Chapter Thirty-Seven

Neith

 

I whirl around to see a tall man with a ponytail strolling over to us. I was so engrossed in the drama between Bel, Invier and I that I never noticed him coming.

 

He looks to be in his fifties, though a hard life without a restorer’s care could have given him an older appearance than his actual age. I’ve seen shadowy pictures of him in the last two days as he’s popped up in our heightened surveillance efforts. This is the man who has caused me so much grief.

 

“Karax,” I mutter as my ire mounts, souring my belly even further than my heated discussion with Bel and Invier.

 

He saunters closer with a grin.

 

“Wait a minute. Did I call you Scioness? I apologize.” He bows. “I should call you Titane instead as that has become your title, not so?”

 

I hold myself in place even though every single nerve in my body is fighting to close the distance between myself and him.

 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to answer my question. Seeing I’m the one who killed Titan Reffour, I already know you have succeeded him as the head of your nome.”

 

With that my feet leave the ground taking me in his direction only for Invier to step in my path and stop me.

 

“How dare you?” The words come out low and deadly from my lips. Never in my life have I known with the utmost clarity someone must die at my hands. The knowledge should be scary, but instead, it’s liberating. In this moment, I don’t have to keep up any paper-thin appearances for society. There’s no need to be the perfect scioness, curtsying to ensure I am well-regarded. I don’t have to pretend to be a patient Arbiter. I don’t have to smile even if I don’t want to, just so I don’t give anyone the wrong impression. Here, as I stand ready to kill this man, I don’t care who sees this side of me. I don’t even care if I cut through Invier to take Karax down.

 

“‘How dare I?’” Karax raises a scraggly eyebrow, his tone mocking and disrespectful. “I did dare, Titane. And that’s the problem with you nomers. You think the rest of us need to know our place and stay in it. I am not like the rest of your meek sheep. I dare to take control from all of you!”

Nomer. That’s where Bel got the word from. I remember wondering what it meant and had I known its origin, I would have been able to read the clues of her disloyalty much more quickly.

 

“Over my dead body!” I throw my voice past Invier to ensure he hears every word.

 

He laughs dismissively and I’m shocked at its deep rich quality. Yet, it grates over my skin. “So be it.” He whips out a gun and points in my direction, just as Bel slides into his way.

 

“Move!” he bellows at her.

 

“Karax, please don’t do this. There is no need for anyone else to die today.”

 

“I disagree,” I scream as I struggle to sidestep Invier, who keeps me at bay. “He has to die! He killed my father and all those people in Tangor. Innocent women, men, children.” I close my eyes, hoping to stop the tremors but I see the bloody, broken bodies being extracted from the wreckage of the buildings in Tangor. “He shall not breathe another day!”

 

Karax snickers and I notice Invier’s strength subside. He blows air out from his mouth as if afraid to say something.

 

Looking away from Karax, I pay attention to Invier. He lets go of me and Karax’s laughter becomes louder.

 

“What is it?” I drop my voice, scared to hear what he will say, but knowing today is a day for confronting fear.

 

“Karax didn’t kill those people in Tangor ...” His voice cracks and trails into silence. I wait for him to finish his sentence, while Karax continues to cackle.

 

“What do you mean?” My brain tries to think of the possible answers to my impossible question so I can prepare to respond. I can’t. After hearing Father confess to being behind the missile attack and wanting to have Invier killed, I know I’m not capable of guessing what Invier’s answer could be.

 

I can see whatever Invier is about to say is making him very uncomfortable. He shifts his weight from one foot to another.

 

“Invier?”

 

It must be very bad. I look to Bel and she knows what it is because she looks away.

 

“We don’t have forever, Invier.” Karax says. He sounds amused but his tone carries a darkness with it.

 

Another realization clicks into place.

 

“Invier, if Karax didn’t kill all those people, then who did?” I ask with a thin sounding voice as my heart seems to stall in place.

 

“Um…” Invier says. He swallows and I watch his Adam’s apple rise and fall.

 

“Oh my goodness, just say it already,” Karax says in disgust. “It was him who killed them all!” And he starts laughing again. This time, doubling over in the effort.