Stupidity

If not for the tightness in Arellia’s lips and the way the fingers on her right hand twitched, Furl wouldn’t have known anything was wrong. However, he had learned to read her subtle cues. She was agitated.

“Highness?” he asked, giving a brief bow. “You summoned me?”

“The Delani is gone,” she said bluntly.

Furl sucked in sharply. “How?”

“The guard was knocked unconscious. He didn’t see his attacker. No one else saw anything.” She clasped her hands behind her back. She did that when she wanted to clench them into fists but was trying to look composed.

“I see,” Furl said softly. “Who else knows about this?”

“A few of the Mind Scythes and other Commanders. Most of the army didn’t even realize we had a prisoner.”

He nodded. “I assume you want to keep this quiet?”

She nodded slowly, staring at the wall as if she could see through it.

“The boy is missing too,” she said absently.

Furl perked up. “The boy?”

“The one that traveled with Areniah. He is gone.”

Furl’s heart nearly dropped to his toes. “I…see.”

She glanced at him, and one eyebrow cocked. A rare display of outright emotion. “Is there a problem, Fiedon?”

He continued to meet her gaze. He was her servant, yes, but also a Mind Scythe of the highest order. He would not show weakness.

“I was just remembering how he defended the Delani,” he pointed out. “Perhaps he is responsible for the escape.”

She briefly unclasped her hands to give a dismissive wave. “A simple citizen would have neither the power nor skill to perform such a task.”

He hesitated. She had only seen the boy once before, but Furl had assumed she would recognize him. Perhaps, though…

“Highness,” he said carefully, “pardon, but did you realize who that boy is?”

She gazed at him blankly. She clearly wasn’t going to answer, which he took as a ‘no’.

“That was the Champion of the Power Duels,” Furl explained. “The one you sent me to investigate. The one whose father…” The one whose father has a Delani name.

Arellia’s eyes suddenly became dangerous, although nothing else changed. “And you didn’t think this was important to mention before?”

He winced despite himself. “My apologies, Highness. I did not think it particularly relevant, and I assumed you knew who he was.”

She shook her head just slightly. “It may not be relevant. Though he is supposedly immune to Will, he also purportedly cannot use it. I’m not convinced this escape was his doing.” She turned her gaze back to the wall. “Regardless, the Delani must be found.”

“Would you like me to assign a unit to the task, Highness?”

She shook her head. “I already have the team picked out.” When she turned her violet eyes towards him, he got the distinct impression he wasn’t going to like her choice.

***

The Delani did not resist Joree as he led them through thick foliage, moving deeper into Manicot. She didn’t complain, try to stop or change direction, or ask him what his plan was. She just followed him in complete silence. He tried to communicate with her several times, but she never gave any response. No hand gestures, no change in facial expression, no sound. Just that blank stare. So eventually he gave up. He supposed part of her reticence was due to the language barrier, but her compliance was eerie. Then again, after traveling with Aniah for so long, it was kind of refreshing.

Still. He found himself looking over his shoulder frequently, making sure she wasn’t slipping out a knife to stab him in the back. He wasn’t convinced she was a blood-thirsty monster, but he also couldn’t shake a distinct sense of unease.

He wasn’t completely sure what his plan was at this point. He had a single hope: that he could reach his mother. Surely the Kritons hadn’t bothered with the rural citizens on the outskirts of Ranteel? Why would they? If he could get home, maybe he could find a way to hide the Delani. Besides, he needed to make sure that his mom was okay.

He shoved down another spike of anxiety. Narissa would be fine. She had to be. He couldn’t allow himself to believe anything else.

***

Aniah stomped through the crackling leaves and dried twigs, enjoying the satisfying crunch each step made. It was a decent way to vent some of her anger. She grumbled to herself the whole way, growing more and more certain with every step that the whole world was out to get her.

Stupid man with his stupid self-righteous moral code and even stupider ideas of justice. Stupid Arellia and her heartless, cruel treatment of her own flesh and blood. Stupid Aniah for not disposing of that Delani right off. That would have been the smart, simple solution. It was what a Highness would be expected to do: make the choice that was most beneficial for Manicot as a whole. Instead, she’d let a stupid, simple citizen talk her out of acting. That was it. It was all Joree’s fault. She would’ve done it, if he hadn’t been there. She told herself this repeatedly until she almost believed it.

She kicked a rock, sending it flying up to thunk against a tree before plopping to the ground. It hurt her toe, and she hopped once, growling and glaring at the stupid rock. It seemed Nakadun itself was out to get her, the whole planet rising up in an effort to make her utterly miserable.

She stomped even louder, moving in a generally southern direction. How in the Flames was she supposed to find Joree and the Delani? They could have gone literally anywhere in all of Manicot. What was she to do, scour every inch of land until she happened to stumble upon them? Arkadia’s Halls, Arellia could’ve at least sent her with someone trained in tracking.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid world. Stupid mother, stupid citizen with his stupid pet creature.” She continued to complain, footsteps crunching loudly as she went.

Over the sound of her own frustration, she didn’t hear anyone approaching until she could practically feel them breathing down her neck. She started to spin around.

She only got turned halfway before something cracked into the side of her head, and everything went black.