The King laid a calming hand on my shoulder and asked, “What happened?”
“They hit a pocket of something flammable. Gas, I think. It exploded, and the supports caught fire. The miners barely made it out.” She grimaced. “The Chelli ones at least. The humans weren't as lucky.”
“Humans? You're saying that Chelli, who have shorter legs than most humans, made it out safely, but there were humans who didn't? That sounds suspicious.”
“I don't want to imply anything, Your Majesty.” She glanced at the Tyasmoran, who was listening intently.
“There are rumors, aren't there?” I asked. “Rumors concerning the deaths?”
“Yes.”
“Tell us. Please. It's important.”
She cleared her throat. “So, as you mentioned, Your Majesty, Chelli are shorter in stature than most humans. This can delay the transport of mined goods. So, the Chelli hired some humans to carry out the gems while they mined them.”
“And only the humans died when the mine exploded?”
“Yes, but you should know that it wasn't just the Chelli. The Chelli had a Ricarri partner. She's a . . . tough woman.”
“You know her?” I asked.
“Sure. Everyone in the city knows her.” She glanced at the Tyasmoran again. “I mean, I'm not speaking ill of her. I'm just telling you the facts. She's partners with the Chelli, and I wouldn't be surprised if she, well, encouraged them to be, um, less concerned about the humans. Look it up for yourself. I assume she's listed as part owner of their shop and the mine.”
“They have a shop here—the Chelli and this Ricarri woman?”
“Yes. It's uh.” She leaned in and whispered, “It's the Rushao Jewel.”
“Of course it is.”
“Excuse me?”
“Who is the Ricarri woman?” Tingles were creeping up my spine. Closer. I was getting so close to unraveling this mess.
“Oh, she's Lady Juva Rashan.”
“My General's wife?” King Tor'rien hissed.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
My hands clenched as if I could clutch that key piece of information. To hide my elation—which was completely inappropriate—I said, “I'm so sorry, but I didn't get your name.”
“I'm Alensi.”
“Thank you for being so candid with us, Alensi. I have just a few more questions and then we'll let you get back to your customer. The humans. You say they didn't make it out. Are there any rumors about why?”
Alensi leaned in and whispered, “People say that Lady Juva drugged the humans. It was to keep them from complaining about the long hours.”
“She drugged them?”
“It's just a rumor, sir.”
“Yes, I understand. Does the rumor mention what kind of drug was used?”
“Uh, I think it was the dreaming drug. Humans do love their nectar. And it was the drug that made them slower to react. That fits with nectar. I heard that while the Chelli ran out of the mine, the humans were left behind, floundering in confusion.”
“Because of the drug.”
“Yes, sir. They needed direction, you see? In that state, they needed someone to tell them to leave.”
