challenge his authority, so I didn’t stand up. “Why?” I asked innocently.
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And you won’t get the chance,” he spat back.
“You can’t arrest me for something I might do wrong,” I complained.
“He’s not a Flighter,” Telleo argued. “He doesn’t mean any harm.”
The big guy gave her a steely look. “And how would you know that?”
Telleo said sincerely, “Because he told me, and I believe him.” Yeah, go Telleo!
The guy smirked. I hate smirks. “And that’s why you care for the sick, and we handle security.”
Telleo wouldn’t back down. “He must stay until he gets his strength back.”
“Strength is the last thing we want him to have,” the big guy snarled.
He motioned to his two pals. They strode quickly toward me. Uh-oh. Before I had a chance to react, they each grabbed one of my arms and yanked me to my feet. I didn’t fight. I couldn’t. My head was too busy spinning.
“Please!” Telleo begged. “He is ill.”
“Your duty is complete, Telleo,” the big guy barked. “Return to the medical section and forget you ever saw this man.”
“Whoa, no!” I shouted. “Don’t forget me, Telleo. They can’t arrest me if I didn’t do anything. That’s not how you live here, right? You’re not savages, remember? You don’t let people die and you don’t hurt innocent people.”
It was getting scary. This suddenly had all the makings of a mob hit. No questions, no trial, no trail. The scabby guy gets taken away and is never seen again. I wanted to fight back, but didn’t have the strength. Heck, I could barely see straight.
“Don’t worry,” Telleo said as they pulled me toward the door. “The tribunal will understand. If you’ve done nothing wrong they will just send you away.”
I didn’t know what “away” meant. Heck, I didn’t even know what “here” meant. I didn’t know much of anything except I was being dragged away by three thugs who thought I was guilty until proven innocent. But of what?
She gave me a sad, helpless smile. I wondered if I would see her again.
“Thank you,” I said.
The big guy kicked the door open, and I was pulled out of the hut to get my first real view of Ibara-the world I was supposed to try and protect from Saint Dane. The world that had already branded me a criminal.
(CONTINUED)
