by Gin Hollan
As their eyes met, she saw a story in them that she wasn't sure she was ready for. She might as well tell him the whole truth. “I was happy out in the light and life of the city on the rare occasion I could get out, but I smiled because of you. We were good friends, and I had missed our talks, our friendship. It rankled me that something as simple as a marriage agreement meant losing my best friend.”
“We both hid our pain well, it seems.” He sat back again, face serious. "Since we're being brutally honest, I'm sworn to secrecy on this, but you deserve to know. The makeup and perfume on his clothing were his own. His lovers were male. When they found him, he was dressed as a woman, and quite convincingly, I might add."
Arabeth laughed. Looking at Sam, he was serious.
"Wait, really?" she asked, feeling an odd tingling settle through her as what he said sank in.
"His tactic of wooing your family first was clever and devious." He leaned back in the chair. "It was a hard lesson, for both of us. Yes, I would marry you in a heartbeat, but for now, let's pretend. It's for your safety. I've heard about some of the practices in this country, and it seems a lone, unattached woman is considered kind of like a feral horse – if you capture and tame her, she's yours."
Arabeth sputtered a cough and stood up. “Well, then... maybe in public we should. What about Melanie and Graham? Should they pretend as well?”
“Graham is not in favour of the idea. He thinks Melanie's current state puts her off-limits, anyway.”
“Let's hope so.” Arabeth said, thoughtfully. “I want to believe you Sam. We're both different people from who we were years ago. I will agree to pretend, in a way that is publicly acceptable and decent, but only until we get back home.” She hoped she wouldn't regret this, but for now, it did seem the wise choice. She had to admit, it might be nice to have someone hold her hand now and then, lean in and whisper things that made her laugh or blush. A companion, as well as a friend.
// Chapter 21 //
Arabeth needed to sneak out. Mel was sound asleep, as evidenced by her light snoring. Marble napped on the chair still. The world around her slept, but Arabeth doubted she'd be able to.
Sam had told her some interesting things. The gaps in the logic around her marriage started to fill in and make sense. Sleep problems aside, she had a rule about not falling asleep with alcohol in her system. She'd be safe walking around inside the hotel, she hoped.
Changing her clothes, she walked out and almost burst out laughing when she saw Sam on the outside of his own door.
He walked to her and took one of her hands, kissing her palm. "Sleep is the last thing on my mind," he said.
She gave a light laugh. "I couldn't sleep if I tried."
"Walk with me?" he said.
She nodded.
"We're going back to the crystal field by the cave once Mel and Graham are gone, right?" she asked.
"Yes, we must have missed something along the way," he agreed.
"The mural bothers me. I think it deserves a second look."
"Easy enough."
"And these crystals... if they are used for communication, we should find out how," she added.
They reached the swing lifts and went down. To their surprise, Kennen was sitting in the lobby, reading.
"Don't you sleep?" Sam asked.
"I'm waiting for instructions. If you are done in Owen, as it seems you are, I need to know if I continue with you or go back to the Friary."
"So you're waiting for a messenger?"
"Sort of." He shrugged. "It's complicated."
"We couldn't sleep. I'm blaming the harmonics of this place," Arabeth said. "There is a constant hum here."
Kennen looked at her, head slightly tipped to one side. "Really? I don't hear it."
Sam shrugged. "She's sensitive. It makes her an exceptional gadgeteer."
"I guess it would," Kennen said, face straight, but his eyes looked like he was laughing.
Arabeth nudged Sam with her elbow. "Let's go look at the centre tower. The fact that plants grow so well down here is puzzling me."
“I'd like to talk strategy with our friend here,” he said, looking at Kennen.
“Ah, good idea.” Without Graham around, they might actually accomplish something.
The three walked to the dining area. It was a different place at night, with dim lighting, soft music, and what looked like a alcohol display.
They had just sat down in a booth when Clara walked up. "Hello, friends. Are you ready to move on?"
