“And there’s more,” her voice quietened as she leaned toward me, raising her eyes to look into mine. “The people he brought with him… they are Tarvissi.”
My confusion must have been obvious because she shook her head slightly.
“No, Aldeaith. Not colonists like us; people born and raised in old Tarviss.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. So, our worst suspicions were true. It wasn’t just a bunch of dumb kids with a plan that sounded better on paper, but an alien power trying to destroy us from the inside.
“Before we came here, Karlan spent some time in Tarviss with his family,” continued Ellare. “But he didn’t tell me what happened there, what their plans were. I started to think… they were just using us. They never cared about our liberation.”
‘Liberation’?
“Were you really so unhappy in Dahls?” I asked, the bitterness seeping into my voice.
New tears shone in her eyes. “I don’t know.”
We went silent. I thought about what she said, and I couldn’t help wondering about Karlan’s role. Was he a part of the Tarvissian plan to gain more worlds and influence for themselves? Or was he just a pawn, used like the poor fools who followed him? And what exactly did the Tarvissi expect? Did they want us to surrender? Or they were looking for an excuse to declare war and invade the Dahls itself? Was this provocation approved by the government, or was it a rogue action of the Peridion family?
So many questions. And the biggest of them: what was I supposed to do? Reporting what I learned would require me to admit to Ellare’s presence, and that could mean her death. Despite everything, I didn’t want to be responsible for it. She was like me, younger and dumber, but Nes Peridionian, one of the last in the colonies. How could I bring her doom? But keeping it to myself would be betraying Dahls. And yes, my position at the moment wasn’t the best, but if I were to choose, I’d prefer Dahlsi to win rather than Tarvissi.
But would revealing what I knew change anything?
Her hand on my knee snapped me back to reality.
“Can you help me?” she whispered again, looking into my eye.
Could I? I was in pretty deep shit myself. A murder attempt, grand insubordination—twice, if we count refusal to submit my foods and disregarding the arrest—and reckless endangerment that almost resulted in death. My future in Mespana looked bleak at least. The last thing I needed was an allegation of harboring an enemy.
“I don’t know what I can do,” I said. “I’m in trouble myself. If they find you here…”
“Then let’s leave.”
Ellare’s palm slid up my knee, sending an uncomfortable shudder up my leg. I quickly grabbed her hand and pushed it away, drawing my legs closer.
She continued, unperturbed, “Just you and me. We have no place here, anyway.”
For a second I was tempted to agree.
“There’s nowhere to go,” I replied, thinking of all the options I discarded earlier. “The only merge is in the mansion and I doubt Karlan would let me use it.”
“But… you guys got here somehow.”
“Yeah, our sorcerers opened a temporary path, but it’s closed now.”
She was watching me wordlessly with wide, pleading eyes, but I could almost hear the alarm bell ringing in my head. Ellare never looked at me before. I’ve no doubt she wouldn’t be doing this now if she had any choice. She was merely seeking the strongest male to latch onto, and decided I was slightly above Karlan at the moment; but her “you and me” would only last until literally anyone else showed up.
I was so glad I was immune to such sentiments.
A tingling of a doorspell ran down the back of my neck and I froze. Who was that? Did they see Ellare? They certainly would if I were to open.
The tingling intensified, verging on a headache. If I didn’t let them in, they could force their way. If not by themselves, then after calling for reinforcements. But if that happened, I wouldn’t be able to explain myself. And if I tried to use the moment to flee…
But there was nowhere to go!
The tingling vanished and I felt control seeping back to my limbs. I snapped from my cot and ran to the entrance, Ellare’s fingers brushing my knee as she attempted to stop me. I broke the seal and almost stumbled outside.
Saral Tal was already a few paces away. Alone. He turned back, opening his mouth to speak, but then his gaze reached past me and it was his turn to freeze.
“It’s not what you think,” I stammered, my mind completely blank. I should at least try to come up with an explanation. But what could I say? What could make my situation better?
Saral Tal’s gaze slowly drifted toward me, his hand resting on his wand.
“She’s not a rebel,” I shouted desperately, not sure when I decided to go with this line of defense. “She lived here. In Maurir. When the rebels came, she hid in the mansion and only now managed to sneak out. When the gate was broken. And the rebels were busy.”
I realized I was babbling, so I snapped my mouth shut.
For a long moment, he was looking at me without a word, before shifting his gaze back to Ellare and I couldn’t help following it. She still sat on the floor, her hands splayed wide, lips parted and trembling slightly, eyes full of tears. Saral Tal wasn’t exactly imposing, but he had the means to kill us both. He would be doing his duty, disposing of an enemy and a supposed traitor. No one would hold it against him. On the other hand, executing someone in cold blood was different from killing in the heat of a battle. I prayed Saral Tal wouldn’t find the strength to do it.
After an excruciating eternity, he finally nodded, but didn’t take his hand
