“So, what? She wants revenge on the shaytan then?”
“You know, Jonah told me that all shaytan are a plague. He likened us to a disease, insinuating shaytan are poisoning everything and the only cure is our death. What if…”
She didn’t have to finish the sentence. The second her golden eyes met mine, I knew exactly what she struggled to say.
“What if her real plan is to kill every shaytan?”
“You’re the one who said she was just like your father. Both seem stars-bent on justifying genocide.”
A crash came from outside the office, startling Nova and I. We jumped, our breaths coming rapidly. Hastily, we returned everything, the lock sticking when I tried to will it to click again. I got it after a moment, and then the two of us were dashing around the desk, Nova ripping the tech from the air. Slowly, I cracked open the door, spotting Zura helping a broad man and towering woman pick up a hefty stack of wood.
“I’m so sorry, I’ve always been a clumsy mess!” she said as she began frantically picking up pieces, her eyes flicking to us momentarily. Silently, we slipped out of the door. Nova was quick to press her hands to the wood, squeezing her eyes shut as she returned the ward. Probably strengthened it, too. If it was anyone else, I’d remind them that Maitoza needed to have access to the office without breaking the wards, but Nova was the only person in all of Dajahim I had complete faith in.
When she nodded and took my hand, I let her lead. “Zura, what happened?”
“I didn’t mean to!”
“You never do,” Nova sighed, bending down to help. “I’m so sorry. She has a bad habit of making messes.”
“Really, it’s not a big deal,” the woman said, smiling Zura’s way. The man beside her seemed inclined to disagree, glaring at Zura with downturned lips. I helped as well, the five of us cleaning it up in less than a minute. Just enough time for Cal to strut out of the room beside Maitoza’s office, his face smug and damp. He winked at us as he passed, heading straight for the door outside.
By the time the group of us stood, the guard was back at his station, sweaty, but dressed and on high alert.
“Come on, Zura. We got the time mixed up for our meeting with the commander anyway.” Nova said, patting Zura’s back.
“Sorry again,” Zura mumbled, keeping her head low. I nodded at the pair of rebels, earning a disgusted look from them both. Nobody here liked cores, that much was obvious.
“Don’t bother coming to any meeting today. The commander is ill. She doesn’t need to see your face while she’s already sick,” the man spit, lifting his chin as he turned, gesturing for the woman to follow with a shrugged shoulder. She smiled warmly at Zura before rotating and following the man, the pair stopping in front of the guard to speak in hushed voices.
Our entire group was out of the building in seconds, the six of us heading for the wards, laughter slowly bubbling out of us.
“Not too bad, Roshen,” Quinn said, smiling as he placed an arm around Zura’s shoulders. Her chestnut skin began to pinken, but she smiled widely.
“You all would have failed if it wasn’t for me, actually,” Cal said, walking with far too much pep in his step.
“You got to fuck somebody while we did all the work, that’s hardly worth celebrating,” I mumbled.
He turned to me, his smile growing sharper. “And what is fucking Nova, then? A chore?”
Lunging, I put him in a headlock, Priya jumping on my back and smacking me in the head with her palm. All the while, I felt the oddest urge to fall to my knees in thanks. Not to the stars, but to Nova, who was quickly becoming the only deity I worshiped.
***
“I’m telling you, Desi, she wants to kill us all.”
Desi was having a hard time believing that Maitoza was plotting our demise, but that was in her nature. She always believed the best ineveryone.That was why she was already getting along with Zura, Cal, and even Quinn. Priya, well…Priya didn’t like most people.
“Az, you have no idea why she’d be keeping those numbers. She probably feels somewhat responsible. Did you know she does weekly protests? That’s once a week that she encourages unrest. You don’t know this because you aren’t part of it, but there are constant outbreaks of violence. Eadi fight back all across the continent, and they die for it. Don’t you think the commander probably feels guilty for those who die?”
“No, I don’t. She wants that. She wants all of this. When everything falls apart—when the system topples—it leaves all ofDajahim particularly susceptible to any new kind of horror that brands itself as reform. How do you think my ancestors took over?” I stood, pacing back and forth in the infirmary. Desi sat behind her desk, a deep frown creasing her face. “I believe the stars do want chaos, but we choose the destructive path ourselves because it’s easier to build on remains than to clear out the rubble.”
“Listen to what you’re suggesting though. Do you really think Commander Maitoza would kill all of the rebels with magic despite the fact we’re helping her take back Dajahim? How would that look?”
“I thought the same thing at first. But then it hit me. She doesn’t care what happens to her. In her eyes, what she’s doing is righteous. It’s why she wanted Nova to tell her that the stars supported her cause. What does it matter to her when she’ll probably die and ascend by the end of this?”
Desi started folding rags again, her lips pursed and head shaking slowly. “I don’t know. I think you’re really underestimating how much she cares about the people of Dajahim.”
Sitting back down in the chair across from her, I placed my palms on the wooden desk, trying to push the words out of myself in a way that would get through to her.
