Fortune Favors the Bold

46

"Let her go," Nashid lifted his hands slowly as if to calm the man, displaying that the two of them were no threat. At least not enough of a threat to hurt Sohila over.

The girl's lips trembled, tears pouring from her eyes as she reached toward her dad. "Baba," she cried quietly like she was afraid the man would kill her if she was too loud. His grip on her tightened to force the girl against his stomach and root her to her place.

Nashid looked down at her with eyes kind with fatherly love. "Don't be afraid, Sohila. I won't let anything happen to you," he reassured her. But, standing closer to the father than the others, Kalani noticed the way his hands trembled in the air.

He was afraid of the possibility that, perhaps, the reality was not in his control as much as he prayed it'd be. When they'd torn the love of his life away from him, he hadn't done anything. He hadn't known of the trauma and torment she'd endured between the walls of a building that ultimately took her life. He'd lost Tamara, but he'd promised her that he'd take care of their daughter once Kalani had finally reunited them.

Now, the little girl was standing in front of him with tears in her eyes and the barrel of a gun to her head.

"Did you really think we didn't anticipate some sort of childish attack on our intelligence?" Vice-Chancellor Harem asked, his grey beard scratching against the lifted neck of his uniform.

Kalani glanced at the calm Nashid, knowing he was probably falling apart past his cool composure. "It has nothing to do with the little girl," she spoke up. "She's innocent."

"Okay," he forced the gun more firmly into her hair. Sohila cried, her small hands barely wrapping around his larger arm. "You know better than anybody that a person's innocence doesn't define their right to life. If it did, we wouldn't have to do Thysía."

"You don't have to do Thysía," Kalani retorted sourly.

"Oh, contraire," the older man pouted. "It's necessary to maintain the balance of resources our country has. We would be unable to support our citizens were we to allow all of them a life long enough to reproduce however many offspring they choose. It's why we make certain selections of Saviors," he smiled at Kalani. "You know what I mean."

The fire in her chest grew, her fingers curling into her palms until each nail pierced her skin. "You bastard," she spat.

He only nodded, motioning to Nashid. "Does daddy know?"

Nashid glanced at Kalani before answering. "She already told me," he replied, fully believing that Kalani had told him everything there was to know. But even the girl had forgotten one key detail. "There's nothing you can say that I don't already know."

Harem's eyebrows lifted in amusement. "And it appears you've already forgiven the very people who did the killing so I imagine I will be extended the same kindness."

"You've got a gun to my daughter's head," Nashid spat, his eyes darkening dangerously when he looked at the Vice-Chancellor.

The man only shrugged. "I'm aware it is not a sealed law, but the Intermediacy's recommendation to only bear one offspring was incredibly serious. You and your wife should have listened, Mr. Ericson."

"We-," he raised his voice before glancing at the trembling girl in front of him. Nashid calmed his tone for Sohila. "We did listen."

Harem opened his mouth to speak while shaking his head, then a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head. His eyes brightened as he turned to Kalani. "He doesn't know, does he?" Even though it made her hate herself, Kalani had to admit the Vice-Chancellor was right. She stayed still. "Tell him, Miss Makoa. Go on."