Page 37 of The Cerulean Sister
"Play it," I say without thinking. I can guess what it says, as the messages were almost all the same.
"I should listen first," 99 cuts in, his posture returning to the authoritative stance it had when we first entered.
"Just play it." I lean back in my chair, feeling confident it's another attempt from the temple to play at my guilt or maybe my faith this time.
Lee looks flustered and stammers a few times before glancing at 99 in a silent question if my request is something he can do.
99 nods once at him.
Lee flicks a switch and the speaker cuts on. There is a long pause, too long, like the person on the other end does not know the message has started recording.
The voice that finally speaks penetrates to my marrow and sends my spine upright in my seat. A shiver runs over my skin all the way up to my now watery eyes.
"Ferren, I pray this reaches you." Priestess Thea's voice is so small and hesitant. The silence is heavy before she continues, "I had to get this message to you. Ben had to pay another guard off to get me into the beacon tower. I could not sleep until I tried. It's about your sister."
The pause is so long and painful, I open my mouth to ask what happened, if it was cut short.
"Leema is here, in the Estate . . . She is asking about you. She is pregnant, Ferren."
Just like that, the tiny thread still attaching me to my old life becomes a thick pulling cord, beckoning me from across the three worlds.
Every emotion seems to race by in the time I realize there is no more to the message, just a static noise like Thea did not know to press another button when she was finished.
Did she truly sneak into the beacon room with Guardsmen Ben to send this to me? Is this just a clever trick by Crixa to lureme back when all other methods of guilt and threats have not worked?
My gut churns, acid rising upward.
The temple will say anything to make me come back,I remind myself again.
But thatwasn'tthe temple, that was my oldest friend.
99 is silent next to me, and when I turn to him, another cold chill runs down my spine. He orders everyone but Lee from the beacon room, a sudden demand that is swiftly obeyed as the workers all but disappear.
My chest only allows small, insignificant breaths in at once, my mind assuming I am in danger and not wanting to draw attention.
"Analyze it." 99 looms over Lee's workstation, watching his every move.
His thoughts flash violently in his mind's eye, his regret for not stopping the last message and how he should have snapped Lee's neck for not checking if there were new ones before we began.
"There is no encryption, 99th Commander." Lee shakes his head like he is not sure what to do. "It came through just like the others."
"Do it! I want to know who sent it."
"I know who sent it," I confess.
Lee presses a button and waits, lights on his screen slowly filling a circle like in time it will be complete. The sounds it emits while it processes is a grating tick.
"The temple will do anything and use anyone to get you to come back," 99 says, still staring at the screen, so focused and determined the harshness in his voice speaking to Lee bleeds through in his words to me.
He thinks the temple sent the message, perhaps faked or even forced Thea to send it as a manipulation tactic.
If that is true, then Thea is participating in that deception. Thea would not lie to me. However, only a short time ago, I didn't think that Crixa would either.
I am not sure what I think.
"Nothing," Lee says when the ticking stops and a beep chimes its completion.
"Analyze the voice," 99 grits out, teetering on losing his temper fully.
