Page 72 of Eternal Ruin
Both felt like fragile dreams until she could make them a reality.
“I want to draw him the Semain Mountains,” Yusef said. “He always says he wants to go there.”
Yusef had begun to draw again, with his left hand. There was a frustrated line to his face each time a line went too wide or wouldn’t curve the way he wanted it to, but Omar was training him. And although he returned from the prison visits with a smile, his face transformed each time he picked up a charcoal pencil. Slen’s jar for him aboutDebilitating Creative Rantswas on its second refill.
Unfortunately, Kidan now had her own jar in the group, labeled:
Talking About June
She hadn’t been amused when Slen and Yusef presented it to her. She didn’t talk about Junethatmuch. But over the course of the day, the traitorous jar would keep filling up until Kidan stopped talking altogether and stared at the damning glass.
Was she a little obsessed? Maybe. But she had the right to be.
Slen had nearly smiled as if she heard her inner monologue. “Think of how much work you could get done if you stopped focusing on her.”
Kidan’s phone pinged and she winced at the thought of reading another announcement from the Mot Zebeya Courts. But… Thursday was tomorrow. And it was Slen’s house that would be voting. Which meant this was a different alert.
It was Uxlay’s news site: a headline announcing a murder. Kidan stared for so long, it was Yusef who read the text aloud over her shoulder.
“Wait, Tezu Ajtaf is dead?” He nearly choked on a mouthful of roasted seeds.
That was Ramyn’s father’s real name. Nicknamed Tesasus, after the 17th century king because of how many wives he had. And now… he was dead.
Slen quickly took the phone, reading the rest. “It says Samson is suspected of his death. He’s arrested, waiting for charges.”
Susenyos had really done it. Kidan barely felt the ground beneath her. Samson was gone and the 13th’s leader was too. She was beginning to smile when Slen’s serious expression made her ask, “What?”
“You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Ajtaf is the leader of the 13th.”
“How do you know that?”
The challenge took Kidan by surprise. She wasn’t sure what Slen was upset about—not being included in the plan or that the 13th had been harmed.
Kidan’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? Tamol is in a coma so his father took over.”
Slen shook her head. “Never mind. We’ll be late for class.”
Kidan frowned but got to her feet regardless.
Yusef moved between them on the path to the mourning Arat Towers, defusing the weird tension.
“How’s inheriting going?” he asked Slen.
“There’s still something I don’t share with my father. I don’t know what, though.”
Cruelty, Kidan thought but didn’t say. She was still hoping Slen would sever.
“We have the same language and faith but values are difficult to pinpoint.” An edge of frustration lined Slen’s words. “I prefer Dranacti to this class.”
Yusef raised a brow. “Really? I think this is a nice change of pace. Let’s hope we don’t have to kill any more people.”
As they drew closer to the heart of campus, a chill settled in the air. A chanting sound was coming from Resar’s Square. Kidan heard clinking, GK’s voice calling her name before fading into the crowd. She shook her head and turned a corner.
Hundreds of protesters, all packed like sardines on the green court, shouted two phrases in fury.
“We want change! Death to the Founding Houses!”
