Deception (On hold) 🖋

Chapter One: Kiri

Chapter One: Kiri

A/N: Kiri (Scar) and every other Avem character is currently speaking their native tongue. Thank you :)

Akirimialinski paced the Elder's hall, her flat shoes making rhythmic tapping sounds against the tile.

She was known by many names- Kiri, Mia, Spy, Traveler. She used to occasionally be called Scar, too, as an amusing joke, something to laugh about.

No one called her that anymore. And no one was laughing, either.

Kiri's eyes didn't leave the still-closed door leading to the Council Room as she contemplated what she could have been called here for.

Well, she supposed she already knew that- she was here because of the human Amira Masons. But that didn't answer the question why now?

 After all, it had been months since Amira escaped with her dedicated Stormbringer friends, disappearing right under the Avem Council's noses. It had been months since Kiri was put in one of the rooms she helped maintain and interrogated almost as much as Amira would have been. And yet, they still hadn't been caught.

Kiri's lip curled just thinking about it.

"Akirimialinski. Please enter." The voice was high and clear, easily masking the disdain Kiri knew longed to force its way out. That was how it was with everyone now; even Lynnariann, her best friend, had been growing more and more distant. In town, the shopkeepers served her as quickly as possible and then shooed her out again. Borrowed bicycles were now demanded back by angry owners, even though Kiri was sure they had taken hers at some point. Once, a young boy even had the nerve to stick his tongue out at her. At her! One of the youngest Avem Travelers ever permitted outside! It was an insult, loud and clear.

Kiri wished to tell them it was all a giant misunderstanding.

Instead, she murmured, "Yes, of course," and turned the silver handle of the door.

Inside, every Elder was at their assigned place, seated in high-backed wooden chairs with impassive expressions. A dim light hanging from the ceiling wreathed their faces in shadow, and Kiri knew enough by now to figure out that this was intentional. But unlike usual, there were no empty seats.

Just like the guards positioned around the corners of the small room, Kiri was now expected to stand.

Hating Amira more than ever, Kiri curtsied quickly and then straitened, clasping her hands together tightly. "Greetings." She murmured respectfully.

As expected, no Elder returned the gesture.

Instead, Cresentianaka- Elder Crescent- leaned forwards, practically radiating excitement. "Akirmialinski. We finally have the upper hand we need!" She giggled- actually giggled, an Elder- and slapped a palm down on the table. "You know Amira's family?"

"Yes." Kiri wasn't sure where they were going with this. "...and?"

"Well, the Stormbringers have been guarding the sweet, innocent humans quite closely, you know. But they slipped up yesterday." Crescent's eyes gleamed. "Amira will come running back to us as soon as we tell her the wonderful news."

Kiri's stomach churned. "What?"

"You see, Akirimialinski." Kalanmik, the first Elder Amira had even met, explained, "Amira is terribly attached to her family. Aren't all human children? And she'll be simply...delighted when she realizes we're keeping them safe for her." Kalanmik's lips twisted into a cruel little smile. "Do you see where we're going with this?"

Yes. Yes, Kiri did see, and her heart was doing a strange little thing where it got heavier, almost too heavy for her chest. "You...you're going to hold them hostage?"

"Well, it sounds barbaric when you say it like that." Elder Crescent examined her nails in distaste. "They're perfectly fine. And they'll continue to be...if sweet Amira comes back."

"Look," Kalanmik said, trying to be reassuring. "We wouldn't do this if it wasn't a last resort. But desperate times call for desperate measures."

Kiri tried not to shout, since when is this desperate? They haven't made any moves against us! Maybe Amira is totally useless! But she kept her mouth shut.

She was in enough trouble as it was.

"What'll you do to them if she doesn't come?" Kiri asked instead.

"I think you know the answer to that." Elenmyiaka- another Elder- said with a sympathetic smile. "Here, if it'll make you feel better, we can show you them."

Against her will, Kiri's head nodded along.

"Wonderful." Elenmyiaka stood, pushing her chair back. Kiri's eyes flicked down to the floor. "We'll be back in a bit." Elenmyiaka added, addressing the other Elders. Kalanmik gave her a quick nod of approval, his face unreadable. Crescent appeared too bored to care. The other Elders weren't paying any attention.

Elenmyiaka walked towards the door, long strides getting her to the hallway in seconds. Kiri attempted to keep up without getting into her Elder's space. With each step down the dim hall, Kiri's dread only grew. She wished someone would come after them- shout, "Nevermind, Akirimialinski, you're not authorized to have access- if only so she wouldn't have to see Amira's painfully human family, but no one did.

And Elenmyiaka didn't slow.

And how could Kiri refuse now?

Down the hall. Up the stairs. Left, another left, right. Twisting and turning so fast the maze of passages became a blur to Kiri, though somehow Elenmyiaka didn't get lost.

Kiri almost wished she would.

"We're here." Said Elenmyiaka finally, jerking to a stop. "You're not allowed in, but you can see through the cameras."

Dread curled into a tangible ball in her stomach as Kiri shuffled forward to peer at the screen.

The room itself was well furnished, she supposed. Two identical beds and two sofas, pushed together. There was a small painting on one wall, and the lights didn't flash.

But her gaze froze when it rested on the occupants of the room.

A man and a woman- Amira's parents, Kiri guessed- huddled together on one sofa, whispering frantically to each other. On a bed, a young boy- maybe eleven- stared at the wall with hopeless eyes.

Kiri hadn't known it was possible for guilt to hit her this hard.

It was her fault.

Everything about this was her fault.

This wasn't meant to happen.

Everything was upside down and it was her fault.

Kiri's world spun.