It didn’t take long to get settled, considering we had so little. There were only two bedrooms, a small living room, and a kitchen. No wonder Nikon’s landlady didn’t want him bringing a crowd in. We’d have to be careful to avoid too much attention from her.
Zoe and I would share one room, which meant the three men got the other one. It was a tight fit, with the two of us. How would the men, who were more and bigger than us, fit in their space?
Tewy thumped from room to room, yammering away. At least someone was happy with the small space.
We gathered in the living room, where I sat, squished, on one end of a couch. Nikon was beside me, his arm continually brushing against mine. It was a pleasant sensation that left me content in the space I was in, even if it was a tight fit.
“How can we live here?” Zoe asked. “Won’t they know this place is yours and watch it?”
I knew the answer because of our journey here before, but let Nikon explain.
“No. This is a safe house I prepared without anyone learning,” he said.
“Good. What’s the plan, then?” she asked.
“We need to figure out our next step,” Nikon said.
Silence followed. He was right, but with a stranger in our midst, it was difficult.
Thankfully, Husani seemed to get the hint. His voice came from near the kitchen. “I can go in the other room, but if I find out you’re plotting against me or my people, there will be trouble.”
“Understood,” Nikon replied.
A soft padding of feet went back toward the bedrooms, and then a door closed. We’d have some semblance of privacy but not a lot. Tewy’s scrambling came closer. I expected him to jump on my lap, but the pressure of his landing never came.
“Hello, Tewy,” Zoe said.
I guess he picked her to bother. My heart sunk a little, even as I knew that it was good for both of us to have him making friends with others.
Nikon spoke, drawing my attention away from my sadness. “I can make a few inquiries about Cassandra’s parents. It will take some delicacy, but we’ll figure it out. In the meantime, there are a few things I need to take care of in the city.”
“And it would be best if I stayed here, out of sight.” It wasn’t my first choice, but it made sense in a place I was unfamiliar with. If the warriors found me out, I would become a slave.
“I’m sorry, Cass.” He sounded truly remorseful.
“I’ll keep her company,” Zoe said.
That would be better than the last time we had come to Sirya and Nikon had to leave to get information or food.
I smiled her way. “Thank you.”
“I need to do some things as well,” Kaius said, voice soft.
“What do you need to take care of here? Does it have to do with the rebellion?” The questions were out before I could stop them. I was dying for an answer.
“Yes.”
Zoe added, “There’s always something to be done.”
“Is there any way I can help?” Though I didn’t know how I’d be able to do anything while stuck in the house.
“If something comes up, we’ll tell you,” she said.
“While here,” Nikon said, “don’t forget we need to keep things quiet. My landlady won’t have a problem kicking us out of here, and this is the biggest place I have in the city.”
Anything smaller would be a nightmare. But how many places did he have?
“Is there something you need to tell us about you?” Zoe asked him.
“Like what?”
“Who you are and why you have places to stay in the capital?”
There was a pause, and his muscles tensed against mine. They relaxed again, before he finally said, “It’s something you should hear, even if I don’t like the fact I’m about to speak. I was a warrior.”
Which was only a small part of what he was. As an elite warrior and the Reding’s right-hand man, there was much more to him, but this would give them an idea.
“I see.” Kaius didn’t sound happy.
I had to come to Nikon’s rescue. “He’s kept your secrets and will continue to do so. Though he was a warrior, he no longer has connections to them that would lead him to tell anyone about the rebellion.”
“We understand,” Zoe said. “We all have a past.”
If that was the case, what were hers and Kaius’s? I knew about the rebellion, of course, but the way she said that made me think there was something else going on with the two of them that they hadn’t stated. Didn’t matter. I trusted them. If it was relevant, they’d tell me someday.
“Unless there’s something else, I’m going to head out now,” Nikon said.
“Stay safe.” I’d do nothing but stress over him until he returned.
He encompassed my hand with his own. “I’ll do my best.”
I couldn’t ask anything else. I threaded my fingers through his, the rhythm of my heart increasing. “Best get on with it then, so you can hurry and return to us.”
“I will.” He gave me another squeeze before letting go of my hand and standing. Moments later, the door creaked open and softly closed.
The sense of loss was immediate. I didn’t need to be with him constantly, but I enjoyed his presence. And knowing he was going into danger made the loss more keening. Plus, I was anxious to discover what he was doing.
“I’d better head out too,” Kaius said.
