Of Winds And Quakes

55. The Reunion

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
Bynin Village
Altsas

Alysia

THE WORLD FREEZES. I'm consumed by something strong, something strange. It's happiness. It's shock. It's tension. It's tears.

And I start to cry. I cry so hard it comes out in choking gasps. The woman appears at my side instantly and rubs my shoulders, concern mares her face. "What's the matter? Did you know her?"

I nod, my face is dredged by the salty waterfall from my stinging eyes. "Mavli... Is my sister."

The woman gasps, her hand flies to her mouth. "It's you. She mentioned looking for you!"

And I sob harder because Mavli cares. Because Mavli is looking for me. Because I have missed her by two days. "Do you know she went to?"

The woman grabs my hand and leads me to the corner of the pub, I squirm once I see who she is leading me to; the disfigured man sitting on a stool all by himself. But I follow obediently because I can do anything to see Mavli.

"Ghost," she greets him with a small smile, "this woman here wants to see Mavli."

My pulse race. What business does Mavli have with these people? My throat goes dry and I struggle to swallow.

"You may live us now, Rhani."  The man's voice is so deep that I curl my toes in sandals to keep me rooted to the ground or I'll run and not look back.

Rhani gives me a tight smile, she squeezes my hand and begrudgingly leaves. I want to follow her or beg her to stay.

"And you are?" He raises his eyes to my face. I look away.

"Her sister." It is barely a whisper.

"I don't see any resemblance," he grunts.

I don't say a word.

I want to scream at him to lead me to my sister. I can't wait any longer, my nails dig into my palms it's all I can keep from wrapping my hands around his thick neck.

"Follow me." He pushes back the stool so it makes an irking scratching sound. He pushes past me and begins to stride to the door. This man is about two heads taller than me and so many kilograms heavier, he can break me and fling me away. I search for Rhani and I find her refilling a customer's mug. She offers me a tight smile and a stiff nod.

Bracing myself, I turn and follow him out of the hut.

The inn is right behind the hut. It's a wooden cabin just a few metres away. Ghost rambles about it. "I own the Inn. It was past down to me by my father. After I helped Mavli out with some supplies she begged me to accommodate her and a friend temporarily, she didn't want me to tell Rhani because she didn't want to say goodbye for the second time."

I keep quiet and let him amble on. We stop in front of a door. He raps his knuckles on it and a voice I don't recognize asks who is at the door.

"The landlord," Ghost barks and I nearly jump.

Snaps and cracks are heard as the door is being opened. I hold my breath as the door creaks open and an unfamiliar face peeps out.

"She's here to see the other girl, Mavli." And before I can say a word, Ghost disappears and a chill runs down my spine.

The girl eyes me suspiciously. She is thin and weary-looking. I wonder who she is to Mavli. "Er... I-I -"

"Who's at the door, Radhat?"  My eyes look over the girl's shoulder to the ever familiar face of my sister. She turns to me, her face turning ashen like she has just seen a ghost.