Chapter Thirty-Five

Neith

 

The rustling of leaves to my right alerts me to movement amidst the trees. I’d found them to be a strange-looking species, growing so tall and so close together. When I tried looking past individual trees, I could see little of the forest beyond.

 

Not taking any chances, I reach for the weapon on my hip and whip around, pointing it at the trees. My shoulders hunch, anticipating violence, just the way I’d been taught. Since Father’s death, I’ve taken a course in personal defense. Whatever is coming, I’m ready for it.

 

Confusion quickly comes over me as I see the person approaching. “Bel? What are you doing here?”

 

“I know, Neith, I know. This will be difficult to understand.” Bel says, looking everywhere other than at me. She’s uncomfortable. “But, please let me explain.”

 

My shooting arm begins to relax upon seeing a face I recognize, albeit I’m disoriented by her presence.

 

I blink as a thought clicks into place. Suddenly, all the debates and the disagreements make sense. Bel has been working with the rebels. I don’t want to believe the conclusion I have arrived upon, but it’s the only reasonable explanation for a lot of her behavior. This is why she always speaks sympathetically about them.

 

How long has this been going on?

 

Did she know the rebels were going to attack Fenix the night Invier was there? What about the numerous attacks on nome facilities across the planet? Could she have known about the attack on my airship? Is it why she later questioned whether I was the rebel’s target?

 

My mind is a whir of thoughts and I can’t keep up with any single one. The ideas flit by so quickly I struggle to focus. And then a new thought makes an entrance into the jumbled mess that is my head. It stands out, clear as the eye of a storm amidst a darkened mess.

 

My body shivers and I look her up and down. I don’t want to believe what every part of me now knows.

 

There’s a simple explanation for why the rebels knew Father would go after Goran Cyra when he did.

 

They were well-informed of our plans.

 

“You!” I pull the gun back up, pointing it at her. My heart beats like a rapid drum in my ears. “You let them know my father was going for Goran?” My voice wavers under the weight of rising anger. “How could you, Bel? We’re family and because of you, Father was killed.”

 

The numbness I felt after Father’s death is back. I thought I’d done away with it, what with the planning to attack Koroda. My anticipation of revenge subdued that emotion in me. But, as I look at Bel, sniveling in well-deserved shame, the cold seeps back into me one slow but steady inch at a time.

 

“I promise, I didn’t know things would end the way they did, Neith.”

 

A thought crosses my mind. “Does your family know you’re here? With these … people?”

 

“No. No, they don’t but I’ll have to tell them everything.” Tears well at her eyes.

 

“Heavens, Bel! Father loved you.” My voice becomes hoarse. Looking at her sends a lash of sheer agony through me. I don’t even want to look at her. “Sometimes, I thought he loved you more than he loved me. How could you?”

 

Bel looks down at the ground and sniffles.

 

“How could you?”

 

More movement from the trees draws my gaze away from her and I level my gun in that direction, squeezing the grip as tight as I can. I hear someone say my name. The voice is familiar as is the hint of coconut wafting by on the gentle wings of a soft breeze.

 

Invier pops out from the darkness between two trees and thrusts his hands up into the air.

 

“Neith,” he says again, staring at the gun in my hand. “Uh, Bel didn’t know they would kill your father. She would never have shared the information if—”

 

“Invier!” Ignoring my previous emotions, my feet move on their own accord. A part of me is thrilled to see him and I desperately want to be in his arms. It’s been so long since I nestled into his chest and took in his scent. It is what I need. It will make me feel better and the knowledge pulls me towards him.

 

Then, I stop and take several wary steps in reverse, my arms falling to my sides.

 

What is he doing here?

 

That one thought squeezes its way through the elation I feel at seeing his face.

 

Another realization suddenly dawns on me and I’m left slack-jawed.

 

It’s not possible. Is it?

 

“You two …” The words won’t come out as my mind does the processing. Bel and Invier are together because …

 

I can’t deal with this. No.

 

Face the facts.

 

I’m afraid to confront the reality before me.

 

What was it Bel told me during the Pursual? She said it’s “better to take control of your fear than let it control you, Neat.”

 

I remember that night. We were in my closet and I spoke to her of my concerns for Invier and me. She called me by my pet name, ‘Neat’, a word which always made me smile. A word symbolizing the love I thought she had for me. Or so she made me believe.

 

It was all a lie.

 

My goodness, I’ve been so blind. No wonder she told me she couldn’t find him and no wonder she thought the Pursual wouldn’t make sense for him.

 

She wanted him for herself.

 

Frozen in silence, I shake my head. Amazing how the people you love and trust will be the first ones to hurt you. I wish Portan or my darling father had taught me that lesson long ago. I’d be ready to deal with it now.

 

Well, it’s time to control my fear and my anger. It’s time to feel no more of either.

 

“How long have you two been seeing each other?” I lift the gun and swing it casually between the two of them.

 

“What?” Invier is the first to speak, his face the image of confusion. My meaning registers on him and his expression becomes one of revulsion. “Oh no, Neith, there is nothing going on between Bel and me.”

 

“So, now you finally remember her name? You could never remember it before but no wonder, you simply pretended to have no idea.” I rub my forehead as a tame migraine settles in behind my left temple. “It was all a ploy so I wouldn’t know you guys were together, right? How stupid of me.”

 

“Neith, I would never do that to you,” Bel delivers the words softly and her eyes glisten.

 

“Really, now? You wouldn’t steal the man I love from me but you would sell my father out to the rebels, right?” I spit out the words at her and she slouches. Fresh tears run down her face. Her crying only raises my ire. “You wouldn’t steal Invier from me but you would abandon your own for the worthless scum who live here!”

 

“Neith, please, listen.” Invier’s voice slashes with desperation.

 

“Listen?” I holster my gun and march up to him. “Fine. What could you possibly tell me that would make anything better, Invier?” I thread my fingers together in front of me and wait, tilting my head to the side.

 

He stares at me, unable to speak.

 

“I’m listening. I would like to hear the two of you explain why you chose to betray me and hurt me so badly.” My arms are akimbo as I wait for something to be said which will help me understand what I’m seeing. “I killed Adela to keep you safe and this is the thanks I get.”

 

“You did what?” He looks at me slack-jawed.

 

Both he and Bel stare at me, mute, while we listen to the scream of bombs and gunfire all around us.