There was a shuffle of movement, and Tewy jumped on my lap with an ooooo. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about something happening to him. There was plenty of danger going around without it affecting my monkey.
Zoe and Kaius gave each other goodbyes, before the men headed out. The couch shifted as she sat on the other end of it. We were both silent. There was a tension in the air. Fear. I remembered all too well the things that happened in this city the last time I was here. Mostly, being caught and discovering Antonia hated me. Now wasn’t a good time to duplicate any of that.
I wouldn’t be searching out the Vading, which would make a difference. As long as we avoided her, the Reding, and the warriors, we’d be fine. That was what I kept telling myself. It was harder to believe it.
“How long do you think they’ll be gone?” I asked, breaking the silence.
She sighed. “Longer than any of us want.”
Not comforting or an answer. “I bet Nikon brings back some fresh food.”
“That will be nice.”
“Can I come out of my room now?” Husani called out.
I laughed. “It’s like he’s a little boy, asking his mother’s permission.” Except neither I nor Zoe would ever be mothers. It was a sad thought that I quickly pushed away. “Come on in.”
Tewy jumped to my shoulder, while the footsteps left the back room to come in this one. “Where’d the men go?” he asked.
“They had some errands to attend to,” Zoe said. She didn’t sound any happier than I felt.
“As long as those errands don’t bring trouble, I’m fine with that.”
I rolled my eyes. He might have come with us to make certain we wouldn’t betray his people, but he had no control over us. If anything, Nikon and I could take him out, and he’d not be able to report back any longer. Not that we would do so, but the option was there.
“We made oaths,” Zoe said. “We stick to them.”
Good for her. I felt the same way, but the strength behind her words might get through his thick skull.
The silence that descended was awkward and heavy. I didn’t want to disagree with Zoe—she was right on with her comment—but the quiet was going on for too long.
“Is there something we should be doing?” I asked. “It feels odd, just waiting.”
“We don’t have much food left to prepare dinner. No cleaning supplies, either.” Zoe’s words were subdued.
“I could go get sand from the river and some rags,” Husani said.
“Best to stick here.” I didn’t want him to go off on his own. It was a little odd he wanted to, after staying so close to us for so long.
“If that’s what you think is best,” he said.
“It is,” Zoe confirmed.
It was good she sided with me. He was supposed to be keeping an eye on us, but we could keep an eye on him just as well. Make certain he wasn’t reporting condemning lies.
He’d been so quiet throughout the journey here, this was about as much as he’d said to any of us. I wasn’t certain what to think about it—what to ask him or how to make us more sympathetic, so he wouldn’t think of turning us in to the marauders.
“Do you have a family, Husani?” I asked.
“The marauders are my family.” His voice was stern.
I could relate to that in a way. My friends had become my family.
Tewy gave an odd hoot I wished I understood.
“How did you come to be with the marauders?” Zoe asked.
“Born there.”
Interesting. I didn’t realize their community included amant, let alone had children born among them. “Your parents?”
“Dead.”
“I’m sorry.” I shouldn’t have brought it up. Not only did I feel bad for doing so, but he called it upon us.
“Don’t be. It was of old age. It was their time to go. First my father went down the river, and he was followed shortly by my mother.”
I shivered, not wanting to talk about it anymore. “Do you have any siblings?”
“Just the marauders, like I said.”
I knew what it was like to be an only child. Then again, I also knew what it was like to be alone for years with only a monkey for company—something I doubted he could understand. “Have you been in the cities much?”
“More than one would expect of a marauder,” he replied.
What did that mean? Did he have hidden places to stay around Eppla, like Nikon did? I couldn’t help but ask, “How many safe houses do you have?
“None,” he said. “I’ve been here a few times, but I never saw the need to get one.”
Huh. It made sense. Nikon had the safe houses because he used to work here. Husani was more of a free spirit, coming and going from this place.
We all went quiet again. Who knew why the others did, but I was anxious about Nikon and Kaius. It was impossible to do anything but worry, no matter how hard I tried. They needed to come back safely.
Tewy bounced on my lap, chattering away. I nodded like I was listening and understood.
The door creaked open and closed. Because of how silent the steps were, I was almost positive it was Nikon. What was going on? “News?”
Instead of answering, he sat beside me. When I reached over to him, he had his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.
This couldn’t be good. “What happened?” I asked.
“The high priest is coming to town.”