The Empty Ones (Fantasy Romance)

18. Blue

"What happened? You can tell me. I will not tell anyone. Is it... Those people again? Your kind? But why would they hurt you?"

Fera's eyes widened just a tiny bit, which meant I was, if not right, at least close to the truth.

"It doesn't matter."

"This is not a physical injury, but you vomit blood. You know more about herbs and illness than me. Is it poison?"

"No." Her voice was faint but categoric. After a pause, she looked up and asked,"Zara, who were your parents?"

I didn't answer. I hesitated, not deciding if I should continue to lie or not.

"Alsayid Karim Wayatashir and his consort," I confess in the end. I had known Fera for over four star-circles by then and she had never hurt or betrayed me in any way. She was peculiar but so were likely all the girls in their own way.

Her eyes flashed open.

"Can I ask something?" she whispered.

"I told you who my parents are. Not many people here know, so I guess I trust you. You can ask anything."

"In life... Do you think the end justifies the means?"

It was an odd question asked in the wake of dawn.

"I guess it depends and one has to decide depending on the situation. You know, objectively nobody is that special to balance out a scale where on the other plate are a lot of people or society in general, I think. But the best thing one can hope for is never to have to choose, I suppose, or to try to save everyone regardless."

I couldn't concentrate to give a better answer.

"So if you had to choose between, say, your father and the whole population of Miayatma, who would you choose?"

"The city." But that was not as hard a question as Fera might have imagined. I would choose even only her over my father because he choose anything else over me. I didn't miss him. I didn't even know him so it wasn't a hard choice.

Fera's face was usually stern again. She sighed, stood up from the ground, and extended a hand.

I took it and smiled.

"You are an odd girl, Alsayida. Let's go to sleep."

"Not anymore. Now I am just Zara, an empty one."

Later that day she seemed fine. Upset, somehow brooding, and seeking to be left alone, but fine.

Morning came and nothing seemed unusual.

"What are you whispering?" I asked Mairi and Chioma irritated.

Mairi made a head signal toward Chioma.

Chioma came really close to me and started whispering almost inaudibly.

"Mairi traded with the caravan man for leather bands. We will sharpen spikes and make climbing gear. If everything goes well they will be ready in a few days."

"Oh. You plan to flee. Already..."

I didn't imagine I would feel so heartbroken. It took me by such surprise even if it shouldn't. Mairi had told me that they plan to try to escape again eventually but star circles passed and it fled my mind.

"Yes. We have to. Our Red Day is in a few moons. It has to be now." Chioma smiled. "We will miss you."

She was beautiful and that was not doing her any favor on Gray Day when Sahib Aldam would likely choose her to be his concubine. Escaping was the right call but it hurt. It hurt to be left behind.