Arabeth frowned. "Why is everyone in a hurry to get us away? Not just here, but the last two places we went did the same thing. A warm welcome, then shortly after, a quick brush-off."
Clara shrugged. "I can't speak to their reasons, but I'd like to get you home before someone in the capital realizes you're exiles and we've hosted you willingly. It's been a long time, but we do know the penalty."
"We thought we had until morning," Arabeth said.
"Now would be better. Best you do it quickly. I'll wait for you here," Clara said, sitting.
Arabeth, Sam, and Kennen jogged to the lift then down the hall. Nearing the room, they saw several men in suits knocking on doors then walking away when they opened, as though they were searching for someone specific. "Are they with Clara?" Arabeth wondered.
"I think she would have mentioned them," Sam said.
"I guess we're sticking to plan A," Arabeth shook her arms out and wished she had her satchel.
"Wait, they're not at our doors. Not yet."
"How can we sneak in?"
"We could use a diversion."
"Fire alarm. They'd have a fire alarm in here, right?" Arabeth suggested.
"Brilliant. Let's find it."
They hurried down the hall, away from the men in suits.
"There's an electric fire alarm system here. I'll trigger it and you use the chaos to slip in and get them out. Ready?" Kennen said.
"Thank you Kennen. Where should we meet up?"
"I'll find Clara after I set the alarm off. Meet me at the place where Melanie broke the camera. They won't have it replaced yet," Kennen suggested.
"All right. There's our plan," Sam said.
Kennan stepped back out and stretched his arms around as though he came out of a room looking for a late night snack. He stared at them a minute as though curious, then shrugged and walked away.
When no one opened Melanie's door then Graham's, the suited men turned and stood guard in front of them. Melanie and Graham were effectively prisoners.
As high-pitched whine started and grew louder and increasingly harsh. The fire alarm. Soon the halls were flooded with people. Arabeth and Sam ducked through the ever-increasing panic and slipped into the nearest of the two rooms as the guard tried desperately to keep from being kicked around.
Inside, they found Melanie and Graham dressed, packed, and ready to run.
"How did you know?" Arabeth asked. "Never mind - explain after."
She grabbed her backpack and picked Marble up. There was no way she'd risk her. "I'll go out the other door and keep them looking the other way. Meet where you broke the camera."
"But you don't know where that is," Melanie protested.
"I know the general area." Arabeth pushed Melanie toward the door. "Go."
Sam followed her through the adjoining room door and to the other exit.
"Go with them - they might need protection," she said.
"Not a chance," he smiled. She shook her head, but she knew he'd be stubborn about it.
She cracked the door and there were still a lot of people running, screaming, hurrying. Too many, she thought. A significant amount of the commotion was to the right of their doors. This must be Clara's doing, Arabeth realized.
The other door opened and Melanie and Graham hurried into the crowd and away toward the stairwell at the end of the hall.
"We're going to have to go the other way. The guards are focused this way."
They hurried back to the other
side. Arabeth eased the door open enough to squeeze through. Sam followed and wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders as they hurried.
// Chapter 22 //
At the base of the stairs, the chaos continued as people streamed out into the corridors. Someone grabbed Arabeth's jacket and she looked. Kennen.
"Where are they?" she asked.
"This way," he kept hold of her sleeve but she refused to let go of Marble. Holding Sam's hand with her one free hand, they wove through the crowd.
Emergency crews arrived, asking where to go, and hotel staff were talking with the people evacuating. It wouldn't take long to find out there was no fire.
They ran down the hall, slowing as the crowds thinned. It might be odd that they left the emergency area, instead of going to see what was happening, but the way they were dressed and packed, it was clear they wanted out of the city. They weren't alone, but they seemed to be the only ones ready for it.
"Hurry, I don't want to get locked up, again," Kennen said.
"A fake fire alarm would get you locked up?" Sam asked.
