The Starlight Lancer

Chapter 108: The Temple Entrance

"I still hear the beckoning from home—to return to a life of servitude in order to further the great work. It is my hope that the temple can provide a remedy to their summons."

—The Marked Emperor Savon

Zaina hardly slept, instead spending most of the night pondering her predicament. Sivanya didn't completely trust her, which meant her life was hanging in the balance of her ability to deceive someone she was growing to respect.

There was more than respect, though—Zaina feared Sivanya, too. Remembering the look in her eyes when she held her fang to Zaina's throat was enough to make her stomach turn and her blood run cold.

That brush with death and the sputters of chaos on patrol put mortality in the fore of Zaina's mind. She'd almost died before, multiple times—a few times back home and on Otmonzas, once on Kaado, and a few times here and there on missions. This time felt different—usually there was little choice but to act. This was more of a slow bleed, a dark fate that had to be met head on. To run away from this fight meant leaving everything behind to its doom.

Zaina sighed. It was time to start the day, and today was important. She hoped to acquire good information about the temple while working with the excavation team.

She washed her face in a small basin on the floor and took a deep breath to prepare herself.

The walk to the dig-site was lonely, with nary a marked in sight. The sounds of heavy machinery drew closer as she approached.

"Sleep well?" Sivanya's voice asked, making Zaina jump.

"Ah! What the hell?"

Sivanya was leaning against a tree—Zaina had walked right past her.

"It's your first day on the dig-site," Sivanya replied.

"Oh, so you'll be watching me?" Zaina asked, rolling her eyes. "Making sure I don't do anything suspicious?"

Sivanya shook her head. "Patrols are short today—I'll be joining them once Rasmus sends out the signal. I have a feeling they'll be sending more search parties to look for our guests."

It was only a small measure of trust, but it was enough to make Zaina feel a little better. "Sure you don't want help on patrols? Sounds like it might get hot."

Sivanya's head bobbed back and forth. "I appreciate the offer, but I think it's a good idea for you to stay here—get to know some people. Once we head off their incursion maybe you can help us find a way to get those children back to Deonago."

"So, then—why'd you wait for me? To see me off?"

Sivanya stepped forward. "I wanted to apologize again for last night. I know how it feels to be suspected, for guilt to be pre-assumed—it was wrong of me to put you through that."

"I appreciate that," Zaina said.

"Now," Sivanya said as she clapped her hands together, "we both have long days ahead of us. You be safe, and stay out of trouble."

"You too," Zaina replied.

"I can't promise anything. Get going, now—ask around for Tog, she'll put you to work," Sivanya said, then walked off.

Zaina breathed a sigh of relief. She still couldn't shake the feeling that Sivanya suspected her, but there was nothing to be done for that now—she had to get to the dig-site and learn what she could.

First thing's first—gotta talk to Tog. Whoever that is.

The dig-site looked exactly the same, with mining equipment of all shapes and sizes strewn about. Dozens of people were climbing the haphazard scaffolding barely secured against the cliff, and dozens more were scurrying about below, carrying boxes of supplies or moving the machinery. It was exactly as chaotic as she remembered it.