Page 21 of Tender Captivity
“Please, no,” the male begged. “I didn’t shoot the dart, that was Orlina of the Tymorian Clan! He shot it!”
Another Facilitator motioned to someone, and half a dozen heavily armed guards took off, probably to hunt down this Orlina. The Facilitator standing close to the begging man spoke.
“Tell us why,” she demanded, “and we might spare your life.”
“The Lolians hired me!” he screamed.
That’s when everything devolved into chaos. The crowd fell on the Lolian family like a pack of rabid animals on cornered prey. There were few things that would cause a crowd of Talins to act so uncivilized, but acting so dishonorably in a public sphere like a Challenge was one of them.
Renalan managed to make it onto the stage with them. Between him, Dalt, and Holian, all five of them made it out without further injury.
Even as they put some distance between them and the arena, she was sure she could still hear Nelaran and his parents screaming for mercy as the crowd ripped them apart.
It was a fitting end for them.
Chapter 11
Holian was eager to find Jinna and give her the package he’d received, only to have Renalan stop him.
“Commandant, Tarquin is here to see you.”
Those words stopped him in his tracks. “Tarquin?”
“Yes,” Renalan said with a thoughtful rumble. “He’s wearing a Mourning Cloth.”
“Mourning Cloth?” Holian repeated, shocked at this news. “Who died?”
“No one close to him that I know of,” Renalan answered. “But you should ask him yourself.”
Holian finally understood his friend’s strained tone. Renalan had always had a soft spot for strays. More often than not, Renalan brought his attention to a retired soldier struggling to adjust back into Talin society. Holian might talk them into relocating to Kalor but Renalan found them.
And it looked like Renalan thought Tarquin might be another stray. He’d never questioned Renalan’s judgment before, so he wasn’t going to start now.
“I’ll speak with him but only briefly,” Holian allowed. “I have an important gift for Jinna.”
“Oh, it finally came!” Renalan said looking down at the package Holian was cradling gently and sounding a happy rumble. “She’ll be so happy.”
“I hope so,” Holian commented before nodding to the formal meeting room. “Bring him in there. No refreshments. He’s not a guest.”
“Yes, sir. Of course,” Renalan said before striding off. He only heard the sarcasm in those four words because Holian and Renalan had been friends for so long.
Striding into the formal room, he took up position at the far end and didn’t bother sitting. He wanted to get this meeting over with quickly. The room wasn’t large, so when Tarquin stepped in, he took up a lot of space. He was wearing the uncomfortable black Mourning Cloth over his torso and head. Holian could see it was laced so tightly it might even be restricting his ability to take a full breath.
Tarquin must be suffering some immense guilt to voluntarily wear such a painful garment. Usually Talins wore it because someone close to them had died and they felt either deep pain, responsibly, or both. But it could also be a sign of feeling deep shame.
Whatever the reason, Holian didn’t care. “Why are you here?”
Tarquin was quiet for a moment. Half his face was obscured by the ridiculously oversized hood of the Mourning Cloth. Holian allowed the large Talin a few moments to compose his thoughts, but as the silence stretched, he lost his patience.
“Speak or leave,” he ordered. “Those are your choices.”
Without a word, Tarquin sank to his knees and presented Holian with an Atonement Needle.
Apparently there was a third choice Holian hadn’t thought of.
Snatching the Atonement Needle from the male’s hand, Holian broke it in half and tossed it away. “We don’t do that here,” he growled. “Get off your knees and explain yourself.”
Reluctantly, Tarquin rose to his feet and pulled back the hood of his robe. “Would you not grant me a chance to make amends for my part in the Challenge? The guilt is eating me alive. Please, Commandant Holian, tell me how I can earn your forgiveness.”