Kennen shook his head but said nothing.
"You started a real fire?!" Melanie stopped walking.
"Relax. Two pieces of paper in a metal bin. It's still a miracle I didn't get caught," he waved her to keep walking. "So let's not get stupid now."
"Stupid? Are you saying -"
"Melanie, later," Arabeth turned and gave her a look.
With a glare, Melanie punched him on the arm as she passed him.
"Wait, what about Davin?" Arabeth asked.
"Oh right - Clara took her when the alarm went off," Kennen said. "Here. The crystals." He held out a large bag with a single sling-strap. "She said she's keeping the wagon as her fee for helping you with this."
"Fair enough," Arabeth said, not caring about the wagon. The canopy was beautiful. It would have made a beautiful addition to her house, as a tapestry.
Kennen ducked down a narrow hall, into shadows and lanterns. Turns came more often and the air felt damp as the roof became lower and became rough, as though carved from the ground itself.
Arabeth to kept a tight grip on Marble, fearing that she'd be stepped on if she were allowed to walk with them.
"What were you doing way back here, Mel?" Arabeth asked.
"I wasn't back here - what are we doing here?" Melanie replied.
"Avoiding the other cameras," Kennen whispered. "Trust me, I know these passages."
The corridor started to improve again, walls smoothing back to the flat, smooth sheen of the main area. Kennen stopped and stood next to the wall, waving everyone to do the same before peering around the corner. He visibly relaxed and leaned out.
"We're here," he said, waving to Clara. "Over here."
"Not a minute too soon. Someone take this," she said as she walked to the group, holding out the lead rope for Davin.
Sam took the line. "Where now?"
Melanie bumped Arabeth with her elbow to get her attention. "That room in your house, with the shielding... I would give anything to be there right now."
"What's wrong?" Arabeth asked, matching her low volume.
"There are so many voices right now."
"Hang on," Arabeth said, putting her backpack down and rummaging through her satchel with her free hand. "I had something that would help. Where did I put it?"
"We don't have time, ladies," Clara snapped.
Melanie nodded at Arabeth. She grabbed her backpack again and jogged to catch up.
The hall turned sharply to the right and returned to being a short and narrow, and soon became little more than a carved-out tunnel.
Clara pulled out two long, dark metal bands and held them out toward Sam.
"If you don't mind, you each need to wrap one around a wrist" she said. "Our blood protects us, but Graham and Kennen have no such defense."
"I… Is that true?" Kennen asked.
He was rewarded with an eye roll and a sigh from Clara.
Arabeth stared at Clara a moment, trying to decide if it was a lie. She’d taken two untested people home via the shuttles a month earlier, and they seemed fine. Then again, they were from Blastborn. Maybe the one who sent her to escort them had tested them first.
As they put the wrist band on, Clara retrieved a long, flat metal bar two inches wide, similar to the one she'd used to unlock where Melanie had been detained, only older, thicker. Rougher.
Inserting it into an unassuming groove in the wall caused a series of heavy metal thunks. As she withdrew the bar, a small section of the tunnel wall opened. As they walked in, lights turned on and a short, wide area opened up in front of them, with a polished marble floor in light and dark checkerboard squares.
"It’s an actual checkerboard," Arabeth chuckled. It had been too dim in the other places she’d been to catch the subtle sheen shift that made the tiles look like this.
Clara gave her a half-smile.
"What is this place?" Melanie asked.
"Walk in the rest of the way, if you don't mind," Clara said, walking back to the entrance. When Davin was all the way in as well, she pulled a lever and the door swung shut, settling into place with a solid thud.
A railway track ran along the far side. There was no train waiting this time.
To the left was a lounge area, with soft chairs and a few small tables, and a kitchen area. As the lights went up, a spectrum of colours shone out in a soft glow all around the room.
That part was different from the other two train stations she'd been at. This one seemed more designed as an actual stop-over, so people wouldn’t have to venture in Owen if they didn’t want to. Clara walked slowly toward the kitchen.
