Page 36 of The Garnet Daughter
She steps forward and eyes the data pad in 99’s grasp suspiciously. “The Frithian girl is present?”
He nods.
My stomach drops to the smooth mosaic floor.
Ferren turns in my direction and waves her hand, inviting me to come forward. I step toward her, and she watches the entire way, not resting her outward reached hand until I am standing beside her. I glance back at August for just a moment, the only other person in the room likely feeling as out of place as I am. Ferren notices. Her brown eyes flick back to him as well, her insistent observance not taking a break even now, when so much pressure is in the room.
The council members do not address me or even look in my direction. I am an inconvenient formality they have to tie up before moving onto more pressing conjunction matters, as Ferren put it, and that is fine with me.
“99th Commander, please read the statement.”
“Calliape of Frith, present of the day of the First Son attack on the Estate, present in the Estate's temple, a guest of the planet Viathan, posted in defense of the Estate?—”
He pauses when the elder priestess raises her hand.
“You possess gifts from First Mother, do you not, girl?” the elder priestess asks.
It takes me a moment to collect my voice. “I do.”
“Frithian divinity,” she states flatly, as if to remind the council or perhaps to preface the rest of the statement. “Continue.”
99 exhales in an audible huff. “Calliape of Frith sought assistance from the elders of her world, leaving the Estate?—”
“Leaving the Estate to travel the distance back to hers,” the elder interrupts again, and 99 relaxes his arm at his side, his impatience on full display.
“Traveling the distance between worlds is not a common gift,” the elder finishes. She steps forward, small but likely powerful. “The elders of Frith, what was their reply? Are we to accept assistance after lifetimes of apathetic silence?”
99 said this would be easy, but I have a sickening sensation that my being here by myself will elicit more inquiries. We knew they would want to learn how the elders of Frith would reply to the request of aid, so I repeat it just as planned.
“They could not come to an answer,” I answer as neutrally as possible. I want to tell them the elders warned me of the monster and how many of their members are in danger. But this is meant to divert any attention from what happened that day, from the book I used in their temple, from why we needed to set up a new ward in the first place, and from all the questions that would arise if I divulged any other details.
The elder hums. “Do you agree with the statement you have signed? Thank you, 99th Commander.” She nods her head at him as if his services are no longer needed to read the rest.
“Yes, the statement is correct and accurate,” I say.
“Good.” She turns her back to us, and relief spreads down the line, the tension dissolving as the end approaches. But then she turns back, clasping her shaky hands. “The elder priestess present in the temple with your party, before her untimely passing, she spoke of a Frithian with interesting gifts. Her mind was fractured from the events of the attack, however her gift was still clear, sensing divinity in others, down to the very gift they possessed. She spoke of a rare ability, rarer even than travelling the distance to other worlds. Do you have any idea what she referred to?”
I can tell how rigid Ferren is, waiting for me to answer the question they did not know would be asked. A limited number of them have the information about the stone’s removal and its source. Are they aware the ancient deity spoke, and I comprehended? The interrogator said the elder’s mind was fractured, but by the way they are all watching me, they believe her. The Frithian elders warned me not to mention that I understood the old god’s language to the order. It made little sense then, but every hair on my body stands straight up as if predators are in the forest nearby.
“Forgive me, I do not. I’ve only the gift of folding distance.”
She seems satisfied, but others whisper to my side, the sting of it scraping across my skin and making me want to flee.
“Elder Priestess Agatha, I approve of the statement. Is there any opposition from the council?” the emperor announces.
The people dressed in elaborate Estate clothing murmur and some bow their heads to agree.
“Lord General, the Frithian is released to Viathan’s custody,” the emperor dismisses and then begins speaking of conjunction matters while I am still processing.
99 leans back to capture my attention and tilts his helmet to the side, signalling my release.
Ferren squeezes my hand and whispers she will find me after, but I can’t get away fast enough.
I slip out of the room as if I’m a ghostly apparition floating through the crowd, listening to the lord general update the council of the defenses they have put in place around the Estate.
When I breach the door into the overly decorated hall, I take a loud, satisfying breath. But Selene is on my heels, walking after me like something to be caught. I realize I walked right by her and August, so determined to leave that room and the nerve-searing questions behind.
“You need to be more careful. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is here for you?” Selene spits as she approaches me. “Do you realize what would happen if they knew you understood the language of the gods?”
