Nine Lives || Complete

3 || enemy camp

"You're back early." Havel's wife greeted Areum at the door, and cast a distasteful look at the girl's shoes. "Take those off outside."

Areum backed out of the house obediently and kicked off her snow-packed boots, bemoaning the knowledge that they would be frozen solid the next morning.

Monik had retreated to the kitchen when Areum entered again. She hovered over Havel, where he was kneeling in the pantry, diligently counting rations. "The girl is back." Monik announced. "Smells like she took laundry detergent again."

Havel glanced over, eyes tracing the state of Areum's clothes. "Is that true?" Rising achingly to his feet, he approached with his ledger in hand, and plucked at her shirt. "Why would you need to wash your clothes all of a sudden? Your turn to wash is in a week."

Calling upon the last dredges of patience that she had in reserve for her master's wife, Areum stood still as he lifted her arm to sniff at her sleeve. "I didn't take detergent. I just rinsed them in spearmint to make them smell better."

Havel's eyes narrowed. "Spearmint doesn't grow after the frost."

"I had some saved."

He sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his forehead. "You saw The Professor again today?"

She hastily retrieved the USB from her pocket and extended it. "He believes there's another fulfillment station nearby. He gave me the coordinates so I can go find it tomorrow."

Havel accepted the USB with a nod. "Just when we thought we'd seen the last of them around here." He shook his head and turned away, but before he could dismiss her, Monik leaned out of the kitchen.

"Honey, it looks like she has something in her pocket." Monik smiled sweetly and held her hands out. "You take a look, I'll finish counting."

Areum's heart sank. Her hands jumped to her pocket, but Havel had already seen it.

He pulled the ledger out of his wife's reach. "I already know there are rations missing, Monik. Sit there quietly until I'm done."

Monik shot Areum a venomous look, but sank into a chair and pressed her lips tightly together.

The younger girl considered the ramifications of flying across the room to rip the other woman's hair out. After ultimately deciding that, while Monik's untimely death would be a mercy to herself, it would be unappreciated by her young children, Areum felt Havel's attention return to rest on her. Her pulse raced and her stomach churned, sweat breaking out over the back of her neck. She swallowed forcefully as he held out a hand.

"Let's have it."

"I found it." She lied through the tightness in her throat, producing the little snowflake. "I wandered through the old colony site—"

"Then why are you shaking?" Her master took the snowflake and examined it closely for a second. His eyes closed. "He gave this to you, didn't he?"

Tears pooled in Areum's eyes. "No. I found it."

Beyond them, Monik's lips stretched into a wicked smile.

Havel's fist cracked across Areum's face. "Think carefully before you lie to me again. Did he give this to you?"

His next slap sent her crashing to the floor. "No. No, I found it, I swear."

Laughter sounded over the young woman's cries, Monik clutching her stomach as though the scene before her was nothing more than comedy theater—as though she wasn't trapped in the same cage. "She's protecting him, Hav. She'll keep lying to you."