"Inspired by the underground rail systems that ended slavery and started full-scale non-organic contraband exchanges, one of the Kings started intercepting shipments and, at a Continental Leadership summit, said he believed they should be made into public transport systems to bring to good use something that was otherwise only evil," Clara said as she walked over to a panel on the wall. When she flipped the cover open, it revealed a series of buttons. She pressed four of them and shut the panel again.
"The other countries were shamed into agreeing, but some others in positions of power saw this turn toward the common good as an opportunity to line their pockets," she continued. "The rails never made it into public use, mostly because it was underground, had no boundaries marked, and no one knew which countrymen was financially responsible for which part of the process. Although it was most likely their slaves that did the work, who paid for them to be built and maintained was in great dispute and war broke out over which country owned the lines.
You've been told a lot of things, but this is how the war really started, and why it must remain our family's dying secret." Clara turned to look at the three men, as though Arabeth and Melanie's compliance went without asking. "Am I understood, gentlemen?"
"Sure," Sam said, hesitant but nodding. The other two agreed.
"It wasn't about the crystals?" Melanie asked, staring at the ones growing out of the walls.
"They didn't help the situation, but seriously, have you noticed anything significant since your exposure? You're not spitting fireballs or breaking sonic barriers are you?"
Melanie laughed. "No, but I think I am going a little crazy."
Clara walked over and patted Melanie on the arm. "See? Who goes to war over that?"
"Why didn't they track the expenses of running the rails and split the cost?" Arabeth wondered.
"You really are sheltered back there," Clara laughed. "What the crystals do and don't do has been thoroughly debated, but the one thing everyone can agree on is their use in communication relays." She looked directly at Melanie. "It's quiet here, isn't it?"
Melanie look startled then laughed. "How did you know?"
"You've got the look. There is a tint to your skin that your friends would probably say wasn't there before the crystal field."
Melanie bristled, crossing
her arms and looking away.
"Relax. We can talk without fear of someone listening in on our conversation here. The crystals block as well as well as transmit, based on their pattern," Clara said. "Go ahead - ask them."
Melody looked at Arabeth. She nodded then shrugged.
"It felt rude to say anything," Arabeth said, feeling a little defensive. "I thought it might pass."
"But when we get home, people will notice. I have enough trouble fitting in."
Arabeth's gut knotted. She wasn't ready to go home. "Clara, someone blasted through the mountain and was sending automatons through that were causing people to attack each other. I need to find out who's behind it."
"And why... knowing why and how to stop them would be good," Graham added, to Arabeth's surprise. It seemed he hadn't cared about being involved in that particular mystery.
"Kennen, stop picking at the edge of your band," Clara said. "Having most of our extended family behind that mountain has been a necessary evil, and the purpose of it will be clear all too soon. I suppose that means I should give you the lay of the political landscape out here."
"First I'd like to see proof of kinship. Have you done that yet?" Sam said.
"Wait, that's right," Melanie said. "What if this is nothing more than a clever way to shuttle us off to an unsavoury end?"
"She has good reason to suspect anyone she doesn't know, and a few she does," Arabeth paused.
"Alright," she sighed again and Arabeth imagined an extensive eye roll accompanied it. Clara went over to a shallow drawer and pulled out something that reminded Arabeth of a tube light. Then she pulled a pin from her hat. "In the name of expediency," Clara pricked the skin on her palm. Blood slowly surfaced. The light was invisible, her blood showing as normal until the tube light highlighted something that shone back silver. "It's a small world behind that mountain. We should test you gentlemen as well, just to be sure."
She waited as they each found something to draw blood. Only Sam had the silver inter-mingling.
"Does this mean you're all related?" Graham asked.
Clara chuckled. "No, it means we all have progenitors with the same susceptibility to the crystals. Our ancestors were part of a scientific trial."